Remote inspection of emergency equipment stations

• US 20040065451A1
• Filed: 07/08/2003
• Published: 04/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: En-Gauge, Inc.
• Original Assignee: En-Gauge, Inc.
• Inventors: McSheffrey, John J., McSheffrey, John J. Jr., McSheffrey, Brendan T.
• Granted Patent: US 7,891,435 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 169/75
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3904 External heart defibrillators [EHD]
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 13/76 Details or accessories
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 37/50 Testing or indicating devices for determining the state of readiness of the equipment
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/12 Manually actuated calamity alarm transmitting arrangements emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm, activators, e.g. details of alarm push buttons mounted on an infrastructure
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 7/062 indicating emergency exits

Abstract

An Apparatus for remote inspection of emergency equipment at one or a system of emergency equipment stations includes, e.g., at each emergency equipment station: a detector for detection of the presence of an obstruction to viewing of or access to the emergency equipment station; and an electronic circuit in communication between the detector and a remote central station for issue of a signal to the remote central station upon detection of the obstruction to viewing of or access to the emergency equipment station.

Claims

1. Apparatus for remote inspection of emergency equipment in installed positions at one or a system of emergency equipment stations, said apparatus comprising:

a detector located at a emergency equipment station for detection of the presence of an obstruction to viewing of or access to the emergency equipment station; and

an electronic circuit in communication between the detector and a remote central station for issue of a signal to the remote central station upon detection of the obstruction to viewing of or access to the emergency equipment station.

2. The apparatus for remote inspection of claim 1, wherein the emergency equipment station includes a fire extinguisher station.

3. The apparatus for remote inspection of claim 1, wherein the emergency equipment station includes a fire alarm pull station.

4. The apparatus for remote inspection of claim 1, wherein the emergency equipment station includes a defibrillator station with a portable defibrillator.

5. The apparatus for remote inspection of claim 1, wherein the emergency equipment station includes an emergency lighting station and the obstruction to viewing acts as an obstruction to operation for illumination.

6. The apparatus for remote inspection of claim 1, wherein the detector initiates a signal from the electronic circuit to the remote central station upon detection of the obstruction.

7. The apparatus for remote inspection of claim 6, wherein the signal includes a wireless signal.

8. The apparatus of remote inspection of claim 1, wherein the obstruction is disposed within a range of about 6 inches to about 10 feet from the emergency equipment station.

9. The apparatus for remote inspection of claim 1, wherein the detector initiates a signal from the electronic circuit to another emergency equipment station upon detection of the obstruction.

10. The apparatus for remote inspection of claim 9, wherein the signal includes a wireless signal.

11. The apparatus of remote inspection of claim 1, wherein the detector comprises a proximity senor.

12. The apparatus for remote inspection of claim 11, wherein the proximity senor comprises an acoustic signal transmitter and an acoustic signal detector.

13. The apparatus for remote inspection of claim 11, wherein the proximity sensor comprises an ultrasonic transducer.

14. The apparatus for remote inspection of claim 11, wherein the proximity sensor comprises an electromagnetic signal detector.

15. The apparatus for remote inspection of claim 11, wherein the proximity sensor comprises an electromagnetic signal transmitter and an electromagnetic signal detector.

16. The apparatus for remote inspection of claim 11, wherein the proximity sensor comprises an optical signal transmitter and an optical signal detector.

17. The apparatus for remote inspection of claim 11, wherein the proximity sensor comprises an infrared signal transmitter and an infrared signal detector.

18. The apparatus for remote inspection of claim 1, wherein the electronic circuit is further adapted to issue a signal to the remote central station and to receive another signal from the remote central station.

19. The apparatus for remote inspection of claim 18, wherein the issued signal includes a wireless signal.

20. The apparatus for remote inspection of claim 1, wherein the electronic circuit further comprises a wireless signal transmitter for transmitting a wireless signal to the remote central station.

21. The apparatus for remote inspection of claim 1, wherein the electronic circuit further comprises a wireless signal receiver for receiving a wireless signal from the remote central station.

22. The apparatus for remote inspection of claim 1, wherein the electronic circuit further comprises a receiver for receiving a signal from another emergency equipment station.

23. The apparatus for remote inspection of claim 1, wherein the electronic circuit further comprises a receiver for receiving a wireless signal from another emergency equipment station.

24. The apparatus for remote inspection of claim 1, wherein the electronic circuit further comprises a transmitter for transmitting a signal to another emergency equipment station.

25. The apparatus for remote inspection of claim 1, wherein the electronic circuit further comprises a transmitter for transmitting a wireless signal to another emergency equipment station.

26. The apparatus for remote inspection of claim 1, wherein the emergency equipment station includes an emergency egress station.

27. The apparatus for remote inspection of claim 1, wherein the detector is included in a housing separated from the emergency equipment.