Patent Application
20090188138
This application relates to signals and indicators.
Exiting from a region like a structure (e.g., building, ship, etc.), forest, or other terrain under conditions of low visibility can be challenging. As an example, firefighters in a burning building are required to negotiate their exit from the building by navigating through the building under conditions of low visibility caused by smoke from the burning structure. The low visibility can endanger lives because it can make a timely and expeditious exit from the building difficult if not nearly impossible.
Each patent, patent application, and/or publication mentioned in this specification is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety to the same extent as if each individual patent, patent application, and/or publication was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference.
An indicator system is described below that comprises an indicator or indicator device positioned on a linear structure. The linear structure includes a portable linear structure having a proximal end and a distal end. The linear structure includes, for example, at least one of a hose, a fire hose, a cable, an electrical cable, a rope, a strap, and a tether device. The indicator includes directional markers positioned along the linear structure and oriented to identify a path to the proximal end. Each of the directional markers comprises a shape of an arrow, and a tip of the arrow points along the path to the proximal end. The directional marker is not limited to comprising arrow-shaped indicators or markers, and other embodiments can include directional markers of any shape or symbol. Additionally, the indicator can include a text string, for example, a text string comprising a word meaning “EXIT” or other similar term or phrase.
Furthermore, a device is described below comprising a line and an indicator system positioned on the line. The line comprises a portable linear structure having a proximal end and a distal end. The proximal end of the line is configured to connect to a source fixture (e.g., outlet, supply terminal or source, valve, turnbuckle, etc.) at an exterior of a region, and the distal end of the line is configured to deploy to an interior of the region such that the line defines a path at least partially through the interior of the region when the distal end is deployed. The region can include one or more of a structure, a building, a forest, area of terrain, and a body of water, but is not so limited. The indicator system includes at least one directional indicator oriented to indicate a direction along the path to the exterior of the region.
In the following description, numerous specific details are introduced to provide a thorough understanding of, and enabling description for, embodiments of the present invention. One skilled in the relevant art, however, will recognize that these embodiments can be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other components, systems, etc. In other instances, well-known structures or operations are not shown, or are not described in detail, to avoid obscuring aspects of the disclosed embodiments.
The line 12 may be embodied as a fire hose that may be carried into a building to extinguish a fire. Accordingly, the system 10 may enable exit from the building notwithstanding damage to the structure and reduced visibility that may be caused by smoke.
The line 12 may further be embodied as an electrical cable that may be carried into a building to provide power. For example, the power may be provided for tools necessary for construction or remodeling. Accordingly, the system 10 may enable exit from a building with little or no knowledge of a floor plan of the building.
In yet another embodiment the line 12 may be extended outside through terrain that obstructs visibility. For example, the line 12 may be extended in a forest sufficiently dense to impair the ability of fire fighters to find their way to the water source of the line 12.
The male member 57 in the form of a male shank is shown to include a device 52 that includes a directional indicator 16. The device 52 has been oriented and affixed to the male member 57 to enable a person to identify a path for exit. In another embodiment the device 52 may be oriented and affixed to the female swivel 61 or the female shank 59 to enable a person to identify a path for exit.
The female shank 59 is further shown to include a device 54 that includes multiple directional indicators 16. The device 54 has been oriented and affixed to the female shank 59 to enable a person to identify a path for exit. In another embodiment the device 54 may be oriented and affixed to the female swivel 61 or the male shank 57 to enable a person to identify a path for exit.
In one embodiment, the media 82, 84 may also respectively include a visible surface that may be of bright colors and/or reflective to facilitate identification of a direction to follow the line 12 notwithstanding impaired visibility. In another embodiment, the media 82, 84 may also include a visible surface that may be of photoluminescent material capable of being energized by an artificial or natural light source, thereby emitting a glow of light for an extended period of time, independent of the original light source. In another embodiment the media 82, 84 may be of vinyl type, or an equivalent, with all weather capability to resist wear caused by low and high temperatures. In another embodiment the media 82, 84 may include an appropriate clear laminate layer over the visible surface of the media to facilitate print and to resist wear caused by abrasion, and provide a raised, tactile surface. The media 82, 84 of an embodiment comprises any adhesive capable material, and may be of bright colors, and/or reflective and/or photoluminescent. Specifically, any reflective material up to and including any of the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM International) standards for levels of reflectivity for traffic safety signs (e.g., ASTM Type IX). As one example, the media 82, 84 comprises 3M brand, 3983 Diamond Grade VIP Fluorescent, Yellow Green reflective material or the equivalent. The media 82, 84 may also comprise 3M Process Color Series 880I ink, or equivalent, printed on the appropriate clear laminate layer. The media 82, 84 may also comprise a photoluminescent ink process, or equivalent, printed on the clear laminate layer.
Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, throughout the description and the claims, the words “comprise,” “comprising,” and the like are to be construed in an inclusive sense as opposed to an exclusive or exhaustive sense; that is to say, in a sense of “including, but not limited to.” Words using the singular or plural number also include the plural or singular number respectively. Additionally, the words “herein,” “hereunder,” “above,” “below,” and words of similar import, when used in this application, refer to this application as a whole and not to any particular portions of this application. When the word “or” is used in reference to a list of two or more items, that word covers all of the following interpretations of the word: any of the items in the list, all of the items in the list and any combination of the items in the list.
The above description of embodiments of the corresponding systems and methods is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the systems and methods to the precise forms disclosed. While specific embodiments of, and examples for, the embodiments and corresponding systems and methods are described herein for illustrative purposes, various equivalent modifications are possible within the scope of the systems and methods, as those skilled in the relevant art will recognize. The teachings of the embodiments and corresponding systems and methods provided herein can be applied to other systems and methods, not only for the systems and methods described above.
The elements and acts of the various embodiments described above can be combined to provide further embodiments. These and other changes can be made to the embodiments and corresponding systems and methods in light of the above detailed description.
In general, in the following claims, the terms used should not be construed to limit the embodiments and corresponding systems and methods to the specific embodiments disclosed in the specification and the claims, but should be construed to include all systems that operate under the claims. Accordingly, the embodiments and corresponding systems and methods are not limited by the disclosure, but instead the scope is to be determined entirely by the claims.
While certain aspects of the embodiments and corresponding systems and methods are presented below in certain claim forms, the inventors contemplate the various aspects of the embodiments and corresponding systems and methods in any number of claim forms. Accordingly, the inventors reserve the right to add additional claims after filing the application to pursue such additional claim forms for other aspects of the embodiments and corresponding systems and methods.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Patent Application No. 61/023,464, filed Jan. 25, 2008.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61023464 | Jan 2008 | US |
