Motorized self-winding reel for divers

An automated reel for use by divers comprises a battery-operated motor in communication with a take-up reel through a gearing arrangement, where the activation/de-activation of the motor is controlled by a tension-sensing mechanism. In operation, when the mechanism senses that there is “slack” in the safety cord, the mechanism will turn “on” the motor, which will then cause the reel to rotate (via the gearing arrangement) to wind up the slack safety cord. Once tension is restored on the line, the mechanism will turn “off” the motor. A manual override switch may be included for situations where the diver desires to retain control of winding/unwinding of the safety cord. A line leveler arrangement may be used in conjunction with the reel so as to evenly distribute the safety cord across the extent of the reel.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a diver's reel and, more particularly, to a diver's reel including a self-contained, battery-operated take-up reel that allows a sufficient length of safety cord to play out while a diver is moving away from his starting location and a tension-sensing device that automatically reels in a portion of the safety cord as soon as slack cord is created (as when the diver begins to return to his starting position).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Poor visibility can greatly reduce the ability of a diver to return to a dive boat (or shore location) on his ascent. Safety guide lines, or cords, have been provided in the prior art on reels that are carried by the diver. In use, the diver follows the guide line to return to the exact origin of descent. These reels require attention and constant winding/unwinding by the diver during underwater activity to so as to maintain a direct line back to his ascent location, which is considered to be both distracting and counter-productive to the activities in which the diver may be involved. Additionally, reels that do not include some type of “line leveler” device may become tangled and, as a result, less line can be stored on the reel because of inefficient distribution of the line across the reel. Prior art devices do not adequately address these problems.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,067,920, issued to Brisky on Nov. 26, 1991, puts forth a device flag line dispenser apparatus which comprises a hand-held line and reeling structure arranged in combination with a flotation buoy typically utilized in diving events. A tether line is secured to the dive buoy at one end and wound about a hand-held portable device to effect winding and reeling of the tether line to permit ease of return of a diver to the flotation buoy. The winding and reeling device further includes a separate cage member, including a spool formed with a triangular cross-sectional configuration groove to receive in a convenient and non-snap manner the tether line that is directed through a generally triangular opening formed within the cage head.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,791,490 issued to King on Sep. 14, 2004, discloses a scuba diving flag/float assembly that is used to support a GPS antenna on the surface of the water for use by divers in performing underwater navigation. An associated GPS receiver is integrated with a dive flag line take-up mechanism, such as a spool or scuba diving line reel. The dive flag line and cable interconnecting the GPS receiver to the GPS antenna is integrated within a single assembly, or in an alternative embodiment, braided together forming a single tether. Other embodiments include optional sensors such as a flowmeter, compass, tiltmeter, depth gauge and others to compensate for navigational errors due to a water current pushing a dive flag/float away from a diver. Alternatively, a GPS receiver may be mounted on (or in) the dive flag/float assembly, with navigational information relayed to the diver under the water.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,705,697 issued to Chagnon on Dec. 12, 1972, discloses a scuba diving reel that straps to the forearm of a diver and includes a wedging means to fix the unwound line at a particular length.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,238,201 issued to Jonushaitis on Aug. 24, 1993, teaches a mobile hand-held line reel apparatus for feed out, and uptake of a line comprising a base member, an axle extending from the base member, a spool rotatably mounted on the axle, a spool retainer, a line retainer, a brake lever mounted on threadably engaging the axle, and a brake lever movement limiting projection. The brake lever can be operated by the same hand that holds the reel. The brake lever is threadably mounted on the axle next to the spool and when the brake lever is moved through a braking stroke, the lever and spool move along the axle, thus increasing the friction between the brake lever and the spool as well as between the spool and a fixed element of the reel.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,756,486 issued to Campbell on Jul. 12, 1988 defines a scuba diving reel comprising a hand-held frame rotatably mounting a line receiving spool on which a length of line is wound. A coupling member is provided on the terminal end of the line for attaching the line to an object such as a buoy so that when the scuba diver moves away from the buoy, the spool will rotate and pay out the line. An anti-backlash mechanism is provided for preventing the freewheeling of the spool when tension force thereon is removed. A rotatable pinch mechanism is provided for maintaining taut the line portion between the pinch mechanism and the spool.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,173,067 issued to Biba on Dec. 22, 1992 and describes a scuba diving take-up reel which comprises a plastic spool rotatably mounted between the two plastic halves of a housing. A spring motor is mounted to the housing and engages with a gear train connected to the housing such that a spring will sufficient to retract a length of line ten times as long connected to the spool and windable thereon. The housing has an opening which allows the entrance of water. The line is connected to a floating surface buoy and is automatically extended as a scuba diver descends to lower aquatic depths. Vanes extend radially from the spool and cooperate with the water to resist too rapid rewinding of the line onto the spool as a diver ascends. The housing has a hook-shaped handle for restraining of the reel and also has a clip which retains a writing instrument which may be used for underwater communication between divers by writing on a planar surface of the housing.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,938,140 issued to Fundak on Aug. 17, 1999 and discloses a multi-purpose dive reel that automates underwater line handling. The improved multi-purpose dive reel includes an anti-fouling line control system comprising a flexible line wiper and line exit guide. The reel is manufactured using a high impact reinforced polymer construction that is lightweight, inexpensive and not affected by the often corrosive marine environment. The improved dive reel has an on/off spool lock switch and contoured smooth surface including a comfort grip containing a lanyard attachment loop. Optionally, the reel may further include a ratcheting spool lock switch, a luminous polymer pigment and a wave-washer spool tension control.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,803,780 issued to Gutierrez, Jr. on Sep. 9, 1998 and discloses a compact integrated marking buoy device with a self-adjusting integral reel that enables a person to easily mark a location on the seabed with a floating buoy. The buoy device includes a line control mechanism that enables the device, once placed in the water, to release the weight and automatically pay out only sufficient line to connect the buoy at the surface to the weight at the seabed, while preventing the release of any excess line once the weight has reached the seabed. The device permits paying out of additional line once the level of tension on the line again exceeds the threshold. The device further allows for easy retrieval of the weight and line through means internal to the marking buoy.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,640,922, issued to Feldkamp on Jun. 24, 1997, illustrates a hands-free dive flag connector comprising a retractable lanyard dispenser releasably attached to device gear on a scuba diver. Complementary hook and loop materials are attached to the dive gear and the retractable lanyard dispenser to form a releasable connection between the diver and the hands-free dive flag connector. A lanyard is retractably wound on a spool in the retractable lanyard dispenser and attached to the spool at a dispenser end. A spring in the retractable lanyard dispenser maintains tension on the lanyard between the diver and the dive flag attached to the lanyard. A lanyard connector is attached to the second end of the lanyard adjacent to an extended lanyard portion extending from the lanyard dispenser. The lanyard connector attaches to the dive flag.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,907,236, issued to Sims, Jr. on Sep. 23, 1975, discloses an elongated life line reel that may be used by a scuba diver to contain a length of line secured at one end to the reel, and at the other end to a float, so that at all times the diver's presence is known. As the diver descends, the line is unwound (or removed) from the reel, which is secured about his arm or leg by means of a pair of flexible straps respectively attached to the reel by a pair of spring members. The elongated shape of the reel allows the reel to fit securely on the forearm or leg of the diver, contains a long length of line and allows unrestricted movement of the diver in the water. The spring member's function is to permit easy attaching of the reel to the arm or leg and will operate to maintain the reel about the arm or leg at the different underwater pressures encountered by the diver.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,832,746, issued to Korsgaard on Sep. 3, 1974, provides a float tow guide line that includes a forwardly-located reel for storage of a line, and a rearwardly-located handle for guiding the line to a centrally located passage means. This arrangement allows for varying lengths of line to be stored by the handle while at the same time providing a centrally located line discharge means to prevent twisting of the handle during use.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,328,298, issued to Maffatone on Jul. 12, 1994, concerns a safe ascent/decompression device for use in diving with an inflatable lift bag, including a pack for securing the ascent/decompression device on a diving harness worn by a diver. The device comprises a reel mounted for rotation to the pack and having a decompression line wound thereabout, the decompression line being connected to the lift bag; a cable having a first end and a second loop end; a snap shackle connected with the first end and releasably holding the loop end to secure the cable about a ship wreck, the snap shackle including a main section having an open side, a closure lever pivotally connected to the main section for movement between closed and open positions, and a spring-biased pin for releasably locking the closure lever in the closed position; a first release clip for receiving the decompression line to limit a rate of ascent of the lift bag connected to the decompression line, and being connected to the cable; a second release clip secured to the pack for engaging with the spring-biased pin of the snap shackle; an ascender, connected to the pack, for grabbing onto and moving along the rope in only one direction; and a spider for riding along a section of the decompression line extending between the lift bag when inflated and the reel, and for grabbing the ascender. The spider is connectable to a pull line for pulling the spider, and thereby the ascender, upwardly along the section of the decompression line.

In spite of these various devices and arrangements, a need remains in the art for a safety guide line that is hands-free and yet automatically takes up slack line as a diver returns/ascends upwardly to his point of origin.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The need remaining in the prior art is addressed by the present invention, which relates to a diver's reel and, more particularly, to a diver's reel including a self-contained battery-operated take-up reel that allows a sufficient length of safety cord to play out while a diver is moving away from his starting location and a tension-sensing device that automatically reels in a portion of the safety cord as soon as slack cord is created (as when the diver begins to return to his starting position).

In accordance with the present invention, a motorized, self-winding diver's reel comprises a reel that holds a predetermined length of safety guide cord to be used by a scuba diver, an attaching device at the distal end of the safety guide cord for attachment to an anchor line (or boat), a cord tension sensor and circuit to turn an associated motor “on” and “off”, and a battery-powered electric motor housing in a waterproof compartment, to allow for a length of safety guide cord to pay out while moving away from the anchor point, and also automatically reeling in the slack cord that is created while moving toward the anchor point, thus maintaining a direct guideline return to this point.

An object of the present invention is to provide a line leveler for even distribution of the line over the entire reel to prevent tangling of the line, thus allowing for more line to be wound on the reel.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide an automatic motorized self-winding safety guide line reel for divers for maintaining a direct safety guide line back to the diver's anchor point automatically.

Another object of the present invention is to provide divers with a way to keep both hands free when returning to their point of origin.

In brief, a guide line reel is connected by gears to a battery-driven electric motor contained in a water-tight housing. The housing clips onto the gear of a diver by means of, for example, a D-ring connected to the diver's equipment, such as a buoyancy compensator device. The exposed end of the guide line clips onto an anchor point (e.g., the diver's point of origin). When the diver is swimming back to the point of origin, the tension on the line is released, causing a tension sensing mechanism on the housing to activate the motor and wind the guide line onto the guide line reel, removing any slack in the line, thereby keeping the diver on a direct course back to the point of origin. When the diver is moving away from the point of origin, the diver may loosen the drag on the reel to allow the line to unreel easily with the sensor disengaged and may engage the sensor and disengage the sensor as line is needed to be reeled in or unreeled during different operations of underwater exploration.

Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent during the course of the following discussion and by reference to the accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1illustrates, in a side (exploded) view, an exemplary motorized self-winding diver's reel10formed in accordance with the present invention. For illustrative purposes, take-up reel12has been removed from an associated axle14to clearly illustrate the various components utilized to form the self-winding portion of the inventive reel. As shown, a length of safety cord16is wound around take-up reel12. When take-up reel12is in place over axle14, the free end of cord16(denoted16-F inFIGS. 1 and 2), is fed through an opening18in housing20of self-winding reel10and is thereafter attached to a diver's anchor line at a fixed point. Shown in association with take-up reel12is a tension knob11and a spring13that are inserted through the central aperture of take-up reel12so as to fit against axle14. When take-up reel12is in place (as shown inFIG. 3), knob11can be turned to adjust the force that spring13applies against axle14. This force will control the tension associated with the winding and unwinding of cord16on take-up reel12. Illustrated in the cut-away portion of self-winding reel10are some of the components forming tension-sensing arrangement22and automatic line leveler60. In general, tension-sensing arrangement22of the present invention allows for the different between “slack” and “taut” to be discerned and used to control the turning “on” and “off” of the take-up reel mechanism. Line leveler60, which may be used with or without tension-sensing arrangement22, is a geared arrangement for evenly distributing cord16as it is wound onto take-up reel12.

FIG. 2illustrates an exemplary application of self-winding diver's reel10, with free end16-F of cord16shown as attached to fixed point A, which may be any suitable location for use as an anchor point by a diver. As shown, an advantage of self-winding reel10of the present invention is that it permits “hands-free” operation, allowing the diver full mobility without having to perform any winding/unwinding by hand.

In accordance with the present invention, as long as a diver is moving away from point A, cord16will remain taut and continue to pay out from reel12. However, as soon as a diver begins to move back towards point A, cord16will go slack, as shown inFIG. 2. That is, dotted line16-T illustrates safety cord16in its “taut” position and solid line16-S illustrates safety cord16in its “slack” position. As soon as safety cord16goes slack, the release of tension between cord16and take-up reel12is sensed by spring-loaded tension-sensing arrangement22(as explained in further detail below), which then activates a battery-operated motor and associated gearing to automatically re-wind slack cord16back onto take-up reel12. The operation of spring-loaded tension-sensing arrangement22will be described in further detail hereinbelow.

FIG. 3is a side view of self-winding diver's reel10of the present invention, with take-up reel12inserted over axle14and disposed in place within a first cavity24. As shown, safety cord16will enter and exit self-winding diver's reel10through an aperture18formed within housing20.

FIG. 4is a cut-away view of the opposing side of self-winding diver's reel10of the present invention, illustrating in particular various components of tension-sensing arrangement22, including an exemplary motor configuration26that is used to wind slack cord16back onto take-up reel12. Motor configuration26comprises a rotary motor28, a battery source30for supplying power to rotary motor28and a tension-sensing circuit32. As will be described in detail herein below, as soon as tension-sensing circuit32receives a control signal denoting presence of slack in cord16, circuit32will turn “on” rotary motor28. In this particular embodiment, rotary motor28will then cause a first gear34to rotate. First gear34is meshed with a second gear36that is attached to shaft14of take-up reel12(not shown). Therefore, as first gear34rotates, second gear36will rotate in the direction of the arrow shown inFIG. 4. The rotation of second gear36causes attached take-up12to similarly rotate, since shaft14of take-up reel12is fixed to second gear36, in the manner as discussed above in association withFIG. 1. As long as “slack” remains in safety cord16, tension-sensing circuit32will maintain rotary motor28in the “on” position so as to continue to wind the slack cord16back onto take-up reel12.

As soon as all slack cord16has been rewound, a tension force will again return between cord16and take-up reel12, as discussed in detail below. The presence of this tension force is sensed by circuit32, which then turns “off” motor28and prevents any further re-winding of cord16. In accordance with the present invention, motor configuration26is disposed within a water-tight second cavity38formed within housing20, where second cavity38is disposed through the opposing side of housing20with respect to first cavity24, resulting in a relatively compact self-winding reel10that may easily be attached to a diver's suit without interfering with the diver's underwater activities.

FIGS. 5 and 6contain isometric views of self-winding reel10in the “slack cord” and “taut cord” modes, respectively, which may be used to further explain the operation of spring-loaded tension-sensing arrangement22in conjunction with tension-sensing circuit32to automatically control the re-winding operation of the present invention. Referring first toFIG. 5, spring-loaded tension-sensing arrangement22is illustrated as including a spring40, held fixed at a first end by a fixed attachment element42(such as a screw). The opposing end of spring40is inserted over an L-shaped arm44. A U-shaped cord guide46is disposed in association with L-shaped arm44in the manner shown, where cord16is fed through guide46as it is unwound from take-up reel12(not shown). U-shaped cord guide46includes a right-angle bend at its termination (denoted64-T in the drawing) to provide a tensive force against cord16as it is guided. Cord16passes through guide46and exits device10through aperture18as discussed above. Also attached to L-shaped arm44is a magnetic element48that is used to provide the activation of tension-sensing circuit32through an interaction with a magnetic relay50included within circuit32.

When cord16includes “slack”, spring40will be in its relaxed, fully compressed position, as shown inFIG. 5. Thus, in accordance with the present invention, magnetic element48will be located adjacent magnetic relay component50of circuit32, causing circuit32to activate rotary motor28in the manner discussed above to initiate the rotation of take-up reel12. Therefore, as long as “slack” in cord16is “sensed” by spring40remaining compressed, magnetic element48will remain in position next to relay50of circuit32and maintain motor28in its “on” position. This positioning of magnetic element48and relay50is best shown inFIG. 4, where element48is shown both adjacent to relay50and (in phantom) removed from relay50, the latter positioning associated with the “taut” mode of cord16, as discussed hereinbelow in association withFIG. 6.

Once safety cord16again becomes taut, as particularly illustrated inFIG. 6, the return of the tensive force will cause spring40to stretch and rotate L-shaped arm44in the direction as shown. Inasmuch as magnetic element48is attached to L-shaped arm44, magnetic element48will also move when tension returns. In accordance with the present invention, magnetic relay element50of circuit32is properly disposed such that as magnetic element48moves, it moves away from relay50and becomes magnetically de-coupled from magnetic relay element50. This positioning of magnetic element48vis-à-vis relay50is shown in phantom inFIG. 6. As a result, relay element50will be deactivated and cause rotary motor28to turn “off”. By virtue of motor28turning “off”, second gear36will no longer rotate and take-up reel12come to a stop, preventing any additional cord16from winding onto take-up reel12.

As an additional feature, reel10of the present invention may include a “disable” switch52controllable by a diver to override the operation of tension-sensing arrangement22and allow the diver to manually control the pay out and winding of cord16.FIGS. 1,3,5and6illustrate an exemplary disable switch52that is disposed on an external portion of housing20, preferably in a location that is easily accessible by a diver. Disable switch52is attached, through the thickness of housing20, to an internal lever arm54, as shown inFIG. 4. As shown inFIG. 4, when lever arm54rotates in the direction of the arrow, it will activate a switch56within tension-sensing circuit32to engage the operation of magnetic relay50. By engaging magnetic relay50, the position of magnetic element48(which, as described above, is a function of whether or not there is tension on safety cord16) will not control the turning “on” or “off” of motor28. That is, motor28will remain “off” regardless of the position of magnetic element48(that is, regardless of the presence or absence of slack along safety cord16). In this case, an external handle47coupled to take-up reel12(as shown inFIG. 3) may be used to control the winding/unwinding of cord16by the diver himself.

When such a “disable” switch52is utilized with reel10of the present invention, a particularly advantageous embodiment includes a visible indicator58, such as an LED, that allows a diver to know that the automatic re-wind capability of device10has indeed been disabled (a safety precaution for instances where the “disable” switch may be accidentally thrown). In the particular arrangement as shown inFIG. 4, LED indicator58is also formed as a portion of tension-sensing circuit32, where as soon as switch56closes, LED indicator58is illuminated. A transparent insert59formed within the portion of housing20directly in line with LED indicator58to allow for the visible output from the LED to be visible to the diver.

Another important aspect of the present invention is that a line leveler arrangement60may be included with device10to ensure that cord16feeds evenly onto take-up reel12for efficient operation. Indeed, it is an aspect of the present invention that line leveler arrangement60may be used with either a manual operation of take-up reel12(such as, for example, when the automatic mode is “disabled” or tensing-sensing arrangement is not included in the device), or the motor-driven automatic mode as described above.FIG. 7illustrates in detail an exemplary line leveler arrangement60that functions to evenly distribute cord16across take-up reel12as cord16is re-wound.FIGS. 1,5and6also illustrate line leveler arrangement60as it operates in conjunction with the other elements of the inventive diver's reel10of the present invention. For the sake of clarity,FIG. 7omits several of these other elements so that the operation of line leveler arrangement60may be clearly understood.

With reference toFIG. 7, a drive gear62disposed at the bottom of first cavity24is coupled with a gear37attached to the underside of second gear36(second gear36shown in phantom), so that when motor28activates second gear36, drive gear62will begin to rotate as well. Drive gear62will then turn a series of intermeshed gears64. Gears64then function to turn a line leveler worm gear66, where gear66includes a series of grooves68. A line leveler pawl70is disposed over worm gear66and engages grooves68. The rotation of worm gear66thus results in providing linear “up” and “down” motion to pawl70, as shown by the double-ended arrow. In accordance with the present invention, U-shaped cord guide46is attached to pawl70in the manner best shown inFIG. 7, so that as pawl70moves up and down along worm gear66, U-shaped cord guide46will evenly distribute cord16across the extent of take-up reel12. As mentioned above, and shown inFIG. 7, U-shaped cord guide46includes a “bent” termination46-T which is in contact with cord16as it passes through guide46, termination46-T maintaining a degree of tension on cord16as it as guided. The linear motion of guide46along worm gear66results in guiding cord16evenly across the extent of reel12.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that numerous variations of the specific embodiments set forth above may be practiced without departing from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the claims hereinbelow.