CN1831424A

CN1831424A - Pathway lighting for door handles

Info

Publication number: CN1831424A
Application number: CNA2006100547767A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 约瑟夫·W.·霍奇斯; 布莱恩·迈克尔·厄本
Original assignee: Computerized Security Systems Inc
Current assignee: Computerized Security Systems Inc
Priority date: 2005-03-11
Filing date: 2006-03-10
Publication date: 2006-09-13
Also published as: US20060203471A1

Abstract

A door handle device includes pathway lighting to illuminate a pathway when needed, such as during a power outage, fire, or other emergency. The pathway lighting includes at least one light source, such as a super-bright LED or other low current/power light source, that is mounted to a door and that is bright enough to illuminate a pathway. Power for the light source may be provided by an internal power source that is used to power other components (e.g., a lock, a key card reader, etc.) within the door handle device. The pathway lighting acts as a backup or supplemental light source when needed to guide people toward a desired location. The pathway lighting may also act as an interior light.

Description

The pathway lighting that is used for door handle

Technical field

The present invention relates generally to door handle sub-assembly (assembly).

Background technology

The found in hotel room doors of using is in conjunction with the door handle sub-assembly of special use rather than the middle nob of seeing in dwelling house usually that uses of traditional spheroidal door handle (doorknob) at present.Described door sub-assembly is often in conjunction with electronic circuit, for example electron key card reader, electronics latch and other equipment.

There is not enough so that the situation that can not the position gates handle of illumination, for example at night, between turnoff time, inferior in the situation of fire.Although to illuminate door handle be possible to the indication servicing lighting, if lighting apparatus is connected to central source, then lighting apparatus also will lose power supply under the situation of outage, thereby what make that it loses power supply therein in emergency circumstances is invalid.And, there is not method that pathway lighting in case of emergency is provided at present, also control illumination in order to the response environment condition without any method, described environmental condition for example is near the change of the amount of the ambient light the door handle sub-assembly.The conventional illumination device that is used to illuminate door handle self can provide enough illuminations to be used at dark surrounds position gates handle, but it also is not enough to illuminate any zone that surpasses the door handle immediate area.

Need a kind of under the situation of outage or other need to provide under the situation of floor light the equipment of the method that illuminates passage.

Summary of the invention

The present invention generally refers to a kind of door handle equipment that is combined with pathway lighting equipment, with when needed, for example illuminates passage during outage, fire or other emergency.In one embodiment, this equipment comprises at least one light source, and the light source of for example highlighted LED or other low current/power, this light source are installed to that door is gone up and it is enough bright to illuminate passage.The power supply of light source can provide the internal power source of power supply to provide by other parts (for example, lock, key card reader etc.) that are utilized in the door handle equipment.In one embodiment, this equipment also comprises and detects around the optical sensor of the amount of the ambient light of described equipment and control the controller of the operation of light source based on the amount of ambient light.

By pathway lighting equipment is provided on door handle equipment, the present invention can be illuminated passage under the disabled situation of other light source.Therefore, under the disabled situation of common lighting apparatus, described pathway lighting equipment provides a kind of extra ancillary method, so as to guide when needed the user towards door and guide them to the expectation the position.Described pathway lighting equipment can also be as interior lighting equipment, to provide Emergency Light and/or as the lamp at night.

Description of drawings

Fig. 1 is the front perspective view of door handle equipment according to an embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is the rear view of door handle equipment in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 3 is the presentation graphs of the control module of door handle equipment according to an embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 4 is the presentation graphs of the control module of door handle equipment in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.

The specific embodiment

Fig. 1 for example understands the previous section of door handle equipment 100 according to an embodiment of the invention.In this manual, term " front " corresponding to the part on the exterior section that is positioned at door of door handle equipment 100 (for example, part towards the corridor), and term " back " or " back side " corresponding to the part part of hotel room (for example, towards) of the door on the interior section that is positioned at door.

In example shown in Figure 1, door handle equipment 100 comprises door handle 102 and panel (faceplate) 104.Panel 104 comprises that groove 106 or other opening are to hold the electron key (not shown).Indicator lamp 108 can be included in the equipment 100 so that for the user provides visual feedback, thereby whether the indication key card is by in the insertion groove 106 correctly.

For near the passage in illuminating the door handle equipment 100, equipment 100 comprises at least one light source 110.Described light source 110 self can be any light source that operates on low current/power, and this light source can produce the light of enough brightness to illuminate passage.Possible light source for example comprises LED, the light source of electric refrigeration light (electro-luminescent), incandescent lamp etc.In illustrational example, light source 110 is the modules 112 that comprise a plurality of highlighted LED 114.As shown in Figure 3, light source 110 can obtain its power supplys from for example equipment 100 interior internal power source 116, this internal power source also is utilized for other parts power supply in the described equipment 100, for example the key card reader 118, door bolt (not shown), or the locking device (not shown) in the door.Light source 110 is connected to an interior employed internal power source 116 rather than is connected to the outside power source of concentrating and guaranteed that light source 110 can be used to Emergency Light under the situation that the similar incident that needs floor light of emergency, outage or other takes place.

Should be noted that light source 110 not only is used to illuminate door handle 100, and therefore can not for example be the incandescent lamp of low watt simply.Instead, even without other available ambient illumination equipment, light source 110 also should be bright enough, so that the light source 110 on a plurality of door in the corridor for example indicates and in case of emergency can easily see clearly and along the passage of walking.For example, described light source 110 can define and illuminate the passage that leads to outlet.

In one embodiment, as shown in Figure 3, equipment 100 comprises control module 118, and this control module 118 is manually operated, perhaps has electronic eyes or other similar illumination sensor 120 of the amount that detects the ambient light that centers on equipment 100.Described equipment 100 also comprises switch 122, and this switch 122 is controlled the operation of light source 110 based on the amount of the ambient light that detects.For example, can come gauge tap 122 (for example based on the amount of ambient light with unlimited adjusting (infinite adjustment) that the luminous intensity that light source 110 is exported is provided, reduce the brightness of light source 110 when the ambient light rank is high, the brightness that sufficiently increases light source 110 when the ambient light rank is lower than the threshold value of selection is to illuminate passage).Alternatively, switch 122 can only make 110 of described light sources detect at optical sensor 120 to open when ambient light is lower than described threshold value; In this case, light source 110 is closed maintenance if having time at other.

As shown in Figure 2, light source 110a can be installed on the back of door and on the front of door or replace the front of door.When light source 110a is installed on the back of door with towards the inside of for example hotel room the time, light source 110a can be used as night lamp or signal lamp so that the people can easily find door handle 102 in dark room.And, because can being adjusted to output, light source 110a has high light to the intensity that can illuminate passage, equipment 100 of the present invention provides additional safety measure for the hotel room occupant.If should be noted that for example light source 110a is only as the lamp at night in the nonemergency, then in this embodiment described optical sensor 120 being combined with the control operation of light source 110a to allow luminous intensity to be reduced.Show light source 110a points upwards although should be noted that the embodiment shown in Fig. 2,, instead, light source 110a can be arranged to directed downwards to illuminate door handle 102 from the top.

Be used for being the control module of the light source 110a among the embodiment shown in Fig. 2 power supply and the operation of controlling this light source 110a and top identical about Fig. 3 description.Notice that single specific door can have and has embodiment shown in the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, Fig. 2 or both equipment 100.If described door it front 110 and its back 110a on light source is all arranged, then if desired, identical control module 118 can be used to control light source 110, both operations of 110a.

In addition, if desired, control module 118 can be configured to and make light source 110,110a differently operate under different ambient light conditions.For example, as shown in Figure 4, control module 118 can also comprise based on the controller 124 of controlling two light sources 110,110a from the detected ambient light of optical sensor 120,120a separately independently.In one embodiment, controller 122 cuts out front area light source 110 in the light time that its respective photosensor 120 detects in the corridor, and controller 122 detects at its respective photosensor 120a and also opens back area source 110a when hotel room is dark.In both cases, light source 110a, 110b are illuminated by their brightness and are limited near light source 110a, the 110b passage.

Replace or except sensor 120,120a, receiver 120 can also be connected to switch 122 or controller 124 so that for example receive wireless information from wireless information device communication system (not shown).In this case, the message that is received by receiver 126 is as controlling mechanism.Message can indicator cock 122 or controller 124 enable or close light source 110,110a; In one embodiment, under the situation of outage, the message device system can send up-to-date message opening light source 110,110a, thereby reminds the position in its room of guest or more customized control to light source 110,110a is provided in addition.

Provide a kind of reliable, the economic method that be used in case of emergency provide floor light as the pathway lighting equipment of door handle equipment and by the power source related to light source power supply in conjunction with light source with door self.And, control the luminous intensity of exporting from light source based on the amount of detected ambient light and allow to operate more efficiently light source by minimized current drain.

Should be appreciated that, can be used when of the present invention implementing the various selections of embodiments of the invention described herein.Desired is that following claim limits scope of the present invention, and the interior method and apparatus of scope that covers these claims and equivalent thereof thus.

Claims

1. door handle equipment comprises:

The door handle sub-assembly; With

At least one light source, this light source illuminates near the passage door handle equipment.

2. equipment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the door handle sub-assembly comprises:

Door handle; With

Doorplate, wherein said at least one light source and doorplate are contiguous.

3. equipment as claimed in claim 2, wherein doorplate comprises the opening that holds electron key, and wherein said equipment also comprises control module, and this control module has the power source for the circuit supply that reads electron key.

4. equipment as claimed in claim 3, wherein power source also is described at least one light source power supply.

5. equipment as claimed in claim 1 also comprises control module, and this control module has the power source for described at least one light source power supply.

6. equipment as claimed in claim 5 also comprises at least one optical sensor, wherein said control module based on by described at least one light sensors to ambient light control the operation of described at least one light source.

7. equipment as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one light source comprises at least one light emitting diode.

8. equipment as claimed in claim 7, wherein said at least one light source comprises a plurality of light emitting diodes.

9. door handle equipment comprises:

The door handle sub-assembly, this door handle sub-assembly has door handle and doorplate, and described doorplate comprises the opening that holds electron key;

At least one light source, this light source illuminates near the passage door handle equipment, and wherein said at least one light source and doorplate are contiguous; With

Control module, this control module have and are the power source of described at least one light source power supply selectively.

10. equipment as claimed in claim 9 also comprises at least one optical sensor of communicating by letter with described control module, wherein said control module based on by described at least one light sensors to ambient light come selectively to be described at least one light source power supply.

11. equipment as claimed in claim 9, wherein control module is manually operated.

12. equipment as claimed in claim 9 also comprises receiver, this receiver is communicated by letter with control module to receive wireless information, and wherein control module is described at least one light source power supply based on wireless information selectively.

13. equipment as claimed in claim 9, wherein said power source are also for being used to read the circuit supply of electron key.

14. equipment as claimed in claim 9, wherein said at least one light source comprises a plurality of light emitting diodes, i.e. LED.

15. equipment as claimed in claim 9, also comprise the second door handle sub-assembly, wherein said door handle sub-assembly is positioned on the outside of door, and the described second door handle sub-assembly is positioned on the inboard of door, and wherein said at least one light source comprise with first light source that is associated of the outside and the secondary light source that is associated with the inboard of door.

16. equipment as claimed in claim 15, also comprise first optical sensor that is associated with described first light source and second optical sensor that is associated with described secondary light source, wherein said control module based on by described first light sensors to ambient light control the operation of described first light source, and based on by described second light sensors to ambient light control the operation of described secondary light source.

17. equipment as claimed in claim 15 also comprises receiver, this receiver is communicated by letter with control module to receive wireless information, and wherein control module is at least one power supply in described first light source and the described secondary light source selectively and independently.

18. equipment as claimed in claim 15, but wherein said control module manual operation is to be at least one power supply in described first light source and the described secondary light source selectively and independently.

19. equipment as claimed in claim 9, wherein said door handle sub-assembly are positioned at the outside of door.

20. equipment as claimed in claim 9, wherein said door handle sub-assembly are positioned at the inboard of door.