Multi-directional signal assembly

• US 9,302,743 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2014
• Issued: 04/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The 1234Mmd Investment Trust
• Original Assignee: The 1234Mmd Investment Trust
• Inventors: Greenfield, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Islam, Syed A
• Application Number:
  US14/319,984
• Publication Number:
  US 20140315452A1
• Time in Patent Office: 645 Days
• Field of Search: 441/6, 404/42, 405/71, 406/05
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: 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 surfaces, 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 members is mounted to the signal display assembly, and is actuated to increase visibility of the signal display assembly while it is deployed on 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 having a float body comprising a buoyant construction, wherein said float body comprises an upper section and a lower section,

a signal display assembly affixed to said float body, 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, wherein said operative orientation is at least partially defined by each of said plurality of display surfaces disposed in a substantially upright orientation relative to the surface of the body of water, and

a resistance deflector assembly comprising a deflector body removably mounted to said lower section of said float body, said deflector body having a plurality of deflection surfaces each angled downward and inward relative to said lower section of said float body, said resistance deflector assembly reducing a resistive force while said multi-directional signal assembly is moved across the surface of the body of water.

2. The multi-directional signal assembly as recited in claim 1 further comprising a releasable illumination assembly operatively positioned on 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.

3. The multi-directional signal assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein each of said plurality of deflector surfaces corresponds to one of said plurality of display surfaces.

4. The multi-directional signal assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said resistance deflector assembly comprises a mounting flange disposed around at least a portion of an upper periphery thereof, said mounting flange positioned around a portion of said lower section of said float body while said deflector body is mounted to said float body.

5. The multi-directional signal assembly as recited in claim 4 wherein said resistance deflector assembly further comprises a counterweight seat, wherein at least a portion of said counterweight assembly is disposed in said counterweight seat while said deflector body is mounted to said float body and said counterweight assembly is disposed in said deployed orientation.

6. The multi-directional signal assembly as recited in claim 5 wherein said resistance deflector assembly further comprises a deflector mounting assembly.

7. The multi-directional signal assembly as recited in claim 6 wherein said deflector mounting assembly comprising a retention member which interconnects to a portion of said counterweight assembly while said deflector body is mounted to said float body and said counterweight assembly is disposed in said deployed orientation, said retention member maintaining said deflector body mounted to said float body.

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

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

a signal display assembly comprising three display surfaces disposed on said float body, said three display surfaces disposed relative to one another forming a triangular prism configuration,

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 three display surfaces, and

a counterweight assembly interconnected to said float body and disposable between a deployed orientation and a retracted orientation, said counterweight assembly 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 three display surfaces disposed in a substantially upright orientation relative to the surface of the body of water.

9. The multi-directional signal assembly as recited in claim 8 further comprising a releasable illumination assembly operatively positioned on 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.

10. The multi-directional signal assembly as recited in claim 8 wherein said float body further comprises a top interface and a bottom interface, wherein said top interface and said bottom interface comprise complimentary interlocking surfaces.

11. The multi-directional signal assembly as recited in claim 10 wherein said complimentary interlocking surfaces permit a plurality of multi-dimensional signal assemblies to be stacked on top of another in a supported interlocking relation for storage or transport.

12. The multi-directional signal assembly as recited in claim 11 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.

13. The multi-directional signal assembly as recited in claim 8 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.