The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 01, 2000
Filed:
Jun. 06, 1998
Paul K Driscoll, San Diego, CA (US);
Michael H Wahl, San Diego, CA (US);
Life Safer, Inc., San Diego, CA (US);
Abstract
A flotation device for rescue of individuals in distress in static or swift water or under icy conditions. A preferred embodiment includes a throwable disk having an annular groove wherein the disk is divisible into a pair of separate, positively buoyant subassemblies. A web-like harness is stowed in a recess within each subassembly and a line is fixed at one end to the harness. In the nondeployed condition, the line is wrapped, spool-like, about an annular groove in the disk, thereby holding the subassemblies together. In use, a rescuer holds the free end of the line in one hand and, with the other, throws the disk in the direction of the person to be rescued. During flight, the line unwinds from the disk. Desirably, the disk is thrown beyond the person in distress to be subsequently drawn by the rescuer toward that person. When the line has been unwound from the disk, the subassemblies separate and the harness is pulled out of the storage recesses in the subassemblies. At this point, the separated subassemblies float on the water surface, with the harness deployed between them.