Forward illunination headgear with personal rescue system
First Claim
1. An apparatus for providing both a forward illumination and a personal rescue system for a firefighter comprising a forward illuminating light source with a modulated photometric characteristic carried by the firefighter and a handheld photodetector probe located apart from the firefighter tuned to the photometric characteristic of the light source.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The disclosed system provides headgear, i.e., a Firefighter Helmet, with forward illumination that also acts as a personal rescue detection system for quickly finding a downed of lost firefighter. More specifically, the headgear includes a forward illuminating light that has unique characteristics that are easily detected in a smoke filled space by using a handheld photodetector probe that is tuned to the exact characteristics of the light source. The handheld probe has a somewhat narrow directional response to allow a directed search for a downed firefighter or other emergency personnel in a smoke filled noisy environment that hinders normal visual and audible search methods. The handheld photodetector probe produces a unique audio tone that is proportional in volume to the intensity of the exact-characteristics-light-source thus allowing a sweeping motion of the probe to immediately determine the relative direction to a firefighter who is down or requiring assistance. An illuminated visual display also indicates the strength of the unique tone.
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Citations
18 Claims
- 1. An apparatus for providing both a forward illumination and a personal rescue system for a firefighter comprising a forward illuminating light source with a modulated photometric characteristic carried by the firefighter and a handheld photodetector probe located apart from the firefighter tuned to the photometric characteristic of the light source.
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16. A method of locating a firefighter at a remote location comprising the steps of
providing the firefighter with a forwardly illuminating light source having a modulated photometric characteristic, activating a photodetector probe tuned to the photometric characteristic of the light source at a location spaced apart from the firefighter, moving the probe in a search pattern in a general direction toward the light source, and reading a particular location of the light source from the probe.
Specification