US20030000864A1

US20030000864A1 - Portable safety kit

Info

Publication number: US20030000864A1
Application number: US10/169,876
Authority: US
Inventors: Nicola Carraro
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2000-11-24
Filing date: 2001-11-21
Publication date: 2003-01-02
Also published as: ITVI20000262A1; IT1315555B1; WO2002041949A1

Abstract

A portable safety kit including a plurality of compartments for accommodating first-aid means, and comprising means for fastening the kit to a vehicle or similar.

Description

The present invention relates to a portable safety kit including first aid means such as fire extinguishers, blankets and containers for bandages, plasters, et cetera, and for quick-reference first-aid manuals.

The invention is particularly suitable for common vehicles such as cars, vans and trucks.

The invention is also usable in watercrafts for local and offshore coastal navigation, in aircrafts for commercial and leisure use and in holiday homes.

The state of the art in safety kits for vehicles is constituted by metallic cases for extinguishers, mostly used for trucks and racing vehicles.

Those cases are substantially formed by a circular supporting base for an extinguisher, by a bracket which protrudes vertically from the base along the container of the extinguisher, and by two quick-closing straps adapted to wrap around the extinguisher.

Cases made of plastics are also known and are formed substantially like the above described ones, wherein the straps are replaced by wings that partially surround the container of the extinguisher.

The motorists normally keep a plurality of first-aid means scattered in the vehicle because fire extinguishers, first-aid boxes and blankets are commercially available only separately.

Also, first-aid manuals allowing quick reference in case of accidents are not commercially available.

A fire extinguisher kept in the boot mixed up with other items is not immediately available when necessary.

Conventional cases presently used in cars only partially surround the fire extinguisher and therefore do not prevent its release if the vehicle overturns.

DE-U-9214211, U.S. Pat. No. 5,515,974, U.S. Pat. No. 4,437,568, U.S. Pat. No. 3,254,756, U.S. Pat. No. 5,244,220, DE-U29713246, DE-U-9415691 all disclose safety kits either portable or fixed.

None of the cited prior art documents disclose a portable kit that can also be effectively fastened to a vehicle and, in the fastened position, still allows to rapidly access the first aid means included therein.

The aim of the present invention is to solve the drawbacks noted in the prior art by providing a multipurpose portable safety kit that can also be effectively fastened to a vehicle and, in the fastened position, still allows to rapidly access the first aid means included therein.

An object of the invention is to provide a compact portable safety kit that occupies a minimal amount of space for example in the boot, or trunk, of a motor vehicle.

A further object of the invention is to provide a safety kit that allows the user to keep the first-aid means always tidy and perfectly efficient.

This aim and these and other objects which will become better apparent hereinafter are achieved by portable safety kit, comprising a plurality of compartments for accommodating first-aid means, characterized in that it comprises means for fastening the kit to a vehicle or similar.

Further characteristics and advantages will become better apparent from the description of a preferred embodiment of the safety kit, illustrated only by way of non-limitative example in the accompanying drawings, wherein: [0017]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portable safety kit according to the invention; [0018]
FIG. 2 is a further perspective view, from another side, of the portable safety kit according to the invention; [0019]
FIG. 3 is a front view of the portable safety kit according to the invention; [0020]
FIG. 4 is a first side view of the portable safety kit according to the invention; [0021]
FIG. 5 is a second side view of the portable safety kit according to the invention; [0022]
FIG. 6 is a perspective, and partially exploded, view, similar to FIG. 2, of the safety kit according to the invention and including further features; [0023]
FIG. 7 is a perspective partial view of the bottom part of the safety kit of FIG. 6; [0024]
FIG. 8 is a front partial view of the bottom part of the safety kit of FIGS. 6 and 7.[0025]
With reference to the figures, the portable safety kit, according to the invention, is generally designated by the [0026] reference numeral 6.
The kit includes a plurality of [0027] compartments 7, 8 and 9, for accommodating first-aid means.
Those [0028] compartments 7, 8 and 9 are delimited in a lower region by a common horizontal base 10 and by shallow vertical perimetric walls 11.
The [0029] first compartment 7 is open, on at least one side and upward, so as to accommodate an extinguisher 12 which is arranged vertically. The capacity of the extinguisher may of course be any.
The bottom of the [0030] extinguisher 12 is inserted in a ring 13 which is fixed to the base 10 and is internally provided with a rubber covering (not shown) which is adapted to retain the extinguisher 12.
Alternatively, the covering may be constituted by a tubular portion made of plastics and adapted to the bottom of the [0031] extinguisher 12.
The [0032] second compartment 8 is arranged laterally and adjacent to the first compartment 7.
The second compartment is open upwards, so as to accommodate a [0033] blanket 14 or the like, which is rolled up and inserted therein vertically.
The [0034] third compartment 9 is arranged laterally and adjacent to the first and second compartments 7 and 8.
The third compartment is closed, in an upper region, by a [0035] cover 15 which is pivoted horizontally to the rear delimiting wall.
The [0036] third compartment 9 accommodates a box 16 for plasters, bandages, disinfectants, et cetera, and a quick-reference manual 17, which is associated with the box 16.
The kit also includes a frame, made of [0037] shaped tubes 18, which is associated, for example by welding, with the second compartment 8 and is provided with a lateral wing 19, which protrudes horizontally towards the actuation members 20 of the extinguisher 12 so as to protect them.
The kit also has a pair of [0038] straps 21 which are provided with quick-coupling means 22 and protrude from the perimetric walls 11 and from the frame 18 so as to firmly surround the container of the extinguisher 12.
The kit may be firmly associated with the floor, of a vehicle for example, by means of screws bolted to the floor of the boot. [0039]
Preferably, as shown in FIGS. [0040] 6-7, the screws 23 used to fasten the kit to the floor 24, are bolted to a base plate 25 which remains fastened to the floor 24.
The [0041] base plate 25 is reinforced by a bar 26 and has two side horizontal pins 27 adapted to engage respective seats 28 provided in the lower part of the kit frame or structure.
A [0042] safety screw 29 is also provided for fastening the kit structure to the base plate.
The system illustrated in FIGS. [0043] 6-8 provides a quick removal of the safety kit which can be transported to a different location for an emergency use.
In order to better carry the safety kit, a [0044] shoulder strap 30, illustrated in FIG. 6, is provided.
It is apparent that the invention achieves the intended aim and objects, by providing a multipurpose portable safety kit which accommodates the main first-aid means tidily and accessibly. [0045]
The portable safety kit according to the invention is very compact and occupies a minimal amount of space in a boot or trunk of a vehicle. [0046]
The portable safety kit according to the invention allows to easily and rapidly access the first-aid means when necessary. [0047]
The portable safety kit according to the invention is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, within the scope of the appended claims. [0048]
All the details may be replaced with other technically equivalent elements. [0049]
In practice, the materials used, as well as the contingent dimensions and shapes, may be any according to requirements. [0050]

Claims

1. A portable safety kit, comprising a plurality of compartments for accommodating first-aid means, characterized in that it comprises means for fastening the kit to a vehicle or similar.

2. The portable safety kit according to claim 1, characterized in that said compartments are delimited by a common horizontal base and by shallow vertical perimetric walls, a first compartment being open on at least one side and upwardly accommodating a vertically arranged extinguisher; the bottom of said extinguisher being inserted in a ring which is joined to said base and is internally provided with a retention covering.

3. The portable safety kit according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that a second compartment, which is open upwards and is laterally adjacent to said first compartment, accommodates a blanket, or the like, which is rolled up and arranged vertically.

4. The portable safety kit according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that a third compartment, which is closed upwards by a cover, pivoted horizontally to said walls and laterally adjacent to said first and second compartments, accommodates a box which contains first-aid means and a reference manual associated with said box.

5. The portable safety kit according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a frame made of shaped tubes which is vertically associated with said second compartment, said frame being provided with a lateral wing which protrudes horizontally toward said first compartment in order to protect the actuation members of said extinguisher.

6. The portable safety kit according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a pair of straps that protrude respectively from said walls of said first compartment and from said frame and are provided, at their free ends, with quick coupling means, said straps acting so as to retain said extinguisher in said first compartment.

7. The portable safety kit according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said means for fastening the kit to a vehicle or similar comprises screws adapted to fasten said frame or structure to the floor of the vehicle.

8. The portable safety kit according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said means for fastening the kit to a vehicle or similar comprises screws adapted to fasten a base plate which remains fastened to the floor, said base plate being fastened to said frame of said kit, through quick release means.

9. The portable safety kit according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said quick release means comprises two side horizontal pins provided on said base plate and adapted to engage respective seats provided in the lower part of the kit frame or structure.

10. The portable safety kit according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that a safety screw is provided for fastening the kit structure to the base plate.