Excessive temperature warning device using warning symbol outside fiber optic cable or light guide

• US 7,173,221 B2
• Filed: 10/15/2004
• Issued: 02/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: William S. Lerner
• Original Assignee: William S. Lerner
• Inventors: Lerner, William S.
• Primary Examiner(s): PAIK, SANG YEOP
• Application Number:
  US10/967,039
• Publication Number:
  US 20050064354A1
• Time in Patent Office: 844 Days
• Field of Search: 219/443.1, 219/445.1, 219/446.1, 219/447.1, 219/448.11, 219/448.12, 219/448.19, 219/460.1, 219/461.1, 340/640, 340/641, 340/642, 385/100, 385/115, 385/116, 385/123
• US Class Current: 219/445.1
• CPC Class Codes: F23D 14/72 Safety devices, e.g. operative in case of failure of gas supply
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 5/082 using electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 5/24 Preventing development of abnormal or undesired conditions, i.e. safety arrangements F23N5/02 - F23N5/18 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F24C 3/126 on ranges

Abstract

A device warns that a surface is temperature excessive. A light guide receiving light from a light source sufficiently distant from the surface to avoid becoming dangerously hot or cold is oriented so that the light guide is in the path of the light beam and transmits the light beam through the light guide to a point outside the light guide. The light source is controlled by a controller. A predetermined warning symbol typically outside the light guide is illuminated when the surface is dangerously temperature excessive because a sensor connected to the controller ascertains and transmits the surface temperature to the controller controlling the light source and an observer sees that the surface is temperature excessive. In certain embodiments, the light guide is flexible and/or its second end movable. The symbol can illuminate a border to warn against entry into an area in which the surface is located.

Claims

1. A heat alert safety device for warning individuals that a surface of an object is too hot or cold, comprising

a light source that generates a light beam,

a fiber optic cable formed of a plurality of optical fibers, said fiber optic cable receiving light from the light source and oriented so that the plurality of fibers are directly in a path of the light beam, said fiber optic cable transmitting the light beam through the plurality of fibers to a point outside the fiber optic cable,

a predetermined warning symbol for excessive temperature visible only when illuminated to an observer who can also readily see the surface, said symbol communicating that the surface is temperature excessive,

a controller controlling the light source so that whenever a specified surface temperature is reached, the warning symbol is illuminated and remains illuminated as long as said specified surface temperature is maintained, and

a sensor connected to the controller for ascertaining a surface temperature and communicating the surface temperature to the controller

wherein the light source is at least four inches from the surface.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the predetermined warning symbol is outside the fiber optic cable.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the predetermined warning symbol is at a distance from the fiber optic cable in excess of approximately eight inches.

4. The device of claim 2, wherein a space between the fiber optic cable and the predetermined warning symbol is in an area where a flammable gas passes or resides.

5. The device of claim 2, wherein a space between the fiber optic cable and the predetermined warning symbol is in an area where a toxic chemical passes or resides or is in an area where a dangerous amount of vibrations exist.

6. The device of claim 2, wherein the fiber optic cable has a first end facing the light source and a second end facing the predetermined warning symbol.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the fiber optic cable is flexible and the second end of the fiber optic cable is capable of being moved by a user.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the second end of the fiber optic cable is capable of being moved by an automatic mechanism.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the fiber optic cable includes a protective sheathing that at least partially encloses the plurality of fibers and the predetermined warning symbol is adjacent a side of the protective sheathing.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the fiber optic cable includes a protective sheathing that at least partially encloses the plurality of fibers and wherein the predetermined warning symbol is on the protective sheathing.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the predetermined warning symbol is formed from a cut-out portion of the protective sheathing.

12. The device of claim 10, wherein the protective sheathing has a coating and the predetermined warning symbol is on the coating.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the predetermined warning symbol is formed from a cut-out portion of the coating.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the light source is located on the object.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein said symbol, in communicating that the surface is excessively hot, illuminates a border to warn against entry into an area in which the surface is located.

16. The device of claim 1, wherein said device also includes a switch for turning the device on or off.

17. The device of claim 1, wherein a device indicator notifies the user whether the device is functional.

18. The device of claim 1, wherein a degree of brightness of the light source is controlled by the controller based on a setting set by a user.

19. The device of claim 1, wherein a sound producing component controlled by the controller produces a sound alarm whenever the light source is turned on.

20. The device of claim 18, wherein the sound alarm is proportionate to a degree to which the surface is temperature excessive.

21. The device of claim 2, wherein a first light-traversing medium containing the predetermined warning symbol is fixed between the light source and a first end of the fiber optic cable and a light receiving medium is positioned facing a second end of the fiber optic cable, an image of the predetermined warning symbol being received and fixed in the light receiving medium.

22. The device of claim 21, wherein the light traversing medium is a plane that is substantially perpendicular to a direction that the light travels in between the light source and the first end of the fiber optic cable.

23. The device of claim 21, wherein the light receiving medium is on the surface of the object.

24. The device of claim 23, wherein a space between the light receiving medium and the second end of the fiber optic cable exceeds approximately one foot.

25. The device of claim 21, wherein the fiber optic cable is flexible and the second end of the fiber optic cable is capable of being moved by a user.

26. The device of claim 25, wherein the second end of the fiber optic cable is capable of being moved by an automatic mechanism.

27. A heat alert safety device for warning individuals that a surface of an object is too hot or cold, comprising

a light source that generates a light beam,

a light guide receiving light from the light source and oriented so that the light guide is directly in a path of the light beam, said light guide transmitting the light beam through the light guide to a point outside the light guide,

a predetermined warning symbol for temperature excessiveness visible only when illuminated to an observer who can also readily see the surface, said symbol communicating that the surface is temperature excessive,

a controller controlling the light source so tat whenever a specified surface temperature is reached, the warning symbol is illuminated and remains illuminated as long as said specified surface temperature is maintained, and

a sensor connected to the controller for ascertaining a surface temperature and communicating the surface temperature to the controller,

wherein the light source is at least four inches from the surface.

28. The device of claim 27, wherein the predetermined warning symbol is outside the light guide.

29. The device of claim 28 wherein the predetermined warning symbol is at a distance from the light guide in excess of approximately eight inches.

30. The device of claim 28, wherein a space between the light guide and the predetermined warning symbol is in an area where a flammable gas passes or resides.

31. The device of claim 28, wherein a space between the light guide and the predetermined warning symbol is in an area where a toxic chemical passes or resides or is in an area where a dangerous amount of vibrations exist.

32. The device of claim 28, wherein the light guide has a first end facing the light source and a second end facing the predetermined warning symbol.

33. The device of claim 32, wherein the light guide is flexible and the second end of the fiber optic cable is capable of being moved by a user.

34. The device of claim 33, wherein the second end of the light guide is capable of being moved by an automatic mechanism.

35. The device of claim 27, wherein the light guide includes a protective sheathing that at least partially encloses the light guide and the predetermined warning symbol is adjacent a side of the protective sheathing.

36. The device of claim 27, wherein the light guide has a protective sheathing that at least partially encloses the light guide and wherein the predetermined warning symbol is on the protective sheathing.

37. The device of claim 36, wherein the predetermined warning symbol is formed from a cut-out portion of the protective sheathing.

38. The device of claim 36, wherein the protective sheathing has a coating and the predetermined warning symbol is on the coating.

39. The device of claim 38, wherein the predetermined warning symbol is formed from a cut-cut portion of the coating.

40. The device of claim 27, wherein the light source is located on the object.

41. The device of claim 27, wherein said symbol, in communicating that the surface is excessively hot, illuminates a border to warn against entry into an area in which the surface is located.

42. The device of claim 27, wherein said device also includes a switch for turning the device on or off.

43. The device of claim 27, wherein a device indicator notifies the user whether the device is functional.

44. The device of claim 27, wherein a degree of brightness of the light source is controlled by the controller based on a setting set by a user.

45. The device of claim 27, wherein a sound producing component controlled by the controller produces a sound alarm whenever the light source is turned on.

46. The device of claim 44, wherein the sound alarm is proportionate to a degree to which the surface is temperature excessive.

47. The device of claim 28, wherein a first light-traversing medium containing the predetermined warning symbol is fixed between the light source and a first end of the light guide and a light receiving medium is positioned facing a second end of the light guide, an image of the predetermined warning symbol being received and fixed in the light receiving medium.

48. The device of claim 47, wherein the light traversing medium is a plane that is substantially perpendicular to a direction that the light travels in between the light source and the first end of the light guide.

49. The device of claim 47, wherein the light receiving medium is on the surface of the object.

50. The device of claim 49, wherein a space between the light receiving medium and the second end of the light guide exceeds approximately one foot.

51. The device of claim 47, wherein the light guide is flexible and the second end of the light guide is capable of being moved by a user.

52. The device of claim 51, wherein the second end of the light guide is capable of being moved by an automatic mechanism.