GB2490700A

GB2490700A - Guidance plate for hand rails.

Info

Publication number: GB2490700A
Application number: GB201107802A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Martin Gray
Original assignee: Gray & Arnold Ltd
Current assignee: Gray & Arnold Ltd
Priority date: 2011-05-11
Filing date: 2011-05-11
Publication date: 2012-11-14
Also published as: GB201107802D0

Abstract

The guidance plate 1 is attachable to a hand-rail and comprises one or more tactilely discernible portions 3. The plate may comprise one or more attachment features, one of which may take the form of apertures 4. The tactilely discernible portions may be uniformly spaced or may be arranged so as to be closer at a first end of the plate than at a second. The plate may have a curved profile and the tactile portions may be of different shapes. Further claimed is a safety hand-rail including a directional guidance plate and a method of producing a hand rail by the attachment of a guidance plate to an existing rail.

Description

GUIDANCE PLATE FOR HAND-RAILS

Field of the Invention

S The invention concerns hand-rails for use in enclosed areas i.e. ships, buildings, etc. The hand-rail is intended for defining a path which persons can follow to an exit in an emergency situation.

Background of the Invention

Hand-rails are in general use in most places where people are moving around and their main purpose is as a support to hold on to, or as a screen to keep people away from a particular area, or to protect wall sections, etc. It is known to give hand-rails the additional function of enabling it to help is people to find the way in buildings, on ships, etc. In particular the design of the hand-rail is such that it provides information concerning the correct escape route to an exit in emergency situations, e.g. in the case of fire, which would be an invaluable help on boats, in large buildings where people are often unfamiliar with the layout, such as hotels, hospitals, old people's homes and in large shops and offices.

Moreover, these hand-rails also provide guidance on the correct direction in non-emergency situations to persons who have a special need for good information, such as children and people with impaired vision. Such information can also be useful for all persons on a ship or an offshore construction or in a large, complicated building or in order to find the way to a main exit.

The means by which the hand-rails provide the additional guidance function is currently by way of tactile elements that are integrally formed on the hand-rails.

Summary of the Invention

In situations where the safety system of a boat or building is to be improved by the introduction of hand-rails capable of providing additional directional guidance it is at present necessary to completely replace the hand-rail.

The present invention seeks to provide a more efficient and economical way of upgrading the safety system of a boat or building that enables existing hand-rails to be adapted to provide directional guidance. The present invention provides a directional guidance plate according to clam 1.

The directional guidance plate of the present invention can be attached to the existing guidance means of a boat or building, such as a hand-rail, so as to enhance the guiding features of the hand-rail without the need to completely replace the hand-rail. In this way, the safety system of a boat or building can is be upgraded quickly and economically.

Preferably the plate may further comprise one or more hand-rail attachment means, such may preferably provided by apertures in the plate. In this way the process of attaching the plate to a hand-rail, for example, is made even more efficient.

Preferably the plate may have a curved profile. In this way the plate can wrap around the hand-rail thus enabling the surface area of the tactilely discernable portions to be increased, which further improve the guidance capabilities of the upgraded hand-rail.

Preferably the plate may comprise a plurality of uniformly spaced tactilely discernable portions.

Alternatively the plate may comprise a plurality of tactilely discernable portions that are arranged so as to be closer together at a first end thereof than at a second end thereof. The benefit of varying the distance between the portions is that additional information can be portrayed to the user. For example the portions could be provided closer together when the hand-rail is located near to a hazard, such as stairs, or alternatively an exit.

Preferably the plate may comprise more that one differently shaped tactilely discernable portion. In this way the plate can again be used to portray additional information to user.

The present invention also provides a safety hand-rail comprising a directional 0 guidance plate.

Further the present invention provides a method of producing a safety hand-rail by attaching a directional guidance plate of the present invention.

is Brief Description of the Drawings

A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings, wherein: Figure 1 shows the directional guidance plate of the present invention; Figure 2 shows an exploded view of directional guidance plates of the present invention and a conventional hand-rail; Figure 3 shows a cross-sectional view of Figure 2; and Figure 4 shows a cross-sectional view of the directional guidance plate mounted on a hand-rail.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment

The present invention relates to a directional guidance plate which can be attached to the existing guidance system of a boat or building. The most common example of a guidance system is considered to be the hand-rail, which enables a disoriented user to feel their way to a desired location (i.e. and emergency exit).

However the present invention may suitably be adopted in combination with other guidance systems, such as floor mounted lights for example, without departing from the present invention. In such an arrangement the directional guidance plate could be attached to the floor rather than an existing hand-rail.

Figure 1 shows a preferred embodiment of the directional guidance plate 1.

The plate 1 comprises an elongate member 2 with a plurality of raised portions in the shape of chevrons 3.

The elongate member 2 has a curved shape so as to provide an increased surface area, which increases the chances of a disorientated user identifying the safety hand-rail in conditions of reduced visibility.

The elongate member 2 is made from a substantially rigid material so that it is retains its form. Suitable materials for the plate include metals, such as Stainless Steel, Plastic coated steel and injection moulded plastics. The elongate member may be painted with a vivid colour.

Alternatively or additionally the elongate member 2 may be coated with a roughed paint that contains small particles. In this way the overall surface of the directional guidance plate can be easily differentiated from other surfaces what a user is groping for the hail-rail in conditions of reduced visibility.

The raised portions 3, which may take an alternative shape to a chevron (such as an arrow), may be integrally formed with the elongate member 2 (i.e. by pressing) or they may be formed separately and then secured to the elongate member 2.

Advantageously the raised portions 3 may be coated with a luminous paint to further enhance the guidance provided by the directional guidance plate 1.

Although not shown in the drawings, it is envisaged that the distance between neighbouring raised portions 3 could be varied along the length of an elongate member 2. In this way it would be possible to convey to disorientated users that a point of interest, such as an emergency exit, was nearby.

In a similar way the use of varying shaped raised portions 3 might by used to express this information to a user. For example varying the direction in which the chevron/arrow points could be used to indicate a close proximity to a staircase, whereas a full stop could indicate an emergency exit. I0

The directional guidance plate 1 is provided with a plurality of apertures 4 which enable the plate to be secured to an existing hand-rail by screws or bolts, for example. It is envisaged that alternative means for attaching the directional guidance plate are also possible. I'S

Referring now to Figures 2, 3 and 4 it can be seen how the directional guidance plate 1 is to be attached to an existing hand-rail 5 by the use of screws 6 which pass through the apertures 4 and fix in the hand-rail 5.

It is envisaged that multiple directional guidance plates 1, 1 a, etc... could be attached to a hand-rail 5 in close proximity with one another so that a user is constantly given directional information. Providing multiple plates 1 also increases the chances of a disoriented user identifying the safety hand-rail in conditions of reduced visibility.

Claims

Claims 1. A directional guidance plate for a hand-rail, said plate comprising one or more tactilely discernable portions capable of conveying a directional indication, and wherein the plate is attachable to a hand-rail so that, in use, the one or more tactilely discernable portions are presented to a user along a length of the hand-rail.
2. The directional guidance plate of claim 1, wherein the plate further comprises one or more hand-rail attachment means.
3. The directional guidance plate of claim 2, wherein the one or more hand-rail attachment means are apertures in the plate.is
4. The directional guidance plate of claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the plate has a curved profile.
5. The directional guidance plate of any of the preceding claims, wherein the plate comprises a plurality of uniformly spaced tactilely discernable portions.
6. The directional guidance plate of any claims 1 to 4, wherein the plate comprises a plurality of tactilely discernable portions that are arranged so as to be closer together at a first end thereof than at a second end thereof.
7. The directional guidance plate of any of the preceding claims, wherein the plate comprises more that one differently shaped tactilely discernable portion.
8. A safety hand-rail comprising the directional guidance plate of any of the preceding claims.
9. A method of producing a safety hand-rail by attaching the directional guidance plate of any of claims 1 to 6 to an existing hand-rail.
10. A directional guidance plate for a hand-rail substantially as described, with reference to the drawings, herein before.
11. A safety hand-rail substantially as described, with reference to the drawings, hereinbefore.io
12. A method of producing a safety hand-rail substantially as described, with reference to the drawings, hereinbefore.