EMERGENCY LIGHTING EQUIPMENT

• US 3,801,794 A
• Filed: 11/01/1971
• Issued: 04/02/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Robert E. Mauch, Robert I. Sarbacher
• Original Assignee: Robert E. Mauch, Robert I. Sarbacher
• Inventors: Mauch, Robert E., Sarbacher, Robert I.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hohauser, Herman J.
• Application Number:
  US05/194,371
• Time in Patent Office: 883 Days
• Field of Search: 315/97 307/66,64
• US Class Current: 307/66
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/065 for lighting purposes

Abstract

This invention is concerned with an emergency lighting system that does not require the normal modification of building wiring that is required by conventional emergency lighting systems presently available. The apparatus of this invention also lends itself to selective programing to meet special requirements of some emergency lighting installations.

Claims

1. An emergency power supply comprising:

a switch box;

an AC voltage source;

a light fixture having at least one lamp and a battery;

means to charge said battery from said AC voltage source through said switch box, said means to charge said battery through said switch box including a full wave rectifier housed within said switch box and connected to said AC voltage source, a switch housed within said switch box, a DC to DC converter, means to connect said switch between said full wave rectifier and said converter and means to connect said converter to said battery; and

means to selectively energize and de-energize said at least one lamp when said AC voltage source is operative and when said AC voltage source is inoperative.

2. An emergency power supply as defined in claim 17 wherein said switch is a double-pole double-throw switch having an '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'on'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' position and an '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'off'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' position, said double-pole double-throw switch being so connected between said DC to DC converter and said full wave rectifier that said battery is charged from said AC voltage source when said switch is in said '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'off'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' position and when said switch is in said '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'on'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' position.

3. An emergency power supply as defined in claim 2 wherein:

a polarity sensing device is connected to said double-pole double-throw switch;

a DC to AC inverter is connected between said battery and said at least one lamp; and

an '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'on-off'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' control device is connected between said DC to AC inverter and said polarity sensing device.

4. An emergency lighting system as defined in claim 3 wherein said selective energization and de-energization of said at least one lamp is controlled by said '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'on-off'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' control device in response to signals from said polarity sensing device.

5. An emergency power supply comprising:

a switch box;

an AC voltage source;

a light fixture having at least one lamp and battery;

means to charge said battery from said AC voltage source through said switch box;

a signal combination unit housed in said switch box and connected to said AC voltage source;

a switch and encoding unit housed in said switch box;

means to connect said encoding unit between said switch and said signal combination unit; and

means to selectively energize and de-energize said at least one lamp when said AC voltage source is operative and when said AC voltage source is inoperative.

6. An emergency lighting system as defined in claim 5 wherein said lighting fixture in addition to said battery and said at least one lamp includes a control code monitor, controllers coupled to said battery and said control code monitor;

a power processor coupled to said battery and to said controllers, an inverter and ballasts coupled to said at least one lamp, to said controllers and to said power processor; and

wherein means are provided for coupling said power processor and said control code monitor to said signal combination unit.

7. An emergency power supply as defined in claim 6 wherein said means for charging said battery includes said signal combination unit and said power processor.

8. An emergency power supply as defined in claim 7 wherein the condition of said battery is monitored by said controllers and the rate of charging said battery is controlled by said controllers.

9. An emergency power supply as defined in claim 8 wherein said encoding unit provides an output signal indicative of the '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'on-off'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' position of said switch and said control code monitor provides a control signal to said controllers in response to said signal from said encoding unit.

10. An emergency power supply as defined in claim 9 wherein said controllers provide a control signal to said power processor to energize said At least one lamp from said AC power through said power processor when said switch is in the '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'on'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' position and provides a signal to said power processor to block the voltage of said AC power supply from said at least one lamp when said switch is in the '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'off'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' position.

11. An emergency power supply as defined in claim 10 wherein said control code monitor senses a failure of said AC power supply and provides a signal to said controllers that indicates the said failure of said AC power supply in addition to the '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'on-off'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' position of said switch.

12. An emergency power supply as defined in claim 11 wherein said controllers provide a signal to said power processor and a turn-on signal to the inverter of said inverter and ballasts to energize said at least one lamp from the voltage of said battery when said AC power supply fails and said switch is in its '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'on'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' position.

13. An emergency power supply as defined in claim 12 wherein said control code monitor and said controllers are programmed to provide desired selective operation of said at least one lamp from both said AC supply and from said battery.

14. An emergency power supply as defined in claim 3 wherein said polarity sensing device and said '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'on-off'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' control device are programmed to provide programmed selective energization and de-energization of said at least one lamp.

15. An emergency power supply as defined in claim 3 wherein said at least one lamp when energized is energized by the voltage from said battery when said AC power supply is operating and when said AC power supply fails.