Abstract:
A beacon has an associated post that is supported in relation to a watercraft. The beacon may comprise four major separable elongated members all mutually joined by an elastic cord extending along the longitudinal axis of the beacon. When separated, the four major separable members may fold in the compact configuration, thus enabling compact stowage. The beacon may comprise an internal light source, a flag or pennant, and reflective films to signal presence of the watercraft to others. The flag may be formed as a receptacle for receiving and storing the separable elongated members for stowage.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/519,352, filed May 20, 2011, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention pertains to accessories for personal vehicles, such as a small watercraft, and more particularly, to a manually installable and removable beacon for a vehicle. 
     Small personal vehicles, such as canoes and kayaks, are quite popular, and are widely used on many natural bodies of water. However, a small watercraft may entail certain difficulties, such as visibility to others, thereby potentially creating hazards to the user of the watercraft. While marker lights and flags of diverse types have been proposed, there remains a need in the art for a practical beacon for announcing presence of a small vehicle such as a watercraft. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention related to a beacon usable with watercraft and other vehicles, such as bicycles, and small wagons and trailers. The beacon is in the form of a foldable post, which may bear a lamp or a flag or both. The post may be conveniently inserted into an opening or socket, support, or cooperate with a track, which may be formed in a watercraft for receiving and supporting a pole. The post may comprise four relatively rigid members which may be disposed in series to assume the deployed condition of the post, and which may fold into four sections. The several rigid members may be united by an elastic cord extending through the members. 
     Various advantages of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment, when read in light of the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings. 
         FIG. 1  is a plan view of a beacon in the form of a fold-up light and flag post, showing how the post may be folded for stowage. 
         FIG. 2  is an elevational view of the beacon in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a cross sectional view of the beacon taken along the line  3 - 3  in  FIG. 7 . 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded elevational detail view of the top of part the beacon in  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 5  is a cross sectional view of part in  FIG. 4  taken along the line  5 - 5 . 
         FIG. 6  is an enlarged elevational view of the part in  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 7  is similar to  FIG. 2 , but shows the beacon rotated by ninety degrees. 
         FIG. 8  is a cross section of the beacon taken along the line  8 - 8  in  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 9  is an enlarged cross sectional detail view of components in detail A near the top of the beacon in  FIG. 8 . 
         FIG. 10  is an enlarged cross sectional detail view of components in detail B near the bottom of the beacon in  FIG. 8 . 
         FIG. 11  is an exploded elevational view of a component seen at the bottom of the beacon in  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 12  is an elevational view showing the components in  FIG. 11  assembled. 
         FIG. 13  is a cross sectional view taken along the line  13 - 13  in  FIG. 12 . 
         FIG. 14  is an elevational view of the components in  FIG. 12  rotated about the longitudinal axis. 
         FIG. 15  is a cross sectional view taken along the line  15 - 15  in  FIG. 14 . 
         FIG. 16  is an elevational view of  FIG. 14 , further illustrating an external sleeve covering the components in  FIG. 14 . 
         FIG. 17  is a cross sectional view taken along the line  17 - 17  in  FIG. 16 . 
         FIG. 18  is an enlarged cross sectional detail view of the top in detail C in  FIG. 13 . 
         FIG. 19  is an enlarged cross sectional detail view of the top in detail D in  FIG. 15 . 
         FIG. 20  is an elevational view of components seen at the center of the beacon in  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 21  is a cross sectional view taken along the line  21 - 21  in  FIG. 20 . 
         FIG. 22  is a side elevational view of a component of the beacon seen at the center in  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 23  is a cross sectional view taken along the line  23 - 23  in  FIG. 22 . 
         FIG. 24  is a top plan view of the component in  FIG. 11 . 
         FIG. 25  is an enlarged detail view of detail E of the component in  FIG. 21 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to the drawings, there is illustrated in  FIG. 1  a beacon in the form of a fold-up light and flag post  10  in what may be considered a nearly stowed condition. It will be seen that there are four relatively rigid, separable and mutually foldable members including a base  12 , at least one intermediate separable member, such as a lower mast tube  14  and an upper mast tube  16 , and a beacon support  18 , which may be folded to a W-configuration and further folded until completely collapsed upon itself. 
     In the assembled or deployed condition (see  FIG. 2 ), the separable members  12 ,  14 ,  16 ,  18  are generally aligned in series or head-to-tail orientation along a common longitudinal axis  44  (see  FIG. 7 ) to form a linear array for deployment. An elastic cord  20  (see  FIGS. 9 and 10 ) may be seen emerging from each of the separable members  12 ,  14 ,  16 ,  18  at their respective ends. The elastic cord passes through the hollow center of the intermediate separable members  14 ,  16  and anchors at each end to the separable members  12 ,  18 . The elastic cord  20  is disposed to exert tensile forces urging the base member  12 , the beacon  18 , and the intermediate members  14 ,  16  to maintain the linear array, thereby establishing the deployed condition. 
     The elastic cord  20  is anchored at each of the end members including the base  12  and the beacon support  18  to keep the separable members united regardless of whether the separable members are axially aligned in the deployed position as seen in  FIG. 2  or the fold-up light and flag post  10  is folded as seen in  FIG. 1 . 
     It should be understood that orientational terms, such as upper and lower, are employed herein only for semantic purposes. The drawings, such as  FIG. 2 , show the subject matter in ordinarily encountered positions of use, that is, with the beacon support  18  at the uppermost location on the fold-up light and flag post  10 , so that orientational terms will refer to the conventional position of use. Obviously, the fold-up light and flag post  10  may be held in any position. 
       FIGS. 2 and 3  show the fold-up light and flag post  10  in the deployed position, wherein the base  12 , the lower mast tube  14 , the upper mast tube  16 , and the beacon support  18  are aligned in series with a light body  22  of the beacon support  18 , which may terminate in a diffuser  24 , pointing upwardly. The diffuser  24  may be disposed to direct light generated within the beacon support  18  laterally about three hundred sixty degrees. The base  12 , the lower mast tube  14 , the upper mast tube  16 , and the beacon support  18  may interfit by friction, such as by telescoping, so that the fold-up light and flag post  10  may be assembled and disassembled by hand. The upper mast tube may be formed from carbon fiber or other materials having similar rigidity. The light body  22  may enclose a light source, such as an LED module  26  (see  FIG. 4 ), and may further comprise a flag  34 , which may be held to the light body  22  by attachment hardware (see  FIG. 4 ) and external reflective elements (see  FIG. 4 ). The LED module  26  may include a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs), a circuit board disposed to conduct electrical power to each LED, a power source, such as a battery, and a switch (these components of the LED module  26  are not separately shown). LED modules, such as the LED module  26 , are available as commercial products and need not be further detailed herein. 
       FIG. 4  shows lugs  30 ,  32 , which may be employed to secure the flag  34  to the beacon support  18 . Flag retainers  36 ,  38 , which may be in the form of an elastic loop (formed by an elastic cord  100  and connector clip  102 ), which may be anchored at the lugs  30 ,  32 , and may, in turn, connect to or support upper and lower ends of an attachment tube  40 . The flag may comprise two layers  104 ,  106  of fabric material joined along three edged to form a receptacle with an opening  108  for storage of the beacon when not in use. An inner surface of one layer of the flag may support a patch  43  carrying a hook and loop fastener portion, which releasably mates with a patch  45  on the inner surface of another layer of the flag carrying a hook and loop fastener portion, so that both patches are located on the interior of the flag  34 . The patch  43  removably fastens to the patch  45  to close a receptacle formed by two layers of the flag  34 . The flag may also comprise a header flap  42  projecting from its parallelepiped form. The header flap  42  enables securement of the flag  34  to the beacon  18 , which is accomplished by entrapping the attachment tube  40  inside the header flap  42  by encircling the tube  40  and engaging itself prior to fastening the tube  40  to the beacon. The attachment tube  40  may be coupled to the beacon  18  in a spaced apart, generally parallel relation thereto, as shown, to enable the flag  34  to project perpendicularly from the longitudinal axis  44  when mounted to the beacon  18 . 
       FIG. 5  shows the components of  FIG. 4  in cross section, wherein it is seen that the main body  35  of the beacon support  18  may be generally tubular and hollow. An intermediate stage of assembly wherein the flag retainers  36 ,  38  engage the lugs  30 ,  32  is shown in  FIG. 6 . 
       FIG. 7  shows the fold-up light and flag beacon  10  of  FIG. 2 , but rotated about its longitudinal axis  44  by ninety degrees.  FIG. 8  shows the subject matter of  FIG. 2  in cross section, and also calls out details A, B shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10 .  FIG. 9  shows how the beacon support  18  engages the upper mast tube  16 . The lower end of the beacon support  18  terminates in a socket  46  into which the upper mast tube  16  may be inserted. The elastic cord  20  passes through the hollow center of the upper mast tube  16 , passes through a constriction  48  formed in the socket  46 , and terminates in a knot  50 , thereby being entrapped by interference fit at the lower end of the beacon support  18 . The elastic cord  20  extends downwardly from the upper mast tube  16  through the lower mast tube  14  and into the base  12 . As seen in  FIG. 10 , the elastic cord  20  emerges from the end of the lower mast tube  14  and is received within a passage  52  formed in a mast adapter  54  of the base  12 . The elastic cord  20  emerges through an opening  56  and terminates at a knot  58 , and is thereby entrapped by interference fit at the mast adapter  54  of the base  12 . Although reference is made to knots  50  and  58 , it is not necessary to actually use knots. It would be sufficient to employ any means to enlarge the effective diameter of the elastic cord  20  at the points represented by the knots  50 ,  58 . For example, metallic collars (not shown) could be crimped over the ends of the elastic cord  20  at the location of the knots  50 ,  58  instead of using knots. Alternatively, the ends of the elastic cord  20  could be potted in a hardenable substance (not shown) to the same effect. Several of these options may be utilized simultaneously, for example, to prevent unraveling of the knots where knots are used. 
     Referring particularly to  FIG. 11 , the base  12  may be assembled by inserting a mast adapter  54  and a mount adapter  62  into opposing ends of a tube  64 . Rivets  66  (only one of four identical rivets shown is called out by reference numeral) may be installed to secure the installation of the base  12 . The mast adapter  54  and the mount adapter  62  each may have respective legs  110 ,  112  for frictionally engaging the interior surface (not visible in  FIG. 11 ) of the tube  64 . 
     The mast adapter  54  is seen to comprise an upwardly projecting protrusion  82  and the downwardly projecting legs  110 . Ribs  96 , which are perpendicular to the longitudinal axis  44 , assist in opposing bending of a mast tube, such as the mast tube  14  at the base  12 . The upwardly projecting protrusion  82  and legs  110  are on opposed sides of a flange  84 . The mast adapter  54  may comprise a deep socket  73  (see  FIG. 18 ) for receiving a mast tube, such as the mast tube  14 , which may receive the intermediate member  14  in close cooperation therewith. The deep socket  73  may have a floor or shoulder  75  (see  FIG. 19 ) serving as a stop for limiting the degree to which a mast tube may penetrate the mast adapter  54 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 11 and 13 , the base member  12  may comprise a generally tubular body having an open proximal end  92  and an open distal end  94 . The mount adapter  62  may serve as a lower cap closing the generally tubular body  64  at the proximal end  92 . The mast adapter  54  may serve as an upper cap closing the generally tubular body  64  at the distal end  94 . The mast adapter  54  may comprise radially projecting ribs  96  (seen in plan view in  FIG. 24 ), which are parallel to the longitudinal axis  44 , which ribs  96  may oppose bending of the base member  12  at the socket  73 . 
       FIG. 12  shows the base  12  after assembly and installation of the rivets  66 .  FIG. 13  shows the assembled base  12  in cross section taken along the line  13 - 13  in  FIG. 12 .  FIG. 14  shows the base  12  rotated about its longitudinal axis  44  from the position seen in  FIG. 12 .  FIG. 15  shows the base  12  after assembly and in cross section taken along the line  15 - 15  in  FIG. 14 .  FIG. 16  shows a cover sleeve  68 , which has been placed over the base  12 . The cover sleeve  68  may be fabricated from a closed cell foam, so that the cover sleeve  68  is both resilient and also provides a close fit which may restrict excess movement when the base  12  is inserted into a rod holder or the like (not shown) of a watercraft. Also, a closed cell foam would promote buoyancy, so that the fold-up light and flag post  10  would tend to float if dropped into the water.  FIG. 17  shows the base  12  with the cover sleeve  68  in cross section. 
     Although the beacon may be inserted into an opening or socket associated with the watercraft, it may also be threaded to receive a tee bolt, which may cooperate with a groove in a track, which may be formed in the watercraft. Other configurations of the mount adapter  62  may be used to interface with a variety of commercially available mounts. 
       FIG. 18  shows internal details of the top of the base  12  after assembly. The mast adapter  54  is shown riveted to the tube  64 .  FIG. 19  shows the mast adapter  54  and the tube  64  rotated by ninety degrees about the longitudinal axis  44  (see  FIG. 12 ) of the base  12 . An entry hole  86  for the elastic cord  20  may be perpendicular to the longitudinal axis  44 . 
     Riveting of the mast adapter  54  is made more effective due to construction thereof. The mast adapter  54  may comprise at least one leg  112  that projects into the generally tubular body  64  in close cooperation therewith, which enables the mount adapter  54  to engage the tubular body  64  by friction fit. Each one of a plurality of rivets, such as the rivet  66 , which when coupling the mast adapter  54  to the generally tubular body  64 , engages the legs  112  and draws the legs  112  into tighter abutment with the generally tubular body  64  when the rivet is installed and expanded. 
       FIG. 20  shows the lower mast tube  14  engaged by a flexible lanyard  70 , with components seen in greater scale in  FIG. 25 . The lanyard  70  may terminate in a connector clip  71  to enable the lanyard  70  to form a closed loop. The lanyard  70  enables the fold-up light and flag post  10  to be tethered in a folded configuration by wrapping the lanyard around the folded post  10  and encircling the end of the lanyard around the beacon support  18 . A lanyard stop  72  may prevent the lanyard  70  from descending inadvertently or spontaneously along the lower mast tube  14 . The lanyard stop  72  may comprise a sleeve  74  disposed within a bulging portion  76  of a lanyard grip  78 , which encircles the lower mast tube  14 . The sleeve  74  may be built up from several windings of an adhesive backed reflective vinyl film. As employed herein, “reflective” signifies a material which is purposefully chosen or intended to reflect impinging light, as opposed to the inherent characteristic that visible objects necessarily reflect light. The lanyard grip  78  may be formed from heat shrink tubing. 
       FIG. 21  is a cross section of the lower mast tube  14  taken from line  21 - 21  in  FIG. 20 . 
     The lower mast tube  14  may be utilized with the upper mast tube  16 , as depicted, or if greater overall length of the fold-up light and flag post  10  is desired, with additional mast tubes (not shown). Each mast tube, such as the mast tube  14 , may be formed to fit telescopically or by frictional interfit to the next mast tube by fixing a ferrule  80  thereover at the end, thereby effectively increasing the interior diameter of the mast tube. This enables additional mast tubes to be connected serially by insertion into the ferrule of an adjacent mast tube.  FIGS. 22 and 23  illustrate a representative ferrule  80 . The ferrule  80  may be covered by a reflective film, so that the fold-up light and flag post  10  may visually present three forms of beacons, namely, the light from the LED module  26 , the flag  34 , and reflective films. 
     Referring again to  FIG. 4 , the main body  35  (see  FIG. 6 ) of the beacon support  18  may generally comprise a plastic tube having external rings, which may serve as guides for installing reflective films or bands. 
     As mentioned above, the flag  34  may be of two ply construction, stitched along three of four sides to form a receptacle. The remaining side may form an opening  108  and bear hook and loop fasteners for closing the opening. The receptacle thus formed by the flag  34  may serve as a storage bag for the fold-up light and flag post  10  when the latter is stowed. This may be accomplished with the major components of the fold-up light and flag post  10  in the W-folded configuration seen in  FIG. 1 , or alternatively stated, with the major separable members of the fold-up light and flag post  10  disposed abreast of one another. 
     It will be appreciated that the elastic cord will be sufficiently tight so as to urge the major separable members against one another in the deployed position seen in  FIG. 2 . This degree of force can be easily overcome to fold the fold-up light and flag post  10  for stowage as seen in  FIG. 1 . However, the elastic cord  20  is sufficiently long as to enable the base member  12 , the beacon  18 , and intermediate members  14 ,  16  to be withdrawn or separated from the linear array of the deployed condition, and to fold such that the base member  12 , the beacon  18 , and the intermediate members  14 ,  16  are abreast of one another, thereby assuming a folded condition for stowage. A minimal amount of manual effort may be required to align the major separable members in series for deployment. However, once the major separable members are aligned, tensile force of the elastic cord  20  will tend to hold them together. 
     In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, the principle and mode of operation of this invention have been explained and illustrated in its preferred embodiment. However, it must be understood that this invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically explained and illustrated without departing from its spirit or scope.