Device for Signalling in an Aquatic Environment

The present invention relates to the field of devices for signalling a person in an aquatic environment, more specifically a person located on a body of water. It finds a particularly advantageous application in the field of scuba diving.

In the scuba diving practice, when the diver rises to the surface at the end of diving, he/she should get on board his/her watercraft. In practice, a recurrent difficulty is how this diver could be easily localised by the watercraft. Indeed, when the members of the same diving group reach the surface, they are often located at a distance from the boat which prevent them from being easily localised visually from the boat. Moreover, the currents greatly contribute to this distance.

This problem consisting in localising a person located at the surface of water is particularly vital when the swell masks this diver or when the luminosity is low. Of course, this problem is amplified during nighttime diving.

To address this problem, there are inflatable signalling buoys. These inflatable buoys are deployed by the diver after the latter has reached the surface. These buoys have a height larger than the emerged portion of the body of a diver, typically larger than 50 cm.

Nevertheless, in the dark, this type of devices might prove to be quite insufficient. Some deployable buoys are coated with reflective strips to improve their visibility.

These deployable signalling buoys have a low effectiveness in terms of signalling, in particular under swell condition or with a long distance between the boat and the divers. Hence, there is a need to provide a solution allowing improving the visibility of a person, for example a diver, positioned at the surface of a body of water. This is one of the objectives of the present invention.

The other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon examining the following description and the appended drawings. It should be understood that other advantages may be incorporated.

To achieve this objective, according to one embodiment, a signalling system is provided configured to be carried by a user at the surface of a body of water, the system is characterised in that it comprises a device for ejecting a fluid, the ejection device comprises:

Thus, the system generates a fluid jet formed by the water surrounding the user and by a pressurised gas, typically a pressurised gas contained in diving cylinders.

This system allows signalling the presence of a diver possibly far away from the other members of their diving group, from their instructor or from their boat. Thus, this system enhances the safety of divers and facilitates the work of diving instructors and accompanying boat pilots.

Furthermore, it may be oriented according to various directions. It can be moved manually by the user so as to perform a visual movement which will be particularly visible even at a distance.

This solution has the advantage of considerably improving the visibility of a diver, while having a reduced bulk compared to a deployable signalling buoy. Indeed, this system has the advantage of not significantly increasing the bulk or the weight of the diver. Indeed, this system allows forming a visual element using the water surrounding the user as well as a gas that the user carries in his/her usual equipment.

Optionally, the system comprises at least one optical output, secured to the ejection device and configured so as to propagate a light beam delimited by a casing according to a secondary direction, the system being configured so that the envelope of the light beam emitted from the optical output intersects the envelope of the beam of the fluid jet ejected from the fluid outlet.

Thus, the fluid jet is illuminated by the light beam. This illuminated fluid jet thus forms a visual element allowing signalling the presence of the user.

Therefore, this system considerably improves the safety of divers when diving in reduced luminosity conditions, or at night.

The visual element formed by the illuminated jet may have a large dimension, preferably larger than 50 cm.

According to one embodiment, a set is provided comprising a signalling system and a gas source, preferably under pressure, the system and the gas source being two distinct elements and configured so as to be fluidly connected via a connector, preferably flexible, so as to supply the second fluid inlet with gas.

Another aspect relates to a method for signalling a user, for example a diver, on a body of water using a system carried by the user, the method being characterised in that it comprises a step of fluidly connecting to the second fluid inlet a pressurised air inlet pipe derived from a tank comprised in a piece of equipment of the user, typically a diving cylinder.

Optionally, one of the connections available on a cylinder is used or a system whose diver no longer has to use it at the surface is unplugged.

Optionally, the method comprises a step of turning on a light source so that the optical output emits a beam which diffuses into the water jet.

Optionally, the pressurised gas tank is a diving cylinder and the air inlet pipe is directly connected to an outlet of an expansion valve equipping the cylinder.

The drawings are given as examples and do not limit the invention. They consist of schematic representations of principle intended to facilitate understanding of the invention and are not necessarily plotted to the scale of practical applications.

Before starting a detailed review of embodiments of the invention, optional features are set out hereinafter, which could possibly be used in combination or alternatively:

According to one example, the system comprising a casing, the casing incorporating the pipe with the first fluid inlet, the second fluid inlet the first fluid outlet with the optical output.

According to one example, the jet has a height Hj preferably measured according to the main direction X.

According to one example, Hj is measured according to the vertical when the main direction Xis vertical. Of course, it arises from the following explanations that Hj is measured beyond the surface of the water, i.e. in the air located above the surface of the body of water and not underwater.

Preferably, the height Hj is larger than 50 cm, preferably larger than 75 cm, preferably larger than 150 cm.

According to one example, the system is configured so that the envelope of the light beam intersects the fluid jet over a height Hi, measured according to the vertical, such that Hi≥0.5*Hj. Preferably, Hi≥0.7*Hj, preferably Hi≥0.9*Hj and preferably Hi≥0.95*Hj.

Thus, a considerable portion of the fluid jet is illuminated by the light beam. This further improves the visibility of the jet and therefore the effectiveness of signalling of the user, preferably a diver at the surface of the water.

According to one example, the light beam propagates according to the secondary direction and has a divergence angle α smaller than or equal to 45° with respect to the main direction.

Preferably smaller than or equal to 30°, preferably smaller than or equal to 20°.

These values allow having a large area of overlapping of the fluid jets by the light beam, while concentrating the light energy on the beam.

According to one example, the second fluid inlet is configured to fluidly cooperate with a piece of equipment of the diver so as to supply the second fluid inlet with the pressurised gas.

For example, the second fluid inlet may be directly connected to an outlet of an expansion valve of a breathable gas cylinder, typically the outlet of the first stage of an expansion valve. This connection may be performed by means of a dedicated flexible hose.

According to one example, the pressurised gas penetrating into the pipe has a pressure higher than or equal to 5 bar, preferably higher than or equal to 8 bar, preferably higher than or equal to 10 bars, this pressure is generally lower than 20 15 bars. Preferably, this pressure is comprised between 10 bar and 12 bar.

According to one example, the pressurised gas penetrating into the pipe has a pressure higher than or equal to 5 bar, preferably higher than or equal to 8 bar, preferably comprised between 10 bar and 12 bar, so that said jet formed of the water and of the gas coming out of the pipe has a height Hj larger than 50 cm, preferably larger than 75 cm, preferably larger than 150 cm.

According to one example, throughout the propagation of the fluid jet, the ejection device is continuously supplied with water from the body of water via the at least one first fluid inlet.

The second fluid inlet may also be connected to a pipe commonly used to supply pressurised gas to the stabilisation vest of the diver. As he/she arrives at the surface of the body of water, the diver no longer needs to inject pressurised gas into his/her vest. Hence, he/she can use this pipe to inject pressurised air into the signalling system.

According to one example, the second fluid inlet comprises a thread or a sliding ring connection. It could consist of another system used in scuba diving.

According to one example, the pipe has a constriction of the gas inflow section, so as to suck water at the level of the first fluid inlet by Venturi effect.

According to one example, the system comprises several first fluid inlets. This advantageously allows sucking more water and consequently ejecting a fluid jet with a higher flow rate.

According to one example, the system comprises several fluid outlets so as to create a plurality of fluid jets. Advantageously, the jets are distributed around the optical output.

According to one example, the system comprises several optical outputs so as to create a plurality of light beams. Preferably, the optical outputs are directed according to the directions substantially parallel to the ejection directions of the jets.

According to one example, the system is configured to emit several light beams and several fluid jets so that each light beam intersects at least one fluid jet. Preferably, one single fluid jet. Thus, each fluid jet is associated with a light beam.

According to one example, the light beam is configured so as to intersect the jet at different distances. Preferably, the light beam is conical.

According to one embodiment, the system comprises several light sources configured to emit several different beams and each beam intersects the jet at different distances so as to illuminate in portions, continuously or discontinuously. According to another embodiment, the beam is derived from one single source, the source being configured to emit a beam whose shape and/or emission distance varies intermittently.

According to one example, the light beam is flared and or discontinuous so as to cover a larger area, at the same time, the jet has a diffuse shape in order to illuminate a microdroplet area.

According to one example, the optical output is configured so as to illuminate the fluid jet in a flared and/or discontinuous manner.

Therefore, this allows for a larger illuminated area, yet with a lower light power, and therefore enabling lighting for a longer period of time. This embodiment increases the safety of the user who could signal his/her presence for a longer duration without depleting his/her battery.

According to one example, the system is configured to be carried at the arm, preferably at the wrist of the user.