Lit-up marking device for steps and grandstands

• US 6,606,827 B1
• Filed: 01/23/2002
• Issued: 08/19/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Friedemann Hoffmann
• Original Assignee: Friedemann Hoffmann
• Inventors: Hoffmann, Friedemann
• Primary Examiner(s): Friedman, Carl D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): KATCHEVES, BASIL S
• Application Number:
  US10/031,846
• Time in Patent Office: 573 Days
• Field of Search: 521/79, 521/76, 52/28, 521/82, 521/84, 362/145, 362/146, 362/153
• US Class Current: 52/28
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 11/166 with means for fixing a separate edging strip
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 11/17 Surfaces guard covers of stairs E04G21/30
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 19/061 used to finish off an edge or corner of a wall or floor covering area in connection with floor fabrics A47G27/045; sealings between walls and baths A47K3/008
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 2011/1048 with lighting means
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/20 with light sources held by or within elongate supports
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/22 electroluminescent electroluminescent light sources per se H05B33/00
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 19/22 Advertising or display means on roads, walls or similar surfaces, e.g. illuminated

Abstract

This device has a principal section (1) and an auxiliary section (6) with means of attachment and detachment under pressure. The auxiliary section (6) has guides (61) for fitting an advertising support (7). The section (1) defines two wings (11 and 12), a recess (13) for the lighting means (2) and a seat (14) for a non-slip strip (4) and a row-numberer (5). The wing (12) has a longitudinal channel (17) for fitting lighting means (8) and a transparent protector, forming a hollow portion (9) for running cables (81) through it. The seat (14) has two interior mortised portions (14a and 14b), one of which forms a duct for the power-supply cables (51) of lighting means (52) housed in the orifice (53) of the numberer (5).

Claims

1. A lit-up marking device for steps and grandstands, of the type which includes a main section (1) and an auxiliary section (6), the main section having two substantially perpendicular wings (11 and 12), a recess (13) in its exterior vertex for fitting lighting means (2) and a protecting element (3), and an upper seat (14) for fitting a strip (4) of non-slip material and a row numberer (5), and on the auxiliary section (6) some longitudinal guides (61) for the fitting of an advertising support (7), characterised in that it includes:

complementary means for attachment and detachment under pressure of the main section (1) and the auxiliary section (2);

lighting means (8) for the advertising support (7);

angle pieces (10) for positioning on the side ends of the front edge of the step or grandstand, with side appendages (102) for their side attachment onto the main section (1) and end appendages (103) for attaching them to cable-carrying terminal strips (104);

interior mortised portion (14 and 14b) for guided fitting of the row numberer (5) on the front and rear ends of the upper seat of the main section;

row numberers (5) with an orifice (53) in their front side for housing the corresponding lighting means (52); and

the translucent protector (3), has an upper section coplanar with the upper surface of the section (1) and a convex-curved surface which projects from the lowered section (13) and has longitudinally a toothed light-diffusing section (31).

2. A device, as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the means of attachment of the main section (1) are made up of ribs (15) facing each other in a longitudinal cavity (16) formed in the rear side of its wing (12).

3. A device, as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the means of attachment of the auxiliary section (6) are made up of some parallel projections (62) formed on the front side of the former and provided with some exterior protrusions (63) for hooking them in the ribs (15) of the main section (1).

4. A device, as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the lighting means (8) of the advertising support (7) are mounted on guides (18) formed in a longitudinal channel (17) of the wing (12), said channel (17) having lowered sections (19) for hooking a transparent or translucent protector into them.

5. A device, claimed in claim 4, characterised in that the guides (18) are spaced at a short distance from the bottom of the channel (17), leaving between them a hollow part (9) sufficiently large to run the power-supply cables (81) of the lighting means (8).

6. A device, claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the recess (14a) is deeper than the recess (14b), with said recess (14a) forming a zone through which can be passed the powers-supply cables (51) of the lighting means (52) of the row numberers (5).

7. A device, as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the angle pieces (10) have in their sides some orifices (101) for housing LEDs or microbulbs (22) facing one of the ends of a fibre-optic section (21), of a length equal to or slightly less than the width of the step, and that is housed in the lowered section (13) of the main section (1).

8. A device, as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the angle piece (1) has some orifices (106) for the optional fitting of some LEDs or microbulbs (52, 8) that side-light the row numberers (5) and the advertising supports (7).

9. A device, as claimed in claim 8, characterised in that the angle piece (10) is opaque and prevents the LEDs or microbulbs (22, 8 and 52) housed in the side orifices (101 and 106) from being seen.

10. A device, as claimed in claim 8, characterised in that the angle piece (10) has a lower channel (107) for running the cables from the terminal strips (4) to the side orifices (101 and 108).

11. A device, as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the translucent protector (3) has a tubular configuration that is prolonged at the upper zone of the section (1) into a horizontal projection (3a) that ends in a U-shaped piece (3b) for fitting it into the recess (14a), and at the front zones of the section (1) into a convex-curved projection (3c) whose middle zone projects in relation to the vertical formed by the front of the section (1).