Patent Publication Number: US-2016221651-A1

Title: Electronic shark deterrent apparatus for use on watercraft and boards

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of provisional patent application No. 61/935,325, filed Feb. 3, 2014 by the present inventor. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     The following is a tabulation of some prior art that presently appears relevant: 
     U.S. Patents 
       
     
       
         
           
               
               
               
             
               
                   
               
               
                 Patent Number 
                 Issue Date 
                 Patentee 
               
               
                   
               
             
            
               
                 3,164,774 
                 Jan. 5, 1965 
                 Hicks 
               
               
                 3,683,280 
                 Aug. 8, 1972 
                 Holt 
               
               
                 3,822,403 
                 Jul. 2, 1974 
                 Coleman 
               
               
                 5,566,643 
                 Oct. 22, 1996 
                 Charter 
               
               
                 7,412,944 
                 Aug. 19, 2008 
                 Wescombe-Down 
               
               
                 7,924,165 
                 Aug. 12, 2011 
                 Vinano 
               
               
                 8,456,310 
                 Jun. 4, 2013 
                 Becker 
               
               
                   
               
            
           
         
       
     
     U.S. Patent Application Documents 
       
     
       
         
           
               
               
               
             
               
                   
               
               
                 Publication Nr. 
                 Publ. Date 
                 Applicant 
               
               
                   
               
             
            
               
                 20030051674 
                 Mar. 20, 2003 
                 Leblanc 
               
               
                 20110174235 
                 Jul. 21, 2011 
                 Vinano; Wilson; et al. 
               
               
                   
               
            
           
         
       
     
     This relates to an apparatus for deterring sharks from a watercraft, such as a canoe, kayak, surfski, surfboard, paddleboard, or other device used in water. It has long been known that sending electrical pulses through water will create an electrical current that can deter sharks. This requires two or more electrodes to be in contact with the water, spaced sufficiently apart. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3,164,774 (Hicks), U.S. Pat. No. 3,683,280 (Holt), U.S. Pat. No. 3,822,403 (Coleman), U.S. Pat. No. 5,566,643 (Charter), and U.S. Pat. Application 20030051674 describe devices for repelling sharks using electrical pulses, but do not address how the device or its electrodes may be mounted to a surfboard or other watercraft. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 7,412,944 to Wescombe-Down (2008) describes a cord holding the electrodes that is then dangled or dragged through the water. When not at rest, this will cause perceptible hydrodynamic drag. Users also find the cord to be annoying. Additionally, because the cord is dragged behind the user, this deters attacks from behind, and may not adequately address attacks from the side, which are nearly as common as attacks from behind, nor does it deter attacks as effectively from the front. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 7,924,165 to Vinano, Jr., et al. (2011) shows a specification for the pulse pattern and a manner in which those pulses are produced, however, it does not address the issue of eliminating perceptible drag when not at rest. While it may be suited for swimming, in its current embodiment, U.S. Pat. Application 20110174235 to Vinano et al. (2011), manufactured as the Electronic Shark Defense System, the device is worn around the ankle. This only allows for minimal separation of space between the electrodes, so the electrical current field will be reduced in size. Additionally, it can only work on a surfboard or watercraft while at rest, when the user&#39;s ankle is below the water. While paddling in a prone position, the ankles of surfers and paddleboarders are not in contact with the water. The ankles of canoe, kayak, and standup paddleboarders are not in contact with the water. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 8,456,310 to Becker (2013) shows two connected devices that are entirely below the waterline, installed on the underside of a surfboard or watercraft. The housing that is installed on the underside of the surfboard contains the device circuitry and power source, therefore it must be of a thickness that, if mounted to the surface, causes significant perceptible drag, and if embedded in the surfboard or watercraft requires creation of a large cavity that would require significant modification to the surfboard or watercraft, particularly the bottom of the surfboard or watercraft, which is highly undesirable to users. 
     In conclusion, no electronic shark deterrent formerly developed is able to send an electrical current through the water without causing perceptible drag on a board or watercraft, or requiring significant modification to the board or watercraft. 
     SUMMARY 
     An electronic shark deterrent for use on watercraft, such as canoes, surfskis, kayaks, surfboards, paddleboards, or other devices used in water, which produces electrical pulses that are passed through water to produce an electrical current in a field-like pattern. Electrodes and connections between the electrodes that are below the waterline attach to a watercraft, board, or other device used in ocean water and are less than 2 millimeters thick in order to eliminate perceptible drag and do not require significant modification to the watercraft, board, or other device used in ocean water. 
     Advantages 
     Accordingly several advantages of one or more aspects is that sharks can be deterred from a board or watercraft without causing perceptible drag, without requiring significant modification to the board or watercraft, and without causing annoyance to the user. 
    
    
     
       DRAWINGS 
       Figures 
         FIG. 1  is a bottom view of the apparatus mounted to a watercraft, showing portions of the apparatus located below the waterline. 
         FIG. 2  is a side view of the apparatus mounted to a watercraft. 
         FIG. 3  shows a cross section of the connector that connects the electronic unit to the electrodes. 
     
    
    
     DRAWINGS 
     Reference Numerals 
     
         
         
           
               10 —Example watercraft that the apparatus may be installed on 
               20 —Connector 
               21 —Connector 
               30 —Electrode 
               31 —Electrode 
               50 —Electronic unit 
               61 —Conductive layer of connector 
               62 —Insulating layer of connector DESCRIPTION 
           
         
       
    
     The word “exemplary” is used exclusively herein to mean “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any embodiment described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments. 
     The phrase “board or watercraft” is used to describe the object the apparatus can be installed and used on for exemplary purposes, however, the apparatus can be installed and used on other devices or objects used in ocean water or seawater and is not limited to use on boards or watercraft. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a view of the portion of the apparatus attached below the waterline of a watercraft  10  which may be a canoe, kayak, surfski, surfboard, paddleboard, or other type of watercraft or object used in ocean water or seawater, as seen from the bottom.  FIG. 2  illustrates a view of portions of the apparatus located both above and below the waterline as seen from the side. 
     Electrodes  30 ,  31  are a conductive material less than 2 millimeters thick. In the first embodiment, the electrodes are made of a flat, solid material, that is flexible enough to conform to the shape of the board or watercraft, and that adheres or attaches to the watercraft below the waterline. I contemplate the use of copper or aluminum conductive tape, or conductive acrylic such as 3M eCap acrylic tape, but other conductive materials are suitable. In the second embodiment, the electrodes are applied as a liquid which then dries or hardens. I contemplate the use of conductive paint or conductive adhesive, but other conductive materials are suitable. 
     Said electrodes may be circular, rectangular, or any other suitable shape. The apparatus includes two or more electrodes. 
     The apparatus has an electronic unit  50 , which contains electronics to send electrical pulses to the electrodes, and a power source to provide electricity, which may be contained in the electronic unit. I contemplate that the power source could be a battery, capacitor or set of capacitors, or solar cells, but other power sources may be suitable. 
     The apparatus has connections  20 ,  21  that connect the electrodes to the electronic unit  50 . 
       FIG. 3  shows the connections in cross-section. The connections consist of an electrically conductive layer  61  isolated from the water with an electrically insulating layer  62  with portions below the waterline being less than 2 millimeters thick. 
     In the first embodiment, the conductive layer of the connections is made of a flat, solid material, that is flexible enough to conform to the shape of the watercraft, that adheres or attaches to the watercraft or is contained within the insulating layer. I contemplate the use of aluminum, copper, or acrylic conductive tape, but other conductive materials are suitable. In the second embodiment, the conductive layer of the connections is made of a material that can be applied as a liquid which then dries or hardens after application. I contemplate the use of conductive paint or conductive adhesive, but other conductive materials are suitable. 
     In the first embodiment, the insulating layer of the connections is made of a flat, solid material that is flexible to conform to the shape of the watercraft and that adheres or attaches to the board or watercraft outside of the conductive layer, insulating the conductive layer from water. I contemplate the use of adhesive vinyl, but other electrically insulating materials are suitable. In the second embodiment, the insulating layer is made of a material that can be applied as a liquid, which then dries or hardens as after application. 
     Electrical pulses are sent from the electronics unit to the electrodes by applying an electrical current to the connections. 
     The electronic unit can detect when the electrodes are in contact with water. When the electrodes are not in contact with water, electrical pulses are not sent to the electrodes. When the electronics unit detects that the electrodes are in contact with water, it resumes sending electrical pulses to the electrodes. I contemplate that the electronic unit will detect when the electrodes are not in contact with the water by sensing when the resistance between electrodes is not consistent with seawater, but other methods are suitable. 
     The electronic unit contains a low power mode. The electronics in the electronics unit will detect when the power source is low on power, and reduce the pulse frequency, pulse duration or pulse power. I contemplate that a voltage sensor could be used to detect low power, but other methods of detecting low power are suitable. The low power mode may also be selectable by the user, such as with a switch, button, or other suitable user interface. 
     The electronic unit contains a boost mode, which can be selected by the user, such as with a switch, button, or other suitable user interface. When the boost mode is enabled, the pulse frequency, pulse duration, or pulse power is increased. 
     Operation 
     In normal Operation, the apparatus is mounted or installed on a board or watercraft. A user turns the electronic unit on when shark deterrence is desired by the user. The user can activate the boost mode if they believe a shark is nearby. When the electronic unit is turned on and connected to the electrodes, and the electrodes are in contact with the seawater, electrical current is passed through the electrodes, causing the electrical current to be passed into the surrounding water in a field-like pattern. 
     CONCLUSION, RAMIFICATIONS, AND SCOPE 
     Thus the reader will see that the shark deterrent apparatus provides a means of deterring sharks that does not cause perceptible drag or require significant modification to a board or watercraft. 
     While the above description contains many specifics, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope, but rather as an exemplification of one or more embodiments thereof. Other variations are possible. For example, the electronic unit could be located inside of the board or watercraft, with electrode connectors extending out of the board watercraft that may require only small holes through the outside of the board or watercraft. As another example, the connectors or electrodes could be built into the board or watercraft at the time of construction, requiring minimal or no modification to the original design of the board or watercraft. 
     Accordingly, the scope should be determined not by the embodiments illustrated, but by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.