Boat fume warning device

Abstract

A new and improved apparatus for warning a boat use is disclosed for use when he initially opens up a switched lid on top of the ignition, whether fuel fumes are too high around and in the engine compartment. A blinking LED light would be installed above the ignition switch. The LED would be connected to a gas fume sensor installed in the engine compartment. A lid switch attached to the switched lid would be connected with a timer switch to blower motor on the boat. When a boater would lift the switched lid to start the engine, the LED light would blink red if there are excess fuel fumes present in the engine compartment area. Each and every time a user opens the switched lid, the blower motor for the blower would turn on, irregardless of whether there are excess fumes present in the engine compartment. When the LED light would go out, a boater would know that it would be safe to start the engine of the boat without fear of explosion. A boater would have the option in emergency situations, such as drifting toward a bunch of rocks, to throw the lid of the engine compartment open to allow immediate airing of the engine compartment so that a boater would be able to start the engine immediately without fear of an explosion In any regards, the ignition will always allow a boater to start the boat engine and will never disable the boat motor, instead relying on the judgment of a boater.

What I claim as my invention is:  
     
         1 . A boat safety apparatus comprising: 
 (a) a boat, the boat including an engine compartment,    (b) an engine located within the engine compartment,    (c) an ignition plate mounted within the boat, the ignition plate having a front surface, the ignition plate being electronically connected to the engine, the ignition plate including an ignition cover pivotally mounted to the front surface of the ignition plate,    (d) an ignition unit incorporated into the ignition plate,    (e) means for detecting the presence of fuel fumes in the engine compartment and notifying a boat user if a specific level of fuel fumes was exceeded, and    (f) means for removing any excess fuel fumes in the engine compartment.    
     
     
         2 . A boat safety apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the means for detecting the presence of fuel fumes in the engine compartment and notifying a boat user if a specific level of fuel fumes was exceeded further comprises: 
 (a) a lid switch located on the ignition plate, the lid switch being in an “off” position when the ignition cover is flush against the ignition plate, the lid switch being activated upon the opening of the ignition cover,  
 (b) a LED light located on the front surface of the ignition plate,  
 (c) a fume sensor located in the engine compartment, the fume sensor electronically connected to the lid switch, the fume sensor also electronically connected to the LED light,  
 (d) whereby the lid switch, upon being activated, will send electronic signals to the fume sensor, causing the fuel sensor to be activated and take a reading of airborne fuel fumes within the engine compartment, and  
 (e) whereby if the tree sensor measures fumes above a specific predetermined rate, then the fuel sensor would activate the LED light  
 
     
     
         3 . A boat safety apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the means for removing any excess fuel fumes in the engine compartment further comprises: 
 (a) a blower located within the engine compartment,  
 (b) a blower motor located within the blower,  
 (c) a timer switch connected to the blower, the timer switch being electronically connected to the lid switch, the timer switch capable of being set to be activated for a set period of time,  
 (d) whereby the lid switch, upon being activated, will send electronic signals to the timer switch, causing the timer switch to activate the blower motor and the blower for a set period of time, causing any fuel fumes within the engine compartment to be minimized or eliminated.  
 
     
     
         4 . A boat safety apparatus according to  claim 2  which further comprises a feedback mechanism process comprising the steps of: 
 (a) causing the fume sensor, once activated, to continually take fuel fume readings in the engine compartment at regular intervals,  
 (b) activating the LED light for each fuel fume reading that is at or above a specific predetermined rate,  
 (c) not activating the LED light for each fuel fume reading that is below a specific predetermined rate,  
 (d) thereby providing notice to a boat user when it would make safe to activate the ignition.