Communications: electrical – Systems – Portable self-contained
Patent
1992-01-03
1995-03-21
Crosland, Donnie L.
Communications: electrical
Systems
Portable self-contained
340331, 340691, 340983, 200 6145M, 200 6146, 200 6185, 200410, 335 17, 362158, 362170, 362109, 362114, G08B 2300
Patent
active
054000084
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a location marker and in particular discloses a light emitting device that can be used to indicate the location of a person or object.
Conventional light emitting devices that have been used as distress and location beacons generally utilise a flashing lamp and a battery source suppling power to the lamp. A switch circuit enables the lamp to flash pulses of light which provide an indication of distress or hazard.
However, these conventional devices suffer the problem that as the battery source dissipates its energy, the volume of light decreases for each pulse that is emitted. Also, the electronic circuit that causes the lamp to flash can consume a reasonable portion of the energy stored in the battery and hence reduces the operable period of the light emitting beacon.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to overcome, or ameliorate the abovementioned problems through provision of a location marker having an emitting device (for example a light emitting device) that emits a constant amount of energy for each emission (flash) for the entire life of its energy supply.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention there is disclosed a signalling device comprising: derive energy from said source and to supply pulses of energy to said emitter, each said pulse providing substantially uniform energising power during the life of said source.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention there is disclosed an electronic circuit for interconnection between a source of electrical energy and a load of electrical energy, said circuit comprising: output connected to a rectifier and filter combination, said oscillator means converting the voltage of said source to a substantially higher voltage, the output of said combination supply said load; device a triggering pulse at intervals proportional to the voltage of said source, said isolation device interconnecting said timer means with a trigger device to cause a pulse of electrical energy to be dissipated by said load in response to said trigger pulse, the energy dissipated in said load being substantially equal for each consecutive pulse.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention there is disclosed a lens formed of translucent diffusing plastics material, said lens having a substantially cylindrical body, the interior of said body being adapted for the insertion of a lamp, one end of said body being sealed by said plastics material with said seal being of such thickness so as to allow for the formation within said seal of a conical or domed structure, said lens further comprising a flange formed at the other end of said body through which said lamp can project into said body, said structure and said flange substantially increasing the dispersion of light emitted by said lamp from said lens.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention there is disclosed a switch assembly for selectively connecting and disconnecting two pairs of terminals, said assembly comprising: pads adapted to contact, in a first position, two adjacently located terminals; for electrical connection and disconnection between said contact pads; positions, one of said positions aligning a magnet located within said boss with said magnetically operable switch; each said contact pad contacts, in a second position, to adjacently located terminals.
The adaptation of the present invention to a radio frequency transmitting distress beacon is also disclosed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings in which:
FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a device of the preferred embodiment;
FIG. 2 illustrates a longitudinal cross section of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the complete circuit;
FIGS. 4A and 4B are circuit diagrams of two embodiments of FIG. 3;
FIGS. 5A and 5B are graphs that show the performance of two embodiments of the present invention;
FIG. 6A is an exploded perspe
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