"Water rescue system"

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The present invention relates to a water rescue system.

More in particular, the present invention relates to a water rescue system of the type applicable to a ship, or boat or watercraft used during rescue operation.

As is known, different types of water rescue systems exist. As an example, one of these systems is described in the utility model CN2806305 which provides a self- inflatable life boat. The boat comprises a rubber boat body which is used as an air bag, a strake which is arranged on the bottom of the rubber boat body and an air outlet valve which is arranged on the rubber boat body. An air producing device is provided with the rubber boat body. The self- inflatable life boat can be folded and stored in normal times, so the space of a boat is greatly saved and the boat can be prepared with more life boats. The boat can automatically and quickly be inflated in emergency situation, so crew and passengers on the boat have enough time to escape.

Rescue boards able to be mounted on a watercraft back are well known. The rescue board is rigid and can have some cross webbing to secure the rescued person on it. Anyway rescue boards have to be placed in the back portion of the watercraft so as the rescued person is subject to bumps and splashes due to the water motion.

Although functional in several aspects, the solutions of the above type can be applied in a wide range of boats or watercrafts but determining a boat interior space reduction. In addition, the known solutions do not include a first aid kit in their structure.

Furthermore, the water rescue systems already known are not securely fixed to a boat or watercraft.

Purpose of the present invention is to provide a water rescue system which is safe, well equipped and aerodynamic, usable for more than one rescue and that can be applied and securely fixed to a wide range of boats and watercrafts without reducing the space available to the rescuer or the driver inside the boat, such as to overcome the limits of the known water rescue system.

According to the present invention, a water rescue system is provided, as defined in claim 1.

For a better understanding of the present invention a preferred embodiment is now described, purely as non- limiting example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a schematic top view of a water rescue system applied to a watercraft, according to the invention;

- Figures 2A-2B show schematic two-dimensional top views of inflatable boats comprised in the water rescue system, according to the invention;

- Figure 3 shows a schematic three-dimensional view of one of the inflatable boats of figure 2, according to the invention;

- Figure 4 shows a schematic two-dimensional back view of the watercraft comprising the water rescue system, according to the invention;

- Figure 5 shows a schematic section view of a housing for an aid kit comprised in the water rescue system, according to the invention;

- Figure 6 shows a schematic section view of a housing for an automatic inflation device comprised in the water rescue system, according to the invention;

- Figure 7A-7B show schematic three-dimensional views of connection means of inflatable boats comprised in the water rescue system, according to the invention;

- Figure 8 shows a schematic two-dimensional view of the inflatable boat and a zoomed view of its inferior portion, according to the invention; - Figure 9 shows a schematic two-dimensional view of the inflatable boat and a zoomed view of an interior section of its portion corresponding to the connection means of figures 7A-7B, according to the invention.

With reference to these figures, a water rescue system is shown, according to the invention. In particular, figures 1 and 2 show a water rescue system 1 comprising at least a tubular element comprising a housing for a first inflatable boat. More in details, according to a first embodiment of the invention, the water rescue system 1 comprises: a first tubular element 2 comprising a housing 2a for a first inflatable boat 3, shown in figure 2, and a second tubular element 4 comprising a housing 4a for a second inflatable boat 5.

Advantageously according to the invention, the tubular elements 2 and 4 are made of fiberglass or plastic materials .

According to an aspect of the invention, each tubular element 2 and 4 comprises at one end a housing 6 for a first aid kit and at the opposite end a housing 7 for an automatic inflation device configured to be used to inflate the inflatable boats 3 and 5.

According to an aspect of the invention, the housing 7 for an automatic inflation device is provided with a valve which is opened when the automatic inflation device has to be used to inflate the boats 3 and 5.

Moreover, according to an aspect of the invention, each tubular element 2 and 4 is provided with connection means 2b and 4b to a ship, or boat, or watercraft used during rescue operation. Just as an example, the figures show the system 1 applied to a watercraft 20.

According to another aspect of the invention, each tubular element 2 and 4 is provided with a handle 2c and 4c for making easy the pulling of the inflatable boats 3 and 5 from the housings 2a and 4a.

According to another aspect of the invention, each tubular element 2 and 4 is provided with safety locks 2d and 4d.

According to another aspect of the invention, each inflatable boat 3 and 5 is provided with safety valve, not shown in the figures.

According to another aspect of the invention, each inflatable boat 3 and 5 is provided with handling means 3a and 5a to be used by rescued people transported on the inflatable boats 3 and 5.

According to another aspect of the invention, each inflatable boat 3 and 5 is provided with belts 3b and 5b for retaining rescued people transported on the inflatable boats 3 and 5.

According to another aspect of the invention, the front portion of each inflatable boat 3 and 5 is raised with respect to the water level, as shown in figure 3.

The figure 4 shows a back view of the system 1 applied to the watercraft 20.

According to an aspect of the invention, as shown in figure 5, the housing 6 for a first aid kit comprises a unit 8 comprising an oxygen cylinder 8b and a mask provided with fixing seals 8a.

According to another aspect of the invention, as shown in figure 6, the housing 7 for an automatic inflation device comprises an air cylinder 7a for the inflation of the inflatable boats 3 and 5; an air level indicator 7b inside the cylinder 7a; a tap 7c for opening / closing the inflatable boats 3 and 5; elbow coupling 7d configured for inserting the air inside the inflatable boats 3 and 5; sealing and fixing system 7e for the air cylinder 7a.

Figure 7 shows, in more details, the connection means

4b, which is identical to 2b. In particular, the connection means 4b is connected to the boat, for example the watercraft 20, by means of a bolt 4ba, a washer 4bb, a reinforcement plate 4bc and a clamping nut 4bd. Advantageously according to the invention, the connection means 4b comprises a first curved portion 4be having a radius curvature which is variable depending on the type of boat it has to be fixed.

Advantageously according to the invention, the connection means 4b comprises a L-shaped second portion 4bf provided with holes 4bg for connection to the boat by means of connection means 4bh to be inserted in reinforcement plates 4bi and to be blocked by a nut 4bl and a washer 4bm.

Advantageously, according to the invention, the connection means 4b allow the water rescue system to be easily installed into and removed from a wide range of boats, watercrafts or ships.

More in detail, as shown in the figure 7B, according to an aspect of the invention, each tubular element 2 and 4 is provided with a portion, for example the flat portion 4e shown in the figure, shaped so that it can be fixed to the L-shaped second portion 4bf, which is made of steel or aluminum alloy.

Advantageously according to the invention, the connection means 4b is made of steel.

The same elements of the connection means 4b are comprised in the connection means 2b which is not described for the sake of brevity. The figure 8 shows a more detailed view of the inferior portion 5c of the inflatable boat 5 comprising deflation valves 5d and overflow vent valves 5e.

The figure 9 shows a more detailed view of the interior section of a portion 5f of the inflatable boat 5 corresponding to the connection means 4b. This portion 5f comprises a fastener belt 5g and a velcro strap 5h for the fastening of the belt 5g.

Therefore, the water rescue system according to the invention is compact.

Another advantage of the water rescue system according to the invention is that it is easy to use.

A further advantage of the water rescue system according to the invention is that can be used with different type of boats.

Finally, the water rescue system according to the invention is low cost.

Finally, it is clear that the water rescue system described and illustrated here can be modified and varied without departing from the protective scope of the present invention, as defined in the appended claims.