Self-triggered mode marine emergency personal locator beacon

Abstract

The utility model discloses a kind of self-triggering mode's marine emergency personal position marker, including shell, shell inner cavity is divided into first cavity and second cavity, first cavity is fixedly provided with mounting seat, sleeve is provided in mounting seat, the outer wall of sleeve is provided with helical groove along length direction, sleeve content has water switch, sleeve is installed with locating piece, the middle of locating piece is provided with the water hole of the probe of water switch, locating piece is also provided with multiple water seepage holes around water hole distribution;The end of shell away from second cavity is provided with through-hole, through-hole is covered with water-soluble paper;Second cavity is provided with electronic circuit board;Water switch is electrically connected with electronic circuit board.The utility model structure is simple, reasonable in design, not only reduce the probability that water switch is accidentally activated, but also can protect the probe of water switch in standby state not be contaminated, improve the stability and reliability of personal position marker.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of maritime distress signaling devices, and more specifically, to a self-triggered maritime emergency personal positioning beacon. Background Technology

[0002] Emergency maritime safety beacons mainly include Emergency Radio Position Beacons (EPIRBs) attached to the vessel and Personal Position Beacons (PLBs) carried by the crew. The former automatically activates when a vessel is in distress and sinks, transmitting the vessel's identity and location to global search and rescue agencies via satellite networks; its core function is to rescue the vessel and all crew members. The latter, on the other hand, is activated manually or automatically when personnel fall overboard, accurately locating the distressed individuals; its core function is to rescue them.

[0003] The use of personal positioning beacons is of paramount importance for the safety of seafarers. Possessing kinetic energy for positioning, personal positioning beacons are crucial for successful rescue in emergencies such as when someone falls overboard, especially in the vast and complex ocean environment. As a last resort for distress signals, personal positioning beacons can instantly transmit the precise location of the distressed individual to global search and rescue agencies via satellite systems, significantly reducing search time and providing a precious chance of survival for those who have fallen overboard in harsh sea conditions and low temperatures. They serve as the last and most robust line of defense for the safety of seafarers.

[0004] The core functions of a personal position beacon are distress alerting and precise location. Once activated, it transmits a distress signal containing a unique code via a 406MHz frequency to the COSPAS-SARSAT global satellite search and rescue system. This code is pre-linked with the user's information, facilitating identification by search and rescue units. Simultaneously, a built-in or external GPS module acquires and transmits high-precision geographic coordinates. Many modern position beacons also integrate Automatic Identification System (AIS) transmission capabilities, enabling them to directly broadcast their location to vessels near the accident site.

[0005] Personal navigation markers are primarily triggered manually or automatically upon entering the water. Manual activation relies on the user's awareness and ability, but may be impossible to perform in time due to impact, unconsciousness, or other unforeseen circumstances upon entering the water. Therefore, navigation markers with self-triggering capabilities are particularly important.

[0006] However, existing water-entry automatic start technology still has certain drawbacks: 1. In situations such as heavy rain, splashing waves, etc., the sensor may be accidentally activated, leading to false alarms. Frequent false alarms will consume precious battery power and affect its battery life in real emergencies; 2. If the sensor interface is blocked by oil, organisms, or debris, it may not be able to trigger properly when needed, requiring users to clean and check it regularly. Severe contamination can directly lead to functional failure. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The technical problem to be solved by this utility model is to provide a self-triggering mode marine emergency personal beacon that addresses the shortcomings of the prior art. It has a simple structure and reasonable design, which not only reduces the probability of the water-reactive switch being accidentally activated, but also protects the probe of the water-reactive switch from being contaminated when in standby mode, thereby improving the stability and reliability of the personal beacon.

[0008] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the technical solution adopted by this utility model is: a self-triggered mode maritime emergency personal positioning beacon, characterized in that: it includes a shell, the inner cavity of which is divided into a first cavity and a second cavity, a mounting base is fixedly installed in the first cavity, a sleeve is installed in the mounting base, the outer wall of the sleeve has a spiral groove arranged along the length direction, a water-reactive switch is housed in the sleeve, a positioning plate is installed in the sleeve, a water-proof hole is opened in the middle of the positioning plate for the probe of the water-reactive switch to pass through, and multiple seepage holes are also opened on the positioning plate around the water-proof hole; a through hole is opened at the end of the shell away from the second cavity, and the through hole is covered with water-soluble paper; a connecting hole at the bottom of the mounting base communicates with the second cavity, and a first waterproof sealing sleeve is fitted at the position of the connecting hole; an electronic circuit board for automatically transmitting and alarming AIS position information is installed in the second cavity; the water-reactive switch is electrically connected to the electronic circuit board.

[0009] The above-mentioned self-triggered mode maritime emergency personal positioning beacon is characterized by: further including a clamping piece for fixing and pressing water-soluble paper to the side where the through hole is located, the clamping piece having a hollow U-shaped structure.

[0010] The above-mentioned self-triggered mode maritime emergency personal positioning beacon is characterized in that: the clamping plate and the side where the through hole is located are detachably connected.

[0011] The above-mentioned self-triggered mode marine emergency personal positioning beacon is characterized in that: the electronic circuit board integrates a microcontroller and a power supply module; the input terminal of the microcontroller is connected to the positioning module; the output terminal of the microcontroller is connected to the alarm light module and the AIS transmission module; the power supply module supplies power to the power consumption module; and the water-touch switch is connected to the input terminal of the microcontroller.

[0012] The aforementioned self-triggered marine emergency personal positioning beacon is characterized in that: the warning light module includes an LED light exposed in the housing, and a second waterproof sealing sleeve is provided between the LED light and the housing.

[0013] The above-mentioned self-triggered mode marine emergency personal positioning beacon is characterized in that: the sleeve is a frustum sleeve, the diameter of the upper bottom surface of the frustum sleeve is adapted to the water-receiving switch, and the diameter of the upper bottom surface of the frustum sleeve is smaller than the diameter of the lower bottom surface of the frustum sleeve; the distance between the positioning plate and the bottom of the sleeve is greater than the length of the water-receiving switch probe.

[0014] The above-mentioned self-triggered mode maritime emergency personal positioning beacon is characterized in that: a water-absorbing layer is provided between the sleeve and the mounting base.

[0015] The aforementioned self-triggered mode maritime emergency personal positioning beacon is characterized by having multiple dotted dividing lines on the water-soluble paper.

[0016] The aforementioned self-triggered mode maritime emergency personal positioning beacon is characterized in that: the water-soluble paper is made of water-soluble non-woven fabric.

[0017] The above-mentioned self-triggered mode maritime emergency personal positioning beacon is characterized in that: the shell includes a shell body and a shell cover installed on the top of the shell body, and a connecting strap is fixedly installed on the shell cover.

[0018] This utility model has the following advantages compared with the prior art: 1. This utility model has a simple structure, reasonable design, and is convenient to implement and use.

[0019] 2. In this utility model, the sleeve has a spiral groove and a positioning plate. When the water volume is small, the probe of the water-touch switch will not encounter water and will not be triggered, which reduces the probability of the water-touch switch being accidentally activated and improves the stability and reliability of the personal position marker.

[0020] 3. The present invention provides water-soluble paper on the through hole of the housing, which not only protects the probe of the water-reactive switch from being contaminated when in standby mode, but also ensures that the probe of the water-reactive switch can come into contact with water in a timely manner, thus ensuring the reliable triggering of the personal position marker.

[0021] 4. The housing of this utility model is divided into an independent first cavity and a second cavity. The second cavity has a waterproof function, which effectively prevents the electronic circuit board from short-circuiting or being damaged due to moisture or water ingress, and ensures that the electronic circuit board always maintains stable working performance.

[0022] In summary, this invention not only reduces the probability of the water-sensitive switch being accidentally activated, but also protects the probe of the water-sensitive switch from contamination when in standby mode, thereby improving the stability and reliability of the personal position marker.

[0023] The technical solution of this application will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of this utility model.

[0025] Figure 2 for Figure 1 The split diagram.

[0026] Figure 3 for Figure 1 A-direction view.

[0027] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of water-soluble paper.

[0028] Figure 5 This is a structural diagram of the sleeve, mounting base, and absorbent layer.

[0029] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the sleeve and the water-contaminated switch.

[0030] Figure 7 This is a circuit connection block diagram of the present invention.

[0031] In the diagram: 1. Water-sensitive switch; 2. Microcontroller; 3. Power supply module; 4. Alarm light module; 5. AIS transmitter module; 6. Positioning module; 7. Housing; 71. Housing cover; 72. Housing body; 73. Through hole; 8. Connecting strap; 9. Water-soluble paper; 10. Sleeve; 101. Positioning plate; 102. Water-proof hole; 11. Water-absorbing layer; 12. Mounting base; 13. Pressure plate. Detailed Implementation

[0032] The present application will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments thereof.

[0033] It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in this application can be combined with each other. The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0034] It should be noted that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the exemplary embodiments according to this application. As used herein, the singular form is intended to include the plural form as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Furthermore, it should be understood that when the terms "comprising" and / or "including" are used in this specification, they indicate the presence of features, steps, operations, devices, components, and / or combinations thereof.

[0035] It should be noted that the terms "first," "second," etc., in the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings of this application are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such data can be interchanged where appropriate so that the embodiments of this application described herein can be implemented, for example, in orders other than those illustrated or described herein. Furthermore, the terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion; for example, a process, method, system, product, or apparatus that comprises a series of steps or units is not necessarily limited to those steps or units explicitly listed, but may include other steps or units not explicitly listed or inherent to such processes, methods, products, or apparatus.

[0036] For ease of description, spatial relative terms such as "above," "on top of," "on the upper surface of," "above," etc., are used herein to describe the spatial positional relationship of a device or feature as shown in the figures to other devices or features. It should be understood that spatial relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations in use or operation beyond the orientation of the device as described in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures were inverted, a device described as "above" or "on top of" other devices or structures would subsequently be positioned as "below" or "under" other devices or structures. Thus, the exemplary term "above" can include both "above" and "below." The device may also be positioned in other different ways (rotated 90 degrees or in other orientations), and the spatial relative descriptions used herein will be interpreted accordingly.

[0037] like Figures 1 to 7 As shown, a self-triggering mode marine emergency personal positioning beacon of this application includes a housing 7. The inner cavity of the housing 7 is divided into a first cavity and a second cavity. A mounting base 12 is fixedly installed in the first cavity. A sleeve 10 is installed in the mounting base 12. The outer wall of the sleeve 10 has a spiral groove arranged along the length direction. The sleeve 10 contains a water-contact switch 1. A positioning plate 101 is installed in the sleeve 10. A water-avoiding hole 102 is opened in the middle of the positioning plate 101, which allows the probe of the water-contact switch 1 to pass through. The positioning plate 101 also has a plurality of seepage holes distributed around the water-avoiding hole 102.

[0038] like Figure 6 As shown, it should be noted that in one possible embodiment, the sleeve 10 has a hollow structure, and a positioning piece 101 is installed inside the sleeve 10 to define the position of the water-reactive switch 1 and to support the water-reactive switch 1. The probe and guide of the water-reactive switch 1 extend into the water-avoiding hole 102 of the positioning piece 101 and are away from the through hole 73. When a small amount of water splashed by a large wave hits the personal position marker, it first wets the water-soluble paper 9. Water enters through the through hole 73, and some of the water flows away along the spiral groove on the outer wall of the sleeve 10. The spiral groove guides the water flow and reduces the amount of water entering the hollow structure of the sleeve 10. The other part of the water enters the sleeve 10 and flows into the mounting base 12 through the seepage hole on the positioning piece 101, such as... Figure 5 As shown, there is a distance between the positioning piece 101 and the mounting base 12. The distance between the positioning piece 101 and the mounting base 12 is greater than the height of the probe of the water-touch switch 1. Therefore, when the water volume is low, the probe of the water-touch switch 1 will not come into contact with water and will not be triggered, which reduces the probability of the water-touch switch 1 being accidentally activated and improves the stability and reliability of the personal position marker.

[0039] A through hole 73 is provided at the end of the housing 7 furthest from the second cavity, and a water-soluble paper 9 is covered over the through hole 73. The water-soluble paper 9 covering the through hole 73 effectively isolates the probe of the water-reactive switch 1 from potential external contaminants when the personal position indicator is in standby mode. When the personal position indicator is submerged in water, the water-soluble paper 9 dissolves quickly, allowing the probe of the water-reactive switch 1 to come into timely contact with the water and trigger normally. Therefore, the water-soluble paper 9 not only protects the probe of the water-reactive switch 1 from contamination in standby mode but also ensures timely contact between the probe and water, guaranteeing reliable triggering of the personal position indicator.

[0040] The connecting hole at the bottom of the mounting base 12 communicates with the second cavity. A first waterproof sealing sleeve is fitted at the connecting hole location. The second cavity houses an electronic circuit board that enables automatic transmission and alarm of AIS location information. The water-sensitive switch 1 is electrically connected to the electronic circuit board. The housing 7 is divided into an independent first cavity and a second cavity. With the first waterproof sealing sleeve at the connecting hole location, the second cavity has a waterproof function, effectively preventing the electronic circuit board from short-circuiting or being damaged due to moisture or water ingress. This ensures that the electronic circuit board maintains stable operating performance and provides a fundamental guarantee for the reliable implementation of AIS location information transmission and alarm functions.

[0041] In this embodiment, a clamping piece 13 is also included for fixing and pressing the water-soluble paper 9 against the side where the through hole 73 is located. The clamping piece 13 has a hollow, U-shaped structure. The clamping piece 13 is detachably connected to the side where the through hole 73 is located.

[0042] In actual use, the clamping plate 13 presses the four edges of the water-soluble paper 9 firmly against the side where the through hole 73 is located. The hollow structure of the clamping plate 13 makes the center of the water-soluble paper 9 exposed on the clamping plate 13 and in direct contact with the outside.

[0043] In one possible embodiment, the clamping plate 13 has a first hole, and the housing 7 has a second hole on the side where the through hole 73 is located. The second hole is a threaded hole, and the first hole and the second hole are fastened together by a screw.

[0044] In one possible embodiment, a fastener is provided on the clamping plate 13, and a latch is provided on the side where the through hole 73 is located on the housing 7. The fastener and the latch are connected by a snap-fit ​​connection.

[0045] like Figure 7 As shown, in this embodiment, the electronic circuit board integrates a microcontroller 2 and a power supply module 3. The input terminal of the microcontroller 2 is connected to the positioning module 6, and the output terminal of the microcontroller 2 is connected to the alarm light module 4 and the AIS transmission module 5. The power supply module 3 supplies power to the power consumption module. The water-touch switch 1 is connected to the input terminal of the microcontroller 2.

[0046] In one possible embodiment, the AIS transmitter module 5 includes an antenna, an RF transmitter unit, a signal processing unit, a modulator, and a power supply regulator unit. In another possible embodiment, the AIS transmitter module 5 uses an AIS MOB module of model HS-MX1106GT, or other AIS transmitter modules.

[0047] In one possible embodiment, the water immersion switch 1 uses a GWP60012 photoelectric water immersion sensor.

[0048] In actual use, when the water-tight switch 1 is triggered, the contacts of relay 1 and relay 2 of the water-tight switch 1 close, and the water-tight switch 1 outputs a high level. After receiving the high-level signal, the microcontroller 2 switches to the working state and starts the positioning module 6 and the alarm light module 4. The alarm light module 4 includes an LED light exposed on the housing 7. The LED light emits a visual distress signal through high-frequency flashing, which facilitates close-range search and rescue. The positioning module 6 receives satellite positioning signals and parses the real-time position coordinates, and sends the position coordinates to the microcontroller 2. The microcontroller 2 sends the position coordinates and the pre-distress information stored in the memory of the microcontroller 2 to the AIS transmitting module 5. The AIS transmitting module 5 continuously broadcasts the position coordinates through radio frequency signals, and nearby vessels equipped with AIS receiving equipment can obtain distress information and location in real time.

[0049] In this embodiment, the alarm light module 4 includes an LED light exposed in the housing 7, and a second waterproof sealing sleeve is provided between the LED light and the housing 7. The second waterproof sealing sleeve is used to improve the waterproof function of the second cavity, effectively preventing the electronic circuit board from short-circuiting or being damaged due to moisture or water ingress, ensuring that the electronic circuit board always maintains stable working performance, and providing a basic guarantee for the reliable implementation of AIS location information transmission and alarm functions.

[0050] In this embodiment, the sleeve 10 is a frustum sleeve, the diameter of the upper bottom surface of the frustum sleeve is adapted to the water-receiving switch 1, and the diameter of the upper bottom surface of the frustum sleeve is smaller than the diameter of the lower bottom surface of the frustum sleeve. This setting can reduce the amount of water entering the sleeve 10, increase the amount of water flowing away along the spiral groove on the outer wall of the sleeve 10, further reduce the probability of the water-receiving switch 1 being accidentally activated by a small amount of water splash, and avoid false triggering of the water-receiving switch 1.

[0051] like Figure 5 As shown, in this embodiment, a water-absorbing layer 11 is provided between the sleeve 10 and the mounting base 12. The water-absorbing layer 11 is a sponge layer, a SAP water-absorbing resin layer, or a non-woven fabric layer.

[0052] like Figure 4 As shown, in this embodiment, the water-soluble paper 9 has multiple dotted dividing lines. The water-soluble paper 9 is made of wood pulp and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose.

[0053] In one possible embodiment, the water-soluble paper 9 is made of cold-water-soluble nonwoven fabric, weighing 30 grams per square meter, and dissolves in water at 20 degrees Celsius in just a few seconds. In water at even lower temperatures, although the cold-water-soluble nonwoven fabric dissolves more slowly, water can permeate from one side of the fabric to the other, and the sleeve can be completely filled with water in a few seconds to a dozen seconds, thereby triggering the water-reactive switch 1.

[0054] If the sailor is conscious, he can press the water-soluble paper 9 with his finger immediately upon encountering danger. The point-break design allows the water-soluble paper 9 to break with very little external pressure, skipping the time required for the water-soluble paper 9 to dissolve, allowing the probe of the water-contact switch 1 to come into contact with seawater more quickly, reducing the delay from falling into the water to activation.

[0055] In this embodiment, the shell 7 includes a shell body 72 and a shell cover 71 installed on top of the shell body 72. A connecting strap 8 is fixedly installed on the shell cover 71. Seafarers can pass the connecting strap 8 directly through the shoulder straps, waist belts, and other fixed parts of the life jacket and fasten it, so that the personal positioning beacon is worn with the life jacket and prevented from falling off when falling into the water; or the connecting strap 8 can be tied around the waist for carrying.

[0056] Working principle: The personal positioning beacon is in standby mode under normal circumstances. The water-soluble paper 9 can prevent the probe of the water-reactive switch 1 from being contaminated, ensuring reliable triggering in emergencies and reducing maintenance manpower and costs. When a small amount of water falls into the sleeve 10, it is diverted by the spiral groove and guided by the seepage hole of the positioning plate to avoid contact with the probe of the water-reactive switch 1, effectively reducing the probability of false triggering of the water-reactive switch and avoiding false alarms in non-emergency situations such as rainstorms and splashes. When encountering water, the water-soluble paper at the through hole 73 dissolves or is manually broken by the sailor, and seawater enters the sleeve 10, triggering the water-reactive switch 1. The microcontroller 2 starts the positioning module 6 to obtain the position, and at the same time controls the alarm light module 4 to flash, the AIS transmission module 5 to broadcast the position and rescue information, and the power supply module 3 to supply power to all components.

[0057] The above description is merely an embodiment of this application and does not constitute any limitation on this application. Any simple modifications, alterations, or equivalent structural changes made to the above embodiments based on the technical essence of this application shall still fall within the protection scope of the technical solution of this application.

Claims

1. A self-triggered maritime emergency personal positioning beacon, characterized in that: Includes a housing (7), the inner cavity of the housing (7) is divided into a first cavity and a second cavity, a mounting base (12) is fixedly installed in the first cavity, a sleeve (10) is installed in the mounting base (12), the outer wall of the sleeve (10) is provided with a spiral groove arranged along the length direction, the sleeve (10) contains a water-contact switch (1), a positioning plate (101) is installed in the sleeve (10), a water-avoiding hole (102) is opened in the middle of the positioning plate (101) so that the probe of the water-contact switch (1) can pass through, and multiple water-permeable holes are also opened on the positioning plate (101) around the water-avoiding hole (102); A through hole (73) is provided at one end of the shell (7) away from the second cavity, and water-soluble paper (9) is covered on the through hole (73); The connecting hole at the bottom of the mounting base (12) is connected to the second cavity. A first waterproof sealing sleeve is fitted at the connecting hole position. An electronic circuit board for automatically transmitting and alarming AIS location information is installed in the second cavity. The water-sensitive switch (1) is electrically connected to the electronic circuit board.

2. A self-triggering mode maritime emergency personal positioning beacon according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a clamping piece (13) for fixing and pressing the water-soluble paper (9) against the side of the through hole (73), the clamping piece (13) having a hollow, loop-shaped structure.

3. A self-triggering mode maritime emergency personal positioning beacon according to claim 2, characterized in that: The clamping plate (13) is detachably connected to the side where the through hole (73) is located.

4. A self-triggering mode maritime emergency personal positioning beacon according to claim 1, characterized in that: The electronic circuit board integrates a microcontroller (2) and a power supply module (3). The input terminal of the microcontroller (2) is connected to a positioning module (6), and the output terminal of the microcontroller (2) is connected to an alarm light module (4) and an AIS transmission module (5). The power supply module (3) supplies power to the power-consuming module. The water-touch switch (1) is connected to the input terminal of the microcontroller (2).

5. A self-triggering mode maritime emergency personal positioning beacon according to claim 4, characterized in that: The alarm light module (4) includes an LED light exposed in the housing (7), and a second waterproof sealing sleeve is provided between the LED light and the housing (7).

6. A self-triggering mode maritime emergency personal positioning beacon according to claim 1, characterized in that: The sleeve (10) is a frustum sleeve. The diameter of the upper bottom surface of the frustum sleeve is adapted to the water-touch switch (1). The diameter of the upper bottom surface of the frustum sleeve is smaller than the diameter of the lower bottom surface of the frustum sleeve. The distance between the positioning piece (101) and the bottom of the sleeve (10) is greater than the length of the probe of the water-touch switch (1).

7. A self-triggering mode maritime emergency personal positioning beacon according to claim 1, characterized in that: A water-absorbing layer (11) is provided between the sleeve (10) and the mounting base (12).

8. A self-triggering mode maritime emergency personal positioning beacon according to claim 1, characterized in that: Multiple dotted dividing lines are opened on the water-soluble paper (9).

9. A self-triggered mode maritime emergency personal positioning beacon according to claim 1 or 6, characterized in that: Water-soluble paper (9) is made of water-soluble nonwoven fabric.

10. A self-triggering mode maritime emergency personal positioning beacon according to claim 1, characterized in that: The housing (7) includes a body (72) and a cover (71) mounted on the body (72), with a connecting strap (8) fixedly mounted on the cover (71).

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