Earthquake safety light

• US 4,789,922 A
• Filed: 05/27/1987
• Issued: 12/06/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Stanek Douglas A, Thomas Cheshire
• Original Assignee: Douglas A. Stanek, Thomas Cheshire
• Inventors: Cheshire, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Argenbright, Tony M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US07/054,485
• Time in Patent Office: 559 Days
• Field of Search: 362/802, 362/158, 362/190, 200/61.45 R, 200/61.5, 200/61.83, 200/85 R, 200/61.52, 340/669
• US Class Current: 362/158
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 35/14 Switches operated by change of acceleration, e.g. by shock or vibration, inertia switch wherein the liquid constitutes a contact of the switch H01H29/002
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/802 Position or condition responsive switch

Abstract

A light suitable to be mounted upon the wall of a building or a room thereof wherein the light contains an apparatus comprising a weighted object which will be displaced at the existence of an earthquake of a given, preset magnitude and upon being displaced will close a circuit activating an emergency light in such manner that occupants in the area may see the light and be guided by it. The light is battery activated and may be of the type which is continually charged by normal household current and may include a low drain test light to indicate battery condition.

Claims

1. Apparatus for lighting an emergency light for guidance purposes upon the occurrence of an earthquake comprising in combination:

a generally rectangular casing comprising a top, bottom, two sides, back, and removable front;

a bridge running transversly across the width of said case and fastened therein approximately midway between the top and the bottom of said case;

a battery operated light located in and extending above the top of said case;

a battery located beneath said bridge in the lower portion of said case;

an electrical conducting element connected to a first terminal of said battery and to a first terminal of said light;

a second connecting element connected to a second terminal of said light and connected to two conductive elements, each isolated from said battery at the end not connected to said second terminal of said light, so that no contact is existent between a second terminal of said battery and said two isolated conductive elements;

a conductive element connected to a second terminal of said battery and terminating in a contact point adjacent, but not in contact with, each of the two isolated conductive elements;

a movable electrical conducting element attached to each of said isolated contact points connected to said second terminal of said light, but not in contact therewith, each of said movable electrical conducting elements being connected to said bridge adjacent a pedestal located in its center portion;

a weight located upon said pedestal suitable to be displaced from its place upon said pedestal by an earthquake of a given magnitude in such manner that will cause one of said flexible electrical contact means to contact said electrical contact means connected to the second terminal of said battery in such means as to force said electrical contact means into contact with said contact means connected to said second battery terminal means so as to complete the circuit and cause the light to be ignited.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the thickness of said case is such that the weight cannot drop off its pedestal without being held in a confined position such that it must be in contact with one of the flexible contact means.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said flexible contact means comprise semi-rigid, flat, curved conducting elements.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the said curve is approximately of the same curvature as the exterior curvature of a ball utilized upon said pedestal.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein a small nine volt battery is utilized together with appropriate transitor elements so as to ignite said light with a minimum battery drain.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the said light comprises a light emitted diode.