EP0909702A1

EP0909702A1 - Warning device and sighting light for scuba divers

Info

Publication number: EP0909702A1
Application number: EP98118416A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Giovanni Garofalo
Original assignee: HTM Sport SpA
Current assignee: HTM Sport SpA
Priority date: 1997-10-15
Filing date: 1998-09-29
Publication date: 1999-04-21
Also published as: ITGE970037U1; IT238460Y1; ITGE970037V0; JPH11192998A

Abstract

Warning device and sighting light that may be applied on an underwater diver garment such as a scuba balancing jacket (1) or a diving suit (6). This device comprises: a battery (2) for supplying the electric current necessary for the circuit of said warning device and sighting light; a switch (3) for closing/opening said circuit; a filiform element (4) fastened or sewn to the underwater-diver garment (1) or (6), consisting of semiconductor material which, in the case where it is traversed and thus excited by an electric current, emits light signals. The filiform element (4) is coated with a transparent plastic material which enables the light signals emitted by said filiform element (4) to be visible during diving; this filiform element (4) may assume any form of a symbol (5) or a number (7).

Description

The present invention relates to a warning device and sighting light that may be located on an underwater diving suit or on a balancing jacket (referred to also as "jacket"), so that the diver may be easy to detect and recognize during submersion by other divers.
The present invention thus envisages a warning device and warning light comprising basically a battery which supplies an electric current to a filiform semiconductor element (of the diameter of, for example, 1 or 2 mm) contained in a transparent plastic coating. The said filiform element consists of an electroluminescent semiconductor material, i.e., one that has the property of lighting up if it is traversed and thus excited by an electric current. This filiform element is then coated with a transparent plastic material so as to make the light signals emitted by this semiconductor visible.
The coated filiform element may be sewn or otherwise secured to a diving suit, or alternatively to a jacket, and is connected to a battery for supplying the current, for example a single storage cell. By putting on a switch provided in the warning device and sighting light, the scuba diver may send light signals in the case where he is in difficulty, or anyway wants to make himself visible to other divers who are in submersion. This warning light is also useful in the case where a scuba diver instructor wants to follow the squad of his pupils, recognizing them individually during diving The coated filiform element fastened to the diving suit or jacket may in fact be given any form, such as a symbol (e.g., a letter) or a number, thus enabling recognition of the diver to whom the letter or number is associated.
The present invention will be better understood from the following description made with reference to the drawings attached, in which:
Figure 1 shows the warning device and sighting light applied to a scuba diver balancing jacket, also referred to herein as "jacket"; and
Figure 2 shows the warning device and sighting light applied to a diving suit.
With reference to Figure 1, according to a first embodiment exemplifying the present invention, the light warning device is fastened or sewn to a scuba diver balancing jacket, or simply jacket, 1. The said warning device and sighting light basically comprises a battery 2 for supplying the electric current, a switch 3 of the circuit of said warning light, and a filiform element 4 consisting of semiconductor material (having a diameter of, for example, 1 or 2 mm) coated with transparent plastic material. In the case where the diver is in difficulty or wishes to make himself visible to other divers in the water, he just needs to put on the switch 3 for supplying the circuit. In this way an electric current will be supplied to the coated filiform element 4, which, since it is made of semiconductor material, has the property of lighting up if it is excited by an electric current. Since this filiform element 4 is moreover coated with transparent plastic material, it will be possible for the other divers to detect the light signal emitted by the filiform element 4. As may be noted from the figure, in this embodiment of the present invention the filiform element takes the form of, for instance, a symbol (letter) 5, which enables recognition of the scuba diver to whom it is associated.
Figure 2 shows the warning device and sighting light according to another embodiment which presents a further example of the present invention, fastened or sewn directly to the diving suit 6 in the case, for example, of submersion without using breathing apparatus, whereby the balancing jacket is not used. As may be noted from the figure, the warning device and sighting light is made up of the same elements previously described for Figure 1, with the exception of the filiform element 4 consisting of semiconductor material coated with transparent plastic material, which takes the form, for example, of a number 7.
Even though in Figure 1 the light device according to the invention is represented as being applied to the front of a jacket 1, and in Figure 2 as being applied on the back of a diving suit 6, it remains understood that the said light device may be
applied in any suitable position. In addition, it is understood that the battery 2 and the switch 3, which are shown in the drawing in an altogether schematic way and purely for purposes of demonstration, may be housed in any suitable position.

Claims

Sighting light that may be applied on an underwater diving garment such as a diving suit (6) or a scuba balancing jacket (1), characterized in that it comprises: a battery (2) for supplying the electric current necessary for the circuit of said warning device and sighting light; a switch (3) for closing/opening said circuit; a filiform element (4) which, whenever traversed and thus excited by an electric current, emits light signals, the said filiform element (4) being coated with a transparent plastic material which enables the light signals emitted by said filiform element (4) to be visible during submersion.
Device according to Claim 1, characterized in that the filiform element (4) may assume any form, such as a symbol (5) or a number (7).
Device according to Claim 1, characterized in that the said filiform element (4) consists of semiconductor material coated with a transparent plastic material which can be fastened or sewn directly to the underwater diving garment (1) or (6).