Emergency evacuation system

• US 6,313,549 B1
• Filed: 09/12/1997
• Issued: 11/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dale Engelmann, John Moisan
• Original Assignee: Dale Engelmann, John Moisan
• Inventors: Engelmann, Dale, Moisan, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Ballato, Josie
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zura, Peter
• Application Number:
  US08/928,288
• Time in Patent Office: 1,516 Days
• Field of Search: 307/66, 307/147, 315/86, 340/333, 340/331, 340/332, 340/286.5, 322/88, 439/114, 52/27, 52/28, 52/361, 52/38, 52/61, 522/201, 522/207
• US Class Current: 307/66
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 7/062 indicating emergency exits
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 7/066 guiding along a path, e.g. evacuation path lighting strip

Abstract

Embodiments of an emergency evacuation system are disclosed which may be installed within the knockouts of a panel of a modular work space system. During normal operation a battery power source within the emergency evacuation system is charged by normal AC power supplied through the modular work space system. In the event of a power outage or fire, the battery power source serves to operate emergency lighting.

Claims

1. In a component system of movable systems furniture including work surfaces, cabinets, drawers and movable wall panels connected together to form various work spaces and walkways, an emergency evacuation system module for installation in a lower raceway of at least one movable wall panel installed within a building, the building having one or more exits for providing an illuminated pathway exit for enabling an individual to exit the building, and said lower raceway having normal AC power supplied through the raceway which is available for use by electrical devices comprising:

an opening formed in said lower raceway, said opening being of a predetermined size;

a transformer being positioned within said opening in said lower raceway with the source of normal AC power within the modular work space system supplied through the raceway connected to the emergency evacuation system module through

said transformer within the emergency evacuation system module capable of transforming such normal AC power into low voltage AC power and forming an AC circuit;

means within the emergency evacuation system module capable for rectifying the low voltage AC power and providing low voltage DC power;

a battery power source being positioned within the emergency evacuation system module and connected to the low voltage DC power such that the battery power source receives and stores the low voltage DC power;

a low voltage incandescent bulb within the emergency evacuation system module connected to said battery power source, forming a DC circuit with said battery power source, and capable of being operated by said battery power source; and

control delay means within the emergency evacuation system module connected to the AC circuit and the DC circuit and capable of sensing a loss of normal AC power in said AC circuit and activating said DC circuit such that the low voltage incandescent bulb is powered and operated by said battery power source;

whereby, normal AC power is used to charge said battery power source when normal AC power is present and, in the event that normal AC power fails or is terminated, said battery power source powers and operates said low voltage incandescent bulb to provide emergency lighting for identifying a pathway for an individual to exit the building.

2. In a component system of movable systems furniture including work surfaces, cabinets, drawers and movable wall panels connected together to form various work spaces and walkways, the emergency evacuation system module of claim 1 in which the emergency evacuation system is installed in the building, the building having an alarm system wherein said control relay is hard wired to the alarm system in the building, said control relay is capable of detecting when said alarm system is activated, and, when said alarm system is activated, said control relay is capable of terminating the flow of normal AC power to said DC circuit causing said battery source to power and operate said low voltage incandescent bulb.

3. In a component system of movable systems furniture including work surfaces, cabinets, drawers and movable wall panels connected together to form various work spaces and walkways, the emergency evacuation system module of claim 1 in which a lens is positioned between said low voltage incandescent bulb and the walkways of the modular work space system and an arrow is affixed to the lens such that the arrow is illuminated by said low voltage incandescent bulb in emergency situations in which visibility is reduced due to smoke, lack of normal lighting or similar circumstances and indicates the direction of the safe exits from the building.

4. In a component system of movable systems furniture including work surfaces, cabinets, drawers and movable wall panels connected together to form various work spaces and walkways, the emergency evacuation system module of claim 2 in which a lens is positioned between said low voltage incandescent bulb and the walkways of the modular work space system and an arrow is affixed to the lens such that the arrow is illuminated by said low voltage incandescent bulb in emergency situations in which visibility is reduced due to smoke, lack of normal lighting or similar circumstances and indicates the direction of the safe exits from the building.

5. In a component system of movable systems furniture including work surfaces, cabinets, drawers and movable wall panels connected together to form various work spaces and walkways, the emergency evacuation system module of claim 1, further comprising an audible alarm device.

6. In a component system of movable systems furniture including work surfaces, cabinets, drawers and movable wall panels connected together to form various work spaces and walkways, the emergency evacuation system module of claim 5, wherein the audible alarm device includes one of a voice chip and an alarm buzzer.

7. In a component system of movable systems furniture including work surfaces, cabinets, drawers and movable wall panels connected together to form various work spaces and walkways, the emergency evacuation system module of claim 1, further comprising a strobe element connected to the battery.

11. In a component system of movable systems furniture including work surfaces, cabinets, drawers and movable wall panels connected together to form various work spaces and walkways, the emergency evacuation system module of claim 6 in which a lens is positioned between said low voltage incandescent bulb and the walkways of the modular work space system and an arrow is affixed to the lens such that he arrow is illuminated by said low voltage incandescent bulb in emergency situations in which visibility is reduced due to smoke, lack of normal lighting or similar circumstances and indicates the direction of the safe exits from the building.

8. In a component system of movable systems furniture including work surfaces, cabinets, drawers and movable wall panels connected together to form various work spaces and walkways, an emergency evacuation system module for installation in a raceway of at least one movable wall panel installed within a building, the building having one or more exits for providing an illuminated pathway exit for enabling an individual to exit the building, and the raceway having normal AC power supplied through the raceway which is available for used by electrical devices comprising:

an opening formed in said raceway, said opening being of a predetermined size;

a transformer being positioned within said opening in said raceway with the source of normal AC power within the modular work space system supplied through the raceway connected to the emergency evacuation system module through said transformer within the emergency evacuation system module capable of transforming such normal AC power into low voltage AC power and forming an AC circuit;

the primary winding of the transformer being connected to the normal AC power;

a bridge rectifier within the emergency evacuations system module connected to the secondary winding of said transformer and capable of converting the AC of the AC circuit into pulsating DC and forming a DC circuit;

a filter network within the emergency evacuation system module connected to the bridge rectifier, the filter network capable of converting the pulsating DC in non-pulsating DC;

a regulated charging network within the emergency evacuation system module connected to said filter network, the regulated charging network capable of regulating the non-pulsating DC to appropriate voltage and current for the charging a battery power source;

a steering network within the emergency evacuation system module connected to the regulated charging network, the steering network capable of controlling voltage and current such that they are appropriate for charging a battery power source;

a battery power source being positioned within the emergency evacuation system module and connected to the steering network, the battery power source capable of receiving the storing DC from said steering network;

a low voltage incandescent bulb within the emergency evacuation system module connected to said battery power source; and

a switching network within the emergency evacuation system module connected to said steering network and connected to the low voltage incandescent bulb, the switching network capable of sensing a loss of normal AC power and, in the event of such loss of normal AC power, capable of causing DC from said batter power source to operate said low voltage incandescent bulb;

whereby, normal AC power is used to charge said battery power source when normal AC power is present and, in the event that normal AC power fails or is terminated, said battery power source powers and operates said low voltage incandescent bulb to provide emergency lighting for identifying a pathway for an individual to exit the building.

9. In a component system of movable systems furniture including work surfaces, cabinets, drawers and movable wall panels connected together to form various work spaces and walkways, the emergency evacuation system module of claim 8 in which the emergency evacuation system is installed in the building, the building having an alarm system and the alarm system sending a signal that the alarm system has been activated and a fire control relay is connected to the alarm system and is capable of detecting the signal indicating that the alarm system is activated, the fire control relay being further connected to said bridge rectifier and to said filter network such that said fire control relay is capable of terminating the flow of normal AC power to said DC circuit in the event the alarm system in the building is activated and causing said battery source to power and operate said low voltage incandescent bulb.

10. In a component system of movable systems furniture including work surfaces, cabinets, drawers and movable wall panels connected together to form various work spaces and walkways, the emergency evacuations system module of claim 8 in which a lens is positioned between said low voltage incandescent bulb and the walkways of the modular work space system and an arrow is affixed to the lens such that the arrow is illuminated by said low voltage incandescent bulb in emergency situations in which visibility is reduced due to the smoke, lack of normal lighting or similar circumstances and indicates the direction of the safe exits from the building.

12. In a component system of movable systems furniture including work surfaces, cabinets, drawers and movable wall panels connected together to form various work spaces and walkways, an emergency evacuation system module for installation in a raceway of at least one movable wall panel installed within a building, the building having one or more exits, for providing an illuminated pathway exit for enabling an individual to exit the building and the raceway having normal AC power supplied through the raceway which is available for use by electrical devices comprising:

an opening formed in said lower raceway, said opening being of a predetermined size;

a system module capable of being inserted into the opening in said raceway at the base of a panel of such modular work space system, the system module being installed such that it is visible in such walkways, and said system module capable of being plugged into and connected to the normal AC power in the raceway;

a light source within said system module, the light source being capable of illuminating such walkway when illuminated;

means for powering said light source not depending upon the normal AC power; and

a sensor within said system module, the sensor capable of sensing that the normal AC power has been interrupted and of sending a signal which causes said light sources to be illuminated using the means for powering said light sources and causes the walkway to be illuminated;

whereby, if normal AC power to the building is interrupted and normal lighting is thereby interrupted, the emergency evacuation system module provides emergency lighting for identifying a pathway for an individual to exit the building.

13. In a component system of movable systems furniture including work surfaces, cabinets, drawers and movable wall panels connected together to form various work spaces and walkways, the emergency evacuation system module of claim 12 in which the building has an alarm system and the emergency evacuation system included an alarm sensor capable of determining that the alarm system has been activated and sends a signal which causes said light source and causes the walkway to be illuminated.

14. In a component system of movable systems furniture including work surfaces, cabinets, drawers and movable wall panels connected together to form various work spaces and walkways, a modular system wall panel comprising:

a base portion and a top portion; and

a raceway disposed along the base portion of the modular wall panel and extending along the length of the modular wall panel, the raceway having an essentially box-shaped cross-section, the raceway including;

a conduit suitable for housing a power line, the conduit extending along the length of the wall panel;

an aperture in a surface of the raceway;

a power source;

a bulb connected to the power source; and

a lens mounted proximate to the surface of the raceway containing the aperture, the lens being visible from an exterior of the modular wall panel and having a direction arrow, the direction arrow providing a visual indication of a direction when the bulb is supplied with power for identifying a pathway for an individual to exit the building.

15. In a component system of movable systems furniture including work surfaces, cabinets, drawers and movable wall panels connected together to form various work spaces and walkways, the modular system wall panel of claim 14, wherein the raceway includes a telephone line extending through the conduit.

16. In a component system of movable systems furniture including work surfaces, cabinets, drawers and movable wall panels connected together to form various work spaces and walkways, the modular system wall panel of claim 14, wherein the power source includes a battery.

17. In a component system of movable systems furniture including work surfaces, cabinets, drawers and movable wall panels connected together to form various work spaces and walkways, the modular system wall panel of claim 16, wherein the raceway further includes a control relay, the control relay being responsive to an external signal to enable the battery to supply power to the bulb.

18. In a component system of movable systems furniture including work surfaces, cabinets, drawers and movable wall panels connected together to form various work spaces and walkways, the modular system wall panel of claim 14, wherein the raceway further includes an audible alarm device.

19. In a component system of movable systems furniture including work surfaces, cabinets, drawers and movable wall panels connected together to form various work spaces and walkways, the modular system wall panel of claim 18, wherein the audible alarm device includes a voice chip.

20. In a component system of movable systems furniture including work surfaces, cabinets, drawers and movable wall panels connected together to form various work spaces and walkways, the modular system wall panel of claim 18, wherein the audible alarm device includes an alarm buzzer.

21. In a component system of movable systems furniture including work surfaces, cabinets, drawers and movable wall panels connected together to form various work spaces and walkways, the modular system wall panel of claim 14, further comprising a strobe element, the strobe element being responsive to the power source to emit a strobe signal.

22. In a component system of movable systems furniture including work surfaces, cabinets, drawers and movable wall panels connected together to form various work spaces and walkways, the modular system wall panel of claim 14, wherein the raceway includes a housing, the power source and the bulb being located within the housing.

23. In a component system of movable systems furniture including work surfaces, cabinets, drawers and movable wall panels connected together to form various work spaces and walkways, a modular system wall panel comprising:

a base portion and a top portion;

a raceway disposed along the base portion of the modular wall panel and extending along a length of the modular wall panel, the raceway having an essentially box-shaped cross-section and including a conduit suitable for housing a power line, the conduit extending along a length of the modular wall panel; and

a module at least partially disposed within said raceway, the module including,

a housing,

a power source,

a light source electrically connected to the power source, and

a lens, the lens being connected to the housing and being visible from an exterior of the modular system wall panel, wherein

the lens includes a direction-indicating indicia, the direction-indicating indicia indicating a direction of travel when the light source is supplied with power for identifying a pathway for an individual to exit the building.

24. In a component system of movable systems furniture including work surfaces, cabinets, drawers and movable wall panels connected together to form various work spaces and walkways, the modular system wall panel of claim 23, wherein the light source and the power source are disposed within the housing, and the lens is mounted to an exterior surface of the housing.

25. In a component system of movable systems furniture including work surfaces, cabinets, drawers and movable wall panels connected together to form various work spaces and walkways, the modular system wall panel of claim 23, wherein:

the module includes a switch, the switch being disposed on an exterior surface of said housing; and

when the module is mounted within the raceway, the switch is closed.

26. In a component system of movable systems furniture including work surfaces, cabinets, drawers and movable wall panels connected together to form various work spaces and walkways, the modular system wall panel of claim 23, wherein the raceway includes an aperture, the module being mounted proximate the aperture and the direction indicating indicia being visible through the aperture.

27. In a component system of movable systems furniture including work surfaces, cabinets, drawers and movable wall panels connected together to form various work spaces and walkways, the modular system wall panel of claim 23, wherein the module includes a unit connector for connection with a power line extending through the conduit, the unit connector being disposed on a side of the module opposite to the lens.