GB2203277A

GB2203277A - Use of gaseous tritium light sources (Beta lights) with respect to nocturnal illumination

Info

Publication number: GB2203277A
Application number: GB08708537A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Denis Eon Solomon
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1987-04-09
Filing date: 1987-04-09
Publication date: 1988-10-12
Also published as: GB8708537D0

Abstract

A number/letter plate for use in, for example darkened buildings has spaced apart gaseous tritium light sources (Beta lights) arranged centrally along the indicia on a reflective background sealed in clear translucent plastics. Uses include house numbers, name plates, telephone numbers, notices, product advertisements, vehicle registration plates and names or trade marks on products. <IMAGE>

Description

THIS PATENT RELATES TO NEW USES OF GASEOUS TRITIUM SOURCES (BETA LIGHTS) WITH RESPECT TO NOCTURNAL ILLUMINATION ON DARKENED PREMISES.

GASEOUS TRITIUM LIGHT SOURCES (GTLS) KNOWN COMMERCIALLY AS BETA LIGHTS, ARE FAIL-SAFE, NON-ELECTRICAL LIGHT SOURCES. THEY HAVE FOUND APPLICATIONS IN METERS, COMPASSES, INSTRUMENT AND PANEL ILLUMINATION. MILITARILY, BETA LIGHTS HAVE BEEN INCORPORATED INTO RIFLE SIGHTS, DIRECT/INDIRECT FIRE CONTROL SYSTEMS AND IN OTHER EQUIPMENT. THEY ARE ALSO USED IN "EXIST SIGNS WHERE EACH LETTER TAKES THE FORM OF A SOLID, ONE PIECE LIGHT SOURCE, SPECIALLY CONSTRUCTED TO THE REQUIRED SHAPE AND BRIGHTNESS.

THE NEW APPLICATION WILL BE DESCRIBED, WITH THE HELP FROM THE ACCOMPANYING DIAGRAM, WHICH SHOWS A NUMBER PLATE. ON A LETTER PLATE (NOT SHOWN), AN IDENTICAL DESCRIPTION, TO THAT DESCRIBED FOR THE NUMBER PLATE WILL BE VALID. GASEOUS TRITIUM LIGHT SOURCES = BETA LIGHTS 5 SIZED (25mm X 3mm) AND (125mm X 3mm) OR VARIATIONS THEREOF, WILL BE SUPERIMPOSED ON THE WHITE REFLECTIVE SURFACE OF NUMBERS AND LETTERS. THE NUMBER/LETTER PLATE IS MADE OF RUST-FREE ALUMINIUM - THE UPPER SURFACE IS BLACK IN COLOUR EXCEPT THE WHITE REFLECTIVE AREA. THE PORTION OF THE NUMBER (OR LETTER) DENOTING ITS CONFIGURATION, WILL BE SEALED BY A CLEAR, TRANSLUSCENT PLASTIC MATERIAL (SEE DIAGRAM).

THE COLOUR OF THE BETA LIGHTS TO BE USED WILL BE GREEN. THE REFLECTIVE COATING WILL BE WHITE. THIS COLOUR COMBINATION IS USED WIDELY IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ON REFLECTIVE TRAFFIC/ROUTE SIGNS. THE COMBINED BRIGHTNESS OF ALL THE BETA LIGHTS USED ON ONE LETTER/NUMBER PLATE (159mm X 54mm) WILL BE APPROXIMATELY 200-400 MIC9LAMBERTS; BRIGHTNESS WILL VARY WITH VARYING SIZES OF PLATES.

THE HOUSE NUMBERS, E.G. ON DARKENED BUILDINGS ARE DIFFICULT TO LOCATE AT NIGHT. AN AMBULANCE CREW RUSHING TO A PARTICULAR ADDRESS, TO AID A RATHER ILL PATIENT, MIGHT WASTE VALUABLE, LIFESAVING MINUTES, TRYING TO FIND THE CORRECT HOUSEHOLD AT NIGHT. THE MAIN USES DESCRIBED HERE, RELATES TO THE USE OF BETA LIGHTS IN LETTERS AND NUMBERS (INCLUDING ROMAN NUMERALS AND GREEK'LETTERS), TO ILLUMINATE HOUSE NUMBERS; NAME PLATES, PHONE NUMBERS, NOTICES AND PRODUCT ADVERTISEMENTS IN PUBLIC PLACES AND ON COMMERCIAL PREMISES, AND ON THE REGISTRATION PLATES OF MOTOR VEHICLES. THESE ARE SOME EXTERIOR USES WHICH ARE ENVISAGED.

INTERIORLY, THE FINISHED PRODUCTS, MAY BE USED (E.G. IN HOTELS) TO ILLUMINATE ROOM NUMBERS IN DARKENED CORRIDORS.

MICJ)ATURE PLATE UNITS OF NUMBERS AND/OR LETTERS COULD BE EMPLOYED TO LIGHT UP THE REGISTERED BRAND NAME OR TRADEMARK PUT ON ANY COMMERCIAL PRODUCT.

Claims

CLAIMS,

A NUMBER OR LETTER PLATE WHICH IS VISIBLE IN THE SAID PIRATE RAVING A MAIN SURFACE, REFLECTIVE MATERIAL ON A PORTION OF THE MAIN SURFACE DEFINING INDICIA THE REMAINDER OF THE MAIN SURFACE BEING DARK, AND PLURALITY OF GASEOUS TRITIUM LIGHT SOURCES ARRANG CENTRALLY ALONG THE INDICIA IN SPACED RELATION AND MEANS TO HOLD THE LIGHT SOURCES TO THE PLATE. THE MIGHT SOURCES AND THE DEFINING INDICIA, ARE SEALED IN TRANS LUSCENT PLASTIC. THE PLATE IS PREFERABLY MADE OF FREE ALUMINIUM.

HITHERTO, IT HAS NOT BEEN KNOWN TO APPLY BETA LIG TO A PANEL RAVING AN INDICIA COMPOSED OF REFLECTIVE MATERIAL ON THE PANEL AND TO POSITION RELATIVELY STANDARD SIZE BETA LIGHTS IN SPACED RELATION GENERALLY ALONG THE LONGITUDINAL CENTRE-LINE OF THE INDICIA, IS, ON THE REFLECTIVE MATERIAL.

GASEOUS TRITIUM LIGHT SOURCES ARE COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE UNDER THE TRADEMARK 'BETALIGHT' OF SAUNDERS-ROE DEVELOP MENTS INC. COMPANY OF HAYES, MIDDLESEX, ENGlAND (U.E.) AND AISO UNDER THE TRADEMARK 'MICROLIGHTS' SOLD BY BRANDHURST COMPANY LTD., HIGH WYCOMBE, BUCKS, ENGLAND (U.K.).

IT WILL BE APPRECIATED THAT WHILE THE DIAGRAM SHOWS A CYLINDRICAL BETA LIGHT OF CIRCULAR CROSS-SECTION, OTHER TYPES OF CROSS-SECTIONS MAY BE USED. ALTHOUGH A LETTER OR NUMBER PLATE HAS BEEN DESCRIBED, ANOTHER SYMBOL (e.g. GREEK LETTERS OR ROMAN NUMERIALS) MIGHT ALSO BE USED.