Life preserver

Inventors: Nigel Parkes (Salisbury, GB); Simon Davey-Evans (Fareham, GB)

Assignee: SURVITEC GROUP LIMITED

B63C9/155 B63C2009/133

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 12709367
App. No.: 17/759,573
Granted: Aug 18, 2026
Kind: B2

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Abstract

A life preserver ( 1 ) including an inflatable main body portion ( 3 ) having an aperture ( 5 ) for a wearer's neck, and first and second inflatable lobes ( 7, 9 ) extending from the main body portion which are configured to respectively occupy a position on the left and right hand side of the wearer's body when in use. The main body portion may be formed by corresponding front and rear layers of material that are connected around their outer peripheries and which each have an aperture for the wearer's neck, wherein the main body portion further comprises an additional layer of material that is connected to the front and rear layers of material around the apertures in the front and rear layers to form a surface that, upon inflation of the main body portion, encircles the wearer's neck. A panel ( 15 ) of material mounted on a front surface of the main body portion adjacent to, or partially overlying, the neck aperture may protect the wearer's airways from water splashes.

Claims (23)

1 . A life preserver comprising:

an inflatable main body portion comprising a front layer of material having a front layer outer periphery, and a rear layer of material having a rear layer outer periphery, wherein the front layer of material and the rear layer of material are connected around the front layer outer periphery and the rear layer outer periphery, and wherein each of the front layer of material and the rear layer of material has an aperture,

wherein the main body portion further comprises an additional layer of material that is connected to the front and rear layers of material around the apertures to form a surface that, upon inflation of the main body portion, encircles a wearer's neck, and

wherein the additional layer of material is formed from two joined sheets of material that are configured to lie within and substantially parallel to the corresponding front and rear layers of material prior to inflation of the main body portion.

2 . The life preserver of claim 1 , wherein the surface is configured to grip the wearer's neck on inflation.

3 . The life preserver of claim 1 , further including first and second inflatable lobes extending from the main body portion which are configured to respectively occupy a position on a left and a right hand side of a wearer's torso when in use.

4 . The life preserver of claim 1 , including a panel of material mounted on a front surface of the main body portion adjacent to the apertures for protecting a wearer's airways from water splashes.

5 . The life preserver of claim 4 , wherein a portion of the panel is further coupled to the main body portion by a strap arrangement that passes through the apertures and is mounted to a rear surface of the main body portion.

6 . The life preserver of claim 4 , wherein the panel is mounted over a component attached to the main body portion.

7 . The life preserver of claim 3 , wherein the life preserver is configured such that at least one of the first and second inflatable lobes extends obliquely or perpendicularly with respect to an adjacent surface of the wearer's torso when in use.

8 . The life preserver of claim 3 , wherein the first and second inflatable lobes occupy a position on a left and a right hand side of a front of the wearer's torso when in use.

9 . The life preserver of claim 8 , wherein the first and second inflatable lobes are coupled together at a position spaced apart from the main body portion such that adjacent facing edges of the first and second inflatable lobes abut one another in use, the first and second inflatable lobes moving independently of one another and tending to cause self-righting of the wearer when lying face down in water.

10 . The life preserver of claim 9 , wherein the first and second inflatable lobes are coupled together by a strap arrangement that also mounts the life preserver to a wearer's waist in use.

11 . The life preserver of claim 3 , wherein the first and second inflatable lobes occupy a position on a left and a right hand side of a back of the wearer's torso when in use.

12 . The life preserver of claim 11 , wherein the first and second inflatable lobes are coupled together at a position spaced apart from the main body portion so that the first and second inflatable lobes extend obliquely or perpendicularly with respect to the back of the wearer's torso.

13 . The life preserver of claim 3 , including a first set of the first and second inflatable lobes that occupy the position on a left and a right hand side of a front of the wearer's torso when in use and a second set of the first and second inflatable lobes that occupy the position on a left and a right hand side of a back of the wearer's torso when in use.

14 . The life preserver of claim 1 , wherein the front and rear layers of material are attached to the additional layer of material around a periphery of the apertures in the front and rear layers of material.

15 . The life preserver of claim 1 , wherein the additional layer of material, upon inflation of the main body portion, forms a generally cylindrical wall around the wearer's neck.

16 . A life preserver comprising:

first and second inflatable lobes extending from the main body portion, a first set of the first and second inflatable lobes that occupy the position on a left and a right hand side of a front of the wearer's torso when in use and a second set of the first and second inflatable lobes that occupy the position on a left and a right hand side of a back of the wearer's torso when in use;