Inflation Device Non-Releasable Casing Visual Cylinder Check
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing inflation devices for life jackets and similar inflatable articles face the risk of being used with a spent or absent gas cylinder due to the complexity and cost of mechanisms required to ensure a fully charged cylinder is present, which complicates the status indication process.
Innovation Solution
An inflation device with a non-releasably secured pressurized fluid container housed within a transparent protective casing, allowing visual confirmation of the container's presence and incorporating a simple actuation indicator for manual or automatic use, eliminating the need for complex status sensing mechanisms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a complex status indicator mechanism is used to detect whether a gas cylinder is present or spent, then the reliability of preventing use with spent/absent cylinder is improved, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the status indication function from a complex sensing mechanism and implements it through simple visual inspection of the transparent casing. The presence of the cylinder is directly observable through the transparent material, eliminating the need for sensors, indicators, or complex detection systems while maintaining reliable prevention of use with spent or absent cylinders.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a disposable transparent casing that provides status indication through its visual transparency rather than through reusable complex mechanisms. The simplicity of the transparent casing approach reduces cost and complexity while achieving the reliability goal of preventing use with spent or absent cylinders.
2Ease of repair
If the gas cylinder is made removable for servicing, then the ease of maintenance is improved, but the risk of unauthorized removal and reassembly with spent cylinder increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent nests the gas cylinder within a transparent protective casing that is integrated with the housing. The cylinder is contained within the casing in a nested arrangement that provides protection and prevents unauthorized removal while allowing for legitimate servicing through proper disassembly procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a transparent casing that acts as a protective shell around the gas cylinder. This flexible yet protective casing prevents unauthorized removal and manipulation of the cylinder while allowing for controlled access during legitimate maintenance operations.
Data Source
AI summary
An inflation device for an inflatable article comprises a housing for supporting a container of pressurized fluid and for supporting piercing means which is displaceable from a retracted position to penetrate the container and allow release of pressurized fluid, said container being contained within a protected casing which is secured non-releasably to the housing thereby to prevent removal of the pressurized container.