Remote Control Floating Fishing Light

• US 20130107507A1
• Filed: 09/11/2012
• Published: 05/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Danny R. Tucker, The Van Horn Family Limited Partnership
• Original Assignee: Danny R. Tucker, The Van Horn Family Limited Partnership
• Inventors: Ostrander, Christopher J., Van Horn, Scott B., Schweppe, Derick R., Tucker, Danny R.
• Application Number:
  US13/609,483
• Publication Number:
  US 20130107507A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/190
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 30/04 using wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 9/02 the power supply being a battery or accumulator
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 15/01 Housings, e.g. material or assembling of housing parts F21V15/02 takes precedence housings forming signs or letters G09F13/04
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0435 activated by remote control means
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2103/00 Elongate light sources, e.g. fluorescent tubes
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

A floating light (10) to aid a night time fisherman. The floating light (10) is maneuverable by remote control (20). The floating light (10) includes a battery operated directional light (13) mounted onto a floating vessel. The directional light (13) is directed at the surface of the water or just above the surface so that a fisherman is able to illuminate a desired area when fishing at night to safely illuminate obstacles. The floating light (10) desirably operates at “casting distance” and has a smooth low profile. The floating light (10) may include a motor driven propeller (14) and rudder (15) operably connected to a radio remote control receiver (45). A radio remote control transmitter (27) operable by the fisherman transmits signals to the receiver (45) on the floating light (10) to direct the motion of the floating light (10).

Claims

1. A remote control floating fishing light for operation by an operator, comprising:

a floating vessel,

means for propelling said floating vessel;

means for maneuvering said floating vessel;

a directional light mounted onto said floating vessel;

a radio remote control receiver operably connected to said means for propelling and said means for maneuvering;

a radio remote control transmitter operable by the operator to transmit a radio remote control signal to said radio remote control receiver to maneuver said floating vessel; and

a rechargeable battery power supply operably connected to said means for propelling, said means for maneuvering, said radio remote control receiver, and said directional light.

2. The fishing light of claim 1, wherein said means for propelling comprises an electric motor driving a propeller.

3. The fishing light of claim 1, wherein said means for maneuvering comprises a rudder.

4. The fishing light of claim 1, wherein said directional light comprises at least one light source selected from the group consisting of an LED and a fluorescent light.

5. The fishing light of claim 1, wherein said directional light is directed at or just above a water surface.

6. The fishing light of claim 1, wherein said radio remote control signal is receivable by said radio remote control receiver at a range of at least 40 feet.

7. The fishing light of claim 1, wherein said floating vessel comprises a smooth low profile to minimize wind resistance.

8. The fishing light of claim 1, further comprising a low battery indicator light disposed on said floating vessel for visually signaling to the operator that said battery power supply is near exhaustion.

9. The fishing light of claim 1, wherein said radio remote control transmitter is manually operable by the operator.

10. The fishing light of claim 9, wherein said radio remote control transmitter comprises a belt loop for disposing said radio remote control transmitter on a belt of the operator.

11. The fishing light of claim 9, wherein said radio remote control transmitter comprises a foot operated control.

12. The fishing light of claim 1, wherein said floating vessel comprises a streamlined hull.

13. The fishing light of claim 12, wherein said hull comprises an internal space to accommodate said means for propelling, said means for maneuvering, and said battery power supply.

14. The fishing light of claim 12, further comprising an upper deck.

15. The fishing light of claim 1, wherein said floating vessel further comprises a sealable plug operably connected to means for recharging said battery power supply.

16. The fishing light of claim 1, comprising ultraviolet resistant material.

17. The fishing light of claim 1, comprising means for water resistance.

18. The fishing light of claim 1, comprising corrosion resistant materials.

19. The fishing light of claim 1, wherein said radio remote control comprises a housing whereon operational controls are disposed.

20. The fishing light of claim 19, wherein said operational controls comprise a joystick, a rotate counter-clockwise button, a rotate clockwise button, and a bright/dim mode button.

21. The fishing light of claim 20, wherein said joystick, said rotate counter-clockwise button, said rotate clockwise button and said bright/dim mode button are protected by an overmolded cover for water resistance.

22. The fishing light of claim 20, wherein said joystick comprises a 2-axis style joystick.

23. The fishing light of claim 20, wherein said joystick comprises a laptop keyboard style joystick.

24. The fishing light of claim 20, wherein said radio control signals comprise speed and direction signals and wherein said joystick is operably connected to said radio remote control transmitter to provide said speed and direction control signals to said radio remote control receiver.

25. The fishing light of claim 24, wherein said directional light comprises a plurality of chambers disposed radially.

26. The fishing light of claim 25, wherein each of said plurality of chambers is closed at a respective top, bottom and sides having reflective surfaces and a clear surface directed radially outwardly.

27. The fishing light of claim 25, wherein each of said plurality of chambers comprises at least one light source.

28. The fishing light of claim 27, wherein each of said plurality of chambers comprises more than one light source.

29. The fishing light of claim 28, wherein each of said plurality of chambers comprise two light sources.

30. The fishing light of claim 29, further comprising means for illuminating a selected number of said light sources.

31. The fishing light of claim 27, further comprising means for illuminating said at least one light source in a particular radially directed chamber.

32. The fishing light of claim 27, wherein said plurality of chambers is disposed so as to direct illumination is a horizontal plane.

33. The fishing light of claim 27, wherein said plurality of chambers are disposed so as to direct illumination below a horizontal plane.

34. The fishing light of claim 27, wherein said radio control signals comprise signals selecting a particular radial direction for illumination and wherein said rotate counterclockwise button and said rotate clockwise button are operably connected to said radio remote control transmitter to provide said signals selecting a particular radial direction for illumination to said radio remote control receiver.

35. The fishing light of claim 29, wherein said radio control signals comprise signals selecting a number of said light sources for providing a desired degree of illumination and wherein said bright/dim mode button is operably connected to said radio remote control transmitter to provide said signals selecting a number of said light sources for providing a desired degree of illumination to said radio remote control receiver.