Lifejacket

Abstract

An inflatable lifejacket including a chamber having a main portion and a head lifting portion, wherein the head lifting portion has a lower elastic modulus than the main portion. In the embodiment: the chamber has a front side and a back, water-facing, side, the head lifting portion being located in the back side, with the front side supporting a wearer's head; the main portion is substantially inextensible and/or substantially inelastic; and at least one inflatable bladder is located inside the chamber.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An inflatable lifejacket including a chamber having a main portion and a head lifting portion, wherein the head lifting portion has a lower elastic modulus than the main portion. 
     
     
         2 . The lifejacket of  claim 1 , wherein the chamber has a front side and a back, water-facing, side, the head lifting portion being located in the back side. 
     
     
         3 . The lifejacket of  claim 2 , wherein the front side is configured to support a wearer's head. 
     
     
         4 . The lifejacket of  claim 1 , wherein the main portion is substantially inextensible and/or substantially inelastic so as to be substantially inextensible. 
     
     
         5 . The lifejacket of  claim 1 , wherein the chamber is inflatable. 
     
     
         6 . The lifejacket of  claim 1 , further including at least one inflatable bladder located inside the chamber. 
     
     
         7 . The lifejacket of  claim 1 , further including two inflatable bladders located inside the chamber. 
     
     
         8 . The lifejacket of  claim 6 , wherein the bladder has two separate chambers. 
     
     
         9 . The lifejacket of  claim 6 , wherein the bladder is confined by the chamber so that, when inflated, the bladder is untensioned, the tension being taken by the chamber. 
     
     
         10 . The lifejacket of  claim 1 , wherein the chamber further includes a liquid permeable portion configured to allow liquid to drain therefrom. 
     
     
         11 . The lifejacket of  claim 10 , wherein the liquid permeable portion is formed of the same type of a material as the head lifting portion. 
     
     
         12 . The lifejacket of  claim 1 , wherein the chamber includes at least one narrowed region to facilitate a wearer moving their head to look upwardly and/or sideways. 
     
     
         13 . The lifejacket of  claim 1 , wherein the chamber is generally U-shaped and includes two leg parts extending from opposite ends of a connecting part. 
     
     
         14 . The lifejacket of  claim 13 , wherein the head lifting portion extends between the leg parts and the connecting part. 
     
     
         15 . The lifejacket of  claim 14 , wherein the chamber includes at least one narrowed region between the leg parts and the connecting part to facilitate the wearer moving their head to look sideways. 
     
     
         16 . The lifejacket of  claim 14 , wherein the chamber includes a narrowed region at the a center of the connecting part to facilitate the wearer moving their head to look upwardly. 
     
     
         17 . The lifejacket of  claim 1 , wherein the chamber has an aperture configured to allow a wearer's head and neck to pass therethrough, a portion of the chamber on a first side of the aperture configured to support the wearer's head in use and a portion of the chamber on a second, opposite side of the aperture lying on the wearer's chest in use. 
     
     
         18 . The lifejacket of  claim 17 , wherein the portion of the chamber on the second side of the aperture has the form of a single lobe. 
     
     
         19 . The lifejacket of  claim 17 , wherein the chamber includes at least one narrowed region between the portion of the chamber on a first side of the aperture and the portion of the chamber on a second side of the aperture to facilitate the wearer moving their head to look sideways. 
     
     
         20 . The lifejacket of  claim 17 , wherein the chamber includes a narrowed region at the a center of the portion of the chamber on a first side of the aperture to facilitate the wearer moving their head to look upwardly.