Patent Publication Number: US-7581509-B2

Title: Hybrid whistle

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention is in the field of whistles, and more particularly, in the field of whistles used for emergency situations. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Whistles have been known in the art for a long time, and have many varied uses, including use at sporting events, or for signaling or emergency uses. The simplest whistles have a single chamber and either use a pea or are pealess, but emit a single tone. 
     Over time, various improvements have been suggested to the basic design of whistles. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,709,651, a whistle is disclosed that uses two different chambers formed within a single body having a single mouthpiece. The chambers are of different dimensions, so that each chamber generates a different sound. 
     In U.S. Pat. No. 4,821,670, it is suggested that a whistle with improved volume and audibility can be obtained by using at least two elements disposed side-by-side to one another in a pealess whistle. However, as is noted in this patent, the whistle uses a “relatively complex structure” that is manufactured by using a three-part plastic molding. (See Col. 4, line 56 through column 5, line 42.) 
     In U.S. Pat. No. 5,251,569, a multiple tone whistle is disclosed which has an object of its invention to provide a new and improved multiple tone whistle that lends itself to easy manufacturing techniques. This patent discloses a whistle with two different whistle chambers that can be altered to change pitch. 
     In U.S. Pat. No. 5,546,887, an emergency whistle is disclosed that uses two side-by-side chambers, with peas, to create two different pitches, one high, one low. 
     Thus, while whistles have been known in the art for a long time, there is a constant need for improvement, especially when whistles are used in emergency situations. In fact, when whistles are used in emergency situations, their performance can be a matter of life and death. Accordingly, the present invention seeks to add to the existing art by disclosing an improved hybrid whistle, which utilizes some of the best features and advantages of both pea and pealess whistle technology, in a single whistle that can be manufactured at a reasonable cost, while still providing a reliable whistle for emergency use situations in which multiple pitches and the quality of sound produced can have serious consequences. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is generally directed to a hybrid whistle that has two pealess whistle chambers with air vents to the left and right and a central pea whistle with an air vent facing generally perpendicularly to the left and right air vents that are integrally formed together, preferably in a two piece, top and bottom, construction. The hybrid whistle has a mouthpiece with a left air opening, a central air opening and a right air opening, each of which is connected to its respective whistle chamber by an air passageway. The three whistle chambers produce differing whistle pitch sounds as air flows through them and out the chambers&#39; exits. The central pea whistle has a barrel chamber with a pea block formed within it so as to modify the barrel shape of the chamber and prevent the pea from blocking air flow out of its air exit when the whistle is blown. 
     In a first, separate group of aspects of the present invention, the mouthpiece of the whistle has a concave shape and a rubber overmolding is fitted to it, while the pea can be made of a synthetic cork material. A recessed logo space can be molded in the top of the whistle to hold an insert secured by a bezel, which can include printed material, and a keyhole for a key ring can run through the whistle and the insert. A molded underside cavity in the whistle can be fitted to hold a second insert, a compass or even a light emitting diode flashlight. 
     In another aspect of the present invention, a second pea whistle can be added to the hybrid whistle. 
     Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide an improved whistle that is useful for emergency situations. 
     These and further objects and advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art in connection with the drawings and the detailed description of the invention set forth below. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION FOR THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a top planar view of a whistle in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a rear side view of a whistle in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a bottom planar view of a whistle in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a right side view of a whistle in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a left side view of a whistle in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a planar view of a top molded construction of a whistle in accordance with the present invention, looking at the inside of the piece. 
         FIG. 7  is a planar view of a bottom molded construction of a whistle in accordance with the present invention, looking at the inside of the piece. 
         FIG. 8  is a planar view of the bottom molded construction of  FIG. 7  at a different angle. 
         FIG. 9  is another top planar view of a whistle in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 10  is a top planar view of an alternative embodiment of a whistle in accordance with the present invention which is shorter than that shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with an especially preferred embodiment of the present invention, a hybrid whistle  1  is disclosed that combines both a pealess whistle chamber and a pea whistle chamber. The hybrid whistle  1 , which is shown in  FIGS. 1-9 , has a central pea whistle  30 , a left pealess whistle  40  and a right pealess whistle  50  that are constructed from a two-piece molding process. Although not shown, the present invention also contemplates adding a second pea whistle chamber between the left and right pealess whistles  40  and  50 . Also, although the following discussion refers to pealess whistles and a pea whistle chamber, such “whistles” are not separate whistles per se, but part of one hybrid whistle which, when blown, derives its whistle signal from the combination of its various outputs. Although the drawings are described in greater detail below, the following is a glossary of elements shown in  FIGS. 1-9 :
       1  hybrid whistle     2  top planar area     3  bottom planar area     4  left side     5  right side     6  top molded construction     7  recessed logo space     8  insert     9  bezel     10  key hole     11  key ring     12  bottom molded construction     13  molded underside cavity     15  ribs     20  mouthpiece     23  central air opening     24  left air opening     25  right air opening     26  concave shape of mouthpiece     27  rubber overmolding     30  central whistle     31  central air passageway     32  central whistle barrel chamber     33  central exit vent     34  pea block     40  left whistle     41  left air passageway     42  left air whistle chamber     43  left air exit vent     50  right whistle     51  right air passageway     52  right air whistle chamber     53  right air exit vent   

     Hybrid whistle  1  is constructed of a top molded construction  6  and a bottom molded construction  12  removed from molds so that the whistle is separated into a top molded construction  6  and a bottom molded construction  12  (see  FIGS. 6 and 7 ), instead of left and right halves, and the top and bottom constructions  6  and  12  are not symmetrical. In other words, top and bottom constructions  6  and  12  are not mirror images of each other. 
     In addition to portions of their construction that form the various whistles, as shown in  FIG. 1 , top molded construction  6  has a recessed logo space  7  in its top planar area  2  into which an insert  8 , which may be made of plastic, is inserted, typically during the assembly process, and which can be held in place by bezel  9  formed in top molded construction  6 . The insert  8 , top molded construction  6  and bottom molded construction  12  all have a key hole  10  for holding a key ring  11 . By making sure that insert  8  also has a key hole through which key ring  11  is inserted, insert  8  is also secured by the key ring. Insert  8  can include a logo or advertising material, and thus lends itself to customization of the hybrid whistle due to printed matter. Bottom molded construction  12  has a molded underside cavity  13  in bottom planar area  3  which can also be used for an insert (not shown) that may be a second advertising insert, or it can conveniently be a compass or flashlight, or some other small device that might be advantageously included with the whistle, such as a thermometer, altimeter, watch, etc. Hybrid whistle  1  also has ribs  15  for gripping and ornamentation. 
     Once the top and bottom constructions  6  and  12  are assembled, a mouthpiece  20 , which has an ergonomic concave shape  26 , has a central air opening  23  that leads into the central pea whistle  30  by central air passageway  31 , a left air opening  24  that leads into left pealess whistle  40  by left air passageway  41  and a right air opening  25  that leads into right pealess whistle  50  by right air passageway  51 . Mouthpiece  20  can also have a rubber overmolding  27  which offers the advantages of assuring a seal around the mouthpiece, it avoids freezing, it does not absorb moisture, it is not hard on teeth, it provides a sure-hold grip, it prevents the hybrid whistle from sliding (e.g., off a dashboard) and it serves as a shock absorber to help prevent breakage when the whistle is dropped. 
     Central pea whistle  30  has a central whistle barrel chamber  32 , a central exit vent  33  and a pea block  34 . In a traditional barrel chamber whistle, an undercut is used to prevent the pea from becoming stuck in the air vent by creating an eddy that pushes the pea past the vent. The undercut is possible because tools for common mold designs pull apart from side to side. However, because the present invention adds a left and right pealess whistle, the top and bottom molded constructions are pulled apart from top to bottom, and an undercut solution is not possible unless a complex injection mold tool is used, which will greatly increase the cost. To prevent the pea from getting stuck in central exit vent  33  when hybrid whistle  1  is blown, a pea block  34  is included in the central barrel whistle chamber to keep the pea from being positioned in such a way as to get stuck in the air vent when the hybrid whistle is blown hard. The pea block alters the traditional geometry of the barrel chamber so that rotation of the pea takes place away from the exit vent. As shown in  FIG. 8 , pea block  34  can be a series of blocks or ridges that limit movement of the pea inside of what would otherwise be a traditional barrel chamber. 
     Left pealess whistle  40  has a left air whistle chamber  42  and a left air exit vent  43  while right pealess whistle  50  has a right air whistle chamber  52  and a right air exit vent  53 . Left and right air exit vents  43  and  53  vent air in opposite directions from each, both of which are essentially at substantially right angles to central exit vent  33 , in the left side  4  and right side  5 , respectively. This creates an airflow situation in which air exiting hybrid whistle  1  travels outwardly substantially 180 degrees from a plane that is perpendicular to air being blown into whistle  1 , while air leaving central exit vent  33  leaves the same plane substantially 90 degrees between each of the left and right air exit vents  43  and  53 . It has been found that this airflow configuration greatly increases both the loudness and the ability of the whistle signal to carry over distances in an emergency or rescue situation, although it is possible that angles α and β (see  FIG. 10 ) of less than ninety degrees for the left and right air vents in the resultant hybrid whistle may also work to create a whistle signal that is “omni-directional” for ultimate multi sounds for a rescue, lifesaving and signaling device. Also, because one chamber is a pea whistle, this chamber produces a loud staccato crack that defines the combined whistle signal over noises such as wind, water and canyon noises, thus giving the whistle signal a full spectrum of sound. 
     The characteristics of the various whistle chambers can be adjusted, based upon designer choice, to customize the resultant whistle signal, both in terms of loudness and pitch. The customization can take place not only as between which chambers have peas and which do not, and how many such chambers there are, but also the dimensions of the chambers and the characteristics of any peas can be varied. Thus, different pitches may be obtained from the left and right whistle chambers, and these may be made either higher or lower than the pitch from any central whistle chamber. In experimental testing, it has been found that an extremely robust whistle signal is obtained when the left and right whistle chambers have differing pitches which are higher than the pitch of one or more central whistle barrel chambers (such chamber(s) being “central” in that it is between the outer left and right whistles and the exit vents direct airflow out in different directions, as already discussed); also, by making the left and right pealess whistle chambers out of pitch with one another, it has been found that this creates a beating effect analogous to the staccato effect of a pea whistle. In addition, as already noted, the size and type of “pea” used in one or more pea whistles may be varied. Generally speaking, by changing the density of the pea, the cadence can be changed, and the heavier the pea, the slower the cadence of the staccato. A hi-density foam pea will resist oil, gas, and chemicals and will not absorb water or freeze, or the pea may be made of a synthetic cork, such as the type of material that is used in many wine bottles today (e.g., the material might be made of EBS or EBA or ethyl vinyl acetate, or perhaps polyethylene or polypropylene). Also, if desired, special whistles could be used to identify locations of various search and rescue personnel, giving a specific signature to each whistle. 
     The top and bottom molded constructions  6  and  12  are preferably made of highest grade ABS plastic that will withstand 70 degrees F. below zero temperature without getting brittle, fracturing, or breaking the plastic. The parts can also be made with nylon and reinforced fiberglass for superior strength. By using such construction, it has been found that a hybrid whistle can be constructed that will still function even after it has been driven over by a truck. 
     While the invention has been described herein with reference to a preferred embodiment, this embodiment has been presented by way of example only, and not to limit the scope of the invention. Additional embodiments thereof will be obvious to those skilled in the art having the benefit of this detailed description. In this regard, the combination of pea and pealess whistles can be changed, and the numbers of “whistles” within the hybrid whistle can be altered, so long as there are at least three whistles out of planar alignment such that the exit vents of the left and right whistles are at some angle facing away from the exit vent of one or more central exit vents in a plane perpendicular to the passageways leading to the various “whistles.” In addition, it might be desirable for one of the pea or pealess whistles in one of the chambers to be set to a dog frequency, or for the whistle to be made of a plastic that glows in the dark, or for their to be detachable and interchangeable items such as a compass, thermometer and LED light that can be custom mounted to the flashlight for specific uses at specific times, all according to the desires of the end user. Also, the whistle can be shortened up without an insert as shown in  FIG. 10 . Further modifications are also possible in alternative embodiments without departing from the inventive concept. 
     Accordingly, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that still further changes and modifications in the actual concepts described herein can readily be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosed inventions as defined by the following claims.