Aquatic structures with adjustable buoyancy constructed in part with a vent valve for a buoyancy control device suitable for divers, where the vent valve may be opened by any combination of over-pressure, manual pressure relief or a powered means, where a force to a valve plug is applied by means of a spring that is constrained to prevent entirely lateral and angular movement but in which movement of the plug in the axis of the seat is unconstrained.

A diving system can include a smart buoyancy assistant to automatically adjusts the amount of air in the buoyancy control device (BCD) to maintain buoyancy control during the descent, level hold, or ascent of a dive. In some instances, the smart buoyancy assistant is automatically activated when the system is submerged to a predetermined activation depth. Additionally, the smart buoyancy assistant can add air to the BCD if the system drops below a predetermined maximum depth. The system can capture data representing dive metrics and sensor data and can report such data to a computing device to further aggregate the data and generate dive models to improve the performance of the system. The computing device can use the aggregated data to perform dive analysis and determine if the system is over or under adjusting the amount of air to improve the dive models.

A buoyancy control device having a back panel and including at least one flotation bladder, which at least one flotation bladder is configured with the device for controllable inflation and deflation, and connected thereto a harness arrangement for securing the device to a body of a user, the device having a cylinder-mounting mechanism arranged to enable front or side mounting of at least one breathable gas cylinder is useful for snorkeling and diving or repeated diving from snorkeling. A particularly preferred configuration provides a lightweight device of less than 5 kg and an apparatus of no more than 10 kg whereby carriage to and from snorkeling and/or diving location is simplified.

A diving apparatus (10) supplies breathing air (L) and includes a basic body (12), a tank interface (20), a pressure reducer (22), a mouthpiece interface (24), and a display device (30). The tank interface connects to a breathing air tank (90) for the inlet of breathing air into the diving apparatus. The mouthpiece interface is configured for connection of a mouthpiece (92) for the supply of breathing air from the diving apparatus. The pressure reducer is arranged in a gas path of the diving apparatus between the tank interface and the mouthpiece interface for reducing gas pressure. The display device includes a display instrument (32) and a display line (34). A holding element (40) is configured to detachable fasten the display line at the basic body. A diving system (100) is provided including the diving apparatus (10), a breathing air tank (90) and/or with a mouthpiece (92).

Conventional SCUBA diving equipment is heavy and cumbersome, mainly due to the mass and size of the breathing gas carrier, i.e. the pressure vessel. A preferred pressure vessel for SCUBA diving can be as light as possible and neutrally buoyant at all stages of the dive. To achieve such preferred characteristics, the pressure vessel volume can be adjusted in accordance with the change in its mass. The present invention provides SCUBA systems that provides for the preferred characteristics.

A scuba cylinder lower side mounting system employs two mating parts to secure the lower portion of a scuba cylinder to a diver's torso, the first affixed to either side of any side-mount or back mount Buoyancy Control Device utilizing a web waistband. A web cylinder band or stainless steel hose-clamp secures the second part to any scuba cylinder. The two parts are engaged whether in or out of the water by inserting the second part into the first and pivoting the cylinder at the point of attachment. Existing arrangements to position the cylinder valve near the diver's armpit will keep the system locked in place. It may be disengaged before entering or engaged after exiting confined underwater spaces without reaching between the cylinder and diver's torso. The system keeps the cylinder close to and aligned with the diver's torso regardless of the cylinder's change in buoyancy or diver orientation.

A valve locking system for inflatable underwater equipment includes an inlet valve positioned inside the main body of a power unit, and a retaining element of the valve also positioned in the main body perpendicularly to the actuation and mounting axis of the valve.

This disclosure relates to modular locking connectors that enable discrete and fully separate components to be easily, quickly, and interchangeably connected together to result in a fully functional buoyancy compensator device. These separate components may include shoulders, waistbands, back panels, bladders or other buoyancy chambers, pockets including those for ballasting weights, and accessories such as knives, lights, signaling devices and the like.

This disclosure relates to tank wedge connectors to support cylindrical objects, for example to support scuba tanks, particularly designed for use in underwater operations on swimming and diving gear. An embodiment of the tank wedge connectors includes arranging the tank wedge connectors in an opposing pair, forming a cradle. Another embodiment of the disclosed tank wedge connectors includes a rail component which the wedge connectors can slide on to separate and expand, with one of the rails including detents for the wedges to be positioned and fixed at a desired spacing. A third embodiment of these tank wedge connectors includes being mounted to a flexible surface which allows the connectors to conform to cylindrical objects of varying radii.

This disclosure relates to a modular cord connector that enables two cords to connect together and release. An embodiment of this cord connector disclosure is designed for use on cords integral to a gas release on buoyancy compensator devices. The preferred embodiment of this cord connector, shown for use on a buoyancy compensator device, includes modular male and female portions which include a T-shaped post on the male portion and a pathway with detents configured to retain the male portion when engaged with the female portion.