IE56943B1 - Illuminated canopy ridge - Google Patents

Abstract

Illuminated canopy or roof ridge for petrol stations and the like, comprising a trough with electrical fluorescent tubes (5) partially covered by a bent structure (6), with reflecting screens (8) in oblique position in the rear, and a front side (2) of transparant weather-proof polyacrylate plastic covered with translucent coloured adhesive plastic lines or signs.

Description

The present invention relates to an illuminated canopy or shelter ridge to be used mainly for the forecourt of petrol stations, and suitable as an eave-lath constituting a mark of recognition by its illumination. Light beacons and illuminated troughs partly or entirely made of inorganic or organic transparent materials in supporting profiles are already known; such means are illuminated in a conventional way by a series of bulb lamps or by discharge tubes.

British Patent 1 269 638 discloses an illuminated display sign comprising a trough containing a fluorescent light tube mounted in a support. The known lamp is protected by a flat strip of translucent material which acts as a lightdiffusing element. Flat side wall parts are located to the rear of the lamp as integral parts, giving reflection of the light. The known trough is closed by a flat panel of a translucent acrylic material and a second front panel hinged or detachably secured to form a display surface.

There was a need for a distinguishable mark of recognition for the large ridges of the roofs of petrol stations.

For these reasons traffic authorities have issued regulations with which these installations should comply in regard to the light intensity, so as to make road traffic safe while nevertheless fulfilling their purpose.

Experiments have been carried out to investigate in which manner the canopy roof ridges of petrol stations and the like along highways could be illuminated efficiently and yet without hazard for traffic, and eventually a construc05 tion has been invented which complies with all obligatory requ i rements.

It has appeared in the course of the development that the conventional and usual canopy ridge illumination systems do not bring about an even illumination, that the colours and headings became non-uniform and ugly under the influence of the sun's raysB the electrical illumination, heat, rain and wind, and that the customary way of mounting fluorescent discharge tube lamps always gave rise to interferences and troubles as a result of the exposure to wind and weather, causing the dropping of parts of the illumination and glittering or flashing of the system in a very disturbing way, and that the energy consumption is usually too high.

The said disadvantages could be overcome by a construction of the canopy ridge and illumination system according to the present invention.

For an appropriate luminosity of the canopy ridge it is advantageous that energy consumption of the tubes will be selected depending on the colour desired, and since the energy consumed Is dependent on the tube length, a series of tubes of limited length is used in the system.

While in conventional systems 200 Watts per meter are used, the present system uses 40 Watts per meter.

The illuminated eave lath for use as a canopy ridge according to the present invention comprises a trough of rectangular cross-section, containing a co-axial series of cylindrical fluorescent tube lamps mounted in respective supports, each said lamp being protected only over the light emitting parts thereof by U-shaped covers clamped into said supports, said covers being of translucent material and closed at their contact endings, and at least one flat reflecting screen mounted obliquely at an angle of about 45° to the horizontal, to the rear of said lamps within said trough, said trough being closed by a front panel of a transparent plastics material to form a surface * as a mark of recognition.

The translucent material is preferably polycarbonate ' (Makrolon, registered trade mark of Bayer) which is sufficiently resistant to temperature changes and the effects of radiation.

The front panel of the trough is preferably a flat shield of weather-proof polymethyl methacrylate (Plexiglas, registered trademark of Rohm & Haas, or Perspex, registered trademark of I.C.I.).

The front face of the Illuminated trough can be provided with coloured sheets of translucent adhesive film, as a mark of recognition, having a matt surface.

The light intensity of coloured light depends on the colour or wavelength.

Yellow light for the present application yields illumination up to 350 Lux, but red light only to 35 Lux.

The reflecting screen preferably consists of several flat parts of smooth rectangular white material , such as white coated metal or impact-resistant plastics.

In accordance with the light intensities and luminosity the " screens shall be placed in an oblique position at about 45° to the horizontal so that normally there will be a higher j intensity at the lower side, but by positioning the screens & adjacently at an angle of 45* it is also possible to obtain the higher light intensity at higher, lower or central parts of the canopy ridge, if so desired.

It is of importance that the contact ends of the tubes which do not emit light are not covered by the said * U-shaped cover, which is protecting the light-emitting parts of the tubes. ,> In this manner an equal translucency over the entire length of the series of fluorescent tubes will be obtained in fact.

The construction according to the invention is further explained on the basis of the enclosed schematic drawings.

Of these drawings, figures 1-3 show vertical cross sections of canopy ridges according to the invention.

Figure 4 shows a horizontal section of the same construction .

Figure 5 shows a vertical section of the light source in the form as used according to the invention.

Figure 6 shows a horizontal section of the light source only.

The indicating numbers are identical in the drawings and represent the following: (1) is the support profile of the trough, (2) is the illuminated front plane, (3) is the bottom plane, (4) are the supports with fluorescent tube lamps {5), while (6) are the U-shaped covers which are separated at the spot (7) „ and (8) are the reflecting screens in the rear of the ) tubes* mounted in an oblique position at an angle of about 45" to the horizontal.

The trough may comprise either one or two levels of screen flats (8), either at the upper side or at the lower side or at both sides. Long term tests have shown that this canopy ridge illumination will not be dazzling and will remain visible at a fair distance, so that it is noticed in time by the fast traffic, and furthermore that the illumination remains even and is not prone to disturbances or glare.

As alternative embodiments, the fluorescent tube lamps (5) may be coloured as required, and the translucent U-shaped covers (6) may be translucently coloured as well, while the reflecting screens (8) may be made of plain coloured material in order to intensify the coloured light if so desired.

For special effects several fluorescent tube lamps (5) may be arranged parallel to each other in one trough while each of said tube lamps is backed with a reflecting screen part (8).

For example, blue light may be used to whiten parts of an illuminated sign.

In the same way certain selected areas of the U-shaped translucent covers (6) may constitute filters responsive to light of preselected wavelengths.

One of the most spectacular advantages of the system is the saving in costs because only about 1/5 of the electrical energy of conventional fluorescent tube illuminations is consumed .

The construction according to the invention is particularly appropriate for petrol stations but can also be a practical solution for shops, such as souvenir and stationery shops, bus stations, railway and air traffic offices, etcetera.

Claims (5)

Claims

1. An illuminated canopy ridge for use as an eave-lath comprising a trough of rectangular cross-section, containing a co-axial series of cylindrical fluorescent tube lamps 05 mounted in respective supports, each said lamp being protected only over the light-emitting parts thereof by U-shaped covers clamped into said supports, said covers being of translucent material and closed at their contact endings, and at least one flat reflecting screen mounted 10 obliquely at an angle of about 45° to the horizontal, to the rear of said lamps within said trough, said trough being closed by a front panel of a transparent plastics material to form a surface as a mark of recognition.

2. An illuminated canopy ridge according to claim 1, 15 characterized in that the translucent plastics material is polycarbonate.

3. An illuminated canopy ridge according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the front panel is made of a material selected from the group of weather-proof transparent 20 polyacrylate plastics.

4. An illuminated canopy ridge according to claim 1, 2 or 3 characterized In that the front panel is provided with coloured sheets having a matt surface.

5. An illuminated canopy ridge substantially as herein described with reference to or as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.