Illumination – With fluid distributer
Reexamination Certificate
2000-09-14
2001-11-27
Sember, Thomas M. (Department: 2875)
Illumination
With fluid distributer
C362S486000, C362S542000, C362S234000, C362S259000, C340S321000, C340S332000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06322230
ABSTRACT:
The present invention concerns the lighting sector and in particular it concerns the temporary and/or emergency lighting of wide outdoor spaces.
Sometimes it is necessary to light wide open spaces even in emergency situations, like blackouts, road accidents, first aid operations, emergency works, natural disasters that occur during the night, when visibility is scarce or there is no visibility at all. In this cases, the operations aimed at supplying or restoring good lighting and visibility conditions take a lot of time, since it is necessary to make use of power units and structures that require the presence of several operators and sophisticated equipment. To illuminate wide spaces, in fact, it is necessary to use powerful light sources that consequently must be positioned at suitable heights, in order to obtain effective lighting and to avoid dazzling the persons that must work in the lit area and limiting their efficiency.
In order to place the light source at suitable height, metal structures ending with a lamp socket are generally used. The transport and installation of these structures require the use of complex and heavy mechanisms, besides transport means that sometimes must be specifically studied for this purpose.
It is also important to consider that the emergency situations occurring at night are difficult to face and further organizational problems may arise if appropriate visibility is not guaranteed immediately.
Practically, every time there is a night emergency, it is also necessary to signal particularly dangerous conditions immediately: closed road, road accident, road block, etc. In these cases the signalling lights used are those installed on the service cars, or otherwise signs positioned on the road surface are used, even if these are not provided with lighting devices. It is therefore important to have a clearly visible light signal, positioned at suitable height and in the colours prescribed by the regulations in force regarding signals.
Finally, if it is necessary to look for persons or objects and visibility is insufficient, electric torches, lamps or similar equipment are generally used. However, these lighting devices present the drawback that the beam they send out is rather limited. In most cases, instead, it is fundamental to have a wide beam, covering all directions, and at the same time a tool that must not be an hindrance for the operator due to its size and weight. Besides unexpected circumstances or dangerous situations in which emergency operations with scarce visibility are required, there is often the need to light up wide spaces for limited lapses of time by means of structures that must be installed and removed very quickly. For example, the use of temporary lighting systems is required for fairs, exhibitions, gardens, etc., both in public and private areas, indoors and outdoors. In these cases overhead lines are used, positioning them on preexisting structures (posts, trees, etc.) or on removable structures constituted by modular systems that in most cases are rather unpleasant to look at. All this requires the presence of specialized personnel and rather long installation and removal times.
In situations like these it would be useful to have a lighting system that does not require the use of said overhead lines: this system should be provided with its own bearing structure, be easy to install even for unskilled personnel and have pleasant aesthetical features in harmony with the environment and the circumstances in which it must be used.
In order to solve all the above mentioned problems, a device has been designed and implemented, which is capable of positioning a light source at considerable height, portable, light and rather small, easy to install and to remove even in critical situations without the use of metal support structures.
The new emergency lighting system comprises, in its main parts, a bearing structure to support the light source, a support base for the bearing structure, a container suitable for housing the base and the bearing structure and for guaranteeing easy transport and an air blowing system for the introduction of air inside the bearing structure.
The bearing structure is preferably constituted by one or more cylinders and/or cones made of fabric or flexible plastic material, ending with a spherical, circular or another shape and whose inside is provided with reflecting surfaces and shape directing and changing systems, said cylinders/cones contain a light source, preferably consisting of a lamp directly positioned inside the cylinder/cone itself, and the bearing structure is provided with elements and devices suitable for inflating it through the constant blowing of pressurized air inside it.
The bearing structure is made of synthetic fabric or heat-sealed plastic material that forms several superimposed cylinders. The material of which the several superimposed cylinders are made is opaque and/or antidazzle, or if necessary coloured, though maintaining suitable transparency, and has original and pleasant aesthetic features.
The various heat-sealed or sewn parts of the bearing structure are watertight thanks to the application of insulating plastic substances or safety heat-seals.
A progressive pressurized air blowing system is provided for the inflation of the structure, in such a way as to ensure its vertical development and the preservation of the acquired shape even in case of wind.
In order to permit the progressive inflation of the bearing structure and its vertical development since the beginning of the air introduction phase, partitions or sections (discs) sealed onto the outer circumference of the bearing structure and provided with holes are positioned inside the structure. The bearing structure is thus divided in different sections corresponding to the each cylinder, whose final circular surfaces for the connection with the other sections are provided with holes. In the bearing structure inflation phase this ensures the creation of a pressure difference between the first section and the successive one. In this way the inflation of the bearing structure is obtained progressively, section after section, together with the vertical development of the structure itself. Said inner sections are made of transparent material, so that the inner diffusion of light is not hindered and the whole bearing structure has the necessary luminosity.
If it is necessary to limit the dispersion of light upwards and to optimize the efficiency of the system, the top of the bearing structure, in correspondence with and around the light source, can be provided with a reflecting surface made of synthetic material.
One or more ducted fans that take air from the outside and convey it inside the structure itself are positioned on the lower end of the bearing structure. The air outlet vents are provided with an unidirectional membrane valve, so that if the fan stops the air contained in the structure will not escape. Furthermore, one or more bleed valves are positioned on the side surface of the bearing structure and near the base and can be operated manually to deflate the structure and fold it.
The bearing structure can be provided with additional coloured surfaces that limit the intensity of the light and permit the use of different colours or the application of signals according to the operator's needs.
The light source is positioned internally at the top of the cylinder constituting the bearing structure.
The light source consists of one or more incandescent, halogen or variable power discharge lamps, at low or high voltage, applied to a suitable support.
The light source is protected, during the operating phase, by a suitable cage guard that insulates it from any accidental contact with the fabric of the bearing structure. If it is not used, it can be manually stored into the appropriate container.
When it is necessary to obtain a “revolving light” effect, the bearing structure can be provided with a rotation system to be positioned on its top, near the light source. This rotation system is obtained either with the ro
DelGizzi Ronald E.
Dowell & Dowell , P.C.
Sember Thomas M.
LandOfFree
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