GB2288896A - Distress alert device - Google Patents

Distress alert device Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2288896A
GB2288896A GB9404875A GB9404875A GB2288896A GB 2288896 A GB2288896 A GB 2288896A GB 9404875 A GB9404875 A GB 9404875A GB 9404875 A GB9404875 A GB 9404875A GB 2288896 A GB2288896 A GB 2288896A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
alert device
balloon
distress alert
distress
valve
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.)
Withdrawn
Application number
GB9404875A
Other versions
GB9404875D0 (en
Inventor
David Arthur Dresser
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date 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 date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Priority to GB9404875A priority Critical patent/GB2288896A/en
Publication of GB9404875D0 publication Critical patent/GB9404875D0/en
Publication of GB2288896A publication Critical patent/GB2288896A/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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
    • G08B5/002—Distress signalling devices, e.g. rescue balloons

Landscapes

  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Audible And Visible Signals (AREA)

Abstract

The device is contained in a screw-top, crush-proof cylinder. When in use, the balloon 11 is taken from the carrying case along with the pressurised gas cylinder 13, thus the spool locking pins 10a are lifted from the spool housing for free release of the anchor-line 12. The valve 15 is depressed. Helium gas is released to inflate the balloon which is then lifted from the filling nozzle. The non-return valve on the balloon closes. The balloon rises and acts as a marker for location by the rescue party. The balloon may be metallised and the gas valve may be automatically opened by shock or water penetration. The casing includes a split ring for attachment to a rucksack or lifejacket. <IMAGE>

Description

DISTRESS ALERT DEVICE This invention relates to a personal location device.
In emergency situations, both on land and at sea, lives are often lost as a result of tlie delay in locating missing individuals.
My invention would enable rescue teams to locate lost, stranded or distressed people with minimum wasted time.
The distress alert device is housed in a crush-proof cylinder.
The container holds a lengtb of monofilatnent nylon line on a free-running spool, the line attached to a balloon. \bove the spool of line is housed a carton of inert lighter-than-air gas: helium.
The carrying tube is anchored to the person's rucksack or, at sea, his lifejacket, by sprung steel splitring or sprung hook coupling.
In distress situations the individual inflates the balloon witb helium and releases. Thus, whether conscious or not, he is attached to an airborneindicator of his position, easily spotted Thy rescuers.
The distress alert device container is wade of lightweight material: plastic, cardboard or aluminium, closed with a screw-top cap.
As@ecific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:inure 1 shows the device in the container; Figure 2 shows a cross-soction through the carrying cylinder; Figure 3 illustrates @o@ tie helium gas is released to inflate tile balloon; Figure 4 shows the device carried in a spherical, pressurised container holding the liguid-helium filled balloon. All valves are dispensed with; Figure 5 shows the and line wound on the spool.The line is attached to the balloon and secured to the container; Figure 6 shows the hinged hemisphere opened and the balloon release; figures 7, 8 and 9 show the practical application of the distress alert device on open land, forested land and at sea.
Referring to the drawing, as shown in E'iRure 2, the free-running spool 8 is fitted on a vertical axis 9. The motion of the spool is held stationary by locking pins lOa attached to the base of the gas cylinder. When the gas cylinder is removed from the housing the spool of line is free to release the anchor-line. The anchor-line of monofilanient nylon is of suitable strength-to-purpose ratio, that is, to anchor the balloon to the body.
The balloon is attached to the gas cylinder 13 by nozzle 14.
When plunger 15 is depressed gas is released into tie balloon until inflated. The one-way valve 16 in tlic Balloon closes when lifted from nozzle 14.
The balloon 11 is made from latex or rubber with a plain or reflective metallic surface. The size is to be determined by the weight to gas ratio and ease of packing in tile container. It will have the capacity to he airborne for several days.
The basic distress alert device is operated manually. The device, when used at sea, has a valve which is activated by water to inflate the balloon automatically.
hen used on mountainous terrain, the valve is activated automatically by severe jolting as experienced in a fall. This ensures the balloon's release although the subject may be unconscious.

Claims (11)

1 Aninflatable lighter-than-air balloon contained in a crush-proof cylinder, to he manually operated by lost persons or persons in distress, to aid location.
2 The distress alert device as claimed in Claim 1,wherein a split ring, sprung steel clip is fixed to the container cylinder for easy attachment to person, rucksack frame or,at sea, lifejacket.
3 The distress alert device as claimed in Claim 1, wllerein tlie airborne balloon is attached to the container by monofilament line wound on a free-running spool.
4 The distress alert device as claimed in Claim 1 or Clairn 31 wherein the balloon is made from rubber or latex pre-ex@anded to a basic cylindrical shape containing a one-way, non-return valve
5 The distress alert device as claimed in Claim 4, wherein the balloon is provided with a metallic finish.
6 The distress alert device as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the valve to the gas cylinder is opened by deiressing a plunger.
7 The distress alert device as claimed in Clain 1, wherein the valve to the gas cylinder is triggered by water penetration.
8 The distress alert device as claimed in Claim 11 wherein the valve to the gas cylinder is opened by a sharp jolt or impact.
The distress alert device as claimed in Caim 1, @ wherein the monofilament line wound on a free-running spool is held in place by a wax seal so as to stop accidental release of line from vibrations.
10 The distress alert device wherein the liruid helium gas is pre sealed in the ball on and carried in a spherical hinged pressurised container to he released by removing the lockpin.
11 The distress alert device substantially as described herein with reference to Figures 1-9 of the accompanying drawings.
GB9404875A 1994-03-14 1994-03-14 Distress alert device Withdrawn GB2288896A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9404875A GB2288896A (en) 1994-03-14 1994-03-14 Distress alert device

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9404875A GB2288896A (en) 1994-03-14 1994-03-14 Distress alert device

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB9404875D0 GB9404875D0 (en) 1994-04-27
GB2288896A true GB2288896A (en) 1995-11-01

Family

ID=10751772

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB9404875A Withdrawn GB2288896A (en) 1994-03-14 1994-03-14 Distress alert device

Country Status (1)

Country Link
GB (1) GB2288896A (en)

Cited By (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2313938A (en) * 1996-06-04 1997-12-10 Derek Leonard Foote Person in distress position indicator
GB2315144A (en) * 1996-07-09 1998-01-21 Melvyn John Wilson Emergency pinpointer
GB2292472B (en) * 1994-08-16 1998-12-09 Thomas Loughrie Location device
GB2362977A (en) * 2000-02-15 2001-12-05 Julian S Shen Portable distress calling device and life jacket comprising same
WO2004072919A1 (en) * 2003-02-14 2004-08-26 Fabri, Carlo Portable signalling device
FR2867886A1 (en) * 2004-03-22 2005-09-23 Paul Edouard Robin Locating device for e.g. person in distress in water, has inflatable casing connected to harness fixed to person in distress, and connected to gas source that supplies gas under control of valve which controls inflation of casing
CN111640271A (en) * 2020-05-29 2020-09-08 深圳市达伦仕科技有限公司 Outdoor rescue locator
WO2022017072A1 (en) * 2020-07-22 2022-01-27 余永成 Outdoor help-seeking device and outdoor appliance

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN109615828A (en) * 2018-12-26 2019-04-12 大唐水电科学技术研究院有限公司 A kind of landslide monitoring device using balloon luminous alarm

Citations (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4102296A (en) * 1977-03-16 1978-07-25 Felix Harold E Marine safety signal device
US4185582A (en) * 1977-09-07 1980-01-29 Bryant Clyde C Distress gas generating signal balloon apparatus
US4298777A (en) * 1977-09-07 1981-11-03 Bryant Clyde C Distress gas generating signal balloon apparatus
US4433638A (en) * 1981-10-13 1984-02-28 Ashline Clifford E Automatic flotation release system
EP0303491A2 (en) * 1987-08-11 1989-02-15 Kiwi Research And Development Corp. Emergency locator device
EP0324593A1 (en) * 1988-01-15 1989-07-19 Aronague, S.A. Localising device for rescue operations
WO1991015266A1 (en) * 1990-04-04 1991-10-17 Eric Rees Davies Marker balloon
US5095845A (en) * 1991-07-26 1992-03-17 Murphy Betty J Emergency signaling system
US5301631A (en) * 1993-04-21 1994-04-12 Vining John K Balloon emergency locating device

Patent Citations (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4102296A (en) * 1977-03-16 1978-07-25 Felix Harold E Marine safety signal device
US4185582A (en) * 1977-09-07 1980-01-29 Bryant Clyde C Distress gas generating signal balloon apparatus
US4298777A (en) * 1977-09-07 1981-11-03 Bryant Clyde C Distress gas generating signal balloon apparatus
US4433638A (en) * 1981-10-13 1984-02-28 Ashline Clifford E Automatic flotation release system
EP0303491A2 (en) * 1987-08-11 1989-02-15 Kiwi Research And Development Corp. Emergency locator device
EP0324593A1 (en) * 1988-01-15 1989-07-19 Aronague, S.A. Localising device for rescue operations
WO1991015266A1 (en) * 1990-04-04 1991-10-17 Eric Rees Davies Marker balloon
US5095845A (en) * 1991-07-26 1992-03-17 Murphy Betty J Emergency signaling system
US5301631A (en) * 1993-04-21 1994-04-12 Vining John K Balloon emergency locating device

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2292472B (en) * 1994-08-16 1998-12-09 Thomas Loughrie Location device
GB2313938A (en) * 1996-06-04 1997-12-10 Derek Leonard Foote Person in distress position indicator
GB2315144A (en) * 1996-07-09 1998-01-21 Melvyn John Wilson Emergency pinpointer
GB2362977A (en) * 2000-02-15 2001-12-05 Julian S Shen Portable distress calling device and life jacket comprising same
WO2004072919A1 (en) * 2003-02-14 2004-08-26 Fabri, Carlo Portable signalling device
FR2867886A1 (en) * 2004-03-22 2005-09-23 Paul Edouard Robin Locating device for e.g. person in distress in water, has inflatable casing connected to harness fixed to person in distress, and connected to gas source that supplies gas under control of valve which controls inflation of casing
CN111640271A (en) * 2020-05-29 2020-09-08 深圳市达伦仕科技有限公司 Outdoor rescue locator
CN111640271B (en) * 2020-05-29 2021-09-07 深圳市达伦仕科技有限公司 Outdoor rescue locator
WO2022017072A1 (en) * 2020-07-22 2022-01-27 余永成 Outdoor help-seeking device and outdoor appliance

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB9404875D0 (en) 1994-04-27

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
WAP Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1)