OSLAND, Bjorn (Brurarleitet 3, Ytre Arna, n-5265, NO)
CLAIMS
1. System for help with evacuation from an area which is exposed to smoke or gas because of a fire or release of gas, comprising a stationary part (16) and at least one removable part (14), where the stationary part (16) is a charging and holding unit comprising a control unit (12) to control all functions and communication, and the removable part (14) is an escape unit equipped with at least one detector (24) for smoke and gas, alarms in the form of light (22) and/or sound (28), an escape mask packed in a container, and also possible lights for evacuation and working light for putting on the escape mask, characterised in that the escape unit (14) is arranged to give out a signal to a person who enters the location for the first time, to make the person aware that the location is equipped with escape equipment and for the new person to be able to see information relating to the equipment, and that the escape unit is further arranged to receive an acknowledgement from the new person that this information has been received.
2. System according to claim 1, characterised in that the stationary part (16) is a signal distribution rail connected to the control unit (12), and that several escape units (14), each completely equipped, are arranged to the signal distribution rail.
3. System according to claim 1 , characterised in that the escape unit (14) is arranged to warn in the form of a loud and clear light signal and/or sound signal (22,28), based on detection in the internal detector (24), or an alarm signal received from another alarm system sent to the unit (14).
4. System according to claim 1, characterised in that the escape unit (14) in a standby mode is placed and charged in the stationary part (16), and in an evacuation because of a detection by the detector (24), or alarm signal sent from another alarm system, is arranged to be released from the stationary part (16) and to be brought along during the evacuation.
5. System according to claim 1, characterised in that the light alarms (22) of the escape unit (14) have different colours dependent on which alarm has been set off.
6. System according to claim 1 , characterised in that the escape unit (14) comprises an information tableau, such as an LCD display, which informs the person where in the location smoke or gas is detected, and also information about the escape equipment itself.
7. System according to claim 1, characterised in that the escape unit (14) comprises a positioning unit which on a mounted LCD display is arranged to show at least one of: information about where the person finds himself; where in the location smoke or gas is detected; and possibly which escape route will be the most appropriate to use.
8. System according to claim 1 , characterised in that the escape unit (14) comprises an emergency beacon which is activated by an alarm so that rescue personnel can search and find people who have not got out on their own accord.
9. System according to claim 1, characterised in that the stationary part (16) with a number of escape units (14) is arranged at the place of entry for fire ladders, fire extinguishing apparatus, fire hoses, escape masks and/or first aid equipment and other medical emergency equipment.
10. System according to claim 1 , characterised in that the escape unit (14), via the control unit (12) is arranged to communicate with a central system that gives the escape unit (14) information about when it shall activate the signal that makes the newly-arrived person aware of the escape equipment.
11. System according to claim 1 , characterised in that it comprises sensors that detect when people leave a room, thereafter to activate the information signal.
12. System according to claim 1 , characterised in that it is equipped to communicate with transmitter chips arranged on the survival suit of the people, room key and other equipment.
13. System according to claim 1, characterised in that the control unit (12) is arranged to communicate with a wireless sender (10), where the wireless sender (10) is mounted adjoining an existing warning installation to catch sound signals or light signals which the existing warning unit sends out.
14. System according to claim 1 , characterised in that the escape unit (14) comprises an internal battery.
15. Method to make a user aware of an escape unit (14) for evacuation from an area which is exposed to smoke or gas due to a fire or a release of gas, in which the escape unit (14) is placed in a room and is connected to a central warning system, characterised by registering that a new person enters a location, sending a welcome message to a display on the escape unit (14), which then sends out a sound signal or light signal, receiving an acknowledgement from a person that the message is read, and sending a reply back to a central in the warning system.
16. Method to make a user aware of an escape unit (14) for evacuation from an area which is exposed to smoke or gas due to a fire or release of gas, in which the escape unit (14) is placed in a room and is connected to a central warning system, characterised by sending a welcome message to a display of an escape unit (14), regularly or at fixed intervals, which sends out a sound signal or a light signal, and receiving an acknowledgement from a person that the message is read. |
Evacuation system and method
The present invention relates to a system to help with evacuation from an area that is exposed to smoke or gas due to a fire or release of gas, comprising a stationary part and at least one removable part, where the stationary part is a charging and holding unit comprising a control unit to control all functions and communication and the removable part is an escape unit equipped with at least one detector for smoke and gas, alarms in the form of light and/or sound, an escape mask packed in a container, and also possible lights for evacuating and working lights to put on the escape mask. The invention also relates to a method to make the user aware of an escape unit for evacuation from an area which is exposed to smoke or gas due to a fire or release of gas, in which the escape unit is placed in a room and is connected to a central warning system.
Background of the invention
The unit which is described further in this document is a combined unit comprising of several parts which, in a combined system, shall form an escape unit which is used in a fire or gas release. This can be onboard boats, on offshore installations, in hospitals, hotels, military camps and on vessels, in private homes or other places.
In an actual fire or smoke alarm, experience shows that personnel rarely take the smoke mask/escape mask with them even if they have one in their rooms and it is announced that the fire or the detection is real.
There can be many reasons for this, among others:
• They have not seen the escape mask when they came to the installation and therefore do not know that it is in the cabin.
• They do not think about it when they try to get out, possibly due to stress.
• They have not been encouraged to take it with them when they arrive.
• They do not think of finding where the escape routes and protective equipment are because "it won't happen to me".
All experience shows that to be confident and behave confidently, one must emphasise safety. This means that one must be focused and keep revising both methods and routines with regard to safety all the time, because statistics show that the more observant a person is, the more confidently he/she
behaves. The more often they are reminded of a certain way to behave in a crisis situation or a certain type of equipment they shall use, the greater the possibility is that they really do what they have been trained to do and use the equipment they have been training with in a real crisis situation.
It is a fact that three out of four people that die in a fire, die because of smoke poisoning. With this as a basis the main features of a system are designed to provide the user with the following advantages in a fire, release of gas or another crisis situation where there will be a need to evacuate or use safety equipment.
The system will provide the user with the following advantages
• The person becomes aware of the presence of the equipment in advance, in calm surroundings before a possible crisis arises. As the user is made aware of the unit when he arrives at the location, and that the unit gives an alarm when the emergency situation arises, the person will automatically seek this and take it with him, because he was made aware of it a couple of hours or days in advance. Things that are repeated and stay refreshed in one's head are those things which one most often manages to carry out in a chaotic situation where it is often reflexes that guide us.
• There will be a warning with both light and sound at any alarm, something which will give less possibility for panic than if the person wakes up by the alarm going off in a dark room in the form of the unit switching on a flashing warning light and a permanent working light at an alarm. The person will then easier be able to make his way to the unit and get out. A fire is often due to a fault at an electric installation, something which will then lead to the building becoming dark.
• In that the person carries a light with him during the whole escape he will be able to get out easier, at the same time as he can more easily find others and possibly cooperate with them during the escape. The light can also make it simpler for the rescue personnel to find the people. One can, for example, further develop the equipment to include an emergency beacon. This shall be described further in the document.
• An escape mask will give the person fresh air for up to 20 minutes in a room filled with smoke.
Application areas
• Offshore installations
• Maritime passenger transport
• Maritime goods transport
• Hotels and other overnight stay facilities
• Defence camps and vessels • Boarding schools and university halls of residence
• Tenements and other larger dwelling complexes
• Public institutions, prisons, hospitals, asylum reception camps, orphanages
• War zones and other risk areas • Private homes
Communication can be carried out in many ways too.
• With a cable
• Via existing warning system • Via existing aerial network, telecommunication network and data network
• Wireless modulated signal input
• Via mobile communication (for example, to private houses in war zones and risk zones)
Prior art
Both gas masks and smoke masks, with storage boxes for these, have been designed previously, furthermore, a smoke mask with a light has also been described previously in patents, although of a completely different shape than what is presented in this patent application. Prior art is described in the following publications: US1610850A, US6526975B1 , US7028687B1 , WO2007005903A2.
US7028687B1 is regarded as the nearest lying technology, and describes an escape mask and a centralised system for rapid use of masks in an emergency situation. The problem is to ensure that everybody present at a location knows of the escape equipment and its use. One skilled in the arts will inform in writing or orally, possibly setting up posters or the like that indicate where the equipment is and how it is used. From a starting point of the closest technology, there is nothing that leads the person skilled in the arts to equip an escape unit according to the present invention with a solution where the unit emits a signal to a new person, and where the new person must acknowledge the information being received.
It is an object to provide a system with an escape unit and a method as described above.
Said objects are achieved with an escape unit as described in the independent claim 1 in that the escape unit is arranged to give a signal to a person that comes to the location for the first time to make the person aware that the location is equipped with escape equipment and for the new person to see information relating to the equipment, and that the escape unit is further arranged to receive an acknowledgement from the new person that the information has been received.
Alternative embodiments are described in the dependent claims 2-14.
The stationary part can be a signal distribution rail connected to the control unit and several escape units, each fully equipped, can be arranged to the signal distribution rail.
The escape unit can be arranged to emit an alarm in the form of a clear light signal and/or a loud sound signal based on a detection in the internal detector, or alarm signal received from another alarm system, sent to the unit. The escape unit, when in a state of readiness, is normally placed and charged in the stationary part, and during evacuation due to a detection by the detector or alarm signal sent from another alarm system, is arranged to be released from the stationary part and to be brought along in an evacuation.
The light alarms of the escape unit can have different colours dependent on which alarm has been activated. Furthermore, the escape unit can comprise an information tableau, such as an LCD display, which informs the person about where smoke or gas is detected in the location, and also information about the escape equipment itself.
The escape unit can comprise a positioning unit which, on a mounted LCD display, is arranged to show at least one of: information on where the person finds himself, where smoke or gas is detected in the location; and which escape route is the most appropriate to use.
The escape unit can comprise an emergency beacon that is activated by an alarm so that rescue personnel can take a bearing and find people who cannot make their way out on their own.
The stationary part with preferably a number of escape units can be arranged on places of entry for fire ladders, fire extinguishing apparatus and fire hoses, escape masks and/or first aid equipment and other medical emergency equipment.
The escape unit can, via the control unit, be arranged to communicate with a central system that gives the escape unit information about when it shall activate the signal that makes the newly arrived person aware of the escape equipment. The system according to the invention can comprise sensors that detect when people leave the room, to activate the information signal. Furthermore, the system can be equipped to communicate with transmission chips arranged on the survival suit of the person, room key or other equipment.
The control unit is preferably arranged to communicate with a wireless transmitter, where the wireless transmitter is mounted adjoining an existing warning installation to catch the sound signal or light signal which the existing warning unit sends out.
The escape unit can comprise an internal battery.
Said objects are also achieved in the respective method claims 15 and 16. The method, as given in claim 15, to make a user aware of an escape unit for evacuation from an area that is exposed to smoke or gas because of a fire or release of gas, in which the escape unit is placed in a room and is connected to a central warning system, is characterised by registering that a new person comes into a location; to send a welcome greeting to a display on the escape unit which then emits a sound signal or light signal; to receive an acknowledgement from the person that the message has been read; and to send a reply to a central in the warning system.
Alternatively, as described in claim 1fe^ a welcome message can be sent to a display on the escape unit, regularly or at certain intervals, such as emitting a sound signal or light signal, and to receive an acknowledgement from the person that the message has been read.
The invention shall now be described in more detail with the help of the enclosed figures, in which:
Figure 1 shows a principle diagram of the escape equipment according to the invention, fitted on a person.
Figure 2 shows the escape equipment mounted, for example, on a wall. Figure 3 shows the escape equipment packed into a container. Figure 4 shows a principle diagram for signal transmission. Figure 5 shows a flow diagram for communication between a central and an escape unit for information to newly arrived people.
Figure 6 shows a flow diagram for communication between a central and an escape unit at the warning of an external alarm.
Figure 7 shows a table for states of input signals to the escape unit. Figure 8 shows a flow diagram for transfers to the different states shown in figure 7.
The design of the system is shown in the figures, and the system is shown both in a state where the equipment is taken out and is in use, as shown in figure 1 , and where the equipment lies in a stationary holding and charging unit and is in rest mode, as shown in figure 2, while figure 3 shows the equipment with a belt after it has been taken out of the stationary part.
A preferred embodiment of the system comprises, in the main, four main components: A wireless interface module 10, a control unit 12 which controls and carries out all processes, a signal distribution rail 16 and one or more escape units 14 which are equipped with an escape mask and a light.
Thus, there is a stationary part 16 and, at least, one removable part 14. An escape mask lies preferably, for example, in a vacuum pack down in a mask container 26 in the removable part, and can be taken out of this in a situation where there is a need for it. The container can be sealed. Furthermore, the removable escape part 14 is equipped with a belt 20 onto which all the escape equipment is fitted and is lifted out from the stationary part 16 in a state of emergency situation, fastened around the waist or the chest, with, for example, a speed locking system and the person 18 is ready for evacuation (as shown in figure 1).
Inside the control unit 12, which constitutes a part of the stationary part 16, lie all electronics that control the unit and the external and internal communication. The external communication preferably comes via an interface 10 which can collect alarm signals from an existing installation. Communication and signals between the control unit 12 and the removable escape part 14 can take place via a signal distribution rail 16 to which the removable part is mounted. Furthermore, the signal distribution rail distributes voltage and alarm signals to the different escape units 14.
The escape unit is equipped with a front light that can be lit in an emergency situation and which can help the person in connection with the evacuation, which often will take place through darkened passages. The front light can be rotated so that the direction of light is adapted to the user.
In a display, information can come up when a new person comes into the area, for example, in the form of information about how the unit functions so that the person becomes aware of the presence of such a unit in the area. The display will also indicate, in connection with an alarm situation, for example, whether there is an external or internal alarm. With an external alarm, the display can indicate where in the area the alarm is set off.
The mask container 26 has a chamber where the escape mask itself lies, and in the removable escape part 14 lies a detector 24 that can be for smoke or gas, or both.
A light is lit if an alarm is triggered off and will give the user a working light so that he is able to take out the mask and put this on even if he is in a smoke- filled room. An alarm light 22 is lit if the alarm is set off and is there to warn the person about this so that he can start the evacuation. The detector 24 can, as mentioned, be both for gas and smoke and will activate the alarms if it detects the medium it is intended for (smoke/gas). A light source 28 can also be activated if an alarm is set off to warn the person about this so that he can start the evacuation.
The control unit 12 transmits the signal from the warning system central and also communicates with the software that activates the unit 14 to warn new people about the existence of the unit. Electricity to charge a battery also comes in here. This is the communication input for the unit and output to the
central warning system. The line voltage which is used to charge the battery comes in here. If a line voltage of 230V is used, this is rectified and transformed down to the normal operating voltage for electronic circuits, for example, 12 or 24 volts DC.
In the text below it will be described in more detail how the system can be built up with regard to components, logic and communication. There are many ways in which to build up such a system when it comes to components, placing of these in relation to each other, logic and communication.
Holding and charging unit with signal distribution rail.
This is the wall mounted and stationary part 16 which the escape equipment 14 is kept on. It has an input for electricity with a transformer and also the control unit 12 with a communication input that receives communication, for example, an external alarm signal, from a central fire warning system, and also communication that activates the system such that it warns newly arrived people about the presence of the unit. This communication can be carried out both wirelessly or with the help of a cable. One can then choose a solution where new cables to all the units shall be laid, or one can connect oneself into the existing network, both fire warning network, aerial network, data network or telecommunications network. It is also possible to design a solution where one sends an oscillating carrier wave in to the existing 230V installation and modulates the communication into this. The object is at least that the central system shall be able to send an alarm input with information to the unit about where the alarm has gone off, and also a warning signal to the newly-arrived people. This is received by the control unit 12 in the stationary part 16.
Belt
The escape equipment 14 is preferably mounted onto a belt 20 and the purpose of this is that the user 18 shall quickly be able to pull this with the attached equipment up from the holder at an alarm situation and put it around the waist and secure it with the speed lock. The effect of this is that the user 18 in the course of a couple of seconds after the alarm has gone, has put on the belt and can start the evacuation, independent of whether he wants to put on the mask at once or if he wants to wait with this until he comes to smoke-filled environments.
The escape unit
This can, for example, have four signal inputs:
• External alarm inputs from the central warning system of the installation.
• Activating signal to warn newly-arrived people.
• Internal alarm from the built-in smoke detector and/or gas detector that lies in the warning unit.
• Button(s) to reset the alarms and control of light.
The buttons are to be able to turn off the flashing light and also the sound as this can be disturbing in an escape situation. It is possible that the warning sound signal and light signal are triggered automatically as the user takes the unit out of the charger. In this case he is already warned and what he needs further are normal lights and the escape mask.
In the further description, it is chosen to design the equipment with a solution where the alarm lights are differentiated in relation to which alarm has been set off, external alarm signal or internal detection. The system can therefore have six different signal outputs, but it must be pointed out that this is a choice that is made to be able to illustrate the operating mode both with regard to component build-up and logic, and that it is therefore possible to design according to other choices, but where, in principle, the system is the same. A solution with the following signal outputs is shown as an example:
• A front light that lights up the room and provides light at evacuation.
• Flashing red light which indicates that an internal smoke detection (the detector) has been made. • Flashing yellow light which indicates that an external detection (in the installation) has been made.
• A sound signal which starts both at internal and external alarms.
• Working light for the escape mask that lies in its box and shines upward.
• An LCD display with information for both newly-arrived people and at an alarm.
The functions for when the different light signals and sound signals are set off are further described in the logic description where the different "Cause & Effects" are described. For those who are not familiar with this terminology, "Cause & Effects" describes causes and effects. That is which output action shall be taken for a given input action. The state of the system at the moment of action will also be a contributing factor.
As a main rule, one can say that at an external alarm input, the following are activated:
• The front light
• The flashing yellow warning light • The light in the storage box for the escape mask
• The sound signal
• The LCD display indicates where in the building or installation the fire alarm has been set off.
At an internal alarm input, the smoke detector of the equipment detects smoke and activates the following:
• The front light
• The flashing red warning light
• The light in the storage box for the escape mask • The sound signal
• The LCD display indicates that the alarm is internal, and also recommends with clear letters to put on the escape mask.
The switch, which in this example is an impulse switch, is used to reset the alarm so that the warning sound signal and light signal can be switched off, and also it is used to control the main light.
Figure 4 shows the design of the equipment and signal transmission. There can be many ways of designing this, so this is more of a principle diagram.
Principle diagram- Signal
When it comes to the signal path and how the electronic circuits shall be designed, this is not gone into in depth and no final choices have been made. In the main, these are relatively simple circuits consisting of the following components and are built-up using known technology:
• Transformer which converts the line voltage down to, for example, 12 or 24 volt direct current,
• A battery which should have a capacity of about one half hour
• A control unit which is built-up with the help of logic circuits, eprom or the like according to known technology
• Relay outputs for output signals and light sources for different purposes, as described.
• A sound source
• Communication units to communicate with the external warning system.
In this part the logic build-up itself is described, with regard to communication with the central unit, communication with the system that warns newly-arrived people, and also the internal logic in the unit. This description has as an aim to explain a solution considering the output effects the system shall deliver according to the input signals it has received; this is also in regard to the state the system was in before one got this action.
Communication between central and escape unit
The object of this is to make the user aware of its existence. The flow diagram in figure 5 shows the process that makes the user aware of the rescue unit and its application. The object with this is that every time a new user arrives at the location, it is hoped that he shall be aware that this equipment is available, and also its use. This can be a new worker on an offshore platform, a new sailor or passenger onboard a ship, a new military person or a new guest in a hotel.
The software for this can be integrated in the central warning system, or lie in its own system in connection to this and with an interface in towards this. For a hotel, this can be, for example, a part of the registration system of the hotel. Everybody who comes to a hotel has seen the welcome message on the TV with a welcome message in their own name. Can be integrated in toward this. The same can be done onboard vessels, oil platforms, military camps and other venues of the type which, by and large, require one form or another of registration of the personnel who live in different rooms. The system can then be built-up so that every time a new name is connected to a room, an activation signal is sent to the escape unit which ensures that the newly-arrived person is informed of the existence of the escape unit when he enters the room.
There are several other possibilities for how this can be carried out, for example: An activation chip which lies, for example, in the survival suit which the offshore personnel bring with them and which sends a signal that activates the escape unit when one comes into the room. Such an activation chip can also be arranged in the room key in, for example, ships, hotels and the like.
Another possibility is sensors in the cupboards, drawers and the like which register when, for example, the cupboard is emptied, to register when it is filled
up again, to send an activation signal to the escape unit which ensures that the newly-arrived person is informed of the existence of the escape unit.
It is also possible to have a fixed alarm, which, for example, is activated once daily where a person must acknowledge this every day.
Manual activation by, for example, the cleaning personnel (activated locally) or receptionist (activated centrally) is also a possibility, but in this solution there is a human factor which leads to it sometimes being forgotten.
Communication between central and escape unit The object of this is to warn with an alarm and indicate location. The flow diagram, shown in figure 6, shows the process which gets the central unit to send out both a warning signal and also information about where in the installation the alarm has been set off to the rescue unit. The methodology which is used to collect this information from the central of the installation and convert it into a language which the rescue unit 14 understands can be made in many ways. Technically, this is no problem and one uses here known technology where there are many solutions. There can be several different interfaces dependent on which system the installation has from before, or whether a completely new system is planned.
Logic in the escape unit
The system is as described previously defined with a total of four inputs, external alarm, internal alarm, activating signal for newly arrived persons and a switch function, respectively. Furthermore, six signal outputs are defined, Front light, flashing Red light, flashing Yellow light, sound signal, working light for the escape mask and LCD display, respectively. Furthermore, in the adapted "cause & effect" diagram shown in figure 7, one can see the different states which the unit can be in and how it enters new states dependent on which signals it gets in the input, and which state it was in prior to the arrival of the signal. Two of the six outputs which are mentioned are not included in the table as they follow as a consequence of one of the others. This concerns signal output for the display. This follows the signal output for yellow light or red light in the form of the position where the fire has been detected, whether it is external or internal, which is given on the display, and where the data information itself which is shown lies modulated as a unique signal. No decision has been taken about what information shall be shown in the display, but as an
example one can indicate that, at an internal alarm, where smoke or fire is detected in the room, the display can say that one must put on the escape mask, while at an external alarm one will be able to indicate where in the installation the detection has been made. The second output which follows one of the others is the light in the box for the escape mask which follows the main light.
The input signal to activate the system which warns newly-arrived people is, to a certain extent, not a direct part of the alarm logic and therefore lives its own life. Therefore, it is not included in the diagram either, as this shall illustrate an example of alarm actions. Therefore, the diagram is defined with four outputs to simplify it and make it easier to understand. With four outputs, one has initially 16 different states (2 4 ) which the unit can be in. But this is not appropriate and it is regarded that there are a total of five different states which are required for this purpose as one can see from the explanation and the table. It can also be a point to regard the need for two different warning lights, yellow and red. Perhaps one type is enough. This is considered in the final implementation.
State 1 - Readiness The escape unit is in this state when it is in its place in the holding unit and seeks actively after signal inputs both on the external and the internal alarm, and also the switch.
State 2 - With light in the front light The unit is in this state when one has either switched on the light from the state of readiness, or one has reset the alarm. It functions so that at one alarm both the front light and the alarm lights are switched on. If one presses the switch once, the alarm is deactivated, if one presses one more time the front light is switched off. At the next time of pressing, the front light is switched on again, etc.
State 3 - Activated internal alarm
The unit is in this state when the internal alarm is activated due to detection of smoke or gas in the room where one is staying. Front light, flashing red light, sound signal and escape mask light are activated, and also a warning in the display that the internal alarm has been activated.
State 4 - Activated external alarm
The unit is in this state when the external alarm is activated due to an alarm which comes from the fire warning system of the installation. Front light, flashing yellow light, sound signal, position of the location in the LCD display and the light of the escape mask are activated.
State 5 - Activated external and internal alarm
The unit is in this state when both the external and the internal alarm are activated because of an external alarm which comes from the fire warning system of the installation and also an internal alarm due to detection of smoke or gas in the room one is occupying. Front light, flashing yellow light, flashing red light, sound signal, location position in the LCD display and the light of the escape mask are all activated.
Cause & effect description The "cause & effect" table shows further the different states where "1" defines active and "0" defines passive. Here, one sees the different states and how the input signals change these.
Flow diagram for logic Furthermore, a flow diagram is shown for the transfers from the different states and into a new state according to which action one gets to an input.
Unit with internal and external alarm input without fire positioning This unit is as described with the exception that it does not come with a LCD display screen which indicates where in the installation the fire alarm is set off. The functions are otherwise the same where red light indicates that it is an internal alarm while yellow light indicates that it is an external alarm.
Unit without external alarm input, but with internal detector This unit is intended as a mere warning and escape unit in the area it is mounted, in this case it is the internal smoke detector which will be giving the signal at the setting off of an alarm. Otherwise the other functions are as described earlier with front light alarm light/sound and escape mask.
Alternative design
How the escape unit can be made, it purpose and its use is described in principle in this patent application. This is illustrated with the help of examples of how this can be implemented. It is a fact that the system can be designed in
other ways, among other things for use in other locations, for example in private homes and the like where there are no central warning systems, and where one does not have the same need to inform newly-arrived people about the existence of the unit. Therefore, some examples of a somewhat different design than the one which is described earlier in this document will be given below.
Associated equipment Positioning in connection with evacuation
The system can also be equipped with a positioning unit which ensures that at an evacuation one can see on the display where one finds oneself and where one should choose to escape.
Wireless signal transmitter
With regard to installation in, for example, private homes, the possibility of making a unit which can be connected up to the existing smoke detectors in the house is considered, and that this in turn emits a wireless signal to the escape unit which is preferably in the bedroom. The challenge is then to make an interface toward the existing smoke detector. This can lead to problems as there are numerous different smoke detectors and these all function in different ways. It can then be difficult for a normal person to make this connection. It can be made simple in that a wireless transmitter unit is made which is mounted next to the existing detector and that this wireless transmitter unit catches the sound signal or light signal which the existing detector sends out. The unit must then be calibrated against the existing detector in that the sound or the light in this is activated manually. This needs to be one time only. If the detector after this is activated, the wireless unit detects its alarm and sends a wireless signal to a receiver unit which in turn activates another unit, for example, the escape unit as described. The wireless unit must be equipped with batteries or have an external supply of electricity.
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