Man overboard beacon

• US 7,125,298 B1
• Filed: 02/18/2005
• Issued: 10/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The United States of America As Represented By The Secretary of Agriculture
• Original Assignee: The United States of America As Represented By The Secretary of Agriculture
• Inventors: Frank, Thomas A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Avila, Stephen
• Application Number:
  US11/076,108
• Time in Patent Office: 613 Days
• Field of Search: 441/11, 441/17, 441/18
• US Class Current: 441/11
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 2201/02 Audible
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 2201/08 Electric light
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 2201/20 Antenna or mast
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 2201/26 signalling anomalies, e.g. rupture of connection
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 2209/02 water activated switches
• CPC Class Codes: B63C 9/0005 by means of alarm devices for persons falling into the water, e.g. by signalling, by controlling the propulsion or manoeuvring means of the boat alarms responsive to presence of persons in a body of water in general G08B21/08
• CPC Class Codes: B63C 9/21 Boats, rafts, buoys or the like, characterised by signalling means, e.g. lights, reflectors B63C9/08 takes precedence

Abstract

A user worn man overboard beacon that provides multiple indication means to alert a ship to an overboard crew person and to assist in locating the crew person. The beacon device is contained in a housing attached to the clothing of the sailor and is activated upon contact with seawater. A battery powers the multiple indicators contained in the housing, which include a high intensity strobe light to provide a visual indication, an x-band radar patch antenna to transmit a radar signal indication that can be detected by the ship'"'"'s radar system, and an acoustic transducer to project an acoustic signal indication that can be detected by the ship'"'"'s sonar system.

Claims

1. A beacon comprising:

a housing;

a battery contained in said housing;

a transceiver circuit contained in said housing and electrically connected to said battery;

a patch antenna joined to said housing and connected to said transceiver circuit;

an acoustic transducer contained in said housing and electrically connected to said battery;

a strobe light contained in said housing and electrically connected to said battery;

a means for fastening said beacon to a user;

a seawater activated switch in electrical connection with said battery;

an aperture in said housing to allow seawater to make contact with said seawater activated switch; and

a means for deploying said acoustic transducer.

2. A beacon in accordance with claim 1 wherein said housing is waterproof.

3. A beacon in accordance with claim 2 wherein said housing is impact resistant.

4. A beacon in accordance with claim 1 wherein said battery is removable.

5. A beacon in accordance with claim 4 wherein said batter is rechargeable.

6. A beacon in accordance with claim 1 wherein said transceiver circuit is an X-band radar transceiver circuit.

7. A beacon in accordance with claim 6 wherein said patch antenna is an X-band radar patch antenna.

8. A beacon in accordance with claim 6 wherein said transceiver circuit is programmable to determine when to transmit an X-band radar signal.

9. A beacon in accordance with claim 8 further comprising a visual indicator to indicate to a user when the transceiver circuit is receiving, when the transceiver circuit is transmitting and when the transceiver circuit is not operational.

10. A beacon in accordance with claim 1 further comprising a dome covering said strobe light wherein said dome is transparent to light.

11. A beacon in accordance with claim 10 wherein said dome is waterproof.

12. A beacon in accordance with claim 11 wherein said dome is impact resistant.

13. A beacon in accordance with claim 12 wherein said strobe light is a periodically flashing xenon lamp.

14. A beacon in accordance with claim 12 wherein said strobe light is a periodically flashing neobe®

lamp.

15. A beacon in accordance with claim 1 wherein said acoustic transducer is electrically connected to said battery by a wire that is coiled around a spool contained within said housing.

16. A beacon in accordance with claim 15 wherein said means for deploying said acoustic transducer further comprises:

a trap door contained in said housing; and

a means for opening said trap door.

17. A beacon in accordance with claim 16 wherein said means for opening said trap door is a cartridge filled with compressed air wherein said cartridge releases the compressed air to force the trap door open.

18. A beacon in accordance with claim 1 wherein said means for fastening said beacon to a user comprises a Velcro fastener.

19. A beacon in accordance with claim 1 further comprising:

a manual override switch that controls electric power to the transceiver circuit and controls operation of the transceiver circuit;

a manual override switch that controls electric power to the acoustic transducer; and

a manual override switch that controls electric power to the strobe light.