GUIDE SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SHELTER TO EXIT OF

FIRE SHUTTER

Technical Field

[1] The present invention relates to a guide system and method for shelter to an exit of a fire shutter, and more particularly, to a guide system and method for shelter to an exit of a fire shutter in which, when fire is set, a person in a fired place or fired building is guided to a fire door or the exit of the fire shutter so that he/she can shelter himself/ herself from fire with promptness. Background Art

[2] In general, a fire door or fire shutter and an exit guide lamp are installed within a variety of buildings such as a public equipment, a department store, a theater, and a building to, at the time of fire start, prevent a spread of flare, smoke, and toxic gas and lead to an exit for shelter, thereby minimizing a loss of life and property.

[3] In particular, as shown in a fire disaster of subway or various fire accidents of buildings, when fire starts within building, a fire place gets in a terrible scene of confusion in which visual field gets unclear by toxic gas, and circumstances get dark and confused beyond recognition due to power failure.

[4] However, conventional shelter guide equipments such as an exit guide lamp are almost beyond recognition due to a characteristic of a dark fire place at the time of the fire start, and people in the fire place cannot find an exit of the fire shutter and thus, are suffocated by the toxic gas.

[5] Further, in conventional art, when the fire starts, even though finding the fire shutter, shelterers cannot easily find an exit of the fire door or the exit of the fire shutter due to a characteristic of dark and urgent fire place. Specifically, in a large size building with a large passage, when the fire starts, a plurality of fire shutters are concurrently activated in one passage or a large size fire shutter is activated. Accordingly, it is very difficult for the shelterer to find the exit of the fire shutter under dark circumstances and thus, terrible death is more added inevitably. Disclosure of Invention Technical Problem

[6] Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a guide system and method for shelter to an exit of a fire shutter that substantially obviates one or more of the problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.

[7] An object of the present invention is to provide a guide system and method for shelter to an exit of a fire shutter in which, when fire is set, a shelterer can easily find

the exit of the fire shutter and can promptly and safely shelter himself/herself and in addition, the fire shutter can be always kept in its winding state to operate any time. Technical Solution

[8] To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described, there is provided a A guide system for shelter to an exit of a fire shutter. The system includes a fire sensor for sensing any one of a heat (flare) of more than predetermined temperature and smoke, and generating electrical sense signal; a winding sensor for sensing whether or not the fire shutter is wound, and when sensed not wound, generating electrical sense signal; a controller for receiving the generated sense signals from the fire sensor and the winding sensor, and generating a plurality of control signals for driving winding and unwinding, and guiding shelterer; a shutter winding driver for driving and winding the fire shutter depending on the control signal of the controller; a light lamp for lightening the exit of the fire shutter, and visually informing shelterers of a position of the exit; an unwinding driver for unwinding the wound fire shutter depending on the control signal of the controller, and cutting off a spread of fire; a turn light lamp for visually informing shelterers who are positioned in distant place, of the position of the exit of the fire shutter; and an alert broadcasting unit having audio instrument and speaker, and auditorily informing the shelterers of the position of the exit of the fire shutter and auditorily informing a sheltering method.

[9] The exit may be marked by a wording for visually and clearly indicating the exit using lighting.

[10] The wording for indicating the exit may be marked using fluorescent material.

[11] The alert broadcasting unit can output alert broadcasting using the speaker installed near the fire shutter.

[12] The speaker may repeatedly output a stored guide voice.

[13] In another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a guide method for shelter to an exit of a fire shutter. The method includes a fire start sensing step of sensing fire start by fire sensor; a fire shutter activating step of, when sensing the fire start, unwinding and dropping the wound fire shutter; a light lamp lighting step of lightening the exit of the fire shutter; an alert broadcasting step of informing of fire start circumstances and a position of the exit of the fire shutter; and a turn light lamp lighting step of informing shelterer of the position of the fire shutter.

[14] The method may further include a shutter checking step of sensing whether or not the fire shutter is always wound irrespective of the fire start, and always guaranteeing accurate activation of the fire shutter in a winding sensor and a shutter winding driver.

[15] The method may further include a restoring step of subsequently and repeatedly

performing the fire start sensing step, the fire shutter activating step, the light lamp lighting step, the alert broadcasting step, and the turn light lamp lighting step until fire extinguishment, and restoring to initial state. [16] The fire shutter activating step may include a first activating step of, when smoke is primarily sensed by the fire sensor, activating an unwinding driver for predetermined time using a control signal of a controller, temporarily unwinding the wound fire shutter, and stopping the fire shutter at a predetermined position of about 2.1 meter from the ground; and a second activating step of, when a heat (flare) of predetermined temperature is secondarily sensed by the fire sensor, activating the unwinding driver using a control signal of the controller, unwinding the wound fire shutter, and perfectly cutting off fire start area.

Advantageous Effects [17] As described above, in the present invention, in a light lamp lighting step, a light lamp lightens an exit with brightness and thus, the exit can be more easily found in a dark fire place, and a wording of "EXIT" marked in a light emitting manner on the exit allows shelterer to even more easily find the exit. [18] Further, in the present invention, in a turn light lamp light step, lighting of a turn light lamp is used to visually indicate a position of the exit and thus, the shelterer can easily find the exit even under dark circumstances. [19] In the present invention, the shelterer is visually infomred of the position of the exit by alert broadcasting in an alert broadcasting step, thereby leading the shelterer to accurately and promptly the exit in a very dark fire place. [20] Furthermore, in the present invention, the light lamp, the turn light lamp, and the alert broadcasting visually and auditorily inform the shelterer of the position of the fire shutter and thus, the shelterer can more promptly and accurately find the position of the exit of the fire shutter under the dark circumstances, thereby promoting safe and prompt shelter at the time of fire start.

Brief Description of the Drawings [21] FTG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a guide system for shelter to an exit of a fire shutter according to the present invention; [22] FTG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a guide method for shelter to an exit of a fire shutter according to the present invention; and [23] FTG. 3 illustrate installed states of sensor, light lamp, turn light lamp, and speaker in a guide system for shelter to an exit of a fire shutter according to the present invention.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention [24] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to accompanying drawings.

[25] FlG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a guide system for shelter to an exit of a fire shutter according to the present invention, FlG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a guide method for shelter to the exit of the fire shutter according to the present invention, and FlG. 3 illustrate installed states of sensor, light lamp, turn light lamp, and speaker in the guide system for shelter to the exit of the fire shutter according to the present invention.

[26] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the guide system for shelter to the exit of the fire shutter according to the present invention is to shut predetermined area or entrance by the fire shutter 100 to prevent a spread of smoke and flare (fire) and at the same time, visually and auditorily inform people of a position of the exit 200 for escaping the people with safety, thereby minimizing a loss of property and life.

[27] In other words, the inventive shelter guide system includes the fire shutter 100, the exit 200, a fire sensor 300, a winding sensor 350, a shutter winding driver 450, a light lamp 500, an unwinding driver 550, the turn light lamp 600, a controller 650, and an alert broadcasting unit 700.

[28] The fire sensor 300 senses smoke and a heat (flare) of more than predetermined temperature, and generates an electrical sense signal. The fire sensor 300 transmits the sense signal to the controller 650, and enables the inventive shelter guide system to guide people to the exit or the fire shutter.

[29] The winding sensor 350 senses whether or not the fire shutter 100 is wound and, when sensing not wound, generates an electrical sense signal. The winding sensor 350 transmits the sense signal to the controller 650 and leads a control of perfectly winding the fire shutter 100. The fire shutter 100 shuts a predetermined area (fire setting area) or a main entrance, and allows the people to shelter to its exit 200.

[30] The shutter winding driver 450 drives and winds the fire shutter 100 at the time of fire. The shutter winding driver 450 includes a drivng motor (not shown) and a gear box (not shown), and operates depending on a control signal of the controller 650.

[31] The light lamp 500 lightens the exit 200 of the fire shutter 100 to visually inform shelterers of the position of the exit, and operates depending on the control signal of the controller 650.

[32] The unwinding driver 550 unwinds the wound fire shutter 100 to shut the main entrance, and operates depending on the control signal of the controller 650.

[33] The turn round lamp 600 visually informs the shelterers who are in distant place, of the position of the exit 200 of the fire shutter 100, and operates depending on the control signal of the controller 650.

[34] The alert broadcasting unit 700 includes an audio instrument (not shown) and a speaker 400. The alert broadcasting unit 700 visually informs the shelterers of the position of the exit 200 of the fire shutter 100 and auditorily informs of a sheltering

method, and operates depending on the control signal of the controller 650.

[35] The guide method for shelter to the exit of the fire shutter according to the present invention is shown in FlG. 2.

[36] As shown, the guide method for shelter to the exit of the fire shutter according to the present invention includes shutter checking steps (Steps 1 and 2), a fire start sensing step (Step 3), a fire shutter activating step (Step 4), a light lamp lighting step (Step 5), an alert broadcasting step (Step 6), and a turn light lamp lighting step (Step

7).

[37] First, in the shutter checking step, the winding sensor 350 senses whether or not the fire shutter 10 is always wound irrespective of fire start (Step 1) and, depending on the sense signal thereof, the controller 650 generates the control signal. In other words, when the controller 650 recognizes the winding state that is a normal state for an operation of the inventive system, a next fire sensing step is followed. But, when recognizing not the winding state, the controller 650 generates the control signal for the shutter winding driver 450 and winds the fire shutter 100 (Step 2), thereby checking the shutter.

[38] In the fire start sensing step, at the time of fire start, the fire start is sensed using the fire sensor 300 installed within building (Step 3). The controller 650 receives the sense signal and checks whether or not it geneates the control signal for the unwinding driver 450. The fire sensor 300 includes at least one of a smoke sensor sensing smoke caused by fire and a heat sensor sensing a heat of more than predetermined temperature, and can also include any one of them.

[39] In the fire shutter activating step, the fire shutter 100 is activated to prevent the spread of fire at the time of fire start. When the controller 650 determines to cut off the spread of fire, it generates the control signal for the unwinding driver 550. In other words, primarily, when the fire sensor 300 senses smoke, the controller 650 activates the unwinding driver 550 using the control signal only for predetermined time to unwind the wound fire shutter 100 and stop unwinding the fire shutter 100 at a height of 2.1 m from the ground, thereby performing a function of eliminating smoke. Secondarily, when sensing the heat (flare) of predeermined temperature, the controller 650 activates the unwinding driver 550 using the control signal to unwind the wound fire shutter 100 and drop the fire shutter to the ground, thereby perfectly shutting fire start area.

[40] The light lamp lighting step is to allow the shelterer in building to more easily recognize the position of the exit 200 of the fire shutter 100 in a visual manner. The controller 650 turns on the light lamp 500 installed near the fire shutter 100, using the control signal, to lighten the exit 200 of the fire shutter 100 (Step 5). And thus, at the time of the fire start, the controller 650 allows the shelterer to more easily recognize

the exit 200 of the fire shutter 100 in the visual manner under dark circumstances.

[41] The exit 200 of the fire shutter 100 is marked by a wording of "EXIT" for example, for its easy and clear mark. The wording is displayed in a light emitting manner and thus facilitates reflection of fluorescent ray or sunlight so that the shelterer can easily find the exit 200 owing to the lighting of the light lamp 500.

[42] In the alert broadcasting step, its operation is performed depending on the control signal of the controller 650. At the time of the fire start, together with siren, alert voice is broadcasted to auditorily inform the people within the building and in the fire place of the position of the exit 200 of the fire shutter 100 (Step 6). Previsouly stored contents (alert voice for informing the position of the exit, and a skill for prompt shelter) are repeatedly broadcasted using the audio instrument (not shown) and the speaker 400 installed near the fire shutter 100 so that the shelterer is led and promptly moved from the fire place to the exit 200 of the fire shutter 100 and promptly gets out of danger area.

[43] The alert broadcasting of "Go to turn light lamp and speaker, and Find exit" can be provided, for example. Other alert broadcasting for informing of the exit 200 or an escape exit can be provided also. In the alert broadcasting, its contents are stored and reproduced in a semiconductor chip of the audio instrument. Accordingly, it is desirable to repeatedly broadcast the contents of the alert broadcasting. It is also possible to record and repeatedly reproduce the alert broadcasting from a magnetic tape besides the semiconductor chip.

[44] In the turn light lamp lighting step, its operation is performed depending on the control signal of the controller 650, and the shelterers in the distant place are informed of the position of the fire shutter 100 using the light of high luminance of the turn light lamp 600 (Step 7). The shelterers in the distance place can easily find the position of the exit 200 of the fire shutter 100 by the turn light lamp 600 installed around the exit 200 of the fire shutter 100.

[45] After the subsequent execution of the fire start sensing step, the fire shutter activating step, the light lamp lighting step, the alert broadcasting step, and the turn light lamp lighting step until fire extinguishment, the inventive alert guide system can be reused next by a step of restoration to initial state.

[46] An operation and an effect of the present invention using the several steps will be described below.

[47] As shown in FTGs. 1 to 3, in the present invention, the winding sensor 350 and the shutter winding driver 450 sense whether or not the fire shutter 100 is always wound irrespective of the fire start, and the fire shutter 100 is guaranteed for its exact activation all the time. When the fire is started within the building, the fire sensor 300 senses the fire start in the fire start sensing step, and the unwinding driver 550 activates

and drops the fire shutter 100, thereby preventing the spread of the fire.

[48] In the present invention, the light lamp 500 lightens the exit 200 of the fire shutter

100 in the light lamp light step, and the turn light lamp 600 indicates the position of the exit 200 in the turn light lamp lighting step, thereby making the shelterer easily find the exit 200 under dark circumstances caused by the fire start.

[49] In the present invention, the shelterer is auditorily informed of the position of the exit 200 by the alert broadcasting of the alert broadcasting step. And thus, the shelterer can be promptly and exactly led to the exit 200 or other escape exits in the dark fire place or within the buiding, thereby minimizing a loss of life caused by the fire start.

[50] In particular, in the present invention, the shelterer can be auditorily informed of the position of the exit 200 by the alert broadcasting step. And thus, the shelterer is exactly and promptly guided and led to the exit 200 in the very dark fire place caused by power failure and toxic gas, thereby minimizing the loss of life.

[51] In the present invention, the light lamp 500 lightens the exit 200 of the fire shutter

100 and therefore, performs a very useful guide function of making the shelterer more easily find the exit 200 in the dark fire place. The wording of "EXIT" marked in the light emitting manner on the exit 200 serves to make the shelterer even more easily

[52] In addition, in the present invention, the light of the turn light lamp 600 besides the light lamp 500 informs the shelterer of the position of the exit 200 of the fire shutter 100. Accordingly, the shelterer near the fire shutter 10 can more easily and promptly find the position of the exit 200 of the fire shutter 100.

[53] While the present invention has been described and illustrated herein with reference to the preferred embodiments thereof, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers the modifications and variations of this invention that come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.