Lighting device used in an exit sign

• US 5,539,623 A
• Filed: 10/12/1994
• Issued: 07/23/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: G.B. Building Systems Corporation, Dual-Lite, Inc. (Hubbell, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: General Signal Corporation (SPX Corporation)
• Inventors: Costa, Hilaro S., Gurz, Alan J., Burns, James J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gromada, Denise L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sember, Thomas M.
• Application Number:
  US08/320,965
• Time in Patent Office: 650 Days
• Field of Search: 40/564, 40/570, 40/573, 40/572, 40/550, 40/583, 40/582, 40/551, 362/800, 362/812, 362/301, 362/298, 362/349, 362/235, 362/20, 362/236, 362/249, 362/252, 362/297, 362/247, 362/237, 362/241, 362/349
• US Class Current: 362/20
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/0422 Reflectors
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/14 Arrangements of reflectors therein
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 2013/145 curved reflectors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/812 Signs

Abstract

A lighting device (32) is provided to illuminate indicia (18) of an EXIT sign (10) having a sign housing (12) defining an enclosure (22) therein and having a primary electrical power source. The lighting device is provided with a reflector (40) having a shallow V-shaped contour (43,44,45) defining a centrally located valley in the reflector and a source of illumination (42) positioned in the valley of the reflector and powered by the primary power source, the source of illumination including two rows of LEDs (65), each row having a plurality of LEDs, and the rows being separated from one another and positioned on either side of the valley. The LEDs are positioned on either side of the valley (44,45) a sufficient distance from the valley to illuminate the edges of the sign parallel to the valley while preventing areas within the valley from having dark and/or unilluminated spots. The rows of LEDs are mounted on opposite edges of a printed circuit board (70) positioned in the valley of the reflector. A side of the printed circuit (72) board facing the indicia to be illuminated is coated with a reflective material. A modular power supply (36) is provided for attachment to a rear side of the reflector (87) above or below a center line (88) perpendicular to the valley. The modular power supply (36) provides a primary source of power (97), and may also include an emergency electrical power supply (107).

Claims

1. A lighting device for illuminating indicia of an EXIT sign having a sign housing defining an enclosure therein and having indicia to be illuminated and having a primary electrical power source, comprising:

a reflector having a shallow V-shaped contour defining a centrally located valley therein;

said reflector including a first reflective surface on a first side of said valley and a second reflective surface on a second side of said valley; and

illumination means positioned in said valley of said reflector to be powered by the primary electrical power source, said illumination means including two rows of light emitting diodes, each row having a plurality of light emitting diodes, said rows being separated from one another and positioned on either side of said valley for illuminating said reflector V-shaped contour including said valley.

2. A lighting device according to claim 1, wherein said V-shaped contour is vertically oriented in said reflector, and wherein said rows of light emitting diodes are positioned on either side of said V-shaped contour.

3. A lighting device according to claim 2, wherein said rows of light emitting diodes are positioned a sufficient distance from said V-shaped contour to provide illumination to the sides of the EXIT sign housing parallel to said V-shaped contour.

4. A lighting device according to claim 1, wherein each of said light emitting diodes are positioned adjacent to said reflector and at a distance from the indicia to be illuminated.

5. A lighting device according to claim 1, further comprising baffle means mounted to said reflector for minimizing the area within said reflector required to be illuminated by said rows of light emitting diodes.

6. A lighting device according to claim 1, wherein said rows of light emitting diodes are mounted on opposite edges of a printed circuit board, said printed circuit board being mounted in said V-shaped contour.

7. A lighting device according to claim 6, wherein said printed circuit board is part of said illumination means.

8. A lighting device according to claim 6, wherein a side of said printed circuit board facing the indicia to be illuminated is coated with a reflective material.

9. A lighting device according to claim 8, wherein said reflective material is at least one layer of white solder mask.

10. A lighting device according to claim 6, wherein said printed circuit board has electrical components thereon for said illumination means.

11. A lighting device according to claim 1, further comprising a power supply module for providing the primary electrical power source to said illumination means, said power supply module being attached to a rear surface of said reflector either above or below a horizontal center line of said reflector.

12. A lighting device according to claim 11, wherein said power supply module includes rectifier means for rectifying the primary electrical power source into direct current for powering said illumination means.

13. A lighting device according to claim 11, wherein said power supply module further includes an emergency electrical power source to provide auxiliary power to said illumination means in the event of failure of the primary electrical power source.

14. A lighting device according to claim 13, wherein said emergency electrical power source includes at least one rechargeable battery, a charging device for keeping said at least one rechargeable battery fully charged during periods of non-use and transfer means for switching between said emergency electrical power source and the primary electrical power source.

15. A lighting device according to claim 1, further comprising a diffuser deflector placed in front of said illumination means between said illumination means and the indicia to be illuminated.

16. A lighting device according to claim 15, wherein said diffuser deflector is opaque.

17. A lighting device according to claim 15, wherein said diffuser deflector is transparent.

18. A lighting device according to claim 2, wherein at least one row of said light emitting diodes is parallel to said V-shaped contour.

19. A lighting device according to claim 2, wherein one row of said light emitting diodes is parallel to said V-shaped contour, and another row of said light emitting diodes is staggered to generally follow the contour of one-half of an X in the word EXIT.

20. A lighting device according to claim 19, wherein said rows of light emitting diodes are positioned a sufficient distance from said V-shaped contour to provide illumination to the sides of the EXIT sign housing parallel to said V-shaped contour.

21. A lighting device according to claim 2, wherein each of said light emitting diodes are positioned adjacent to said reflector and at a distance from the indicia to be illuminated.

22. A lighting device according to claim 2, further comprising baffle means mounted to said reflector for minimizing the area within said reflector required to be illuminated by said rows of light emitting diodes.

23. A lighting device for illuminating indicia of an EXIT sign having a sign housing defining an enclosure therein and having indicia to be illuminated and having a primary electrical power source, comprising;

a reflector having a shallow V-shaped contour defining a centrally located valley therein;

said reflector including a first reflective surface on a first side of said valley and a second reflective surface on a second side of said valley;

illumination/means positioned in said valley of said reflector to be powered by the primary electrical power source, said illumination means including two rows of light emitting diodes, each row having a plurality of light emitting diodes, said rows being separated from one another and positioned on either side of said valley for illuminating said reflector V-shaped contour including said valley; and

a power supply module for providing the primary electrical power source to said illumination means, said power supply module being attached to a rear surface of said reflector.

24. A lighting device according to claim 23, wherein said power supply module is attached either above or below a horizontal center line of said reflector.

25. A lighting device according to claim 23, wherein said power supply module covers the entire rear surface of said reflector.

26. A lighting device according to claim 23, wherein said power supply module includes rectifier means for rectifying the primary electrical power source into direct current for powering said illumination means.

27. A lighting device according to claim 23, wherein said power supply module further includes an emergency electrical power source to provide auxiliary power to said illumination means in the event of failure of the primary electrical power source.