A valve includes a valve body having an inlet for fluid communication with a space or source containing pressurised gas, and at least one outlet. A membrane is arranged between the inlet and the at least one outlet. A membrane puncturing element is arranged for movement between a retracted, inoperative position and an extended position in which it punctures the membrane. An actuating piston is operatively coupled to the membrane puncturing element for moving the membrane puncturing element between its retracted and its extended positions, the actuating piston being received in a piston bore of the valve body. The valve body also includes a cartridge receiving chamber for receiving a sealed actuating gas cartridge. A cartridge puncturing device is provided for puncturing the actuating gas cartridge. An actuating gas flow passage communicates actuating gas released from the actuating gas cartridge to the actuating piston bore upon puncturing the actuating gas.

A pierce pin for an inflator for piercing the frangible seal of a gas cartridge including in combination a shaft having a axial bore forming a tubular member having a tip with a rim and a pair of slots formed across the rim into the tip into the tubular member to an appreciable depth to form a tab, the tab being bent inwardly into the axial bore after formation of the slots.

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 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.

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.

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.

A valve includes a valve body, an inlet in the valve body in fluid communication with the gas and an outlet in the valve body, and a rupture disc in fluid communication with and between the inlet and the outlet that prevents fluid communication between the inlet and the outlet. The valve also includes a piston that is urged by a gas from the gas source to rupture the rupture disc to allow fluid communication between the gas source and the outlet.

A bobbin assembly for an automatic inflator including a generally cylindrical wall, a plurality of arms positioned in a ring centered about and parallel to a longitudinal axis of the bobbin, each arm being pivotably connected to a rim of the cylindrical wall by a living hinge, at least one of the arms including a radial seat extending toward the longitudinal axis of the bobbin to form an annular seat having a diameter to retain a head of a spring-loaded actuator pin of the automatic inflator to hold the spring-loaded actuator pin in a cocked position, a toroidal pill positioned between a lumen of the cylindrical wall and the ringed arms to retain the arms in position centered about and parallel to the longitudinal axis of the bobbin such that the annular seat maintains the diameter to retain the head of the spring-loaded actuator pin, thereby holding the spring-loaded actuator pin in the cocked position and a web interconnecting at least one of adjacent pairs of the arms allowing the paired arms to pivot outwardly via their respective living hinges in unison.