GB2438251A

GB2438251A - Dectector assembly for emergency lighting units

Info

Publication number: GB2438251A
Application number: GB0609738A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Mark Andrew Quinn
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-05-17
Filing date: 2006-05-17
Publication date: 2007-11-21
Also published as: GB0609738D0

Abstract

A detector assembly 20 for remotely testing the status of a self contained or converted emergency Luminaire on command. The transmitter control signal may be an infra red beam containing single pulse times codes 31 which the receiving control circuit 11 can receive and process. Upon verification of the single pulse time code, the microcontroller 62 disenables the charging voltage 1 to the battery 65, this will cause the emergency circuit to sense an ac power failure whereby the lamp illuminates for the selected test period determined by the single pulse time code emitted from the transmitter 69 which is coupled to the handset 60. The same disabling function can be achieved on the mains supply 1 to a complete lighting Luminaire. A projected visual display unit 70 may be provided to project text, pictogram, or visual indication on a surface to give information of Luminaire condition.

Description

Emergency Lighting remotely controlled

Description

(001) Emergency lighting units provide backup illumination in the event of a mains power 1 failure. Typically but not limited to, an emergency lighting unit comprises an incandescent bulb or fluorescent tube coupled to a mains ac power supply 1 during normal operation. The mains power 1 is also used to charge a battery 65 via the inverter 3. In the event of a failure in the mains power supply illumination is maintained from the battery 65, either through the main bulb or tube, or through a supplementary bulb or tube.

(002) The present invention relates in general to the field of emergency lighting units and in particular but not exclusively to an detector assembly 20 and or emergency lighting unit cooperating with a remote portable handset 60.

(003) It is desired to test the operation of the emergency lighting units regularly, to ensure that the battery 65 is being charged and that the unit will function properly in the event of a mains power 1 failure. Emergency lighting units are commonly provided with monitor lamps or LEDs to provide a visual indication of the current status of the unit. However, a frequent visual inspection of each unit is not practical.

Further, the monitor lamps in themselves do not confirm that the unit will function reliably in the event of a mains failure. Therefore, it is desired to simulate the effects of a mains power failure at regular intervals, to test the reliable operation of the emergency lighting unit.

(004) In the simplest known embodiments the emergency lighting unit is provided with a switch (such as a manual push or key-switch) for interrupting the mains power supply 1 to simulate a mains failure. However, such lighting units are often provided at relatively inaccessible locations, requiring the use of access equipment to reach the unit. Further, to comply with current regulations the lighting unit must be periodically switched to the test mode for a relatively long period of time, such as of the order of five minutes to three hours but not limited to these time periods. At the end of this period the operator must return, check that the unit has functioned satisfactorily to provide backup illumination from the battery 65, and then return the unit to the normal operating mode ie normal ac mains power supply 1. As a development of this system it is known to provide a wall mounted key switch remote from the lighting unit and a wiring connection there between. However, the operator must still operate and return to the key switch, and the wiring adds to the cost and complexity of installation. For existing systems with no test and or limited test facility the costs and disruption applicable to rewire, renovate, and or alter, adjust, or modify the system operation and structure and or schematic layout to enable cost affective and or time efficient means of testing the system in the correct manor as required by national standards and or mandatory standards applicable to the country of installation.

(005) The stand-alone emergency lighting unit such as self contained emergency Luminaire's advantageously may be installed at any convenient location, limited only by the availability of a AC mains power supply 1. Additional lighting units can be provided at any time and the lighting units can be removed with minimum disruption. However, the known stand-alone emergency lighting units still require the active intervention of an operator to test each emergency lighting unit, which is a costly and time consuming procedure.

(006) The aims of the present intention is firstly an emergency lighting unit or Luminaire having a remote handset that communicates with a detector assembly 20 and or receiver mounted in and or adjacent to the emergency lighting unit or Luminaire, secondly a remote handset 60 and detector assembly 20 that can be utilized or used in conjunction and or combined with existing emergency lighting Luminaire's.

The unit enters a test mode to simulate the effects of mains power 1 failure for the duration that has been selected by the operator of the remote handset 60; this is achieved by the remote handset 60 transmitting a communication signal to the receiver (007) Preferably, the emergency lighting unit and or detector assembly 20 comprises a communication means for communication with a remote handset 60. Suitably the communication means is arranged to receive signals transmitted from the remote handset 60. Any suitable transmission signals may be employed including but not limited to, radio frequency (RF) or infra-red (IR) signals, or microwave, or ultra sonic sound, or high frequency sound.

(008) Preferably, the control circuit is operable and or able to perform a mains power I failure test via the isolator 2 immediately in response to manual test start signals received via the detector assembly 20. Conveniently, the manual test is performed for a predetermined period and preferably a selectable period such as a long test of the order of one hour to three hours, or a short test of the order of ten seconds to five minutes, preferably this would be selected via the remote handset 60 by the manual operation of the said handset.

(009) The preferred communications means, comprising an infra-red detector and or receiver 61 but not limited to infra-red technology, may be located at any suitable position. Conveniently, the detector assembly 20 and or receiver 61 are arranged locally to the main Luminaire housing, however if this is not convenient one or both of the said items 20 & 61 should be installed in an housing that meets national standards applicable to emergency lighting housings i.e. to the same standard as the emergency lighting housing (unless the emergency lighting housing does not meet the current local requirements. Preferably, the transceiver and or receiver 61 is located so as to be directed through an aperture in a louvre flange of a housing of the emergency lighting unit. Suitably, the louvre flange is arranged substantially horizontally in use, preferably at one end of a generally elongate housing and ideally transversely across the housing. However a aperture within and or part of an emergency lighting Luminaire may contravene some national standards for emergency lighting, as such it may be preferred that the transceiver and or receiver 61 be mounted within the emergency lighting Luminaire with no aperture.

(010) In one preferred embodiment a projected visual display unit 70 to project text, and or pictogram, and or an indication on a suitable surface adjacent to and or within and or on the surface of the Luminaire under test conditions and or fault condition (but not limited to these conditions) i.e. when mains power is deactivated to the Luminaire when the detector assembly 20 and or receiver has received, recognized and verified a the single pulse time code to commence the test procedure. This offers information of system conditions without the use of test equipment, specialist equipment or specialist knowledge, and or access equipment.

(011) The preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in terms of a detector assembly and or Luminaire type of emergency lighting unit. The present invention is applicable to other types of emergency lighting unit including, for example, location signs, direction signs as well as fire escape signs.

(012) The preferred embodiment stores at least two predetermined test regimes, for example meeting the requirements of known standards such as BS5266 for the United Kingdom or prEN5Ol72 in the European Union. One or more custom regimes can be programmed specific to each microcontroller and or microprocessor. The test regime is selected from the hand held transmitter emitting a single pulse time code that will be recognized and verified by the microcontroller and or microprocessor.

(013) Referring to Figure 1, a further preferred embodiment of the emergency lighting unit and or detector assembly 20 comprises a communication unit 30 coupled to the control circuit 11. The communication unit 30 is coupled to the transceiver or receiver 61 for receiving and transmitting signals through space 31, suitably radio frequency signals or microwave, or ultra sonic sound, high frequency sound, in the preferred embodiment, infra-red signals.

(014) The communication unit 30 is arranged to co-operate via transceiver or receiver 61 with a corresponding transceiver and or transmitter 69 suitably located in a remote handset 60. The handset 60 may take any suitable form including, for example, a general-purpose device such as a laptop or palmtop computer. However, in the example embodiment of Figure 2 & 3 the handset 60 is a dedicated portable handheld device comprising a microcontroller and or EPROM chip (but not limited to this type of device) 62 co-operating with a user keypad 63 and an alphanumeric display 64 comprising of but not limited to ON, OFF, 5, 20, 60, 180. The handset 60 preferably comprises a main battery power supply 67 coupled through a low voltage detector 68, and a short term backup battery supply 66.

(015) Suitably the infra-red communication between the communication unit 30 and the handset 60 comprises burst transmissions or pulse times codes 31 having, for example, a site identification (code to allow remote handset to communicate with communication unit(s) limited specifically to site based units, as such not allowing other handsets and or others to interfere with life protected systems), a start bit, a command, and a data variable. In one-example embodiment each burst transmission or pulse times codes comprises a one bit start bit, an eight-bit site code, a five-bit command and a six-bit data variable. A site code is ideally uniquely assigned to each handset 60 and each site-specific detector assembly 20 or emergency lighting unit.

(016) An emergency lighting unit and detector assembly 20 and a remote handset 60 for use therewith have each been described. The detector assembly 20 has many advantages, including that a complete test regime may commence without the use of access equipment, reducing the need for specialist tools, increase the efficiency of the test regime, and offer the flexibility to maintain an individual Luminaire without effecting other circuits and or other luminaire's or emergency lighting units. Further, the detector assembly 20 is provided as a stand-alone unit and is simple and cost effective to install and maintain. Other benefits and advantages of the detector assembly 20 and the remote handset 60 will be apparent from the discussion above.

(017) Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

(018) The detector assembly 20 for a remotely controlled test system for testing the ready status of a self contained and or converted Luminaire providing a test typically with both on & off facility & automatically timed 5, 20, 60, and 180 minute (but not limited to these time periods, as the test times may vary as required by mandatory and or recommended testing requirements of British standard, European standards and other national standards applicable for emergency lighting systems and or emergency lighting Luminaire's) test of the battery operated Luminaire and or lamp on command from the handset 60.

(019) Referring to Figure 1, the detector assembly 20 will now be described in more detail.

(020) The detector assembly 20 comprises a microcontroller 62 coupled to fault monitoring circuits 21, and to audible and visual fault indicators such as a sounder 22 and LED(s) 25.

(021)Automatic timer and or preset timer to place Luminaire on mains supply, used as an safety back up device should the operator of the handset not manually place Luminaire and or detector assembly 20 back on the AC mains power supply 1 which minimises the safety risks associated with an emergency lighting unit battery 65 being discharged through testing.

(022) Referring to Figure 1, another preferred embodiment of the detector assembly 20 comprises a communication unit 30 coupled to the control circuit 11. The communication unit 30 is also coupled to transceiver or receiver 61 for receiving signals through space 31, suitably radio frequency signals or, in the preferred embodiment, infra-red signals.

(023) All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process or means of testing and or maintaining so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps and or means of testing and or maintaining are mutually exclusive.

(024) The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment(s). The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

Claims

CLAIMS

1. Detector assembly 20, comprising: memory means for storing at least one predetermined test regime and a control circuit and or microcontroller and or microprocessor and or EPROM chip for applying a test simulating mains failure for a predetermined duration according to the test regime stored in the memory means
2. Detector assembly 20 as claimed in claim 1, comprising communication means for single directional communication with a remote handset i.e. handset 60 to communicate through space to a receiver 61 and detector assembly 20.

3. A detector assembly 20 as claimed in claim 2 wherein the communication means 30 is arranged to receive information stored in the memory means (40).

4. A detector assembly 20 as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3 wherein the communication means (30) comprises a transceiver or receiver 61 located in the housing of an emergency lighting Luminaire and or adjacent a louvre flange (50) of a housing (51) of the emergency lighting unit.

5. A detector assembly 20 as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3 wherein the communication means (30) comprises a transceiver or receiver 61 unit located locally in an emergency lighting Luminaire and or externally in a suitable housing.

6. A projected visual display unit (70) to project text and or pictogram and or an indication on a suitable surface adjacent to and or within and or on the surface of the Luminaire under test and or fault conditions (but not limited to a test and or fault conditions).

7. A remote handset 60 for use with an emergency lighting unit and or detector assembly 20 and or any of the following in any combination control circuit and or microcontroller and or microprocessor and or EPROM chip as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4.

8. Detector assembly 20 remote handset 60 are herein described above and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.