Rescue alarm unit and life preservers

Abstract

A rescue notification unit and a lifesaving device are provided that can improve the versatility of installation of a unit including a solar power generation unit, a storage battery, and a light source. [Solution] This rescue alert unit 1 comprises an attachment part 10, a light source 11, a storage battery 13, and a rescue alert unit main body part including a solar power generation part 12 that uses sunlight to generate power to charge the storage battery 13. The rescue alert unit 1 is configured to issue a rescue alert using light emitted from the light source 11, and the attachment part 10 is configured to be attachable to the life-saving device main body 2 so that the rescue alert unit main body can move relatively to the life-saving device main body 2. The light source 11 is configured to emit light when a light detection sensor 17 detects no light, a water detection sensor 18 detects water, and a water surface movement detection part 16 detects movement of the rescue alert unit main body.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a rescue notification unit and a life-saving device, and more particularly to a rescue notification unit and a life-saving device configured to issue a rescue notification. [Background technology]

[0002] BACKGROUND ART A rescue notification unit and a life preserver configured to issue a rescue notification are known (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] The above-mentioned Patent Document 1 discloses a life-saving device configured to issue a rescue alert, which includes a cover, a float, a light-receiving panel, a power supply, a light-emitting means, and a switch.

[0004] The cover in Patent Document 1 is a dedicated component for housing a floatation bladder. The floatation bladder is a component that generates buoyancy to keep the life preserver afloat. The floatation bladder has a shape that matches the dedicated cover. The light-receiving panel is configured to generate electricity using sunlight. The power supply unit is configured to be charged by the electricity generated by the light-receiving panel. The light-emitting means is configured to emit light using the electricity supplied from the power supply unit. The light-receiving panel, power supply unit, and light-emitting means are attached to the floatation bladder to form a unit.

[0005] The light-emitting means in the above Patent Document 1 is configured to emit light using power supplied from a power supply unit when the wearer of the life-saving device operates a switch. As a result, in the life-saving device, the unitized light-emitting means emits light together with the light-receiving panel and the power supply unit, thereby issuing a rescue alert. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-43668 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] However, in the life-saving device of Patent Document 1, the unitized light-receiving panel, power supply, and light-emitting means are attached to a float that has a shape that matches a dedicated cover. Therefore, the unit of the light-receiving panel, power supply, and light-emitting means required to issue a rescue alert cannot be attached to any device other than a life-saving device with a dedicated cover. Therefore, it is desired to improve the versatility of attachment of the unit (rescue alert unit) that includes the light-receiving panel (solar power generation unit), power supply (storage battery), and light-emitting means (light source) required to issue a rescue alert.

[0008] This invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and one object of this invention is to provide a rescue alarm unit and life-saving equipment that can improve the versatility of installation of a unit that includes a solar power generation unit, a storage battery, and a light source. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] A rescue alert unit according to a first aspect of the present invention comprises an attachment part for detachably attaching to a life-saving device main body that has buoyancy and is worn on the body of a wearer, and a rescue alert unit main body including a light source that emits light outward, a storage battery that supplies power to the light source, and a solar power generation part that uses sunlight to generate power for charging the storage battery, and is configured to issue a rescue alert by light emitted from the light source, and the attachment part is configured to be attachable to the life-saving device main body so that the rescue alert unit main body can move relatively to the life-saving device main body, and further comprises a light detection sensor that can detect light, a water detection sensor that can detect water, and a water surface movement detection part that detects movement of the rescue alert unit main body and is composed of any one of an angular velocity sensor, an inclination sensor, an acceleration sensor, and a magnet sensor, and the light is detected by the light detection sensor. The condition that there is no The water detection sensor detects water. The condition that , and the water surface movement detection unit detects the movement of the rescue notification unit main body. All three of the conditions were met.Based on that, The lights were off Light source automatically It is configured to emit light.

[0010] As described above, the rescue alert unit according to the first aspect of the present invention is provided with an attachment part for detachably attaching to the life-saving device main body that has buoyancy and is worn on the wearer's body. This allows the rescue alert unit to be attached to the life-saving device main body via the attachment part even if no dedicated parts are required for the life-saving device main body, thereby improving the versatility of attachment of the rescue alert unit including the solar power generation unit, storage battery, and light source.

[0011] Furthermore, since the light source can be automatically illuminated at night without user operation, rescue alerts can be reliably issued using the light emitted from the light source. Furthermore, automatically illuminating the light source at night allows search parties to conduct searches at night, and the light emitted from the light source is particularly noticeable at night, making it easier for search parties to find victims. Furthermore, since the solar power generation unit allows the storage battery to be charged by sunlight during the day, the light source can be illuminated at night using the power from the storage battery charged during the day. As a result, daytime charging allows the light source to be illuminated at night for a long period of time. Furthermore, a detection signal transmitted from the light detection sensor can determine whether it is daytime or nighttime. This allows for easy rescue alerts using the light emitted from the light source only at night. Furthermore, a detection signal transmitted from the water detection sensor can determine whether a user wearing the life preserver main body is in water (such as the sea, river, or lake). This allows for detection that the user is adrift in water (such as the sea, river, or lake).

[0012] A rescue alert unit according to a second aspect of the present invention comprises an attachment part for detachably attaching to a life-saving device main body that has buoyancy and is worn on the body of a wearer, and a rescue alert unit main body including a light source that emits light outward, a storage battery that supplies power to the light source, and a solar power generation part that generates power from sunlight to charge the storage battery, and is configured to issue a rescue alert by light emitted from the light source, and the attachment part is configured to be attachable to the life-saving device main body so that the rescue alert unit main body can move relatively to the life-saving device main body, and further comprises a water detection sensor that can detect water, and a water surface movement detection part that detects movement of the rescue alert unit main body and is composed of any of an angular velocity sensor, an inclination sensor, an acceleration sensor, and a magnet sensor, and when the amount of power generated by the solar power generation part falls below a threshold The condition that The water detection sensor detects water. The condition that , and the water surface movement detection unit detects the movement of the rescue notification unit main body. All three of the conditions were met. Based on that, The lights were off Light source automatically It is configured to emit light.

[0013] In the rescue alert unit according to the second aspect of the present invention, as described above, an attachment part is provided for detachable attachment to a life-saving device main body that has buoyancy and is worn on the wearer's body. This allows the rescue alert unit to be attached to the life-saving device main body via the attachment part, even if no dedicated parts are required for the life-saving device main body. This improves the versatility of attachment of the rescue alert unit, which includes a solar power generation unit, a storage battery, and a light source. Furthermore, since nighttime is detected using the amount of power generated by the solar power generation unit, it is possible to prevent an increase in the number of parts in the rescue alert unit and an increase in the size of the unit, compared to when nighttime is detected using an optical sensor.

[0014] In the rescue notification unit according to the first aspect, the water surface movement detection unit is preferably an angular velocity sensor that detects movement of the rescue notification unit main body, and light is detected by a light detection sensor. The condition that there is no The water detection sensor detects water. The condition that, and the angular velocity sensor detects an angular velocity equal to or greater than a predetermined value. All three of the conditions were met. Based on that, The lights were off Light source automatically The life preserver is configured to emit light. This configuration allows the light source to be automatically illuminated using the light detection sensor, water detection sensor, and angular velocity sensor, thereby ensuring reliable rescue alerts using light from the light source. Furthermore, when the light detection sensor does not detect light, rescue alerts using light from the light source are issued, allowing automatic rescue alerts using light from the light source to be issued at night rather than during the day. Furthermore, unnecessary light emission from the light source can be suppressed to prevent insufficient power when needed. Furthermore, when the water detection sensor does not detect water, rescue alerts using light from the light source are not issued, so the light source can be prevented from emitting light when the user is on a boat or the like (on land). Furthermore, when the angular velocity sensor does not detect an angular velocity equal to or greater than a predetermined value, rescue alerts using light from the light source are not issued, so the light source can be prevented from emitting light when the user is on a boat or the like (on land). Furthermore, when a user wearing the life preserver main body falls into water (such as the sea, a river, or a lake), it can be determined whether an excessive angular velocity has occurred in the rescue alert unit based on the detection signal transmitted from the angular velocity sensor.

[0015] The rescue alert unit according to the first aspect preferably further includes a buoyancy generating unit that uses buoyancy to move the rescue alert unit toward the water surface relative to the life-saving device main body. With this configuration, when the rescue alert unit falls into the water (sea, river, lake, etc.), the buoyancy generating unit causes the rescue alert unit to float on the water surface without any operation by the victim, thereby ensuring that the light emitted from the light source is irradiated into the surrounding space above the water surface. As a result, the rescue alert light can be easily recognized by search teams. Furthermore, since the buoyancy generating unit causes the rescue alert unit to float on the water surface, the storage battery can be reliably charged by sunlight during the day. Furthermore, since the buoyancy generating unit causes the rescue alert unit to float on the water surface, the rescue alert signal generated by the light emitted from the light source can be reliably recognized at night.

[0016] The rescue alarm unit according to the first aspect preferably further includes a waterproof equipment housing section that is detachably attached to the life-saving device main body by the attachment section and that houses the light source and the storage battery therein. With this configuration, the equipment housing section can ensure that the electrical equipment, such as the light source and the storage battery, is waterproof.

[0017] A life-saving device according to a third aspect of the present invention comprises a life-saving device main body having buoyancy and to be worn on the body of a wearer, and a rescue alert unit detachably attached to the life-saving device main body, wherein the rescue alert unit includes an attachment part for detachably attaching the life-saving device main body to the life-saving device main body, and a rescue alert unit main body including a light source that emits light toward the outside, a storage battery that supplies power to the light source, and a solar power generation part that uses sunlight to generate power for charging the storage battery, and is configured to give a rescue alert by light emitted from the light source, and the attachment part is configured so that the rescue alert unit main body can move relatively to the life-saving device main body, and the rescue alert unit further includes a light detection sensor that can detect light, a water detection sensor that can detect water, and a water surface movement detection part that detects movement of the rescue alert unit main body and is composed of any one of an angular velocity sensor, an inclination sensor, an acceleration sensor, and a magnet sensor, and the rescue alert unit detects light when the light detection sensor detects it. The condition that there is no The water detection sensor detects water. The condition that , and the water surface movement detection unit detects the movement of the rescue notification unit main body. All three of the conditions were met. Based on that, The lights were off Light source automatically It is configured to emit light.

[0018] In the life-saving device according to the third aspect of the present invention, as described above, an attachment part is provided for detachably attaching the rescue alarm unit to the life-saving device main body, which has buoyancy and is worn on the wearer's body. This allows the rescue alarm unit to be attached to the life-saving device main body by the attachment part even without any dedicated parts for the life-saving device main body, thereby providing a life-saving device that can improve the versatility of attaching the rescue alarm unit including the solar power generation unit, storage battery, and light source.

[0019] A life-saving device according to a fourth aspect of the present invention comprises: a life-saving device main body having buoyancy and to be worn on a body of a wearer; and a rescue alert unit detachably attached to the life-saving device main body, wherein the rescue alert unit includes an attachment part for detachably attaching the life-saving device main body to the life-saving device main body; and a rescue alert unit main body including a light source that emits light toward the outside, a storage battery that supplies power to the light source, and a solar power generation part that generates power from sunlight to charge the storage battery, and is configured to issue a rescue alert by light emitted from the light source, and the attachment part is configured so that the rescue alert unit main body can move relatively to the life-saving device main body, and the rescue alert unit further includes a water detection sensor capable of detecting water, and a water surface movement detection part consisting of any one of an angular velocity sensor, an inclination sensor, an acceleration sensor, and a magnet sensor that detects movement of the rescue alert unit main body, and the rescue alert unit is configured to issue a water surface movement detection part when the amount of power generated by the solar power generation part falls below a threshold. The condition that , A condition that water is detected by the water detection sensor; In addition, the water surface movement detection unit detects the movement of the rescue notification unit main body. All three of the conditions were met. Based on that, The lights were off Light source automatically It is configured to emit light.

[0020] In a life-saving device according to a fourth aspect of the present invention, as described above, an attachment part is provided for detachably attaching the rescue alarm unit to a life-saving device main body that has buoyancy and is worn on the wearer's body. This allows the rescue alarm unit to be attached to the life-saving device main body via the attachment part, even without any dedicated components for the life-saving device main body. This makes it possible to provide a life-saving device that can improve the versatility of attaching a rescue alarm unit that includes a solar power generation unit, a storage battery, and a light source. Furthermore, since nighttime is detected using the amount of power generated by the solar power generation unit, it is possible to provide a life-saving device that can prevent an increase in the number of parts in the rescue alarm unit and an increase in the size of the unit, compared to when nighttime is detected using an optical sensor. [Effects of the Invention]

[0021] According to the present invention, as described above, it is possible to improve the versatility of installation of a unit including a solar power generation unit, a storage battery, and a light source. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0022] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which a user wears the life preserver of a first embodiment.

[0023] FIG. [Figure 2] 1 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which a user wearing the life preserver of the first embodiment is adrift at sea at night. FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the state before a rescue alarm unit is attached to the life-saving device main body of the life-saving device of the first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a view showing the front surface of the rescue informing unit of the life-saving device of the first embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VV in FIG. [Figure 6] 1 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which a user wearing the life preserver of the first embodiment is drifting at sea during the day. FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the state after a rescue alarm unit has been attached to the life-saving device main body of the life-saving device of the first embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the back side of the rescue notification unit of the life-saving device of the first embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the control configuration of the rescue notification unit of the life-saving device of the first embodiment. [Figure 10] 4 is a flowchart showing a method for generating a distress signal by a control unit of a distress notification unit of the life-saving device of the first embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a state in which a user wears a life preserver according to a second embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing the control configuration of a rescue notification unit of a life-saving device according to a second embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which a user wearing the life preserver of the second embodiment is adrift at sea at night. [Figure 14]10 is a flowchart showing a method for generating a distress signal by a control unit of a rescue annunciation unit of a life-saving device according to a second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0023] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0024] [First embodiment] The configuration of a life preserver 100 to which a rescue notification unit 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention is attached will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0025] First, life preservers (such as life jackets) are configured to keep a user Us who has encountered a water accident afloat and are tools that prevent the user Us from sinking in the water (sea, river, lake, etc.). In the event of a water accident, a search team visually searches for the user U who has floated to the surface thanks to the life preserver. Such searches are carried out after predicting ocean currents, etc., but because they are mainly performed visually, the search range is limited and the search time is limited to daytime.

[0026] 1 and 2, the life-saving device 100 of the first embodiment is provided with a rescue notification unit 1 for expanding the search area, extending the search time, and diversifying the search methods. That is, the life-saving device 100 is provided with the rescue notification unit 1 and a life-saving device main body 2. The life-saving device main body 2 is an example of the "life-saving device" in the claims.

[0027] (Rescue notification unit) The rescue notification unit 1 is configured to issue a rescue notification when the user Us encounters a water accident and floats to the water surface using the life-saving device main body 2. The rescue notification unit 1 is a unit that is detachably attached to the life-saving device 100. In other words, the rescue notification unit 1 is a unit that is retrofitted to an existing life-saving device 100. In FIG. 1, the rescue notification unit 1 is attached to the back side of the life-saving device 100.

[0028] The rescue alert unit 1 includes a pair of mounting portions 10, a plurality (three) of LED light sources 11, a solar panel 12, a storage battery 13, a buoyancy generating portion 14 (see FIG. 5), an equipment housing portion 15, a gyro sensor 16, a light detection sensor 17, a water detection sensor 18 (see FIG. 8), and an attachment portion 19 (see FIG. 8). Each of the plurality (three) of LED light sources 11 is an example of a "light source" in the claims. The solar panel 12 is an example of a "solar power generation portion" in the claims. The combined configuration of the plurality of LED light sources 11, the solar panel 12, the storage battery 13, the buoyancy generating portion 14, the equipment housing portion 15, the gyro sensor 16, the light detection sensor 17, the water detection sensor 18, and the attachment portion 19 is an example of a "rescue alert unit main body" in the claims.

[0029] (Mounting part) As shown in FIG. 3, the pair of attachment parts 10 are members for detachably attaching the rescue alarm unit 1 to the life-saving device main body 2. The pair of attachment parts 10 are not attached directly to the body of the user Us. The pair of attachment parts 10 are arranged on the storage battery 13 side of the equipment housing part 15. Each of the pair of attachment parts 10 has a length adjustment member 10a, a fastener 10b, and a fastener 10c. Since the pair of attachment parts 10 have the same structure, only one of them will be described.

[0030] The length adjustment member 10a is, for example, a belt. One end of the length adjustment member 10a is attached to a slot (not shown) in the fastener 10b, and the other end is attached to a slot (not shown) in the fastener 10c. The length adjustment member 10a is a member that can adjust the length from the slot (not shown) in the fastener 10b to the slot (not shown) in the fastener 10c. The fasteners 10b and 10c are buckles (for example, side release buckles). The length adjustment member 10a may be a string or a rubber tube other than a belt. Each of the fasteners 10b and 10c may be a carabiner other than a buckle.

[0031] Fasteners 10b and 10c are configured to be relatively movable between an engagement position where they engage with each other and a disengagement position where they disengage from each other. Fasteners 10b and 10c each have the aforementioned elongated hole through which length adjustment member 10a is passed. By passing one end of length adjustment member 10a through the elongated hole of fastener 10b and one end of length adjustment member 10a through the elongated hole of fastener 10c, the length from fastener 10b to fastener 10c is maintained. Furthermore, the length from fastener 10b to fastener 10c can be adjusted by adjusting at least one of the length of length adjustment member 10a passed through the elongated hole of fastener 10b and the length of length adjustment member 10a passed through the elongated hole of fastener 10c.

[0032] Thus, with the length of the length adjustment member 10a adjusted in each of the pair of attachment parts 10, the length adjustment member 10a is passed through the neck opening 21 and the shoulder opening 22 of the life-saving device main body 2, and the fasteners 10b and 10c are moved to the engagement position, thereby attaching the rescue alert unit 1 to the life-saving device main body 2. As a result, the rescue alert unit 1 will not come off the life-saving device main body 2 because fasteners 10b and 10c are engaged with each other. In addition, by moving fasteners 10b and 10c to the disengagement position, the length adjustment member 10a is removed from the neck opening 21 and the shoulder opening 22 of the life-saving device main body 2, and the rescue alert unit 1 can be removed from the life-saving device main body 2.

[0033] 3, such length adjustment member 10a is attached to each of the multiple LED light sources 11 at the tip side of the equipment housing section 15 in the direction from the solar panel 12 toward the storage battery 13. As a result, when the rescue alarm unit 1 floats on the water surface, it rotates around the attachment position of the length adjustment member 10a as a fulcrum.

[0034] (LED light source) As shown in FIG. 2, each of the multiple (three) LED light sources 11 is configured to emit light toward the outside in order to issue a rescue alert to notify the location of the user Us. Note that LED stands for Light Emitting Diode. The rescue alert unit 1 is configured to issue a rescue alert by light emitted from each of the multiple LED light sources 11. Note that the number of LED light sources 11 may be one, two, or four or more.

[0035] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 , each of the multiple LED light sources 11 is disposed on the tip side of the rescue alert unit 1 in the direction from the storage battery 13 to the solar panel 12. Each of the multiple LED light sources 11 is disposed on the opposite side of the attachment position of the length adjustment member 10a of the rescue alert unit 1 in the direction in which the storage battery 13 and the solar panel 12 are aligned. This ensures that each of the multiple LED light sources 11 is disposed at a position away from the head of the user Us when the rescue alert unit 1 floats on the water surface. Each of the multiple LED light sources 11 is disposed side by side in the direction from the storage battery 13 to the solar panel 12 and in the width direction perpendicular to the thickness direction of the equipment housing 15. Each of the multiple LED light sources 11 protrudes from the equipment housing 15 toward the front surface 15a of the rescue alert unit 1 in the thickness direction of the rescue alert unit 1.

[0036] The plurality of LED light sources 11 are configured to emit red, green, and white light, respectively. Each of the plurality of LED light sources 11 is configured to emit light with high luminous intensity (cd: candela). Each of the plurality of LED light sources 11 is configured by the control unit 20 to flash with high luminous intensity light (see FIG. 2). Each of the plurality of (three) LED light sources 11 emits light in a predetermined light emission pattern, for example, emitting light for one second and then turning off for one second. Note that the predetermined light emission pattern of the plurality of LED light sources 11 is not limited to the above-described embodiment.

[0037] As shown in Fig. 5, each of the LED light sources 11 has a substantially hemispherical lens. As a result, light emitted from each of the LED light sources 11 is radiated radially (at a wide angle) into space (see Fig. 2). That is, the light emitted from each of the LED light sources 11 is radiated radially outward at angles between 0 and 360 degrees in plan view. Furthermore, the light emitted from each of the LED light sources 11 is radiated radially outward (toward the front surface 15a) at angles between 0 and 180 degrees in side view.

[0038] Each of the plurality of LED light sources 11 described above emits light radially (at a wide angle) into space (see FIG. 2), making it possible to conduct searches not only at sea but also from the air. Furthermore, each of the plurality of LED light sources 11 flashes, making it easier to attract people's attention and to be easily recognized. This leads to early detection of the user Us. Furthermore, each of the plurality of LED light sources 11 flashes with high luminosity, making it easier to be recognized at night, leading to early detection of the user Us.

[0039] Furthermore, since each of the multiple LED light sources 11 emits light with high luminosity, it can be projected into a three-dimensional space of approximately 2 km. This allows for a safe and wide-area search, as searches can be performed from an altitude of approximately 2000 m without flying near water surfaces (such as the surface of the sea, river, or lake). Furthermore, since the object is visible from an altitude of 2000 m, it is also possible to search for the user Us using satellite images.

[0040] (solar panels and storage batteries) As shown in FIG. 6, the solar panel 12 is configured to generate power from sunlight to charge the storage battery 13. The solar panel 12 has a plurality of solar battery cells (not shown). The solar panel 12 is a thin plate-shaped member. The solar panel 12 is disposed between the control unit 20 and the plurality of LED light sources 11. The solar panel 12 is disposed on the opposite side of the life-saving device main body 2 from the rear side.

[0041] The solar panel 12 is configured to generate power by converting solar energy into electrical energy. The generated power is stored in the storage battery 13. When the user Us is drifting on the water surface, the rescue notification unit 1 floats on the water surface due to the buoyancy of the buoyancy generating unit 14, and therefore sunlight is sufficiently incident on the solar panel 12. Therefore, the solar panel 12 can sufficiently charge the storage battery 13 during the day.

[0042] As shown in Fig. 7, the storage battery 13 can store the supplied power and can also supply the stored power to other components. The storage battery 13 is, for example, a lithium ion battery. The storage battery 13 is arranged on the base end side of the life-saving device main body 2, opposite to the side where the LED light sources 11 are located. The storage battery 13 is arranged on the side opposite to the back side of the life-saving device main body 2.

[0043] The storage battery 13 is configured to supply the power required for each of the plurality of LED light sources 11, the gyro sensor 16, the light detection sensor 17, the water detection sensor 18 (see FIG. 8), and the control unit 20. For this reason, the solar panel 12 and the storage battery 13 are electrically connected. Furthermore, the storage battery 13, the plurality of LED light sources 11, the gyro sensor 16, the light detection sensor 17, the water detection sensor 18 (see FIG. 8), and the control unit 20 are electrically connected. The gyro sensor 16 is an example of the "water surface movement detection unit" and "angular velocity sensor" in the claims.

[0044] (Buoyancy generating part) As shown in Fig. 6, the buoyancy generating unit 14 is a member for moving the rescue alarm unit 1 toward the water surface relative to the life-saving device main body 2 by buoyancy. The buoyancy generating unit 14 is made of foamed resin such as polyurethane. The buoyancy generating unit 14 has a thickness of, for example, about 1 cm. As shown in Fig. 5, the buoyancy generating unit 14 is arranged in an enclosed state (sealed state) within the equipment housing 15.

[0045] A storage recess 141, a storage recess 142, a storage recess 143, a storage recess 144, and a storage recess (not shown) are formed in the buoyancy generating section 14. Each of the storage recess 141, the storage recess 142, the storage recess 143, and the storage recess 144 is recessed from the surface opposite to the back surface of the life-saving device main body 2 (the front surface 15a side) toward the back surface of the life-saving device main body 2.

[0046] The storage recess 141 stores the base end of the LED light source 11. The storage recess 141 has a shape that matches the shape of the base end of the LED light source 11. Three storage recesses 141 are provided side by side to match the number and arrangement positions of the LED light sources 11. The storage recess 142 stores the solar panel 12. The storage recess 142 has a shape that matches the shape of the solar panel 12. The storage recess 143 stores the gyro sensor 16, the light detection sensor 17, and the control unit 20. The storage recess 143 has a shape that matches the shapes of the gyro sensor 16, the light detection sensor 17, and the control unit 20. The storage recess 144 stores the storage battery 13. The storage recess 144 has a shape that matches the shape of the storage battery 13.

[0047] The storage recess (not shown) is recessed from the rear surface of the life-saving device main body 2 toward the opposite side from the rear surface of the life-saving device main body 2. The storage recess (not shown) stores a water detection sensor 18 (see FIG. 8). The storage recess (not shown) has a shape that matches the shape of the water detection sensor 18.

[0048] (equipment housing) 5, the equipment housing 15 is configured to be waterproof and accommodates therein a portion of each of the plurality of LED light sources 11, the solar panel 12, the storage battery 13, the buoyancy generating unit 14, the gyro sensor 16, the light detection sensor 17, the water detection sensor 18, and the control unit 20. The equipment housing 15 has therein a portion of each of the plurality of LED light sources 11, the solar panel 12, the storage battery 13, the buoyancy generating unit 14, the gyro sensor 16, the light detection sensor 17, the water detection sensor 18, and the control unit 20 arranged in a sealed state (sealed state).

[0049] The device accommodating section 15 is made of a resin such as silicone. The device accommodating section 15 has a thickness of, for example, about 1.5 cm to 2 cm. The device accommodating section 15 is a plate-shaped member having a width of, for example, about 20 cm and a length of, for example, about 30 cm. As described above, the device accommodating section 15 has a rectangular shape with long and short sides. Each of the long and short sides of the device accommodating section 15 is arranged along the back of the user Us when not floating on the water surface. Each of the long and short sides of the device accommodating section 15 is arranged along the water surface, facing behind the user Us when floating on the water surface.

[0050] The equipment housing 15 is coated by melting and solidifying a resin such as silicone on the surfaces of the base ends of each of the multiple LED light sources 11, the solar panel 12, the storage battery 13, the buoyancy generating unit 14, the gyro sensor 16, the light detection sensor 17, the water detection sensor 18, and the control unit 20, all of which are arranged in the buoyancy generating unit 14. This ensures that the electronic device is waterproof. In addition, the length adjustment members 10a of the pair of mounting units 10 are attached to the equipment housing 15.

[0051] In this way, the rescue alert unit 1 is formed by integrating the pair of mounting parts 10, the plurality of LED light sources 11, the solar panel 12, the storage battery 13, the buoyancy generating part 14, the equipment housing part 15, the attachment part 19, the gyro sensor 16, the light detection sensor 17, the water detection sensor 18, and the control part 20. As a result, the rescue alert unit 1 is detachably attached to the life-saving device main body 2 by the pair of mounting parts 10.

[0052] (Gyro sensor, light detection sensor and water detection sensor) 6 and 7, the gyro sensor 16 is a sensor for detecting movement toward the water surface relative to the life-saving device main body 2 due to buoyancy. The gyro sensor 16 is a sensor for detecting angular velocity. The gyro sensor 16 is disposed on the substrate of the control unit 20.

[0053] If the user Us falls into the ocean or the like, an impact force is applied to the rescue notification unit 1, causing the rescue notification unit 1 to detach forcefully from the lifesaving device main body 2. At this time, an angular velocity equal to or greater than a predetermined value is generated, and the gyro sensor 16 is a sensor for detecting this angular velocity. This detects that the user Us has fallen into the ocean or the like. The gyro sensor 16 is configured to transmit a detection signal (detection result) to the control unit 20 when it detects an angular velocity equal to or greater than the predetermined value. Furthermore, the gyro sensor 16 is configured not to transmit a detection signal (detection result) to the control unit 20 when the angular velocity is less than the predetermined value.

[0054] It should be noted that instead of the gyro sensor 16, a magnet sensor or the like that comes off due to an impact force applied to the rescue notification unit 1 may be used to detect that the user Us has fallen into the sea or the like.

[0055] The light detection sensor 17 is a sensor capable of detecting light. The light detection sensor 17 is a brightness detection sensor. That is, the light detection sensor 17 is a sensor that detects the amount of incident light. The light detection sensor 17 is disposed on a substrate of the control unit 20. The light detection sensor 17 is configured to transmit a detection signal (detection result) to the control unit 20 when an amount of light equal to or greater than a predetermined amount is incident. The light detection sensor 17 is configured not to transmit a detection signal (detection result) to the control unit 20 when the amount of light is less than the predetermined amount.

[0056] The water detection sensor 18 is a sensor capable of detecting water. The water detection sensor 18 is configured to detect water based on a change in the amount of laser reflection caused by water adhering to the portion of the equipment housing 15 where the water detection sensor 18 is disposed, or a change in capacitance caused by water adhering to the portion. The water detection sensor 18 is configured to transmit a detection signal (detection result) to the control unit 20 when it detects water. The water detection sensor 18 is configured not to transmit a detection signal (detection result) to the control unit 20 when it does not detect water. As shown in FIG. 8 , the water detection sensor 18 is disposed in a corner portion on the tip side of the back surface 15b of the equipment housing 15 in the direction from the storage battery 13 to the solar panel 12. This allows the water detection sensor 18 to detect water adhering to the portion of the equipment housing 15 where the water detection sensor 18 is disposed, when the user Us falls into the ocean or the like and the rescue alarm unit 1 floats on the water surface.

[0057] (Attachment part) The affixing part 19 is a member for affixing the rescue alert unit 1 to the life-saving device main body 2. The affixing part 19 is, for example, a tape member such as Velcro. The affixing part 19 is arranged at an end portion on the tip side of the back surface 15b of the equipment housing part 15 in the direction from the storage battery 13 toward the solar panel 12. The life-saving device main body 2 has an affixed part (not shown) arranged at a position corresponding to the affixing part 19. The affixing part 19 and the affixed part are affixed with enough force to be detached by the impact force applied to the rescue alert unit 1 if the user Us falls into the sea, etc.

[0058] (Control unit) 8 and 9, the control unit 20 is configured to control the rescue notification unit 1. The control unit 20 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and a memory having a ROM (Read Only Memory) and a RAM (Random Access Memory), etc. A rescue notification unit control program for cleaning the rescue notification unit 1 is stored in the memory unit.

[0059] The control unit 20 is disposed between the storage battery 13 and the solar panel 12. The control unit 20 is electrically connected to the plurality of LED light sources 11, the solar panel 12, the storage battery 13, the gyro sensor 16, the light detection sensor 17, and the water detection sensor 18.

[0060] <Light Emission Control> 2, when the user Us falls into the ocean or the like, the control unit 20 automatically controls the LED light sources 11 to emit light at night without any operation by the user Us. The control unit 20 controls the LED light sources 11 to emit light using the power charged in the storage battery 13 based on the fact that it is nighttime.

[0061] Specifically, the control unit 20 controls the multiple LED light sources 11 to emit light (lights Li1, Li2, and Li3) based on the fact that the light detection sensor 17 does not detect light, the water detection sensor 18 detects water, and the gyro sensor 16 detects an angular velocity equal to or greater than a predetermined value at night. That is, the control unit 20 controls the multiple LED light sources 11 to automatically emit light, mainly at night, after the user Us falls into the ocean or the like. Here, the control unit 20 controls to detect that it is nighttime based on the detection result of the light detection sensor 17. That is, the control unit 20 controls to determine that it is nighttime based on the fact that no detection signal is received from the light detection sensor 17. Furthermore, the control unit 20 controls to determine that the user Us has fallen into the ocean or the like based on the detection results of the gyro sensor 16 and the water detection sensor 18. That is, the control unit 20 controls to determine that the user Us has fallen into the ocean or the like based on the fact that it receives a detection signal from the gyro sensor 16 and a detection signal from the water detection sensor 18.

[0062] Furthermore, when the plurality of LED light sources 11 are automatically made to emit light, the control unit 20 controls them to flash in a predetermined light emission pattern (light Li1, light Li2, and light Li3).

[0063] <Charging control> As shown in FIG. 6, the control unit 20 automatically controls the solar panel 12 to charge the storage battery 13 without any operation by the user Us.

[0064] Specifically, the control unit 20 controls the charging of the storage battery 13 with the power generated by the solar panel 12 based on the satisfaction of any one of the following conditions: light is detected by the light detection sensor 17, water is not detected by the water detection sensor 18, and an angular velocity of a predetermined value or more is not detected by the gyro sensor 16. In other words, the control unit 20 controls the automatic charging of the storage battery 13 during the day (mainly during the daytime) after the user Us falls into the ocean or the like.

[0065] (Life preserver main body) As shown in FIG. 6, the life-saving device main body 2 is configured to float a user Us who has encountered a water accident on the water surface. The life-saving device main body 2 is a member that has buoyancy and is attached to the body of the user Us (wearer). The life-saving device main body 2 has a buoyant body such as gas or foamed resin inside to generate buoyancy. The life-saving device main body 2 is, for example, a life jacket.

[0066] (How to generate a distress signal) A distress signal generating method of the rescue alarm unit 1 having the above-described configuration will be described with reference to Fig. 10. In the distress signal generating method, at the start, the user Us wearing the life preserver 100 is on board the boat and the LED light source 11 is off, but it is assumed that the user Us falls into the water after step S1. In this case, the LED light source 11 automatically flashes at night. If the user Us does not fall into the water after step S1, the LED light source 11 remains off.

[0067] 10, in step S1, it is determined whether or not an angular velocity equal to or greater than a predetermined value is detected by the gyro sensor 16. If the gyro sensor 16 detects an angular velocity equal to or greater than the predetermined value, the process proceeds to step S2, and if the gyro sensor 16 does not detect an angular velocity equal to or greater than the predetermined value, the process proceeds to step S5.

[0068] In step S2, it is determined whether water has been detected by the water detection sensor 18. If water has been detected by the water detection sensor 18, the process proceeds to step S3, and if water has not been detected by the water detection sensor 18, the process proceeds to step S5.

[0069] In step S3, it is determined whether or not light has been detected by the light detection sensor 17. If light has been detected by the light detection sensor 17, the process proceeds to step S4, and if light has not been detected by the light detection sensor 17, the process proceeds to step S5.

[0070] In step S4, the LED light source 11 emits light. This generates a distress signal. After step S4, the process returns to step S1. In step S5, the LED light source 11 is turned off, the solar panel 12 charges the storage battery 13, and the distress signal generating method ends. This turns off the LED light source 11 and charges the storage battery 13 using the solar panel 12, preparing for the next night.

[0071] (Effects of the first embodiment) In the first embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.

[0072] In the first embodiment, as described above, the rescue alert unit 1 includes the attachment part 10 for detachably attaching to the life-saving device main body 2, which has buoyancy and is worn on the body of a user Us (wearer). This allows the rescue alert unit 1 to be attached to the life-saving device main body 2 by the attachment part 10 even if the life-saving device main body 2 does not have any dedicated parts, thereby improving the versatility of attachment of the rescue alert unit 1 including the solar panel 12, the storage battery 13, and the LED light source 11.

[0073] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, as described above, the control unit 20 controls the LED light source 11 to emit light based on the detection of no light by the light detection sensor 17, detection of water by the water detection sensor 18, and detection of movement of the rescue notification unit main body by the gyro sensor 16 (water surface movement detection unit). This allows the LED light source 11 to emit light automatically at night without any operation by the user Us, thereby reliably issuing a rescue notification using light emitted from the LED light source 11. Furthermore, automatically illuminating the LED light source 11 at night allows search parties to conduct searches at night, and because the light emitted by the LED light source 11 is particularly noticeable at night, it makes it easier for the search parties to find the person in distress. Furthermore, the solar panel 12 allows the storage battery 13 to be charged by sunlight during the day, and the LED light source 11 can be illuminated at night using the power of the storage battery 13 charged during the day. As a result, charging during the day allows the LED light source 11 to emit light at night for a long period of time. Furthermore, it is possible to determine whether it is daytime or nighttime based on the detection signal transmitted from the light detection sensor 17. This makes it possible to easily issue a rescue alert using light emitted from the LED light source 11 only at night. Furthermore, it is possible to determine whether the user Us wearing the life preserver main body 2 is in water (such as the sea, a river, or a lake) based on the detection signal transmitted from the water detection sensor 18. This makes it possible to detect that the user Us is adrift in water (such as the sea, a river, or a lake).

[0074] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, as described above, the rescue alert unit 1 includes the gyro sensor 16 that detects movement of the rescue alert unit main body. The control unit 20 controls the LED light source 11 to emit light based on the detection of no light by the light detection sensor 17, detection of water by the water detection sensor 18, and detection of an angular velocity equal to or greater than a predetermined value by the gyro sensor 16. This allows the LED light source 11 to be automatically illuminated using the light detection sensor 17, the water detection sensor 18, and the gyro sensor 16, thereby reliably issuing a rescue alert using light from the LED light source 11. Furthermore, since a rescue alert using light from the LED light source 11 is issued when no light is detected by the light detection sensor 17, it is possible to automatically issue a rescue alert using light from the LED light source 11 at night rather than during the day. Furthermore, since a rescue alert using light from the LED light source 11 is not issued when water is not detected by the water detection sensor 18, the LED light source 11 can be prevented from emitting light when the user Us is on a boat or the like (on land). Furthermore, by preventing the LED light source 11 from emitting light when it is not needed, it is possible to prevent insufficient power when it is needed. Furthermore, if the gyro sensor 16 does not detect an angular velocity equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the LED light source 11 does not issue a rescue alert using light, so that the LED light source 11 can be prevented from emitting light when the user Us is on a boat or the like (on land).

[0075] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, as described above, the rescue alert unit 1 includes a buoyancy generating unit 14 that uses buoyancy to move the rescue alert unit 1 toward the water surface relative to the lifesaving device main body 2. As a result, when a victim falls into the water (sea, river, lake, etc.), the buoyancy generating unit 14 causes the rescue alert unit 1 to float on the water surface without any operation by the victim, thereby ensuring that the light emitted from the LED light source 11 is irradiated to the surrounding space above the water surface. As a result, the rescue alert light can be easily recognized by search teams. Furthermore, because the buoyancy generating unit 14 causes the rescue alert unit 1 to float on the water surface, the storage battery 13 can be reliably charged by sunlight during the day. Furthermore, because the buoyancy generating unit 14 causes the rescue alert unit 1 to float on the water surface, the rescue alert signal generated by the light emitted from the LED light source 11 can be reliably recognized at night.

[0076] In the first embodiment, as described above, the rescue alarm unit 1 is detachably attached to the life-saving device main body 2 by the attachment part 10, and houses the LED light source 11 and the storage battery 13 therein, and is provided with a waterproof equipment housing part 15. As a result, the equipment housing part 15 can ensure the waterproofness of electrical equipment such as the LED light source 11 and the storage battery 13.

[0077] [Second embodiment] 11 to 14, the configuration of a life preserver 200 equipped with a rescue notification unit 201 according to the second embodiment will be described. In the second embodiment, a control unit 220 performs control to determine whether it is nighttime or not based on the amount of power generated by the solar panel 12. Note that in the second embodiment, detailed description of the same configuration as in the first embodiment will be omitted.

[0078] As shown in Fig. 11, the life-saving device 200 of the second embodiment includes a rescue notification unit 201 and a life-saving device main body 2. The life-saving device main body 2 is an example of the "life-saving device" in the claims.

[0079] (Rescue notification unit) The rescue notification unit 201 is configured to issue a rescue notification when the user Us encounters a water accident and floats to the water surface by the life-saving device main body 2. The rescue notification unit 201 is a unit that is detachably attached to the life-saving device 200. In other words, the rescue notification unit 201 is a unit that is retrofitted to an existing life-saving device 200. In FIG. 11 , the rescue notification unit 201 is attached to the back side of the life-saving device 200.

[0080] The rescue alert unit 201 includes a pair of mounting portions 10, a plurality (three) of LED light sources 11, a solar panel 12, a storage battery 13, a buoyancy generating portion 14, an equipment housing portion 15, a level sensor 216, a water detection sensor 18 (see FIG. 12), and an attachment portion 19 (see FIG. 8). Each of the plurality (three) of LED light sources 11 is an example of a "light source" in the claims. The solar panel 12 is an example of a "solar power generation portion" in the claims. The level sensor 216 is an example of a "tilt sensor" and a "water surface movement detection portion" in the claims. The combined configuration of the plurality of LED light sources 11, the solar panel 12, the storage battery 13, the buoyancy generating portion 14, the equipment housing portion 15, the level sensor 216, the water detection sensor 18, and the attachment portion 19 is an example of a "rescue alert unit main body" in the claims.

[0081] That is, the rescue notification unit 201 of the second embodiment differs from the rescue notification unit 1 of the first embodiment in that it does not include the light detection sensor 17 of the first embodiment.

[0082] Here, the rescue alert unit 201 is formed by integrating the above-mentioned pair of mounting parts 10, the plurality of LED light sources 11, the solar panel 12, the storage battery 13, the buoyancy generating part 14, the equipment housing part 15, the attachment part 19, the horizontal sensor 216, the water detection sensor 18, and the control part 220. As a result, the rescue alert unit 201 is detachably attached to the life-saving device main body 2 by the pair of mounting parts 10.

[0083] (Horizontal sensor) 12 and 13, the horizontal sensor 216 is a sensor for detecting that the life preserver main body 2 has moved toward the water surface due to buoyancy. The horizontal sensor 216 is a sensor for detecting that the rescue alarm unit 201 has moved from a predetermined position Pr (see FIG. 11) to a horizontal position Ph (see FIG. 13). The horizontal sensor 216 is disposed on the circuit board of the control unit 220.

[0084] 13, if the user Us falls into the sea, an impact force is applied to the rescue notification unit 201, causing the rescue notification unit 201 to detach forcefully from the lifesaving device main body 2. At this time, the rescue notification unit 201 floats to the water surface due to buoyancy. The rescue notification unit 201 floating on the water surface has moved to a horizontal position Ph, and therefore it is detected that the user Us has fallen into the sea, for example. The horizontal sensor 216 is configured to transmit a detection signal (detection result) to the control unit 220 when it detects that the rescue notification unit 201 has moved from a predetermined position Pr (see FIG. 11) to the horizontal position Ph. The horizontal sensor 216 is also configured not to transmit a detection signal (detection result) to the control unit 220 when it has not detected that the rescue notification unit 201 has moved from the predetermined position Pr (see FIG. 11) to the horizontal position Ph.

[0085] (Control unit) 11 and 12, the control unit 220 is configured to control the rescue notification unit 201. The control unit 220 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and a memory having a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), etc. A rescue notification unit control program for cleaning the rescue notification unit 201 is stored in the storage unit.

[0086] The control unit 220 is electrically connected to the plurality of LED light sources 11, the solar panel 12, the storage battery 13, the horizontal sensor 216, and the water detection sensor .

[0087] <Light Emission Control> The control unit 220 controls the multiple LED light sources 11 to emit light (emit light Li1, light Li2, and light Li3) based on the fact that the amount of power generated by the solar panel 12 falls below a threshold at night, water is detected by the water detection sensor 18, and movement of the rescue alerting unit 201 (see FIG. 12) is detected by the horizontal sensor 216. That is, the control unit 220 controls the multiple LED light sources 11 to emit light (emit light Li1, light Li2, and light Li3) based on the fact that the amount of power generated by the solar panel 12 falls below a threshold at night, water is detected by the water detection sensor 18, and movement of the rescue alerting unit 201 to the horizontal position Ph (see FIG. 12).

[0088] That is, after the user Us falls into the sea or the like, the control unit 220 controls the multiple LED light sources 11 to automatically emit light, mainly at night. Here, the control unit 220 controls to detect that it is nighttime based on the amount of power generated by the solar panel 12. That is, the control unit 220 controls to determine that it is nighttime based on the amount of power generated by the solar panel 12 being equal to or less than a threshold. The control unit 220 also controls to determine that it is daytime based on the amount of power generated by the solar panel 12 exceeding a threshold. The control unit 220 also controls to determine that the user Us has fallen into the sea or the like based on the detection results of the horizontal sensor 216 and the water detection sensor 18. That is, the control unit 220 controls to determine that the user Us has fallen into the sea or the like based on the fact that it has acquired a detection signal from the horizontal sensor 216 and a detection signal from the water detection sensor 18.

[0089] <Charging control> The control unit 220 controls charging of the storage battery 13 with the power generated by the solar panel 12 based on the satisfaction of any one of the following conditions: the amount of power generated by the solar panel 12 exceeds a threshold value, water is not detected by the water detection sensor 18, and the horizontal sensor 216 has not detected that the rescue notification unit 201 has moved to the horizontal position Ph. In other words, the control unit 220 controls automatic charging of the storage battery 13 during the day (mainly during the daytime) after the user Us falls into the ocean or the like.

[0090] The other configurations of the second embodiment are the same as those of the first embodiment, and therefore description thereof will be omitted.

[0091] (How to generate a distress signal) A distress signal generating method of the distress alarm unit 201 having the above-described configuration will be described with reference to Fig. 14. In the distress signal generating method, at the start, the user Us wearing the life preserver 200 is on board the boat and the LED light source 11 is off, but a case is assumed in which the user Us falls into the water after step S201. In this case, the LED light source 11 automatically flashes at night. If the user Us does not fall into the water after step S201, the LED light source 11 remains off. Note that steps S2, S4, and S5 are similar to steps S2, S4, and S5 of the distress signal generating method of the first embodiment, respectively, and therefore will not be described again.

[0092] 14, in step S201, it is determined whether or not the horizontal sensor 216 has detected that the rescue notification unit 201 has moved to the horizontal position Ph (see FIG. 13). If the horizontal sensor 216 has detected that the rescue notification unit 201 has moved to the horizontal position Ph, the process proceeds to step S2, and if the horizontal sensor 216 has not detected that the rescue notification unit 201 has moved to the horizontal position Ph, the process proceeds to step S5.

[0093] In step S203, it is determined whether the amount of power generated by the solar panel 12 is equal to or less than the threshold value. If the amount of power generated by the solar panel 12 is equal to or less than the threshold value, the process proceeds to step S4, and if the amount of power generated by the solar panel 12 exceeds the threshold value, the process proceeds to step S5.

[0094] In step S5, the LED light source 11 is turned off, the storage battery 13 is charged by the solar panel 12, and then the distress signal generating method ends. As a result, the LED light source 11 is turned off, and the storage battery 13 is charged by the solar panel 12, in preparation for the next night.

[0095] (Effects of the second embodiment) In the second embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.

[0096] In the second embodiment, as described above, the rescue alarm unit 201 includes the attachment part 10 for detachably attaching to the life-saving device main body 2, which has buoyancy and is worn on the body of the user Us (wearer). This allows the rescue alarm unit 201 to be attached to the life-saving device main body 2 by the attachment part 10 even if the life-saving device main body 2 does not have any dedicated components, thereby improving the versatility of attachment of the rescue alarm unit 201 including the solar panel 12, the storage battery 13, and the LED light source 11.

[0097] Furthermore, in the second embodiment, as described above, the control unit 220 controls the plurality of LED light sources 11 to emit light based on the fact that the amount of power generated by the solar panel 12 falls below a threshold, water is detected by the water detection sensor 18, and movement of the rescue alerting unit 201 is detected by the horizontal sensor 216. As a result, since it is detected that it is nighttime using the amount of power generated by the solar panel 12, it is possible to suppress an increase in the number of parts of the rescue alerting unit 201 and an increase in the size of the unit, compared to when it is detected that it is nighttime using an optical sensor.

[0098] The other effects of the second embodiment are the same as those of the first embodiment, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted.

[0099] [Variations] The embodiments disclosed herein should be considered to be illustrative and not restrictive in all respects. The scope of the present invention is defined by the claims rather than the above description of the embodiments, and further includes all modifications (variations) within the meaning and scope of the claims.

[0100] For example, in the first embodiment, the rescue notification unit 1 is provided with the light detection sensor 17, but the present invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, the rescue notification unit may be provided with a sensor that detects sunlight other than the light detection sensor.

[0101] In the first and second embodiments, the rescue notification unit 1 (201) is provided with the water detection sensor 18, but the present invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, the rescue notification unit 1 may detect water using a temperature sensor or the like other than the water detection sensor.

[0102] In the first embodiment, the rescue notification unit 1 is provided with a gyro sensor 16 (angular velocity sensor) as a water surface movement detection unit, but the present invention is not limited to this. In the second embodiment, the rescue notification unit 201 is provided with a horizontal sensor 216 (tilt sensor) as a water surface movement detection unit, but the present invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, the rescue notification unit may be provided with an acceleration sensor instead of an angular velocity sensor and a tilt sensor.

[0103] In the first embodiment, the control unit 20 determines that it is nighttime based on the fact that a detection signal is not received from the light detection sensor 17, but the present invention is not limited to this. In the second embodiment, the control unit 220 determines that it is nighttime based on the fact that the amount of power generated by the solar panel 12 is equal to or less than a threshold value, but the present invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, the control unit may also determine that it is nighttime based on time information received from a timer.

[0104] In the first and second embodiments, for convenience of explanation, the control processing of the control unit 20 (220) is explained using a flow-driven flowchart in which processing is performed sequentially according to a processing flow, but the present invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, the control processing of the control unit may be performed by event-driven processing in which processing is performed on an event-by-event basis. In this case, the control processing may be performed completely event-driven, or may be performed in a combination of event-driven and flow-driven. [Explanation of symbols]

[0105] 1, 201 Rescue notification unit 2 Life preserver main body 10 Mounting part 11 LED light source (light source) 12 Solar panels (solar power generation section) 13 Storage battery 14 Buoyancy generating section 15 Equipment storage section 16 Gyro sensor (angular velocity sensor, water surface movement detection unit) 17 Light detection sensor 18 Water detection sensor 20, 220 control section 100, 200 life preserver 216 Horizontal sensor (water surface movement detection part) Pr Predetermined position Ph horizontal position Us User (wearer)

Claims

1. an attachment part for detachably attaching to a life-saving device main body having buoyancy and to be worn on the body of a wearer; a rescue notification unit main body including a light source that emits light to the outside, a storage battery that supplies power to the light source, and a solar power generation unit that generates power using sunlight to charge the storage battery; The light source is configured to emit light to notify rescue, the mounting portion is configured to be mountable to the life-saving device main body so that the rescue alarm unit main body can move relatively with respect to the life-saving device main body, a light detection sensor capable of detecting light; a water detection sensor capable of detecting water; a water surface movement detection unit, which is composed of an angular velocity sensor, a tilt sensor, an acceleration sensor, or a magnet sensor, for detecting movement of the rescue notification unit main body; This rescue alert unit is configured to automatically turn on the light source that was turned off when all three conditions are met: no light is detected by the light detection sensor, water is detected by the water detection sensor, and movement of the rescue alert unit main body is detected by the water surface movement detection unit.

2. an attachment part for detachably attaching to a life-saving device main body having buoyancy and to be worn on the body of a wearer; a rescue notification unit main body including a light source that emits light to the outside, a storage battery that supplies power to the light source, and a solar power generation unit that generates power using sunlight to charge the storage battery; The light source is configured to emit light to notify rescue, the mounting portion is configured to be mountable to the life-saving device main body so that the rescue alarm unit main body can move relatively with respect to the life-saving device main body, a water detection sensor capable of detecting water; a water surface movement detection unit, which is composed of an angular velocity sensor, a tilt sensor, an acceleration sensor, or a magnet sensor, for detecting movement of the rescue notification unit main body; This rescue alert unit is configured to automatically turn on the light source that was turned off when all three conditions are met: the power generation amount of the solar power generation unit falls below a threshold value, water is detected by the water detection sensor, and movement of the rescue alert unit main body is detected by the water surface movement detection unit.

3. the water surface movement detection unit is the angular velocity sensor that detects movement of the rescue notification unit main body, The rescue alarm unit described in claim 1 is configured to automatically turn on the light source that was turned off when all three conditions are met: no light is detected by the light detection sensor, water is detected by the water detection sensor, and an angular velocity greater than or equal to a predetermined value is detected by the angular velocity sensor.

4. The rescue alert unit according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a buoyancy generating section that uses buoyancy to move the rescue alert unit main body toward the water surface relative to the life-saving device main body.

5. The rescue alert unit according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the rescue alert unit main body is detachably attached to the life-saving device main body by the mounting portion, houses the light source and the storage battery therein, and further includes a waterproof equipment housing portion.

6. a life-saving device main body having buoyancy and attached to the wearer's body; a rescue alarm unit detachably attached to the life-saving device main body, The rescue notification unit includes: an attachment part for detachably attaching the life-saving device to the main body part; a rescue notification unit main body including a light source that emits light to the outside, a storage battery that supplies power to the light source, and a solar power generation unit that generates power using sunlight to charge the storage battery; The light source is configured to emit light to notify rescue, the mounting portion is configured to be mountable to the life-saving device main body so that the rescue alarm unit main body can move relatively with respect to the life-saving device main body, The rescue notification unit includes: a light detection sensor capable of detecting light; a water detection sensor capable of detecting water; The rescue notification unit further includes a water surface movement detection unit, which is composed of an angular velocity sensor, a tilt sensor, an acceleration sensor, or a magnet sensor, for detecting movement of the rescue notification unit main body, The rescue alarm unit is configured to automatically turn on the light source, which has been turned off, when all three conditions are met: no light is detected by the light detection sensor, water is detected by the water detection sensor, and movement of the rescue alarm unit main body is detected by the water surface movement detection unit.

7. a life-saving device main body having buoyancy and attached to the wearer's body; a rescue alarm unit detachably attached to the life-saving device main body, The rescue notification unit includes: an attachment part for detachably attaching the life-saving device to the main body part; a rescue notification unit main body including a light source that emits light to the outside, a storage battery that supplies power to the light source, and a solar power generation unit that generates power using sunlight to charge the storage battery; The light source is configured to emit light to notify rescue, the mounting portion is configured to be mountable to the life-saving device main body so that the rescue alarm unit main body can move relatively with respect to the life-saving device main body, The rescue notification unit includes: a water detection sensor capable of detecting water; The rescue notification unit further includes a water surface movement detection unit, which is composed of an angular velocity sensor, a tilt sensor, an acceleration sensor, or a magnet sensor, for detecting movement of the rescue notification unit main body, The rescue alert unit is configured to automatically turn on the light source, which had been turned off, when all three conditions are met: the amount of power generated by the solar power generation unit falls below a threshold value, water is detected by the water detection sensor, and movement of the rescue alert unit main body is detected by the water surface movement detection unit.

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