An inflation device for an inflatable article comprises a housing for supporting a container of pressurized fluid and for supporting piercing means which is displaceable from a retracted position to penetrate the container and allow release of pressurized fluid, said container being contained within a protected casing which is secured non-releasably to the housing thereby to prevent removal of the pressurized container.

An inflator including in combination, an inflator body having at one end an input for receiving the neck of a gas cartridge, a manifold assembly intended to be fluidly connected to an inflatable, a combination automatic and manual actuator assembly including a spring-loaded actuator including a pierce pin for fracturing a frangible seal of the gas cartridge, a bobbin with a dissolvable pill that retains the spring-loaded actuator in a cocked position by an annular ring seat that engages the bobbin and a hood connected onto the end of the inflator body, the hood including an inwardly-extending tab that engages the actuator to securely retain the hood onto the end of the inflator body by means of the inwardly-extending tab being grasped by the forked end of the actuator.

The present invention relates to improved personal flotation devices and their methods of use. Advantageously, the devices and methods of the invention eliminate the need for a pyrotechnical firing mechanism, and compared to current devices, are less apt to be spontaneously activated by deterioration that is caused by storage in a humid environment or the passage of time. Instead, the devices and methods of use of the present invention incorporate electronic circuitry to activate automatic operation.

An underwater rescue system, including a submersible and a rescue cage. The submersible includes a housing, a turntable and a motor. The turntable is rotatably arranged at an outer surface of the housing. The motor is fixed on the housing and connected to the turntable. The rescue cage includes a connecting rod, a first lifebuoy, a second lifebuoy and an air charging device. A lower end of the connecting rod is provided with an electromagnetic chuck attracting the turntable. An upper end of the connecting rod is connected to the first lifebuoy. A bottom of the first lifebuoy is provided with a load-bearing net. A side of the first lifebuoy is connected to the second lifebuoy by a net bag. The air charging device communicates with the first and second lifebuoys and is configured to charge air to the first and second lifebuoys.

An environmental protection garment for use during water activities includes a wetsuit. A plurality of bladders, a receiver, a transmitter, and a controller are coupled to the wetsuit. An inflation unit coupled to the wetsuit and fluidically coupled to the plurality of bladders. The receiver is global position system enabled. The controller is operationally coupled to the inflation unit, the receiver, and the transmitter. The controller is positioned to selectively actuate the inflation unit to inflate the bladders to increase a buoyancy of a user. The controller is positioned to selectively actuate the receiver to receive location coordinates and the transmitter to transmit the location coordinates and a distress signal.

An underwater rescue system, including a submersible and a rescue cage. The submersible includes a housing, a turntable and a motor. The turntable is rotatably arranged at an outer surface of the housing. The motor is fixed on the housing and connected to the turntable. The rescue cage includes a connecting rod, a first lifebuoy, a second lifebuoy and an air charging device. A lower end of the connecting rod is provided with an electromagnetic chuck attracting the turntable. An upper end of the connecting rod is connected to the first lifebuoy. A bottom of the first lifebuoy is provided with a load-bearing net. A side of the first lifebuoy is connected to the second lifebuoy by a net bag. The air charging device communicates with the first and second lifebuoys and is configured to charge air to the first and second lifebuoys.

A personal flotation device capable of providing buoyancy and preventing hypothermia and death caused by loss of body heat by supporting the individual's entire body out of the water. Special design features increase the ease of use to ensure successful deployment and boarding, even among injured, weak, and/or physically exhausted individuals. This personal flotation device is small and compact, so that it may be used in a prophylactic manner from low-risk to high-risk applications.

New expanding net interceptors and rescue devices are provided. In some aspects of the invention, a rescue device comprises a dense, positionable head, an extendable boom and a handle with an expansion and/or inflation trigger, wherein the positionable head comprises folded or compacted net, expandable and/or inflatable by the expansion and/or inflation trigger.

In order to provide a small life jacket that is unlikely to obstruct movement of a wearer, a life jacket includes: a float member that changes from an uninflated state to an inflated state with gas being supplied to an internal portion thereof, a cover that covers the float member in the uninflated state; a connecting member and a waist belt as a wearable member that is to be worn by a wearer; a guide member that is linked to the connecting member and the waist belt; and a slidable member that is linked to the float member and that slides along the guide member.

A personal flotation device capable of providing buoyancy and preventing hypothermia and death caused by loss of body heat by supporting the individual's entire body out of the water. Special design features increase the ease of use to ensure successful deployment and boarding, even among injured, weak, and/or physically exhausted individuals. This personal flotation device is small and compact, so that it may be used in a prophylactic manner from low-risk to high-risk applications.