GB2199176A

GB2199176A - Aircraft emergency egress lighting

Info

Publication number: GB2199176A
Application number: GB08630668A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Stewart Simpson Stewart
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1986-12-23
Filing date: 1986-12-23
Publication date: 1988-06-29
Also published as: GB8630668D0

Abstract

Emergency egress lighting is provided and indicates, by directional arrows on an illuminated panel, the optimal escape route at each site. A mechanical or electrical sensor at each aircraft exit determines if the exit is useable and sends a signal by way of a transmitter TX1 to a receiver RX which passes the received information to a display controller which selects the display configuration to direct those escaping along the optimal escape route. The transmitter TX1 may be activated manually or electrically and the signals between the transmitter and receiver may be by hard wiring, radio, ultrasonic, or infrared. The display controller may be mechanical or electrical and the display may be electroluminescent or light emitting diodes. In addition to the arrows an array such as EXIT may be displayed. <IMAGE>

Description

AIRCRAFT EMERGENCY EGRESS LIGHTING It is now a Federal Aviation Administration requirement that emergency egress lighting be fitted in civil transport aircraft.

Although primarily designed to indicate exits under conditions of darkness such lighting may be vital when visibility is impaired by smoke in aircraft accidents. Some visibility may be preserved at floor level since hot air rises and smoke density may be greatest at ceiling level. A switch device may be used to switch on emergency lighting when required. However accident experience is that floor lighting alone, although helpful, is of limited value when some exits are not useable. It is a main purpose of this disclosure to describe an improved egress lighting system in which passengers are directed by illuminated signs only to exits which are useable.

Emergency egress lighting is provided and indicates, by directional arrows on an illuminated panel, the optimal escape route at each site. A sensor at each exit determines if the exit is useable and sends a signal by way of a transmitter to a receiver which passes the received information to a display controller which selects the display configuration to direct those escaping along the optimal escape route.

An embodiment is described by way of example only with reference to a simple schematic in figure 1. A sensor 1 detects when a fore exit door is open and conveys this information by way of a transmitter TOYS1 to a receiver RX. A similar sensor 2 detects when an aft exit door is open and conveys this information by transmitter TX2 to the receiver RX. The signals received by RX are decoded and processed by a display controller which illuminates-, according to the information received, the doubled ended arrow array which is situated at mid cabin. All four possible configurations of the array are shown in figure 2. In addition an array such as "EXIT" may be displayed at appropriate sites.

It is obvious to those skilled-in the art that the sensors may be operated mechanically, electrically or otherwise; that the transmitter may be- activated manually, automatically or otherwise; that the signals between the transmitter and receiver may be conveyed by hard wiring, radio, ultrasonic, infrared or other means and that different signals, codes, frequencies or other means may be used for communication and, if on cable or otherwise, that all receivers are listening with provision for collision handling or otherwise; that the display controller may be mechanical, electronic, or otherwise and that the display may be electroluminescent, light emitting diodes or otherwise.It is also obvious that there may be a plurality of exits, of sensors, of transmitters, of receivers, of controllers, and of displays and that each device may interface with a plurality of other devices.

It is well known in the art that additional devices, all well known in the art, are required for operation of said system. The plurality of additions not shown in the diagrams include a power supply means, signal closing means, signal generating means and logic decision means. It is also obvious to those skilled in the art that other devices such as a micro processor may be used and may have advantages including ease of handling a multiplicity of signals, ability to deal with complexity and ease of programming for the varied exit configurations of different aircraft. It is also obvious that the sensing devices, pressure sensitive, infrared or otherwise, may be used to detect occupation of seats and to detect egress and hence to monitor progress of evacuation.

Claims

1 A system of illuminated displays in which the array configuration in each display is determined by a display controller programmed to indicate by directional arrows the optimal escape route by acting in response to information about useable exits.

2 A system according to claim 1 in which the status of each exit, open or closed, is determined by automatic sensor means.

3 A system according to claim 1 and/or claim 2 in which the information from each said sensor is conveyed by a transmitter means attached to said sensor to a receiver means attached to said display controller.