FR2544840A1 - Self-contained lighting unit for signalling and safety - Google Patents

Abstract

Self-contained lighting unit for signalling and safety comprising a rigid polygonal case 1 suspended from the ceiling, and whose faces are translucent and carry indications illuminated by a single light source 7 placed inside the said casing 1, and radiating homogeneously over all the translucent faces and powered by a battery 12 which is itself connected to the mains 10 by a charger/rectifier 11. Application: signalling and safety lighting of premises intended to receive the public.

Description

AUTONOMOUS LIGHT BLOCK OF SIGNALING AND SAFETY.

  The invention relates to an autonomous light and signaling security block, particularly suitable for dark premises intended to receive the public, such as, for example, car parks. As we know, a road sign is

  consisting of a rigid block containing a light source

  rage and whose lit side bears patterns or messa-

  ges, such as for example the direction of evacuation, the

  direction to follow, etc., intended to inform the public.

  Most generally, the panel is formed by a metal frame and the indications are painted or applied

  on a translucent face This type of panels is wide-

  widespread It is even compulsory in places intended to receive the public Unfortunately, when

  the mains power supply stops, these pan-

  calves go out and as a result they become ineffective

  caces whereas it is precisely at this moment when they

  would be most useful Certainly, in some installations

  When the network of the current supplier is cut, these panels are automatically connected to independent generators. But again, this solution is not satisfactory because for example in the event of a fire,

  firefighters are forced to cut the entire electrical circuit

  stick, even on a generator, to avoid

spread of fire.

  To overcome these drawbacks, the legislator has

  posed to use in addition to these signs

  tion of autonomous so-called security blocks which are presented

  tent in an analogous form and whose electric feeding

  tick in the event of a network outage, possibly ensured

  momentarily (about an hour) by rechargeable batteries

  As the lighting of these devices is dim

  ble and that their range is very limited, it is therefore necessary to multiply them from side to side in order to achieve the required lighting standards In addition, by the very fact of their design since they only have only one translucent face, the number of messages such as emergency exits, etc., which they can transmit is therefore limited. In addition, the maintenance of these devices is fairly substantial since the lamps and batteries they carry run out. randomly finally when these

  blocks are working, the traffic signs

  which they are associated with no longer illuminate, so that

  the uses transmitted to the public are very limited.

  The invention overcomes these drawbacks It relates

  an autonomous light unit which is used both for signaling

  safety and security, but also in the lighting of the room This block is also capable of simultaneously ensuring all of these functions even in the event of an interruption to the electricity supplier network. Thus, in the event of an unexpected interruption, this block allows achieve a reassuring effect and thereby avoid panic and facilitate

therefore the intervention of the emergency services.

  This autonomous luminous signaling and safety unit is characterized in that it comprises: a rigid polygonal box, suspended from the ceiling, the predominant part of the faces of which are translucent and the side faces of which bear indications intended to inform the public; a single source of lighting, placed inside said unit radiating homogeneously on all

  translucent faces, powered by a battery itself

  even connected to the network by a rectifier chhrharger.

Advantageously, in practice -

  the housing is in one piece, for example in thermoformed plastic; the case is cubic the case is formed by a chassis the sides of which have slides in which rigid panels bearing indications bear

  the underside of the case is also trans-

  lucid to ensure the lighting of the room; the light source is fixed to the cover of the box which is suspended from the ceiling;

  the single light source is a fluorescent tube

  one hundred toric; the light source is supplied from an individual battery for each source

  or centralized for several individual sources.

  Thanks to this unique device, we ensure that

  simultaneously the three signaling functions,

of security,.

lighting,

  which until then were carried out separately and this,

  differently from either the power supplier's network or if it breaks

  from an independent source without deleting

  or even attenuation of any of these functions. The manner in which the invention can be realized and the advantages which result therefrom will become more apparent from the

  examples of the following embodiments given for information only

  cative and not limiting in support of the appended figures.

  Figure 1 is a schematic representation in

  summary perspective of such a case.

  Figure 2 is a bottom view of the cover

of this box.

  Figures 3 and 4 show electrical diagrams

  of two embodiments of the invention, one (fig.

  gure 3) with centralized power supply, the other (figure 4)

with individual feeding.

  The light block characteristic of the invention

  signaling and safety tion includes: -4-

  a thermoformed cube (1) of rigid plastic

  white to be translucent, such as PVC, polys-

  tyrene, methacrylate This monobloc cube with a side of 400 mm comprises five translucent faces, namely the four lateral faces (2) and (3), as well as the bottom (5). Advantageously, it is made of a fire-resistant material. The lateral faces (2-3) of this block (1) in one piece carries an indication (6) symbolized intended to inform the public such as stairs, emergency exits, etc. This indication may be either screen printed or

  transferred, either glued to the faces (2-3)

  lower (5) which is also translucent does not bear any indication so that it ensures effectively

the lighting of the room.

  The upper side of the case closes the lid or

  access cover (4) It may for example be made of sheet metal.

  It is brought back to the cube by any suitable means per-.

  putting to ensure a satisfactory seal to the ruis-

  seriously. The upper face of this cover (4) includes the means (8) for hanging the box (1) from the ceiling. This fixing to the ceiling can be done, for example, by means of threaded screws allowing micrometric height adjustment after hanging. thanks to the hook (8) under the obstacle The cable bringing the electrical supply can be fire-resistant in the case of supply by central source and not

  flame propagator in case of integrated power supply.

  Advantageously, the entry and exit of the cables in

  the box is made by cable gland.

  The inner face of this cover carries a light source constituted by a toric fluorescent tube (7) This fluorescent tube (7) of the CIRCLINE type, for example

  40 W and 410 mm outside diameter allows

  hold a uniform illumination across all sides -

  side (2) and (3) and on the underside (5).

  Referring to Figures 2 to 4, the supply circuit

  electrical mentation is carried out as follows.

  The electrical network (10) for example 220 Volts monopha-

  sé, is brought to a charger-rectifier (11) intended

  to regulate in voltage and transform the electric current

  qae in direct current The rectifier (11) is associated with a stationary battery (12) for example of the lead / cadmiun / nickel-type, the capacity of which will depend

and the desired autonomy-

  of the reulse load <By means of Dornes (13-14), the circuit enters the box (1) or (1 ') then from there

  arrives at an interface device (15) of the commercial type

  read by HENNEQUIN ET Cie under the name FLUOBAT and which is described in the patent application filed by ETABLISSEMENTS HENNEQUIN ET Cie on March 24, 1982 under n 82/05 270 for "device for feeding fluorescent tubes from a continuous source" This interface (15) or (15 ') which fulfills the priming and regulation functions is connected by internal fittings (16) to the

fluorescent tube (7) or (7 ').

  In the arrangement shown in Figure 3, there is an interface (15) - (15 ') per housing (1-1'), that is to say

  per lamp (7-7 '), which gives the best security.

  In another embodiment, the fluorescent tube is replaced by a fluorescent lamp.

  case, advantageously, the interface (15) is centralized.

  In this case, the centralized source, not shown, comprises: a control block with a regulator of the voltage / frequency ratio making it possible to regulate the current and thus to use the duration of the lamps or the tubes; a mutator cutting the voltage in square shape suitable for fluorescent lighting, such as a converter. In another embodiment shown in Figure 4, each block (1) has its own individual battery (12) This equipment can be expensive

  but is on the other hand more economical to install.

  In a final embodiment, the lamp

  fluorescent can be replaced by an incandescent lamp-

  if for certain applications this type of lighting

is required.

  The device according to the invention has many advantages compared to what was known. We can cite: the possibility of obtaining lighting of the order of 2500 lumens against 300 with current security panels, which advantageously makes it possible to reduce the number of devices; autonomy extended to five hours against one hour currently, using a focused power system common to all boxes and thus allowing

  at the source an immediate recovery by an electro-

  backup gene; the fact that the box combines operation

  security lighting, signaling and lighting-

  ment of the premises; as the boxes contain only one lamp, in the case of a central supply of

  safety, costs and maintenance times are consi-

  grossly reduced; substantial savings through use

fluorescent lamps.

  In this way, this device can be used advantageously whenever the double need for safety lighting and signaling is essential in particular in a room intended to receive the public such as for example cinemas, shops, underground parking lots, stadiums (changing rooms,

  sports arenas), hospitals, spec rooms

tackles.

Claims (7)

CLAIMS l / Autonomous light and signaling and safety unit, characterized in that it comprises: a rigid polygonal box (1) suspended (8) from the ceiling, the predominant part of the faces (2-3-5) of which are translucent and the side faces (2-3) bear indications (6) intended to inform the public; a single source (7) of lighting placed inside said box (1) radiating homogeneously on all the translucent faces (2-3-5), powered by a battery (12) itself connected to the network ( i O by a rectifier charger (11).   2 / light unit according to claim 1, character-   in that the housing (1) is in one piece and is made of material thermoformed plastic-fig.   3 / light unit according to claim 2, character-   laughed in that the case (1) is cubic.   4 / light unit according to claim 1, character-   laughed in that the case <1) is formed by a frame whose sides have slides in which slide translucent rigid panels with indications.   / Light unit according to claim 1, character-   in that the underside (5) of the case is equal   translucent to ensure the lighting of the room.   6 / light unit according to claim 1, character-   se in that the light source (7) is fixed to the cover   key (4) of the housing (1) which is suspended (8) from the ceiling.   7 / light unit according to claim 6, character-   in that the single light source <7) is a toroidal fluorescent tube.   8 / light unit according to claim 1, character-   se in that the supply of the light source (7) is carried out from an individual battery (12) at each light source (7) or centralized for 9 - several individual sources.   9 / light unit according to claim 6, character-   laughing at the fact that the fixing system of the source of   lighting (7) on the ceiling is of the anti-vibration type.