WO1995032352A1

WO1995032352A1 - Luminescent draught excluder

Info

Publication number: WO1995032352A1
Application number: PCT/GB1995/000952
Authority: WO
Inventors: Peter Galvin
Original assignee: Caradon Asl Limited
Priority date: 1994-05-24
Filing date: 1995-04-27
Publication date: 1995-11-30
Also published as: GB9410347D0

Abstract

A fluorescent strip (4) is described for use in lining doors or windows to indicate the outline of the door (1) or window is described after the removal of ambient light. The fluorescent strip (4) is of a semi-transparent plastic material which contains fluorescent material to enable the strip to glow for a length of time after the ambient light is removed, for example for several minutes and this enables the outline of the exit to continue to be identified. In a preferred arrangement, the strip is provided by a draught excluder doped with fluorescent material and which is located in the gap (3) between the door (1) and/or window and its supporting frame (2). Various embodiments of the invention are described.

Description

LUMINESCENT DRAUGHT EXCLUDER

The present invention relates to a draught excluder for a door or window and in particular to a draught excluder which enables a door or window to be identified as an emergency exit when lighting has failed. This invention also relates to a lining for such a door or window.

Emergency exits are usually identified by simple stick- on signs or illuminated signs mounted above the exit. Non- illuminated signs have the disadvantage that when it is dark, for example after a lighting failure, the sign is not visible and the exit cannot be identified by a person wishing to escape from a room or building. Illuminated signs overcome this -.ifficulty but, unless the sign is sufficiently bright to illuminate the exit itself a person cannot easily determine the outline of the exit and therefore how it can be opened. The illuminated sign also requires to have a separate source of power. In addition, if a lighting failure is due to a power failure, the illuminated exit sign may also fail.

It is an object of the present invention to overcome or at least mitigiate the above disadvantages of prior art exit identification systems and to provide a means by which the outline of an emergency exit can be identified even during a power failure.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a fluorescent strip for use in lining doors or windows to indicate the outline of the door or window after removal of ambient light.

According to second aspect of the present invention there is provided an exit from a room or building having a fluorescent strip provided around at least a portion of the outline of the exit, wherein the fluorescent strip enables the outline of the exit to be identified when ambient light has been removed. Ambient light may be artificial or natural light.

The fluorescent strip may be arranged around the outer edge of the exit or around the inner edge of the frame supporting the exit or around a combination of both. Preferably, the strip surrounds the exit completely.

The fluorescent strip is preferably of a semi- transparent plastic material which contains fluorescent material to enable the strip to glow for a length of time after the ambient light is removed, for example several minutes.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention the strip is a draught excluder strip of conventional shape such as is used to prevent draughts through doors and windows.

According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of marking an emergency exit by providing a strip of fluorescent material around at least a portion of the exit so that the outline of the exit may be visible following removal of ambient light.

For a better understanding of the present invention and in order to show how same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawing.

The accompanying drawing shows a conventional door 1 hingeably mounted within a door frame 2. For a door which opens inwardly into a room it is generally the case that a small gap 3 exists between the door and the door frame on all sides. This door construction may give rise to draughts and it is common to locate draught excluding seals between the frame and the door in order to remove or minimise these draughts. A draught excluder 4 is generally visible through the gap 3 and therefore receive light from the room. One such type of draught excluder is described in U.K. Patent Application No. 9220606.9 and is arranged to be slideably fitted into a recess provided on the inner edge of the door frame.

The draught excluder described in the above referenced patent application is produced by extruding silicon rubber into the appropriate shape. In the case of the present invention, silicon rubber is doped, prior to extrusion, with a fluorescent material. Suitable fluorescent material, and doping processes, are widely known and available.

It will be apparent that when the conventional draught excluder is replaced by draught excluder 4 produced from fluorescently doped silicon rubber, the fluorescent material in the draught excluder absorbs light through the gap 3 while the room is illuminated. In the event of removal of ambient light, for example by a lighting failure the material continues to fluoresce for a short time, for example around several minutes. The fluorescing material marks the outline of the door in the ensuing darkness enabling persons to locate the door, open it, and exit from the room. In order to increase the visibility of the draught excluder 4, the draught excluder 4 may be formed so as to protrude outwardly from the gap 3 and to be therefore visible from different angular viewpoints within the room.

Various modifications may be made to the above described embodiment without departing from the present invention. For example, the fluorescent material need not necessarily be provided by way of a draught excluder and could be provided around a front edge of the door or of the frame in continuous or discontinuous lines or dots. It may be also be of assistance to mark the outline of the door handle with similar fluorescent material.

Claims

1. A fluorescent strip for use in lining doors or windows to indicate the outline of the door or window after removal of ambient light.

2. An exit from a room or building having a fluorescent strip provided around at least a portion of the outline of the exit, wherein the fluorescent strip defines the outline of the exit when ambient light has been removed.

3. An exit as claimed in claim 2 wherein the fluorescent strip is arranged around the outer edge of the exit or around the inner edge of the frame supporting the exit or around a combination of both.

4. An exit as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3 wherein the strip surrounds the exit completely.

5. A fluorescent strip as claimed in claim 1 wherein the strip is of a semi-transparent plastic material which contains fluorescent material to enable the strip to glow for a length of time after the ambient light is removed.

6.^' A fluorescent strip as claimed in claim 1 or claim 5 wherein the strip is a draught excluder strip of conventional shape which is used to prevent draughts through doors or windows.

7. A method of marking an exit by providing a strip of fluorescent material around at least a portion of the exit so that the outline of the exit is visible following removal of ambient light.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7 including incorporating the fluorescent material in a draught excluder strip and using said draught excluder strip to surround the exit.