Patent · US Expired

Self-righting inflatable life raft

US4998900A · kind A · utility

18Cited by
3References
3Claims
0Family size

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateJun 19, 1990
Grant dateMar 12, 1991
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 19, 2010

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
  • CPC primaryB63C2009/044
  • WIPO fieldTransport
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A self-righting inflatable life raft including a raft body having inflatable sidewalls and an inflatable member extending from the raft body having a buoyant portion sufficient to provide lifting force to move the raft's center of gravity beyond its point of rotation on the surface of water such that the raft will topple by gravity to an upright position. The inflatable member may include a plurality of inflatable tube portions which extend from an upper edge of the raft sidewalls to a first predetermined position upwardly and outboard from the upper edge and which then extend inboard to centrally converge with one another at a second predetermined position above the raft body.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.