Multi-chambered personal survival device and an orally inflated, flush mounted, hybrid bladder

Abstract

An orally inflated, flush mounted, bladder; configured, supported and protected by the external fabric shell of the underlying inherently buoyant pfd. The fabric shell of the foam PFD can be extended and cut to distribute and allocate the orally inflated buoyant moments to augment the buoyancy deficits of the specific underlying foam PFD design in order to create improved corrective turning, head angle, mandibular support and freeboard. The fabric shell while shaping the bladder, bears the strain of the oversized inflated bladder protecting the bladder film and seams from rupture. The internal orally inflated hybrid bladder is protected by the external fabric shell and or foam layer from UV radiation, abrasion and puncture allowing use of films or thin films as well as UL approved fabric supported laminates for construction of the hybrid bladder. An expiratory pump converts the released bladder into a self-bailing life raft.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A personal flotation device comprising: 
 an external fabric shell;    a layer of foam; said external fabric shell and said layer of foam defining an inner area;    an internal bladder disposed within the inner area of said external fabric shell;    wherein said internal bladder is configured, supported and protected by said external fabric shell.    
     
     
         2 . The personal flotation device of  claim 1  wherein said internal bladder is orally inflated.  
     
     
         3 . The personal flotation device of  claim 1  wherein said internal bladder is releasable.  
     
     
         4 . The personal flotation device of  claim 1  further including a pump for inflating the internal bladder.  
     
     
         5 . The personal flotation device of  claim 4  wherein said pump is an expiratory pump.  
     
     
         6 . The personal flotation device of  claim 3  wherein said internal bladder is oversize in volume area with respect to the inner area and an amount of inflation for the internal bladder is restricted by said external fabric shell; wherein when said internal bladder is release from the inner area and no longer restricted by said external fabric shell, said internal bladder can be further inflated to form a life raft.  
     
     
         7 . A method for preventing a tear in a bladder of a multi bladder device from spreading beyond a point of initial puncture, said method comprising the steps of: 
 (a) providing a welded seam between a first layer of material and a second layer of material;    (b) fusing the first layer of material with the second layer of material to yield a single double thickness layer, which converts a single bladder into multiple bladders and blocks progression of propagative tears;    wherein a tear in the bladder is prevented from spreading beyond a point of initial puncture which protects any remaining bladders from loss of pressure.