Submersible chronograph and counter

A submersible device for keeping track of a swimmer's session transpired times. It includes a case which is pivotally adjustable in relation to a base, and which contains both a watertight and a ballast compartment to decrease the buoyancy of the device when in use in water. The device may include a lap counter and a proximity sensor activated by the proximity of a swimmer wearing a proximity transmitter. A high contrast liquid crystal display is used to improve visibility.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention pertains to submersible timing and lap-counting devices for use by swimmers, and more particularly, to such devices utilizing high contrast displays with integral ballast systems.

BACKGROUND

For competitive swimmers, as well as for recreational lap swimmers, it is desirable to accurately time each lap, being one transit of the length of the pool and return. Each out and back lap typically occurs within the confines of a marked swimming lane, with the swimmer returning to the starting point in his or her lane at the beginning of each lap.

Swimmers desire the ability to measure the elapse time for each lap. As a result of this need, a variety of timers and lap counters for swimmers have been developed.

For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,029,170, issued to Bailey, teaches a swim lap counter-timer adapted to be affixed to the deck and wall of a swimming pool, and featuring a submersible timer and lap counter together with a pressure-sensitive switch which allows activation of both the counter and the timer. A similar device is taught by Dawley in U.S. Pat. No. 4,518,266, in the form of a timer and lap counter which is secured to a stationary object on the pool deck, or to a heavy weight. In this device, the electronic display is maintained above the surface of the water, and an activation kick pad is mounted below the water surface. A similar device is taught by Benson in U.S. Pat. No. 6,940,784. This digital display device is operable to display both a chronograph and a lap timer in a hand-held case, which is designed to be immersed in water. Further refinements are taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,136,621, to Mitchell, et al., in which the lap timer/counter is activated by an ultrasonic transmitter worn by the swimmer.

All of the foregoing devices exhibit common limitations. First, the devices often exhibit insufficient reflectivity, by virtue of the fact that they utilize liquid crystal displays which require illumination to provide sufficient contrast, or require LED displays.

Further, the display units are in a fixed relationship to the case which is utilized for positioning the device to the pool wall or pool bottom. Because of the refractive index of water, the fixed position of the display in relation to its case may render the display difficult to observe depending on the swimmer's position in relation to the device.

Prior art devices have also exhibited known problems with buoyancy. It is desirable to be able to position the timer/counter at varying depths, and all known devices do not allow for buoyancy control.

One object of the invention, therefore, is to provide a lap timer for use by swimmers which has an extremely high contrast yet low power consumption liquid crystal display.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a swimmer's lap timer which is angularly adjustable in relation to the swimmer's line of sight in the water to provide an easily readable display.

Another object of the present invention is to provide for variable buoyancy of the swimmer's timer so that the timer remains stable in relation to the swimmer's lane at any of a variety of depths.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a swimmer's timer which can be mounted to a base, to the pool deck, or to the pool wall.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a swimmer's timer which is selectively operable as either a timer which is manually operated, or a timer which is operated by a sensing system which operates effectively under the surface of the water.

These and other objects of the present invention will be more fully appreciated from the following summary and description.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The submersible timer comprises a high contrast display contained within a waterproof housing. The housing is pivotally connected to a weighted bracket which may be mounted on the pool deck, the pool wall or the pool floor. One or more magnetic sensors may be associated with the display to sense the position of a magnetic device carried by a swimmer and moving in proximity to the timer.

A ballast chamber is provided within the case to permit a predetermined volume of water to enter the ballast chamber and thereby provide a more secure positioning of the timer in relation to the floor of the pool. When not in use, the ballast chamber can be emptied, resulting in a display which is relatively light in weight.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT

The following description will be best understood by reference to the drawings above described. The present invention is a timer10incorporating a case12, a base14and a digital display22. The digital display22is secured within the case12, and the case12with its associated window34and operating controls including an on/off switch26, a start/stop switch28and a reset switch30are constructed as a watertight unit, so that the digital display22and its associated electronic circuitry are not damaged or rendered inoperative by exposure to water.

The basic configuration of the timer10as depicted inFIG. 1andFIG. 8. The case12is pivotally secured to base14by a pair of brackets16which are provided with thumb screws20which engage threaded sockets (not shown) in the sides of the case12. In this fashion, the case12may be rotated in relation to base14to vary the angle between the case12and the base14, thereby allowing the user of the timer10to position the digital display22in relation to the surface on which base14is placed so that a digital display22is readily visible to a swimmer using the device.

In the described embodiment, base14contains a weight18, which may be formed integrally with base14or may be a separate element positioned within the interior of base14. Preferably, weight18is treated to minimize deterioration and rusting, while still providing substantial mass to stabilize the base14in relation to the surface of the bottom of a swimming pool. Thumbscrews20may be of the wing nut style, or of a knurled knob style, or any other easily adjustable thumbscrew which will allow the friction between the sides of case12and the bracket16to be varied as needed.

Further as shown inFIGS. 1 and 2, digital display22consists of a high resolution, high contrast liquid crystal display. The digital display22is driven by electronic circuitry75in the form of a dedicated integrated circuit containing both the chronograph timing circuitry, control circuitry, and the display driver circuitry. Such digital circuits are widely available and well known in the art. The timer of the present invention is a simple count up timer, preferably as showing minutes and seconds only, with a flashing colon between the minutes and seconds to alert the user to the fact that the timer is in operation. The timer utilizes only three controls, all positioned on an operative console24on the face of the case12so that they can be easily operated by the swimmer if desired. The first control is the on/off switch26, which, when operated, toggles the timer10between a powered on and a powered off mode. The second operating control is the start stop switch28, which is characterized in that it is a larger physical size than the remaining switches, since it is the switch which will be most frequently used by the swimmer when the clock is in operation. The start/stop switch28, as its name suggests, starts and stops the operation of the timer. In the start mode, the timer is running, and the minutes and seconds increment. When the start/stop switch28is toggled to the stop position, the elapsed time remains visible on the display, but the timer is not running. In this fashion, the time elapsed for each consecutive lap may be measured separately. The final control is the reset switch30, which, as its name suggests, resets the timer to zero.

As shown inFIGS. 1-7, the case12of timer10comprises a case front half70, a case rear half72, and a window34. The case rear half72is provided a battery compartment46, which is provided with a battery compartment cover48secured to the case rear half72by a plurality of fasteners56. Interposed between the case rear half72and the battery compartment cover48is a seal (not shown), which provides a watertight seal between the battery compartment cover48and the case rear half72. The batteries utilized in the present embodiment are in the form of AAA batteries, which have been proven to provide the necessary longevity and affordability required for devices of this type. However, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that a variety of different batteries may be utilized to achieve the result of supplying the necessary power to the electronic circuitry. In addition to batteries of the afore described type, it will also be appreciated that rechargeable batteries may be used, including rechargeable batteries which are capable of being recharged through an induction system, thereby insuring the water tight integrity of the case12by eliminating the battery compartment cover48.

The rear half72is secured to the case front half70utilizing a plurality of fasteners56spaced around the approximate perimeter case halves. Interposed between the case front half70and the case rear half72is a seal54as depicted inFIG. 7. Preferably the seal is the form of a flexible O-ring or comparable resilient member which, when compressed, prevents the uncontrolled entry of water into the interior of the case, except to enter the ballast chamber78as will be further described herein.

The case12is provided with threaded sockets61in the top and in the bottom (socket not shown), to allow the case12to be mounted utilizing a threaded fastener to a portion of the pool wall or pool floor on which the device is to be used, when it is desired to use the device without the base14and bracket16. Further, base14is provided with a threaded socket, to permit the entire assembly to be mounted to a threaded fastener, thereby permitting the assembly to be mounted to a pool wall or pool floor. Further, the threaded sockets61, as well as both the base14and bracket16may be utilized to secure a flexible suspension element, such as a rope, to the timer to permit the timer to be suspended from a lane line or lane line securement point on the wall of the swimming pool.

To insure that the timer10remains stable when placed on a horizontal surface such as the pool floor, it is desirable that as little air as possible remain within the interior of the case12. In the embodiment, a portion of the interior of the case12is formed as a ballast chamber78as shown inFIG. 7. A ballast chamber wall82surrounds the digital display22. The ballast chamber wall is sealed against the ingress of water to the interior of the case front half70. The upper surface of the ballast chamber wall82is provided with a seal84, again in the form of a flexible element which engages the upper surface of the ballast chamber wall82, and the inner surface of the case rear half72, thereby providing a water-tight seal which surrounds the digital display22and a circuit board74containing electronic circuitry75. The ballast chamber wall82is preferably formed of a rigid thermoplastic material, and, when viewed from above, presents a scalloped appearance. The scalloped configuration of the ballast chamber wall serves to spread the compression loads placed on the ballast chamber wall82when the case front half70and case rear half72are secured together by fasteners. This geometry of the ballast chamber wall provides the necessary rigidity to withstand the compression loads placed on the device when the case is secured in the assembled condition. To permit the ingress and egress of water into the ballast chamber78, a plurality of ballast ports80are provided around the perimeter of the case front half70. In this fashion, as the case12and base14are immersed in water, water flows into the ballast chamber78thereby substantially reducing the buoyancy of the timer10, so that the timer10resists movement in relationship to the movement of the water. Likewise, the provision of the sealed ballast chamber78and ballast chamber wall82creates a sealed compartment86in which the liquid crystal digital display22is secured, together with circuit board74and its associated electronic circuitry75, as well as electrical conductors76which interconnect the circuit board74with the battery compartment46. By using this dual chamber configuration, the electrical components, including the batteries, of the timer10are contained in an airtight chamber which is surrounded by water in the ballast chamber78.

A further advantage of this configuration is the fact that upon removal of the timer10from the water, the water drains from the ballast ports80thereby making the entire assembly lighter and more easily transportable.

In use, the timer10is preferably placed on the floor92of a swimming pool94having perimeter walls90. As the timer10is immersed in the water, the air contained within the ballast chamber78is displaced, and water fills the chamber, thereby reducing the buoyancy of the timer10. The weight of the remaining components of the timer10, as well as the weight of the base14, encourages the timer10to rest securely on the floor92of the swimming pool94. Operation of the timer10is commenced by operation of the on/off switch26and the start/stop switch28, and the timer may be reset by operation of the reset switch30. The operator may choose to simply allow the timer to run over a session of multiple laps, or may elect to stop reset and start the timer at the end of each lap.

In another embodiment of the present invention, a sensor100is attached to the case12and electronically connected to the electronic circuitry75. In this embodiment, the sensor100is a magnetic sensor, which is designed to sense the presence of an external magnetic field. A swimmer wears a magnetic transmitting device (not shown) on the his/her's person. As the swimmer approaches the sensor100, the sensor100senses the presence of the magnetic device carried by the swimmer and sends a signal to the electronic circuitry75which results in the electronic circuitry incrementing a lap counter, storing an elapsed lap time, and resetting the digital display to zero for the next lap. In this embodiment, the display may incorporate multiple display elements, including an accumulating timer showing the entire elapsed time of a multiple lap event, as well as the individual time for each lap. Magnetic sensors are preferable to other types of sensors which have been attempted in similar applications, such as radio frequency sensors, inasmuch as radio frequency sensors signals may be attenuated by immersion in water.

What is disclosed, therefore, is a simple yet reliable timing device for the use by swimmers to track elapsed times during practice and for races or other events, and which is appropriately non-buoyant when immersed in water and which maintains a secure position in relation to the swimming pool in which the device is used, while at the same time being portable and relatively lightweight when not in use and removed from the water.

The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.