Rescue harness

Abstract

A rescue harness includes an inflatable bladder. Optionally, an inflatable bladder, gas canister and an opening mechanism are held in a container. In one example, at least the inflatable bladder is retained near a predetermined portion of the harness assembly in an inflated condition. The predetermined portion of the harness assembly is remote from the container. In another example, at least the inflatable bladder is movably coupled along a guide portion of the harness assembly in an inflated condition. In still another example, the inflatable bladder substantially envelops a gas canister and an opening mechanism in a storage position.

1 . An apparatus comprising: 
 a bundle including an inflatable bladder in a storage position;    a harness assembly including a first strap and at least the inflatable bladder is movably coupled with the first strap; and    wherein the inflatable bladder is sized and shaped to move along the first strap.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the inflatable bladder has a substantially ring shaped geometry.  
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the inflatable bladder includes handles.  
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the bundle includes a rip cord.  
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the inflatable bladder includes a first tether movably coupled with the first strap.  
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the harness assembly includes a second strap extending substantially perpendicular to the first strap.  
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the bundle is coupled at least with the second strap.  
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the inflatable bladder includes a second tether coupled with the second strap.  
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the inflatable bladder is slidably coupled along the first strap.  
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the inflatable bladder is adapted to move between the bundle and a predetermined position remote from the bundle.  
   
   
       11 . An apparatus comprising: 
 an inflatable bladder;    at least one gas canister coupled with the inflatable bladder;    an opening mechanism coupled with the at least one gas canister, and the opening mechanism includes a trigger, wherein the inflatable bladder substantially envelops the at least one gas canister and the opening mechanism in a storage position; and    a harness assembly, and at least the inflatable bladder is movably coupled along a guide portion of the harness assembly.    
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the inflatable bladder is adapted to move along the guide portion toward a predetermined position.  
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the guide portion includes a first strap extending away from the inflatable bladder in the storage position.  
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the inflatable bladder includes a first tether movably coupled along the guide portion.  
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the harness assembly includes a second strap, and the inflatable bladder includes a second tether coupled with the second strap.  
   
   
       16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the second tether is longer than the first tether.  
   
   
       17 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the harness assembly is sized and shaped to extend around a waist and a shoulder of a user.  
   
   
       18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the guide portion is sized and shaped to extend from the waist toward the shoulder of the user.  
   
   
       19 . An apparatus comprising: 
 a container sized and shaped to hold: 
 an inflatable bladder in a storage position,  
 a gas canister coupled with the inflatable bladder,  
 an opening mechanism coupled to the gas canister, and the opening mechanism includes a trigger; and  
   a harness assembly coupled with the container, and at least the inflatable bladder is retained near a predetermined portion of the harness assembly in an inflated condition, wherein the predetermined portion of the harness assembly is remote from the container.    
   
   
       20 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the container includes a pouch.  
   
   
       21 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the container is sized and shaped to split apart when the inflatable bladder is inflated.  
   
   
       22 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the predetermined portion of the harness assembly includes a portion of a first strap.  
   
   
       23 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the inflatable bladder is movably coupled along the harness assembly with a first tether.  
   
   
       24 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the inflatable bladder is coupled to the harness assembly with a second tether.  
   
   
       25 . The apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein the second tether is sized to retain the inflatable bladder in the inflated condition near the predetermined portion of the harness assembly.  
   
   
       26 . An apparatus comprising: 
 an inflatable bladder;    a harness assembly; and    a deployment system coupled between the inflatable bladder and the harness assembly, wherein the inflatable bladder, in a deployed condition, is adapted to orient a user face up in a material slide.    
   
   
       27 . The apparatus of  claim 26 , wherein the inflatable bladder, in the deployed condition, is adapted to orient a head of the user uphill in a material slide.  
   
   
       28 . The apparatus of  claim 26 , wherein the inflatable bladder, in the deployed condition, is positioned near a face of the user in a material slide.  
   
   
       29 . The apparatus of  claim 26 , wherein the inflatable bladder, in an undeployed condition, is positioned near a waist of the user, and the inflatable bladder, in the deployed condition, is positioned substantially near a predetermined location away from the waist of the user.  
   
   
       30 . A method comprising: 
 coupling an opening mechanism with an inflatable bladder, and the opening mechanism is coupled with a gas canister; and    movably coupling at least the inflatable bladder along a harness assembly, wherein the inflatable bladder is sized and shaped to move along a predetermined path.    
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 30  further comprising substantially enveloping at least the opening mechanism and the gas canister with the inflatable bladder in a storage potion.  
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 30  further comprising housing at least portions of the opening mechanism, the gas canister and the inflatable bladder in a storage position in a container.  
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein movably coupling at least the inflatable bladder includes slidably coupling the inflatable bladder along the predetermined path.  
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein movably coupling at least the inflatable bladder includes coupling a first tether between the inflatable bladder and the predetermined path, and the first tether is movable along the predetermined path.  
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 34  further comprising coupling a second tether between the inflatable bladder and the harness assembly.  
   
   
       36 . A method comprising: 
 inflating an inflatable bladder;    moving the inflatable bladder along a predetermined path, the predetermined path extending along a harness assembly;    constraining movement of the inflatable bladder to substantially along the predetermined path; and    positioning the inflatable bladder near a predetermined location along the predetermined path.    
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein positioning the inflatable bladder near the predetermined location includes positioning the inflatable bladder near a head of a user.  
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein positioning the inflatable bladder near the predetermined location includes positioning a hole extending through the inflatable bladder near a mouth of a user.  
   
   
       39 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising orienting a user face up in a material slide when the inflatable bladder is in a deployed condition.  
   
   
       40 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising orienting a head of a user uphill when the inflatable bladder is in a deployed condition.  
   
   
       41 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein inflating an inflatable bladder includes splitting a container surrounding at least a portion of the inflatable bladder in an undeployed condition.