Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G09—EDUCATION; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; ADVERTISING; SEALS
  • G09F—DISPLAYING; ADVERTISING; SIGNS; LABELS OR NAME-PLATES; SEALS
  • G09F13/00—Illuminated signs; Luminous advertising
  • G09F13/20—Illuminated signs; Luminous advertising with luminescent surfaces or parts

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a method pertaining to phosphorescence marking for warning purposes or for some other marking.
• phosphorescence material i.e. persistent afterglow material
• marking emergency exits and escape routes in buildings, ships, etc. for instance. Such markings are intended to continue to glow in the event of a voltage loss with respect to the existing lighting.
• the material used may be paint, adhesive tape or signs that carry information, such as arrows.
• a common requirement of all such markings is that the phosphorescent material will be excited by standard lighting.
• the afterglow obtained when the standard lighting has been extinguished will therefore depend on the type of lighting involved and also on the position of the markings relative to said lighting.
• light emitted from incandescent bulbs and fluorescent lamps gives relatively poor excitation of phosphorescent material, due to the fact that such light sources emit light that has a high percentage of long wavelengths.
• the present invention relates to a method pertaining to phosphorescent markings that avoids these drawbacks.
• the present invention relates to a method pertaining to phosphorescent markings for warning purposes or for some other marking, and is characterised in that a lighting arrangement including a flash unit which is adapted to emit a substantial part of ultraviolet and short-wave light is caused to flash at least in conjunction with a voltage loss in respect of said standard lighting, so as to illuminate said marking.
• the present invention relates to a method pertaining to phosphorescence marking for warning purposes or some other marking of any kind whatsoever. It may concern emergency or warning markings in buildings, on aircraft, on ships, etc.
• a lighting device that includes a flash unit which is caused to illuminate said marking with light that consists to a substantial extent in ultraviolet and short-wave light and which is caused to flash at least in conjunction with a voltage loss in respect of standard lighting.
• standard lighting is meant the lighting that normally illuminates the area concerned.
• the flash unit is caused to flash at regular intervals after said voltage loss.
• the phosphorescent material will be excited when the flash unit delivers a flash, and therewith emit visible light over a given period of time.
• the flash unit is preferably of the type photoflash unit with a Xenon tube. A substantial part of the light emitted by such a flash unit will consist of ultraviolet and short-wave light. Naturally, other flash units that are suitable for this purpose may be used.
• the phosphorescent material is a phosphorescent pigment that includes a strontium-aluminium compound in the form of strontium-aluminate.
• the phosphorescent material is a phosphorescent pigment that includes copper- doped zinc sulphide.
• a significant surface area such as a surface area of at least one-half square metre to a full square metre can be caused to phosphoresce over a long period of time with the aid of a conventional photoflash unit.
• a marking 1 decimetre wide and 10 metres long can be excited with a conventional photoflash used in camera photography so as to glow clearly for more than one hour or even longer provided that the surroundings are dark.
• a wavelength of 365 manometers is ideal for achieving maximum excitation of the above mentioned material.
• effective excitation is achieved in the range of 350 to 450 manometers. It is therefore essential that a major part of the light emitted by the flash unit will lie within this given range. Excitation will decrease generally at increasing wavelengths .
• Figure 1 shows a corridor, for instance a corridor onboard a passenger ship, provided with phosphorescent markings.
• the flash unit 4 is mounted on the opposite wall 3 and is adapted to flash light towards the markings on the wall 2.
• the flash unit 4 will preferably include a lens so as to illuminate a field on the wall 2 provided with said markings 1, which is broad in the horizontal plane and narrow in the vertical plane.
• Such a field is illustrated by a broken-line rectangle 5 in Figure
• the flash unit is caused to flash at least in conjunction with a loss of voltage pertaining to the standard lighting.
• Figure 2 illustrates, by way of example, a block schematic in which the numeral 6 identifies a control circuit, the numeral 7 identifies a sensing circuit, the numeral 8 identifies a manual actuation button and the numerals 9-13 identify individual flash units placed at different locations.
• the sensing circuit functions to sense a voltage loss with respect to the standard lighting. For instance, one such circuit may be provided in each corridor in which markings are applied, or said circuit may be placed more or less centrally.
• the control circuit is adapted to receive a signal from the sensing circuit in the event of current loss. In this case, the control circuit functions to send a signal to the flash units 9-13, causing the units to deliver a flash of light. With the aid of the actuating button 8 the control circuit can be activated manually to deliver said signal to the flash units and therewith cause said units to deliver a flash.
• the flash units are adapted to deliver new flashes at regular time intervals.
• the markings it is suitable for the markings to have a significant residual afterglow effect when a new flash is delivered, therewith ensuring that the markings will glow constantly.
• the control circuit is adapted to cause the flash unit to flash at predetermined time intervals.
• the present invention finds particular application in inflatable emergency slides or chutes installed on aircraft. Such slides are stowed in aircraft doors and at emergency exits. When passengers need to be evacuated, the doors and emergency exits are opened and the slides inflated with gas.
• the slides are equipped with markings, for instance along their edges and at their free ends. Subsequent to inflation of the slides, the flash units mounted in the door openings and at the emergency exits are caused to flash light onto the slides, causing the markings to phosphoresce so that the slides can be seen by the passengers.
• the flash units, the sensing circuit and the control circuit may be powered by batteries or may be powered from a reserve electric power system that is separate from the standard system.

Landscapes

• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
• Audible And Visible Signals (AREA)
• Illuminated Signs And Luminous Advertising (AREA)
• Shaping Of Tube Ends By Bending Or Straightening (AREA)
• Details Of Measuring And Other Instruments (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=20412916

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (2)

Cited By (3)

Citations (2)

• 1998
  • 1998-10-12 SE SE9803473A patent/SE511160C2/sv not_active IP Right Cessation
• 1999
  • 1999-10-05 WO PCT/SE1999/001772 patent/WO2000025290A1/sv active Application Filing

Patent Citations (3)

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