SAFETY ALERT AND LIGHTING SYSTEM

• US 20060076896A1
• Filed: 05/06/2005
• Published: 04/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Life EVAC Systems Limited
• Original Assignee: Life EVAC Systems Limited
• Inventors: ROBINSON, MICHAEL J., OSBORN, RICHARD G.
• Application Number:
  US10/908,330
• Publication Number:
  US 20060076896A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 315/86
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/10 Controlling the light source
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/29 Circuits providing for substitution of the light source in case of its failure

Abstract

The present invention relates to a safety alert and lighting system comprising a power source, an AC connection, a battery pack connected to the AC connection, a lighting system connected to the battery in the battery pack, one or more sensor devices and a relay. The relay will cause the lighting system to be activated and powered by the battery in certain selected situations. The lighting system is activated when power from the power source is interrupted or when a sensor device triggers the relay. The activated lighting system powered by the battery allows the inhabitants of a home to find candles or flashlights, in the circumstance of a power outage, or to exit the home safely if an unsafe environment, such as smoke, is detected by a sensor device.

Claims

1. A safety alert and lighting system comprising:

(a) a power source;

(b) an AC connection connected to the power source,

(c) a relay disposed between the power source and the AC connection, said relay being connected to the power source and to the AC connection, and said relay comprising a switch which when deactivated will interrupt power flow to the AC connection;

(d) a battery connected to a charger;

(e) a charger connected to the AC connection;

(f) a lighting system connected to the battery and powered by the battery when the switch is deactivated; and

(g) a sensor device capable of being activated, connected the relay

wherein the switch is deactivated when power flowing from the power source to the relay is interrupted, or when the sensor device is activated.

2. A safety alert and lighting system according to claim 1 wherein the sensor device is a safety alert device.

3. A safety alert and lighting system according to claim 2 wherein the safety alert device is a smoke detector.

4. A safety alert and lighting system according to claim 1 wherein the lighting system comprises at least one light positioned so as to provide optimum lighting in a smoke-filled environment.

5. A safety alert and lighting system according to claim 1 wherein the switch is moveable.

6. A safety alert and lighting system according to claim 5 wherein the switch moves between position in which it contacts a normally closed contact and a position in which it does not contact the normally closed contact.

7. A safety alert and lighting system according to claim 6 wherein the normally closed contact is connected to the flow of power from the power source.

8. A safety alert and lighting system according to claim 1 wherein the battery is rechargeable.

9. A safety alert and lighting system according to claim 8 wherein the battery is recharged by power flowing from the AC connection.

10. A safety alert and lighting system comprising:

(a) a power source;

(b) an AC connection connected to the power source and to a charger

(c) a battery connected to the charger,

(d) a lighting system capable of being powered by the battery;

(e) at least one sensor device capable of being activated; and

(f) a relay connected to;

(i) the power source, (ii) the sensor and (iii) the AC connection, said relay comprising at least one switch that is capable of interrupting the power flow to the AC connection when either;

(i) power flowing from the power source to the relay is interrupted or (ii) the at least one sensor device is activated,

and wherein, when said relay interrupts the power flow to the AC connection, the lighting system is powered by the battery.

11. A safety alert and lighting system according to claim 10 wherein the at least one sensor device is a safety alert device.

12. A safety alert and lighting system according to claim 11 wherein the at least one safety alert device is a smoke detector.

13. A safety alert and lighting system according to claim 10 comprising two or more sensor devices.

14. A safety alert and lighting system according to claim 13 wherein the two or more sensor devices are activated in response to two or more different unsafe environments.

15. A safety alert and lighting system according to claim 10 wherein the lighting system comprises at least one light positioned to provide optimum lighting in a smoke-filled environment.

16. A safety alert and lighting system according to claim 10 wherein said at least one switch is a moveable switch.

17. A safety alert and lighting system according to claim 16 wherein the switch moves between position in which it contacts a normally closed contact and a position in which it does not contact the normally closed contact upon being triggered by the sensor device or upon loss of power flow to the relay.

18. A safety alert and lighting system according to claim 17 wherein the normally closed contact is connected to the flow of power from the power source.

19. A safety alert and lighting system according to claim 10 wherein the battery is rechargeable.

20. A safety alert and lighting system according to claim 19 wherein the battery is recharged by power flowing from the AC connection.

21. A safety alert and lighting system comprising:

(a) a power source;

(b) a first relay disposed between the power source and a AC connection, said relay being connected to the power source and to the AC connection, and said relay comprising a first switch which when deactivated will interrupt power flow to the AC connection;

(c) at least one second relay connected to the first relay, said second relay being connected to the power source and to at least one device, and said second relay comprising a second switch which when deactivated will either interrupt the power flow, or cause power to flow, to the device;

(d) at least one sensor device that is capable of being activated, connected to the first relay;

(e) a battery connected to a charger;

(f) a charger connected to the AC connection and to a lighting system that is powered by the battery when the power flow to the AC connection is interrupted;

wherein, when power flowing from the power source to the first relay is interrupted, or when power flowing to the second relay is interrupted, or when the at least one sensor device is activated, the first switch is deactivated and the lighting system is powered by the battery, and the second switch is deactivated.

22. A safety and lighting system according to claim 21 wherein when the second switch is deactivated, the power flow to the at least one device will be interrupted.

23. A safety alert and lighting system according to claim 22 comprising two or more sensor devices.

24. A safety alert and lighting system according to claim 23 wherein one sensor device is a smoke detector and one sensor device is a gas monitor.

25. A safety alert and lighting system according to claim 24 wherein the at least one device is a furnace.

26. A safety alert and lighting system according to claim 21 wherein the battery is rechargeable.

27. A safety alert and lighting system according to claim 21 wherein the lighting system comprises at least one light positioned so as to provide optimum lighting in a smoke-filled environment.

28. A safety alert and lighting system according to claim 21 wherein either or both of the first switch and the second switch is a moveable switch.

29. A safety alert and lighting system according to claim 28 wherein the first switch moves between a position in which it contacts a normally closed contact and a position in which it does not contact the normally closed contact upon being triggered by the at least one sensor device or upon loss of power flow to the first relay.

30. A safety alert and lighting system according to claim 28 wherein the second switch moves between a position in which it contacts a normally closed contact and a position in which it does not contact the normally closed contact upon being triggered by the at least one sensor device.

31. A safety alert and lighting system according to claim 29 wherein the normally closed contact is connected to power flowing from the power source.

32. A safety alert and lighting system according to claim 21 wherein the battery is rechargeable.

33. A safety alert and lighting system according to claim 32 wherein the battery is recharged by power flowing from the AC connection.