Patent Application
20120262909
The present invention relates to a hand held light and sound signaling baton in the field of communication and more particularly to a multi purpose visual and audible signaling baton having light and sound whistle signaling.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,865,524, entitled HAND HELD LIGHT WAND FOR VISUAL SIGNALING, to Campman is a resilient and watertight visual signaling light emitting wand that provides a user with a choice of multiple colors by simply turning a ring switch.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,213,623 B1, entitled GLOW AND FLASH BATON, to Campman is a resilient watertight light baton with exterior walls machined to effectively transmit light from an embedded light source, which is easily controlled with one button.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,371,625 B2, entitled ALL SOLID-STATE OMNI DIRECTIONAL LUMINARY AND FLASHLIGHT, to Campman is a hand held laser lens glow and visually signaling baton.
These inventions are hereinafter incorporated by reference therein.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a multi purpose visual and audible signaling baton with a hollow tubular structure having a rear tubular part with a pair of receiving slots and a front tubular part, and a gasket member positioned between the front and rear tubular parts.
Another object of the invention is to provide a plurality of buttons mounted on the rear tubular part, near the gasket member, for switching between a plurality of modes, and the plurality of modes being an on/off mode, an illumination mode, and an audible sound generating mode.
A further object of the invention is to provide a slip resistant plastic vinyl member, abutting the gasket member, for enclosing around the rear tubular part and providing a handgrip area for the hollow tubular structure.
A still further object of the invention is to provide a whistle and LED assembly, positioned in the front tubular part of the hollow tubular structure away from the gasket member, the assembly having a semi-hemispherical concave shaped surface forming an outer opening for providing lighting and sound out the outer opening.
An object of the invention is to provide a bridge bar mounted on the semi-hemispherical concave shaped surface of the whistle and LED assembly to extend across the outer opening, and the bridge bar for providing a holding and securing member in the outer opening of the semi-hemispherical concave shaped surface.
Another object of the invention is to provide a lighting member mounted in the holding and securing member of the bridge bar so as to be positioned in the outer opening of the whistle and LED assembly, and a female electrical plug electrically connected to and extending from the lighting member into the front tubular part of the hollow tubular structure.
It is an object of the invention to provide a tubular shaped front cap, positioned away from the gasket and at a front end of the hollow tubular structure, for surrounding the semi-hemispherical concave shaped surface around the outer opening and securing the whistle and LED assembly at the front tubular part of the tubular structure.
Another object of the invention to provide a controller circuit board having a pair of ear shaped members extending perpendicularly from the controller circuit board for mounting in the rear tubular part with each the ear shaped member aligning and securely mating with each slot of the rear tubular part at a rear distal end of the tubular structure.
A further object of the invention to provide an audio voice button, attached to the controller circuit board between the pair of ear shaped members of the controller circuit board, for activating audio and voice signaling.
It is an object of the invention to provide at least two LEDs, mounted on the controller circuit board near the gasket member and plurality of buttons away from the pair of ear shaped members and the audio voice button, for emitting tubular light in the front tubular part of the tubular structure when activated.
It is an object of the invention to provide a removable rear cap, positioned away from the gasket and at the rear distal end of the tubular structure, for sealing the rear tubular part of the tubular structure around the receiving slots and the securely mated ear shaped members of the controller circuit board, the removable rear cap having an outward protrusion for receiving the audio voice button positioned between the pair of ear shaped members of the controller circuit board.
A still further object of the invention to provide a controller and power assembly mounted on the controller circuit board for controlling and providing power to the multi purpose visual and audible signaling baton, the assembly being electrically connected to the plurality of buttons mounted on the rear tubular part and directly responding to the switching between the plurality of modes and the audible sound generating mode and electrically connected to the audio voice button and the at least two LEDs to respond to the audio voice button and power the at least two LEDs, the controller and power assembly having an electrical connecting member extending into the front tubular part past the at least two LEDs with a male electrical plug attached to the electrical connecting member for electrically mating to the female electrical plug extending from the lighting member and facilitating power and sound to the lighting member at the whistle and LED assembly when activated to function based on the plurality of buttons and the audio voice button.
It is an object of the invention to provide the hollow tubular structure being made of lightweight industrial grade plastic that is waterproof and shock resistant.
It is an object of the invention to provide wherein one of the plurality of buttons being a two-mode type button and activation of the two-mode type button a first time turns the baton on and illuminates one color, a second time turns the baton another color, and activation of the two-mode type button a third time turns the baton off; and another button of the plurality of buttons being a whistle sound button for controlling the audible-sound generating mode of the baton.
It is an object of the invention to provide wherein the at least two LEDs being any color for producing light radiating in the front tubular part with a red light for caution and a green light for all clear.
It is an object of the invention to provide, wherein the slip resistant rubber member, covering the rear tubular part, further functioning as a shock resistant deterrent to protect the controller and power assembly.
It is an object of the invention to provide wherein the controller and power assembly further comprising: a power source for providing power to the controller and power assembly, the power source being mounted to the controller circuit board opposite the controller and power assembly with the controller circuit board positioned there between to compact the controller and power assembly in the rear tubular part.
It is an object of the invention to provide the electrical connecting member further comprising a hollow cylindrical pipe for holding a plurality of wires electrically connecting the controller and power assembly to the male electrical plug, the electrical connecting member being guided through the rear tubular part into the front tubular part with the male electrical plug protruding into to the front tubular part, the ear shaped members of the controller circuit board aligning and snugly mating with the slots of the rear tubular member for securing the controller circuit board in the rear tubular part of the baton and positioning the male electrical plug in the front tubular part past the gasket member.
It is an object of the invention to provide, wherein the piezo whistle sound feature receives a digital command signal and vibrates causing air displacement within the semi-hemispherical concave member for generating sound waves that exceed 100 dbA at 10 feet.
Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.
Preferred structural embodiments and preferred subcomponents of this invention are disclosed in the accompanying drawings in which:
With reference to
The baton 100 further includes plurality of buttons 120, 122 mounted on the rear tubular part 112, near the gasket member 116. The plurality of buttons 120, 122 are for switching between a plurality of modes with the plurality of modes being an on/off mode, an illumination mode, and an audible-sound generating mode. More specifically, button 120 is a two-mode type button. The two-mode type button 120 controls the modes on/off and the illumination mode of the baton 100. Pushing the two-mode type button 120 once turns the baton 100 on and illuminates one color, pushing the two-mode type button 120 again turns the baton 100 another color, and pushing the two-mode type button 120 once more, turns the baton 100 off. The second button 122 or whistle sound button controls the audible-sound generating mode of the baton 100.
The baton 100 also has a slip resistant rubber member 124. The slip resistant rubber member 124 encloses around the rear tubular part 112 abutting the gasket member 116 and functions as a handgrip or handgrip area on the rear tubular part 112 of the hollow tubular structure 110 for a user to grasp and hold the baton 100. The slip resistant rubber member 124 additionally provides a sealing or blocking function of any light that may emit from the rear tubular part 112, so any and all of the light emitted is directed to the front tubular part 114 of the baton 100. The slip resistant rubber member 124 nearly completely covers the rear tubular part 112. The two buttons, the two-mode type button 120 and the whistle sound button 122, can either be covered by the slip resistant rubber member 124 with two protrusions for receiving the buttons 120, 122 or the buttons 120, 122 can be exposed with some means to provide a watertight seal around each button.
Positioned between the ear shaped members 130, 132 and attached to the controller circuit board 126 is an audio voice button 140. The audio voice button 140 is for activating audio and voice signaling. A removable rear cap 142 has a diameter that is slightly larger that the rear tubular part 112 and is fitted to the rear tubular part 112 so that the removable rear cap 142 is positioned away from the gasket member 116 at the rear distal end 141 of the hollow tubular structure 110. The removable rear cap 142 is made of a pliable plastic vinyl material. This pliable plastic vinyl material permits the removable rear cap 142 to seal the rear tubular part 112 of the tubular structure 110 around the receiving slots 134, 136 and the securely mated ear shaped members 130, 132 of the controller circuit board 126. Also, the removable rear cap 142 can have an outward protrusion for receiving the audio voice button 140 positioned between the pair of ear shaped members 130, 132 of the controller circuit board 126. Of course, in the preferred embodiment, the pliable plastic vinyl material of the removable rear cap 142 is without a protrusion to permit a user to push on the outer surface of the removable rear cap 142 to activate the audio voice button 140, such as shown in
With attention direct to
A controller and power assembly, being generally indicated with numeral 150, is mounted on the controller circuit board 126 and positioned in the rear tubular part 112 of the hollow tubular structure 110. Once, the controller and power assembly 150 is positioned in the rear tubular part 112 the slip resistant rubber member 124, covering the rear tubular part 112, and the pliable plastic vinyl removable rear cap 142 can act and function as shock resistant deterrents to protect the controller and power assembly 150. The controller and power assembly 150 is for controlling and providing power to the multi purpose visual and audible signaling baton 100. The controller and power assembly 150 is electrically connected to the plurality of buttons 120, 122 mounted on the rear tubular part 112 so that the controller and power assembly 150 can directly respond to the switching between the plurality of modes and the audible sound generating mode. The controller and power assembly 150 is also electrically connected to the audio voice button 140 and the at least two LEDs 144, 146 to respond to the audio voice button 140 and power the at least two LEDs 144, 146. The controller and power assembly 150 is shown in schematic representation in
The controller and power assembly 150 further has an electrical connecting member 152 extending from the controller circuit board 126 into the front tubular part 114 past the at least two LEDs 144, 146. The electrical connecting member 152 is a hollow cylindrical hose or pipe that carries or holds a plurality of wires 154 and electrically connects the controller and power assembly 150 to a male electrical plug 156. The electrical connecting member 152 acts as a guide for the plurality of wires 154 when the controller circuit board 126 is inserted into the rear tubular part 112 with the male electrical plug 156 entering first and being guided through the rear tubular part 112 into the front tubular part 114. Once the male electrical plug 156 protrudes into to the front tubular part 114, the ear shaped members 130, 132 of the controller circuit board 126 are aligned and snugly mated with the slots 134, 136. Thus, securing the controller circuit board 126 in the rear tubular part 112 of the baton 100 and positioning the male electrical plug 156 in the front tubular part 114 past the gasket member 116.
With continuing reference to
With respect to the piezo whistle sound feature 170, the principle operation is an application or generation of a tone frequency or digital command signal to the piezo whistle sound feature 170, which causes the piezo whistle sound feature 170 to vibrate. This vibration in turn causes air displacement within the semi-hemispherical concave member 162 and generates the sound waves that exceed 100 dbA at 10 feet. The fact that high-level sound waves are produced in a small transducer or the piezo whistle sound feature 170 makes it an excellent attention getting device for the baton 100.
With reference to
In the first embodiment shown in
In the second embodiment shown in
By pressing the two-mode button 120 again, the controller and power assembly 150 will turn the light of the baton 100 to green for indicating all is clear and safe to those individuals in eyesight range of the baton 100. The second button or whistle and sound button 122 will activate a loud audible whistle. This loud audible whistle is only activated when the whistle and sound button 120 is depressed. And, as shown in
With further reference to
Accordingly, the multi purpose visual and audible signaling baton 100 provides a choice of high intensity colors that cause the baton 100 to illuminate much like a neon tube. Also, each of the color lights that are selected can be accompanied by a loud 100 dbA whistle, merely by pressing the whistle sound button 122. This type of audio sound or even a voice sound can be changed by pressing the audio voice button 140 at the rear cap 142 of the baton 100. The baton 100, when in use, permits a user to select up to ten colors with the capability of five different sounds including verbal spoken commands and it is possible that the baton 100, with the radio transmitter, can communicate with a remote radio receiver. Thus, the baton 100 has applicability to fire scenes, traffic and crowd control, police operations, military procedures, search and rescue operations, and event parking.
The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and, accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.
