WO2001095692A9

WO2001095692A9 - Contact adapter with night/emergency light

Info

Publication number: WO2001095692A9
Application number: PCT/NO2001/000246
Authority: WO
Inventors: Tom Oe Haugen
Original assignee: Caretaker As; Tom Oe Haugen
Priority date: 2000-06-15
Filing date: 2001-06-12
Publication date: 2003-01-23
Also published as: WO2001095692A2; NO20003088D0; AU2001282687A1; WO2001095692A3; NO20003088L; NO314374B1

Abstract

Contact adapter with emergency/night light having a cover/house with plugs for connecting in an existing socket comprising a front face with an emergency light (2'), a rechargeable battery (4), a battery charging unit (3) driven by the net, an electronic switch unit for connecting the emergency light to the battery by power supply fault or in emergency situations, at least one outlet (7) provided in the front plate. The house provides the cover for the existing socket and has means for permanent fasting to said socket. A night light (2') is provided in a part of the house that is protruding from the remaining front faces of the device so that it a slit (11) is formed between said part of the house and the house for radiation of the night light.

Description

CONTACT ADAPTER WITH NIGHT/EMERGENCY LIGHT

Present invention relates contact adapter with emergency/night light according to the preamble of claim 1

In hotels, cabins, and bedroom in homes is it often desirable to have a night-light in order to orientate oneself without disturbing a possible partner, who is staying in the same room by possible necessary movement in the room, e.g. a toilet visit. Further is it in emergency situations often necessary to provide an extra light in order to orientate and calm down people who are passengers onboard ships, guests in hotels or in their own private homes. In emergency situations is it often necessary to provide an extra light, which is turned on in such a situation when the power supply is falling out, which very often is the case in emergency situations, e.g. fire, why it is desirable that the emergency light has a separate power supply. A common night lightning will usually not be sufficient for this purpose as a night lightning is only for a weakly orienting light, which will not be sufficient in an emergency situation as it easy will come to panic by too weakly lights.

It is earlier known night lights, which can be plugged into an existing socket, and which often are used in connection with children who do not like sleeping in the dark.. A drawback with these lights are that- they are not secured, but can easily be removed unintentionally, for example in that someone by accident bumbs into the lights. The night light also occupies a outlet with the result that there are fewer outlets available in the room for other purposes.

It is further known emergency lights, from for example GB 2 255 242, which is made as a removable socket adapter or an electric socket plug. The emergency lighting comprises a socket part and a lighting part with a rechargeable battery circuit and a rechargeable Ni-Ca-battery and a light bulb. The emergency lighting may further comprise a time switch or a light sensor to switch off or on the light when it is day or night respectively. Emergency lights may also be connected to the fire alarm. Further, GB 2204 944 describes an emergency lighting similar to the one described above, but with at least one light bulb, at least one on/off switch, two rechargeable Ni- Ca-batteries and one battery circuit.

A night light device is also described in US 4 001 803 where emergency lights and night light are provided in the same unit.

All these earlier known devices have the drawback that they are not secured permanently to the wall and that they may occupy an electric outlet or must be mounted separately, which requires extra installation by authorized persons. In addition these known devices are based on incandescent bulbs with high electric current consummation and with batteries of short durability/small capacity.

The known devices have, however, no good illumination effect, as the light is either connected to indications of escape routes or can work as a flashlight when it is removed from the socket. The lights can therefore easily be removed from the room, and may not found in an emergency situation.

The purpose of the present innovation is to avoid the above-mentioned drawbacks and at the same time provide an operational reliability arrangement, which will always be found at its location when it is needed.

This is provided by means of a device described in the introduction of the description, the characteristics of which are apparent from Claim 1. Further features of the present invention are apparent from the remaining, dependent Claims.

In the following the invention will be described with reference to the drawings where:

Fig. 1 shows an embodiment in profile in accordance with the 110-voltage power supply sockets.

Fig. 2 shows the embodiment shown in fig. 1 seen from the front. Fig. 3 shows a detail of the device. Fig. 4 shows an embodiment in profile in accordance with the 220-voltage power supply sockets. Fig. S shows the embodiment of fig. 4 seen from the front. Fig. ζ> shows a detail of the illumination part of the embodiment shown in fig. 4.

Fig. 1 shows an emergency/night illumination device according to the invention for use in connection with a 110-voltage power supply system of the art common in USA and partly on ships. The device shown in fig. 1 is intended to be used together with a socket, the device being provided with plugs 5 and 6 for providing in existing sockets after that the cover respectively house of the socket has been removed such that the device forms the cover respectively the house of the socket. In the front face of the device is provided an openings for inserting of a screw in order to secure the device to an existing socket by means of the securing means of the cover respectively house. In this way the device is permanently secured to the socket.

In the interior of the device is provided a coupling part 15, fig. 3, having coupling part 13 connected to the plugs 5, 6 and which is connected with the socket 7, shown in fig. 2, provided on the front cover of the device. In the interior of the device is provided space for a rechargeable battery 4 connected with an electronic charging unit 3 on the circuit card 14. On the circuit card 14 is provided terminals, shown with the reference numbers 1-6, for lightning means e.g. high intensive lightning diodes 2 2". Fig. 1 shows two lightning diodes 2', 2", the first lightning diode 2" being an emergency light and the second lightning diode 2' being night light. In its upwards pointing direction is the device provided with a reflector 1' in order to reflect light from the lightning diode 2' against the floor through a slit 11 in the device. In this way is formed a night lightning which do not illuminate the room but provides a weak light along the floor of the room and which is sufficient for orientations in the room. The emergency light 2" and the night-light may be separated by a partition wall 18.

The slit 11 is formed in that the upper part of the device with the reflector 1' is formed extended from the remaining front faces of the device. The slit 11 may be covered of a transparent material. The emergency light is formed in that a light diode 2" radiate light direct from the light diode and reflected light from a reflector 1" provided inclined under the light diode 2" such that light is radiated into the room through a larger opemng 12 in the front face of the device. A clear material or the like as a light transparent material may cover the opening 12. The light will not only radiate directly into the room but also upwards due to the reflector 1". In this way the room will be strongly illuminated and/or illuminate an evacuation plan.

The device may be provided with a switch 9 in need of shutting on/off the night-light.

The night light 2" is connected via an electronic switch to the rechargeable battery 4. The electronic switch is provided to switch the light on in per se known way when the electric power supply is falling down or is activated via an emergency signal from a central emergency central using e.g. power supply net as a transfer path.

The device may further on its front face be provided with a test switch for testing the condition of the battery and/or the function of the emergency light.

Fig. 5 - fig. 6 shows an embodiment according to the invention for use by a 220-voltage socket of the art that is mostly common in Norway. The cover of the socket is removed as mentioned above and the device thus forms the cover and is plugged into the socket which socket is still fastened to the wall after the cover is removed. The fastening means for the securing of the device to the socket is differing from the type of sockets, i.e. the different sockets are not standardized as by 110- voltage sockets, but depending of the producer's solutions. It is therefore appropriate to provide the devices with separate openings in e.g. the corners to securing to the wall beside the socket in order to avoid great stocks of different type of devices with fastening opening for different types of sockets. The electric embodiment in respect of the plug outlets, test switch, and on/off switch for the night-light may be the same as for the 110-voltage embodiment. The front face is, however, shown with only one outlet, but it will of course be possible to provide a plurality of outlets if needed. By the embodiment shown in fig. 4 - fig.6 is, however, used other light sources than the ones shown in fig. 1 and with an extra plate 19 is provided in the front of the night light in order to give a diffuse radiation. The illumination part, in the embodiment shown in fig. 6, is an example with a common low voltage light bulb 19 for night-light and with a high intensity light diode 17 for the emergency light. Of course may any form of light sources be used which is sufficient in respect of the demands of light intensity and duration/capacity in respect of the battery. This is of course the case regardless if the socket is for 110-voltage or 220- voltage. The chamber with light sources has a non-light-transparent partition wall 18' dividing the chamber in a night light chamber and an emergency chamber. A light transparent sheet, e.g. a dim white plastic sheet, covers the both chambers. Further, a sheet with thin phosphorus layer covers the night light chamber, or the part of said dim sheet of plastic, which cover the night light chamber, having applied a thin phosphorus layer. The night light part is formed in this way in order to function as a weak marking light as long as normal power supply is provided, and the night light is used only in the normal condition, no emergency condition, such that the contours are visible without any other light turned on. The emergency light is function as by the earlier described embodiment. The partition wall 18' may further be provided on the face, which is faced against the emergency light chamber with a reflecting layer such that it is made sure a further increase of the luminous efficiency from the emergency light.

The device may be provided with external dimension which is larger than all known types o£ sockets such that the same device may be used by all types of sockets.

In that the device is performed as plugable units may anyone without authorization or special knowledge do the mounting and installation.

Claims

P a t e n t C 1 a i m s

1. Contact adapter with emergency/night light having a cover/house with plugs for connecting in an existing socket comprising a front face with a emergency light (2"), a rechargeable battery (4), a battery charging unit (3) driven by the net, an electronic switch unit for connecting the emergency light to the battery by power supply fault or in emergency situations, at least one outlet (7) provided in the front plate, characterized in that the house provides the cover for the existing socket and have means for permanent fasting to said socket , and that a night light (2') is provided in a part of the house that is protruding from the remaining front faces of the device so that it a slit (11) is formed between said part of the house and the house for radiation of the night light.

2.

Contact adapter according to claim 1, characterized in that that the slit (11) is preferably covered by a plate of a light transparent material.

3. Contact adapter according to claim 1 and/or 2, characterized in that a reflector (1") is provided inclined under the light diode (2") for the emergency light such that light direct from the light diode and reflected light is radiated into the room through a larger opening (12) in the front face of the device, preferable a dear material or the like as a light transparent material covering the opening (12).

4.

Contact adapter according to claim 1 - 3, characterized in that light sources (2?, 2"; 16, 17) for night light and emergency light is provided in a chamber in the device beneath the front face of the device with a partition wall (18, 18') between the light sources (2', 2";16, 17).

5.

Contact adapter according to claim 1 - 4, characterized in that the plate that cover the slit (11) is coated with a phosphors layer.

6.

Contact adapter according to claim 1 - 5, characterized in that radiating faces (20) of the night light (17) is parallel to the front faces and inclined from the front faces against the wall whereby the light from the emergency light is radiated fan-shaped from the contact adapter and upwards to the ceiling.

7.

Contact adapter according to claim 1 - 6, characterized in that said fastening means are screws that fits with the fastening means of an existing cover of the socket.

Contact adapter with emergency/night light having a cover/house with plugs for connecting in an existing socket comprising a front face with a emergency light (2"), a rechargeable battery (4), a battery charging unit (3) driven by the net, an electronic switch unit for connecting the emergency light to the battery by power supply fault or in emergency situations, at least one outlet (7) provided in the front plate. The house provides the cover for the existing socket and has means for permanent fasting to said socket. A night light (2') is provided in a part of the house that is protruding from the remaining front faces of the device so that it a slit (11) is formed between said part of the house and the house for radiation of the night light.