Life saving necklace

Abstract

An inflatable necklace designed to be worn around the neck of a young child is provided. The necklace contains a sensor which, in response to a pre-determined period of immersion and/or a sudden increase in pressure, will activate a gas source which inflates one or more bladders which expand outwardly from the necklace. The inflated bladders provide sufficient buoyancy and floatation to keep a child afloat until the child can be rescued.

1 . An inflatable necklace comprising: 
 a cylindrically shaped fabric shell having a reclosable fastener thereon for attaching opposing ends of said necklace around an individual's neck, said fabric shell defining a housing;    a sensor positioned on one of either said housing or said reclosable fastener, said sensor being activated upon exposure to one of a predetermined time interval, submersion under water or a sudden increase in pressure;    a gas source capable of releasing a desired volume and rate of gas in response to a signal from said sensor;    at least one expandable bladder, said bladder adapted for receiving said released gas and thereby inflating said bladder;    wherein, when said bladder is inflated, the necklace provides sufficient buoyancy to support a child within a body of water.    
   
   
       2 . An inflatable necklace according to  claim 1  wherein said at least one expandable bladder further comprises a high visibility material.  
   
   
       3 . An inflatable necklace according to  claim 1  wherein said necklace further comprises a light source which illuminates when said sensor is activated.  
   
   
       4 . An inflatable necklace according to  claim 1  wherein said gas source comprises a container filled with a pressurized gas.  
   
   
       5 . The inflatable necklace according to  claim 1  wherein said gas source comprises a first reactant and a second reactant which upon combination generates said desired volume and rate of gas.  
   
   
       6 . An inflatable necklace comprising: 
 a cylindrically shaped fabric shell having a reclosable fastener thereon for attaching opposing ends of said necklace around an individual's neck;    a sensor supported by one of said reclosable fastener or said fabric shell, said sensor being activated upon exposure to one of a predetermined time interval, submersion under water or a sudden increase in pressure;    a gas source capable of releasing a desired volume and rate of gas in response to a signal from said activated sensor;    at least one expandable bladder positioned within said fabric shell, said bladder adapted for receiving said released gas and thereby inflating said bladder;    wherein, when said bladder is inflated, the necklace provides sufficient buoyancy to support a child within a body of water.    
   
   
       7 . An inflatable necklace according to  claim 6  wherein said gas source is defined by a sealed tube of a compressed fluid.  
   
   
       8 . An inflatable necklace according to  claim 7  wherein said signal from said sensor activates a microvalve positioned within said sealed tube, thereby releasing the pressurized fluid contents into said bladder.  
   
   
       9 . The inflatable necklace according to  claim 8  wherein said signal from said sensor further includes heating a wire contained within a plug sealing said hollow tube, thereby unsealing the tube and releasing the pressurized fluid into said bladder.  
   
   
       10 . The inflatable necklace according to  claim 6  wherein said gas source is a supply of gun cotton.  
   
   
       11 . The inflatable necklace according to  claim 1  wherein said gas source comprises a sealed tube of a compressed gas having a microvalve which is activated by a signal from said sensor, thereby releasing the pressurized fluid contents into said expandable bladder.  
   
   
       12 . The inflatable necklace according to  claim 6  wherein said gas source comprises a sealed tube of a compressed gas having a microvalve which is activated by a signal from said sensor, thereby releasing the pressurized fluid contents into said expandable bladder.  
   
   
       13 . The inflatable necklace according to  claim 1  wherein said gas source is a supply of gun cotton.