US3781933A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Modification of one man life raft
Assignee: National Aeronautics and Space Administration
•
Filing: 1971-10-29
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Granted: 1974-01-01
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Expires: 1991-10-29
Abstract
Abstract A life raft, preferably of the one-man inflatable type wherein an inflatable tube perimetrically bounds an occupant receiving space having a flexible floor member, includes a zippered opening in the floor to be used for entry, thus avoiding the necessity of climbing over the peripheral tube, and facilitating the use of a constant diameter tube as opposed to conventional tubes tapered at one end to facilitate boarding over the side. An airtight fabric bulkhead divides the peripheral tube longitudinally into two inflatable tube sections, whereby if either tube section were punctured, the bulkhead would move into the punctured section to substitute for the punctured wall portion and maintain the inflatable volume of the tube. The floor member is preferably attached to the central portion of the tube wall so that either side of the raft can be the ''''up'''' side.
Inventors
- 👤 E Soter
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 06:08
CPC Classifications
B; B63; B63C; B63C9/00; B63C9/02; B63C9/04
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
141 words
An inflatable life raft comprising an inflatable tube having a cross section defining at least an inner arc configured in the form of a closed loop such that when inflated the tube perimetrically bounds an occupant receiving space, a floor member of flexible material connected with said inflatable tube continuously along a line corresponding substantially to the midpoint of the inner arc of the tube when inflated and forming a floor for said occupant receiving space, said occupant receiving space being defined on either side of said floor member and means forming a selectively openable and closable access operable from either side of said floor members in said floor member of a size sufficiently large to readily pass a human body whereby to permit boarding said raft through said access opening in said floor member rather than over the inflated tube.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
141 words
An inflatable life raft comprising an inflatable tube having a cross section defining at least an inner arc configured in the form of a closed loop such that when inflated the tube perimetrically bounds an occupant receiving space, a floor member of flexible material connected with said inflatable tube continuously along a line corresponding substantially to the midpoint of the inner arc of the tube when inflated and forming a floor for said occupant receiving space, said occupant receiving space being defined on either side of said floor member and means forming a selectively openable and closable access operable from either side of said floor members in said floor member of a size sufficiently large to readily pass a human body whereby to permit boarding said raft through said access opening in said floor member rather than over the inflated tube.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
34 words
An inflatable life raft as claimed in claim 1 wherein said last mentioned means comprises an access opening in said floor member, and manually operable fastening means for opening and closing said access opening.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
An inflatable life raft as claimed in claim 1 wherein said last mentioned means comprises a zippered opening in said floor member.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
An inflatable life raft as claimed in claim 1 wherein said inflatable tube, in cross section, is of substantially constant diameter at all points along said closed loop.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
38 words
An inflatable life raft as claimed in claim 4 wherein said floor member, at each point of connection is connected to said inflatable tube substantially at the mid-point of the inner arc of the tube wall when inflated.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
86 words
An inflatable life raft as claimed in claim 5 further comprising an air-tight bulkhead of flexible material inside said inflatable tube, extending along the length thereof, in a closed loop configuration and connected at its longitudinal edges to the inner wall of said tube so as to divide the tube into two inflatable tube sections, each of which is configured in the form of a closed loop, whereby a loss of air-tight integrity in one section does not affect the air tightness of the other section.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
83 words
An inflatable life raft as claimed in claim 6 wherein the longitudinal edges of said bulkhead are connected to the inner walls of said tube along lines spaced circumferentially from each other by substantially one-half the circumference of the tube at any particular area of connection so as to divide the tube equally circumferentially, and wherein the width of said bulkhead between its longitudinal edges at any point along said closed loop is substantially equal to one-half the tube circumference at that point.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-12-31 | 1977-07-02 | 1978-01-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-12-31 | 1981-07-02 | 1982-01-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-12-31 | 1985-07-02 | 1986-01-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |