GB2250636A

GB2250636A - Identifying switches and other articles in the dark

Info

Publication number: GB2250636A
Application number: GB9123091A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Whitehouse
Original assignee: Malcolm Desmond Tranter
Current assignee: Malcolm Desmond Tranter
Priority date: 1990-10-31
Filing date: 1991-10-31
Publication date: 1992-06-10
Also published as: GB9023660D0; GB9123091D0

Abstract

An article such as the movable member (15) of a light switch comprises a material which glows in the dark. The movable member (15) which operates the switch is thus made apparent in a darkened room and can easily be located and operated. Alternatively, the article to be identified may comprise a number or name of a building, a door handle, a display sign, a telephone, a lock or a seat belt. <IMAGE>

Description

SWITCH IDENTIFICATION This invention relates to a means for identifying electric switches in the dark or in poor light.

At present, on entering a dark room, it is difficult to find switches for turning or artificial lighting. This problem is compounded by the variety of places in which such a switch may be located, and therefore it may be necessary to explore carefully, attempting to avoid collision with furniture or other items. If the switch is not located close to the door it can be difficult and time consuming to locate it.

The searching will involve running hands over the walls of the room and this can leave marks on the wall. The most serious aspect of this problem is the possibility of collision with an item in the room which may result in personal injury or some other accident, for example damage to items.

It is the aim of the present invention to try to alleviate the problems discussed above.

The invention consists in a switch having a movable element which comprises a material which glows in the dark. Thus a switch in accordance with the invention would glow in the dark, making the position of the switch apparent in the dark room and allowing the person who will operate the switch to travel quickly to it and thus reducing the likelihood of an accident.

The switch could be one of many kinds available having movable elements such as a pivoted or rocking or angularly movable member or a toggle at the end of a pull-cord.

When just the movable element glows, this is usually a small element and so does not interfere with the aesthetic appearance of the room. The operator, having a better idea of where the movable element is, may not fumble around the switch so much and is less likely to mark the wall.

Preferably the material that glows in the dark absorbs energy in daylight or artificial illumination and radiates light at night or in the absence of illumination. The material may comprise a layer, pigment or coating supported by a substrate, such as a plastics substrate.

The material may be luminescent and preferably has energy storing means which are excited to a relatively high energy level when illuminated, by for example daylight, and which decay to a lower energy level when illumination is removed releasing photons in the decay process. Artificial light, for example a light source operated by the switch, may also excite the material.

The material preferably still emits enough light after six or eight hours of non-stimulation to be visible to the human eye from, say, across a darkened room.

The substrate may comprise the movable element of the switch, for example a pivoted or rocking member, a toggle or an angularly movable member.

A second invention relates to identification of buildings at night.

At present someone looking for a particularly numbered house in a street has some difficulty in finding the sought after house at night. House numbers are usually small, about 10cm tall, and are conventionally placed on the front door of the house.

It can be difficult to see what number is on the door of a house from the pavement or roadside. Often it is necessary to go down the entrance path to the house in order to make out the number, which can be embarrassing if it is the wrong house and the occupant comes out to see what the "intruder" wants. -A more serious problem is that the emergency services can have problems identifying a house in the dark.

According to the second invention we provide building dr property identification means which comprises a material which glows in the dark.

Thus a house number in accordance with the invention would glow in the dark and be more readily seen from the pavement.

The building identification means is preferably a street or road number, but it could be the name of a house, or the name of a business conducted at the building, or a display sign for premises.

The substrate preferably has the shape of a number and may have holes adapted to receive screws to screw the number to a support, such as a door. The substrate may be provided with adhesive means, such as a layer of glue, to attach it to a support.4 According to a third invention we provide a house or building-identifying structure having a number which glows in the dark in accordance with the second invention.

The house-identifying structure may comprise a door of a house, a doorpost, a gatepost, or a gate.

According to a fourth invention we provide a method of facilitating the identification of a house or other building from the pavement or roadside comprising fitting building identification means in accordance with the second invention to the outside of the house or other building.

Preferably the method comprises attaching a house number which glows in the dark to the door of a house, doorpost, gate, or gatepost.

A fifth invention relates to telephones.

At present it can be difficult to find a telephone in the dark, especially for people with hearing problems.

According to the fifth invention we provide a telephone having a component which glows in the dark.

Preferably the telephone has dialling means which glows in the dark. The numbers of the dialling means may be superimposed upon a region or regions of glow in the dark material.

An indicator sheet having glow in the dark regions may be provided for use with a telephone, the sheet being located at the dialling means of the telephone.

The sheet may have a series of holes which locate over buttons of a push-button dialling telephone, or may comprise a ring adapted to be retained at the dialling ring of a ring-dialling telephone. The sheet may be removably securable to a telephone dialling means.

A sixth invention relates to devices operated by keys, such as locks.

It can be difficult to find the key entry point of a lock in the dark.

According to the sixth invention we provide a key operated device, such as a lock, having a key entry point and glow in the dark key-entry locating means disposed adjacent to the key entry point of the device.

Preferably the device is a lock, such as the lock of a car door. The lock may be a house door lock.

Alternatively the device may be the ignition barrel of a vehicle, the key being the ignition key.

The key entry point locating means may surround the key entry point, and may have a ring-shaped aperture. The device may be a seat belt anchorage point, the key being the co-operating key member secured to the seat belt.

Embodiments of the inventions will. now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings of which: Figure 1 shows a telephone; Figure 2 shows a front door of a house; Figure 3 shows a vehicle ignition lock; Figure 4 shows a section of car door surrounding a lock; Figure 5 shows a seat belt; and Figure 6 shows switches with movable members.

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings illustrates two telephone dialling means 1 with regions 2 (shown in chain dotted hatching) of material which glows in the dark. In the push-button telephone the buttons themselves glow in the dark and carry the dialling numbers.

Figure 2 shows a front door of a house having a number 3 of glow in the dark plastics, a door handle 4 having a glow in the dark plastic strip 5, and a lock 6 having a glow in the dark surround 7.

Figure 3 illustrates a vehicle ignition barrel 8 having a key entry point 9 and a ring 10 of glow in the dark material surrounding it.

Figure 4 shows a car door having a lock 11 to which a self-adhesive plastics lock-locating sticker 12 which glows in the dark has been applied. The sticker 12 not only avoid the driver fumbling in the dark for the lock 11 with his key and so reduces scratching of the paintwork near the lock, but also serves as a protective cover in the region of the lock so that any fumbling which may still occur does not damage the car door.

Figure 5 illustrates a seat belt anchorage catch 13 having a region 14 which glows in the dark.

The region 14 could be a stick on film or sheet, or could be painted on. Indeed special paint could be used for glow in the dark features generally.

Figure 6 shows an electrical switch having a movable member 15 of glow in the dark material bounded by a non-glowing surround 16 or supported by a string 17. The movable member can be pivoted or rocking 18, angularly movable 19 or a toggle 20. The glow in the dark material assists a person in a dark room to quickly find and operate the switch to turn on a light, and prevents excessive fumbling in searching for the switch to reduce the possibility of marks being made on the walls.

It will be appreciated that we may provide kits for putting any of the inventions described into effect. The kit may comprise glow in the dark paint, or stick-on sheet material, or numbers, and instructions to use the components of the kit in accordance with one, or more, of the inventions presented above.

Suitable glow in the dark plastics material is "Glow Brite" (Trademark) photoluminescent material from Shinebuild Photoluminescent Products, Ipswich.

Claims

1. A means for identifying in the dark or in poor light switches of the kind having a movable element characterised in that the movable element comprises a material which glows in the dark.

2. A means for identifying switches according to claim 1 in which the movable element is the only part of the switch that glows in the dark.

3. A means for identifying switches according to claim 1 or claim 2 in which the movable element is an angularly movable member.

4. A means for identifying switches according to claim 3 in which the movable element is a pivoted or rocking member.

5. A means for identifying switches according to claims 1 or claim 2 in which the movable element is a toggle at the end of a pull-cord.

6. A means for identifying switches according to any preceding claim in which the movable element comprises a material which absorbs energy from external illumination and radiates light rendering it visible in the absence of illumination.

7. A means for identifying switches according to any preceding claim in which the material comprises a layer, pigment or coating supported by a substrate.

8. A means for identifying switches according to claim 7 in which the substrate comprises the movable element of the switch.

9. A means for identifying switches substantially as described herein and with reference to the accompanying drawings.