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 and a hood connected onto the end of the inflator body, said 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.

An inflatable rescue attachment includes at least a U-shaped bladder that is adapted to be secured around the outer perimeter of the head and side portions of a rescue backboard and can be inflated rapidly using an inflation fluid source.

A rigid, inflatable backboard includes a central portion with drop stitch material enclosed in an airtight chamber which, when inflated, provides a flat, rigid surface for securing and transporting a rescuee. The inflatable rescue attachment may be used with a rigid, inflatable backboard, as well as with a standard wood, plastic, or fiberglass rescue backboard.

A life-saving device, including: a buoyancy bag including a cavity; a wearable member including a housing; a controller including a single-chip microcomputer, a battery, a flip-flop, and an integrated circuit board; a gas generator including an input electrode terminal and a gas outlet. The single-chip microcomputer includes a plurality of pins and is disposed on the integrated circuit board; the battery, the flip-flop, and the input electrode terminal of the gas generator are respectively connected to the plurality of pins through the integrated circuit board; the housing includes a first chamber, and the battery, the single-chip microcomputer, and the integrated circuit board are disposed in the first chamber; the cavity of the buoyancy bag communicates with the gas outlet; and the buoyancy bag is deflated when in nonuse for convenience of storage, and inflated with gas produced by the gas generator to expand in an emergency.

A life-saving device, including: a buoyancy bag including a cavity; a wearable member including a housing; a controller including a single-chip microcomputer, a battery, a flip-flop, and an integrated circuit board; a gas generator including an input electrode terminal and a gas outlet. The single-chip microcomputer includes a plurality of pins and is disposed on the integrated circuit board; the battery, the flip-flop, and the input electrode terminal of the gas generator are respectively connected to the plurality of pins through the integrated circuit board; the housing includes a first chamber, and the battery, the single-chip microcomputer, and the integrated circuit board are disposed in the first chamber; the cavity of the buoyancy bag communicates with the gas outlet; and the buoyancy bag is deflated when in nonuse for convenience of storage, and inflated with gas produced by the gas generator to expand in an emergency.

An inflatable flotation device having a reaction chamber with reactants that generate gas when mixed, said reactants being separated by a barrier assembly; an activating mechanism adapted to remove or puncture the barrier assembly such that said reactants mix; and an inflatable compartment fluidly connected to the reaction chamber by means of a pressure sensitive passageway, adapted to open only when the pressure of the gas in said reaction chamber exceeds a predetermined threshold. This ensures that most of the reactants are used up to generate gas before the gas enters the inflatable chamber, thus preventing scattering of the reactants. Some implementations have a reaction chamber without a barrier assembly, comprising reactants that generate gas when mixed with water and an activating mechanism adapted to expose the reactants to water. A variety of manual or automatic mechanisms may be employed to activate the reaction and inflate the device.

An inflatable survival vest includes an inflatable bladder having an inflation inlet through which a gas is input to inflate the bladder. The bladder is configured in the shape of a vest. The bladder has a plurality of parallel seams that divide the bladder into tubular channels. The tubular channels cause the vest to have a wavy outwardly facing surface with crests and troughs and a wavy inwardly facing surface with crests and troughs. An inner air chamber is positioned along the inwardly facing surface of the bladder. A shell with limited stretch-ability overlies the inflatable bladder, thereby limiting outward expansion of the bladder such that the bladder is adapted to expand inwardly pressing the inner air chamber against a body of a person wearing the bladder.

An inflatable survival vest includes an inflatable bladder having an inflation inlet through which a gas is input to inflate the bladder. The bladder is configured in the shape of a vest. The bladder has a plurality of parallel seams that divide the bladder into tubular channels. The tubular channels cause the vest to have a wavy outwardly facing surface with crests and troughs and a wavy inwardly facing surface with crests and troughs. An inner air chamber is positioned along the inwardly facing surface of the bladder. A shell with limited stretch-ability overlies the inflatable bladder, thereby limiting outward expansion of the bladder such that the bladder is adapted to expand inwardly pressing the inner air chamber against a body of a person wearing the bladder.

A monolithic pressure regulator may comprise a boding comprising a base wall, an end wall, and a side wall, a cavity within the body, an input port in fluid communication with the cavity, an output port in fluid communication with the cavity, a first vesicle configured to regulate a flow of fluid through the input port into the cavity at a source pressure to exit through the output port at a regulated pressure, wherein the first vesicle comprises a first vesicle wall contiguous with a bulkhead and at least one of the base wall or the end wall.

New water rescue devices and methods of use are provided. In some embodiments, a rescue device comprises an inflatable net with a handle, and a switch for causing the inflation of the inflatable net. In some methods, a user positions the inflatable net underneath at least part of a person or other object prior to inflation, and the inflating net rises due to increased buoyancy, while water passes through and below the net. The rising net lifts the person or object above the surface of a body of water, rescuing the person or object. In some embodiments, the invention is incorporated in a rescue buoy or rescue can. In some embodiments, an inflatable body other than a net also, or alternatively, is provided. For example, an expanding flotation ring or other flotation device is provided, which envelopes and holds the person or object when inflated.

New water rescue devices and methods of use are provided. In some embodiments, a rescue device comprises an inflatable net with a handle, and a switch for causing the inflation of the inflatable net. In some methods, a user positions the inflatable net underneath at least part of a person or other object prior to inflation, and the inflating net rises due to increased buoyancy, while water passes through and below the net. The rising net lifts the person or object above the surface of a body of water, rescuing the person or object. In some embodiments, the invention is incorporated in a rescue buoy or rescue can. In some embodiments, an inflatable body other than a net also, or alternatively, is provided. For example, an expanding flotation ring or other flotation device is provided, which envelopes and holds the person or object when inflated.