US 9,437,109 B1 · Emergency safety marker system

Abstract

An electronic lighted safety marker system used by emergency responders to warn motorists of the presence of an accident scene ahead on or beside the roadway is provided by the invention. Such safety marker can be deployed individually or in groups by the emergency responder along the perimeter of the accident scene and ideally ahead of it along the roadway to provide adequate warning to approaching motorists to avoid the accident scene. The safety marker contains a power source, a light panel, a protective shield for the light panel, and electronic circuitry for controlling the operation of the lights in a predetermined frequency or pattern, and may be automatically actuated and self-righting when it is dropped onto the ground or other hard surface. The safety marker can also contain an incursion warning system against incoming vehicles, an early warning radar transponder for sending a warning message to such incoming vehicles, a GPS location detector and transmitter for providing the location of the safety marker and its associated accident scene to a central dispatcher, and a gunshot sensor for detecting the occurrence of gunfire around the accident scene and its location to provide that information to the central dispatcher.

Claims25

Dependent claims

An electronic safety marker deployed by an emergency responder on or along a roadway for providing a warning to oncoming vehicles approaching an accident scene having a boundary defined by the positioned safety marker, the safety marker comprising:

(a) a source of electrical current;
(b) electrical circuitry connected to the source of electrical current;
(c) a self-righting base comprising a housing defining an interior chamber and attachment means along its top surface;
(d) a light wand attached at its bottom end to the attachment means in the base, the light wand comprising a plurality of lights connected to the electrical circuit;
(e) impact-actuated deployment means interposed in the electrical circuit, and positioned inside the chamber in the base;
(f) a sensor switch positioned inside the light wand or base of the safety marker and connected to the electrical circuit and an emergency warning emission mechanism;
(g) wherein when the safety marker is released from above ground level by the emergency responder and hits the ground or other hard surface, the impact-actuated deployment means is actuated upon impact to deliver electrical current to the plurality of lights to turn them on to a lighted state to provide warning of the accident scene to the oncoming vehicles, and the safety marker automatically orient[s] itself to an upright, vertical position;
and
(i) wherein when the safety marker is struck by an incoming vehicle, the sensor switch positioned inside the light wand or base of the safety marker delivers current to the emergency warning emission mechanism to produce an audible warming alert to the emergency responder of the incoming vehicle approaching the accident scene.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Emergency safety marker system

Life of this patent

Emergency safety marker system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims25