Gas-inflatable personal flotation devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11001353-B2
Application number	US-201916520581-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 24, 2019
Priority date	Jul 15, 2015
Publication date	May 11, 2021
Grant date	May 11, 2021

Abstract

In one embodiment, a personal flotation device that can be worn by a user includes an inflation system including an inflatable bladder, a gas-generating component configured to generate gas using a chemical reaction and inject the generated gas into the bladder to inflate it, and an actuator configured to activate the gas-generating component; a sensor configured to sense one or more physiological parameters of the user; and an inflation control system configured to receive physiological parameter data from the sensor, to determine whether or not the user is experiencing a medical event that places the user at risk of drowning, and, if the user is experiencing such a medical event, to signal the actuator to activate the gas-generating component so as to provide floatation to the user.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A personal flotation device adapted to be worn by a user comprising:
an inflation system including:
an inflatable bladder,
a gas-generating component configured to generate gas using a chemical reaction and inject the generated gas into the bladder to inflate it, and
an actuator configured to activate the gas-generating component;

a sensor including an electrode configured for application to the user's skin, wherein the sensor is configured to sense contractions of the user's skeletal muscles; and
an inflation control system configured to receive muscle contraction data from the sensor, to determine whether or not the muscle contractions are indicative of the user experiencing a seizure that places the user at risk of drowning, and, if the user is experiencing a seizure, to signal the actuator to activate the gas-generating component so as to provide buoyancy to the user.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the gas-generating component comprises separate compartments including a first compartment that contains water and a second compartment that contains a gas-generating compound.

3. The device of claim 2 , wherein the gas-generating compound is a hydrogen-generating compound and the gas-generating component is configured to inject hydrogen gas into the bladder.

4. The device of claim 3 , wherein the hydrogen-generating compound is calcium hydride.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the muscle contraction data comprises electromyography (EMG) signals.

6. The device of claim 5 , wherein the inflation control system is configured to analyze the EMG signals and signal the actuator when the amplitude and frequency of the signals exceed predetermined thresholds.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the device is integrated into a swimming garment.

8. A swimming garment configured to prevent drowning of a wearer of the garment, the garment comprising:
a garment body;
garment sleeves; and
a personal flotation device comprising:
an inflation system including an inflatable bladder, a gas-generating component configured to generate gas using a chemical reaction and inject the generated gas into the bladder to inflate it, and an actuator configured to activate the gas-generating component;
a sensor including an electrode configured for application to the wearer's skin, wherein the sensor is configured to sense contractions of the wearer's skeletal muscles; and
an inflation control system configured to receive muscle contraction data from the sensor, to determine whether or not the muscle contractions are indicative of the wearer experiencing a seizure that places the user at risk of drowning, and, if the wearer is experiencing a seizure, to signal the actuator to activate the gas-generating component so as to provide buoyancy to the wearer.

9. The garment of claim 8 , wherein the garment body and sleeves are made of neoprene.

10. The garment of claim 8 , wherein the inflatable bladder comprises a continuous, elongated, tubular element that extends around a back of a collar of the garment and down a front of the garment.

11. The garment of claim 8 , wherein the muscle contraction data comprises electromyography (EMG) signals.

12. The garment of claim 11 , wherein the inflation control system is configured to analyze the EMG signals and signal the actuator when the amplitude and frequency of the signals exceed predetermined thresholds.

13. A method for preventing drowning of an individual, the method comprising:
sensing skeletal muscle contractions of the individual;
determining whether or not the individual is experiencing a seizure that places the individual at risk of drowning; and
if the individual is experiencing a seizure, automatically activating a gas-generating component worn by the individual to generate gas using a chemical reaction and inject the generated gas into a bladder also worn by the individual to inflate the bladder and provide buoyancy to the individual.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein sensing skeletal muscle contractions comprises collecting electromyography (EMG) signals.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein determining whether or not the individual is experiencing a seizure comprises analyzing the EMG signals to determine if the amplitude and frequency of the signals exceed predetermined thresholds.

16. The device of claim 1 , wherein the inflation control system is configured to determine whether or not the user is experiencing an epileptic seizure.

17. The garment of claim 8 , wherein the inflation control system is configured to determine whether or not the wearer is experiencing an epileptic seizure.

18. The method of claim 13 , wherein determining whether or not the individual is experiencing a seizure comprises determining whether or not the individual is experiencing an epileptic seizure.

Assignees

• Sunol Aydin Kemal
• Ticknor Evan James
• Guardiano Selina Kyle
• Jacobson Timothy Warren
• Rogers Everett David
• Cogswell Kyle Louis
• Frisina Robert Dana
• Passaglia Christopher Lawrence
• Univ South Florida

Inventors

• Sunol Aydin Kemal
• Ticknor Evan James
• Guardiano Selina Kyle
• Jacobson Timothy Warren
• Rogers Everett David
• Cogswell Kyle Louis
• Frisina Robert Dana
• Passaglia Christopher Lawrence

Classifications

• B63C9/1255

  inflatable · CPC title

• B63C9/18 Primary

  Inflatable equipment characterised by the gas-generating {or inflation} device · CPC title

• A61B5/4094

  Diagnosing or monitoring seizure diseases, e.g. epilepsy · CPC title

• A41D7/00

  Bathing gowns; Swim-suits, drawers, or trunks; Beach suits · CPC title

• A61B5/6804

  Garments; Clothes · CPC title