Diving measuring device in particular a diving computer

• US 5,760,691 A
• Filed: 04/18/1996
• Issued: 06/02/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Scubapro Eu
• Original Assignee: Scubapro Eu
• Inventors: Egli, Wendelin
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, Benjamin C.
• Application Number:
  US08/634,262
• Time in Patent Office: 775 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573, 340/566, 340/669, 340/670, 340/671, 340/673, 340/665, 340/686, 340/687, 340/691, 73/431, 73/291, 73/300, 368/69, 362/802, 968/213, 968/DIG. 1
• US Class Current: 340/573.6
• CPC Class Codes: B63C 11/02 Divers' equipment
• CPC Class Codes: B63C 11/32 Decompression arrangements; Exercise equipment
• CPC Class Codes: B63C 2011/021 Diving computers, i.e. portable computers specially adapted for divers, e.g. wrist worn, watertight electronic devices for detecting or calculating scuba diving parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G04C 3/002 Position, e.g. inclination dependent switches
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 21/02 Detectors of external physical values, e.g. temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 21/06 using voice
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/802 Position or condition responsive switch

Abstract

A diving computer has a housing in which electronic components, at least one diving data display means and an electricity source are disposed water-tightly. Furthermore there are means, accessible from the outside, for connecting the energy source to the electronic elements. The diving data display means is preferably a liquid crystal display module with an integrated background illumination that can be switched on and off. For switching on and off this said illumination, an acceleration sensor and an electronic circuit are mounted in the diving computer. These last-mentioned parts have the effect that the illumination can be switched on or off by merely knocking on the diving computer or hitting the latter against another object. This is a procedure which can also be done underwater easily and safely, using just one hand, despite relatively thick diving gloves.

Claims

1. A diving measuring device comprising:

a housing;

electronic components which are disposed water-tightly in the housing;

at least one diving data display device which is disposed water-tightly in the housing;

an illumination, which can be switched on and off, associated with the diving data display device;

an electricity source, which is disposed water-tightly in the housing;

switching on means responsive to water immersion for connecting the energy source to the electronic components; and

an element which reacts to changes of motion of the diving measuring device, which element is intended to switch on and off the illumination.

2. The diving measuring device of claim 1, wherein the element which reacts to changes of motion is an acceleration sensor.

3. The diving measuring device of claim 1, wherein the element which reacts to changes of motion is a microphone.

4. The diving measuring device of claim 1, wherein the element which reacts to changes of motion is mounted water-tightly in the housing.

5. The diving measuring device of claim 1, wherein the at least one diving data display device is a LCD module with a background illumination.

6. The diving measuring device of claim 1, further comprising an electronic circuit with an amplifier, a bistable switching circuit and a driver circuit which is intended for control of the lighting, whereby the element which reacts to changes in motion transmits an electrical signal dependent upon the magnitude of a change in motion, which signal can be conveyed to the said electronic circuit.

7. The diving measuring device of claim 6, further comprising a low pass filter the limiting frequency of which is 20-50 Hz and which is disposed in the said electronic circuit.

8. The diving measuring device of claim 7, wherein the limiting frequency of the low pass filter is about 25 Hz.

9. The diving measuring device of claim 7, wherein the low pass filter is an active RC filter.

10. The diving measuring device of claim 7, wherein the low pass filter is a passive RC filter.

11. The diving measuring device of claim 7, wherein the low pass filter is connected in series before the amplifier.

12. The diving measuring device of claim 7, wherein the diving measuring device is a diving computer.

13. The diving measuring device of claim 6, further comprising a band-pass filter having an upper end frequency of 20 to 50 Hz and a low end frequency of 3 to 15 Hz.

14. The diving measuring device of claim 13, wherein the upper end frequency of the band-pass filter is about 25 Hz and the low end frequency about 6 Hz.

15. The diving measuring device of claim 13, wherein the band-pass filter is an active RC filter.

16. The diving measuring device of claim 13, wherein the band-pass filter is a passive RC filter.

17. The diving measuring device of claim 13, wherein the band-pass filter is connected in series before the amplifier.

18. A diving measuring device comprising:

a housing;

electronic components which are disposed water-tightly in the housing;

at least one diving data display device which is disposed water-tightly in the housing;

an illumination, which can be switched on and off, associated with the diving data display device;

an electricity source, which is disposed water-tightly in the housing;

means responsive to water immersion to connect the energy source to the electronic components; and

an element which reacts to changes of motion, which is mounted water-tightly in the housing, and which is intended to switch on and off the illumination.