An airdrop type self-righting inflatable life raft

Abstract

The utility model relates to an air-drop type self-righting gas-filled life raft, which comprises: an air-drop tray as a bearing main body; two gas-filled life rafts symmetrically and detachably fixed to the two sides of the air-drop tray, wherein a delay starting device is arranged on the gas-filled life raft, and the delay starting device is a water-soluble quick release valve; a parachute assembly installed at the top center position of the air-drop tray; and a breakable rope connecting the gas-filled life raft and the air-drop tray. The utility model mainly solves the technical problem of the existing life raft that is easily damaged and sinks to the bottom when being thrown from a high altitude. The scheme comprises: an air-drop tray bearing two life rafts, a parachute assembly controlling the landing posture, and a water-soluble quick release valve starting in a delayed manner after entering water. The utility model has the advantages that the rigid tray can buffer water impact, the delayed release ensures the safe unfolding of the life raft, the double-raft design improves the rescue capacity, and the utility model is suitable for 1000m or less aerial emergency drop.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of ship rescue equipment technology, and in particular to an air-dropped self-righting inflatable life raft. Background Technology

[0002] Inflatable life rafts are specialized marine life-saving devices manufactured according to technical standards such as International Convention SOLAS Chapter III and the LSA Code. They are made of high-strength rubberized material and are rapidly inflated using a CO2+N2 mixture. Their structure includes core components such as double-layered floating tires, a canopy, and balancing water bags. They can automatically inflate at water depths of 2-4 meters using a hydrostatic pressure release device, effectively ensuring the survival needs of those in distress.

[0003] Existing technologies for air-dropping life rafts suffer from two major drawbacks: firstly, direct throwing causes the raft to break and leak air upon impact with the water; secondly, an uninflated raft sinks to the seabed and becomes ineffective for rescue. In summary, existing life rafts exhibit poor landing stability and insufficient resistance to surges. Utility Model Content

[0004] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, the purpose of this utility model is to provide an airdrop-type self-righting inflatable life raft. It is an integrated dual life raft system that is impact-resistant, anti-sinking, self-starting, and capable of precise airdrop. Its advantages lie in using a rigid tray to buffer the impact of water landing, delaying the release to ensure the safe deployment of the life raft, and using a dual-raft design to increase rescue capacity. It is suitable for emergency airdrops below 1000m.

[0005] The above-mentioned utility model objective is achieved through the following technical solution: An airdropped self-supporting inflatable life raft includes: Airdropped pallets serve as the main carrier; Two inflatable life rafts are symmetrically and detachably fixed to both sides of the airdrop tray, and the inflatable life rafts are equipped with a delayed start device; A parachute assembly is installed at the center of the top of the airdrop tray; The rope is prone to breakage and connects the inflatable life raft to the airdrop tray.

[0006] As a further technical solution of this utility model: the easily broken rope is set as a water-soluble quick-release valve, which starts the air-inflating life raft 3-5 seconds after entering the water.

[0007] As a further technical solution of this utility model: the inflatable life raft has a double-layer airbag structure, with a rated capacity of 10-50 people per raft and a maximum load capacity of 98kg / person.

[0008] As a further technical solution of this utility model: the bottom of the airdrop tray is provided with a buffer energy-absorbing layer, which is made of closed-cell foam composite material.

[0009] As a further technical solution of this utility model: the inflatable life raft is equipped with a built-in radio position beacon, a seawater desalination device and a radar transponder.

[0010] In summary, this utility model has at least one of the following beneficial technical effects: 1. This utility model discloses an airdrop-type self-righting inflatable life raft system, belonging to the field of marine rescue equipment. It mainly solves the technical problems of existing life rafts being easily damaged, sinking to the bottom, and unable to self-start when dropped from high altitudes. The solution includes: an airdrop tray supporting two life rafts, a parachute assembly controlling the descent attitude, a water-soluble quick-release valve with a delayed activation upon water entry, and cross-tied, easily broken ropes. Its advantages lie in the rigid tray buffering the impact of water entry, the delayed release ensuring the safe deployment of the life rafts, and the dual-raft design increasing rescue capacity, making it suitable for emergency airdrops below 1000m.

[0011] 2. The innovation of the inflatable life raft lies in its four independent air chamber design. The upper and lower floating tires are each divided into two independent air chambers (the first to fourth chambers) by rubber sheeting. Even if one chamber ruptures, the remaining chambers still maintain over 75% buoyancy. It also features a redundant inflation system, with a first one-way air inlet valve at each of the four corners of the curved canopy, connecting to the upper floating tire chamber. Combined with a single-sided inflation cylinder on the bottom of the raft and a V-shaped air supply pipe, it achieves rapid inflation in 40 seconds. Furthermore, it has a self-righting structure. A buoyancy tube and self-draining device are added to the bottom of the lower floating tire, and bottom counterweights ensure that it automatically flips to a right-floating state after being thrown. The boarding platform automatically deploys upon contact with water, improving rescue efficiency. This invention significantly improves the life raft's anti-capsulation properties, safety redundancy, and survivability in harsh sea conditions. Attached Figure Description

[0012] Figure 1 This is the front view of the present invention.

[0013] Figure 2 This is a front view of the inflatable life raft of this utility model.

[0014] Figure 3 This is a top view of the inflatable life raft of this utility model.

[0015] Figure 4 This is a side view of the inflatable life raft of this utility model.

[0016] Figure 5 This is a bottom view of the inflatable life raft of this utility model.

[0017] Reference numerals: 10. Drop tray; 101. Buffer energy-absorbing layer; 20. Inflatable life raft; 30. Parachute assembly; 40. Easily broken rope; 1. Raft bottom; 2. Upper buoyancy tire; 21. First rubber sheet; 22. First air chamber; 221. First exhaust valve; 23. Second air chamber; 231. Second exhaust valve; 3. Lower buoyancy tire; 31. Second rubber sheet; 32. Third air chamber; 33. Fourth air chamber; 34. Second one-way air inlet valve; 35. Buoyancy tube; 36. Self-draining device; 37. Boarding board; 4. Arched canopy column; 41. First one-way air inlet valve; 42. Arched canopy column; 43. Canopy column top pipe; 44. Exhaust and replenishment valve; 5. Inflatable gas cylinder; 6. One-way pressure relief valve; 7. Safety valve; 8. Float horizontal tube; 9. V-shaped air supply pipe. Detailed Implementation

[0018] The technical solutions in the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0019] In the description of this application, it should be noted that the terms "upper," "lower," "inner," "outer," "top / bottom," etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this application. Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0020] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installed," "equipped with," "sleeved / connected," "connected," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, "connection" can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; it can be a connection within two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances. Example

[0021] Reference Figure 1This utility model discloses an airdrop-type self-righting inflatable life raft, comprising: an airdrop tray 10 as the main support; two inflatable life rafts 20 symmetrically and detachably fixed to both sides of the airdrop tray 10, each inflatable life raft 20 equipped with a delayed start device; a parachute assembly 30 installed at the center of the top of the airdrop tray 10; and a breakable rope 40 connecting the inflatable life rafts 20 to the airdrop tray 10; the breakable rope 40 binds the inflatable life rafts 20 to both sides of the airdrop tray 10. In this embodiment, the delayed start device is a water-soluble quick-release valve, which activates the inflatable life rafts 20 3-5 seconds after entering the water.

[0022] The airdrop tray 10 serves as a rigid carrier, with two inflatable life rafts 20 symmetrically bound to both sides by breakable ropes 40, forming a complete airdrop unit. The parachute assembly 30 deploys after being thrown, reducing the descent speed (to 6-8 m / s) and stabilizing the raft's attitude. A water-soluble quick-release valve starts timing after the inflatable life raft 20 enters the water, releasing the life raft. This design addresses the issue of damage during high-altitude throwing, as the tray absorbs the impact of the water, preventing the life raft from directly hitting the water surface. It also addresses the issue of sinking, with a delayed-start device ensuring the life raft detaches from the tray after fully inflating and floating, preventing sinking in an uninflated state. The dual-raft system maximizes rescue capacity to 100 people and serves as a backup safety unit for each other.

[0023] The inflatable life raft 20 features a double-layered airbag structure, with a rated capacity of 10-50 people per raft and a maximum load capacity of 98 kg / person. Each raft utilizes a double-layered independent airbag chamber (it can still support the raft even if one chamber fails), with a rated capacity of 25 people × 98 kg (exceeding the SOLAS Convention standard). The dual-raft parallel design integrates them into a single delivery unit via a pallet. Overload redundancy, with a standard of 98 kg / person exceeding the average adult weight (70 kg), allows for handling extreme rescue scenarios. Dual protection ensures that the other raft can continue operating even if one raft fails, improving the system's survivability.

[0024] The airdrop tray 10 has a buffer energy-absorbing layer 101 at its bottom, made of closed-cell foam composite material. This layer (such as polyethylene foam) absorbs kinetic energy through plastic deformation upon contact with water. The structure is designed with a honeycomb array to enhance vertical pressure resistance. Impact force is attenuated; actual tests show it can absorb 80% of the water impact (comparative test data), preventing the raft's airbags from rupturing. The anti-tipping design, with its low center of gravity and wide-bottom tray structure combined with the buffer layer, suppresses rollover caused by surges.

[0025] The inflatable life raft 20 incorporates a built-in radio positioning beacon, a seawater desalination system, and a radar transponder. The radio positioning beacon (EPIRB) automatically transmits a 406MHz satellite positioning signal after falling into the water. The radar transponder (SART) responds to search and rescue radar pulses and provides location feedback. The seawater desalination system produces fresh water on-site using a reverse osmosis membrane. Rapid positioning is achieved through the EPIRB+SART dual system, enabling real-time tracking across the entire sea area (accuracy ≤100 meters). Survival is ensured through a freshwater supply that extends the waiting time for rescue to over 7 days (compliant with the SOLAS Convention).

[0026] Reference Figures 2-5 The present invention relates to an inflatable life raft 20, comprising a raft bottom 1, an upper floating tire 2 and a lower floating tire 3 stacked on the raft bottom 1, an arc-shaped canopy column 4 spanning the life raft on the upper floating tire 2, two independent air chambers in the upper floating tire 2 and the lower floating tire 3 respectively, and the arc-shaped canopy column 4 being unidirectionally connected to the two air chambers of the upper floating tire 2 respectively, and several air cylinders 5 for inflating the air chambers are provided on one side of the raft bottom 1.

[0027] Each of the upper floating tire 2 and the lower floating tire 3 has two independent air chambers. The inflation cylinder 5 inflates all air chambers simultaneously through pipelines. The arc-shaped canopy column 4 is unidirectionally connected to the air chambers of the upper floating tire 2, ensuring that gas flows into the canopy column only in one direction. This redundant four-chamber design ensures that even if one air chamber ruptures, the remaining three air chambers still maintain more than 75% buoyancy, significantly reducing the risk of capsizing. For self-righting protection, the inflation cylinder 5 on one side of the raft bottom 1 forms a counterweight, which, combined with the gravity of the lower floating tire 3, ensures that the life raft automatically flips to a right-floating state after being thrown.

[0028] The floating tire 2 has two first rubber sheets 21 inside, which separate the air chambers of the floating tire 2 into a first air chamber 22 and a second air chamber 23. The two first rubber sheets 21 laterally separate the floating tire 2, forming independently sealed first air chamber 22 and second air chamber 23. This provides it with a rupture-resistant isolation effect; the rubber sheets physically isolate the air chambers, and gas will not flow into adjacent air chambers when one air chamber leaks. It also has a lightweight design, with the rubber sheets replacing metal partitions, reducing the overall weight by more than 30%.

[0029] The lower buoyancy tire 3 has two second rubber sheets 31 inside, which divide the air chamber of the lower buoyancy tire 3 into a third air chamber 32 and a fourth air chamber 33. The two second rubber sheets 31 divide the lower buoyancy tire 3 into the third air chamber 32 and the fourth air chamber 33, making its bottom buoyancy redundant. The dual air chamber design of the lower buoyancy tire 3 enhances bottom stability. After a single air chamber is damaged, the draft of the life raft will only increase by 15%. It also prevents chain failure. The isolation structure avoids the failure of the entire lower buoyancy tire 3 due to a single point of failure.

[0030] Four first one-way air intake valves 41 are installed on the arc-shaped canopy column 4, distributed on its four legs. Each of the four legs of the arc-shaped canopy column 4 has a first one-way air intake valve 41, which independently connects to the two air chambers of the upper floating tire 2. This arrangement provides redundancy in the air supply path, so that if one valve fails, the remaining valves will still keep the canopy column inflated; it also has the effect of preventing gas backflow, as the one-way valves prevent gas from flowing back from the canopy column to the floating tire, thus maintaining stable air chamber pressure.

[0031] The arc-shaped canopy column 4 includes three parallel and evenly spaced arched canopy columns 42 and a canopy column top pipe 43 located on top of the three arched canopy columns 42. The bottom of the arched canopy column 42 on one side of the top of the floating tire 2 is connected to the first air chamber 22 of the floating tire 2 through a one-way pressure relief valve 6, and the bottom of the arched canopy column 42 on the other side of the top of the floating tire 2 is connected to the second air chamber 23 of the floating tire 2 through a one-way pressure relief valve 6; a first exhaust valve 221 is provided on the first air chamber 22 of the floating tire 2, and a second exhaust valve 231 is provided on the second air chamber 23 of the floating tire 2.

[0032] The arched canopy column 42 is connected to the air chamber of the upper floating tire 2 via a one-way pressure relief valve 6. The first exhaust valve 221 and the second exhaust valve 231 independently regulate the air pressure of their respective air chambers. This configuration allows for graded control of the air pressure. The pressure relief valve ensures that the canopy column is inflated only after the floating tire has been fully inflated, preventing structural deformation. It also has an emergency pressure relief function, as the exhaust valves can actively reduce the air pressure in the air chambers during wind and waves to enhance wave resistance.

[0033] The lower floating tire 3 is equipped with two second one-way air intake valves 34. One second one-way air intake valve 34 is located on the third air chamber 32, and the other second one-way air intake valve 34 is located on the fourth air chamber 33. A buoyancy tube 35, connected to the bottom of the lower floating tire 3, is installed. The air chambers of the lower floating tire 3 are inflated via the second one-way air intake valves 34. The buoyancy tube 35 connects to the lower floating tire 3, and its bottom self-draining device 36 drains water using a gravity valve. This achieves dynamic counterweight; after the buoyancy tube 35 is inflated, the bottom mass increases, the center of gravity shifts downward, and the anti-overturning capacity is improved by 50%. It also achieves automatic drainage; the self-draining device drains any accumulated water within 365 seconds, preventing increased load.

[0034] An exhaust and replenishment valve 44 is installed on the arc-shaped canopy column 4, and safety valves 7 are installed on both the upper floating tire 2 and the lower floating tire 3. The exhaust and replenishment valve 44 manually adjusts the air pressure of the canopy column, and the safety valve 7 automatically releases air when the air chamber is overpressurized. This achieves dual pressure protection: the safety valve 7 prevents the air chamber from rupturing due to over-expansion, and the replenishment valve addresses slow air leakage; it also extends the service life: stable air pressure increases the continuous use time of the life raft to 60 days.

[0035] A floating horizontal pipe 8 is installed on the bottom of the raft 1, and a V-shaped gas supply pipe 9 is installed between the floating horizontal pipe 8 and the arc-shaped canopy column 4. The gas from the gas cylinder 5 is diverted through the floating horizontal pipe 8 and then supplied to each gas chamber through the V-shaped gas supply pipe 9. This achieves efficient diversion: the V-shaped pipe reduces airflow resistance, shortening the inflation time to 40 seconds (compared to 60 seconds in the traditional solution); it also optimizes the pipeline: avoiding pipeline crossing and entanglement, reducing the probability of breakage.

[0036] A self-draining device 36 is installed at the bottom of the buoyancy tube 35, and a boarding platform 37 is installed on one side of the lower floating tire 3. The boarding platform 37 is folded and fixed to the side of the lower floating tire 3 and automatically unfolds when it comes into contact with water. This enables rapid boarding, allowing a person who falls into the water to climb into the raft within 3 seconds, which is 50% faster than traditional designs; it also features an operation-free design, with water-triggered unfolding that requires no manual operation.

[0037] The implementation principle of this utility model is as follows: This utility model discloses an airdrop-type self-righting inflatable life raft system, belonging to the field of marine rescue equipment. It mainly solves the technical problems of existing life rafts being easily damaged, sinking to the bottom, and unable to self-start when dropped from high altitudes. The solution includes: an airdrop tray supporting two life rafts, a parachute assembly controlling the descent attitude, a water-soluble quick-release valve with a delayed activation upon water entry, and cross-tied, easily broken ropes. Its advantages lie in the fact that the rigid tray buffers the impact of water entry, the delayed release ensures the safe deployment of the life rafts, the dual-raft design increases rescue capacity, and it is suitable for emergency airdrops below 1000m.

[0038] The innovation of the inflatable life raft 20 lies in its four independent air chamber design. The upper floating tire 2 and the lower floating tire 3 are each divided into two independent air chambers (first to fourth air chambers 33) by rubber sheeting. Even if one air chamber ruptures, the remaining air chambers still maintain over 75% buoyancy. It also features a redundant inflation system. The four corners of the arc-shaped canopy column 4 are equipped with first one-way air inlet valves 41, each connected to one of the air chambers of the upper floating tire 2. Combined with the single-sided inflation cylinder 5 on the bottom 1 and the V-shaped air supply pipe 9, it achieves rapid inflation in 40 seconds. Furthermore, it has a self-righting structure. The bottom of the lower floating tire 3 is equipped with a buoyancy pipe 35 and a self-draining device 36. Bottom counterweights ensure that it automatically flips to a right-floating state after being thrown. The boarding platform 37 automatically deploys upon contact with water, improving rescue efficiency. This invention significantly improves the life raft's anti-capsulation properties, safety redundancy, and survivability in harsh sea conditions.

[0039] The embodiments described herein are preferred embodiments of this utility model and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this utility model. Therefore, all equivalent changes made to the structure, shape, and principle of this utility model should be included within the scope of protection of this utility model.

Claims

1. An airdropped self-righting inflatable life raft, characterized in that, include: Airdrop pallet (10) serves as the main carrier; Two inflatable life rafts (20) are symmetrically and detachably fixed on both sides of the airdrop tray (10), and the inflatable life rafts (20) are equipped with a delayed start device; Parachute assembly (30) is installed at the center of the top of the airdrop tray (10); A breakable rope (40) connects the inflatable life raft (20) to the airdrop tray (10).

2. The air-dropped self-righting inflatable life raft according to claim 1, characterized in that, The delayed start device is a water-soluble quick-release valve that starts the inflatable life raft (20) 3-5 seconds after entering the water.

3. The air-dropped self-righting inflatable life raft according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inflatable life raft (20) has a double-layer airbag structure, with a rated capacity of 10-50 people per raft and a maximum load capacity of 98 kg / person.

4. The air-dropped self-righting inflatable life raft according to claim 1, characterized in that, The airdrop tray (10) has a buffer energy-absorbing layer (101) at the bottom, which is made of closed-cell foam composite material.

5. The air-dropped self-righting inflatable life raft according to claim 2, characterized in that, The inflatable life raft (20) is equipped with a built-in radio beacon, a seawater desalination device and a radar transponder.

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