The invention concerns a semi-finished composite material for the manufacture of buoyancy products and related products, that is an article, advantageously pre-made of layers of lightweight, waterproof material joined together to make up a garment which ensures the buoyancy in water of the person wearing it.

The prior art involves life jackets, generally sleeveless, made from pads of expanded polystyrene, or other lightweight material, inserted in a lining attached to the body of the jacket: life jackets of this kind are generally known from "British Plastics" August 1966, pages 448-451 (Plastics foams for increased buoyancy) ; the prior art involves also jackets in inflatable plastic material.

The life jacket is seen as a piece of equipment to be put on only in the case of imminent danger, it being stiff, as in the case of the padded jacket, constrictive and unhealthy, as in the case of the inflatable jacket, since it impedes transpiration and confines the body of the person,* the garment, therefore, is not one that may be used for purposes other than that of keeping afloat the person in the moment of need, that is, as an item of clothing or accessory: its life-saving function, furthermore, depends entirely on its availability in the case of danger, a somewhat remote availability in every day life in places made dangerous by the presence of stretches of water.

Such a jacket is bulky, uncomfortable to wear, in practice stiffened by the pads of material suitable for ensuring buoyancy of the persons, and unaesthetic,* above all they are costly and constitute a specific investment of money;

this being sufficient for them not to be considered for purchase by the general public, with the consequent serious safety risk for persons who fall in the water, particularly for those who are inexpert or hampered.

Such prior art may be subject to considerable improvements with a view to eliminating the drawbacks outlined above.

From the foregoing emerges the need to resolve the technical problem of finding a life jacket which is, instead, a soft garment, or at least, elastic or flexible enough to be worn normally, particularly in places in which people, particularly if they are inexpert swimmers, or, at the time, incapable of swimming, are frequently exposed to the danger of drowning,* such as, for example, at the seaside, in lakes, in rivers, in canals and also near swimming pools or waterways in general; the garment should be, for example, useful for trippers, cruise passengers, fishermen in boats or in water and also for sailors; it should also be useful while bathing children, handicapped people and people in general, above all if they are inexpert swimmers.

The invention resolves the said technical problem by adopting an article, in particular a garment, made from a semi-finished composite, in rolls or also in pieces, comprising the incorporation of a waterproof material with a specific gravity substantially less than that of water, characterised in that it comprises a plurality of elastic, flexible and substantially independent layers of said waterproof material associated to at least one piece of lining.

The plurality of layers can form padding, joined to at least one lining, internal or external, said lining being waterproof or not, even made of cloth.

The joining of layer to layer being such that air spaces are defined between superimposed layers, forming a pack of layers,* this can be advantageously achieved by means of quilting along continuous lines forming a pattern which can be freely defined; also the joining between single- layer or multilayer (pack) pieces and lining, or linings, may be achieved by quilting.

Said quilting being preferably obtained by means of a plurality of sewings, preferably spaced from each other at such a distance to define a plurality of air-spaces capable of improving buoyancy; the distance preferably being of at least 7 cm, approximately.

In the case of at least two linings, the pack can also be inserted as in a bag; in the case of at least two linings, particularly if at laest one is not waterproof, the bottom part of them should be equipped with outlets for water, advantageously achieved by having the lower border with sewn lengths alternating with unsewn lengths.

It is also possible to manufacture and use such pieces made up by one or more layers, each formed by a tight combination of one layer of the material specified above with a sheet of a different and much thinner material, so as to obtain a less soft padding, suitable for the manufacture of garments with specific, for example military, uses.

The waterproof material forming each layer having an absolute gravity essentially less than that of water, and being elastic and flexible, can advantageously be expanded polyethylene, or expanded polyurethane, or expanded PVC.

Satisfactory results were obtained by using for example, a type of polyethylene marketed in the last ten years or so

by POLIPAV PE DI. BI - Spa of Ghiardo di Bibbiano (RE) as a soundproofing material laid under floors in sheets 4mm thick, to deaden the sound of footsteps.

To increase softness, the thickness of each layer should advantageously be up to about 2 mm, preferably between 1,2 to 1,5 mm. The density of such material forming the layers being about 28 kg/itr .

Furthermore it is also foreseen, for less flexible, harder padding, the use of a type of layer made up of close fitting, i.e. glued, sheet of expanded polyethylene about 2 mm thick.

The layer of expanded polyethylene can be joined toghether with a sheet of waterproof material capable of improving mechanical properties of each layer, such as PVC, or un- expanded polyethylene, preferably laminated, such as cartene (Trade Name of a product classified as nylon) , a few hundredths of a millimeter thick.

The semi-finished composite can also be used by inserting into a waterproof lining to form small mattresses, armbands, belts and floating rings in place of the usual inflatable ones.

The advantages offered by the invention are: the substitution of the traditional life jacket with an article of clothing like a normal jacket, windcheater, bathing costume, uniform or other, soft, elastic, flexible and therefore comfortably wearable,* reduction of production costs, since it substitutes a normal garment; moderate bulk with respect to normal garments; pleasing to look at in the same way as other articles of clothing; possibility of use for functions complementary to clothing, such as, for example, the case of a jacket with

collar equipped to support handicapped persons and in the case of the utensil-holding tray wearable for example by a fisherman in water; capability of keeping a person afloat because of the lightness of the material being worn, the number of layers and the volume of air trapped between them, in relation to its size; possibility of making small mattresses, armbands, belts and life rings to substitute the inflatable ones.

According to a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, a buoyant jacket is provided with said semi¬ finished material.

A substantial portion of a front part of said jacket comprising said semi-finished material: the size of said front part, the number of layers and the thickness of each layer being such as to allow buoyancy of a person wearing the jacket, if necessary in co-operation with the sleeves and the neck; the back part of said jacket being made of a material for wind-jackets so that it does not substantially improve buoyancy.

It is to be understood that the back part of the jacket provides buoyancy at a lower degree than the front part of it. Therefore, said back part may be made of conventional non-buoyant material; nevertheless said back part may also include a semi-finished material according to the invention with a lower number of layers, or thinner layers, than said front part.

In this way, the person wearing the jacket will float into the water with his/her face turned up, i. e. away form the water, while his/her back is dipped into the water; this prevents the person form drowning, also in the event of unconsciousness or injuries.

Furthermore, the neck of the jacket can be made up with said semi-finished material, in order to prevent the head of the person wearing the jacket from being submerged into the water.

For the same purpose, a band of said semi-finished material may be provided across the shoulders of the jacket, in the back part of it.

In a further particularly advantageous embodiment, the front part of the jacket is provided with a pair of opposite lateral recesses, which may be filled with conventional non-buoyant material.

In addition, the jacket is provided with a pair of lumbar bands, spaced apart from each other so that to define an interrupted configuration.

The latter embodiment allows, in particular, a quicker rotation into the water of the person wearing the jacket in order to bring him/her with his/her face turned up.

Some embodiments of the invention are illustrated, by way of example, in the 19 tables of drawings attached, in which:

Figure 1 is the perspective view of a roll of semi¬ finished composite in layers made up of leaves of expanded polyethylene anchored to a lining of, for example, polyvinylchloride, 1 to 2 mm thick, quilted along curved lines;

Figure 2 is a partial, enlarged perspective view of the pack or piece of cloth cut from the roll of Figure 1 for making the clothing;

Figure 3, is, as Figure 1, the perspective view relating to the semi-finished composite quilted along straight

lines;

Figure 4 is, similarly, the enlarged perspective view of the pack of semi-finished composite of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a view, as in Figures 1, 3, but relating to a roll of semi-finished composite quilted in tramlines,*

Figure 6 relates to the pack of semi-finished composite in Figure 5,*

Figure 7 is, similarly, the perspective view of a roll of semi-finished composite, quilted along undulating lines,*

Figure 8 relates to the pack of semi-finished composite of

Figure 7;

Figure 9 is, as is Figures 1, 3, 5, 7, the perspective view of a roll of semi-finished composite with quilted internal layers, and covered with an unquilted external layer of another material or cloth;

Figure 10 is a pack or piece of semi-finished composite with only an external lining;

Figures 11, 12 refer likewise to a roll and to a pack of semi-finished composite quilted only on the external lining;

Figures 13, 14 are respectively the front and rear view of a wind-cheater made out of the semi-finished composite, for example, in expanded polyethylene, with straight line quilting;

Figures 15, 16 refer likewise to a utensil-holder vest, for example for technicians made with semi-finished composite as in Figures 11, 12;

Figures 17, 18 refer likewise to a bathing costume, for example for children and inexpert swimmers, made as above,*

Figures 19, 20 refer likewise to a bathing costume for adult or child;

Figures 21, 22 refer likewise to a wind-cheater for women, made with a semi-finished composite as in Figure 3, used horizontally,*

Figures 23, 24, 25, 26 refer likewise to a girl's two piece bathing costume, from front and back;

Figure 27 is the front view of a sporting jacket made as described in the present invention; Figure 28 is the rear view of Figure 27;

Figure 29 is the front view of a military jacket as described in the present invention, the eyelets and side of which are illustrated in Figure 30;

Figure 31 is the rear view of the jacket in Figure 29; Figure 32 is the same jacket as in Figure 29 showing the apertures for the water outlet determined by alternate sewing of the lower edge of the flap of the two linings containing padding, enlarged in Figure 33; Figures 34, 35 are respectively the front and rear view of a jacket with a neck support for the head, for the handicapped, to enable them to remain in the water also on their own, without the risk of the unsupported head going under water,-

Figures 36, 37 are respectively a view from above and a front view of a belt and utensil carrying apron, for fishermen, particularly fresh water fishermen, made as described in the present invention, for immersion up to the waist;

Figure 38 is a cross section of a layer of the semi¬ finished material according to the invention, coated with a sheet of resilient water-proof material; Figure 39 is a schematic view of a plurality of layers joined by quilting in the direction of the arrows; the deformation of the layers caused by the quilting has been substantially increased in the direction of the arrows in order to show the formation of the air spaces.

The figures show: 1, the roll of layers la of expanded polyethylene quilted with curved lines,* 2, a pack or bolt of layers la cut from roll 1; 3, a support sheet or cloth lining not necessarily waterproof, quilted to be the internal part of the pack of layers la; 4, a roll of layers la similar to roll 1, furthermore quilted in

straight lines; 5, a pack of layers la cut from roll 4; 6, a roll of layers la quilted with pairs of lines,* 7, a pack of layers la made up, for example, of many layers cut from roll 6; 8, another roll of layers, quilted in undulating lines; 9, a pack of layers la cut from roll 8; 10, a roll of quilted layers, with an unquilted external lining 11; 12, a pack of quilted layers la cut from roll 10; 13, a roll of quilted layers la, inserted between two layers of unquilted linings: below, 3, and above, 14, making up a pack 15 of layers la.

It is to be noted that quilting of the layers la determines the formation of air spaces lb (Figure 39) between adjacent layers in the zones between two consecutive quiltings lc.

Quilting may preferably be obtained by sewing, or even by glueing or heat sealing.

In Figure 38 a configuration is shwon in which a layer la of expanded polyethylene, expanded polyurethane, or expanded PVC is used, affording a plurality of air cells Id, whose effect is to substantially reduce the specific gravity of the layer. Furthermore, said layer is coated with a sheet le of a material selected in the group of unexpanded PVC, cartene, unexpanded polyethylene.

16 shows a wind cheater, for example formed by a pack 5 of layers la; 17 shows a utensil carrier vest made up, for example, by pack 13 of layers la,* 18 shows a bathing costume for child and for inexpert swimmers made up from pack 5; 19 shows a bathing costume for a man, made up by pack 5; 20 shows a wind cheater for a woman, made up from pack 5 however with horizontal quilting; 21 shows a bathing costume for a girl made up from pack 5; 22, a sports jacket made up from pack 5; 23 shows a further

jacket, for example for military use, made up from pack 15, or also using a pack consisting of one or more layers made up of leaves of 2-millimeter polyethylene and a layer of cartene a few hundredths of millimeters thick; 24 (Figure 32) , the openings on the lower edge of a garment for example achieved by spaced sewing of the open lower edge of the two pack linings, to allow for the draining of water when it has penetrated the interior of the garment itself.

Jacket 23 has a front part 31 comprising said semi¬ finished material: the size of said front part, the number of layers and the thickness of each layer being such as to allow buoyancy of a person wearing the jacket 23: also the sleeves and the neck may include said semi¬ finished material; the back part 31a of said jacket 23 being made of a conventional non-buoyant material for wind-jackets so that it does not substantially improve buoyancy.

A band 32 of said semi-finished material may be provided across the shoulders of the jacket, in the back part of it: said band may have a semi-circular configuration having an height of about 10 to 20 cm, preferably 15 cm.

33 is a pair of opposite lateral recesses, which may be filled with conventional non-buoyant material, said recesses being obtained in the sides of the front part 31 of the jacket.

In addition, the jacket 23 may be provided with a pair of lumbar bands 34, spaced apart from each other so that to define an interrupted configuration and including said semi-finished material.

25 (Figure 34) is a jacket for handicapped persons made up

of pack 5 of layers la, equipped with a stiffened collar 26, openable, this also made from pack 5, in order that a person can float and remain with the head upright out of the water,* 27, a belt, to be tightened around the waist with a buckle 28, for example, for fishermen, having on the periphery a kind of thick apron 29 made up of a pack, having also two pairs of braces 30; the said belt and the said apron - quite broad - being made up, for example, the first from pack 9, the second from pack 15; being foreseen that the thickness of the apron, reduced at the position of attachment to the belt to allow for movement up to 90°, is sufficient (even with ten or more centimeters) for the rest of its extension to form a floating ring-like platform on which, with sufficient stability being provided by possible sockets or hooks or other means of attachment not indicated, personal objects and/or useful for fishing could be placed: such a belt and platform being capable, as are all other items of clothing indicated above, of providing the necessary buoyancy to float people even without their help.

In practice, the materials, dimensions and details of execution may be different from but technically equivalent to those described without departing from the juridical domain of the present invention.

Instead of expanded polyethylene, for example, and of the cartene other materials could be used which are waterproof, of low absolute gravity, soft, flexible, elastic in various degrees.

The buoyancy jacket according to the invention may be provided with a hood, preferably including said composite material.

Furthermore, one or more layers of said composite material may be subjected to anti-UV radiations treatment.