Multi-directional signal assembly

• US 9,815,536 B2
• Filed: 09/16/2015
• Issued: 11/14/2017
• 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): Hoge, Gary C
• Application Number:
  US14/855,888
• Publication Number:
  US 20160001859A1
• Time in Patent Office: 790 Days
• 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 22/166 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 2201/12 Reflecting means
• CPC Class Codes: B63C 11/26 Communication means, e.g. means for signalling the presence of diverselectric communication in general H04

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 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,

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 resistance deflector assembly comprising a deflector body mounted to said float body, said deflector body having a plurality of deflection surfaces each angled downward and inward relative to 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,

said resistance deflector assembly further comprising a deflector mounting assembly,

said deflector mounting assembly comprising a deflector mounting flange disposed around at least a portion of an upper periphery of said deflector body, said deflector mounting flange comprising a plurality of deflector mounting apertures, and

a counterweight assembly mounted to said resistance deflector assembly, 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, 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.

2. 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.

3. The multi-directional signal assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said float assembly comprises a float mounting flange disposed around at least a portion of a lower periphery thereof said float mounting flange comprising a plurality of float mounting apertures.

4. The multi-directional signal assembly as recited in claim 3 wherein said deflector mounting flange and said float mounting flange are cooperatively structured such that said plurality of deflector mounting apertures align with corresponding ones of said plurality of float mounting apertures when said resistance deflector assembly is disposed in an operative orientation relative to said float assembly to facilitate mounting thereto.

5. The multi-directional signal assembly as recited in claim 4 wherein said deflector mounting assembly further comprises a sealing member, said sealing disposed between said float mounting flange and said deflector mounting flange.

6. The multi-directional signal assembly as recited in claim 5 wherein said sealing member comprises a substantially water resistant construction such that said float assembly is substantially watertight.

7. The multi-directional signal assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said deflector body comprises a counterweight seat.

8. The multi-directional signal assembly as recited in claim 7 wherein said counterweight assembly comprises a weight.

9. The multi-directional signal assembly as recited in claim 8 wherein said weight is configured to conform to a geometric configuration of said counterweight seat to facilitate mounting therein.

10. 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,

a signal display assembly comprising four display surfaces disposed on said float body, said four display surfaces disposed relative to one another to form a trapezoidal 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 resistance deflector assembly comprising a deflector body mounted to 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,

said resistance deflector assembly further comprising a deflector mounting assembly,

said deflector mounting assembly comprising a deflector mounting flange disposed around at least a portion of an upper periphery of said deflector body, said deflector mounting flange comprising a plurality of deflector mounting apertures, and

a counterweight assembly mounted to said resistance deflector assembly, 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, 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.

11. The multi-directional signal assembly as recited in claim 10 wherein said deflector body comprises a counterweight seat.

12. The multi-directional signal assembly as recited in claim 11 wherein said counterweight assembly comprises a weight.

13. The multi-directional signal assembly as recited in claim 12 wherein said weight is configured to conform to a geometric configuration of said counterweight seat to facilitate mounting therein.

14. The multi-directional signal assembly as recited in claim 13 wherein said counterweight assembly further comprises a retainer, said retainer configured to conform to a geometric configuration of said counterweight seat and said weight to facilitate mounting said weight in said counterweight seat.