Communications: electrical – Watercraft alarm or indicating systems
Reexamination Certificate
2001-02-14
2002-10-29
Swarthout, Brent A. (Department: 2632)
Communications: electrical
Watercraft alarm or indicating systems
C114S276000, C116S026000, C700S083000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06473005
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to signaling devices for marine vessels and more particularly, to a signaling device for a marine vessel that is substantially similar to an automobile directional signaling device in look and feel
2. Description of the Prior Art
Every year boating accidents cause hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of property damage and result in numerous instances of personal injury and death. These accidents oftentimes result from a vessel operator's failure to provide the correct, or even any, signal upon maneuvering on the water. Even experienced operators may fail to provide proper signals of maneuvering actions and intentions due to the configuration of the signaling devices. The audible signal is generally located off of the steering column of the vessel, requiring the operator to remove his or her hands from the steering wheel to actuate the signal. Visual signaling devices, if used, are oftentimes positioned off the steering column, but in a different location than the sound signal. This creates a safety hazard as the operator's attention is diverted from maneuvering of the boat during actuation of these signals.
Persons experienced with operating marine vessels recognize the practical importance of providing advance notice of course changes and intentions to other proximately located vessels, as well as the legal requirement to provide such advance notice via certain prescribed signals. Navigational rules, such as those established by the United States Coast Guard for inland navigation (the “Inland Rules”) and other rules for international navigation (COLREGS), delineate the precise required audible and optional visual signals for various vessel maneuvers. Notwithstanding that vessel operators are legally chargeable with knowledge of the “rules of the road,” including giving the prescribed signals as required, the less experienced vessel operator may not memorize the myriad maneuvering signals and consequently, either may fail to provide a maneuvering signal or may provide an incorrect maneuvering signal. The danger attendant with failing to notify other vessels of a maneuver, or with giving an incorrect signal, is obvious. Moreover, should a collision occur, there may be legal fault assessable against the operator of a vessel who fails to provide the proper maneuvering signal or who provides an incorrect signal.
There thus exists a need in the art for a signaling device that permits even the novice vessel operator to provide the correct audible and/or optional visual maneuvering signal safely, easily, reliably, and without requiring memorization of the various maneuvering signals or without having to refer to the voluminous regulations directed to vessel operation. It would also be desirable if the signaling device could provide a myriad of different signals to accommodate different visibility conditions and both the Inland Rules and offshore navigation COLREGS.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a marine signaling device having (a) a sound source; (b) a light source; (c) a directional actuator movable to a first position to indicate a first vessel maneuver and to a second position to indicate a second vessel maneuver; (d) a sound controller selectively connectable to the sound source and to the directional actuator, the sound controller generating a first sound signal when the directional actuator is moved to said first position and generating a second sound signal when the directional actuator is moved to the second position; (e) a light controller selectively connectable to the light source and to the directional actuator, the light controller generating a first light signal when the directional actuator is moved to the first position and generating a second light signal when the directional actuator is moved to the second position; and (f) separate port and starboard maneuvering indicators designed for overtaking situations where such indicators are selectively connectable to the sound and light controllers such that a vessel operator overtaking another vessel to either port or starboard may depress the corresponding overtaking indicator to generate a predetermined sound and light signal due to the interconnection of the overtaking actuator switch and the sound and light signaling sources.
In addition to the directional and overtaking actuators, the present invention may consist of arrangements of actuators, sound signaling and light signaling devices in combination with one another so as to allow the equipped vessel easily to give the appropriate audible and optional visual signal in a variety of different circumstances such as, by way of non-limiting example, operating astern propulsion, danger, distress, towing, reduced visibility and the like.
The signaling device may be designed with an automobile-like interface, such as a steering wheel with a steering column mounted directional lever or the like. Such an interface is well known to the vast majority of the automobile driving public, and as such, enhances the ease of use of the present invention.
Advantageously, the light source and the sound source of the signaling device may be synchronously actuated to effectuate a combination light and sound signal in accordance with the Inland Rules and COLREGS. A further benefit is afforded in that the signaling device of the present invention automatically switches from Inland Rules to COLREGS in the appropriate locations at sea due to an interlink between the signal device and the vessel's positioning system.
In accordance with the present invention, the marine maneuvering signal generally comprises a combination sound and light signal. For example, when a first marine vessel overtakes a second marine vessel on the starboard side of the second marine vessel, the operator of the first marine vessel may depress the starboard overtaking maneuvering actuator of the present invention to generate predetermined sound and light signals in accordance with either Inland Rules or COLREGS.
Thus, to overtake a second marine vessel on the overtaken vessel's starboard side following Inland Rules, a first marine vessel may depress the starboard side overtaking maneuvering actuator of the present invention to generate a combination sound and light signal consisting of one short horn blast having a duration of approximately one second together with a simultaneous light signal that is equivalent in duration to the short horn blast. When overtaking a second marine vessel on the overtaken vessel's starboard side in accordance with COLREGS, a first marine vessel may depress the starboard side overtaking maneuvering actuator of the present invention to generate a sound signal consisting of two prolonged horn blasts each having a duration of approximately four to six seconds immediately followed by one short horn blast having a duration of approximately one second together with a simultaneous light signal that is equivalent in number and duration to the prescribed sound signals.
Likewise, the signaling device of the present invention generates marine maneuvering signals to indicate-that a first vessel is overtaking a second vessel on the port side of the second vessel. The port side overtaking maneuver is generated by depressing the port side maneuvering actuator thus actuating a sound signal in accordance with Inland Rules, which is comprised of two short horn blasts, accompanied by a light signal that is equivalent in number and duration to the sound signals. The port side overtaking signal in accordance with COLREGS may be generated by depressing the port side overtaking maneuvering actuator to effectuate a signal that consists of two prolonged horn blasts and two short horn blasts, each prolonged blast having a duration ranging from about four to six seconds and each short blast having a duration of approximately one second, accompanied by a synchronous light signal that is equivalent in number and duration to the sound signals.
Accordingly
Duane Morris LLP
Swarthout Brent A.
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