Threshold having safety lights

• US 20070120699A1
• Filed: 11/28/2005
• Published: 05/31/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: James Pennington, John Pennington
• Original Assignee: James Pennington, John Pennington
• Inventors: Pennington, James, Pennington, John
• Granted Patent: US 7,339,488 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/691.100
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/36 using visible light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 7/06 using electric transmission , e.g. involving audible and visible signalling through the use of sound and light sources

Abstract

An emergency light system is located in the threshold subacjacent to the lower edge of an emergency egress door. The light system includes a plurality of lights mounted on a flexible backing strip in the threshold. The lights are connected to a switch that can be manually operated or operated by a sensor in a fire and/or smoke detection system associated with a room. The lights will be visible to a person crawling on the floor even if there is smoke in the room. The lights are easily installed in the threshold and will not be subject to abuse that might occur if the lights were mounted on the door itself.

Claims

1. An emergency light system comprising:

A) an emergency door mounted in a wall of a room and adapted to provide emergency egress from the room, the door including a first end which is a lower end when the door is mounted in the wall, and a width dimension;

B) a threshold located immediately subadjacent to the lower end of the door and which is located in a floor associated with the room;

C) an electrical system associated with the room;

D) a lighting strip which includes

(1) a flexible backing strip which is located in the threshold beneath the lower end of the door and which includes a first end, a second end and a length dimension that extends between the first end of the flexible backing strip and the second end of the flexible backing strip, the length dimension of the flexible backing strip being essentially equal to the width dimension of the door,

(2) a plurality of lights mounted on the backing strip at locations that are spaced apart from each other in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the backing strip, the lights being located on the floor subadjacent to the lower end of the door, and

(3) an electric lead electrically connecting the lights together; and

E) a control circuit which includes

(1) a switch electrically connected to the electric lead,

(2) a power source electrically connected to the electric lead via the switch to supply power to the lights when the switch is activated, and

(3) a flasher electrically connected to the electric lead to be activated when the switch is activated.

2. The emergency light system defined in claim 1 wherein the power source includes a backup battery.

3. The emergency light system defined in claim 1 wherein the switch is manually operable.

4. The emergency light system defined in claim 1 wherein the switch is connected to a sensor which detects fire and/or smoke.

5. An escape system for alerting and aiding people in finding an exit door in a building in the event of an emergency situation of smoke-induced low visibility within a room in a building, the exit door including a bottom edge located immediately superadjacent to the floor of the room, said escape system comprising:

a plurality of lights mounted in the floor beneath the bottom edge of the exit door.

6. The escape system according to claim 5, where the plurality of lights has an electrical lead, and including a control circuit which includes

(1) a switch electrically connected to the electric lead,

(2) a power source electrically connected to the electric lead via a switch to supply power to the lights when the switch is activated, and

(3) a flasher electrically connected to the electric lead to be activated when the switch is activated.