GB2452520A

GB2452520A - Luminescent and reflective route marker.

Info

Publication number: GB2452520A
Application number: GB0717319A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Grant Taylor
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-09-06
Filing date: 2007-09-06
Publication date: 2009-03-11
Also published as: GB0717319D0

Abstract

A luminescent and reflective route marker comprises a thin layer of photoluminescent material 4 encapsulated between a planar light reflective base 1 and a light transmitting cover 2. The photoluminescent material is preferably formed as an annulus and the marker is formed with an aperture 5 for a fixing 3. The photoluminescent material may be strontium aluminate based. The marker may be formed by pouring liquid photoluminescent material into the cover, allowing it to harden and then attaching the base to the cover to encapsulate the material. Alternatively the photoluminescent material may be incorporated as a pre-made solid layer.

Description

PHOTOLUMINESCENT MARKER

Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a photoluminescent marker for use in various applications to denote routes and obstacles in reduced light environments.

Background to the Invention

Public right of ways such as footpaths, cycle paths, bridleways, water-ways, and bridges are used everyday at all times of the year by the general public. These public routes are frequently used by members of the public dur-ing the hours of darkness or when visibility is poor. This is particularly the case during the short-day months, where the evenings become darker much earlier in the day. Members of the public are forced to use such routes in conditions where visibility is reduced, this can be both undesirable and dangerous since it is difficult for objects obstructing the pathway to be noticed.

Main streets and roads are usually lit, but out-of-town footpaths are often not provided with lighting. The cost of electricity to light every public by-way Emergencies can arise in the underground rail networks, for example as a result of power failure, requiring the evacuation of passengers through the nearest or safest exit. This can be both difficult and dangerous in the absence of significant lighting. Emergency lighting is often provided, but there is the re-quirement for a source of lighting that is not dependant on electricity to work, and is able to guide passengers out through the nearest emergency exit routes.

The present invention seeks to provide a photoluminescent marker that is practically designed, easy to install, and potentially safe from vandalism.

Summary of the Invention

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a photolumi-nescent route marker, comprising a thin annulus of photoluminescent material, encapsulated between a planar light reflective base and a light transmitting cover.

The marker may be constructed in two ways. In one method, the light transmitting cover is used as a mould, into which the photoluminescent material, in liquid form, is poured into the cover when turned upside down, and left to set, before the base is sealed to the cover containing the moulded photoluminescent material.

In an alternative method, the annulus of photoluminescent material is formed as a separate layer and incorporated into the case as a pre-made solid layer.

The applicant has used a strontium aluminate based photoluminescent material, which is capable of emitting light for several hours after exposure to ambient light. The applicant's photoluminescent material has a minimum lumi-nous intensity output of 2000 mini candelas. The luminous output and longevity of this material far exceeds any other non-radioactive material presently avail-able.

The planar base has a ridge on the underside and is of a "phonographic finish" to ensure maximum adhesion of the marker to the pathway, where pho-nographic finish means of a smoothness comparative with that of the surface of a compact disc.

The design and structure of the marker stud is such that it is practical, easy to install and is not vulnerable to attack by vandals. Its low profile avoids the marker becoming a tripping hazard for pedestrians, while the flat upper sur-face maximises the area of light output.

In a preferred embodiment the entire body of the marker is 50mm wide and 5.5mm in height.

The encapsulation of the photoluminescent material protects the marker from the effects of weather.

The photoluminescent marker can be installed on all surface types. On "soft" surfaces for example tarmac, the markers can be installed by using a double fixing method. The double fixing method uses two components by which to fix the marker securely in place, the first being a fixing pin and the second be- ing an epoxy based resin to securely adhere the marker to the surface. This fix-ing method requires the cover and the base to be formed with a sealed aperture passing through, to permit passage of a fixing pin. The resin based epoxy serves a dual purpose in that it provides a cushioning effect for heavy impacts, thereby protecting the marker from potential damage caused through vandal- ism, and it can also be added to uneven surfaces to provide an even stable sur-face in which to install the marker.

Alternatively, the marker may be fixed using only the epoxy based resin, without the presence of the fixing pin.

To ease installation of the marker a shielding tool may be used when fit-ting the marker, this is to avoid the marker from being exposed to repeated hits from a hammer during installation. The shield may be set at a height to ensure that the fixing pin is driven through all of the components of the marker into the pathway (or surface of choice), to lie flush in the recess but not to deep as to cause the light transmitting cover to be damaged during installation.

The fixing pin is preferably provided with a flat polycarbonate shatter-proof head to ensure that it is not a potential tripping hazard. The shatterproof head is preferably white in colour to make it visible during the hours of daylight.

The nail ensures that the marker components are secured together as one solid structure.

The marker is designed such that it is not vulnerable to attack by van-dals. To remove the entire marker the vandal will have to remove the whole encapsulation which the applicant believes will take approximately an hour to achieve. The marker would be extremely difficult to remove intact, and vandals are unlikely to be inclined to spend considerable time attempting to remove an individual marker. If tampered with, the thin annulus of photoluminescent mate-rial will shatter within the light transmitting cover in which it is encapsulated, thereby making it impossible to remove the photoluminescent annulus intact.

This in itself should discourage the vandal from proceeding The photoluminescent marker is completely safe to use and environmen-tally friendly since it does not contain any hazardous or radioactive material, thereby presenting no risk to humans or animals.

In addition to having an application for outdoor routes, such markers may also have an application for indoor use to denote routes and obstacles, for ex-ample, for use indicating emergency exit routes in schools, cinemas, and work places. The markers may also have a potential application on private pathways and tracks on farmyards and stables. During the winter months horse riders of-ten exercise their horses out in the dark, often along narrow and unhit tracks.

There is also the potential for such markers to be used in tunnels and under-ground rail networks, to guide passengers in the case of an emergency.

There is the opportunity for the authority responsible for maintenance of such pathways to personalise the base plate with the relevant authority's name.

The principle behind the present invention is to make pathways more visible irrespective of light or weather conditions. This will make public by-ways more accessible and safer for all 12 months of the year, without the need for expensive street lighting or expensive solar powered solutions that fail to work effectively during the short day length months.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Figure 1 illustrates a top plan view of the photoluminescent marker.

Figure 2 illustrates a cross-section taken through the marker.

Detailed Description of the Illustrated Embodiment

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 illustrates a top plan view of a marker. This figure illustrates a thin annulus of photoluminescent material 4 en-capsulated between a planar light reflective base 1 and a light transmitting cover 2. The cover 2 and base 1 are formed with a sealed aperture 5 there-through, to permit passage of a fixing pin 3. The fixing pin 3 extends vertically through the cover 2 and the base 1 to secure the marker as a whole into a sur-face. It should be appreciated that this figure illustrates a preferred embodiment of the invention, and alternatively the marker may be constructed without the presence of the fixing pin.

The marker may have been constructed by using the cover 2 as a mould, wherein the photoluminescent material 4, in liquid form, is poured into the cover and allowed to harden, and then the base 1 is attached to the cover 2 to encap-sulate the material 4. Alternatively, the annulus of photoluminescent material 4 may be incorporated into the marker as a pie-made solid layer.

The marker may be secured into place by using a double fixing method, this method uses an epoxy based resin as an essential component to securely adhere the marker to a surface, and a fixing pin as an additional optional corn-ponent to further secure the marker to the ground. In a preferred embodiment the fixing pin used is a stainless steel nail.

In order to enable the marker to adhere securely to a surface, the planar base 1 is of a "phonographic finish", which means that the smoothness of the base 1 is comparable with that of the surface of a compact disk. This ensures maximum adhesion of the marker to the pathway.

Figure 2 illustrates a cross section taken through the marker. The thin annulus of photoluminescent material 4 is shown encapsulated between the light reflective base 1, and the light transmitting cover 2. The cover 2 and base 1 are formed with a sealed aperture therethrough, to permit the passage of a fixing pin 3 which can be driven into the surface on to which the marker is to be fixed, to provide additional security of fixing to that afforded by the adhesive.

Claims

1. A photoluminescent route marker, comprising a thin layer of photoluminescent material, encapsulated between a planar light reflective base and a light transmitting cover.

2. A photoluminescent route marker according to Claim 1, wherein the photoluminescent material is formed as an annulus and the cover and the base are formed with a sealed aperture therethrough, to permit passage of a fixing pin.

3. A photoluminescent route marker according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the photoluminescent material is strontium aluminate based.

4. A photoluminescent route marker according to Claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the planar light reflective base is formed of a white material.

5. A photoluminescent route marker according to any preceding claim, wherein the planar light reflective base is formed with a smooth under-side.

6 A photoluminescent route marker, substantially as described with reference to, and/or as shown in, the drawings.

7. A method of marking a route using a plurality of markers as de-fined in any preceding claim spaced apart along a surface, the method compris-ing providing each marker with a layer of adhesive on the underside thereof, applying the marker to the surface, and driving a fixing pin through the aperture and into said surface.

8. A photoluminescent route marker according to Claim 7, wherein the marker components are secured into place using an epoxy resin.

9. A method of making a photoluminescent marker, wherein the photoluminescent material, in liquid form, is poured into the cover and allowed to harden, and the base is then attached to the cover to encapsulate the mate-rial.

10. A method of making a photoluminescent marker according to any of Claims 1 to 8, wherein the annulus of photoluminescent material is incorpo-rated into the marker as a pre-made solid layer.