Illuminated door handle assembly

• US 5,581,230 A
• Filed: 01/05/1995
• Issued: 12/03/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Robert R. Barrett
• Original Assignee: Amerisafe Corporation
• Inventors: Barrett, Robert R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pope, Daryl C.
• Application Number:
  US08/369,115
• Time in Patent Office: 698 Days
• Field of Search: 340/332, 340/431, 340/434, 340/468, 340/472, 362/32, 362/100, 362/80, 116/202
• US Class Current: 340/332
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/36 using visible light sources

Abstract

An illuminated door handle assembly includes a door handle seamed to a door at a defined location and moveable between latching and unlatching positions, a signal generator for transforming energy into a signal and an energy receiver in communication with the signal generator for receiving the signal therefrom and conducting the signal to the door handle such that the signal is emitted from the door handle to indicate the location thereof.

Claims

1. An illuminated door handle assembly for latching and unlatching a door having a predetermined width, said illuminated door handle assembly comprising:

a door handle secured to the door at a defined location and moveable between latching and unlatching positions, said door handle having a handle portion extending across a majority of the predetermined width of the door;

a signal generator for transforming energy into a signal; and

an energy receiver in communication with said signal generator for receiving the signal from said signal generator and conducting the signal to said door handle such that the signal is emitted out from said door handle along all of said handle portion to indicate said defined location of said door handle.

2. An illuminated door handle assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said signal generator is a light emitting source for emitting light at said defined location.

3. An illuminated door handle assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said energy receiver is a fiber optic cable.

4. An illuminated door handle assembly as set forth in claim 1 including an auxiliary power supply electrically connected to said signal generator to create auxiliary energy usable by said signal generator.

5. An illuminated door handle assembly as set forth in claim 4 including a hinged electrical connection for connecting said signal generator with said auxiliary power supply.

6. An illuminated door handle assembly for latching and unlatching a door having a predetermined width, said illuminated door handle assembly comprising:

a door handle secured to the door at a defined location and moveable between latching and unlatching positions, said door handle extending across a majority of the predetermined width of the door;

a signal generator for transforming energy into a signal; and

an electrical conductor in communication with said signal generator for receiving the signal therefrom and conducting the signal to said door handle such that the signal is emitted out radially and axially along said door handle to indicate said defined location of said door handle.

7. An illuminated door handle assembly for latching and unlatching a door having a predetermined width, said illuminated door handle assembly comprising:

a door handle secured to the door at a defined location and movable between latching and unlatching position, said door handle defining a handle portion extending across a majority of the predetermined width of the door, said handle portion being fabricated from a light transmitting material;

a light emitting source for emitting light; and

an energy receiver in communication with said light emitting source for receiving the emitted light therefrom and conducting the emitted light to said handle portion such that the emitted light is emitted out from said handle portion along said handle portion to indicate said defined location of said door handle.

8. An illuminated door handle assembly for latching and unlatching a door having a predetermined width, said illuminated door handle assembly comprising:

a door handle secured to the door at a defined location and moveable between latching and unlatching position, said door handle having a handle portion extending across a majority of the predetermined width of the door;

a light emitting source for transforming energy into a signal; and

a fiber optic cable in communication with said light emitting source for receiving the signal from the light emitting source and conducting the signal to said door handle such that said signal is emitted out from said door handle along all of said handle portion to indicate the defined location thereof.

9. An illuminated door handle assembly for latching and unlatching a door having a predetermined width, said illuminated door handle assembly comprising:

a door handle secured to the door at a defined location and movable between latching and unlatching positions, said door handle including a handle portion fabricated from a light transmitting material and extending across a majority of the predetermined width of the door;

a light emitting source for transforming energy into a signal; and

a fiber optic cable in communication with said light emitting source for receiving the signal from said light emitting source and conducting the signal to said handle portion such that the signal is emitted out from said handle portion radially and axially along all of said handle portion to indicate said defined location thereof.

10. An illuminated door handle assembly for latching and unlatching a door having a predetermined width, said illuminated door handle assembly comprising:

a door handle secured to the door at a defined location and movable between latching and unlatching positions, said door handle having a handle portion extending across a majority of the predetermined width of the door;

a light emitting source for transforming energy into a signal;

a fiber optic cable in communication with said light emitting source for receiving the signal from said light emitting source and conducting the signal to said door handle such that the signal is emitted out from said door handle radially and axially along all of said handle portion to indicate said defined location of said door handle; and

an auxiliary power supply electrically connected to said light emitting source to create auxiliary energy usable by said light emitting source.

11. An illuminated door handle assembly for latching and unlatching a door having a predetermined width, said illuminated door handle assembly comprising:

a door handle secured to the door at a defined location and movable between latching and unlatching positions, said door handle including a handle portion extending across a majority of the predetermined width of the door;

a light emitting source for transforming energy into a signal;

a fiber optic cable in communication with said light emitting source for receiving the signal from said light emitting source and conducting the signal to said door handle such that the signal is emitted out from said door handle radially and axially along all of said handle portion to indicate said defined location thereof;

an auxiliary power supply electrically connected to said light emitting source to create auxiliary energy usable by said light emitting source; and

a hinged electrical connection for connecting said light emitting source with said auxiliary power supply.

12. An illuminated door handle assembly for latching and unlatching a door having a predetermined width, said illuminated door handle assembly comprising:

a door handle secured to the door at a defined location and movable between latching and unlatching positions;

a signal generator for transforming energy into a signal; and

an energy receiver in communication with said signal generator for receiving the signal from said signal generator and conducting the signal to said door handle, said energy receiver including an outer surface such that a portion of said outer surface provides losses of the signal to allow said door handle to glow along a length thereof.