Multi-directional signal assembly

• US 9,327,803 B2
• Filed: 01/16/2014
• Issued: 05/03/2016
• 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:
  US14/157,207
• Publication Number:
  US 20140199899A1
• Time in Patent Office: 838 Days
• Field of Search: 404/42, 441/6
• 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 22/24 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 comprising a float body having a buoyant construction, wherein said float body comprises a top surface and a bottom surface, 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, said counterweight assembly comprising a weight mounted to a weight deployment member, wherein said weight deployment member is disposable between a deployed configuration and a retracted configuration, said counterweight assembly further comprises a deployment member housing disposed within said float body, wherein said retracted configuration is at least partially defined by said weight deployment member substantially enclosed within said deployment member housing, and a releasable 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 top surface of said float body comprises a top interface, said top interface having an upwardly tapered surface.

3. The assembly as recited in claim 2 wherein said bottom surface of said float body comprises a bottom interface, said bottom interface having an upwardly tapered surface.

4. The assembly as recited in claim 3 wherein said top interface and said bottom interface comprise complimentary interlocking surfaces.

5. The assembly as recited in claim 4 wherein said complimentary interlocking surfaces permit a plurality of multi-dimensional signal assemblies to be stacked one on top of another in a supported interlocking relation for storage or transport.

6. 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.

13. 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.

7. 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 having a buoyant foam construction 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 square geometry, said four display surfaces disposed relative to one another forming a substantially cubic 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 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

a releasable 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.

8. The assembly as recited in claim 7 wherein said float body further comprises a top surface and a bottom surface.

9. The assembly as recited in claim 8 wherein said top surface of said float body comprises a top interface having an upwardly tapered surface.

10. The assembly as recited in claim 9 wherein said bottom surface of said float body comprises a bottom interface having an upwardly tapered surface.

11. The assembly as recited in claim 10 wherein said top interface and said bottom interface comprise complimentary interlocking surfaces.

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

14. 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 having a buoyant foam construction and an outer coating,

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

said float body further comprising a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein said top surface comprises a top interface and said bottom surface comprises a bottom interface,

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, and

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

15. The multi-directional signal assembly as recited in claim 14 wherein said releasable illumination assembly further comprises a housing interconnect and said float assembly comprises a float interconnect, wherein said housing interconnect and said float interconnect are cooperatively structured to releasably secure said releasable illumination assembly in an operative orientation to said float assembly.

16. The multi-directional signal assembly as recited in claim 15 wherein said float assembly further comprises an illumination assembly mount dimensioned to receive at least a portion of said releasable illumination assembly therein.

17. The multi-directional signal assembly as recited in claim 14 wherein said releasable illumination assembly further comprises at least one housing circuit contact and said float assembly comprises at least one float circuit contact.

18. The assembly as recited in claim 17 wherein disposition of said at least one housing circuit contact and said at least one float circuit contact into an operative alignment with one another completes an illumination circuit and actuates said at least one illumination member.

19. The assembly as recited in claim 18 wherein said float assembly comprises at least one float alignment indicia and said releasable illumination assembly comprises at least one housing alignment indicia.

20. The assembly as recited in claim 19 wherein said operative alignment is at least partially defined by said removable illumination assembly disposed in an operative position in said illumination assembly mount, and said at least one float alignment indicia and said at least one housing alignment indicia are disposed proximate one another.