EP 2045182 A3 20100908 - Fluid displacement body for emergency floatation of marine craft
Title (en)
Fluid displacement body for emergency floatation of marine craft
Title (de)
Fluidverdrängungskörper für ein Notschwimmwerk eines Wasserahrzeugs
Title (fr)
Corps de déplacement fluide pour la flottation d'urgence d'une embarcation
Publication
Application
Priority
US 90378807 A 20070925
Abstract (en)
[origin: EP2045182A2] A portable inflatable water displacing body (10) for preventing complete submersion of watercraft in immanent danger of sinking due to a sudden influx of water is comprised generally of at least one bladder (12), normally mounted within the hull of the vessel in a collapsed and deflated condition, each bladder having: 1) internal volumetric expansion means (14) including an inlet (26) connected to an external gas source (24) for charging the expansion means and a relief valve (30) for controlling the amount of pressure in the expansion means, and 2) a check valve (16) for allowing one-way passage of ambient air into the bladder. The expansion means (14) is comprised of an extremely light-weight, highly flexible tubular framework which when charged with the gas expands into a pre-defined three-dimensional geometric shape causing the volume within the surrounding bladder to increase. The increase in volume reduces the pressure and creates a partial vacuum, which is filled by air pushed in through the check valve by the higher atmospheric pressure. The expanded water displacing body competes for and successfully occupies space within the vessel's hull, and preferably but not essentially below the waterline, which would otherwise be filled by incoming water. Because both the volume of the vessel and its average density are substantially maintained, so is the buoyancy needed to keep the vessel afloat.
IPC 8 full level
B63B 43/12 (2006.01)
CPC (source: EP US)
B63B 43/12 (2013.01 - EP US)
Citation (search report)
- [X] GB 2224979 A 19900523 - MORRIS JAMES STUART
- [X] WO 03106257 A1 20031224 - BOAT RESCUE SYSTEMS LTD [IL], et al
- [X] DE 8710790 U1 19871029
- [X] FR 2862603 A1 20050527 - KACH GEORGES [FR]
- [X] FR 2862042 A1 20050513 - SAEZ ROS JOSE VICENTE [ES]
Designated contracting state (EPC)
AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC MT NL NO PL PT RO SE SI SK TR
Designated extension state (EPC)
AL BA MK RS
DOCDB simple family (publication)
EP 2045182 A2 20090408; EP 2045182 A3 20100908; US 2009078183 A1 20090326
DOCDB simple family (application)
EP 08105342 A 20080915; US 90378807 A 20070925