Illumination – Supported by vehicle structure – Marine
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-17
2001-05-15
O'Shea, Sandra (Department: 2875)
Illumination
Supported by vehicle structure
Marine
C114S015000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06231217
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention generally relates to watercraft lighting systems and methods, and more particularly to lighting systems and methods for watercraft which provide a visual indication of a watercraft at a distance.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
With the increased usage of boats and other watercraft, more dangerous boating conditions have been created by the higher density of traffic on bodies of water used for navigation and recreation. This heightened activity on waterways has likewise increased the need for safety devices which help to alleviate the problems. These safety concerns are particularly important for those engaging in watercraft activity during twilight, nighttime, and inclement weather conditions due to decreased visibility and the need for elevated levels of awareness.
This need for increased safety has been recognized by governments and their almost universal legislative mandates requiring navigational lights on watercraft. Typical conventional navigational running lights consist of a single light located at the bow of the boat having a green lens on the starboard side and a red lens on the port side of the boat and a single light located at the stern of the boat. Unfortunately, this precautionary effort by government has proven inadequate as the number of accidents involving watercraft continues to occur with regularity. The resulting cost in human and material resources is significant.
Many reasons exist to explain the causes of these accidents, but most reasons involve the low visibility of watercraft at night even though these watercraft are properly equipped with required navigational running lights. A shortcoming of conventional navigational lights mounted on watercraft is that these conventional lighting systems do not readily allow watercraft operators to determine the distance and orientation of other watercraft in the vicinity. This inability of watercraft operators to determine depth-of-field by observing other watercraft navigational lights can cause watercraft operators to erroneously conclude that navigational lights of other watercraft are lights located on shore. The orientation of watercraft is also difficult to determine from navigational lights because at even minimal distances, blending of the different colored navigational lights tends to occur causing confusion to other watercraft operators. Conventional navigational light assemblies may produce glare off of the windshield of the watercraft hampering the vision of or otherwise distracting the watercraft operator.
Another problem with conventional navigational lighting on watercraft is the inability of the lighting system to communicate the relative motion of the watercraft on the water to observers not on that watercraft. This is an especially significant problem when watercraft are substantially stationary in the water, as occurs when anchored during fishing or other stationary activity, for example.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, an improved watercraft lighting system and method is provided which enhances the visibility of a watercraft at night or during other inclement conditions. This improved boat lighting system is designed to improve the perception of distance and relative motion of a watercraft to other watercraft operators. In one embodiment of the present invention, lights are associated with the watercraft such that the lights directly illuminate at least a substantial portion of the hull located above the waterline of the watercraft thereby providing a distinct, visual indication of the hull of the watercraft to observers at a distance from that watercraft such as in another watercraft or on shore, for example, which permits improved observation of the existence of the watercraft. Preferably, the lighting system also provides some indication of the size, distance, speed, direction and orientation of the watercraft particularly compared to conventional navigational lights. Preferably, the improved watercraft lighting system provides a visual indication of the watercraft at a distance of at least 500 feet, more preferably at one-eighth of a mile, and most preferably of one-half of a mile or more. The distance will, of course, depend on the size of the boat's hull and the intensity of the lighting. As used herein, “observer” or “off-craft observer” means a person generally horizontally spaced 100 feet or more from the watercraft lighted in accordance with the invention, such as a person on another watercraft or on shore, for example, observing with his naked eye.
In another embodiment of the invention, the direction and orientation of the watercraft is more readily discernible by providing that the lights which substantially illuminate the port side of the hull above the waterline emit red light, the lights that substantially illuminate the starboard side of the hull emit green light, and the lights that substantially illuminate the stem of the boat emit white light, or some other variation of colors, as desired. The lights may be appropriately shielded so that substantially only light directed from the light source onto the hull is visible by an observer (such as an observer on another watercraft) at a distance. Thus, the observer views light reflected from the hull. In addition, a lens or lenses may be employed to focus and/or diffuse light onto the hull as desired. The area and intensity of light that illuminates the hull depends on the size of the watercraft and the lighting effect that is desired. Generally at least about 10% or 10 square feet of each of the starboard and port sides of the hull area that is above the waterline should be illuminated by the lighting system of the invention. Bow and/or stem portions may also be illuminated if desired. Preferably a greater area or percentage of hull area will be illuminated such that 25% or 50% and/or at least 25, 50 or 100 square feet or more of the above waterline hull area, that is observable by an off-craft observer (such as an observer on another boat), is illuminated by the lighting system of the present invention.
Another embodiment of the present invention provides a sensor which detects the motion and speed of the watercraft relative to the body of water or to another reference and accordingly activates the boat lighting system to operate in a manner which clearly indicates the direction and rate of motion of the watercraft. The direction of motion can be indicated by the intermittent and sequential activation of separate lights comprising the lighting system advancing in the direction of movement of the watercraft, whereas the rate of motion of the watercraft relative to the body of water or other reference can be indicated by the rate of flashing of the improved watercraft lighting system.
In yet another embodiment of the present invention, a device is provided which intermittently activates and deactivates the watercraft lighting system thereby indicating when the watercraft is in motion or is substantially stationary in the water.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a method indicating the presence at night of a watercraft, having a hull that extends above the waterline of the craft, to an off-craft observer is provided. The method includes directing light from a light source mounted to the watercraft onto at least the portion of the above-waterline portion of the hull to cover sufficient hull areas with light and at an intensity sufficient to make the lighted portion observable by the off-craft observer located at a distance from the watercraft of at least about 500 feet or more. In accordance with a related aspect, the method also includes indicating the forward or rearward direction of travel of the watercraft to the off-craft observer. In accordance with this aspect, the method includes sensing the direction of forward and rearward movement of the watercraft and directing light from a plurality of light sources horizontally spaced on at least one side of the hull above the waterline and sequentially flashing the light sources
O'Shea Sandra
Ryndak & Suri
Sawhney Hargobind S.
LandOfFree
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