EP1210547B1

EP1210547B1 - Procedure to indicate an escape route using photoluminescent objects and for this purpose appropriate objects

Info

Publication number: EP1210547B1
Application number: EP00905448A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Harrie Maurice LÖVENSTEIN
Original assignee: Stell GmbH; ARIDVICE BEHEER BV
Current assignee: Aridvice Beheer BV; Stell GmbH
Priority date: 1999-02-08
Filing date: 2000-02-04
Publication date: 2007-12-12
Anticipated expiration: 2020-02-04
Also published as: DE60037432D1; WO2000046546A1; DE60037432T2; EP1210547A1; ATE380970T1; NL1011246C1; AU2698400A

Abstract

Passive luminous objects to be mounted to, on or in the near vicinity of lamps or light armatures to indicate an escape route. Said objects preferably have a three-dimensional arrow shape, and are photoluminescent based on oxydes of aluminium, boron, calcium, europium or strontium. Said objects may also be represented as printed, painted, or by other means reproduced arrows on light armatures, lamps or other light sources.

Description

The invention relates to a procedure to indicate an exit and an escape route within a building in particular, using passive luminous objects, such as photoluminescent or phosphorescent objects, said objects being fixed in the near vicinity of light fixtures or lamps, as present within locations like buildings, aircraft, ships or tunnels.
A procedure of this kind is known form US-A-5 724 909 . According to the known procedure, said objects are fixed on the building structure, like floor and walls or around exit doors. The disadvantage of the known procedure is that a distance between the light armatures or lamps and said objects may be relatively large, which inevitably has a negative effect on the luminosity of said objects on the moment they are needed.
The procedure according to the invention substantially obviates this disadvantage and is characterized in that said objects are at least substantially arrow-shaped, that they are fixed with clips directly to or on lamps or that said objects are fixed directly to light fixtures using bows or adapter-clips or that said objects are placed within or stuck to light fixtures, in this way guaranteeing a minimum distance between the light armatures or lamps and said objects. In this way, the said lamps a lamp fixtures are adapted to indicate said exit and escape route.
From US-A-5 904 017 an accessory including a photoluminescent strip to identify escape routes is known. Said accessory is attachable to floors, walls, stairs or other fixtures, normally found in an office building, an institution, a factory or other buildings used by people.
The inventive procedure uses commonly present light sources for fixing photoluminescent objects onto. Compared to said objects fixed to a building structure, thus inevitably damaging the building structures surface, the inventive procedure is substantially more advantageous.
The invention makes use of a passive luminous, photoluminescent or phosphorescent object to indicate an exit or, particularly an escape route, said object being provided with fixation means to allow its fixation in the near vicinity of light armatures or lamps. The object is at least substantially arrow-shaped and the fixation means comprise a bow or adapter-clip or a self-adhesive strip to allow its fixation to a light armature or lamp.
In a favourable configuration according to an aspect of the invention, said object is characterized by a three-dimensional form, which may considerably enhance visibility and recognizability at distance, especially when said objects are relatively low placed.
In another favourable configuration according to an aspect of the invention, said object is characterized by incorporation of aluminiumoxide, boronoxide, calciumoxide, europiumoxide, strontiumoxide or substances based on SrAl to obtain photoluminescent properties. The advantage of these substances compared to the commonly used phosphorescent substances, such as those based on zincoxide, is the higher light saturation levels, leading to relatively higher photoluminescence intensities when previously exposed to high intensity illumination.
The invention will be further explained based on the following drawing, with figures in which:

Fig. 1A: is a front view of a photoluminescent arrow, which may be fixed to a light fixture with lamellae;
Fig. 1B: is a cross section of this arrow;
Fig. 2A: is a front view of a photoluminescent arrow, which may be fixed to a ceiling or wall in the near vicinity of a light source;
Fig. 2B: is a cross section of this arrow;
Fig. 3: is a universal adapter clip for fixing an arrow to a light armature with lamellae;
Fig. 4: are a few photoluminescent clips fixed to a light tube;
Fig. 5: are a few photoluminescent clips fixed to a light armature with lamellae;
Fig. 6: is a light fixture comprising a plastic cover with a photoluminescent arrow stuck or painted on its surface.

Figure 1A represents a front view of photoluminescent arrow 1, which may be fixed to a light armature with lamellae using universal adapter 2. Arrow 1 is made of a translucent, rigid plastic, preferably flame retardent, such as polycarbonate.
The plastic further includes a new generation of photoluminescent substances, such as aluminiumoxide, boronoxide, calciumoxide, europiumoxide, strontiumoxide or substances based on SrAl. In the normal situation the substances accumulate light energy generated by the lamps inside the light armature. Light energy will be accumulated until an equilibrium is established between light accumulated and light emitted by photoluminescence. As the invention allows substances to be exposed to high light intensities by their placement in the near vicinity of the light source, substances will also return light at relatively high intensity through photoluminescence upon switching off the lamps. By approximation light intensity decreases quadraticly with distance, implying that light intensity of an arrow placed at thirtyfive centimeter distance from a lamp is about fifty times stronger than that of an arrow placed at ground level, assuming distance between lamp to floor equals two and a half meter.
The photoluminescent substances described above are especially effective when illuminated by a source rich in blue and ultra-violet light. Fluorescent tube (TL) and lamp lights (PL) and in general lamps, which are based on mercury vapour discharge, are sources with a considerable portion of blue and ultra-violet light, and are therefore extremely suitable in this application. Also modern sulfur-lamps, especially when used in combination with so called light conveying pipes are very appropriate to illuminate photoluminescent objects, which may be directly fixed to or incorporated within this conveying pipe.
Figure 1B represents a side view of photoluminescent arrow 1, which may be fixed to a light armature with lamellae using a universal adapter 2. For this purpose the universal adapter 2 comprises hooks 3, 4, which may be hooked on to the transverse lamella of a light armature, as well as clips 5, 6, pressing against the lamella for a flat positioning of the arrow. Photoluminescent arrow 1 has a three-dimensional form, which significantly enhances its visibility at distance, especially at relatively low placement of arrow 1. Pins 7 allow for additional fixation of arrow 1 along a longitudinal lamella, if present.
Figure 2A represents a front view of photoluminescent arrow 1, which may be fixed to a ceilng or wall in the near vicinity of a light source, using screw 8 through the centre hole of arrow 1. Actually arrow 1 is identical to the arrow described in Figure 1; only the type of fixation differs.
Figure 2B represents a front view of photoluminescent arrow 1, which may be fixed to a ceiling or wall in the near vicinity of a light source, using screw 8 and optional plug 9. An additional small hole needs to be drilled accomodating pins 7 to secure the arrow.
Figure 3 represents an optional configuration of a universal adapterclip, allowing fixation of an arrow to a light armature with lamellae. Bottom part 10 is supposed to be clicked inside the centre hole of the arrow, as indicated in Figure 1B, additionally allowing adjustment of arrow direction in eight positions. Upper parts 11a, 11b comprise a large number hook shaped structures, allowing their fixation to practically every common lamella armature. At fixation lamella is enclosed between parts 11a, 11b and supporting structures 12a, 12b, for a flat positioning of the arrow.
Figure 4 represents few photoluminescent clips 14, 15 fixed to a tube light, which are easy to produce and easy to mount. Fixed directly on the light tube, a maximum intensity of photoluminescence will be achieved. Additionally the three-dimensional form allows their visibility at distance while clearly indicating a direction.
Figure 5 represents few photoluminescent clips 17, 18 fixed to lamella 16 of a light armature, which are also easy to produce and easy to mount. Their visibility is excellent, but they do not indicate a specific direction. However, by arranging these clips in a certain pattern at regular spacing, a runway-like effect may be realized, clearly indicating an escape route.
Figure 6 represents a light armature 19 comprising a plastic cover 20 with a photoluminescent arrow attached or painted on its surface, or integrated within its surface.
Said photoluminescent objects fixed directly on a lamp or armature are continually illuminated at superfluous light intensities. This does not present difficulties. Performance in the situation described above may be improved by introduction of a one-directional reflection (self-adhesive) sheeting, foil or coating between lamp and said object, such that normal light passes through, while photoluminescence will be reflected downwards, thus enhancing its visibility.

Claims

Procedure for adapting light fixtures or lamps which are present within locations like buildings, aircraft, ships or tunnels to indicate an exit and an escape route within a building in particular, using passive luminous objects, such as photoluminescent or phosphorescent objects, said objects (1,14,15,17,18,21) being at least substantially arrow-shaped, wherein said objects are fixed with clips directly to or on said lamps or wherein said objects (1,14,15,17, 18,21) are fixed directly to said light fixtures using bows or adapter-clips or wherein said objects (1,14,15,17,18,21) are placed within or stuck to said light fixtures.