EP3227872B1 - Alarm flashing light for an alarm system with a planar luminuous thin-film component of organic semiconducting materials (oled) - Google Patents

Description

Flashing alarm light for a hazard alarm system with a flat, luminous thin-film component made of organic semiconducting materials (OLED).

The invention relates to a flashing alarm light for a hazard alarm system. The alarm flashlight has a flashlight source for visual alarming in the event of danger, an energy store for storing electrical energy, a switching element and a control unit for releasing the stored electrical energy from the energy store via the switching element to the flashlight source. It also comprises a housing with a housing-side, preferably flat fastening surface for direct wall or ceiling mounting or for preferably detachable fastening to a base for indirect wall or ceiling mounting. The flash light source is an areally luminous thin-film component made of organic semiconducting materials (OLED). The flat, luminous thin-film component is attached to the housing. The light emitted by the flash source is visible to the human eye.

The invention further relates to a (first) hazard alarm system which has a hazard alarm center, a detector line connected to it and a plurality of such alarm flashing lights connected to the detector line. It also relates to a (second) hazard alarm system with a radio-supported hazard alarm center and with a plurality of such alarm flashing lights registered by radio at the hazard alarm center.

Flashing alarm lights of the type described are often used in combination with an acoustic alarm transmitter, such combined acoustic / optical alarm transmitters being referred to as "sounder beacon", or in German "flash buzzer". Such alarm flashing lights or acoustic / optical alarm transmitters are preferably mounted on the wall or on the ceiling. Furthermore, combinations of a smoke detector or gas detector with a flashing alarm light are known.

Known alarm flashing lights typically have a xenon flashing light tube. The pulse duration of the xenon flash is in a range from 0.5 to 1 ms. The short flash is well perceived by the hearing impaired, who can hardly hear the acoustic alarm signal emitted in parallel.

As an alternative, LED flashing alarm lights have recently been offered. The light-emitting diodes (LED) used to generate light have a semiconductor crystal with semiconducting light-emitting materials. Although the typical pulse durations (approx. 100 ms) are within the normalized range (max. 200 ms), the LED flash generated is considerably more difficult to perceive than the xenon flash. This is particularly the case when the LED flash reaches a person's eye through reflections on walls or ceilings and thus as indirect light, i.e. viewed from the person from behind or from the side.

In order to achieve the same quality of optical perception as with a xenon flash, the pulse duration of an LED flash should be a maximum of 10 to 20 ms. For the generation of the same light energy per flash, however, a much higher light intensity of the LED flash is required. The corresponding electrical peak power required for this is 100 W and more!

This is currently difficult to achieve with a single high-performance or power LED, apart from the high costs for the special high-performance LED and for the required high-current control electronics. Several LEDs are therefore usually arranged in series or in an array. The total optically active surface of all LEDs is in the range from approx. 1 to 5 cm ² . Special optics are also required, for example with lenses or mirrors, in order to achieve a light emission that is optimized for the respective national or regional standard. One such norm is e.g. the North American standard UL 1971 v3 or the European standard EN 54-23.

From the US 2007/0035255 A1 such an alarm flashing light with an LED array for optical alarming is known. According to an embodiment there, the light source for the alarm can also have one or more OLEDs. An example of such an OLED light source comprises one or more organic layers sandwiched between two electrodes. One of these electrodes is transparent to allow light to pass through. Such OLEDs can be adjusted to a desired lighting characteristic such as color, temperature and intensity. The light source and the housing can be configured as a fabric, textile, tape or similar material. Accordingly, the alarm flash light can be used in the interior lining and / or window coverings, in a molded part or in a decorative strip in order to create an escape route in a building such as an office or a stairwell. The strobe light can also be used in building fittings such as door handles, door panels, exits, stairs, railings and other building equipment. In one example, the strobe light can be installed in the carpeting of a building and / or in the wall cladding of the building to guide the occupants of the building to the emergency exits.

From the European patent application EP 1 865 484 A1 an information light, in particular an escape sign or safety light, is known. The indicator light has a surface element which can be stimulated to emit light and which is designed as an organic light-emitting diode (OLED). Such indicator lights are known to be designed for continuous use as a display for an emergency exit or as an escape route display, or they are switched on in an emergency, for example via a connected fire alarm system. Nothing is disclosed of a flashing or flashing operation of such an indicator light.

On the basis of the prior art mentioned at the beginning, it is an object of the invention to specify an improved alarm flashing light.

These objects are achieved by the subjects of independent patent claim 1. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are described in the dependent claims.

According to the invention, the flat, luminous thin-film component comprises an inner surface opposite the housing and an outwardly protruding curved luminous surface directed away from the housing.

According to one embodiment, the curved luminous surface is preferably part of the surface of a sphere, a cylinder, a cone, an ellipsoid, a paraboloid or a hyperboloid.

As a result, compared to a flat surface emitter, ie a so-called Lambertian emitter, as is the case with a conventional LED without an upstream optics (see FIG 6 , LAM characteristic), advantageously improved radiation in the lateral direction is possible (see FIG 6 , Characteristics ELL, SEMI). An upstream optical lens or mirror is not required.

The outwardly curved luminous surface creates a cavity which can advantageously be used to accommodate components of the alarm flashing light according to the invention, such as the energy store and / or circuit carrier. In particular, the curved luminous surface includes or describes a part of the surface of a sphere, a cylinder, a cone, an in particular biaxial or triaxial ellipsoid, a paraboloid or a hyperboloid. In the aforementioned FIG 6 are the radiation characteristics of a flat, luminous thin-film component with a hemispherical luminous surface (characteristic SEMI) as well as those of a flat luminous Thin-film component with a luminous area which comprises the surface of a biaxial half-ellipsoid (characteristic curve ELL). It can be seen that the lateral radiation of the respective flat, luminous thin-film component, ie in directions more parallel to the mounting plane of the alarm flash light, is significantly improved compared to a surface emitter.

According to one embodiment, the flat, luminous thin-film component has above all a uniform luminance on the luminous surface. The curvature of the flat, luminous thin-film component is such that the organic light-emitting diode has a radiation characteristic that approximates the European standard EN 54-23 or the North American standard UL 1971 v3.

"Approximate radiation characteristic" here means that the shape of the curvature can be determined in such a way that radiation according to the UL standard or according to the EN standard can be achieved without additional optics. The determination of the degree of curvature, for example, can be done by means of optical simulation. By "essentially" it is meant that the deviation of a characteristic curve determined in this way for the emission characteristic of the surface-luminescent thin-film component from a required standardized emission characteristic, such as according to UL 1971 v3, is a maximum of 20 percent, preferably a maximum of 10 percent (see FIG 6 ), whereby the specific characteristic also meets the respective standard requirements. For this purpose, the areas under the respective two characteristic curves are determined and compared with one another.

Such a flat, luminous thin-film component allows largely free shaping due to its manufacturing principle. This advantageously enables the light emission to be adapted to a required emission characteristic, typically on the basis of a norm or a standard. The free shaping is achieved by applying semiconducting organic light-emitting luminous dyes on a transparent, flexible carrier layer, such as on a plastic film. The luminescent dyes can alternatively or additionally be applied to a preformed, transparent (flexurally) rigid and not necessarily planar carrier layer, such as, for example, on a transparent hemispherical form made of plastic or glass. The preformed carrier layer can in principle have any surface geometry, such as, for example, curved, spherical, cylindrical and the like. The flat, luminous thin-film component is then preferably snapped, framed or glued into the housing.

Conventional LEDs, on the other hand, have a brittle, fragile semiconductor crystal with semiconducting inorganic light-emitting materials. In terms of production technology, they come from a flat wafer, which typically has hundreds of such LEDs. They are therefore also flat.

The problem with the aging of such "OLEDs", which has not yet been satisfactorily solved, does not play a role here, since such an OLED is operated as an alarm flashing light only in very rare alarm cases and thus for only a short operating time.

On the other hand, OLEDs are known to be subject to constant aging during operation as a permanent means of lighting or as a display in televisions, computer monitors or tablet computers, with a significant decrease in luminosity over time.

A further advantage is that the "efficiency droop" known from power LEDs is considerably reduced in the case of an areally luminous thin-film component according to the invention due to its very large luminous area compared to the luminous area of the power LEDs. It therefore does not have to be controlled in uneconomical electrical limit operation in order to generate sufficient light output. "Efficiency droop" describes the technical effect in which the Luminous efficacy and service life decrease with increasing operating current. In other words, the less light an LED emits, the more economical. A maximum operating current specified by the manufacturer is therefore a compromise between a required service life and the resulting minimum luminous flux of a light-emitting diode.

Another advantage lies in the possible implementation of flashing alarm lights with a particularly low overall height. This enables an optically inconspicuous integration into the ceiling or wall area or even behind semi-transparent mirrors. The entire control and monitoring electronics can, for example, "disappear" when flush-mounted. This means that "invisible" integrated and moisture-proof solutions can be implemented, particularly in wet areas in hotel rooms.

Another advantage is that the comparatively large luminous area of such a flat luminous thin-film component only leads to a low level of glare compared to a power LED with its extremely high luminance in the main radiation direction of several 100,000 cd / m². Flashing alarm lights with power LEDs with such high local luminance levels may under certain circumstances fall into a laser protection class, such as class 2M or 3R, which then prohibits the operation of such flashing alarm lights. In such a case, correspondingly complex approval procedures are disadvantageously required. The laser protection classes are specified for Europe in the European standard EN 60825-1.

According to the invention, the flat, luminous thin-film component made of organic semiconducting materials has in particular no inorganic light-emitting materials. The flat, luminous thin-film component preferably has a luminous area with an area in the range from 10 cm ² to 200 cm ² , in particular from 50 cm ² to 150 cm ² .

According to an alternative embodiment to the preceding embodiments, the flat, luminous, thin-film component is a flat, luminous, i.e. luminous, controllable component. Such a component can be produced in a particularly simple manner.

In the simplest case, a flat, transparent plastic film or plastic plate is provided with the semiconducting organic luminous dyes, e.g. by means of an inkjet printing process or offset printing, the luminous dyes forming at least part of an emitter layer for the light emission. The plastic film or the plastic plate is typically provided beforehand with a transparent anode layer and then a subsequent hole-conducting layer. After the luminescent dyes have been applied, a cathode layer is then applied.

A thin-film component which is produced in this way and which can be controlled to be luminous can then be accommodated as a planar component on the housing of the alarm flashing light.

Alternatively, this component can be shaped after its production, e.g. by bending it into a cylindrical shape, or by thermoplastic shaping it into an ellipsoidal, spherical, conical, paraboloidal or hyperboloidal shape, as described above.

In the case of a planar, two-dimensionally luminous thin-film component, an optical lens must be connected in front of the standard for scattering and / or for the spatial presence of the emitted light.

Regardless of this, that is to say also with a curved luminous area, the flat luminous thin-film component can be optically Lens, such as a Fresnel lens, or a mirror can be connected upstream in order to direct emitted light in more lateral directions.

According to a further embodiment, the planar luminous thin-film component is designed to emit flash light with an essentially uniform luminance in the range from 10,000 cd / m ² to 200,000 cd / m ² , in particular from 25,000 cd / m ² to 100,000 cd / m ² .

The luminescent thin-film component typically has a carrier, anode, hole line, emitter and cathode layer. The emitter layer has a concentration of luminescent dyes which, when electrically excited, emit at least light in the optically visible range. A desired color can then be emitted when electrically excited by a suitable selection of one, two or more colored organic luminous dyes. The colors can be red, green, yellow, blue or "white", for example. For white light, a mixture of red, green and blue luminescent dyes is typically required.

Either the electrically conductive cathode layer or the electrically conductive anode layer preferably has a reflective, preferably metallic layer, so that the light emitted from it by the emitter layer is reflected in the direction of the anode or cathode layer. In contrast, the anode or cathode layer is transparent for coupling out light. It has, for example, a transparent plastic layer with a transparent, electrically conductive layer, e.g. made of indium tin oxide.

According to a further embodiment, the emitter layer has a concentration of luminous dyes that is dependent on the position on the luminous area and thus a local luminance that is dependent thereon.

As a result, positions, such as on a hemispherical luminous surface shape of the flat luminous thin-film component, can be brightly raised or lowered in accordance with the desired radiation direction. The corresponding local electrical power is advantageously proportional to the desired local luminance, since the local electrical power is approximately proportional to the local current flowing there for the light excitation.

The locally dependent concentration can be taken into account, for example, during the printing process of the carrier layer, in that a local point is printed one, two or more times, for example, or more or fewer local points remain unprinted. The local luminance is roughly proportional to the local concentration of one or more luminous dyes. At the same time, the local luminance is roughly proportional to the current that flows locally between anode and cathode for the local light excitation of the luminous dyes.

According to a further embodiment, the emitter layer preferably has a local luminance dependent on the position in such a way that the surface-luminous thin-film component has an emission characteristic that approximates the European standard EN 54-23 or the North American standard UL 1971 v3.

The light emission powers that are usually much too high and therefore unnecessary in many emission directions according to the standard requirement and thus also the unnecessary electrical power are advantageously avoided.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the cathode layer of the thin-film component has two to four partial cathodes arranged electrically from one another and in particular adjacent to one another. Alternatively, the anode layer has two to four partial anodes that are electrically arranged from one another and in particular adjacent. The partial cathodes or the partial anodes are for electrical excitation via an associated switching element connected to the control unit, so that when a switching element is activated, a respective associated emitter sublayer emits light as a partial luminous surface.

In terms of area, the sum of the partial cathode areas or the sum of the partial anode areas corresponds at least almost to the total area of the cathode layer or anode layer. In other words, the cathode layer or the anode layer is divided into two to four partial cathodes or partial anodes. The two to four emitter sublayers then preferably emit light of the same color, such as white or red light when electrically excited.

As a result, different partial areas of the luminous area can advantageously be controlled. If necessary, partial luminous areas that are not required for a specific application can remain dark in the event of an alarm, in that they are not electrically excited at least indirectly via the control unit of the alarm flashing light.

According to one embodiment, the respective emitter sublayers have different concentrations of red, green or blue luminescent dyes for the emission of colored or white light. This means that different light colors can be set, such as red, white, yellow or green. The color "white" or "red" can be set e.g. for the visual alarm. The colors "yellow" or "green" can be set, for example, to signal the end of a reported danger in the sense of a "clearance". The color "white" can be set for emergency lighting purposes. The selective setting is preferably carried out at least indirectly via the control unit of the alarm flash light.

According to one embodiment, the alarm flashlight has an outwardly projecting, in particular outwardly curved, luminous surface that is directed away from the housing. The emitter sub-layers are arranged spatially distributed on the luminous surface in such a way that that with electrical control of the respective emitter sublayer, directed light emission can be achieved in preferably mutually different directions.

A direction-dependent light emission is thereby advantageously possible. For example, an outwardly curved illuminated surface of the alarm flash light (see example in FIG 2 and FIG 3 ) be designed in two parts (see FIG 13 ).

As a result, when such an alarm flashing light is mounted on the ceiling, both luminous surfaces can be controlled for light emission. In contrast, in the case of wall mounting, only the lower luminous surface can advantageously be controlled for light emission. This reduces power consumption in the case of wall mounting, since the upper illuminated area is not required for the visual alarm. The corresponding activation for the respective type of installation is preferably carried out at least indirectly via the control unit of the alarm flashing light.

According to a particularly advantageous embodiment, the alarm flashing light has a receiving unit for receiving a first control signal or control command for the control unit. The control unit is designed to control the luminescent thin-film component 2 with a brightness, flash duration, repetition frequency and / or light color determined by the first control signal or with a brightness, flash duration, repetition frequency and / or light color.

The first control signal can be, for example, an analog signal. It can be a frequency signal which, viewed spectrally, has several adjacent individual frequencies. The presence of individual or several individual frequencies can then encode the desired brightness, flash duration, repetition frequency and / or the light color.

The first control command can represent a bit sequence, for example, with a respective bit group having different values for the brightness, for the flash duration, for the repetition frequency and for the light color.

According to a further embodiment, the planar luminous thin-film component is a white-luminous or white-luminous controllable thin-film component. The receiving unit is set up to receive a second control signal or control command. When a second control signal or command is received, the control unit is set up to control the flat, luminous thin-film component with continuous light with a reduced luminance of a maximum of 4000 cd / m ² , in particular a maximum of 2000 cd / m ² , for emergency lighting.

The brightness of the emergency lighting can be achieved by providing a reduced emergency luminous flux compared to flash mode. This is only a fraction of the maximum current during flashing in the event of an alarm. Alternatively, in order to reduce the brightness of the flat, luminous thin-film component, it can be activated extremely briefly with the maximum lightning current and with a repetition frequency of more than 24 Hz. The ratio of flash duration to flash duration and flash break then determines the resulting and flicker-free perceived brightness.

The object of the invention is also achieved with a (first) hazard alarm system which has a hazard alarm center, a detector line connected to it and a plurality of alarm flashing lights according to the invention connected to the detector line. The alarm flashing lights each have a receiving unit for receiving electrical energy and / or control commands from the detector line.

Such a system is due to the inventive use of a flat, luminous thin-film component made of organic semiconducting materials with its numerous advantages over power LEDs such as the optical directivity, the creative freedom in shaping and the elimination of optical means such as lenses and mirrors can be used more flexibly.

The connection unit is set up to receive control signals or control commands for the control unit. Alternatively or additionally, it is set up to receive electrical energy for the energy store from the detector line. The connection unit is preferably set up to connect a two-wire line. Such two-wire lines are typically used as alarm lines in hazard alarm systems. The connection unit usually has a connection terminal.

The object of the invention is also achieved with a (second) hazard alarm system which has a radio-supported hazard alarm center and a plurality of alarm flashing lights according to the invention registered by radio at the hazard alarm center. The alarm flashlights each have a battery and / or accumulator for supplying electrical energy to the alarm flashlight, as well as a radio receiving unit for receiving control commands from the radio-based hazard alarm center.

In this embodiment, the alarm flashlight has a radio interface as a receiving unit. The radio interface is set up for at least indirect radio reception of control signals or control commands for the control unit from the hazard reporting center. With "at least indirectly" it is meant that the control signals or the control commands are not only transmitted directly, but also indirectly via other radio-supported participants of the hazard reporting system in the sense of a meshed network or a multihop network from a radio-based hazard alarm center to the addressed flashing alarm light. The other radio-supported subscribers can be, for example, conventional flashing alarm lights or flashing alarm lights according to the invention.

FIG 1

eine Gefahrenmeldeanlage mit einer Zentrale und mit drei über eine gemeinsame Melderlinie angeschlossenen erfindungsgemässen Alarmblitzleuchten,

FIG 2

eine erste Ausführungsform der erfindungsgemässen Alarmblitzleuchte in Deckenmontage mit einem flächigleuchtenden Dünnschichtbauelement aus organischen halbleitenden Materialien mit einer nach aussen gewölbten halbkugelförmigen Leuchtfläche,

FIG 3

eine zweite Ausführungsform in Deckenmontage mit einem flächigleuchtenden Dünnschichtbauelement mit einer die Oberfläche eines biaxialen Halb-Ellipsoids umfassenden Leuchtfläche,

FIG 4

eine dritte Ausführungsform in Deckenmontage mit einem Dünnschichtbauelement mit einer die Oberfläche eines Kegelstumpfs umfassenden Leuchtfläche,

FIG 5

eine vierte Ausführungsform in Wandmontage mit einem flächigleuchtenden Dünnschichtbauelement mit einer einen Teil der Oberfläche eines Spitzkegels umfassenden Leuchtfläche,

FIG 6

Kennlinien für die Abstrahlcharakteristik einer Alarmblitzleuchte gemäss der Norm UL 1971 v3 im Vergleich mit der eines Lambert'schen Strahlers sowie mit denen der flächigleuchtenden Dünnschichtbauelemente gemäss FIG 2 und FIG 3,

FIG 7

eine fünfte Ausführungsform der Alarmblitzleuchte in Deckenmontage mit einem flächigleuchtenden ebenen Dünnschichtbauelement,

FIG 8

eine sechste Ausführungsform in Deckenmontage mit einem flächigleuchtenden ebenen Dünnschichtbauelement und mit einer vorgeschalteten Streulinse,

FIG 9

eine siebte Ausführungsform in Wandmontage mit einem flächigleuchtenden ebenen Dünnschichtbauelement und mit einer vorgeschalteten Streulinse,

FIG 10

den Schichtaufbau eines flächigleuchtenden Dünnschichtbauelements mit gewölbter Leuchtfläche mit beispielhaft zwei getrennt ansteuerbaren Emitterteilschichten zur Emission von weissem Licht in unterschiedlichen Richtungen,

FIG 11

den Schichtaufbau eines flächigleuchtenden Dünnschichtbauelements mit gewölbter Leuchtfläche mit beispielhaft zwei getrennt ansteuerbaren Emitterteilschichten zur Emission von rotem oder weissem Licht in unterschiedlichen Richtungen,

FIG 12, FIG 13

das Beispiel gemäss FIG 3 mit einer für Umlaufwinkel um die Symmetrieachse gleichen, vom vertikalen Winkel jedoch abhängigen Konzentration von Leuchtfarbstoffen in einer Emitterschicht gemäss der Erfindung,

FIG 14 - FIG 16

eine achte Ausführungsform in Wandmontage, mit einem flächigleuchtenden Dünnschichtbauelement mit einer einen Teil der Oberfläche eines biaxialen Ellipsoids umfassenden Leuchtfläche und mit einer für vertikale und horizontale Winkel um die Symmetrieachse abhängigen Konzentration von Leuchtfarbstoffen in der Emitterschicht,

FIG 17, FIG 18

eine neunte Ausführungsform der erfindungsgemässen Alarmblitzleuchte in Wandmontage und mit einer einen Teil der Mantelfläche eines Zylinders umfassenden Leuchtfläche.

The invention and advantageous embodiments of the present invention can be seen using the example of the following figures. Show it

FIG 1

a hazard alarm system with a control center and with three alarm flashing lights according to the invention connected via a common alarm line,

FIG 2

a first embodiment of the alarm flashing light according to the invention mounted on the ceiling with an areally luminous thin-film component made of organic semiconducting materials with an outwardly curved hemispherical luminous surface,

FIG 3

a second embodiment in ceiling mounting with a flat luminous thin-film component with a luminous area encompassing the surface of a biaxial half-ellipsoid,

FIG 4

a third embodiment in ceiling mounting with a thin-film component with a luminous area encompassing the surface of a truncated cone,

FIG 5

a fourth embodiment in wall mounting with a flat luminous thin-film component with a luminous area encompassing part of the surface of a pointed cone,

FIG 6

Characteristic curves for the radiation characteristics of a flashing alarm light according to the UL 1971 v3 standard in comparison with that of a Lambertian radiator and with those of the flat, luminous thin-film components according to FIG 2 and FIG 3 ,

FIG 7

a fifth embodiment of the alarm flashing light mounted on the ceiling with a flat, flat thin-film component,

FIG 8

a sixth embodiment in ceiling mounting with a flat, flat thin-film component and an upstream divergent lens,

FIG 9

a seventh embodiment in wall mounting with a flat, flat thin-film component and an upstream divergent lens,

FIG 10

the layer structure of a flat luminous thin-film component with a curved luminous surface with, for example, two separately controllable emitter sublayers for the emission of white light in different directions,

FIG 11

the layer structure of a flat, luminous thin-film component with a curved luminous surface with, for example, two separately controllable emitter sublayers for the emission of red or white light in different directions,

FIG 12, FIG 13

the example according to FIG 3 with a concentration of luminous dyes in an emitter layer according to the invention which is the same for the angle of rotation about the axis of symmetry but which is dependent on the vertical angle,

FIG 14 - FIG 16

an eighth embodiment in wall mounting, with a flat luminous thin-film component with a luminous area encompassing part of the surface of a biaxial ellipsoid and with a concentration of luminous dyes in the emitter layer that is dependent on vertical and horizontal angles around the axis of symmetry,

FIG 17, FIG 18

a ninth embodiment of the alarm flashing light according to the invention, wall-mounted and with a luminous surface encompassing part of the lateral surface of a cylinder.

FIG 1 shows a hazard alarm system 10 with a control center 11 and with three alarm flashing lights 1 according to the invention connected via a common alarm line ML.

In the left and middle part of the FIG 1 two alarm flashing lights 1 according to the invention are shown, which are set up by way of example for the sole optical alarm. They can also have an acoustic alarm unit for common alarming in the event of danger. In the right-hand part, a flashing alarm light 1 according to the invention can be seen, which is also designed as a smoke detector 7 and has a detector unit 8 for smoke detection. All the alarm units 1 shown are supplied with electrical energy E via the alarm line ML, i.e. with electrical current that is provided by the control center 11 and that is ensured even in the event of a power failure in the power supply network by means of network replacement, such as emergency batteries.

According to the invention, the flashing alarm lights 1 shown have an areally luminous thin-film component made of organic semiconducting materials OLED as a flashing light source 2 for the visual alarm in the event of danger. The alarm flashlight 1 also includes an energy store 3 for storing electrical energy E, a switching element 4 and a control unit 5 for releasing the stored electrical energy E from the energy store 3 via the switching element 4 to the flat, luminous thin-film component 2.

Furthermore, the alarm flashing lights 1 also have a wired connection unit 6 which is set up to decouple the electrical energy E from the detector line ML and to provide the electrical energy E for the alarm flashing light 1. The connection unit 6, such as a bus module, is also set up to forward control commands IN, NOT intended for the alarm flashing light 1 to the control unit 5 or to output the alarm message AL output by the control unit 5 to the alarm line ML. The receipt of the control commands IN, NOT takes place preferably addressed to the respective flashing alarm light 1, as well as the output of an alarm message AL from a smoke detector 7 to the control center 11. Such an alarm message AL can then be further processed by the control center 11 at a higher level. At the same time, the FIG 1 the alarm message AL generated and output by the smoke detector 7 is also used to control the luminous thin-film component 2 for visual alarming.

The control unit 5 is preferably a microcontroller on which a suitable computer program is executed. Alternatively, the connection unit 6 can be a radio interface, e.g. on a WLAN or Bluetooth basis, for communication with a radio-supported hazard alarm center 11.

The energy store 3 is preferably a capacitor which is suitable for providing high peak currents for the very short flash times. In the event that the flashing alarm light 1 is radio-supported and is not continuously supplied with energy E via the alarm line ML, it can have a battery or an accumulator. The switching element 4 is preferably a power switching transistor such as an FET. In the simplest case, in the event of an alarm, the switching element 4 is activated by the control unit 5 with a repetition frequency in the range from 1 Hz to 2 Hz and for a period of time in the range from 0.5 ms to 20 ms to switch through the energy E stored in the energy store 4 to the Areally luminous thin-film component 2 controlled.

Depending on the technical design of the alarm flash light 1, the respective control unit 5 can be set up to control the thin-film component 2 with a brightness, flash duration, repetition frequency and / or light color determined by a first control command IN. In the simplest case, the first control signal or the first control command IN represents an alarm message, on the basis of which the connected alarm flashing lights 1 trigger the flat, luminous thin-film component 2 to flash.

The control unit 5 can furthermore be set up on the basis of a second control command NOT to control the flat, luminous thin-film component 2 with continuous light for emergency lighting with a reduced luminance compared to the luminance in flash mode, such as a maximum of 4000 cd / m ² , in particular a maximum of 1000 cd / m. The thin-film component 2 then preferably shines white or it is driven to shine white. In the latter case, the luminescent thin-film component 2 can technically be designed to emit at least light of a further color, such as red, in addition to light of the color white.

FIG 2 shows a first embodiment of the alarm flashing light 1 according to the invention mounted on the ceiling with a flat, luminous thin-film component 2 made of organic semiconducting materials with an outwardly curved hemispherical luminous surface LF.

For this FIG 2 as for the following figures FIG. 3 to FIG. 5 a luminous area LF with a uniform luminance is assumed.

In the example of FIG 2 a circular area would be shown to the observer from the registered viewing direction BR. The reference number 9 denotes a housing of the flashing alarm light 1 and IF denotes an inner surface of the flat, luminous thin-film component 2, which is in the form of an open hollow body, opposite the luminous surface IF. In the present example, the latter is attached to the housing 9, for example snapped or glued on. The inner surface IF itself is typically designed to be non-luminous. The housing 9 also comprises a flat fastening surface BF for fastening the alarm flash light 1 to the ceiling as a mounting surface MF.

According to the invention, the flash light source 2 is an areally luminous thin-film component made of organic semiconducting materials. In particular, such a component has a preferably uniform component thickness in the range of 0.5 up to 3 mm. The curved convex luminous surface LF shown, which is directed away from the housing 9, describes the surface of a hemisphere here. The cavity HR surrounded by the hemisphere can be used to accommodate the components of the alarm flashing light 1.

In the present example, the thin-film component 2 is surrounded by a transparent protective cover 20 for protection against mechanical influences from the outside and against contamination. The protective cover 20 is preferably made of transparent plastic. The luminescent thin-film component 2 and the protective cover 20 can already be prefabricated as a structural unit 21.

Alternatively, the protective cover 20 can already be a transparent carrier layer of a thin-film component 2 itself, an anode or cathode layer and the emitter layer with the luminescent dyes then being applied to the carrier layer, as described above.

FIG 3 shows a second embodiment in ceiling mounting with a planar luminous thin-film component 2 with a luminous area LF encompassing the surface of a biaxial half-ellipsoid. The three semi-axes of the semi-ellipsoid, which are orthogonal to one another, are denoted by H1, H2 and H3.

In the present example, the two semi-axes H1 and H3 - since they are biaxial - are of equal length, so that the viewer from the entered viewing direction BR would see a circular area as the projected surface of the semi-ellipsoid. Furthermore, the ratio of the semi-axis H1 to the semi-axis H2 of the semi-ellipsoid is 2: 1 here. This results in a radiation characteristic (see FIG 6 ) of the illuminated area LF, which advantageously meets the requirements of the UL 1971 v3 standard mentioned above.

FIG 4 shows a third embodiment in ceiling mounting with a thin-film component 2 with a luminous area LF encompassing the surface of a truncated cone. In this example, the viewer would again see a circular area from the entered viewing direction BR.

In addition, the flashing alarm light 1 shown is set up for indirect wall mounting, in that it is then preferably releasably attached to a base SO with its mounting surface BF on the housing side. The base SO, for its part, is then already attached to the wall as a mounting surface MF with its base fastening surface SF.

FIG 5 FIG. 4 shows a fourth embodiment in wall mounting with a flat, luminous thin-film component 2 with a luminous area LF encompassing part of the surface of a cone. Here, the viewer would see a sector of a circle as a luminous area LF.

FIG 6 shows characteristic curves for the emission characteristics of a flashing alarm light 1 according to the UL 1971 v3 standard (characteristics C, WH, WV) in comparison with that of a Lambertian radiator (characteristic curve LAM) and with those of the surface-luminous thin film components 2 according to FIG 2 and FIG 3 (Characteristic curve SEMI, ELL).

A light intensity standardized to a maximum intensity value of 100% as a function of a respective emission angle α _H , θ _H , θ _{V is} plotted with I. Here, α _H denotes a horizontal angle for a flashing alarm light 1 when mounted on the ceiling. θ _H and θ _V denote horizontal and vertical radiation angles for an alarm flash lamp 1 when it is wall-mounted.

A uniformly identical luminance was assumed for all three luminous areas LF. All the characteristics entered are normalized to the maximum intensity value of 100% at a radiation angle α _H , θ _H , θ _V of 0 °.

A UL characteristic curve for the radiation characteristics of a flashing alarm light 1 when mounted on the ceiling is shown with C, which is the same for both positive and negative radiation angles α _H. A comparison with the dotted emission characteristic LAM of a Lambertian emitter (flat surface emitter) shows that such a emitter cannot provide enough light in lateral emission angles α _H with absolute angular values of at least 85 °. On the other hand, the standard requirement for lateral radiation is met by a flat, luminous thin-film component with a hemispherical and biaxial, semi-ellipsoidal luminous surface LF. The associated radiation characteristics are labeled SEMI and ELL. The emission characteristic ELL of the half-ellipsoid according to FIG 3 , ie with a ratio of the semi-axis H1 to the semi-axis H2 of 2: 1) does not quite meet the standard requirement in the angular range of 25 to 30 °. This could be remedied, for example, by changing the ratio to 2.5: 1. Alternatively or additionally, the essentially the same luminance of the thin-film component can be increased in such a way that the emission characteristic ELL according to FIG FIG 6 includes the UL characteristic curve C, so that the requirement according to the UL 1971 v3 standard is met.

With WH and WV, the two UL characteristics for the radiation characteristics of a flashing alarm light 1 when mounted on the wall for horizontal and vertical radiation angles θ _H , θ _V are shown. Again in comparison with the dotted emission characteristic LAM of a Lambertian emitter (flat surface emitter), it is evident that such a emitter cannot provide enough light in lateral emission angles θ _H with absolute angle values of at least 75 °. In contrast, the entire standard requirement is met by a flat, luminous thin-film component with a hemispherical and biaxial, semi-ellipsoidal luminous surface LF.

The FIG 7 shows a fifth embodiment of the alarm flashing light 1 mounted on the ceiling with a flat, flat thin-film component 2. The latter is a transparent one Protective cover 20 connected upstream for mechanical protection. The luminescent thin-film component 2 is preferably circular.

FIG 8 shows a sixth embodiment in ceiling mounting with a flat luminous flat thin-film component 2 and with an upstream divergent lens LI. The diffusing lens LI is preferably a Fresnel lens which has optical properties such that the light emitted by the luminous surface LF is deflected more in directions to the side with respect to the ceiling as the mounting surface. Alternatively, a mirror or semitransparent mirror can be connected upstream as the optical means, which has reflective properties such that part of the light emitted by the thin-film component 2, preferably in the range of 5 to 15%, is deflected in lateral directions. This enables the requirements of the UL 1971 v3 standard or the European standard EN 60825-1 to be met.

FIG 9 shows a seventh embodiment in wall mounting with a flat, flat thin-film component 2 and with an upstream Fresnel divergent lens LI.

FIG 10 shows the layer structure of a flat, luminous thin-film component 2 with a curved luminous surface LF with, for example, two separately controllable emitter sublayers SE1, SE2 for the emission of white light WHITE in different directions. With T1 and T2 the two differently directed partial luminous surfaces are designated.

The thin-film component 2 has, from bottom to top, a carrier, anode, hole line, emitter and cathode layer ST, SA, SL, SE, SK. The transparent, preferably clear, carrier layer ST is made in particular from a plastic. With a corresponding layer thickness, the carrier layer ST can at the same time also be a transparent protective cover for mechanical protection of the flat, luminous thin-film component 2. The conductive cathode layer SK is one reflective metallic layer, so that the light emitted by the emitter layer SE is reflected by the cathode layer SK in the direction of the transparent carrier layer ST. For light emission, the emitter layer SE has a concentration of red, green and blue luminescent dyes R, G, B which additively emit white light WHITE when electrically excited.

In the present example, the cathode layer SK has two partial cathodes SK1, SK2 that are next to one another and electrically separated from one another. For electrical excitation, the latter are each connected to the control unit 5 via a switching element 41, 42, so that an associated opposite emitter sub-layer SE1, SE2 emits the white light WHITE when electrically excited.

FIG 11 shows the layer structure of a flat, luminous thin-film component 2 with a curved luminous surface with, for example, two separately controllable emitter sublayers SE1, SE2 for emitting red light RED or white light WHITE in different directions. In comparison to the previous exemplary embodiment, the left emitter sublayer SE2 only has red-luminous luminous dyes R and the right emitter sublayer SE2 has red, green and blue luminous luminous dyes R, G, B. In the event of electrical excitation, the left emitter sublayer SE consequently emits red light RED and the right emitter sublayer SE1 white light WHITE, and this also in different directions because of the curvature or curvature of the luminous surface LF.

FIG 12 and FIG 13 show the example according to FIG 3 with a concentration K (α _V ) of luminous dyes R, G, B in an emitter layer SE according to the invention which is the same for the angle of rotation ϕ about the axis of symmetry but is dependent on the vertical angle α _V.

FIG 13 shows a plan view of the alarm flash lamp 1 corresponding to that in FIG FIG 12 indicated direction of view XIII.

The same concentration values thus form circular lines, as in FIG 13 shown. The geometric center point for the shown biaxial half-ellipsoid is entered with M, with only the lower half being used as the luminous area LF of the flat luminous thin-film component 2. Viewed generally, the emitter layer SE has, as the luminous area LF, a concentration of luminous dyes R, G, B that is dependent on the position on the luminous area LF and thus a local luminance that is dependent thereon.

In particular, the emitter layer SE has a local luminance that is dependent on the position, so that the surface-luminous thin-film component 2 has an emission characteristic that approximates the European standard EN 54-23 or the North American standard UL 1971 v3. With regard to the UL characteristic curve C for ceiling mounting and the radiation characteristics of the biaxial half-ellipsoid ELL in FIG 6 the luminance could now be reduced for absolute angle values between 5 ° and 20 °, between 35 ° and 40 °, and between 50 ° and 85 °, since in this area the characteristic curve ELL clearly exceeds the standard requirement. In other words, these emission directions emit an unnecessarily large amount of light. On the other hand, the luminance could be increased for absolute angle values between 25 ° and 30 °, since in this area the characteristic curve ELL does not meet the standard requirement - even if just barely.

In the example of FIG 13 If the surface-luminescent thin-film component 2 has two emitter sublayers SE1, SE2 arranged next to one another, which both together form the emitter layer SE and emit light. Both can each be controlled via a switching element, not shown in this illustration, for selective, direction-dependent light emission. For example, in the case of wall mounting, the flashing alarm light 1 shown can be set in such a way that the "upper" partial emitter layer SE1 is not excited for the optical alarm or is only excited with a reduced luminance.

FIG. 14 to FIG. 16 show an eighth embodiment in wall mounting with a surface luminous thin film device 2 with a biaxial quarter ellipsoid comprehensive luminous area LF and a θ for vertical and horizontal angle _V, θ _H-dependent around the symmetry axis concentration K (θ _{V, H} θ) of fluorescent dyes in of the emitter layer of the thin-film component 2. The vertical angle θ _V is particularly in the FIG 14 and the horizontal angle θ _H in the FIG 16 to see. FIG 14 shows a side view of the flashing alarm light 1, FIG 15 a front view and FIG 16 a view from "above" of the alarm flashing light 1.

FIG. 17 and FIG. 18 show a ninth embodiment of the alarm flashing light 1 according to the invention, wall-mounted and with a luminous surface LF that encompasses part of the lateral surface of a cylinder. FIG 17 shows a side view and FIG 18 a front view.

List of reference symbols

1

Strobe light, danger detector

2

organic light emitting diode, OLED

3

Energy storage, capacitor, accumulator, battery

4, 41, 42

Switching element, transistor, FET

5

Control unit, microcontroller

6th

Communication interface, bus connection

7th

Smoke alarms, smoke gas alarms, gas alarms

8th

Detector unit

9

casing

10

Alarm system

11

Hazard alarm center

20th

Protective screen

21st

Assembly unit, OLED module

AL

Alarm message, warning message

B.

blue fluorescent color

BF

Mounting surface

BR

Direction of view

C.

Characteristic curve according to UL standard for ceiling mounting

E.

electrical power

ELL

Characteristic curve of an ellipsoidal radiator

G

green fluorescent color

H ₁ , H ₂

Semi-axis

MR

cavity

I.

Light intensity

IF

Inside surface, inside

IN

first control command

K (α _H ), K (θ _H , θ _V )

Concentration of luminous dyes

LAM

Characteristic curve of a Lambert radiator

LF

Illuminated area, outside

LI

Diffusing lens, Fresnel lens

M.

Focus

MF

Mounting surface, wall, ceiling

ML

Detector line, detector bus

NOT

second control command

R.

red fluorescent material

RED

Red light

SA

Anode layer

SE

Emitter layer

SE1-SE4

Emitter sublayer

SF

Base mounting surface

SK

Cathode layer

SK1, SK2

Partial cathode layer

SL

Hole line layer

SO

base

ST

Carrier layer

T1, T2

Partial luminous area

SEMI

Characteristic curve of a hemispherical radiator

WH

Characteristic curve for horizontal angles according to UL standard for wall mounting

WV

Characteristic curve for vertical angles according to UL standard for wall mounting

WHITE

White light

θ _H

Horizontal angle

θ _V

Vertical angle

α _V

Vertical angle

ϕ

Angle of rotation

Claims (15)

1. Visual alarming device for a hazard detection system, which has a flashing light source (2) for the visual alarm in the event of a hazard, an energy storage device (3) for storing electrical energy (E), a switching element (4) as well as a control unit (5) for releasing the stored electrical energy (E) from the energy storage device (3) to the flashing light source (2) via the switching element (4), and a housing (9) with a housing-side mounting surface (BF) for direct wall or ceiling mounting or for mounting on a base (SO) for indirect wall or ceiling mounting, wherein the flashing light source (2) is planarly luminous thin-layer component (2) made of organic semiconducting materials (OLED) and wherein the planarly luminous thin-layer component (2) is attached to the housing (9),
   characterised in that the planarly luminous thin-layer component (2) has an inner surface (IF) opposite the housing (9) and an outwardly protruding, curved luminous surface (LF) which is directed away from the housing (9).
2. Visual alarming device according to claim 1, wherein the outwardly protruding, curved luminous area (LF) comprises part of the surface of a sphere, a cylinder, a cone, an ellipsoid, a paraboloid or a hyperboloid.
3. Visual alarming device according to claim 2, wherein the curvature of the planarly luminous thin-layer component (2) is such that it has an emission characteristic which approximates the European Standard EN 54-23 or the North American Standard UL 1971 v3.
4. Visual alarming device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the planarly luminous thin-layer component (2) is designed to send out flashing light with a uniform luminance in the range of from 10,000 cd/m² to 200,000 cd/m², in particular from 25,000 cd/m² to 100,000 cd/m².
5. Visual alarming device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the planarly luminous thin-layer component (2) has a luminous surface (LF) with an area in the range of from 10 cm² to 200 cm², in particular from 50 cm² to 150 cm².
6. Visual alarming device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the planarly luminous thin-layer component (2) has a carrier layer, anode layer, hole transport layer, emitter layer and cathode layer (ST, SA, SL, SE, SK), and wherein the emitter layer (SE) has a concentration of luminous dyes (R, G, B) which at least emit light in the visible range when electrically excited.
7. Visual alarming device according to claim 6, wherein the emitter layer (SE) has a concentration of luminous dyes (R, G, B) which is dependent upon the position on the luminous surface (LF) and thus a local luminance which is dependent thereupon.
8. Visual alarming device according to claim 7, wherein the planarly luminous thin-layer component (2) has an outwardly curved luminous surface (LF) which is directed away from the housing (9) and wherein the emitter layer (SE) has a local luminance which is dependent upon position, such that the planarly luminous thin-layer component (2) has an emission characteristic which approximates the European Standard EN 54-23 or the North American Standard UL 1971 v3.
9. Visual alarming device according to one of the preceding claims, with an optical lens (LI) for scattering and/or spatially expanding the emitted light connected upstream of the planarly luminous thin-layer component (2).
10. Visual alarming device according to claim 6, wherein

    - the cathode layer (SK) has two to four partial cathodes (SK1, SK2) which are electrically isolated from one another and arranged next to one another or wherein the anode layer (SA) has two to four partial anodes which are electrically isolated from one another, and

    - the partial cathodes (SK1, SK2) or the partial anodes, respectively, are connected to the control unit (5) via an assigned electrical switching element (41, 42) in each case, so that when a switching element (41, 42) is actuated, a respective associated emitter partial layer (SE1, SE2) emits light as a partial luminous area (T1, T2).
11. Visual alarming device according to claim 10, wherein the visual alarming device has an outwardly protruding, in particular outwardly curved luminous surface (LF) which is directed away from the housing (9) and wherein the emitter partial layers (S1, S2) are arranged such that they are spatially distributed on the luminous surface (LF) such that, when the respective emitter partial layer (S1, S2) is electrically actuated, it is possible to achieve a targeted light emission in various directions.
12. Visual alarming device according to one of the preceding claims, with a receiving unit (6) for receiving a first control signal or control command (IN) for the control unit (5), wherein the control unit (5) is configured to actuate the planarly luminous thin-layer component (2) with a brightness, flash duration and/or repetition frequency which is stipulated by the first control signal or by the first control command (IN) .
13. Visual alarming device according to claim 12, wherein the planarly luminous thin-layer component (2) is a thin-layer component which illuminates white or can be actuated to illuminate white, wherein the receive unit (6) is configured to receive a second control signal or control command (NOT) and wherein the control unit (5) is configured, on receiving a second control signal or control command (NOT), to actuate the planarly luminous thin-layer component (2) with continuous light with a reduced luminance of a maximum of 4000 cd/m², in particular of a maximum of 2000 cd/m², for emergency lighting.
14. Hazard detection system with a central alarm control unit (11), with a detector line (ML) connected thereto and with a plurality of visual alarming devices (1) according to claim 12 or 13 connected to the detector line (ML), wherein the visual alarming devices (1) each have a receiving unit (6) for receiving electrical energy (E) and/or control commands (IN, NOT) from the detector line (ML).
15. Hazard detection system with a wireless central alarm control unit and with a plurality of wireless visual alarming devices (1) according to claim 12 or 13 which report to the central alarm control unit by radio, wherein the visual alarming devices (1) each have a battery and/or rechargeable battery for supplying electrical power to the visual alarming device (1), as well as a radio receiving unit (6) for receiving control commands (IN, NOT) from the wireless central alarm control unit.

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