Modular emergency exit route illumination system and methods
First Claim
1. A system for enabling visual orientation and providing illumination to evacuees of a residential structure with portals such as doorways and windows in the event of an emergency requiring evacuation of said structure, where there is a planned path of safe emergency egress from an interior space such as a room or hallway of said structure and said path passes through a portal such as an interior or exterior doorway or window of said structure, said system comprising:
- a first linear illuminator section positioned along a wall of said interior space in an orientation that is generally parallel to a floor of said space and that is generally near and along the base of a wall of said space, such as along the top or bottom edge of a baseboard of the wall;
a second linear illuminator section that is positioned in a generally vertical orientation along said wall in a location adjacent said portal in said planned emergency egress path;
at least one energizer for energizing said first and second illuminator sections, said energizer(s) being associated with said sections in a manner that causes said sections to illuminate when said energizer(s) is actuated;
said energizer(s) being actuated in response to a signal such as an electrical, electromagnetic or audible signal that is present when emergency conditions are detected by a detector such as a fire detector, smoke detector, carbon dioxide detector, or radon gas detector;
a length of said first linear illuminator section being adapted and positioned to provide illumination along a line leading generally toward said second linear illuminator section;
said first linear illuminator section comprising an intertwined combination of a plurality of linear illuminator strands, such as a twisted, braided or woven combination; and
said first section being capable of leading evacuees toward said second section when said first section is energized to provide illumination.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method that helps evacuees exit a residential structure in the event of an emergency such as a fire, earthquake, security breach or the like, by providing emergency illumination around the periphery of an exit door and/or an alternative safe exit portal together with floor/ground level illumination along the path to the portal, and by providing an audible tone or voice recording to guide occupants to the exit portal. Various forms of linear illuminators parallel to and near the floor of an interior room or hallway provide the floor-level identification and illumination of the exit route to be used in the event of emergency, with some linear illuminators having directional aspects along hallways to lead evacuees toward an exit, and other illuminators outlining the perimeter of portals that are safe to exit through, the illuminators normally being hardly noticeable but having controllers and energizers to light up the planned exit route when emergency conditions are detected.
26 Citations
8 Claims
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1. A system for enabling visual orientation and providing illumination to evacuees of a residential structure with portals such as doorways and windows in the event of an emergency requiring evacuation of said structure, where there is a planned path of safe emergency egress from an interior space such as a room or hallway of said structure and said path passes through a portal such as an interior or exterior doorway or window of said structure, said system comprising:
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a first linear illuminator section positioned along a wall of said interior space in an orientation that is generally parallel to a floor of said space and that is generally near and along the base of a wall of said space, such as along the top or bottom edge of a baseboard of the wall; a second linear illuminator section that is positioned in a generally vertical orientation along said wall in a location adjacent said portal in said planned emergency egress path; at least one energizer for energizing said first and second illuminator sections, said energizer(s) being associated with said sections in a manner that causes said sections to illuminate when said energizer(s) is actuated; said energizer(s) being actuated in response to a signal such as an electrical, electromagnetic or audible signal that is present when emergency conditions are detected by a detector such as a fire detector, smoke detector, carbon dioxide detector, or radon gas detector; a length of said first linear illuminator section being adapted and positioned to provide illumination along a line leading generally toward said second linear illuminator section; said first linear illuminator section comprising an intertwined combination of a plurality of linear illuminator strands, such as a twisted, braided or woven combination; and said first section being capable of leading evacuees toward said second section when said first section is energized to provide illumination. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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Specification