Self Inflating Float Assembly

Abstract

A self inflating float assembly includes a tube that is comprised of a resiliently expandable material. The tube has an air port extending into an interior of the tube thereby facilitating the tube to self inflate. Additionally, the tube is comprised of a fluid impermeable thereby facilitating the tube to float when the tube is inflated for performing as a personal floatation device. A valve is rotatably coupled to the air port. The valve is positionable in an open condition thereby facilitating air to pass through the air port for inflating or deflating the tube. The valve is positionable in a closed condition thereby inhibiting air from passing through the air port for retaining the tube at a selected degree of inflation.

Claims

1. A float assembly comprising: a tube, said tube having an air port extending into an interior of said tube thereby facilitating said tube to be inflated, said tube being flattenable for deflating said tube for storage; a valve being coupled to said air port, said valve being positionable in an open condition thereby facilitating air to pass through said air port for inflating or deflating said tube, said valve being positionable in a closed condition thereby inhibiting air from passing through said air port for retaining said tube at a selected degree of inflation; and a panel, said air port extending into an interior of said panel thereby facilitating said panel to be inflated, said panel being flattenable for deflating said panel for storage, said panel having a top surface end, a bottom surface and an exterior wall extending therebetween, said air port extending through said exterior wall, wherein said panel is bendable into a tubular shape having each of said first lateral side of said outer wall and a second lateral side of said exterior wall being spaced apart from each other, said strap extending across said first lateral side and said second lateral side of said exterior wall to retain said panel in said tubular shape.

2. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein said tube has a first end, a second end and an outer wall extending therebetween, said tube being elongated between said first end and said second end, said air port extending through said first end.

3. The assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a strap being removably coupled to said tube, said tube being bendable into a U-shape, said strap retaining said tube in said U-shape wherein said tube is configured to be positioned around a user's neck for a personal floatation device.

4. The assembly according to claim 3, wherein said strap engages an outer wall of said tube at a pair of points each being positioned adjacent to a respective one of a first end and a second end of said tube.

5. A float assembly comprising: a tube, said tube having an air port extending into an interior of said tube thereby facilitating said tube to be inflated, said tube being flattenable for deflating said tube for storage, said tube having a first end, a second end and an outer wall extending therebetween, said tube being elongated between said first end and said second end, said air port extending through said first end; a valve being coupled to said air port, said valve being positionable in an open condition thereby facilitating air to pass through said air port for inflating or deflating said tube, said valve being positionable in a closed condition thereby inhibiting air from passing through said air port for retaining said tube at a selected degree of inflation; a strap being removably coupled to said tube, said tube being bendable into a U-shape, said strap retaining said tube in said U-shape wherein said tube is configured to be positioned around a user's neck for a personal floatation device, said strap engaging said outer wall of said tube at a pair of points each being positioned adjacent to a respective one of said first end and said second end of said tube; and a panel, said air port extending into an interior of said panel thereby facilitating said panel to be inflated, said panel being flattenable for deflating said panel for storage, said panel having a top surface end, a bottom surface and an exterior wall extending therebetween, said air port extending through said exterior wall, wherein said panel is bendable into a tubular shape having each of said first lateral side of said outer wall and a second lateral side of said exterior wall being spaced apart from each other, said strap extending across said first lateral side and said second lateral side of said exterior wall to retain said panel in said tubular shape.

6. The assembly according to claim 5, wherein said outer wall has a flattened portion extending from said first end toward said second end, said outer wall having an opening extending through said flattened portion for insertably receiving a suspension for suspending said tube in the convention of a dock cushion on a boat.

7. (canceled)

8. (canceled)

9. The assembly according to claim 5, wherein said outer wall has a first flattened portion extending from said first end toward said second end, said outer wall having a first opening extending through said flattened portion for insertably receiving a suspension for suspending said tube in the convention of a dock cushion on a boat.

10. The assembly according to claim 9, wherein said outer wall has a second flattened portion extending from said second end toward said first end, said outer wall having a second opening extending through said second flattened portion for insertably receiving a suspension for suspending said tube in the convention of a dock cushion on a boat.

11. The assembly according to claim 5, further comprising a net being continuously arcuate such that said net forms a tubular shape, said tube being insertable into said net when said tube is bent into said tubular shape, said net retaining said tube in said tubular shape when said tube is inserted into said net.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

[0011] The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:

[0012] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a self inflating float assembly according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0013] FIG. 2 is a front view of an embodiment of the disclosure showing a tube being inflated.

[0014] FIG. 3 is a back view of an embodiment of the disclosure showing a tube being deflated.

[0015] FIG. 4 is a top view of an alternative embodiment of the disclosure.

[0016] FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 4 of an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0017] FIG. 6 is a top perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the disclosure.

[0018] FIG. 7 is a bottom view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0019] FIG. 8 is a bottom view of an alternative embodiment of the disclosure.

[0020] FIG. 9 is a bottom perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021] With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 9 thereof, a new float device embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral 10 will be described.

[0022] As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 9, the self inflating float assembly 10 generally comprises a tube 12 that is comprised of a resiliently expandable material. The tube 12 has an air port 14 extending into an interior of the tube 12 thereby facilitating the tube 12 to self inflate. Additionally, the tube 12 is comprised of a fluid impermeable thereby facilitating the tube 12 to float when the tube 12 is inflated. In this way the tube 12 can perform as a personal floatation device. The tube 12 is flattenable for deflating the tube 12 for storage.

[0023] The tube 12 has a first end 16, a second end 18 and an outer wall 20 extending therebetween. The tube 12 is elongated between the first end 16 and the second end 18, and the air port 14 extends through the first end 16. A valve 22 is provided and the valve 22 is rotatably coupled to the air port 14. The valve 22 is positionable in an open condition thereby facilitating air to pass through the air port 14 for inflating or deflating the tube 12. Additionally, the valve 22 is positionable in a closed condition thereby inhibiting air from passing through the air port 14 for retaining the tube 12 at a selected degree of inflation. The valve 22 may be a brass air valve commonly employed on self inflating mattresses or the like.

[0024] A strap 24 is provided and the strap 24 is removably coupled to the tube 12. The tube 12 is bendable into a U-shape and the strap 24 retains the tube 12 in the U-shape. In this way the tube 12 can be positioned around a user's neck for wearing the personal floatation device. The outer wall 20 of the tube 12 has a pair of loops 26 being coupled thereto and the strap 24 extends through each of the loops 26. Each of the loops 26 is positioned adjacent to a respective one of the first end 16 and the second end 18 of the tube 12. Additionally, a pair of buckles 27 may each be coupled to opposite ends of the strap 24 for engaging each other and forming the strap 24 into a closed loop.

[0025] In an alternative embodiment 28 as is shown in FIG. 4, the outer wall 20 has a flattened portion 30 extending from the first end 16 toward the second end 18. Additionally, the outer wall 20 has an opening 32 extending through the flattened portion 30 for insertably receiving a suspension 34. In this way the tube 12 can be suspended in the convention of a dock cushion on a boat. The suspension 34 may be a rope, a clamp, a cable or any other suspension that can be passed through the opening 32.

[0026] In an alternative embodiment 36 as is most clearly shown in FIG. 6, a panel 38 is provided that that is comprised of a resiliently expandable material. The air port 14 extends into an interior of the panel 38 thereby facilitating the panel 38 to self inflate. The panel 38 is comprised of a fluid impermeable thereby facilitating the panel 38 to float when the panel 38 is inflated for performing as a floatation device. The panel 38 has a top surface 40, a bottom surface 42 and an exterior wall 44 extending therebetween, and the air port 14 extends through the exterior wall 44. The panel 38 is bendable into a tubular shape having each of a first lateral side 46 of the exterior wall 44 and a second lateral side 48 of the exterior wall 44 being spaced apart from each other. The strap 24 extends across the first lateral side 46 and the second lateral side 48 of the exterior wall 44 to retain the panel 38 in the tubular shape.

[0027] In an alternative embodiment 50 as is most clearly shown in FIG. 8, the outer wall 20 of the tube 12 has a first flattened portion 52 extending from the first end 16 toward the second end 18. The outer wall 20 has a first opening 54 extending through the first flattened portion 52 for insertably receiving a suspension 34 for suspending the tube 12 in the convention of a dock cushion on a boat. The outer wall 20 has a second flattened portion 56 extending from the second end 18 toward the first end 16. The outer wall 20 has a second opening 58 extending through the second flattened portion 56 for insertably receiving a suspension 34 for suspending the tube 12 in the convention of a dock cushion on a boat.

[0028] In an alternative embodiment 60 as shown in FIG. 9, a net 62 is provided which is continuously arcuate such that the net 62 forms a tubular shape. The tube 12 is insertable into the net 62 when the tube 12 is bent into the tubular shape. Thus, the net 62 retains the tube 12 in the tubular shape when the tube 12 is inserted into the net 62.

[0029] In use, the valve 22 is positioned in the open condition thereby facilitating the tube 12 to self inflate. The valve 22 is positioned in the closed condition when the tube 12 reaches a desired degree of inflation. In this way the tube 12 is inflated for personal floatation or for use as a dock cushion on a boat. The valve 22 is positioned in the open condition for deflating the tube 12 and rolling up the tube 12 for storage. In this way the tube 12 takes up a minimal amount of storage space and additionally does not pose a tripping hazard from lying on the floor. As shown in the alternative embodiments 28,50 in FIGS. 4 and 7, the tube 12 can be suspended from the suspension for use as a dock cushion on a boat.

[0030] With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0031] Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.