188results about "Rafts" patented technology

A variable volume raft containing adjustable ratio and amounts of air and or water. The buoyancy and ballast of the raft are routinely adjusted to accommodate additional occupants and changing weather conditions. A manual pump can be the primary or back up source for initial inflation. The torque pump twisted by hand or amplified by a lever arm generates air pressure for maintenance and repairing deflating lacerations at sea. The pumps collector gathers and pressurizes rain water for drinking in one chamber while pressurizing sea water as a stabilizing ballast in another chamber. A double hull or full floor chamber allows huge variations in buoyancy or ballast as dictated by changing needs for stability versus mobility. A compressed liquid or two-part foam confers puncture resistance to a portion of the raft. A thrown self-righting manual air horn, worn water-activated air horns and water activated transmitted signals, mark the site for rescuers.

A modular marine vessel has a variable hull and a plurality of boat forming modules including a bow section module, a load section module having a bow end and an aft end, and a bulkhead forming module is detachably connected to each bow and aft end of the load section module. The bulkhead forming module that is connected at the bow end of the load section module is detachably connected to the bow section module. Each boat forming and bulkhead forming module includes a topside section and a hull bottom side section. The topside section of each boat forming module has a shell gunnel portion, and the hull bottom side section of each boat forming module has a pivotally mounted bottom shell hull portion. The gunnel and hull portions of the load and bow section modules are detachably connected end-to-end, and sealingly juxtaposed the detachably connected bulkhead forming module to prevent water from entering the boat when the boat engages water. The bottom shell hull portion is pivotally mounted across a keel tunnel using a pneumatic, hydraulic, mechanical, or electro-mechanical actuator to form a preselected hull shape as desired. Novel mechanisms for sealing module connections, for module attachment, for pivoting hull panels, for hull pivot drives, and energy conversion systems for the marine vessel of the invention are disclosed.

An assembly and a method for stowing away and removing a survival kit in a passenger cabin of an aircraft, comprising a first stowage compartment that may be put in place in a floor of the passenger cabin, wherein the first stowage compartment is equipped for completely accommodating the survival kit and for leading out a hook that is connected to the survival kit by way of a strap, which hook is used for hooking the survival kit to an attachment means of a rescue device with the first stowage compartment remaining closed.

The present document describes a dock unit attachable to another dock unit with a fastener for forming a floating dock. The dock unit comprises a floating body having a mating surface and an attachment adapted to receive the fastener. Thereby attaching the floating body is able to be attached to the other dock unit. The dock unit further comprises a cover for covering the mating surface, the cover having a contact surface adapted to contact the fastener. In use, the contact surface is positioned proximate the attachment so that, when the attachment receives the fastener, the contact surface is contacted by the fastener, thereby limiting the movement of the cover with respect to the floating body.

An emergency floatation system associated with a landing gear of a rotorcraft comprising at least a float unit and a raft module. The float unit is formed by a base and a float cover with an inflatable float being positioned therebetween. The raft module is formed with a raft compartment adapted to receive an inflatable raft in the packed condition thereof. The raft module is supported on the float by the base. The raft is adapted for inflation and deployment from the raft module independently of the float deployment.

A non-self-propelled, floatable structure for supporting people, animals, machinery or other loads is disclosed, having a floatable body designed to float on water, and a retention skirt that protrudes downwardly from a peripheral edge of the floatable body. The retention skirt is designed to extend underwater, delimiting an internal space between the retention skirt, the floatable body, and the water. The retention skirt is airtight, preventing air passing through the skirt and towards said internal space. Thus, when a downward force is applied on an edge of the floatable body causing the opposite edge to start rising from the water, skirt airtightness beneath the rising edge creates a vacuum effect that stops the edge from rising and prevents the floating structure from swaying excessively and eventually turning over or capsizing. The retention skirt also limits or prevents lateral and transverse motion across the water surface.

Aquatic exercise system and method for use in a body of water is presented. In particular, the system comprises a sleeve correspondingly disposable in covering relation to at least a portion of a user's appendage, such as an arm or leg, a securing assembly to secure the sleeve to a user, and at least one fin outwardly extending from the sleeve and structured to increase resistance to the user regardless of the particular directional or rotational movement. In some embodiments, the sleeve is further structured to cover an extremity of a user, such as a hand or foot. Further embodiments include a seat assembly connectable to an access pole of a pool or hot tub. The method includes applying an aquatic exercise system to an appendage of a user, submerging the appendage and system, and moving the appendage and system through water in at least one direction to create resistance.

A floating platform that has a flat low profile for use by swimmers, divers, boaters, and those engaged in other activities on water. The platform is used alone or as a module in combination with other such floating platform modules; attaching the modules to form a larger floating platform. In a preferred embodiment, the surface of the platform is provided with several connection points enabling multi-point attachment to other vessels and stationary objects, anchor straps and towing straps, and apertures configured to accommodate beverage containers, coolers, chairs, umbrellas, retractable tops and the like. In another embodiment, a detachable cover is attached to the module, the cover forming the floating platform surface. A stable platform and low profile are achieved through use of stiffeners integrated within the platform surface.

A floatable fuel tank that is capable of serving as a barge or lifeboat / dingy. Tank comprises a plurality of bladders with each having a fuel chamber and air chamber running longitudinally from stern to a forward bladder. If used as a fuel storage device, tank is attached to boat using towing lines and fuel lines so boat consumes fuel held by fuel chambers. In emergency situations, tank is capable of use as a lifeboat by detaching towing lines, air lines and fuel lines and pumping fuel out of fuel chambers with air so that persons may reside on top of tank. Under normal conditions in this configuration, it could be used as a dingy for normal transportation to and from a boat at anchor.

A floatable workstation including an inflatable tube including a floor, partitions disposed internally within an air receiving cavity of the tube to form one or more inflatable chambers, each chamber including a valve for inflating the chambers. A plurality of handles are disposed on the corners of the inflatable tube or on a deck assembly. The deck assembly includes a plurality of deckboards assembled together to form a floorboard. The deckboards are either inserted within a recess above the floor of the tube or alternatively attached to the top of the tube. One or more deckboards may include a receptacle for removeably holding a bucket. A tether arrangement is attached to the floatable workstation for securely positioning the floatable workstation alongside a vessel allowing one or more persons to stand on the workstation to perform maintenance on the outer surfaces of a vessel. The tether arrangement includes tethers, a means for fastening the tethers to the handles, and suction mechanisms.

A life raft canister is launched from a below deck doorway. A launcher is activated and pneumatically opens a below deck door, exposing the doorway. The same inflation tank inflates an elongated bladder that forces the life boat canister out of the doorway. The canister drops to the sea where the life boat is deployed from the canister. The life raft auto-inflates. As a result, a life raft is deployed from below-deck.

The trampoline with inflated base includes a generally toroidal shaped inflatable tube having an open center area. A mesh rebound member extends over the open center area and is secured around its entire periphery to the tube on the upper surface of the tube member. The tube includes a singular air duct or a plurality of air ducts extending radially which allow communication of air between the space interior to the tube and the space exterior to the tube.

A temporary platform or roadway is created using one or a plurality of optionally connected support components to form a top surface upon which panels are placed. The support components are comprised of gabion containers having one or a plurality of compartments into which a filler material is inserted. The filler material can optionally be composed of a buoyant material such as expanded polystyrene to enable flotation. A method for constructing the roadway or platform of the present invention is also disclosed.

A floatable workstation including an inflatable tube including optional partitions disposed internally within an air receiving cavity of the tube to form one or more inflatable chambers, each chamber including a valve for inflating the chambers. A plurality of corner fasteners is disposed on the corners of the inflatable tube or on a deck assembly. The deck assembly includes a plurality of deckboards assembled together to form a floorboard. The deckboards are assembled via an interlocking assembly feature. The deckboards are secured via a series of straps and D-rings. At least one deckboard may include a receptacle for holding tools or a bucket. A tether arrangement is attached to the floatable workstation for securely positioning the floatable workstation alongside a vessel allowing one or more persons to stand on the workstation to perform maintenance on the outer surfaces of a vessel. The tether arrangement includes tethers, a means for fastening the tethers to the handles, and suction mechanisms.

A child's canvas floatation device for use in an ocean, lake, or pool environment comprising a seat system for the child as well as a tether line for connection to a parent's or care provider's wrist is herein disclosed. The flotation device is toroidal being approximately two (2) to three (3) feet in diameter and provided with an inflation port and a series of grasping handles. The device is also provided with a textile covering over most of the entire tube area. The cover is wrapped back upon itself and covers the interior of the inner tube. The center is then provided with a pair of leg holes in which a child can insert his or her legs and be provided with a seat. As such, the child is not in danger of falling through the inner tube as is the case with conventional inner tubes. Additionally, the device is provided with an attached tether line approximately six (6) feet long that attaches to the parent's or care provider's wrist.

The trampoline with inflated base includes a generally toroidal shaped inflatable tube having an open center area. A mesh rebound member extends over the open center area and is secured around its entire periphery to the tube on the upper surface of the tube member. The tube includes a singular air duct or a plurality of air ducts extending radially which allow communication of air between the space interior to the tube and the space exterior to the tube.

A foldable rigid frame attachment system for portable, inflatable pontoon boats including first and second inflatable elongated pontoons arranged to be approximately parallel to each other. The pontoons include pairs of upwardly extending strips formed in a longitudinal direction on both sides of the centerline on the top of each of the pontoons. Transversal slats connect the pontoons, and the bottom of each slat includes engaging means to engage the strips of the pontoons. The pontoon boat is held rigid by first and second underbars. The first underbar is positioned in a longitudinal direction on the top of the first pontoon in between the pairs of strips and below the slats, the second underbar is positioned in a longitudinal direction on the top of the second pontoon in between the pairs of strips and below the slats. As the pontoon boat is inflated, the underbars are locked into position between the pontoons and the slats.

A housing has an upper end, a lower end, and an opening extending between the upper and lower ends, the housing being sealingly attachable to an inflatable device. A check valve has a body member with an upper end, a lower end, an outer surface sized and shaped to be selectively matingly received in the opening of the housing, and an inner surface defining a passageway. The check valve is coupled to the housing by a first tether. A cap has an upper end, a lower end, and an outer surface sized and shaped to be selectively matingly received in the passageway of the check valve. The cap is coupled to the housing by a second tether.

A visual locating device comprises an elongate, inherently buoyant, flexible sheet for floating on the surface of a body of water that has a longitudinal axis. At least three buoyant support struts are secured to the sheet and disposed across the longitudinal axis of the sheet such that the sheet is divided into a plurality of sections defined between respective pairs of struts. A light source is disposed on the sheet to provide nighttime visibility to the sheet. A pouch, which receives the sheet when stowed, is configured to release the sheet when immersed in water. The sheet is at least z-folded inside the pouch.

A floatation system for attachment to a helicopter landing skid includes a girt dimensioned to be attached to a landing skid and a plurality of floats attached to the elongate girt, wherein the plurality of floats are adapted to be converted from a packed configuration to an deployed configuration, and wherein at least one of the plurality of floats extends beneath the elongate girt when the plurality of floats is in the deployed configuration.

A floating deck apparatus (20) includes a plank (40), a pair of tracks (54), a ladder (60), and a pair of handles (64). Each track (54) is coupled to the underside of a boat platform. The pair of tracks rollingly supports the plank (1) in a storage position, (2) in a deck position, and (3) in a ramp position. A proximal stop (88) across the proximal ends (62) of the tracks (54) stops the plank (40) in the ramp position. A distal stop bar (89) across the distal ends (66) of the tracks (54) stops the plank (40) in the storage position. The ladder (64) is movably coupled to the bottom (105) of the plank (40) and pivots from (1) a swimming position to (2) a storage position. The pair of handles (64) is mounted to the plank top (42) or to the plank proximal end (48).

An inflatable boat comprising: an inflatable float that is U-shaped and open at the stern, and that braced by a transom; a floor that is disposed inside the space defined by the float, and a V-shaped keel formed of a flexible canvas sheet fastened to the float and to the transom and tensioned by a longitudinal inflatable keel-forming spacer interposed between the floor and the canvas sheet; the inflatable keel-forming spacer is formed by at least two elongate and flat chambers inflated under a relatively high pressure; and the two chambers have their respective bottom longitudinal edges touching and their respective top longitudinal edges spaced apart from each other so that the keel-forming spacer is generally V-shaped in cross-section.

A method and apparatus for the self-illumination of various objects designed for use in sports, entertainment, safety, and emergency related activities. The objects are caused to self-illuminate by chemiluminescence to facilitate usage of the objects during non-daylight hours or in areas that are otherwise surrounded by darkness. Chemiluminescence may be activated through a variety of injection, acceleration, or tactile manipulation that are utilized to cause emission of visible light from within one or more cavities of the objects, from exterior portions of the objects, or from various inserts of the objects. Subcutaneous layers are also provided that may be caused to emanate visible light through chemiluminescence.

A floating mat is presented. The floating mat includes a core having a top, a bottom and a plurality of sides. The core is buoyant and non-inflatable. The core includes at least one aperture, wherein the aperture accommodates removably connecting and disconnecting the core to at least one additional floating mat.

Apparatus for helping a person survive on a cold body of water includes a suit capable of covering at least a substantial portion of the user's body while allowing the user to move and work out of water. An inflatable raft is provided to hold and support the person on water when the raft has been inflated. The raft in a deflated state is foldable into a compact configuration and is sufficiently light in weight to be carried on a back of the person out of water. There is a raft holder adapted to hold the raft in its compact state and adapted for carrying on the suit. The raft can be tethered to the suit or the raft holder.

A water sport training device is disclosed comprising, in one embodiment, a raft having a distal nose portion and a proximal rear portion. A relatively rigid platform is positioned within the raft and configured to provide a stable surface for the person during use of the device. A tow rope attachment means is secured to the raft for selectively towing the device over a body of water, the attachment means comprising at least one tow rope attachment point located on the nose portion of the raft, below a nose portion mid-plane. The device is configured such that a back half of the device has a center buoyancy sufficient for providing a stable surface to support the weight of a person while floating on water both at standstill and as being pulled through the water as by a boat.

A valve structure includes a valve body on which is mounted a first valve and a second valve. The first valve traverses the valve body at a first position and the second valve traverses the valve body at a second position spaced apart from the first position. The first valve may comprise a fill valve and the second valve may comprise a pressure relief valve. Alternatively, a single valve structure may incorporate both the fill and pressure relief functions. The valve structure may be incorporated with a bladder made of a flexible and elastic material. In this arrangement, the valve body is positioned in a valve receiving opening in the bladder material and is sealed to the bladder material around the periphery of the valve receiving opening so as to define a sealed bladder interior with the bladder material. Such a valve and bladder combination may be used together with a hull tube to form a portion of an inflatable hull for a boat.