Laser signaling buoy and method of using
AssigneeJuan Carlos Casas
InventorsLouis F. Riley, Juan Carlos Casas
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A signaling buoy and method suitable for emitting a light signal over long distances in marine environments. The buoy includes a watertight enclosure having a compartment, an aperture at an upper end of the enclosure for emitting a laser light beam therethrough, a laser light source disposed within the enclosure for generating the light beam, and a battery within the enclosure for powering the light source. Electrical contacts are disposed on an exterior of the enclosure and are adapted to complete an electrical circuit when an electrical short exists therebetween to conduct electrical power from the battery to the laser light source. The buoy is configured to float upright in water with the electrical contacts submersed in the water.
Claims20
A signaling buoy comprising:
- a watertight enclosure comprising a compartment having lower and upper ends;
- an aperture in the upper end of the enclosure and adapted for emitting a laser light beam therethrough;
- a laser light source disposed within the enclosure and adapted to generate the laser light beam;
- a battery within the enclosure for powering the laser light source;
- at least two electrical contacts disposed on an exterior of the enclosure and adapted to complete an electrical circuit when an electrical short exists therebetween to conduct electrical power from the battery to the laser light source;
- and
- a ballast associated with the lower end of the enclosure, the ballast being sufficient to cause the buoy to float upright in water with the first end of the enclosure and the electrical contacts submersed in the water and with the second end of the enclosure disposed above the water.
A signaling buoy comprising:
- a watertight enclosure comprising a compartment having lower and upper ends, a first cap closing the lower end of the compartment, and a second cap closing the upper end of the compartment;
- an aperture in the second cap adapted for emitting a laser light beam therethrough;
- a laser light source disposed within the second cap and adapted to generate the laser light beam;
- a battery within the compartment for powering the laser light source;
- at least two electrical contacts disposed on an exterior of the enclosure and adapted to complete an electrical circuit when an electrical short exists therebetween to conduct electrical power from the battery to the laser light source;
- and
- ballast associated with the first cap, the ballast being sufficient to cause the buoy to float upright in water with the first cap and the electrical contacts submersed in the water and the second cap disposed above the water.
A method of producing a distress signal with a signaling buoy having lower and upper ends, the method comprising:
- placing the signaling buoy in water so that the buoy is free floating in the water and the lower end of the signaling buoy is submersed in the water and the water creates an electrical short between at least two electrical contacts disposed on an exterior of the lower end of the buoy to cause electrical power to be conducted to a laser light source within the signaling buoy;
- and
- generating a laser light beam with the laser light source, the laser light beam being emitted vertically through an aperture in the upper end of the signaling buoy that is not submersed in the water.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.