The invention relates to lifejackets.

Known lifejackets comprise an inflatable chamber for extending around a neck and over the chest of a wearer. Such lifejackets are often inflated by an inflation system under the control of the wearer and, when inflated, support the wearer when immersed in water, often in emergency situations. Additionally or alternatively, such lifejackets may inflate automatically on entry into water entry.

According to the invention, there is provided a lifejacket comprising an inflatable chamber for extending around a neck and across a chest of a wearer and a hood carried by the chamber, the chamber being inflatable and surrounding a head of the wearer.

The provision of the inflatable hood provides support and protection for the head of a wearer when in the water and also reduces heat loss from the head in such situations.

The following is a more detailed description of an embodiment of the invention, by way of example, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic plan view from above of a lifejacket in a deflated condition and including a hood that is shown deflated and packed,

Figure 2 is a schematic plan view of a shaped piece of material for forming part of the lifejacket of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a view from one side of a person wearing the lifejacket of Figures 1 and 2 in an inflated condition,

Figure 4 is a similar view to Figure 3 but showing the lifejacket in schematic section to illustrate air flow through the lifejacket on inflation, Figure 5 is a schematic side elevation of the uninflated lifejacket of Figures 1 to 4 on a wearer floating on the back of the wearer in water,

Figure 6 is a similar view to Figure 5 but with the hood inflated but not positioned over the head, and

Figure 7 is a similar view to Figures 5 and 6 but with the hood inflated and a spray cover deployed over the face of the wearer.

Referring first to Figures 1 and 2, the lifejacket comprises left and right chest chambers 10, 11 interconnected by a neck chamber 12. The neck chamber 12 carries an inflatable hood 13, to be described in more detail below.

The chest chambers 10, 11 and the neck chamber 12 are formed from a single piece of material 14, seen in Figure 2. The material may be a plastics coated fabric or any other suitable material. The piece of material 14 has four lobes 15a, 15b, 15c and 15d extending from a central area 16. The material is folded about the line A-A of Figure 2 so that the lobes 15a, 15b overlie and are in register with the lobes 15c, 15d. The edges of the lobes 15a, 15b, 15c and 15d are then connected together by, for example, welding or gluing to form air-tight neck and chest chambers 10, 11 and 12 surrounding a neck opening 33.

The left chest chamber 10 carries an inflation system formed by a cylinder of compressed gas 17, a valve 18 leading into the chamber 10 and a pull cord 19 for actuating the valve 18. The valve 18 may, additionally or alternatively, include a device of known type (not shown) for actuating the valve 18 automatically on entry of the valve 18 into water. In addition, the same chamber 10 carries an inflation tube 20 that allows a person to top-up inflation of the lifejacket and the hood 13 by blowing into the tube 20. A whistle 21 and a light 22 are carried on the right chamber 12. A strap 23 extends from an outer edge of the left chamber 10, a strap 24 extends from an outer edge of the right chamber 11 and a strap 25 extends from the back edge of the neck chamber 12. These straps 23, 24 and 25 terminate in buckles of known type that close together to allow the lifejacket to be fastened around a wearer 27. The buckles incorporate a tightening function.

The construction of the hood 13 is best seen with reference to Figures 3 and 4. The hood 13 is formed from two connected layers of the same material that forms the chest and neck chambers 10, 11, 12. The hood 13 is shaped so that, when inflated, it surrounds and covers the rear of the head 26 of a wearer 27 and extends around both sides of the head and over the forehead. As seen in Figures 3 and 4, the two layers forming the hood 13 are spot welded together at spaced points 28 over the hood 13 inwardly of the edges of the hood 13 to provide a cushioned quilted effect when inflated.

The portion of the hood 13 that extends over the forehead carries a spray cover 29. The spray cover 29 is formed form a transparent plastics material and, in a stowed position seen in Figure 4, is rolled against the hood 13.

The interior of the hood 13 is connected with the interior of the neck chamber 12 through a passage 36 as seen in Figure 4 so that inflation of the chest and neck chambers 10, 11 and 12 also inflates the hood 13.

In use, the lifejacket is donned by a wearer in an uninflated condition with the neck of the wearer 27 passing through the neck 33 opening of the lifejacket. The straps 23, 24 and 25 are fastened as shown in Figure 3. The wearer 27 then enters the water and lies on his/her back as seen in Figure 5. The wearer 27 may, in more extreme water conditions, deploy the uninflated hood 13 prior to entry into the water by reaching behind the wearer and pulling a tab on the hood 13 to place the hood 13 over the wearer's head so that the wearer's head is covered prior to entry into the water. In addition, the spray cover 29 may also be deployed, in the manner described below, to cover the face of the wearer 27 prior to entry into the water.

Once floating on his/her back, either the inflation system is actuated automatically or the wearer 27 actuates the inflation system by pulling the cord 19 so that the valve 18 allows air from the cylinder 17 to enter and inflate the chambers 10, 11 and 12 and also inflate the hood 13. The flow of air is shown schematically in Figure 4. As the hood 13 inflates it raises the head of the wearer 27 as seen in Figure 6. This is to angle the face plane of the wearer 27 relative to the body pane angle of the wearer 27 so that face of the wearer is in a more upright position and the mouth of the wearer 27 is at least 100mm to 120mm above the water level. This is to minimise the possibility of choking that can occur if the face plane angle is too shallow. This may be particularly important should the wearer 27 lose consciousness.

The hood 13 deploys in two possible modes, depending on how it is packed. In the first mode, the hood 13 inflates to the disposition shown in Figure 6 where the hood 13 forms a cushion that underlies and supports the head of the wearer 27, maintains the height of mouth above the water and the correct head plane angle. From this disposition, the wearer 27 can pull the hood over his/her head to the position shown in Figure 7 to provide cold water protection. Alternatively, the hood 13 can be packed so that, on inflation, it moves automatically to the fully deployed condition shown in Figure 7, without action by the wearer, in which the rear sides and forehead of the wearer's head are surrounded and protected by the inflated hood 13.

The spray cover 29 may now be deployed. The spray cover 29 is unrolled from its stowed position on the hood 13, as seen in Figure 4, over the face of the wearer 27 and one part 30 of a touch-and- close fastener (see Figure 4) is pressed onto the other part 31 of the fastener on the lifejacket to secure the spray cover 29 in position. As seen in Figure 4, when the spray cover 29 is deployed, the inflation tube 20 is under the spray cover 29 to allow additional inflation of the chambers 10, 11 and 12 and the hood 13 in this disposition, if required.

In this way, the wearer 27 can remain immersed in water supported by the lifejacket. The wearer's head is held by the inflatable hood 13 above the water against choking, with the hood 13 also insulating the head against heat loss and protecting it against the water. The spray cover 29 protects the face of the wearer 27 from spray but can be removed or not deployed if the wearer 27 finds it claustrophobic or unnecessary.

The hood 13 and the chambers 10, 11 and 12 may be interconnected by a one-way valve so that, in the event that one if one them is punctured, the other remains inflated. Alternatively, the hood 13 and the chambers 10, 11, 12 may be separate and be inflated separately. In this case, the hood 29 may be inflated when the lifejacket is being worn out of the water, for example on a yacht, to provide protection and insulation to the head of a wearer 27 in adverse conditions.

The addition of the spray cover 29 is preferred but it may be omitted.