Personal Flotation Device with Integrated Tether System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional personal flotation devices do not effectively keep multiple individuals near each other in emergency situations, leading to the risk of drifting apart and increased energy expenditure when attempting to hold onto one another for survival activities.
Innovation Solution
Integration of tethers into personal flotation devices that allow for coupling between two PFDs, enabling wearers to connect via shoulder or waist tethers, maintaining proximity and reducing energy expenditure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional flotation devices are used without tethers, then each individual can float independently, but multiple water goers drift apart and cannot stay near each other
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the flotation device with an integrated tether system into a single unified apparatus. The tether is integrated into the PFD structure, allowing multiple wearers to be connected together while maintaining their individual flotation capability. This merging resolves the contradiction by enabling group cohesion without requiring separate tethering equipment.
2Reliability
If water goers attempt to hold one another manually to stay together, then they can remain near each other, but they expend precious energy that could be used for other life-saving activities
Solution Approach 1:
The tether system provides self-service by automatically maintaining connection between wearers without requiring active human effort. Once the PFDs are donned, the integrated tethers passively keep wearers connected, freeing them to conserve energy for essential activities like treading water or signaling for help rather than manually holding onto each other.
3Reliability
If water goers hold onto each other manually to prevent drifting apart, then they can stay together, but this prevents them from performing other life-saving activities such as treading water, swimming, or flagging down help
Solution Approach 1:
The integrated tether system performs the function of keeping wearers together autonomously, allowing individuals to use their hands and energy for critical survival tasks rather than manual tethering. The system serves itself by maintaining connections through the integrated tether mechanism while leaving wearers free to perform rescue activities.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The tether system allows wearers to remain connected, conserving energy for other life-saving activities by maintaining proximity without the need for manual holding, thereby enhancing safety in water emergencies.
Implementation Method 1
The PFD may include a buoyant material or an inflatable bladder
Data Source
AI summary
This disclosure is generally drawn to systems, devices, apparatuses, and/or methods, related to personal flotation devices (PFDs). Specifically, the disclosed systems, devices, apparatuses, and/or methods relate to PFDs having one or more integrated tethers that may allow a PFD (and its wearer) to be coupled to another PFD (and its wearer) via the integrated tether(s). In some examples, a personal flotation device may include a vest including a buoyant component adapted to float in a body of water, and at least one tether. Each tether may include a first end fixed to the vest and a second end detachably coupled to the vest.