GB2286880A - A safety device for increasing the visibility of a person or a thing in poor lighting conditions - Google Patents
A safety device for increasing the visibility of a person or a thing in poor lighting conditions Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2286880A GB2286880A GB9502124A GB9502124A GB2286880A GB 2286880 A GB2286880 A GB 2286880A GB 9502124 A GB9502124 A GB 9502124A GB 9502124 A GB9502124 A GB 9502124A GB 2286880 A GB2286880 A GB 2286880A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- safety device
- light sources
- visibility
- carrier means
- person
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Withdrawn
Links
Classifications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G08—SIGNALLING
- G08B—SIGNALLING OR CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS
- G08B5/00—Visible signalling systems, e.g. personal calling systems, remote indication of seats occupied
- G08B5/004—Reflective safety signalling devices attached on persons
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F21—LIGHTING
- F21V—FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS THEREOF; STRUCTURAL COMBINATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES WITH OTHER ARTICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- F21V33/00—Structural combinations of lighting devices with other articles, not otherwise provided for
- F21V33/0004—Personal or domestic articles
- F21V33/0008—Clothing or clothing accessories, e.g. scarfs, gloves or belts
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Audible And Visible Signals (AREA)
Abstract
A safety device comprising carrier means (2), a plurality of light sources (6), and power means (14). The carrier means (2) may be a bandolier which is worn or placed over a person or objects requiring protection, and the light sources (6) may be light emitting diodes. The light sources (6) may be switched on and off during use of the safety device in order to reduce consumed power. <IMAGE>
Description
A SAFETY DEVICE
This invention relates to a safety device and, more especially, this invention relates to a safety device for increasing the visibility of an object. The object may be, at least one pedestrian, vehicle, piece of equipment or object set in poor or limited lighting conditions.
Various safety devices are known which attempt to provide a measure of protection. One group of known safety devices does not provide an adequate level of protection in reduced lighting conditions because the safety devices depend upon reflected light, either visible or ultraviolet. Thus these devices are not able to provide protection in the absence of an energising light source and they are also unable to provide protection in the presence of an inappropriate light source. Another group of known safety device emit light but they are effectively such as only to provide a single light source. Single light sources do not give good visibility even if they are used in combination with reflectors and lenses, and they may easily be occluded.
It is an aim of the present invention to obviate or reduce the above mentioned problems.
Accordingly, in one non-limiting embodiment of the present invention there is provided a safety device comprising carrier means, a plurality of light sources, control means and power means.
The safety device of the present invention may be able to provide total visibility in reduced lighting conditions, the safety device being in a portable or static form. The safety device may be able to afford very good visibility from a wide range of approach angles, even in very poor lighting conditions.
The carrier means may be in the form of a bandolier.
The carrier means may comprise a soft plastics strip which may have the light sources embedded in it, the light sources being in the form of a linearly spaced row of light sources.
The carrier means may be able to present a very high visibility strip with the light sources being diagonal across the wearer's back and front, or in any other configuration on any suitable and appropriate object which may require high visibility.
The control means may be for reducing the supply of current to the light source.
The control means may effectively reduce the amount of current consumed by the light sources by switching them rapidly on and off. Thus, whilst still producing effectively a strong light, only a very small amOunt of current is consumed from the power means, for example a battery or batteries.
Preferably, the carrier means is of a pliable plastics material which may be of a sandwich construction having the light sources, the control means and the power means embedded therein.
The carrier means may be in the form of an open belt, with a switch for the power means being incorporated in a plastics clasp at one end of the belt, which switch when pushed into a mating clasp on the other end of the belt, causes the control means to operate the light sources.
Preferably, the light sources are high efficiency light emitting diodes.
Preferably, the control means includes an integrated circuit and transistor switches.
Preferably, the power means is a battery. A battery enables the safety device of the present invention easily to be portable. Other types of power means including mains power may be employed if the safety device of the present invention is a static safety device.
Where the carrier means is in the form of a bandolier, then the bandolier may be worn or placed over a person or object requiring protection. Alternatively, if desired, the carrier means may be in the form of strips, panels or sheets. Generally, the carrier means may contain or carry the light sources. The power means and the control means may be integral with or separate from the carrier means. Generally the safety device of the present invention can provide protection for long periods of time from relatively small power means.
An embodiment of the invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
Figure 1 shows part of a safety device with carrier means in the form of a bandolier;
Figure 2 is a side view of part of the safety device shown in Figure 1; and
Figure 3 shows the electrical circuit employed in the safety device shown in Figures 1 and 2.
Referring to Figures 1 and 2, there is shown part of a bandolier 2 comprising a bottom layer of a soft plastics material coated with a reflective substance, a middle layer comprising resistors 4 of light emitting diodes 6 and flexible conductors 8, and a top layer for providing mechanical protection to the stated components. Figure 2 shows most clearly how each light emitting diode 6 is provided with a raised plastics dome 10 which serves to enhance and protect the light emitting diode 6.
Referring now to Figure 3, there is shown a circuit 12 for use with the bandolier 2 shown in Figures 1 and 2. The circuit 12 comprises battery means 14, an integrated circuit as shown, switching transistors as shown, and eighteen light emitting diodes.
The circuit 12 operates such that the light emitting diodes D4 - D21 which are in parallel are switched on briefly for approximately 4.6 Seconds durations every 372 Seconds, which results in a mark space ratio of 80:1. The switching of the current is controlled by transistors TR1, TR2. The pulse train is further controlled in such a way that an additional pulse of 18 mSeconds duration every 1.6 seconds provided by an oscillator OSC1, is applied to an oscillator OSC2, resulting in a very brief and bright flash superimposed on an apparently continuous light output. This continuous light is an illusion as it is in fact only on for approximately 1.8% of the total time, thus providing considerable power savings.
It is to be appreciated that the embodiment of the invention described above with reference to the accompanying drawings has been given by way of example only and that modifications may be effected.
Claims (6)
1. A safety device comprising carrier means, a plurality of light sources, control means, and power means.
2. A safety device according to claim 1 in which the carrier means is in the form of a bandolier.
3. A safety device according to claim 1 or claim 2 in which the light sources are spread over an area of the carrier means.
4. A safety device according to any one of the preceding claims in which the plurality of light sources are switched on and off during use of the safety device in order to reduce the power consumed by the safety device.
5. A safety device according to any one of the preceding claims in which the light sources are light emitting diodes.
6. A safety device substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB9403541A GB9403541D0 (en) | 1994-02-24 | 1994-02-24 | A safety device |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| GB9502124D0 GB9502124D0 (en) | 1995-03-22 |
| GB2286880A true GB2286880A (en) | 1995-08-30 |
Family
ID=10750851
Family Applications (2)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB9403541A Pending GB9403541D0 (en) | 1994-02-24 | 1994-02-24 | A safety device |
| GB9502124A Withdrawn GB2286880A (en) | 1994-02-24 | 1995-02-03 | A safety device for increasing the visibility of a person or a thing in poor lighting conditions |
Family Applications Before (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB9403541A Pending GB9403541D0 (en) | 1994-02-24 | 1994-02-24 | A safety device |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| GB (2) | GB9403541D0 (en) |
Citations (6)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB960837A (en) * | 1961-03-16 | 1964-06-17 | Raymond Douglas Plumb | Improvements in or relating to gloves |
| GB1144938A (en) * | 1966-11-18 | 1969-03-12 | West And Muat Ltd | Improvements relating to illuminated garments |
| GB1195313A (en) * | 1967-02-22 | 1970-06-17 | Philippe Altare And Jacques Du | A Device for Visually Signalling or Indicating the Presence of its User |
| GB1299178A (en) * | 1969-02-04 | 1972-12-06 | John Hartley | Improvements in warning devices for pedestrians |
| GB2132463A (en) * | 1982-12-01 | 1984-07-11 | Eric Wood | Electrically illuminated harness |
| EP0166534A1 (en) * | 1984-05-29 | 1986-01-02 | Infratron (Uk) Limited | Visual indicator safety device |
-
1994
- 1994-02-24 GB GB9403541A patent/GB9403541D0/en active Pending
-
1995
- 1995-02-03 GB GB9502124A patent/GB2286880A/en not_active Withdrawn
Patent Citations (6)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB960837A (en) * | 1961-03-16 | 1964-06-17 | Raymond Douglas Plumb | Improvements in or relating to gloves |
| GB1144938A (en) * | 1966-11-18 | 1969-03-12 | West And Muat Ltd | Improvements relating to illuminated garments |
| GB1195313A (en) * | 1967-02-22 | 1970-06-17 | Philippe Altare And Jacques Du | A Device for Visually Signalling or Indicating the Presence of its User |
| GB1299178A (en) * | 1969-02-04 | 1972-12-06 | John Hartley | Improvements in warning devices for pedestrians |
| GB2132463A (en) * | 1982-12-01 | 1984-07-11 | Eric Wood | Electrically illuminated harness |
| EP0166534A1 (en) * | 1984-05-29 | 1986-01-02 | Infratron (Uk) Limited | Visual indicator safety device |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| GB9403541D0 (en) | 1994-04-13 |
| GB9502124D0 (en) | 1995-03-22 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| WAP | Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1) |