MULTI-DIRECTIONAL SIGNAL ASSEMBLY

• US 20140196327A1
• Filed: 11/05/2013
• Published: 07/17/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The 1234Mmd Investment Trust
• Original Assignee: The 1234Mmd Investment Trust
• Inventors: Greenfield, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 9,221,525 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 40/541
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 22/00 Buoys floating decoys, e.g. for waterfowl A01M31/06; means for indicating the location of underwater objects B63C7/26; life-buoys, e.g. rings B63C9/08; mountings of acoustic transducer in underwater equipment, e.g. sonobuoys G10K11/006; electric cables supported on or from floats H02G9/12
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 22/08 having means to release or urge to the surface a buoy on submergence thereof, e.g. to mark location of a sunken object
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 22/16 specially adapted for marking a navigational route signalling or lighting devices B63B45/00
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 22/166 comprising a light
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 22/18 having means to control attitude or position, e.g. reaction surfaces or tether
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 22/24 container type, i.e. having provision for the storage of material
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 2201/08 Electric light
• CPC Class Codes: B63C 2009/0088 characterised by making use of shark deterrents, e.g. electric, acoustic, mechanical or chemical means for deterring sharks
• CPC Class Codes: B63C 7/26 Means for indicating the location of underwater objects, e.g. sunken vessels means for searching for underwater objects B63C11/48; buoys in general B63B22/00

Abstract

A multi-directional signal assembly includes a signal display assembly having one or more display surface, and at least one signal indicia affixed to each display surface. The multi-directional display assembly comprises a buoyant construction such that the signal indicia affixed to the display surface(s) are readily visible above the surface of a body of water in which the assembly is deployed. A counterweight assembly is mounted to the signal display assembly to maintain the signal display assembly in a substantially upright, operative orientation when deployed. An illumination assembly comprising one or more illumination member is mounted to the signal display assembly, and is actuated to increase visibility of the signal display assembly while it is deployed n the surface of a body of water.

Claims

1. A multi-directional signal assembly deployable onto a surface of a body of water, said assembly comprising:

a float assembly comprising a float body having a buoyant construction, wherein said float body comprises an upper section and a lower section,

a signal display assembly affixed to said upper section of said float assembly, said signal display assembly comprising a plurality of display surfaces,

a plurality of signal indicia, wherein at least one of said plurality of signal indicia is affixed onto a different one of each of said plurality of display surfaces,

a counterweight assembly interconnected to said float assembly and disposable between a deployed orientation and a retracted orientation,

said counterweight assembly biasing said float assembly into an operative orientation relative to the surface of the body of water when said multi-directional signal assembly is deployed onto the surface of the body of water and said counterweight assembly is disposed in said deployed orientation, and

an illumination assembly operatively positioned in said upper section of said float body, said illumination assembly comprising at least one illumination member increasing visibility of said multi-directional signal assembly.

2. The assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said upper section of said float body comprises a substantially square rectangular configuration having a length and a width, and wherein said operative orientation of said float assembly is at least partially defined by said length of said upper section of said float body disposed in an approximately perpendicular orientation relative to the surface of the body of water.

3. The assembly as recited in claim 2 wherein a substantial portion of said upper section of said float body is above the surface of the body of water while said signal display assembly is disposed in said operative orientation.

4. The assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein at least one of said plurality of signal indicia affixed onto each of said plurality of display surfaces comprises a United States dive flag.

5. A multi-directional signal assembly deployable onto a surface of a body of water, said assembly comprising:

a float assembly comprising a float body having a buoyant construction, wherein said float body comprises an inner core and an outer coating,

a signal display assembly comprising four display surfaces disposed on said float body, each of said four display surfaces having a substantially rectangular configuration comprising an upper portion and a lower portion, said four display surfaces disposed relative to one another forming a square rectangular configuration,

a plurality of signal indicia, wherein at least one of said plurality of signal indicia is affixed onto said upper portion of a different one of each of said four display surfaces,

a counterweight assembly interconnected to said float body biasing said signal display assembly into an operative orientation relative to the surface of the body of water, wherein said operative orientation is at least partially defined by each of said four display surfaces disposed in a substantially upright orientation relative to the surface of the body of water, and

an illumination assembly operatively positioned in said float assembly, said illumination assembly comprising at least one illumination member increasing visibility of said multi-directional signal assembly while deployed on the surface of the body of water.

6. The assembly as recited in claim 5 wherein said at least one illumination member comprises a light emitting diode.

7. The assembly as recited in claim 6 wherein said at least one illumination member comprises a strobe light emitting diode.

8. The assembly as recited in claim 5 wherein said counterweight assembly comprises a weight mounted to a weight deployment member.

9. The assembly as recited in claim 8 wherein said weight deployment member is disposable between a deployed orientation and a retracted orientation.

10. The assembly as recited in claim 9 wherein said counterweight assembly further comprises a deployment member housing, said deployment member housing disposed in said float body.

11. The assembly as recited in claim 10 wherein said retracted orientation is at least partially defined by said weight deployment member disposed substantially within said deployment member housing.

12. The assembly as recited in claim 9 wherein said counterweight assembly further comprises a deployment member locking mechanism.

13. A multi-directional signal assembly deployable on a surface of a body of water, said assembly comprising:

a float assembly comprising a float body having a buoyant construction, wherein said float body comprises an inner core and an outer coating,

said float body further comprising an upper section and a lower section, wherein said upper section of said float body comprises a substantially square rectangular configuration having a length and a width,

a support assembly mounted to said float assembly to facilitate disposition of said float assembly in a free standing orientation,

a signal display assembly disposed on said upper section of said float assembly, said signal display assembly comprising a plurality of display surfaces,

a plurality of signal indicia, wherein at least one of said plurality of signal indicia is affixed onto a different one of each of said plurality of display surfaces,

a counterweight assembly interconnected to said float assembly biasing said float assembly into an operative orientation relative to the surface of the body of water, wherein said operative orientation of said float assembly is at least partially defined by said length of said upper section of said float body disposed in an approximately perpendicular orientation relative to the surface of the body of water,

said operative orientation is further defined by each of said plurality of display surfaces disposed substantially above the surface of the body of water,

an illumination assembly comprising an illumination member housing, wherein said illumination member housing includes at least one illumination member and an internal power supply and is disposed in an operative engagement with said float assembly, and

wherein said operative engagement is at least partially defined by actuating a switch assembly and completing an illumination circuit between said at least one illumination member and said internal power supply, thereby actuating said at least one illumination member and increasing visibility of said multi-directional signal assembly while deployed on the surface of the body of water.

14. The assembly as recited in claim 13 wherein said body further comprises a transition section which extends outwardly and downwardly from said upper section to said lower section.

15. The assembly as recited in claim 14 wherein said lower section of said float body comprises contoured lower edges to facilitate movement of said float assembly through the body of water.

16. The assembly as recited in claim 13 wherein said inner core comprises a polystyrene foam.

17. The assembly as recited in claim 16 wherein said outer coating comprises a polyurea layer having a top coating of aliphatic hydrocarbons.

18. The assembly as recited in claim 13 wherein said signal indicia comprises a background formed from an orange marine grade high intensity reflective adhesive tape.

19. The assembly as recited in claim 18 wherein said signal indicia further comprises at least one stripe formed from a white marine grade high intensity reflective adhesive tape.

20. The assembly as recited in claim 13 wherein said illumination assembly is operable in combination with a charger assembly to recharge said internal power supply.