U.S. patent application number 16/394256 was filed with the patent office on 2019-10-31 for water propelling device for a life-saving buoy ring.
The applicant listed for this patent is Chih-Han KO, Wang-Hsiang KO, Wen-Shen KO. Invention is credited to Chih-Han KO, Wang-Hsiang KO, Wen-Shen KO.
Application Number | 20190329849 16/394256 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 68290966 |
Filed Date | 2019-10-31 |
![](/patent/app/20190329849/US20190329849A1-20191031-D00000.png)
![](/patent/app/20190329849/US20190329849A1-20191031-D00001.png)
![](/patent/app/20190329849/US20190329849A1-20191031-D00002.png)
![](/patent/app/20190329849/US20190329849A1-20191031-D00003.png)
![](/patent/app/20190329849/US20190329849A1-20191031-D00004.png)
![](/patent/app/20190329849/US20190329849A1-20191031-D00005.png)
![](/patent/app/20190329849/US20190329849A1-20191031-D00006.png)
United States Patent
Application |
20190329849 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
KO; Wen-Shen ; et
al. |
October 31, 2019 |
WATER PROPELLING DEVICE FOR A LIFE-SAVING BUOY RING
Abstract
A water propelling device is invented to rescue a drowning
person with more efficiency and less risks, which includes an
adjustable clamp apparatus, a hydro-driving mechanism, a waterproof
chamber and a control monitor. The adjustable clamp apparatus is
able to fasten various type of life-saving buoy rings. Inside the
waterproof chamber, electronic circuit boards, a power supply unit
with batteries, a wireless signal communication module and
antennas, various sensor modules and an electronic speed controller
are wired together as a control unit. The hydro-driving mechanism
is at the bottom of the adjustable clamp apparatus, which is
connected with the control unit to actuate and control the
movements. Wireless signals are transmitted and received between
the control monitor and the control unit, allowing a rescuer to
operate the water propelling device remotely to deliver a
life-saving buoy ring over the surface of water toward the drowning
person.
Inventors: |
KO; Wen-Shen; (Taipei City,
TW) ; KO; Chih-Han; (Taipei City, TW) ; KO;
Wang-Hsiang; (Taipei City, TW) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
KO; Wen-Shen
KO; Chih-Han
KO; Wang-Hsiang |
Taipei City
Taipei City
Taipei City |
|
TW
TW
TW |
|
|
Family ID: |
68290966 |
Appl. No.: |
16/394256 |
Filed: |
April 25, 2019 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B63C 11/46 20130101;
B63C 2009/0017 20130101; B63H 2020/003 20130101; B63H 20/007
20130101; B63H 25/42 20130101; B63C 9/02 20130101; B63B 32/10
20200201; B63H 20/02 20130101; B63C 9/08 20130101; B63C 9/20
20130101 |
International
Class: |
B63C 9/02 20060101
B63C009/02; B63H 25/42 20060101 B63H025/42; B63C 9/20 20060101
B63C009/20 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Apr 26, 2018 |
TW |
107114212 |
Claims
1. A water propelling device for a life-saving buoy ring comprises:
an adjustable clamp apparatus, being able to fasten various types
of objects with buoyance by setting the adjustable clamp holder and
the clearance between the upper clamp and the lower clamp; a
waterproof chamber, being mounted on the top of the adjustable
clamp apparatus and equipped with electronic circuit boards, a
power supply unit and batteries, a wireless signal communication
module and antennas, various sensor modules and an electronic speed
controller wired together to actuate and control the movements of
the invention and to communicate with the rescuer; a hydro-driving
mechanism, being fixed at a bottom of the adjustable clamp
apparatus and connected with the electronic speed controller in the
waterproof chamber to move a life-saving buoy ring over the surface
of water with a propeller function and a rudder function; and a
control monitor, being equipped with a display panel for the
rescuer to operate the water propelling device with a life-saving
buoy ring remotely and supervise the rescue mission; wherein the
adjustable clamp apparatus, the waterproof chamber and the
hydro-driving mechanism being fixed together tightly to form a
rigid structure.
2. The water propelling device for a life-saving buoy ring,
according to claim 1, wherein the various types of objects with
buoyance are a buoy ring, a swim board or a foam noodle.
3. The water propelling device for life-saving buoy ring, according
to claim 1, wherein the adjustable clamp apparatus is provided with
an L-shaped upper clamp, a lower clamp and an adjustable clamp
holder made up of two pins at one end of the upper clam and two
pinholes at one end of the lower clamp.
4. The water propelling device for a life-saving buoy ring,
according to claim 3, wherein the other ends of the upper clamp and
the lower clamp are provided with two corresponding slots
respectively, and an object with buoyance of various types is
fastened between the upper clamp and the lower clamp by adjusting
the clearance of the adjustable clamp holder and pulling a fixing
element through the two slots to lace the two clamps.
5. The water propelling device for a life-saving buoy ring,
according to claim 4, wherein the fixing element is a cord, a rope,
a belt, a touch fastener or a zip tie.
6. The water propelling device for a life-saving buoy ring,
according to claim 1, wherein the various sensor modules in the
waterproof chamber includes motion and status sensors, a GPS
(Global Positioning System) and a camera connected with the
electronic circuit boards, so that information collected by the
motion and status sensors, the geographical data recorded by the
GPS and the images captured by the camera being transmitted to the
controller monitor wirelessly to display in real time for the
rescuer to supervise the rescue mission.
7. The water propelling device for a life-saving buoy ring,
according to claim 6, wherein the waterproof chamber further
includes a spotlight and a flashing light connected with the
electronic circuit boards to provide illumination for the rescue
scene and the alerting light to the rescuer and the drowning
person.
8. The water propelling device for a life-saving buoy ring,
according to claim 6, wherein the waterproof chamber further
includes a microphone and a speaker connected with the control
electronic circuit boards, with the control monitor being equipped
with a microphone and a speaker, two-way wireless audio
communications being able to carry out between the rescuer and the
drowning person.
9. The water propelling device for a life-saving buoy ring,
according to claim 1, wherein the waterproof chamber includes an
electronic speed controller connected with the electronic circuit
boards and the hydro-driving mechanism to actuate and control the
propeller function and the rudder function of the hydro-driving
mechanism.
10. The water propelling device for a life-saving buoy ring,
according to claim 1, wherein the hydro-driving mechanism includes
two propellers connected with the electronic speed controller to
perform movements of moving forward and backward and turning left
and right by controlling the speeds and the directions of rotation
of the two propellers.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
a) Field of the Invention
[0001] The invention is related to a life-saving device for
propelling a buoy ring in the water. More particularly, the
life-saving device is able to transport a floating object, such as
a buoy ring or a foam noodle, rapidly over the surface of water to
a drowning person who is waiting for helps. The advantages of the
invention are to increase the efficiency of a rescue mission and to
reduce the risks a rescuer or a lifeguard encountered.
b) Description of the Prior Art
[0002] When a drowning person in the water is calling for helps,
the most important task for a lifeguard or a rescuer is to deliver
a buoy ring or an object with buoyancy rapidly to the drowning
person to grip and clamber about, and then to tow the drowning
person out of the water as quickly as possible.
[0003] In general, a lifeguard will either swim, carrying a
floating object, or throw out a buoy ring toward a drowning person.
However, it consumes a lot of physical strength for the lifeguard
to swim with a floating object against water resistance. In
addition, it causes huge risks for the lifeguard to deal with the
drowning person, such as to release grip and to free clutch of the
drowning person. As to throwing out a buoy ring, there are
limitations of accuracy in both the direction and the distance
depending on different lifeguards and the circumstances of the
rescue scene.
[0004] Accordingly, the abovementioned prior arts of rescuing a
drowning person are rather unsafe, inconvenient and inefficient
with many shortcomings to be improved.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] The primary object of the invention is to provide a water
propelling device for a life-saving buoy ring. The presented device
can be fastened to various types of objects with buoyancy such as a
standard buoy ring, a swim board or a foam noodle. Therefore, the
floating object is able to be transported rapidly over the surface
of water toward a drowning person who is waiting for helps by the
invented water propelling device. The invention thereby is able to
increase efficiency of the rescue mission and to prevent a
lifeguard or a rescuer from encountering risks.
[0006] In order to achieve the abovementioned object, the invention
discloses a water propelling device for a life-saving buoy ring
which comprises three mechanical parts, an adjustable clamp
apparatus, a waterproof chamber and a hydro-driving mechanism. A
control monitor with a screen panel, or a mobile phone with control
software installed, is used by a rescuer or a lifeguard to operate
the water propelling device remotely. Three mechanical parts are
connected together tightly to form a rigid structure.
[0007] The adjustable clamp apparatus is composed of an adjustable
clamp holder, an upper clamp and a lower clamp. The main function
of the adjustable clamp apparatus is to fasten firmly an object
with buoyance between the upper and the lower clamps. The clearance
between the upper and the lower clamps can be changed to suit
various types of floating object such as a buoy ring, a swim board
or a foam noodle by setting the opening of the adjustable clamp
holder.
[0008] The waterproof chamber is mounted on the top of the
adjustable clamp apparatus to ensure the waterproof chamber being
above the surface of water at all times in a rescue mission. Inside
the waterproof chamber, there are electronic circuit boards, a
power supply unit and batteries, a wireless signal communication
module and antennas, various sensor modules and an electronic speed
controller wired together to actuate and control movements of the
invented water propelling device with the fastened floating object
in the water. The command and response signals are exchanged
wirelessly between the remote operating rescuer through the control
monitor or the mobile phone and the waterproof chamber.
[0009] The hydro-driving mechanism is fixed to the bottom of the
adjustable clamp apparatus to ensure the hydro-driving mechanism
being submerged in the water at all times in a rescue mission. In
addition, the hydro-driving mechanism is connected to the
electronic speed controller inside the waterproof chamber by
electric cables to provide a propeller function, for moving forward
and backward, and a rudder function, for turning directions. The
propeller function and the rudder function work together
harmoniously enabling the invented water propelling device with the
fastened floating object to perform movements in the water.
[0010] As a result, to rescue a drowning person calling for helps,
a rescuer or a lifeguard fastens an object with buoyance available
in the rescue scene with the invented water propelling device
first, and puts the device and the floating object together in the
water. Then, the rescuer is able to deliver the floating object to
the drowning person by operating the control monitor or the mobile
phone which wirelessly connects with the invented water propelling
device. The command signals from the control monitor are received
by the wireless signal communication module and antennas, and are
transmitted to the electronic boards for processing. The output
signals for the propeller function and the rudder function are
generated accordingly and sent to the electronic speed controller
to actuate the hydro-driving mechanism. In the mean times, various
sensor modules inside the waterproof chamber collect surrounding
and status information during the rescue mission for the electronic
boards to process. The output signals are sent to the electronic
speed controller and the hydro-driving mechanism for
feedback-control adjustment of movements, and to the wireless
communication modules and antennas to transmit back to the control
monitor or the mobile phone for the rescuer to supervise.
[0011] Therefore, to rescue a drowning person in the water by the
invented water propelling device with a life-saving buoy ring is
able to resolve the limitations of the distance and the direction
of throwing out a buoy ring by different rescuers at different
rescue scenes. In addition, the rescuer will be released from the
risks of consuming physical strength and encountering resistance
against the drowning person to accomplish a rescue mission safely
and quickly.
[0012] To enable a further understanding of the said objectives and
technical methods of the invention herein, the drawings below are
followed by the detailed descriptions of the preferred
embodiments.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] FIG. 1 shows a three dimensional perspective view of the
water propelling device for a life-saving buoy ring, according to
present invention.
[0014] FIG. 2 shows an enlarged upper view of the water propelling
device with the waterproof chamber and the fastened life-saving
buoy ring, according to present invention.
[0015] FIG. 3 shows an enlarged lower view of the water propelling
device with the adjustable clamp apparatus and the hydro-driving
mechanism, according to present invention.
[0016] FIG. 4 shows a three-dimensional perspective view of the
water propelling device with the waterproof chamber, the adjustable
clamp apparatus and the hydro-driving mechanism, according to
present invention.
[0017] FIG. 5 shows a functional circuit diagram of the water
propelling device for a life-saving buoy ring, according to present
invention.
[0018] FIG. 6 shows a schematic view of the water propelling device
with a life-saving buoy ring working in the water, according to
present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0019] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 5, a water propelling device for a
life-saving buoy ring is disclosed, comprising an adjustable clamp
apparatus 10, a waterproof chamber 11, a hydro-driving mechanism 20
and a control monitor 30.
[0020] The adjustable clamp apparatus 10 fastened to a floating
object 40 of various types, such as a buoy ring, a swimming board
or a foam noodle, is fixed to the bottom of the waterproofed
chamber 11. The waterproof chamber 11 is equipped with electronic
circuit boards 12 connecting with a power supply unit and batteries
15, a wireless signal communication module and antennas 13, status
sensors 16, a GPS (Global Positioning System) 17, a camera 18, a
spotlight and a flashing light 19, a microphone 110, a speaker 111
as well as an electronic speed controller 14.
[0021] The hydro-driving mechanism 20 is fixed to the bottom of the
adjustable clamp apparatus 10 to transport the fastened buoy ring
40 over the surface of water. The electronic speed controller 14 is
wired with the hydro-driving mechanism 20, receiving signals
generated by the electronic circuit boards 12 to actuate and
control the rotating speeds of various propellers 21, 22 in the
hydro-driving mechanism 20.
[0022] The control monitor 30 is used to transmit command signals
wirelessly to the wireless signal communication module and antennas
13. The wireless command signals received by the wireless signal
communication module and antennas 13 are sent to the control
electronic circuit boards 12 for processing. The outputs are then
used by the electronic speed controller 14 to actuate the speed and
the direction of rotations of the propellers 21, 22 in the
hydro-driving mechanism 20. As a result, the invented water
propelling device with a fastened life-saving buoy ring 40 is able
to perform movements of moving forward and backward and turning
left and right in the water according to the operating commands of
the rescuer sending by the control monitor 30. Various type of
objects with buoyance can be used in a rescue mission by setting
the adjustable clamp apparatus 10 of the invented water propelling
device, as shown in FIG. 6.
[0023] When a drowning person is calling for helps, the rescuer can
deliver a buoy ring 40 rapidly over the surface of water to the
drowning person by operating the control monitor 30 and the
invention. Therefore, there will be no limitation of accuracy in
the distance and the direction of throwing out a life-saving buoy
ring. In addition, the rescuer does not have to swim toward the
drowning person with the buoy ring. The risks of consuming physical
strength and the dangers caused by the resistance of the drowning
person encountered by the rescuer are lessened.
[0024] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4 again, the adjustable clamp
apparatus 10 is provided with an L-shaped upper clamp 101 and a
lower clamp 102. The waterproof chamber 11 is mounted on the top of
the upper clamp 101, and the lower clamp 102 is fixed with the two
propellers 21, 22 of the hydro-driving mechanism 20. The adjustable
clamp holder is made up of two pins 1011, 1012 at one end of the
upper clamp 101 and two pinholes 1021, 1022 at one end of the lower
clamp 102. The two pins 1011, 1021 are put through the two pinholes
1021, 1022 to adjust the clearance between the upper clamp 101 and
the lower clamp 102 to suit various types of floating objects 40.
Furthermore, there are two slots 1013, 1023 provided at the other
ends of the upper clamp 101 and the lower clamp 102 respectively.
As a floating object 40 is set between the upper clamp 101 and the
lower clamp 102, a fixing element, such as a rope, a belt, a touch
fastener or a zip tie which is not shown in the drawings, is pulled
through the two slots 1013, 1023 to lace the two clamps 101, 102.
Therefore, the floating object 40 is fastened with the invented
water propelling device for a rescue mission.
[0025] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, the waterproof chamber 11 is
further equipped with a power supply unit and batteries 15 which is
connected with the electronic circuit boards 12 to supply the
required electricity to the invented device.
[0026] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 5 again, the waterproofed chamber 11
is further provided with motion and status sensors 16, a GPS
(Global Positioning System) 17 and a camera 18 which are connected
with the electronic circuit boards 12. The control monitor 30, or a
mobile phone installed with a control software, is equipped with a
display panel 31. The information collected by the motion and
status sensors 16, the geographical data recorded by the GPS 17 and
the images captured by the camera 18 are transmitted to the control
monitor 30 and displayed on the display panel 31 in real time.
According to the messages displayed, the rescuer is able to control
remotely the movements of the water propelling device with a
life-saving buoy ring 40 and supervise the rescue mission
continuously.
[0027] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 again, the waterproof chamber 11 is
equipped with a spotlight and a flashing light 19. The spotlight
and the flashing light 19 are connected with the electronic circuit
boards 12 to provide illumination for the rescue scene and the
warning light to the rescuer and the drowning person.
[0028] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 again, the waterproof chamber 11 is
further equipped with a microphone 110 and a speaker 111 which are
connected with the electronic circuit boards 12. The control
monitor 30 is equipped with a microphone 32 and a speaker 33. The
rescuer, by the microphone 32 and the speaker 33, is able to carry
out two-way wireless audio communications with the drowning person,
by the microphone 110 and the speaker 111.
[0029] In comparison to the prior arts, the invented water
propelling device for a life-saving buoy ring is provided with the
advantage that various types of floating objects, such as a ring
buoy, a swimming board or a foam noodle, can be delivered rapidly
over the surface of water to a drowning person waiting for helps,
so as to decrease the risks a rescuer encountered and to increase
the efficiency of a rescue mission.
[0030] It is of course to be understood that the embodiments
described herein is merely illustrative of the principles of the
invention and that a wide variety of modifications thereto may be
effected by persons skilled in the art without departing from the
spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following
claims.
* * * * *