Signals and indicators – Indicators – By location
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-08
2001-07-17
Gutierrez, Diego (Department: 2859)
Signals and indicators
Indicators
By location
C340S981000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06260508
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to devices of the type designed to aid survivors of aircraft crashes by aiding rescue personnel searching for such downed aircraft, and more particularly relates to a device that simultaneously flashes a visual signal, emits a radio beacon, and releases a highly visible dye that stains the surrounding ground or water and thereby marks the spot that the aircraft crashed.
2. Description of Related Art
There is a long felt need for a position locator device that will quickly direct search and rescue teams to the location of an aircraft crash. This need is especially acute when the aircraft has crashed into the ocean because crash survivors can only be expected to survive a short period in the ocean before they drown or die of shock and hypothermia.
Prior art devices have focussed on buoyant dye dispensing devices that stain the water in the vicinity of the crash site. While this is often helpful, it is not always enough, particularly at night or foul weather when the dye is not readily visible. Many crash survivors will perish while the searchers wait for daylight or clear conditions; and by the time it is light enough and clear enough to search, the dye dispenser will have floated away from the crash site so it will no longer mark the correct location.
The prior art teaches buoyant dye dispensing devices that stain the water in the vicinity of the crash site. However, the prior art does not teach a buoyant crash locator device that is useful in the dark and under any weather conditions. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further related advantages as described in the following summary.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention teaches certain benefits in construction and use which give rise to the objectives described below.
The present invention provides a position indicator device for marking the location of an aircraft that has crashed. The position indicator device includes a buoyant housing containing a radio beacon, a dye dispenser, and a visual beacon. Upon the crash of the aircraft, the buoyant housing is deployed with an ejecting means and the radio beacon, dye dispenser, and visual beacon are activated with an activating means. The radio beacon immediately alerts emergency personnel that a crash has occurred and can guide the emergency personnel to the scene. The dye dispenser slowly releases a liquid dye that stains the water an easily recognizable color. The visual beacon not only allows crash survivors to find the position indicator device and gather together for survival and rescue, it also allows emergency personnel to find the position indicator device in bad weather or at night.
A primary objective of the present invention is to provide a position indicator device having advantages not taught by the prior art.
Another objective is to provide a position indicator device that includes both a dye dispenser and a visual beacon. While the dye dispenser provides an emergency signal that is well known in the art, the visual beacon provides two additional benefits that compliment the dye marker and overcome the disadvantages of the prior art dye dispenser. First, the visual beacon provides guidance to emergency rescue personnel when it is dark or the weather is too poor to see the dye released by the dye dispenser. Second, the visual beacon allows crash survivors to spot the position indicator device in the water. When the crash survivors are able to find the position indicator device, they are able to gather around the rescue beacon and even use the position indicator device as an emergency flotation device. Crash survivors will thus be able to stay close to the position indicator device even after the device has been floating for hours and even days in ocean currents.
A further objective is to provide a radio beacon that functions to guide emergency rescue personnel to the group of floating crash survivors rather than just to the remains of the crashed aircraft. Not only does this correct for the movement of the crash survivors in ocean currents, it also allows crash survivors to attempt to move themselves towards land without losing the hope of rescue near the crash site.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention.
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Gilchrist Jason P.
Gutierrez Diego
Karich Eric
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