GB2377987A

GB2377987A - Improvements to emergency lighting installations

Info

Publication number: GB2377987A
Application number: GB0117946A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Derek Marney
Original assignee: MARTECH UK Ltd
Current assignee: MARTECH UK Ltd
Priority date: 2001-07-24
Filing date: 2001-07-24
Publication date: 2003-01-29
Anticipated expiration: 2021-07-24
Also published as: GB2377987B; GB2377987A8; GB0117946D0

Abstract

A mounting means 1 for an LED for use in a luminaire to form part of an emergency lighting arrangement comprises a shade 2 for location within a reflecting means of said luminaire and attachment means 4 for attachment of the shade within the reflecting means. Shade 2 is in the form of a cup in which an LED is suspended and the attachment means 4 is a clip. The shade reduces glare from the main reflecting means of the luminaire, which may comprise a cup-shaped reflector or a reflecting louvre, facilitating inspection of the LED. The mounting means which may comprise a one-piece moulding and may be made of flame-proof polycarbonate is also provided with means 6 for retention of an electric cable.

Description

IMPROVEMENTS TO LIGHTING INSTALLATIONS The present invention relates to a mounting means for an LED for use in a luminaire forming part of an emergency lighting arrangement and to a luminaire and an emergency lighting arrangement incorporating such a mounting means.

Lighting installations in offices, public buildings and the like typically comprise appropriately located luminaires which are fitted into suspended ceilings. In order to satisfy building regulations, some of the luminaries must be designated to form part of an emergency lighting arrangement so that in case of a fire or other emergency situation wherein the electrical mains supply to the building may be cut off, the designated luminaires remain lit to assist personnel to evacuating the building. These luminaries are linked to a battery unit that powers them when the emergency lighting is switched on and they are each distinguished from other similar luminaries within the lighting installation by the use of an LED which is attached to or otherwise linked to the luminaire. The LED is used to indicate which luminaires form part of the emergency lighting arrangement and also to indicate whether the latter is fully operational. If the LED is lit it indicates that its associated luminaire is operationally connected to the battery unit and that the battery unit is operating satisfactorily.

Conventionally, the LED for each designated luminaire is pushed through a hole specially drilled through the reflector or the bezel of the luminaire on site by a lighting contractor when the lighting installation and its associated emergency lighting arrangement are being installed.

Alternatively, the LED is sometimes mounted apart from but immediately adjacent the designated luminaire. Disadvantages arise with both of these mounting arrangements because the contractor must interfere either with the designated

luminaires or the suspended ceiling to fit the LEDS. Fitment can difficult because of the design of the luminaire or the ceiling and the results are not always desirable aesthetically or practically.

In addition to the foregoing, and more importantly, the location of the LED within the reflector of a luminaire makes it difficult to see whether the LED is lit or not because glare from the reflector when the luminaire is itself lit makes it difficult to judge the condition of the LED. As emergency lighting arrangements must be inspected regularly and this involves checking that the LED of each designated luminaire is lit. It will be appreciated that in large public buildings many such LEDs must be inspected whilst their associated luminaires are in use. This can be an unpleasant task for the inspector because the inspection of many such LEDs can cause vision problems. Furthermore, it is expected that in due course legislation will enhance the role of the LED and may require multi-coloured and flashing LEDs to be used to indicate a variety of possible fault conditions. It will then not be sufficient for the inspector to ascertain whether the LED is simply lit ; he will be required also to determine the colour of the LED and whether it is flashing.

The object of the present invention is to overcome the aforementioned disadvantages and to provide a mounting means which can accommodate an LED that forms part of an emergency lighting arrangement in a convenient and aesthetically pleasing manner.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a mounting means for an LED for use in a luminaire to form part of an emergency lighting arrangement comprising a shade for location within a reflecting means of the luminaire and a means for the attachment of the shade to the reflecting means.

Preferably, the shade comprises a cup in which an LED forming part of the emergency lighting arrangement can be suspended.

Preferably also, the attachment means comprises a clip by means of which the shade can be clipped to an edge of the reflecting means.

Preferably also, the mounting means is provided with means for the retention of an electrical cable.

Preferably also, the mounting means comprises a onepiece moulding.

Preferably also, the mounting means is made from a flame-proof polycarbonate.

Preferably also, the cup is made from a material which is neither transparent nor has an interior mirror finish.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a luminaire comprising a reflecting means in which is located a mounting means for an LED forming part of an emergency lighting arrangement according to the first aspect of the present invention.

Preferably, the reflecting means comprises a cup-shaped reflector. Alternatively, the reflecting means comprises a reflecting louvre.

According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a luminaire for use in a lighting installation comprising a socket for the attachment of a lamp and a reflecting means for reflecting the light of the lamp outwards from the luminaire, characterised in that a mounting

means is located within the reflecting means in which an LED of an emergency lighting arrangement can be located.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention there is provided an emergency lighting arrangement comprising a battery means, cabling for attachment of the battery means to a plurality of luminaires forming part of a lighting installation, and a plurality of LEDs for attachment respectively to each of the luminaires, characterised in that a mounting means is provided in which at least one of the LEDs can be located and attached within a reflecting means of one of the luminaires.

The present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view from below and one side of a mounting means according to the first aspect of the invention and for use in a luminaire according to the second and third aspects; Fig. 2 is a perspective view from above and one side of the mounting means shown in Fig. 1 ; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the mounting means shown in Figs. 1 and 2; and Fig. 4 is a section along the line III-III in Fig. 3.

A luminaire according to the second and third aspects of the invention comprises a conventional luminaire (not shown) for use as part of a lighting installation in combination with a mounting means as shown in Figs. 1 to 4. The luminaire may, but not necessarily, be designed for fitment into a suspended ceiling arrangement. Such a luminaire typically comprises a bezel for flush fitment with the ceiling through

an appropriately sized aperture made therein. Above the bezel, the luminaire comprises a cup-shaped reflector into the top or one side of which a lamp can project and the appropriate electrical wiring and connections to which a socket for the lamp is connected. Alternatively, the luminaire may comprise a light box, the bottom edge of which is designed to lie flush with a suspended ceiling.

Appropriate lamps, such as fluorescent lamps or the like, are fitted to sockets in the light box and the open side of the box flush with the ceiling is covered by a reflecting louvre.

A mounting means 1 according to the first aspect of the invention and for use luminaires as aforesaid comprises a shade 2 in which an LED (not shown) forming part of an emergency lighting arrangement can be located via an aperture 3. Preferably, the shade 2 comprises a cup which will surround the LED and which is of a size commensurate with the size of the LED and therefore much smaller than the conventional reflectors used within the luminaires of most amenity lighting installations.

Adjacent the aperture 3 at the base of the shade 2 is a clip 4 by means of which the mounting means 1 can be attached either to an edge of a cup-shaped reflector of the luminaire or to a blade or a reflecting louvre so as to lie within the significantly larger reflecting means of the luminaire. For this purpose, a side 5 of the shade 2 which will lie adjacent the reflecting means is curved or flattened such that it will follow the contour of the reflecting means.

To one side of the clip 4 is also provided a pair of resilient jaws 6 to form a means for the retention of one or more electrical cables connected to the LED.

The mounting means 1 is preferably made as a one-piece moulding from a flame-proof material such as a flame-proof

polycarbonate. It is also advantageous if at least the shade 2 is made from material which is not transparent nor has an interior mirror finish. In use, this cuts down the light being reflected from the shade 2 and thereby reduces the glare from the main, outer reflecting means of the luminaire to enable the condition of the LED located within it to be observed. Effectively, therefore, the shade 2 comprises a reflector for the LED located within the larger main reflecting means of the luminaire.

It will be appreciated that when a lighting installation is being installed, the mounting means 1 can be clipped into the luminaires of the installation which have been designated to form part of the emergency lighting arrangement of the installation. No drilling of the reflecting means of the luminaire or the ceiling adjacent thereto is required. It is expected that the mounting means 1 will be supplied as part of the emergency lighting arrangement, possible in a condition wherein the LED and associated wiring are already mounted therein and connected thereto.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A mounting means for an LED for use in a luminaire to form part of an emergency lighting arrangement comprising a shade for location within a reflecting means of the luminaire and a means for the attachment of the shade within the reflecting means.
2. A mounting means as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the shade comprises a cup in which an LED forming part of the emergency lighting arrangement can be suspended.
3. A mounting means as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the attachment means comprises a clip by means of which the shade can be clipped to an edge of the reflecting means.
4. A mounting means as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the mounting means is provided with means for the retention of an electrical cable.
5. A mounting means as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 4, wherein the mounting means comprises a one-piece moulding.
6. A mounting means as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 5, wherein the mounting means is made from a flame-proof polycarbonate.
7. A mounting means as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 6, wherein the shade is made from a material which is neither transparent nor has an interior mirror finish.
8. A luminaire comprising a reflecting means in which is located a mounting means for an LED forming part of an

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emergency lighting arrangement as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 7.
9. A luminaire as claimed in Claim 8, characterised in that the reflecting means comprises either a cup-shaped reflector or a reflecting louvre.
10. A lighting installation comprising a luminaire with a socket for the attachment of a lamp and a reflecting means for reflecting the light of the lamp outwards from the luminaire, characterised in that a mounting means is located within the reflecting means in which an LED of an emergency lighting arrangement can be located.
11. An emergency lighting arrangement comprising a battery means, cabling for attachment of the battery means to a plurality of luminaires forming part of a lighting installation, and a plurality of LEDs for attachment respectively to each of the luminaires, characterised in that a mounting means is provided in which at least one of the LEDs can be located and attached within a reflecting means of one of the luminaires.
12. A mounting means for an LED for use in a luminaire to form part of an emergency lighting arrangement substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawing.