GB2234086A

GB2234086A - Lighting apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2234086A
Application number: GB9003465A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ian Barry Gregson; John Edgar Turpin
Original assignee: Schott Fibre Optics UK Ltd
Current assignee: Schott Fibre Optics UK Ltd
Priority date: 1989-07-19
Filing date: 1990-02-15
Publication date: 1991-01-23
Anticipated expiration: 2010-02-15
Also published as: GB9003465D0; GB8916504D0; GB2234086B

Abstract

Lighting apparatus such as a portable emergency lighting unit comprises a light source 10 and a plurality of fibre optic cables 12 having input ends arranged adjacent the light source, and output ends 16 arranged in a line, the output ends being located progressively further from the light source and lying at an angle to a general direction 18 in which the fibre optic cables extend so that when the output ends 16 are viewed looking one way 20 in said direction 18, the illuminated ends 16 are visible, but when viewed in said direction 18 the other way 22 the illuminated ends are not visible. Filters and shutters can be employed at the input ends of the cables to provide a coloured and animated effect. <IMAGE>

Description

Improvements Relating to Lighting Apparatus This invention relates to lighting apparatus, and in at least one of its aspects has specific application to emergency lighting apparatus, and in particular for the emergency lighting of or in enclosed areas where people meet, gather, work or simply occupy; in another aspect of the invention, the lighting apparatus is usable outdoors as well as in enclosed areas.

Typical emergency lighting apparatus for enclosed areas comprises simply an illuminated exit sign or illuminated arrows or the like indicating emergency exit direction.

These lights may be located at any suitable level in the enclosed area, although recent developments have suggested that the emergency direction lighting can best be located at ground level or hand level (for example in a hand rail) so as not to be unduly obscured in circumstances where the emergency results in the creation of smoke, as smoke tends to rise to the top of the enclosed area and if the enclosed area is provided with a ceiling or roof, the smoke will gather obscuring emergency lighting and signs.

Emergency lighting may instead of or in addition to being directional i.e. indicating the direction of an exit or a movement direction for people wishing to escape from the enclosed area, may simply provide space lighting to eliminate the area in the event for example of failure of the normal space lighting for the area.

The invention in said one aspect has major application for directional illumination, but another aspect of the invention provides that the illuminating apparatus can be used for emergency space lighting. Again, the directional lighting is also usable for emergency situations out of doors, for example on roadways and motorways and the like. Typical of the enclosed areas where emergency lighting is required to provide directional information are inside buildings, in aircraft, in boats and confined corridors, especially where fire risks are present.

The present invention comprises the utilisation of optical fibres in connection with emergency lighting, especially for directional indication, and in a preferred arrangement, the optical fibre ends from which light emanates to provide the emergency lighting, the ends are arranged in relation to the location where the emergency lighting is to be created such that the illuminated ends will be viewable in one direction, but not in another direction. This provides a particular advantage, because it can be arranged that a person wishing to follow a particular direction using the emergency lighting, will be able to discriminate as regards that direction -compared to the other direction which the illuminated ends are not viewable.

The illuminated ends are preferably arranged in spaced linear array, so as to provide a row of illuminated ends, which can be illuminated in sequence by an appropriate switching device or shutter which is used progressively to obscure and reveal the input ends of the fibre optic cables on which light from a suitable light source falls.

In this connection, and in accordance with the usual utilisation of fibre optic cables, the input ends will be arranged in any particular configuration and preferably to be illuminated by a common light source. Between the light source and said input ends, there may be various shutter and/or filters to provide moving and coloured effects at the output ends of the fibre optic cables, which output ends provide for the directional emergency illumination.

In a typical installation, wherein the output ends are arranged in a plane or approximately in a plane which lies parallel to or is coincidental with a floor surface or a wall surface, the individual fibre optic cable output ends will be in planes which are at an angle to said floor or wall so that depending upon the relative position of a person in the enclosed area defined by the floor and/or wall so the illuminated output ends will be visible or not.

The apparatus may include a light source, a fibre optic cable with a plurality of individual cables each made up of a multiplicity of optical fibres, and such apparatus may be portable so that it can be used out of doors. It is particularly suitable for use in connection with roadworks or accidents on highways and motorways as the output ends can be arranged so as to be visible by the oncoming motorists, but not by motorists travelling in the opposite direction.

The utilisation of fibre optic cables in emergency lighting applications in place of the existing illuminated exit signs or even electro-luminescent strips which have been used in aircraft provide a considerable advantage that the output ends of the fibre optic cables are inert and are unaffected by the surrounding environment, and any electrical connections and electrical illumination source for example forming the input source to the fibre optic cable, can be remotely located away from the environmental effects.

Distribution of the fibre optic cable output ends is relatively simple and can be adjusted to suit the application. Fibre optic output ends can be grouped so as to define symbols such as arrows or even letters to make up the word EXIT. Each output end may constitute a high power light source such as a 50 or 150 watt quartz halogen lamp.

When a portable version of the apparatus is in use out of doors in connection with a police, fire or ambulance vehicle, the light source and the input ends can be located internally of the vehicle even although the output ends are arranged to provide the emergency lighting exteriorly of the vehicle.

The light emanating from the output ends of the fibre optic cable can if required be collimated and narrowed by using suitable lenses arranged at said output ends and connected thereto if required.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawing, of which the single figure shows emergency lighting apparatus according to the embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the drawing, the apparatus comprises a light source 10 of any suitable form to which the ends of the cables of a light bundle 12 are connected through a ferrule 14. The ends connected through ferrule 14 are the input ends and receive light from the source 10 and transmit same along the indivudual cables 12A, 12B, 12C and so on up to in this example 12H. The cables 12A to 12H are of different lengths as indicated, and the output ends each indicated by reference 16 are staggered in the length direction of the harness indicated by reference 18. The output ends 16 from which the transmitted light emanates, are inclined relative to the said length direction 18, and are inclined at a similar angle so that in fact when the ends are viewed in one direction indicated by arrow 20, the light emanating from the ends can be seen, but when the ends are viewed in the opposite direction indicated by arrow 22, then the light emanating from the ends 16 is not visible. The lighting apparatus can therefore be used for directional indication, and the light source and ferrule 14 can embody a shutter mechanism in order to give animation of the illumination to further enhance the directional indication of the apparatus for emergency purposes.

The light emanating from the end 16 is indicated by lines 24 to show a divergent beam, but by the use of lenses at the ends 18, the light can be colllimated and narrowed.

The apparatus provides a means of piping light from the single source 10 which may be located remotely from the area where the emergency lighting is required, and the emergency lighting can be distributed to many positions. The ends 16 of the apparatus illustrated are regularly staggered but this is obviously not essential to the invention and the ends can be arranged in any configuration as desired. The light source may be a high power source such as a 50 or 150 watt quartz halogen lamp. The cables and the fibres thereof can be mounted in either an extrusion or permanent installation or can be contained in a flexible tube such as a hose making the apparatus portable. A portable apparatus has the advantage that it can be used for hazard warning lighting for example in emergency situations involving police, fire or ambulance vehicles as the source can be located inside the vehicle whilst the emergency lighting is provided exteriorly of the vehicle.

The advantage of using fibre optics is that their passive and intrinsic safety and waterproof nature compared to electric bulbs makes them much safer for use in hostile environments.

As mentioned herein, the illumination can be coloured and/or animated by the use of appropriate filters and shutters at the input ends of the fibres.

Claims

1. Emergency lighting utilising optical fibres, for directional indication, wherein the optical fibre ends from which light emanates provide the emergency lighting, the ends being arranged in relation to the location where the emergency lighting is to be created such that the illuminated -ends will be viewable in one direction, but not in another direction.

2. Emergency lighting according to Claim 1 wherein the illuminated ends are arranged in spaced linear array, so as to provide a row of illuminated ends.

3. Emergency lighting according to Claim 2, wherein the lighting includes a switching device for the illumination of the respective ends in the row in sequence.

4. Emergency lighting accoridng to any preceding claim wherein the input ends of the optical fibres are arranged to be illuminated by a common light source.

5. Emergency lighting according to Claim 4 wherein there are shutters and/or filters between the light source and the input ends to provide moving and coloured effects at the output ends of the fibre optic cables.

6. Emergency lighting according to any preceding claim wherein the individual fibre optic cable output ends are arranged in parallel planes which lie at an angle to the surface to which the emergency lighting is adapted to be connected.

7. Emergency lighting according to any preceding claim, wherein the respective fibre optic cable output ends are associated with lenses for focusing the light emanating from said ends.

8. Emergency lighting apparatus according to Claim 7 wherein the respective output ends are located progressively further from the input ends.

9. Emergency lighting substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.