Flotation and Locating Device

Abstract

A personal flotation and locating device for increasing the survivability and visibility of an individual stranded in water is disclosed herein. In one embodiment, the flotation and locating device comprises a rescue streamer, the rescue streamer including a plurality of branching pneumatic stays structures.

1 . A personal flotation and locating device, comprising:
 a rescue streamer, including:
 a plurality of branching pneumatic stays in fluid communication with one another, the branching stays extending along different directions of the streamer. 
   
     
     
         2 . The personal flotation and locating device of  claim 1 , wherein a first pneumatic stay portion extends longitudinally along the streamer with a second pneumatic stay portion branching outward and non-longitudinally across the streamer on a first side of the first pneumatic stay portion, and a third pneumatic stay portion branching outward and non-longitudinally across the streamer on a second side of the first pneumatic stay portion opposite the first side. 
     
     
         3 . The personal flotation and locating device of  claim 2  wherein the second and third pneumatic stay portion interconnect with the first pneumatic stay portion at the same location, the branching pneumatic stays configured to provide buoyancy and a supportive structure to the rescue streamer to reduce folding over of the streamer in both longitudinal and lateral directions. 
     
     
         4 . The personal flotation and locating device of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more inflation devices arranged in the rescue streamer and in fluid communication with the plurality of branching structures when the rescue streamer is inflated. 
     
     
         5 . The personal flotation and locating device of  claim 4 , wherein the inflation devices include a one-way valve stem. 
     
     
         6 . The personal flotation and locating device of  claim 4 , wherein the inflation devices include one or more gas cartridges, the gas cartridges including pressurized gas. 
     
     
         7 . The personal flotation and locating device of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more distress signals imprinted on the rescue streamer. 
     
     
         8 . The personal flotation and locating device of  claim 1 , further comprising a sheath shaped to hold the rescue streamer in a deflated and folded configuration. 
     
     
         9 . The personal flotation and locating device of  claim 1 , wherein the pneumatic stays are substantially cylindrically shaped. 
     
     
         10 . The personal flotation and locating device of  claim 3 , wherein the second and third stay portions extend at an angle of 45 degrees from the first stay portion. 
     
     
         11 . The personal flotation and locating device of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of branching stays are in fluid communication with one another and sealed from ambient. 
     
     
         12 . A personal flotation and location device, comprising:
 a buoyant, inflatable tube;   a buoyant, inflatable rescue streamer affixed via a first attachment device to a proximal end of the tube, including:
 a plurality of branching structures, each branching structure including three pneumatic stays in fluid communication with one another, with a first pneumatic stay extending along a longitudinal axis of the streamer, and a second and third pneumatic stay oppositely and acutely extending from the first stay toward a lateral direction, the pneumatic stays configured to provide buoyancy and a supportive structure to the rescue streamer; and 
   a sheath, including:
 a second attachment device for securing the sheath to an individual, the sheath shaped to hold the tube and streamer when the tube and streamer are both in a deflated and folded configuration. 
   
     
     
         13 . The personal flotation and locating device of  claim 12 , further comprising one or more inflation devices arranged in the tube and in fluid communication with the plurality of branching structures when the rescue streamer is inflated. 
     
     
         14 . The personal flotation and locating device of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 a first strap affixed to a head portion at a distal end of the tube, the first strap including a first O-ring;   a second strap affixed to the proximal end of the tube, the second strap including a second O-ring; and   a clip having a first and a second lockingly engageable portion, the first portion lockingly engaged with the first O-ring of the first strap, and the second portion configured to lockingly engage the second O-ring of the second strap, the clip configured to secure the personal flotation and locating device to a part of an individual.   
     
     
         15 . A personal flotation and locating device, comprising:
 a buoyant, inflatable tube having a tube body primarily extending in a first direction and a substantially hollow interior, the tube including:
 a first strap affixed to a head portion at a distal end of the tube body, the first strap including a first O-ring; 
 a second strap affixed to a proximal end of the tube body, the second strap including a second O-ring; 
 a clip having a first and a second lockingly engageable portion, the first portion lockingly engaged with the first O-ring of the first strap, and the second portion configured to lockingly engage the second O-ring of the second strap; 
 one or more bladder inserts arranged throughout the interior of the tube body; 
 one or more inflation devices including a manual, one-way valve stem sealingly inserted toward the distal end of the tube body, the valve configured to receive and transfer pressurized gas to the one or more bladder inserts; 
   a buoyant, inflatable rescue streamer having a streamer body extending in the first direction, the streamer body larger than the tube body and affixed via a first attachment device to the proximal end of the tube body, including:
 a plurality of branching structures extending throughout the streamer body, each branching structure including three pneumatic stays in fluid communication with one another, with a first pneumatic stay extending along a longitudinal axis of the streamer, and a second and third pneumatic stay oppositely and acutely extending from the first stay toward a lateral direction, the pneumatic stays configured to provide buoyancy and a supportive structure to the rescue streamer; 
 one or more distress signals imprinted on a proximal end of the streamer body, configured to maximize visibility of the personal flotation and locating device; and 
   a sheath, including a second attachment device for securing the sheath to an individual, the sheath configured to hold the tube and streamer when the tube and streamer are both in a deflated and folded configuration.   
     
     
         16 . The personal flotation and locating device of  claim 15 , wherein the inflation devices include gas cartridges containing a pressurized gas. 
     
     
         17 . The personal flotation and locating device of  claim 15 , further comprising a second attachment device such that the streamer body may be removably affixed to the tube body. 
     
     
         18 . The personal flotation and locating device of  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of branching structures are regularly-spaced from one another and share a common central stay. 
     
     
         19 . The personal flotation and locating device of  claim 15 , wherein a plurality of second stays are parallel to one another and a plurality of third stays are parallel to one another. 
     
     
         20 . The personal flotation and locating device of  claim 15 , wherein the second and third stays extend at an angle of 45 degrees from the first stay.