Patent Abstract:
This is an electrical system not an electronic one. The light units should be placed as close to an actual circle as possible. For a helicopter visual landing in rough seas, low visibility and darkness, the approach for landing becomes a hazardous task. Good visibility of the landing area will be possible due to this system effectiveness. The helicopter can now become a truly all-weather vehicle. No new technology is needed. The parts for the system can be purchased off a store shelf, a minor modification of an existing item, or made by relatively minor fabrication.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    Sometimes visibility can change within minutes, helicopters operations from small surface ships can be cut short by rough seas, low visibility and darkness, landing being by far the greatest problem. This invention is designed to greatly help solve this problem in an economical way; a system that is effective and reduces the need for at least some of the costly electronic systems. This is an electrical system not an electronic one. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    Radars can be too powerful to be used at short ranges. Some can have blind spots close to the ship because of sea return. Others are not designed for tracking helicopters all the way to the deck. 
         [0005]    To guide a helicopter all the way to the deck, a high-resolution surface surveillance radar with effective filters that take away sea and rain clutter. Integrated with the radar is an electro-optical infrared camera to provide a clearer picture of the helicopter to the controllers. The above system can solve the problem. Then there is the cost factor to consider for the above and other highly technical electronic systems. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    On a small ship especially, visibility can suddenly deteriorate to a degree that, the approach for landing a helicopter becomes a hazardous task. For visual landing in rough seas, low visibility and darkness, this light system alone, or in combination with one or more less complex electronic systems for added safety can be used. Better visibility will be possible for the air crew to make a safe approach and landing. This is an electrical system not an electronic one. No high profile technical knowledge is needed to operate or repair this system, just some basic knowledge of electrical theory. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is a top view of a light-circle showing the lighting effects of several light units. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a sectional view of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is a top view of a helicopter landing into the light-circle. 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is a side view of a light unit. 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is a schematic of an electromagnet and its DC circuit. 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  is a top view of the light unit. 
           [0013]      FIG. 7  is a front view of the light unit. 
           [0014]      FIG. 8  is a block diagram showing the electrical parallel connections within each light unit and an input AC power supply connection. 
           [0015]      FIG. 9  is a block diagram showing the cable length and type between the light units. 
           [0016]      FIG. 10  is a block diagram showing the electrical connections within each light unit and an input DC power supply connection. 
           [0017]      FIG. 11  is a side view of a light unit with a portable, metallic stabilizing plate. 
           [0018]      FIG. 12  is a block diagram showing the electrical series connections to within each light unit and an input AC power supply. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0019]      FIG. 1  embodies the combination of the heating and lighting effects of several light units  20 A,  20 B,  20 C,  20 D,  20 E,  20 F,  20 G,  20 H, forming a light-circle  10  with an intense, red light-center  15 . This light system will generate the necessary visibility needed by a pilot to safely land a helicopter, in rough seas, low visibility and darkness. 
         [0020]    The light units  20 A- 20 H should be placed as close to an actual circle as is humanly possible. This embodiment has 8 light units  20 A- 20 H placed approximately 45 degrees apart. Other numbers of light units can be used. Light units  20 A- 20 H are connected by means of connecting N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U. A portable or fixed power supply is connected to the light-circle  10  by a connecting means N. See  FIG. 2 . 
         [0021]      FIG. 3  shows a helicopter H landing in the light-circle  10  of the light system. A pilot can get his bearing from the positions of one or more light units  20 A- 20 H. The up and down movement of the light units  20 A- 20 H, can tell the pilot the degree to which the ship is rocking from side to side. The pilot can slowly head for the intense, red light-center  15  and go down, see  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 . 
         [0022]      FIG. 4  is a side view of a light unit  20 A- 20 H. Mechanically, each light unit comprises a base  22 , a body  24  and a carrying handle  26 . Electrically, each light unit comprises a floodlight lamp  40 , a circular electromagnet  42  and its circuit  42 A, an electrical connector (female)  44 A, and on the opposite side is another connector (female)  44 B, not shown. 
         [0023]    A means for lighting can comprise a light bulb, a floodlight lamp, a heat light or others. It can range over a wide range of wattages; it can be between 60 and 1000 watts. It can have a narrow or wide light beam. It can generate a white light or color light of many types, red, green, blue and yellow being only a few. 
         [0024]    For practical purposes, a means for lighting  40  will be an energy-efficient, outdoor, AC floodlight lamp  40  that generate a red light with a wide beam. A lamp  40  with substantial wattage, an 80 to 100 watts lamp would be ideal. The lamp  40  should be able to withstand harsh weather conditions. 
         [0025]    The center line  50 A of the lamp  40  should make an approximately 45 degrees angle with the horizontal base  22 . Other angles can be used as well. The light beam  50  can shine upward slightly to create a depth in the intense, red light-center  15  of the light circle  10 . A pilot can see the landing area better, review  FIG. 1 . The electromagnet  42  will hold a light unit  20 A- 20 H in one place on the metallic deck  55  of a ship. The electromagnet  42  is centered in the base  22 . Each of the light unit&#39;s body  24  should be painted red. This would help with the visibility of the light-circle  10 . 
         [0026]      FIG. 5  is the embodiment of the electromagnet  42  and its circuit  42 A. Alternating current (AC) powering an electromagnet will be less efficient than a comparable direct current (DC) powered electromagnet. It will suffer from hysteresis losses in its magnetic core, due to the repeatedly reversing the polarity of the magnetic domains in the core; this consumes power. The solution would be to use a DC circuit  42 A to power the electromagnet  42 . This circuit  42 A will give you a pulsating DC, a more complex circuit to get a linear DC will not be necessary. 
         [0027]      FIG. 6  is a top view of a light unit showing its body  24 , carrying handle  26  and lamp  40 .  FIG. 7  is a front view of the light unit  20 A- 20 H showing its body  24 , base  22 , carrying handle  26 , and lamp  40 . The electromagnet  42  should be just strong enough to stabilize the light unit against the ship&#39;s metallic deck  55 , but can be lifted by an adult. 
         [0028]    Series circuits use a single path to connect the electric source or sources to the output device (load) or devices (loads). They have limited uses because any change in one circuit part affects all the circuit parts. For an example, some Christmas tree lights are connected in series, when one bulb goes out they all go out. Therefore, parallel circuits are the most practical ones to use in this system. 
         [0029]      FIG. 8  shows each light unit  20 A- 20 H with its floodlight lamp  40  and the electromagnet  42  and its DC circuit  42 A, they are connected in parallel with an electrical AC input. 
         [0030]      FIG. 9  shows the means for connecting the light units N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, of the light system. The input electric power cable N can be to a portable or fixed AC or DC power supply. The electric power cables O, P, Q, R, S, T, U between the light units  20 A,  20 B,  20 C,  20 D,  20 E,  20 F,  20 G,  2011  can be of a certain length. The circumference of a light-circle  10  can be changed with different sets of lengths. Each light unit  20 A- 20 H has two electrical connectors (female)  44 A and  44 B, review  FIG. 4 . Most cables used to transmit or distribute electric power are coaxial cables. 
         [0031]    In  FIG. 10  shows each light unit  20 A- 20 H with its floodlight lamp  60  and an electromagnet  62  both of DC specifications, and both are connected in parallel with an electrical DC input. 
         [0032]      FIG. 11  shows a light unit  20 A- 20 H holding onto a fairly wide, light metallic plate  70  with its electromagnet  42 . On a non-metallic surface  75  the wide portable metallic plate  70  helps stabilize the light unit  20 A- 20 H. 
         [0033]      FIG. 12  is an alternative embodiment showing each light unit  20 A- 20 H with its floodlight lamp  40  and the electromagnet  42  and its DC circuit  42 A, they are connected in series with an electrical AC input. 
         [0034]    No new technology is needed. The parts for this system can be purchased off a store shelf, a minor modification of an existing item, or made by relatively minor fabrication. No high profile technical knowledge is needed to operate or repair this system, just some basic knowledge of electrical theory.

Technology Classification (CPC): 1