Emergency lighting apparatus and systems
US4486689A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 18, 1983 |
| Grant date | Dec 4, 1984 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 18, 2003 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH05B41/46
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An emergency lighting unit having physical dimensions and electrical and electronic components and circuitry such that it can be directly substituted for a conventional hot cathode type fluorescent lamp in a conventional fluorescent lamp fixture which incorporates a rapid start type ballast. The emergency lighting unit comprises a direct current power supply in the form of rechargeable batteries, a light source in the form of one or more groups of low voltage high intensity miniature lamps, and electronic circuitry and components utilizing power supplied by the rapid start ballast for charging the batteries, monitoring their condition and reacting accordingly, and detecting the state of the normal alternating current power source and reacting accordingly. In a preferred embodiment, the emergency lighting unit utilizes pulses to detect the emergency or "FAIL" state of the system power. The pulses are supplied by a unique pulser unit which is designed to be directly substituted for a standard wall switch.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.