Communications: electrical – Condition responsive indicating system – Specific condition
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-14
2001-04-24
Wu, Daniel J. (Department: 2632)
Communications: electrical
Condition responsive indicating system
Specific condition
C340S577000, C340S584000, C340S691400
Reexamination Certificate
active
06222455
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a smoke detector for use in protecting occupants of a building and, more particularly, to a smoke detector signal light device which when activated will show the location of a door knob to the occupant of a room or, more particularly, to the location of an occupied room through a window to fire or rescue personnel on the outside.
Smoke detectors are most commonly operatively connected to an audible alarm to provide a signal of smoke and/or a fire to the occupants of a building. It is also known to operatively connect a light to a smoke alarm. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,148,023 and 4,717,910 disclose smoke detectors that include built-in emergency lights, as well as the usual audible alarm. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,227,191, 4,258,291, 4,489,308 and 5,140,301 all describe smoke alarm-activated lights which illuminate or show the location of a door to the occupant of a building. Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 5,886,637 discloses a smoke detector built into the upper edge of a door that includes a signal light and an audible alarm.
None of the foregoing patents, however, disclose or suggest the use of a smoke alarm and signal light in direct association with a door knob or similar door operator to pinpoint the location thereof to an occupant.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,177,461 describes a window-mounted signal light that can be observed from outside the building that is activated by a smoke detector including an audible alarm housed in a conventional ceiling-mounted unit separate from the lighted signaled device. U.S. Pat. No. 4,612,535 describes an outdoor audible alarm that is activated by a separate indoor smoke detector. U.S. Pat. No. 5,745,040 describes an exterior audible and visible signaling device that is activated by a smoke alarm inside the building.
The foregoing prior art, however, does not show or suggest a unitary smoke detector and lighted signal device that can be attached to a window to provide a lighted indication of the presence of a building occupant to fire or rescue personnel on the outside.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, a unitary smoke detector and signal light device is attachable to or directly adjacent a door knob or a window of a room to provide a lighted signal showing the location of the door knob or to display through the window to the exterior of the building a signal light indicative of room occupancy.
In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a unitary smoke detector and signal device is particularly adapted to use on in direct association with a manual operator for a door. This device includes a housing that is mounted on the door operator, the housing having mounted therein an interconnected array of components that include a smoke responsive transducer, a replaceable electric power source, a signal light, and an electric circuit device that operatively interconnects the components of the array. The signal light is particularly adapted to provide an occupant of the building with a visual indication of the exact location of the door.
In one embodiment, a door knob comprises the housing for the device. The door knob includes a removable cover that provides access to the array of components therein. Preferably, the cover is centered on the outer face of the knob and the signal light is mounted in the cover.
In another embodiment, for use of a door operator that includes a cover plate, the housing comprises an annular body having an open interior lined by a radial mounting flange and the flange is dimensioned to be captured behind the cover plate to secure the device in plate. The mounting flange may comprise a continuous annular flange or a plurality of circumferentially spaced tabs.
In any of the foregoing embodiments, the array of components may include an audible alarm. For use with a door operator comprising a conventional door knob or latch-type handle, the housing may include an open attachment ring permitting the housing to be removably hung from the door knob.
In accordance with another embodiment, the smoke detector and signal device is especially adapted for demountable attachment to either a door knob or to a window of a room. The device includes a housing having mounted therein an interconnected array of components, including a smoke responsive transducer, an electric power source, a signal light, and an electronic circuit that operatively interconnects the array of components. Means are provided for demountably attaching the housing to either of the window for displaying the signal light therethrough or the door knob for lighted signaling of the location thereon. The attaching means preferably comprises a hanger attached to the housing for suspending the device from the door knob. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the housing includes a flat enclosing wall and the hanger comprises a flat hanger strip that extends from and is generally coplanar with the flat enclosing wall. The hanger strip includes an aperture to receive the door knob and may also include a mounting face to which is applied an exposable adhesive surface layer for attachment to a window or other surface.
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Andrus Sceales, Starke & Sawall
Wu Daniel J.
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