Patent ID: 8128269

Claim:
A smoke environment personnel identification apparatus which comprises: an upper end cap assembly, consisting of an upper end cap top cover and an upper end cap body, wherein said upper end cap top cover having a plurality of control switch holes therein, wherein said upper end cap body having a plurality of light distribution tube recessed indentations, a plurality of battery tube recessed sockets, a plurality of battery contacts, at least two tie-rod holes and a flared opening for light illumination within the cavity between the back plate and the front shield, a printed circuit board juxtaposed between the upper end cap top cover and the upper end cap body, with the printed circuit board having control and lighting devices, light positioning restraints, electric source interfaces and interconnecting control circuits, a back plate having a top and a bottom with the top joined onto the upper end cap body, a front shield having a top and a bottom with the top joined onto the upper end cap body, spaced apart from the back plate having portions defining a cavity therebetween for back-lighting, with the front shield having identification indicia which provides recognition of a specific firefighter, a plurality of battery tubes retained within the upper end cap body forming structural pillars, with each of the battery tubes having a plurality of batteries therein, a plurality of diffused light distribution tubes retained within the upper end cap body and positioned adjacent to said battery tubes, for evenly dispersing light from the lighting devices within the printed circuit board for effectively penetrating a smoke environment, a lower end cap assembly consisting of a lower end cap body and a lower end cap bottom cover, with the lower end cap body interfacing with the back plate, front shield, battery tubes and light distribution tubes and the lower end cap bottom cover removable permitting the batteries within the battery tubes to be replaced, and means for attaching the upper end cap assembly to the lower end cap assembly thereby forming the smoke environment personnel identification apparatus.