GB2293678A

GB2293678A - Illuminated house signs

Info

Publication number: GB2293678A
Application number: GB9419417A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Charles Wilson
Original assignee: HILL KENNETH WILLIAM GEORGE
Current assignee: HILL KENNETH WILLIAM GEORGE
Priority date: 1994-09-27
Filing date: 1994-09-27
Publication date: 1996-04-03
Also published as: GB9419417D0

Abstract

An illuminated house sign 1 comprises a main section 2 incorporating an internal light source for continuously illuminating a house number 23, and an alert portion comprising flashing light sources 24 adapted to be illuminated in a flashing mode when actuated by the user to provide a visible indication of an alert. Such an indication of an alert may be required to identify the location of a house in an emergency, for example when a doctor or ambulance has been summoned to the house. The sign 1 has a transformer section 4 for plugging into a mains socket, and a control section 3 permitting manual actuation of the sign. <IMAGE>

Description

"Illuminated House Signs" This invention relates to illuminated house signs for identifying a house, by illumination of a house number or name.

It is known for an illuminated house sign to be provided in which the number or name of the house is permanently illuminated when the sign is switched on. Generally the house number or name is provided on a transparent or semitransparent plate which is illuminated from behind by a light source through a diffuser.

Although such an illuminated house sign may make it easier to locate a particular house at night or in poor light conditions, it can nevertheless still be difficult to locate a particular house at night, especially where the house is in a remote location or amongst a large number of other houses, and where the house needs to be located rapidly in an emergency. Where a house needs to be located in an emergency, for example by a doctor or by an ambulance, the amount of time taken to locate a house could be critical.

It is an object of the invention to provide an illuminated house sign which is adapted to permit rapid location of the house in an emergency.

According to the present invention there is provided an illuminated house sign comprising a house-identifying portion adapted to be illuminated continuously, and an alert portion adapted to be illuminated in a flashing mode when actuated by the user to provide a visible indication of an alert.

Such a sign can be used in the manner of a conventional illuminated house sign by illuminating the house-identifying portion in normal use. However, in the event of an emergency, for example when a doctor or ambulance has been summoned to the house, the alert portion of the sign can be actuated, either in addition to or in place of illumination of the house-identifying portion, so as to cause flashing of the alert portion to provide a highly visible indication of the identity of the house at which the emergency exists. On reaching the approximate location of the house, the doctor or ambulance will immediately be alerted to the particular house by the flashing sign, and there will be no necessity to search for a particular house number or name. Furthermore such a flashing sign will be visible from a distance so that the house can be easily located even if it is in a remote location.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention a separate power supply means is provided for the alert portion to that which is provided for the house-identifying portion. The power supply means for the alert portion may comprise a battery compartment for containing one or more batteries. The power supply means for the house-identifying portion may comprise a mains transformer.

Furthermore the sign preferably includes a housing incorporating a diffuser plate, and at least one light source within the housing for providing illumination through the diffuser plate. The housing may comprise a back plate and a front cover for connection to the back plate, the diffuser being provided in a window in the front cover.

The house-identifying portion may comprise a house number or name which is illuminated by light from said at least one light source passing through the diffuser plate. The house number or name may be provided on a transparent or partially transparent plate arranged to overlie the diffuser plate.

The alert portion may comprise at least one flashing light source within the housing which is adapted to be flashed to provide a visible indication of an alert through the diffuser plate.

The alert portion conveniently comprises at least one flashing light source and a multivibrator unit for causing the or each flashing light source to flash when actuated by the user.

Preferably the sign further includes switch means for on/off switching of continuous illumination of the house-identifying portion, such switch means being actuable manually or automatically in response to light level.

Additionally the sign preferably includes alert switch means for on/off switching of the alert portion to permit flashing of the alert portion to be initiated in response to user actuation of the alert switch means.

The or each switch means is conveniently provided in a control section which is adapted for mounting within a house remotely from a main section of the sign incorporating the house-identifying portion and the alert portion.

In order that the invention may be more fully understood, a preferred illuminated house sign in accordance with the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the sign; Figure 2 is an exploded view of the housing of the sign; and Figure 3 is a schematic wiring diagram of the sign.

Referring to Figure 1, the illuminated house sign 1 comprises a main section 2 for displaying a house sign or number, a control section 3 permitting manual actuation of the house sign, and a transformer section 4 adapted to be plugged into a mains socket (not shown). The main section 2 is intended to be located externally of the house, for example by being surface mounted on a wall of the house or a gatepost, or by being incorporated in brickwork of the house by virtue of the fact that it has the same cross section as a conventional house brick. The control section 3 is intended to be located within a house, for example by being mounted on a wall, and includes switches 26 and 27 for control of the sign as will be described in more detail below. The transformer section 4 is also intended to be located internally of the house and to be connected to the mains supply within the house.The sections 2, 3 and 4 are interconnected by wiring 5.

Referring to Figure 2, the main section 2 of the sign 1 includes a housing 12 comprising a back plate 13 in the form of an aluminium box, an aluminium front cover 14 for connection to the back plate 13, a diffuser plate 15 and a transparent number plate 16 having a coloured surround 17. The plates 15 and 16 are shaped to fit within an opening 18 in the front cover 14, and the front cover 14, with the plates 15 and 16 fitted therein, is dimensioned to fit over the back plate 13 so that the sides 19 of the front cover 14 surround the sides 20 of the back plate 13, and so that the plates 15 and 16 are trapped between the front cover 14 and flanges 21 provided on the back plate 13.The back plate 13 contains two continuous light sources 22, in the form of light bulbs, festoons or fuses, (or a single incandescent tube) for continuously illuminating the house number 23 provided on the plate 16, and four flashing light sources 24, in the form of light-emitting diodes or flashing light bulbs, aligned with transparent window portions 17A of the surround 17 of the plate 16 for providing a flashing alert in an emergency. The back plate 13 may also contain a multivibrator unit (not shown in Figure 2) for causing flashing of the flashing light sources 24 (preferably with one pair of light sources 24 flashing alternately with the other pair of light sources 24). The plates 15 and 16 may be made of acrylic material, and the house number 23 may either be in the form of an opaque pattern on a transparent background, or alternatively in the form of a transparent pattern on an opaque background.

Figure 3 diagrammatically shows the electrical circuitry associated with the main section 2, the control section 3 and the transformer section 4 of the sign 1, and indicates the connection of the light sources 22 for continuous illumination of the house number, and the connection of the multivibrator unit 25 for the flashing light sources 24, to the control section 3 by wiring 5. It should be appreciated that separate wiring 5 is provided for connecting the light sources 22 to the switch 26 of the control section 3 and for connecting the multivibrator unit 25 to the switch 27 and an associated battery 28 in the control section 3. The switch 26, which may be a push button switch or a toggle switch, connects the light sources 22 to the mains supply by way of the transformer section 4 when placed in the closed position in order to continuously illuminate the house number.Furthermore the switch 27, which may also be a push button switch or a toggle switch, connects the multivibrator unit 25 to the battery 28 when placed in the closed position to as to cause flashing of the light sources 24 in an emergency. The battery 28 may comprise one or more standard battery units housed within a battery compartment and providing a 6V or 9V or 18V supply to the multivibrator 25 which, as an alternative, may be housed in the control section 3. The transformer section 4 includes a 3-pin plug portion for fitting into a standard 13 Amp, 240V socket, and a transformer portion for reducing the supply to 12V or 6V to power the light sources 22. The battery supply to the alert portion of the sign, which may be provided with a recharging circuit, ensures that the alert portion can be actuated even during a power failure.

The house sign may be illuminated by manual actuation of the switch 26 on the control section 3, and will remain continuously illuminated in normal use until switched off by the switch 26. In the event of an emergency, when it is desired to alert a doctor or ambulance for example to the location of the house, the switch 27 on the control section 3 may be actuated to cause the light sources 24 to flash until such flashing is turned off by the switch 27. The flashing light sources 24 will readily identify the location of the house without the necessity for the individual house number to be found.

Claims

1. An illuminated house sign comprising a house-identifying portion adapted to be illuminated continuously, and an alert portion adapted to be illuminated in a flashing mode when actuated by the user to provide a visible indication of an alert.

2. A sign according to claim 1, wherein a separate power supply means is provided for the alert portion to that which is provided for the house-identifying portion.

3. A sign according to claim 2, wherein the power supply means for the alert portion comprises a battery compartment for containing one or more batteries.

4. A sign according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the power supply means for the house-identifying portion comprises a mains transformer.

5. A sign according to any preceding claim, which includes a housing incorporating a diffuser plate, and at least one light source within the housing for providing illumination through the diffuser plate.

6. A sign according to claim 5, wherein the housing comprises a back plate and a front cover for connection to the back plate, the diffuser plate being provided in a window in the front cover.

7. A sign according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the house-identifying portion comprises a house number or name which is illuminated by light from said at least one light source passing through the diffuser plate.

8. A sign according to claim 7, wherein the house number or name is provided on a transparent or partially transparent plate arranged to overlie the diffuser plate.

9. A sign according to claim 5, 6, 7 or 8, wherein the alert portion comprises at least one flashing light source within the housing which is adapted to be flashed to provide a visible indication of an alert through the diffuser plate.

10. A sign according to any preceding claim, wherein the alert portion comprises at least one flashing light source and a multivibrator unit for causing the or each flashing light source to flash when actuated by the user.

11. A sign according to any preceding claim, further including switch means for on/off switching of continuous illumination of the house-identifying portion, such switch means being actuable manually or automatically in response to light level.

12. A sign according to any preceding claim, including alert switch means for on/off switching of the alert portion to permit flashing of the alert portion to be initiated in response to user actuation of the alert switch means.

13. A sign according to claim 11 or 12, wherein the or each switch means is provided in a control section which is adapted for mounting within a house remotely from a main section of the sign incorporating the house-identifying portion and the alert portion.

14. An illuminated house sign substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.