Color-coded evacuation signalling system

• US 20020057204A1
• Filed: 11/20/2001
• Published: 05/16/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Maurice Bligh
• Original Assignee: Maurice Bligh
• Inventors: Bligh, Maurice
• Granted Patent: US 6,646,545 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/691.1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 7/062 indicating emergency exits
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 7/066 guiding along a path, e.g. evacuation path lighting strip
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 19/22 Advertising or display means on roads, walls or similar surfaces, e.g. illuminated
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/00 Labels, tag tickets, or similar identification or indication means medals or badges A44C3/00; making labels B31D1/02; sheets temporarily attached together B42F; labelling B65C; labels on record carriers G11B23/38, G11B23/40; Seals; Postage or like stamps

Abstract

A battery powered, illuminated, color-coded evacuation signalling system embodying symbols and text messages in any language or combination of languages, configured by LED'"'"'s in a network of floor laid display units installed in land-based buildings or maritime structures.

The system induces automatic dissemination of walking or crawling evacuees during an emergency, particularly in a smoke fog and low-light conditions, by guiding them away from deemed danger zones, then along assessed safe routes leading towards assessed safe designated exits.

LED'"'"'s shine through transparent covered, narrow strip assembly units laid in the center of walkways. Red denotes predetermined and developing ‘danger zones’. Green denotes safety ‘go-routes’. Amber indicates system status.

In-going firefighters may access a time-identified schematic picture relating to the spread of fire, temperatures and air quality, to evaluate what areas of a structure are safe or unsafe to enter.

Claims

1. :

A battery powered, illuminated, color-coded evacuation signalling system, embodying a network of direction-indicating symbols and text messages displayed in any required language or combination of required languages, configured by light emitting diodes (LED'"'"'s) contained in transparent covered assembly units laid flush in the center of uncovered or covered floors, corridors and walkways within land-based buildings and maritime structures, for the purpose of automatically guiding walking or crawling evacuees away from assessed danger zones, particularly in a smoke fog with low-light conditions due to mains lighting failure following an outbreak of fire, and then via assessed safe routes leading towards assessed safe and nearest available designated exits.

2. :

A color-coded evacuation signalling system as claimed in claim #1, wherein red, green and amber colored LEDs are vertically mounted in narrow strip assembly units connected in series, or otherwise, and on illumination form a structure-wide display of warning symbols, text messages, advised go-route symbols and text messages for the attention of evacuees, and to indicate system status for the attention of maintenance personnel, respectively.

3. :

A color-coded evacuation signalling system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein illuminated LEDs configure and display ‘

X’ and

inverted triangle warning symbols, with appropriate warning text messages in the color red for stop or danger, flashing or statically to indicate features, areas and routes within a structure assessed as dangerous and unsuitable for use during evacuation.

4. :

A color-coded evacuation signalling system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein illuminated LEDs configure and display arrow and arrow-head symbols, advisory or encouraging text messages in the color green for go or safety, omni-directionally, bi-directionally and traversing to indicate routes within a structure assessed as safe for use during evacuation.

5. :

A color-coded evacuation signalling system as claimed in any preceding claim, incorporating a secondary circuit or back-up to reroute power and instructions to the network of system units and to monitor system status by displaying illuminated LEDs statically or flashing in the color amber as an indication to status for the attention of maintenance personnel.

6. :

A color-coded evacuation signalling system as claimed in any preceding claim, for activation and use during simulated emergencies or routine fire-drills for the purpose of encouraging automatic dissemination of evacuees, calmly and swiftly, towards their respective nearest designated exits.

7. :

A color-coded evacuation signalling system as claimed in any preceding claim, incorporating a programmable micro processor unit pre-programmed with schematic and alpha-numeric data relating to the location of a structure'"'"'s designated exits/the location of predetermined hazards or ‘

danger zones’

/the location of a structure'"'"'s network of smoke/heat/CO₂/CO or other related detectors/and the location of the signalling system'"'"'s own units for the purpose of tracking and assessing the nature of fire and smoke within a structure, and adapting illuminated displays to define or re-define assessed dangers and safety routes/exits accordingly.

8. :

A color-coded evacuation signalling system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein a programmable micro processor unit stores pre-programmed data relating to ‘

safety parameters’

defining what degree of detected high temperatures and poor air quality are humanly survivable for evacuees during egress from a structure, in the event of a detected outbreak of fire and smoke, for the purpose of adapting the illuminated displays to define or re-define assessed dangers and safety routes/exits accordingly.

9. :

A color-coded evacuation signalling system as claimed in any preceding claim, which time-identifies, stores, evaluates and actively responds to input data from independent smoke/heat/CO₂/CO or relative detectors registering temperatures and air quality on the outbreak of fire and/or smoke, for the purpose of adapting the illuminated display to initiate the routing or re-routing of evacuees away from dangers and towards assessed safe designated exits.

10. :

A color coded evacuation signalling system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein a network display of illuminated symbols and text messages indicate which features, areas, routes and exits of a structure are assessed safe for use, and/or which features, areas, routes and exits of a structure are assessed dangerous to use as a consequence of developing dangers due to the rapid spreading of fire and smoke.