CA2209288A1 - Refuge indicator - Google Patents
Refuge indicatorInfo
- Publication number
- CA2209288A1 CA2209288A1 CA002209288A CA2209288A CA2209288A1 CA 2209288 A1 CA2209288 A1 CA 2209288A1 CA 002209288 A CA002209288 A CA 002209288A CA 2209288 A CA2209288 A CA 2209288A CA 2209288 A1 CA2209288 A1 CA 2209288A1
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- balloon
- reflector
- refuge
- indicator according
- rib
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
Links
Classifications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G08—SIGNALLING
- G08B—SIGNALLING OR CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS
- G08B5/00—Visible signalling systems, e.g. personal calling systems, remote indication of seats occupied
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A62—LIFE-SAVING; FIRE-FIGHTING
- A62B—DEVICES, APPARATUS OR METHODS FOR LIFE-SAVING
- A62B99/00—Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
- B63C—LAUNCHING, HAULING-OUT, OR DRY-DOCKING OF VESSELS; LIFE-SAVING IN WATER; EQUIPMENT FOR DWELLING OR WORKING UNDER WATER; MEANS FOR SALVAGING OR SEARCHING FOR UNDERWATER OBJECTS
- B63C9/00—Life-saving in water
- B63C9/08—Life-buoys, e.g. rings; Life-belts, jackets, suits, or the like
- B63C9/20—Life-buoys, e.g. rings; Life-belts, jackets, suits, or the like characterised by signalling means, e.g. lights
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B64—AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; COSMONAUTICS
- B64B—LIGHTER-THAN AIR AIRCRAFT
- B64B1/00—Lighter-than-air aircraft
- B64B1/40—Balloons
- B64B1/50—Captive balloons
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G09—EDUCATION; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; ADVERTISING; SEALS
- G09F—DISPLAYING; ADVERTISING; SIGNS; LABELS OR NAME-PLATES; SEALS
- G09F19/00—Advertising or display means not otherwise provided for
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
- B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING
- B63B2201/00—Signalling devices
- B63B2201/12—Reflecting means
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
- B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING
- B63B2201/00—Signalling devices
- B63B2201/14—Balloon
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
- B63C—LAUNCHING, HAULING-OUT, OR DRY-DOCKING OF VESSELS; LIFE-SAVING IN WATER; EQUIPMENT FOR DWELLING OR WORKING UNDER WATER; MEANS FOR SALVAGING OR SEARCHING FOR UNDERWATER OBJECTS
- B63C9/00—Life-saving in water
- B63C9/08—Life-buoys, e.g. rings; Life-belts, jackets, suits, or the like
- B63C9/18—Inflatable equipment characterised by the gas-generating or inflation device
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Business, Economics & Management (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Emergency Management (AREA)
- Aviation & Aerospace Engineering (AREA)
- Ocean & Marine Engineering (AREA)
- Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- Accounting & Taxation (AREA)
- Marketing (AREA)
- Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
- Emergency Lowering Means (AREA)
- Audible And Visible Signals (AREA)
Abstract
A refuge indicator comprising a balloon (50) and a deformable reflector (75) provided in the balloon (50). The reflector (75) comprises a longitudinal reflector plate (81), a lateral reflector plate (82) and a horizontal reflector plate (83) which are vertical to one another, and a tensioning means (50a, 600) connected to the edges (81a, 82a, 83a) of the reflector plates and adapted to pull the reflector plates when the balloon is expanded.
Description
., .
REFUGE INDICATOR
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a refuge indicator for letting a rescue party or the like know whereabouts of a victim(s) or a sufferer(s) at the occurrence of a pressing or emergency distress such as a sea distress, a winter mountain disaster, a mountain disaster and a lost-way accident.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
in order to rescue a sufferer îrom a sea distress or the iike, it is necessary that rescuers locate the place of a distress at first.
ConventionallY~ a radar is used as a method for detecting the distress piace.
This detection method tracks down the distress place in such a manner that a sufferer iniects a gas into a balloon that he carries, to expand and release the balloon in the air while letting out a rope which is connected to the balloon so that the balloon can receive a radar wave and the radar can receive an echo wave (reception signal) from the balloon, with the result that rescuers track down the distress place.
With respect to the conventional balloon, a reflector surface is formed through vacuum evaporation of aluminium on a surface of a polYProPYlene film, a nylon film or the like so that the reflector surface can receive and reflect a radar ~ave.
.~ , However, with this detection method, the reflector surface assumes a spherical shape at the expansion of the balloon, so that the radar wave coming into collision with the reflector surface thereof diffuses over a wide range and reflects at random. As a result, the echo wave advances at random. For this reason, the radar experiences difficulty in catching the echo wave surely, which makes it difficult to locate the distress place quicklY and accurately, with the result that it becomes impossible to rescue a sufferer quicklY~
In addition, since the balloon is floating in the air, there is a possibility that rain droplets, snow and others adhere onto the reflector surface. In this state, when the radar wave comes to the reflector surface, a portion of the radar wave is absorbed by such adhered obiects, while the other portion of the radar wave reflects at random due to the adhered objects. Thus, the radar encounters further difficulty in receiving the reflected wave (reception signal).
In light of the foregoing circumstances, the present invention intends to provide a refuge indicator which enables rescures to locate the place of a distress quickly and accurately. Another object of this invention is to provide a refuge indicator which is convenient to carry.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A refuge indicator according to the present invention comprising; a flexibly transformable reflector provided within a balloon, wherein said reflector is made to take a designed shape in such a manner that its outer circumferential edge portions are pulled by tension means when the balloon is expanded.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the first embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken along the line Il-II of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken along the line III-III of Fig. 1.
Fig. 4 is a plan view showing the body when the cap shown in Fig. 1 and the balloon are detached therefrom.
Figs. 5A and 5B are illustrations of the air charging plug and the base shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 5A is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the air charging plug. Fig. 5B is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the base.
Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing the state of the use when the cap is removed.
Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing the state of the use when the gas bomb is opened.
Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing the state of the use when the balloon is separated from the base.
Fig. 9 is a perspective view showing the state of the use when the rope winding bar is separated from the base.
Fig. 10 is an illustration of the state of the use when the balloon is floating in the air at the place of a distress.
Fig. 11 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along the line VI-VI of Fig. 10.
Fig. 12 is an enlarged view showing a principal section of Fig. 11.
Fig. 13 is an enlarged perspective view showing the reflector chamber in Fig. 10.
Fig. 14 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the second embodiment of the present invention, corresponding to Fig. 11.
Fig. 15 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the third embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 16 is a perspective view showing the fourth embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 17 is a front elevational view showing the fourth embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 18 is a perspective view showing the fifth embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 19 is a perspective view showing the sixth embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 20 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the seventh embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 21 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the air charging plug of Fig. 20.
Fig. 22 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the balloon and the reflector.
Fig. 23 is an enlarged view showing a principal section of -Fig. 22.
Fig. 24 is an enlarged perspective view showing the triangular corner reflector.
Fig. 25 is an enlarged perspective view showing the reflector.
Fig. 26 is a cross-sectional view showing the eighth embodiment of this invention.
Fig. 27 is a perspective view showing the ninth embodiment of this invention.
Fig. 28 is a front elevational view showing the reflector of Fig. 27.
Fig. 29 is a perspective view showing the tenth embodiment of this invention.
Fig. 30 is a perspective view showing the eleventh embodiment of this invention.
Fig. 31 is a perspective view showing the twelfth embodiment of this invention.
Fig. 32 is an illustration of a portion of an enlarged cross section taken along the line XXXI-XXXI of Fig. 31.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF MOST PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
This inventor intended to solve the above-mentioned problems bY
placing an omnidirectional reflector within a balloon and sending up the balloon in the air above the place of a distress.
The omnidirectional reflector signifies a nondirectional reflector which can develop reflections in response to waves coming from all directions regardless of how the reflector is supported or how the reflector moves.
A so-called corner reflector has been known as such an omnidirectional reflector and is made to have a large effective reflection area despite being a small target. As one example of this corner reflector, a triangular corner reflector made with a combination of three metallic plates perpendicular to each other, is well known.
This triangular corner reflector is made of metallic plates with a high rigidity and is formed into a designed shape, hence it can not be transformed freely when necessary.
On the other hand, in order to place a reflector within a balloon, it is necessary that the reflector can be flexibly waded up and stored in the folded state when it is not used, and the reflector can be returned to the designed shape when it is used.
However, as mentioned above, the prior reflector is not flexibly transformable because it is made of a rigid metal, therefore, it is impossible to adopt the conventional reflector just us it is.
As a result of study, the inventor devised the reflector comprising flexibly transformable reflector plates to complete this invention, wherein outer circumferential edge portions of the reflector plates are fixed to a tension means for pulling them at the expansion or inflation of the balloon so that each of the reflector plates comes into a flat shape and the reflector takes its designed shape. This tension means can be an inner surface of the balloon fixedly adhered to outer circumferential edge portions of the reflector t plates, or the tension means can be a tube-like rib inflating simultaneouslY with the expansion of the balloon. The former tension means will be mainly described.
The balloon, accommodating a reflector, is made of a material which allows the transmission of a radar wave, and the ballon is strong and light in weight.
For example, there is an ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer resin as a usable material, but not particularly limited to this material.
A different material can be suitably adopted if necessary.
In addition, the given shape of the balloon at the expansion can be suitably chosen from a spherical shape, a cubic shape, a RugbY
ball shape or the like if necessarY.
The reflector needs to be freely defomable and return to its designed shape at the expansion of the balloon. The reason is that, if the reflector does not form the designed shape at the time the radar wave comes into collision with the reflector, the radar wave reflects at random. It hinders the radar from receiving the echo wave without fail.
This reflector is constructed as an omnidirectional reflector, for example, comprising three reflector plates perpendicular to each other, that is, composed of a disc-like longitudinal reflector plate, a disc-like lateral reflector plate and a disc-like horizontal reflector plate, to define eight reflector chambers in total: four on each of an upper surface and a lower surface of the horizontal reflector plate. Each of the reflector chambers is surrounded by three ,~
reflective surfaces normal to each other to create a triangular corner reflector.
Each of these reflector plates is made of the same material as that of the balloon, and a metallic layer with an excellent dielectric characteristic such as an aluminium layer by vacuum evaporation is formed on the surfaces of the reflector plates. This reflector plate is not necessarilY confined to this material, but a different material is adoptable if necessary.
The outer circumferential edge portions of the reflector plates are fixedly secured to an inner surface of the balloon. An air inlet of the balloon includes an air charging plug which is detachably coupled to a gas bomb. In this air charging plug, a check valve is provided for preventing leakage of a filler gas.
A string, a cord, a rope or the like (hereinafter refered to as a rope) is attached to the balloon for making a connection between a sufferer and the balloon. This rope is fixed to an air charging plug of the balloon, but the way of fixing the rope is not limited to this.
For example, it is also appropriate that the balloon is covered by a net and one end portion of the rope is fixed to this net.
In this instance, tensile force to the net is transmitted to the balloon dispersively, with the result that the balloon does not suffer a large load of the sectional tensile force.
When opening the gas bomb to supply a gas such as helium gas through the air inlet into the balloon, the gas comes into the respective reflector chambers through a supply and discharge common hole to expand the balloon so as to be the given shape. At this time, the outer circumferential edge portion of each of the reflector plates is pulled by the inner surface of the balloon so that each of the reflector plates takes a flat shaPe and with the result the reflector takes the designed shape.
After one end portion of the rope is fixedly secured to the clothes of the sufferer such as a life iacket, the air charge plug is cut off from the gas bomb so that the balloon floats in the air above the place of the distress.
If the radar wave advances toward the balloon, the radar wave comes into collision with the reflector and then reflects thereon toward the radar side, while the radar receives the echo signal (reception signal).
First Embodiment The first embodiment of the present invention will be described ~ with reference to Figs. 1 to 13.
A portable case A is made of a material having a corrosion resistance, a shock resistance, a heat resistance, and a cold resistance, and as examples of such a material, there are a synthetic resin, an ABS resin and the like.
This case A includes a body 1 and a cap 71, and its overall length is 245 mm.
The body 1 is equipped with a bomb housing section 6 and a partition plate 8 disposed on an upper end portion of the housing .~
section 6. This housing section 6 accommodates an air charging means such as a gas bomb 10 for supplying a gas into a balloon 50. In addition, a side surface of the body 1 has a holder 3 for supporting a band 4.
In the gas bomb 10, there is a sealed gas under the given pressure, for example, helium gas under a high pressure of 360 kg/cm2.
It is also appropriate that a flow controller is provided to the bomb 10 to regulate the flow rate of the gas for adiusting discharging pressure of the gas.
Further, the number of the bombs to be used can aPPropriatelY
be determined as necessary. For example, even one bomb 10 is appropriate.
The partition plate 8 of the bodY 1 is equipped with a rope housing section 11, an air inlet coupling section 15 and a slit 20 for the rotation of an L-shaped lever 62.
The rope housing section 11 accommodates a holding bar 12 detachably. A rope 13 is wound around this bar 12. The diameter, material, and length etc. of the rope 13 can be appropriately selected.
For example, a string or a cord is adoptable. As one example of the string, a silken gut for fishing lines is used.
Further, the air inlet coupling section 15 is provided with a base 16 having, at its central portion, a fitting hole 17 for receiving an air charging plug 51. This fitting hole 17 is coupled to one end of a common Pipe 30, and a spring section 18 is equiped on the central portion of the fitting hole 17.
This spring section 18 is constructed such that two triangular leaf springs 18a and 18b are combined with each other to be perpendicular to each other to form a quadrangular pYramid.
The air charging plug 51 of the balloon 50 is pushed in the fitting hole 17, and a stopper 40 is inserted into a stopper hole 19 that is open to a side surface of the base 16.
This stoPper hole 19 is communicated with a ring grove 52 made in an outer circumference of the air charging plug 51 and further coupled to an inner wall groove section 17a of the fitting hole 17, and the base 16 and the air charging plug 51 are integrally fixed bY
the insertion of the stopper 40 thereinto.
At this time, the air charging plug 51 is pressed by elastic force of the spring section 18 in the direction to push the air charging plug 51 out of the fitting hole 17. The stopper 40 is connected to a pull cord 41 for easy draw-out.
The gas bomb 10 housed in the housing section 6 is provided with a connection cap 60 which is coupled to the common pipe 30.
This cap 60 is equipped with a female screw section 61 engaged with the outlet of the bomb 10, an L-shaped lever 62 placed to be rotatable, and a needle 63 taking a sliding action in response to the rotation of the lever 62 in order to open the bomb 10.
One end portion 62a of the L-shaped lever 62 is tied with a pull cord 64, while the other end portion 62b thereof is placed into contact with a slidable supporting bar 65 of the needle 63.
The needle 63 is located within a gas passage 67 to be slidable therein and is alwaYs pressed by a coil spring 69 of a spring chamber 68 toward the L-shaped lever 62 side. This gas passage 67 communicates with a pipe connecting hole 66.
The air charging plug 51 is fixed in the air inlet 49 of the balloon 50, and a check valve 70 is fitted in a gas passing hole 53 of the air charging plug 51 in order to prevent gas leakage.
For example, the balloon 50 is made to expand into a spherical shape with a diameter of 400 mm when the air is supplied thereinto, and the balloon 50 is waded up and stuffed into a cap 71 when the air is discharged. The balloon 50 is made of a material which allows the transmission of the radar wave and which is strong and light in weight, particularly it is preferable to be made of a material havin~g an excellent corrosion resistance, shock resistance, heat resistance and cold resistance. An example of the usable material, there is an ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer resin, and when using this material, it is also possible to place a polyethylene 56 having a thickness of t2 = 15 ~ m on this resin 55 having a thickness of tl = 10 ~ m by polymerization as shown in Fig. 12. The balloon 50 accommodates an omnidirectional reflector 75. This reflector 75 is comprised of three disc-like reflector plates 81, 82 and 83.
These reflector plates 81 to 83 are arranged to be perpendicular to each other when the balloon 50 expands into a given shape, and their whole outer circumferential edge portions 81a, 82a and 83a are welded to an inner surface of the balloon 50a.
This reflector 75 partitions the interior of the balloon 50 into eight reflector chambers 75R, so that four reflector chambers 75R, each of them has a 1 / 8-spherical shaPe~ are defined on each of the upper and lower surfaces of the horizontal reflector plate 83.
This reflector chamber 75R has three reflective surfaces 81r, 82r and 83r which are arranged to meet at right angles ~ to each other to form a triangular corner reflector SCR.
As illustrated in Fig. 12, these reflector plates 81 to 83 are made up of an ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer resin 85 having a thickness of ts = 10 ~ m, an polyester 86 having a thickness of t6 = 15 ~ m placed on that copolymer resin 85 by porymerization, and an aluminium layer 87 formed on the polyester 86 by aluminium vacuum .
evaporation. For example, the thickness t~ of this aluminium layer 87 is made to be 400 angstroms. The thickness, material and others can be determined as needed. A supplY and discharge common hole 90 is made in the orthogonal center portion of the reflector Plates 81 to 83.
This supply and discharge hole 90 communicates with the gas passage 53 of the air charging plug 51.
Next, an operation of this embodiment will be described.
In case of a distress at sea, a sufferer peels off the tape 5 of the portable case A attached to the band 4, and open the cap 71 by a hand H as shown in Fig. 6. Then, the balloon 50A which is crumpled into a small volume and the pull cords 64 for pulling L-shaPed levers appear in sight.
When one of the pull cords 64 is Pulled as shown in Fig. 7, the .~
L-shaped lever 62 is rotated so as to press and slide the supporting lever 65 toward the gas bomb 10.
Owing to this sliding motion of the supporting lever 65, the needle 63 goes down and open a seal cover of the outlet of the bomb 10 by penetrating the seal cover.
~ hen the pull cord 64 is further pulled, one end portion 62b of the L-shaPed lever 62 goes up and the supporting lever 65 moves upwardlY by the helP of the force of the coil spring 69, so that the needle 63 returns to its original position.
When the seal cover of the bomb 10 is opened, the gas in the bomb 10 passes through the pipe connection hole 66 of the gas passage 67, and the common pipe 30 succesively, and then flows into the fitting hole 17 of the air inlet coupling section 15.
When this bomb 10 becomes empty, the other pull cord 64 is pulled to supplY the gas in the other bomb 10 to the air inlet coupling section 15 in the same waY.
The gas introduced into the fitting hole 17 passes through the gas passing hole 53 of the air charging plug 51 to flow into the balloon 50 and further goes through the supply and discharge common hole 90 to the respective reflector chambers 75R to bring the balloon 50 inflating and taking the given shape.
With the inflation of the balloon 50, the outer circumferential edge portions 81a to 83a of the respective reflector plates 81 to 83 are pulled outwardly bY the inner surface 50a of the balloon 50, with the result that each of the respective reflector plates 81 to 83 comes into a flat plate shaPe and meets at right angles to each other, so that four triangular corner reflectors as shown in Fig. 13 are formed on each of the upper and lower surfaces of the horizontal reflector plate 83, that is, eight triangular corner reflectors in total are formed thereon, thus assuming the designed shape.
The balloon 50 gradually inflates as shown in Fig. 8. After the balloon 50 expands into the designed shape and the sound of air charging stoPs, the pull cord 41 is drawn toward the front side so that the stopper 40 is pulled out from the stopper hole 19, and the air charging plug 51 is pulled out from the fitting hole 17.
At this time, since the air charging plug 51 is pressed against the balloon 50 side by the spring section 18, the air charging plug 51 instantly iumPs out from the fitting hole 17 by the spring force of the spring section 18 when the stopper 40 is drawn out.
As shown in Fig. 9, the holding bar 12 is drawn from the rope housing section 11 and is fixed to a fitting section of the life jacket L, and the holder 3 is detached from the band 4, and then the portable case A is thrown away.
When a radar wave W is transmitted from a radar (not shown) and incidents on the balloon 50, the radar wave W runs into any one surface (81r) of the three reflective surfaces 81r, 82r and 83r which are perpendicular to each other creates the first reflected wave rwl. This reflected wave rwl further comes into collision with the reflective surface 82r to create the second reflected wave rw2.
This second reflected wave r~2 still further collides against the reflective surface 83r to create the third reflected wave rw3. This third reflected wave rw3 reflects back in the direction that the radar wave initially came from.
Thus, after the triple reflections, the radar wave W reflects back in the direction to the incident direction so as to be caught by the radar.
Since the distress place is detected in this way, it is possible to quickly and surelY rescue sufferers. In addition, since the balloon and the reflector are flexiblY transformable, theY can be stored in the crumpled state and they are convenient to carry.
The balloon in this embodiment can continuously float in the air for several weeks or more.
Second Embodiment The second embodiment of the present invention will be described with Fig. 14. The difference between this embodiment and the first embodiment is the fixing method between the outer circumferential edge portions 81a to 83a of the reflector plates 81 to 83 and the inner surface 50a of the balloon 50. That is, in this embodiment, in place of the overall outer circumferential edge portions 81a to 83a being welded thereto, the outer circumferential edge portions 81a to 83a are thermo-pressure-welded to the inner surface of the balloon, leaving gas gap portions 83G. Since this allows the gas to be supplied and discharged through the gas gap portions 83G, the suPPlY and discharge common hole 90 of the first embodiment can be omissible. The size and number of gas gap portions 83G can be appropriately determined, taking into consideration the strength of the reflector and others. For example, four gas gap portions 83G are formed at equal intervals along a circumferential direction.
Third Embodiment The third embodiment of the present invention will be described with Fig. 15. The difference between this embodiment and the first embodiment is the fixing method of the rope 13. That is, in this embodiment, instead of the rope 13 being connected with the air charging plug 51, the balloon 50 is covered with a net 100 and the rope 13 is connected to the net 100.
The size of the meshes, the material and others of the net 100 can be appropriately determined if necessary. For example, it is possible to employ a net made of siIken gut for fishing lines. Through the use of the net 100, when the rope 13 is drawn, tensile force is transmitted through the net 100 to the balloon 50, which can prevent the balloon 50 from experiencing a large load of the sectional tensile force.
Fourth Embodiment The fourth embodiment of this invention will be described with Figs. 16 and 17. The difference between this embodiment and the first embodiment is as follows:
(1) The material of a balloon 150 is an acrylic nitrile stylene acrylic ester, and the shape of the balloon 150 at its inflation takes a regular cube. The length of one side of this regular cube is made to be, for example, 400 mm.
REFUGE INDICATOR
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a refuge indicator for letting a rescue party or the like know whereabouts of a victim(s) or a sufferer(s) at the occurrence of a pressing or emergency distress such as a sea distress, a winter mountain disaster, a mountain disaster and a lost-way accident.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
in order to rescue a sufferer îrom a sea distress or the iike, it is necessary that rescuers locate the place of a distress at first.
ConventionallY~ a radar is used as a method for detecting the distress piace.
This detection method tracks down the distress place in such a manner that a sufferer iniects a gas into a balloon that he carries, to expand and release the balloon in the air while letting out a rope which is connected to the balloon so that the balloon can receive a radar wave and the radar can receive an echo wave (reception signal) from the balloon, with the result that rescuers track down the distress place.
With respect to the conventional balloon, a reflector surface is formed through vacuum evaporation of aluminium on a surface of a polYProPYlene film, a nylon film or the like so that the reflector surface can receive and reflect a radar ~ave.
.~ , However, with this detection method, the reflector surface assumes a spherical shape at the expansion of the balloon, so that the radar wave coming into collision with the reflector surface thereof diffuses over a wide range and reflects at random. As a result, the echo wave advances at random. For this reason, the radar experiences difficulty in catching the echo wave surely, which makes it difficult to locate the distress place quicklY and accurately, with the result that it becomes impossible to rescue a sufferer quicklY~
In addition, since the balloon is floating in the air, there is a possibility that rain droplets, snow and others adhere onto the reflector surface. In this state, when the radar wave comes to the reflector surface, a portion of the radar wave is absorbed by such adhered obiects, while the other portion of the radar wave reflects at random due to the adhered objects. Thus, the radar encounters further difficulty in receiving the reflected wave (reception signal).
In light of the foregoing circumstances, the present invention intends to provide a refuge indicator which enables rescures to locate the place of a distress quickly and accurately. Another object of this invention is to provide a refuge indicator which is convenient to carry.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A refuge indicator according to the present invention comprising; a flexibly transformable reflector provided within a balloon, wherein said reflector is made to take a designed shape in such a manner that its outer circumferential edge portions are pulled by tension means when the balloon is expanded.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the first embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken along the line Il-II of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken along the line III-III of Fig. 1.
Fig. 4 is a plan view showing the body when the cap shown in Fig. 1 and the balloon are detached therefrom.
Figs. 5A and 5B are illustrations of the air charging plug and the base shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 5A is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the air charging plug. Fig. 5B is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the base.
Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing the state of the use when the cap is removed.
Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing the state of the use when the gas bomb is opened.
Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing the state of the use when the balloon is separated from the base.
Fig. 9 is a perspective view showing the state of the use when the rope winding bar is separated from the base.
Fig. 10 is an illustration of the state of the use when the balloon is floating in the air at the place of a distress.
Fig. 11 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along the line VI-VI of Fig. 10.
Fig. 12 is an enlarged view showing a principal section of Fig. 11.
Fig. 13 is an enlarged perspective view showing the reflector chamber in Fig. 10.
Fig. 14 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the second embodiment of the present invention, corresponding to Fig. 11.
Fig. 15 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the third embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 16 is a perspective view showing the fourth embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 17 is a front elevational view showing the fourth embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 18 is a perspective view showing the fifth embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 19 is a perspective view showing the sixth embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 20 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the seventh embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 21 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the air charging plug of Fig. 20.
Fig. 22 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the balloon and the reflector.
Fig. 23 is an enlarged view showing a principal section of -Fig. 22.
Fig. 24 is an enlarged perspective view showing the triangular corner reflector.
Fig. 25 is an enlarged perspective view showing the reflector.
Fig. 26 is a cross-sectional view showing the eighth embodiment of this invention.
Fig. 27 is a perspective view showing the ninth embodiment of this invention.
Fig. 28 is a front elevational view showing the reflector of Fig. 27.
Fig. 29 is a perspective view showing the tenth embodiment of this invention.
Fig. 30 is a perspective view showing the eleventh embodiment of this invention.
Fig. 31 is a perspective view showing the twelfth embodiment of this invention.
Fig. 32 is an illustration of a portion of an enlarged cross section taken along the line XXXI-XXXI of Fig. 31.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF MOST PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
This inventor intended to solve the above-mentioned problems bY
placing an omnidirectional reflector within a balloon and sending up the balloon in the air above the place of a distress.
The omnidirectional reflector signifies a nondirectional reflector which can develop reflections in response to waves coming from all directions regardless of how the reflector is supported or how the reflector moves.
A so-called corner reflector has been known as such an omnidirectional reflector and is made to have a large effective reflection area despite being a small target. As one example of this corner reflector, a triangular corner reflector made with a combination of three metallic plates perpendicular to each other, is well known.
This triangular corner reflector is made of metallic plates with a high rigidity and is formed into a designed shape, hence it can not be transformed freely when necessary.
On the other hand, in order to place a reflector within a balloon, it is necessary that the reflector can be flexibly waded up and stored in the folded state when it is not used, and the reflector can be returned to the designed shape when it is used.
However, as mentioned above, the prior reflector is not flexibly transformable because it is made of a rigid metal, therefore, it is impossible to adopt the conventional reflector just us it is.
As a result of study, the inventor devised the reflector comprising flexibly transformable reflector plates to complete this invention, wherein outer circumferential edge portions of the reflector plates are fixed to a tension means for pulling them at the expansion or inflation of the balloon so that each of the reflector plates comes into a flat shape and the reflector takes its designed shape. This tension means can be an inner surface of the balloon fixedly adhered to outer circumferential edge portions of the reflector t plates, or the tension means can be a tube-like rib inflating simultaneouslY with the expansion of the balloon. The former tension means will be mainly described.
The balloon, accommodating a reflector, is made of a material which allows the transmission of a radar wave, and the ballon is strong and light in weight.
For example, there is an ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer resin as a usable material, but not particularly limited to this material.
A different material can be suitably adopted if necessary.
In addition, the given shape of the balloon at the expansion can be suitably chosen from a spherical shape, a cubic shape, a RugbY
ball shape or the like if necessarY.
The reflector needs to be freely defomable and return to its designed shape at the expansion of the balloon. The reason is that, if the reflector does not form the designed shape at the time the radar wave comes into collision with the reflector, the radar wave reflects at random. It hinders the radar from receiving the echo wave without fail.
This reflector is constructed as an omnidirectional reflector, for example, comprising three reflector plates perpendicular to each other, that is, composed of a disc-like longitudinal reflector plate, a disc-like lateral reflector plate and a disc-like horizontal reflector plate, to define eight reflector chambers in total: four on each of an upper surface and a lower surface of the horizontal reflector plate. Each of the reflector chambers is surrounded by three ,~
reflective surfaces normal to each other to create a triangular corner reflector.
Each of these reflector plates is made of the same material as that of the balloon, and a metallic layer with an excellent dielectric characteristic such as an aluminium layer by vacuum evaporation is formed on the surfaces of the reflector plates. This reflector plate is not necessarilY confined to this material, but a different material is adoptable if necessary.
The outer circumferential edge portions of the reflector plates are fixedly secured to an inner surface of the balloon. An air inlet of the balloon includes an air charging plug which is detachably coupled to a gas bomb. In this air charging plug, a check valve is provided for preventing leakage of a filler gas.
A string, a cord, a rope or the like (hereinafter refered to as a rope) is attached to the balloon for making a connection between a sufferer and the balloon. This rope is fixed to an air charging plug of the balloon, but the way of fixing the rope is not limited to this.
For example, it is also appropriate that the balloon is covered by a net and one end portion of the rope is fixed to this net.
In this instance, tensile force to the net is transmitted to the balloon dispersively, with the result that the balloon does not suffer a large load of the sectional tensile force.
When opening the gas bomb to supply a gas such as helium gas through the air inlet into the balloon, the gas comes into the respective reflector chambers through a supply and discharge common hole to expand the balloon so as to be the given shape. At this time, the outer circumferential edge portion of each of the reflector plates is pulled by the inner surface of the balloon so that each of the reflector plates takes a flat shaPe and with the result the reflector takes the designed shape.
After one end portion of the rope is fixedly secured to the clothes of the sufferer such as a life iacket, the air charge plug is cut off from the gas bomb so that the balloon floats in the air above the place of the distress.
If the radar wave advances toward the balloon, the radar wave comes into collision with the reflector and then reflects thereon toward the radar side, while the radar receives the echo signal (reception signal).
First Embodiment The first embodiment of the present invention will be described ~ with reference to Figs. 1 to 13.
A portable case A is made of a material having a corrosion resistance, a shock resistance, a heat resistance, and a cold resistance, and as examples of such a material, there are a synthetic resin, an ABS resin and the like.
This case A includes a body 1 and a cap 71, and its overall length is 245 mm.
The body 1 is equipped with a bomb housing section 6 and a partition plate 8 disposed on an upper end portion of the housing .~
section 6. This housing section 6 accommodates an air charging means such as a gas bomb 10 for supplying a gas into a balloon 50. In addition, a side surface of the body 1 has a holder 3 for supporting a band 4.
In the gas bomb 10, there is a sealed gas under the given pressure, for example, helium gas under a high pressure of 360 kg/cm2.
It is also appropriate that a flow controller is provided to the bomb 10 to regulate the flow rate of the gas for adiusting discharging pressure of the gas.
Further, the number of the bombs to be used can aPPropriatelY
be determined as necessary. For example, even one bomb 10 is appropriate.
The partition plate 8 of the bodY 1 is equipped with a rope housing section 11, an air inlet coupling section 15 and a slit 20 for the rotation of an L-shaped lever 62.
The rope housing section 11 accommodates a holding bar 12 detachably. A rope 13 is wound around this bar 12. The diameter, material, and length etc. of the rope 13 can be appropriately selected.
For example, a string or a cord is adoptable. As one example of the string, a silken gut for fishing lines is used.
Further, the air inlet coupling section 15 is provided with a base 16 having, at its central portion, a fitting hole 17 for receiving an air charging plug 51. This fitting hole 17 is coupled to one end of a common Pipe 30, and a spring section 18 is equiped on the central portion of the fitting hole 17.
This spring section 18 is constructed such that two triangular leaf springs 18a and 18b are combined with each other to be perpendicular to each other to form a quadrangular pYramid.
The air charging plug 51 of the balloon 50 is pushed in the fitting hole 17, and a stopper 40 is inserted into a stopper hole 19 that is open to a side surface of the base 16.
This stoPper hole 19 is communicated with a ring grove 52 made in an outer circumference of the air charging plug 51 and further coupled to an inner wall groove section 17a of the fitting hole 17, and the base 16 and the air charging plug 51 are integrally fixed bY
the insertion of the stopper 40 thereinto.
At this time, the air charging plug 51 is pressed by elastic force of the spring section 18 in the direction to push the air charging plug 51 out of the fitting hole 17. The stopper 40 is connected to a pull cord 41 for easy draw-out.
The gas bomb 10 housed in the housing section 6 is provided with a connection cap 60 which is coupled to the common pipe 30.
This cap 60 is equipped with a female screw section 61 engaged with the outlet of the bomb 10, an L-shaped lever 62 placed to be rotatable, and a needle 63 taking a sliding action in response to the rotation of the lever 62 in order to open the bomb 10.
One end portion 62a of the L-shaped lever 62 is tied with a pull cord 64, while the other end portion 62b thereof is placed into contact with a slidable supporting bar 65 of the needle 63.
The needle 63 is located within a gas passage 67 to be slidable therein and is alwaYs pressed by a coil spring 69 of a spring chamber 68 toward the L-shaped lever 62 side. This gas passage 67 communicates with a pipe connecting hole 66.
The air charging plug 51 is fixed in the air inlet 49 of the balloon 50, and a check valve 70 is fitted in a gas passing hole 53 of the air charging plug 51 in order to prevent gas leakage.
For example, the balloon 50 is made to expand into a spherical shape with a diameter of 400 mm when the air is supplied thereinto, and the balloon 50 is waded up and stuffed into a cap 71 when the air is discharged. The balloon 50 is made of a material which allows the transmission of the radar wave and which is strong and light in weight, particularly it is preferable to be made of a material havin~g an excellent corrosion resistance, shock resistance, heat resistance and cold resistance. An example of the usable material, there is an ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer resin, and when using this material, it is also possible to place a polyethylene 56 having a thickness of t2 = 15 ~ m on this resin 55 having a thickness of tl = 10 ~ m by polymerization as shown in Fig. 12. The balloon 50 accommodates an omnidirectional reflector 75. This reflector 75 is comprised of three disc-like reflector plates 81, 82 and 83.
These reflector plates 81 to 83 are arranged to be perpendicular to each other when the balloon 50 expands into a given shape, and their whole outer circumferential edge portions 81a, 82a and 83a are welded to an inner surface of the balloon 50a.
This reflector 75 partitions the interior of the balloon 50 into eight reflector chambers 75R, so that four reflector chambers 75R, each of them has a 1 / 8-spherical shaPe~ are defined on each of the upper and lower surfaces of the horizontal reflector plate 83.
This reflector chamber 75R has three reflective surfaces 81r, 82r and 83r which are arranged to meet at right angles ~ to each other to form a triangular corner reflector SCR.
As illustrated in Fig. 12, these reflector plates 81 to 83 are made up of an ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer resin 85 having a thickness of ts = 10 ~ m, an polyester 86 having a thickness of t6 = 15 ~ m placed on that copolymer resin 85 by porymerization, and an aluminium layer 87 formed on the polyester 86 by aluminium vacuum .
evaporation. For example, the thickness t~ of this aluminium layer 87 is made to be 400 angstroms. The thickness, material and others can be determined as needed. A supplY and discharge common hole 90 is made in the orthogonal center portion of the reflector Plates 81 to 83.
This supply and discharge hole 90 communicates with the gas passage 53 of the air charging plug 51.
Next, an operation of this embodiment will be described.
In case of a distress at sea, a sufferer peels off the tape 5 of the portable case A attached to the band 4, and open the cap 71 by a hand H as shown in Fig. 6. Then, the balloon 50A which is crumpled into a small volume and the pull cords 64 for pulling L-shaPed levers appear in sight.
When one of the pull cords 64 is Pulled as shown in Fig. 7, the .~
L-shaped lever 62 is rotated so as to press and slide the supporting lever 65 toward the gas bomb 10.
Owing to this sliding motion of the supporting lever 65, the needle 63 goes down and open a seal cover of the outlet of the bomb 10 by penetrating the seal cover.
~ hen the pull cord 64 is further pulled, one end portion 62b of the L-shaPed lever 62 goes up and the supporting lever 65 moves upwardlY by the helP of the force of the coil spring 69, so that the needle 63 returns to its original position.
When the seal cover of the bomb 10 is opened, the gas in the bomb 10 passes through the pipe connection hole 66 of the gas passage 67, and the common pipe 30 succesively, and then flows into the fitting hole 17 of the air inlet coupling section 15.
When this bomb 10 becomes empty, the other pull cord 64 is pulled to supplY the gas in the other bomb 10 to the air inlet coupling section 15 in the same waY.
The gas introduced into the fitting hole 17 passes through the gas passing hole 53 of the air charging plug 51 to flow into the balloon 50 and further goes through the supply and discharge common hole 90 to the respective reflector chambers 75R to bring the balloon 50 inflating and taking the given shape.
With the inflation of the balloon 50, the outer circumferential edge portions 81a to 83a of the respective reflector plates 81 to 83 are pulled outwardly bY the inner surface 50a of the balloon 50, with the result that each of the respective reflector plates 81 to 83 comes into a flat plate shaPe and meets at right angles to each other, so that four triangular corner reflectors as shown in Fig. 13 are formed on each of the upper and lower surfaces of the horizontal reflector plate 83, that is, eight triangular corner reflectors in total are formed thereon, thus assuming the designed shape.
The balloon 50 gradually inflates as shown in Fig. 8. After the balloon 50 expands into the designed shape and the sound of air charging stoPs, the pull cord 41 is drawn toward the front side so that the stopper 40 is pulled out from the stopper hole 19, and the air charging plug 51 is pulled out from the fitting hole 17.
At this time, since the air charging plug 51 is pressed against the balloon 50 side by the spring section 18, the air charging plug 51 instantly iumPs out from the fitting hole 17 by the spring force of the spring section 18 when the stopper 40 is drawn out.
As shown in Fig. 9, the holding bar 12 is drawn from the rope housing section 11 and is fixed to a fitting section of the life jacket L, and the holder 3 is detached from the band 4, and then the portable case A is thrown away.
When a radar wave W is transmitted from a radar (not shown) and incidents on the balloon 50, the radar wave W runs into any one surface (81r) of the three reflective surfaces 81r, 82r and 83r which are perpendicular to each other creates the first reflected wave rwl. This reflected wave rwl further comes into collision with the reflective surface 82r to create the second reflected wave rw2.
This second reflected wave r~2 still further collides against the reflective surface 83r to create the third reflected wave rw3. This third reflected wave rw3 reflects back in the direction that the radar wave initially came from.
Thus, after the triple reflections, the radar wave W reflects back in the direction to the incident direction so as to be caught by the radar.
Since the distress place is detected in this way, it is possible to quickly and surelY rescue sufferers. In addition, since the balloon and the reflector are flexiblY transformable, theY can be stored in the crumpled state and they are convenient to carry.
The balloon in this embodiment can continuously float in the air for several weeks or more.
Second Embodiment The second embodiment of the present invention will be described with Fig. 14. The difference between this embodiment and the first embodiment is the fixing method between the outer circumferential edge portions 81a to 83a of the reflector plates 81 to 83 and the inner surface 50a of the balloon 50. That is, in this embodiment, in place of the overall outer circumferential edge portions 81a to 83a being welded thereto, the outer circumferential edge portions 81a to 83a are thermo-pressure-welded to the inner surface of the balloon, leaving gas gap portions 83G. Since this allows the gas to be supplied and discharged through the gas gap portions 83G, the suPPlY and discharge common hole 90 of the first embodiment can be omissible. The size and number of gas gap portions 83G can be appropriately determined, taking into consideration the strength of the reflector and others. For example, four gas gap portions 83G are formed at equal intervals along a circumferential direction.
Third Embodiment The third embodiment of the present invention will be described with Fig. 15. The difference between this embodiment and the first embodiment is the fixing method of the rope 13. That is, in this embodiment, instead of the rope 13 being connected with the air charging plug 51, the balloon 50 is covered with a net 100 and the rope 13 is connected to the net 100.
The size of the meshes, the material and others of the net 100 can be appropriately determined if necessary. For example, it is possible to employ a net made of siIken gut for fishing lines. Through the use of the net 100, when the rope 13 is drawn, tensile force is transmitted through the net 100 to the balloon 50, which can prevent the balloon 50 from experiencing a large load of the sectional tensile force.
Fourth Embodiment The fourth embodiment of this invention will be described with Figs. 16 and 17. The difference between this embodiment and the first embodiment is as follows:
(1) The material of a balloon 150 is an acrylic nitrile stylene acrylic ester, and the shape of the balloon 150 at its inflation takes a regular cube. The length of one side of this regular cube is made to be, for example, 400 mm.
(2) A reflector 175 is formed with square reflector plates 181 to 183, and the diagonal line 183a of the horizontal reflector plate 183 is made to coincide with the diagonal line of the longitudinal reflector plate 181 so that both the reflector plates 183 and 181 meet at right angles to each other, while the other diagonal line 183b of the reflector plate 183 is made to coincide with the diagonal line of the lateral reflector plate 182 so that both the reflector plates 183 and 182 meet at right angles with each other. In addition, in the balloon 150, triangular pyramid reflector chambers 175R are formed, each of them is surrounded by reflective surfaces 181r, 182r and 183r each having a right-angled isosceles triangular shape. These three reflective surfaces of the reflector chambers 175R meet at right angles ~ to one another to comprise a triangular corner reflector SCR.
Fifth Embodiment The fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described with Fig. 18. The difference between this embodiment and the first embodiment is as follows:
(1) A balloon 250 assumes a regular cube when it is inflated.
(2) A reflector 275 is constructed with square reflector plates 281 to 283, and the longitudinal reflector plate 281 and the lateral reflector plate 282 are disposed on the middle point connecting lines .~
283a and 283b of the horizontal reflector plate 283 to intersect perpendicularlY to each other.
Regular cube reflector chambers 275R are formed, each of them is surrounded by square reflective surfaces 281r, 282r and 283r.
These three reflective surfaces of the reflector chambers 275R
meet at right angles ~ to one another to constitute a triangular corner reflector SCR. Incidentally, the middle point connecting line means the straight line making connection between the middle points of respective two opposite sides of the horizontal reflector plate.
Sixth Embodiment The sixth embodiment of the present invention will be described with Fig. 19. The difference between this embodiment and the fifth embodiment is that the longitudinal reflector plate 281 and the lateral reflector plate 282 are positioned on the diagonal lines 283a and 283b of the horizontal reflector plate 283, and a triangular prism reflector chambers 375R are defined, each of them is surrounded by reflective surfaces 281r, 282r and 283r. These three reflective surfaces 281r, 282r and 283r of the reflector chambers 375R intersect with one another to make right angles ~ to make up a triangular corner reflector SCR.
Seventh Embodiment The seventh embodiment of the present invention will be described with Figs. 20 to 25. The difference between this embodiment and the first embodiment (Figs. 1 to 13) is as follows:
(1) A balloon B50 and a reflector B75 are separately formed and independent of each other so that each of B50 and B75 are independently transformable each other. Further, a tube-like rib 600 is provided tension means for pulling the outer circumferential edge portions of the reflector.
This tube-like rib 600 is fixedly secured to outer circumferential edge portions 81a, 82b and 83c of the reflector plates and is made to expand to pull the reflector plates at the inflation of the balloon B50, so that the reflector takes the designed shape.
Further, the tube-like rib 600 communicates with the second gas passing hole 53b of the air charging plug 51 and is made of the same transformable material as that of the balloon B50. For example, the rib 600 is made of an ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer resin having a diameter of ~ = 10 mm. The material and diameter can be determined appropriately as necessary.
The reflector plates 81 to 83 come into a state of being perpendicular to each other when the tube-like rib 600, inflating simultaneously with the balloon B50, gets into the given shape, and the outer circumferential edge portions 81a, 82a and 83a are welded to the tube-like rib 600 over their overall lengths.
In the balloon B50, the reflector B75 establishes four 1 / 8-spherical reflector chambers 75R on each of the upper and lower surfaces of the horizontal reflector plate 83. The three reflective surfaces 81r, 82r and 83r of the reflector chambers 75R meet at right angles to each other to form a triangular corner reflector SCR.
The gas, flowing from the gas bomb 10 into the fitting hole 17, passes through the gas passing holes 53a and 53b and subsequently comes into the balloon B50 and the tube-like rib 600 so that both B50 and 600 respectively inflate to have the given shapes. In accordance with the expansion of this tube-like rib 600, the outer circumferential edge portions 81a to 83a of the respective reflector plates 81 to 83 are pulled outwardly by the tube-like rib 600, with the result that each of the respective reflector plates 81 to 83 assume a flat plate shape to intersect perpendicularly to each other so that four triangular corner reflectors SCR (as shown in Fig. 24) are formed on each of the upper and lower surfaces of the horizontal reflector plate 83 and take their designed shapes as shown in Fig. 25 (eight in total). In this instance, the inner diameter DB of the balloon B50 and the outer diameter DR of the tube-like rib 600 are set to be equal to each other. Accordingly, when inflated to take the designed shapes, both are placed into contact with each other, and hence the tube-like rib 600 can accurately assume its designed shape due to the restriction on its deformation by the inner surface of the balloon B50.
If close contact with B50 and 600 obstructs the smooth flow of the gas into the balloon B50, the supply rate of the gas, the supply starting time and others can be adjusted so that the tube-like rib 600 comes into the designed shape after the balloon B50 does, or a common gas passing hole can be made in the central portion of the intersection of the respective reflector plates 81, 82 and 83 to communicate with the respective reflector chambers 75R.
(2) First and second gas passing holes 53a and 53b are made in the air charging plug 51. The first gas passing hole 53a is communicated with the interior of the balloon B50, whereas the second gas passing hole 53b is branched from the first gas passing hole 53a and is communicated with the interior of the tube-like rib 600. Instead of a common use of the air chaging plug 51, it is also possible to provide two air charging plugs, one is for the balloon and the other is for the tube-like rib respectivelY.
Eighth Embodiment The eighth embodiment of the present invention will be described with Fig. 26. The difference between this embodiment and the seventh embodiment is as follows:
(1) Instead of the rope 13 being connected to the air charging plug 51, the balloon B50 is covered by a net 100 and the rope 13 is connected to the net 100.
The size of the meshes and the material of the net 100 can be appropriatelY selected as needed. For example, the net 100 can be made using a silken gut for fishing lines. Upon utilizing this net 100, when the roPe 13 is drawn, tensile force is transmitted through the net 100 to the balloon B50, with the result that the balloon B50 does not experience a large load of the force locally or intensively.
(2) The outer diameter DR of the tube-like rib 600 is made to be smaller than the inner diameter DB of the balloon B50. With this structure, a gap is defined therebetween at the time of the expansion, so that the tube-like rib 600 gets into a floating state within the balloon B50.
Ninth Embodiment The ninth embodiment of the present invention will be described with Figs. 27 and 28. The difference between this embodiment and the seventh embodiment is as follows:
(1) The material of a balloon B150 is an acrylic nitrile stylene acrylic ester.
(2) The outer diameter DR of the tube-like rib 600 is made to be smaller than the inner DB of the baiioon Bi5û. 'w'hereupon, a gap is ~ defined therebetween at the expansion so that the tube-like rib 600 gets into a floating state within the balloon B150.
Fifth Embodiment The fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described with Fig. 18. The difference between this embodiment and the first embodiment is as follows:
(1) A balloon 250 assumes a regular cube when it is inflated.
(2) A reflector 275 is constructed with square reflector plates 281 to 283, and the longitudinal reflector plate 281 and the lateral reflector plate 282 are disposed on the middle point connecting lines .~
283a and 283b of the horizontal reflector plate 283 to intersect perpendicularlY to each other.
Regular cube reflector chambers 275R are formed, each of them is surrounded by square reflective surfaces 281r, 282r and 283r.
These three reflective surfaces of the reflector chambers 275R
meet at right angles ~ to one another to constitute a triangular corner reflector SCR. Incidentally, the middle point connecting line means the straight line making connection between the middle points of respective two opposite sides of the horizontal reflector plate.
Sixth Embodiment The sixth embodiment of the present invention will be described with Fig. 19. The difference between this embodiment and the fifth embodiment is that the longitudinal reflector plate 281 and the lateral reflector plate 282 are positioned on the diagonal lines 283a and 283b of the horizontal reflector plate 283, and a triangular prism reflector chambers 375R are defined, each of them is surrounded by reflective surfaces 281r, 282r and 283r. These three reflective surfaces 281r, 282r and 283r of the reflector chambers 375R intersect with one another to make right angles ~ to make up a triangular corner reflector SCR.
Seventh Embodiment The seventh embodiment of the present invention will be described with Figs. 20 to 25. The difference between this embodiment and the first embodiment (Figs. 1 to 13) is as follows:
(1) A balloon B50 and a reflector B75 are separately formed and independent of each other so that each of B50 and B75 are independently transformable each other. Further, a tube-like rib 600 is provided tension means for pulling the outer circumferential edge portions of the reflector.
This tube-like rib 600 is fixedly secured to outer circumferential edge portions 81a, 82b and 83c of the reflector plates and is made to expand to pull the reflector plates at the inflation of the balloon B50, so that the reflector takes the designed shape.
Further, the tube-like rib 600 communicates with the second gas passing hole 53b of the air charging plug 51 and is made of the same transformable material as that of the balloon B50. For example, the rib 600 is made of an ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer resin having a diameter of ~ = 10 mm. The material and diameter can be determined appropriately as necessary.
The reflector plates 81 to 83 come into a state of being perpendicular to each other when the tube-like rib 600, inflating simultaneously with the balloon B50, gets into the given shape, and the outer circumferential edge portions 81a, 82a and 83a are welded to the tube-like rib 600 over their overall lengths.
In the balloon B50, the reflector B75 establishes four 1 / 8-spherical reflector chambers 75R on each of the upper and lower surfaces of the horizontal reflector plate 83. The three reflective surfaces 81r, 82r and 83r of the reflector chambers 75R meet at right angles to each other to form a triangular corner reflector SCR.
The gas, flowing from the gas bomb 10 into the fitting hole 17, passes through the gas passing holes 53a and 53b and subsequently comes into the balloon B50 and the tube-like rib 600 so that both B50 and 600 respectively inflate to have the given shapes. In accordance with the expansion of this tube-like rib 600, the outer circumferential edge portions 81a to 83a of the respective reflector plates 81 to 83 are pulled outwardly by the tube-like rib 600, with the result that each of the respective reflector plates 81 to 83 assume a flat plate shape to intersect perpendicularly to each other so that four triangular corner reflectors SCR (as shown in Fig. 24) are formed on each of the upper and lower surfaces of the horizontal reflector plate 83 and take their designed shapes as shown in Fig. 25 (eight in total). In this instance, the inner diameter DB of the balloon B50 and the outer diameter DR of the tube-like rib 600 are set to be equal to each other. Accordingly, when inflated to take the designed shapes, both are placed into contact with each other, and hence the tube-like rib 600 can accurately assume its designed shape due to the restriction on its deformation by the inner surface of the balloon B50.
If close contact with B50 and 600 obstructs the smooth flow of the gas into the balloon B50, the supply rate of the gas, the supply starting time and others can be adjusted so that the tube-like rib 600 comes into the designed shape after the balloon B50 does, or a common gas passing hole can be made in the central portion of the intersection of the respective reflector plates 81, 82 and 83 to communicate with the respective reflector chambers 75R.
(2) First and second gas passing holes 53a and 53b are made in the air charging plug 51. The first gas passing hole 53a is communicated with the interior of the balloon B50, whereas the second gas passing hole 53b is branched from the first gas passing hole 53a and is communicated with the interior of the tube-like rib 600. Instead of a common use of the air chaging plug 51, it is also possible to provide two air charging plugs, one is for the balloon and the other is for the tube-like rib respectivelY.
Eighth Embodiment The eighth embodiment of the present invention will be described with Fig. 26. The difference between this embodiment and the seventh embodiment is as follows:
(1) Instead of the rope 13 being connected to the air charging plug 51, the balloon B50 is covered by a net 100 and the rope 13 is connected to the net 100.
The size of the meshes and the material of the net 100 can be appropriatelY selected as needed. For example, the net 100 can be made using a silken gut for fishing lines. Upon utilizing this net 100, when the roPe 13 is drawn, tensile force is transmitted through the net 100 to the balloon B50, with the result that the balloon B50 does not experience a large load of the force locally or intensively.
(2) The outer diameter DR of the tube-like rib 600 is made to be smaller than the inner diameter DB of the balloon B50. With this structure, a gap is defined therebetween at the time of the expansion, so that the tube-like rib 600 gets into a floating state within the balloon B50.
Ninth Embodiment The ninth embodiment of the present invention will be described with Figs. 27 and 28. The difference between this embodiment and the seventh embodiment is as follows:
(1) The material of a balloon B150 is an acrylic nitrile stylene acrylic ester.
(2) The outer diameter DR of the tube-like rib 600 is made to be smaller than the inner DB of the baiioon Bi5û. 'w'hereupon, a gap is ~ defined therebetween at the expansion so that the tube-like rib 600 gets into a floating state within the balloon B150.
(3) A reflector B175 is formed using square reflector plates 181 to 183, and the diagonal line 183a of the horizontal reflector plate 183 is made to coincide with the diagonal line of the longitudinal reflector plate 181 so that both the plates 183 and 181 meet at right angles to each other, and the other diagonal line 183b of the reflector plate 183 is made to coincide with the diagonal line of the lateral reflector plate 182 so that both the plates 183 and 182 take orthogonal relation to each other. In the balloon B150, triangular pyramid reflector chambers 175R are formed, each of them is surrounded by right isosceles triangular reflective surfaces 181r, 182r and 183r.
These three reflective surfaces 181r, 182r and 183r of the reflector chambers 175R meet with right angles ~ to each other to set up a triangular corner reflector SCR.
Tenth Embodiment The tenth embodiment of the present invention will be described with Fig. 29. The difference between this embodiment and the seventh embodiment is as follows:
(1) The inner diameter of a balloon B250 is made to be larger than the length of the diagonal lines 283 and 283b of a reflector. In consequen~e, a gaP is defined therebetween at the expansion, so that the tube-like rib 600 gets into a floating state within the balloon B250.
(2) A reflector B275 is constructed with square reflector plates 281 to 283, and the longitudinal reflector plate 281 and the lateral reflector plate 282 are respectively placed on the middle point connecting lines 283a and 283b of the horizontal reflector plate 282 to meet at right angles with each other.
Regular cubic reflector chambers 275R are formed, each of them is surrounded by square reflective surfaces 281r, 282r and 283r.
These three reflective surfaces of the reflector chamber 275R
meet with right angles ~ to one another, thus constituting a triangular corner reflector SCR. The middle point connecting line signifies the straight line for making connection between the middle points of respective two opposite sides of the horizontal reflector plate.
Eleventh Embodiment The eleventh embodiment of the present invention will be described with Fig. 30. The difference between this embodiment and the tenth embodiment (Fig. 29) is that the longitudinal reflector plate 281 and the lateral reflector plate 282 are disposed on the diagonal lines 283c and 283d of the horizontal reflector plate 283, respectively.
Then, a triangular prism reflector chambers 375R are formed, each of them is surrounded by reflective surfaces 281r, 282r and 283r. The three reflective surfaces 281r, 282r and 283r meet at right angles to one another, thus forming a triangular corner reflector SCR.
Twelfth Embodiment The twelfth embodiment of the present invention will be ~ described with Figs. 31 and 32. The difference between this embodiment and the seventh embodiment (Figs. 20 to 25) is that a wind tunnel 500 is formed in order to allow the balloon B50 to stably float. The wind tunnel 500 is composed of a pluralitY of air current paths, for example, four air current paths 501 with the same shape are provided in the upper half section of the balloon B50. Each of the air current paths 501 is comprised of a sector-shape path member 502 which is welded to an outer surface 50S of the balloon B50. The same material as that of the balloon B50 is used here for the sector-shape path member 502, but a different material can be adoptable as long as the material has a property similar to that of the balloon B50.
For welding the sector-shape path member 502 to the outer surface 50S of the balloon B50, both side edge portions 502a of the member 502 are adhered to the outer circumferential edge Portions 81a and 82a of a reflector plate. However, this invention is not limited to the adhesion to that portions. For example, it is also possible that they are fixedlY adhered to portions of the outer surface 50S of the balloon B50 positioned between the reflector plate outer edge portions 81a and 82a. The positions, opening area and others of the inlet 503 and outlet 504 of the air current path 501 can be determined as ne-eded. For example, the opening area of the outlet 504 can be set to 3/10 of that of the inlet 503 and the opening height Y1 of the outlet 504 can be set to 3/10 of the opening height Y2 of the inlet 503.
This inlet 503 is positioned in the vicinity of the reflector plate 83, while the outlet 504 is positioned in the vicinity of the top 50T of the balloon B50.
In this embodiment, when the balloon B50 floats, an air flow enters the inlet 503 of the air current path 501 of the wind tunnel 500 as indicated by an arrow A500 and goes up so as to press the air current path 501 upwardlY and then exits from the outlet 504.
At this time, since the opening area of the inlet 503 is smaller than that of the outlet 504, the air entering the inlet 503 always remains within the air current path 501 and is discharged from the outlet 504 little by little. AccordinglY, the balloon B50 receives a buoyancy owing to the air current path 501 and smoothlY rises because its rising direction is stabilized bY the air curent path 501.
As a matter of course, this wind tunnel is also applicable to the first embodiment (Figs. 1 to 13).
According to the present invention, with the foregoing structures, each of the reflector plates is stretched by the tension means to take a flat plate shape at the time of the expansion of the balloon, thereby providing the reflector with the designed shape.
Accordingly, the radar wave emitted from a radar is reflected back to the radar side by the reflector, thus allowing the radar to catch the reflected wave without fail, which enables the early detection of the place of a distress and the quick rescue of the sufferer.
In addition, since the balloon and the reflector are made to be waded uP into a small volume for storing, the refuge indicator is very portable.
Moreover, since the wind tunnel is equipped, the balloon can stably rise. It means that the reflector take the position where the radar can easily find it, which enables a quicker discovery and rescue of a sufferer.
These three reflective surfaces 181r, 182r and 183r of the reflector chambers 175R meet with right angles ~ to each other to set up a triangular corner reflector SCR.
Tenth Embodiment The tenth embodiment of the present invention will be described with Fig. 29. The difference between this embodiment and the seventh embodiment is as follows:
(1) The inner diameter of a balloon B250 is made to be larger than the length of the diagonal lines 283 and 283b of a reflector. In consequen~e, a gaP is defined therebetween at the expansion, so that the tube-like rib 600 gets into a floating state within the balloon B250.
(2) A reflector B275 is constructed with square reflector plates 281 to 283, and the longitudinal reflector plate 281 and the lateral reflector plate 282 are respectively placed on the middle point connecting lines 283a and 283b of the horizontal reflector plate 282 to meet at right angles with each other.
Regular cubic reflector chambers 275R are formed, each of them is surrounded by square reflective surfaces 281r, 282r and 283r.
These three reflective surfaces of the reflector chamber 275R
meet with right angles ~ to one another, thus constituting a triangular corner reflector SCR. The middle point connecting line signifies the straight line for making connection between the middle points of respective two opposite sides of the horizontal reflector plate.
Eleventh Embodiment The eleventh embodiment of the present invention will be described with Fig. 30. The difference between this embodiment and the tenth embodiment (Fig. 29) is that the longitudinal reflector plate 281 and the lateral reflector plate 282 are disposed on the diagonal lines 283c and 283d of the horizontal reflector plate 283, respectively.
Then, a triangular prism reflector chambers 375R are formed, each of them is surrounded by reflective surfaces 281r, 282r and 283r. The three reflective surfaces 281r, 282r and 283r meet at right angles to one another, thus forming a triangular corner reflector SCR.
Twelfth Embodiment The twelfth embodiment of the present invention will be ~ described with Figs. 31 and 32. The difference between this embodiment and the seventh embodiment (Figs. 20 to 25) is that a wind tunnel 500 is formed in order to allow the balloon B50 to stably float. The wind tunnel 500 is composed of a pluralitY of air current paths, for example, four air current paths 501 with the same shape are provided in the upper half section of the balloon B50. Each of the air current paths 501 is comprised of a sector-shape path member 502 which is welded to an outer surface 50S of the balloon B50. The same material as that of the balloon B50 is used here for the sector-shape path member 502, but a different material can be adoptable as long as the material has a property similar to that of the balloon B50.
For welding the sector-shape path member 502 to the outer surface 50S of the balloon B50, both side edge portions 502a of the member 502 are adhered to the outer circumferential edge Portions 81a and 82a of a reflector plate. However, this invention is not limited to the adhesion to that portions. For example, it is also possible that they are fixedlY adhered to portions of the outer surface 50S of the balloon B50 positioned between the reflector plate outer edge portions 81a and 82a. The positions, opening area and others of the inlet 503 and outlet 504 of the air current path 501 can be determined as ne-eded. For example, the opening area of the outlet 504 can be set to 3/10 of that of the inlet 503 and the opening height Y1 of the outlet 504 can be set to 3/10 of the opening height Y2 of the inlet 503.
This inlet 503 is positioned in the vicinity of the reflector plate 83, while the outlet 504 is positioned in the vicinity of the top 50T of the balloon B50.
In this embodiment, when the balloon B50 floats, an air flow enters the inlet 503 of the air current path 501 of the wind tunnel 500 as indicated by an arrow A500 and goes up so as to press the air current path 501 upwardlY and then exits from the outlet 504.
At this time, since the opening area of the inlet 503 is smaller than that of the outlet 504, the air entering the inlet 503 always remains within the air current path 501 and is discharged from the outlet 504 little by little. AccordinglY, the balloon B50 receives a buoyancy owing to the air current path 501 and smoothlY rises because its rising direction is stabilized bY the air curent path 501.
As a matter of course, this wind tunnel is also applicable to the first embodiment (Figs. 1 to 13).
According to the present invention, with the foregoing structures, each of the reflector plates is stretched by the tension means to take a flat plate shape at the time of the expansion of the balloon, thereby providing the reflector with the designed shape.
Accordingly, the radar wave emitted from a radar is reflected back to the radar side by the reflector, thus allowing the radar to catch the reflected wave without fail, which enables the early detection of the place of a distress and the quick rescue of the sufferer.
In addition, since the balloon and the reflector are made to be waded uP into a small volume for storing, the refuge indicator is very portable.
Moreover, since the wind tunnel is equipped, the balloon can stably rise. It means that the reflector take the position where the radar can easily find it, which enables a quicker discovery and rescue of a sufferer.
Claims (23)
1. A refuge indicator comprising: a balloon, and a deformable reflector provided in said balloon, wherein said reflector is made to take a designed shape in such a manner that its outer circumferential edge portions are pulled by tension means when the balloon is expanded.
2. A refuge indicator according to claim 1, wherein said tension means is an inner surface of said balloon which is fixed to said outer circumferential edge portions of said reflector.
3. A refuge indicator according to claim 1, wherein said tension means is a tube-like rib which is fixed to said outer circumferential edge portions of said reflector and which is made to be expanded simultaneously with the expansion of said balloon.
4. A refuge indicator according to claim 1, wherein said reflector is comprised of a longitudinal reflector plate, a lateral reflector plate, and a horizontal reflector plate which are vertical to one another.
5. A refuge indicator according to claim 1, wherein said balloon is detachably coupled to a gas bomb.
6. A refuge indicator according to claim 3, wherein said balloon and said tube-like rib are detachably coupled to a gas bomb.
7. A refuge indicator according to claim 6, wherein said balloon and said reflector are waded up and housed in a cap of a portable case, and said gas bomb is housed in a body of said portable case.
8. A refuge indicator according to claim 4, wherein each of said reflector plates has a disc-like shape.
9. A refuge indicator according to claim 4, wherein each of said reflector plates has a square shape.
10. A refuge indicator according to claim 4, wherein said reflector plates have reflective surfaces which intersect perpendicularly to each other to constitute triangular corner reflectors.
11. A refuge indicator according to claim 10, wherein said triangular corner reflectors formed in said balloon are eight in number.
12. A refuge indicator according to claim 3, wherein said tube-like rib comes into contact with an inner surface of said balloon when said balloon is expanded.
13. A refuge indicator according to claim 3, wherein said tube-like rib does not contact with an inner surface of said balloon when said balloon is expanded.
14. A refuge indicator according to claim 1, wherein said balloon is connected to a rope wound around a holding bar.
15. A refuge indicator according to claim 1, wherein said balloon is covered by a net connected to a rope.
16. A refuge indicator according to claim 1, wherein said balloon is made of an ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer resin.
17. A refuge indicator according to claim 4, wherein each of said reflector plates is formed through vacuum evaporation of aluminium on an ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer resin.
18. A refuge indicator as defined in claim 4, wherein an outer circumferential edge portion of each of said reflector plates is welded to a tube-like rib over its overall circumference.
19. A refuge indicator according to claim 1, wherein said balloon has a wind tunnel at its outer surface so that said balloon stably rises in the air.
20. A refuge indicator according to claim 19, wherein said wind tunnel is comprised of a plurality of air current paths for guiding air flows to a rising direction of said balloon.
21. A refuge indicator according to claim 20, wherein said plurality of air current paths are provided on an upper half section of said balloon.
22. A refuge indicator according to claim 20, wherein each of said air current paths has an air inlet and an air outlet having an opening area smaller than that of said air inlet.
23. A refuge indicator according to claim 19, wherein said balloon, said tube-like rib and an air current path member forming said wind tunnel are made of an ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer resin.
Applications Claiming Priority (8)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| JP7-315930 | 1995-11-09 | ||
| JP31593095 | 1995-11-09 | ||
| JP1368995U JP3025393U (en) | 1995-12-01 | 1995-12-01 | Balloon with built-in reflector for evacuation and rescue |
| JP7-13689U | 1995-12-01 | ||
| JP20862396A JP2931959B2 (en) | 1995-11-09 | 1996-08-07 | Distress position display device |
| JP8-208623 | 1996-08-07 | ||
| JP8208624A JPH09190585A (en) | 1995-11-09 | 1996-08-07 | Disaster position display device |
| JP8-208624 | 1996-08-07 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2209288A1 true CA2209288A1 (en) | 1997-05-15 |
Family
ID=27456058
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002209288A Abandoned CA2209288A1 (en) | 1995-11-09 | 1996-11-06 | Refuge indicator |
Country Status (4)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| KR (1) | KR970028600A (en) |
| AU (1) | AU7505496A (en) |
| CA (1) | CA2209288A1 (en) |
| WO (1) | WO1997017108A1 (en) |
Cited By (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP2730882A1 (en) * | 2011-07-08 | 2014-05-14 | IHI Aerospace Co., Ltd. | Corner reflector |
| EP2730940A1 (en) * | 2011-07-08 | 2014-05-14 | IHI Aerospace Co., Ltd. | Corner reflector |
Families Citing this family (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JP5989945B2 (en) * | 2012-09-18 | 2016-09-07 | 株式会社Ｉｈｉエアロスペース | Corner reflector and method of manufacturing the umbrella |
| JP6042725B2 (en) * | 2013-01-04 | 2016-12-14 | 株式会社Ｉｈｉエアロスペース | Corner reflector |
| CN112071187A (en) * | 2020-08-24 | 2020-12-11 | 王显成 | Road inspection shaft does not have lid protection warning sign |
Family Cites Families (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JPS59191900A (en) * | 1983-04-14 | 1984-10-31 | 防衛庁技術研究本部長 | Aerial floating radio reflecting body |
| JPH01272207A (en) * | 1987-07-27 | 1989-10-31 | Nkk Corp | Radio reflector |
-
1996
- 1996-08-21 KR KR1019960034581A patent/KR970028600A/en not_active Application Discontinuation
- 1996-11-06 CA CA002209288A patent/CA2209288A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 1996-11-06 WO PCT/JP1996/003248 patent/WO1997017108A1/en unknown
- 1996-11-06 AU AU75054/96A patent/AU7505496A/en not_active Abandoned
Cited By (6)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP2730882A1 (en) * | 2011-07-08 | 2014-05-14 | IHI Aerospace Co., Ltd. | Corner reflector |
| EP2730940A1 (en) * | 2011-07-08 | 2014-05-14 | IHI Aerospace Co., Ltd. | Corner reflector |
| EP2730940A4 (en) * | 2011-07-08 | 2015-03-25 | Ihi Aerospace Co Ltd | Corner reflector |
| EP2730882A4 (en) * | 2011-07-08 | 2015-03-25 | Ihi Aerospace Co Ltd | Corner reflector |
| US9147940B2 (en) | 2011-07-08 | 2015-09-29 | Ihi Aerospace Co., Ltd. | Corner reflector |
| US9160078B2 (en) | 2011-07-08 | 2015-10-13 | Ihi Aerospace Co., Ltd. | Corner reflector |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| WO1997017108A1 (en) | 1997-05-15 |
| KR970028600A (en) | 1997-06-24 |
| AU7505496A (en) | 1997-05-29 |
Similar Documents
| Publication | Publication Date | Title |
|---|---|---|
| CA1221076A (en) | Automatic flotation release system | |
| US4573933A (en) | Floating search and rescue inflatable pyramid | |
| US5374211A (en) | Lifesaving devices | |
| US3941079A (en) | Emergency locating device | |
| US5095845A (en) | Emergency signaling system | |
| US4815677A (en) | Emergency locator device | |
| US4063323A (en) | Ring buoy with automatic separation of smoke signal buoy from strobe light buoy | |
| JPS60500441A (en) | emergency rescue equipment | |
| US6032607A (en) | Emergency location signaling device | |
| US4836128A (en) | Identification means | |
| US20150048572A1 (en) | Buoyant target with laser reflectivity | |
| CA2209288A1 (en) | Refuge indicator | |
| US3803540A (en) | Inflatable underwater platform | |
| WO1991016735A1 (en) | Reflector | |
| US8022857B2 (en) | Radar reflector | |
| US20070238373A1 (en) | Buoyant visibility device | |
| JPS60501073A (en) | raft inflation valve | |
| US5555839A (en) | Inflatable balloon signal device | |
| US4353071A (en) | Self-erecting floatable structure | |
| US6384764B1 (en) | Inflatable radar reflector | |
| JPH09190585A (en) | Disaster position display device | |
| CN208947563U (en) | A kind of automatic inflation type lifebuoy | |
| JP2931959B2 (en) | Distress position display device | |
| US3945338A (en) | Location indicator for lost aircraft | |
| JP2005161900A (en) | Folding storage type floating ring |
Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| FZDE | Dead |