Plug-In Speaker for Emergency Notification and Voice Evacuation

• US 20080157992A1
• Filed: 06/28/2007
• Published: 07/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Vojinovic, Bojana, Anderson, Douglas J., Davidson, Curtis R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,791,496 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/691.1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 17/10 Actuation by presence of smoke or gases , e.g. automatic alarm devices for analysing flowing fluid materials by the use of optical means
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/10 using electric transmission; using electromagnetic transmission
• 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 alarm indicating output appliance can be releasibly affixed to a mounting plate. The plate carries wire receiving terminals which couple to the appliance. In the absence of the appliance, at least two of the terminals can be short circuited.

Claims

1. An alarm notification device comprising:

a base with a plurality of wire receiving terminals and a plurality of unit engaging contacts, each terminal is coupled to a respective contact; and

an alarm unit, the unit releasibly engages the base and is electrically coupled to at least some of the terminals via the contacts;

the alarm unit is movable along an axis that intersects the base, the alarm unit includes at least an audible output transducer.

2. A device as in claim 1 where the unit carries a plurality of conductive elements, each of the elements engages a respective contact at least when the unit engages the base.

3. A device as in claim 1 where the unit carries a structure to open circuit a pair of terminals.

4. A device as in claim 3 where the structure can alternatively short circuit the pair of terminals.

5. A device as in claim 3 where the pair of terminals can be locked into an open circuit state.

6. A device as in claim 5 where the structure exhibits an open circuit when the unit has been removed from the base.

7. A device as in claim 1 where the unit carries a plurality of unit terminations, at least some of the unit terminations slidably engage a respective engaging contact.

8. A device as in claim 1 where the unit is selected from a class which includes a horn, a voice output transducer, or a combination voice output transducer/strobe.

9. A device as in claim 8 where one of the base or the unit carries at least one metal shorting member which provides an open circuit state between selected terminals when the unit engages the base.

10. A device as in claim 9 where the shorting member short circuits selected terminals.

11. A device as in claim 7 where the unit terminations linearly slide or rotatably slide.

12. An apparatus comprising:

a substantially planar monitoring plate, the plate carrying a plurality of wire connectable terminals, two of the terminals carrying first and second shorting elements, the elements open circuit the terminals in response to an applied force; and

a verbal and a visual output unit, the unit engages the plate while moving in one of, a direction generally perpendicular to the plate, or, a direction generally parallel to the plate.

13. An apparatus as in claim 12 where the output unit carries a plurality of electrical contacts with at least some of the contacts releasibly engaging at least some of the terminals.

14. An apparatus as in claim 12 where the unit provides the force to open circuit the elements.

15. An apparatus as in claim 12 where the contacts extend in the moving direction.

16. An apparatus as in claim 15 where the shorting elements are fixedly attached to respective terminals.

17. An apparatus as in claim 12 where the elements engage and short circuit the two terminals.

18. An apparatus as in claim 17 where the unit includes a loudspeaker.

19. An apparatus as in claim 18 where the unit includes a strobe light.