Security lighting device

Abstract

Security lighting device (1) comprising a front face (3) for displaying a pictogram, a rear face and at least one thick wall (5) extending between the front face and the rear face, said security lighting device comprising first light means designed to illuminate the front face (3), said lighting device (1) being characterized in that it further comprises second light means installed on said at least one thick wall (5), said second light means being controlled such that the emitted light has a flashing frequency of between 5 Hz and 24 Hz adapted to influence the decision of the user on the chosen direction of evacuation.

Description

Description Title of the invention: Safety lighting device

[0001] The invention relates to a safety lighting device intended for the evacuation of buildings.

[0002] Emergency lighting is usually required for all buildings open to the public or staff. Emergency lighting is installed in various locations within a building, such as doors or corridors used by users to evacuate the building during major incidents such as a fire.

[0003] Emergency lighting devices are generally parallelepiped blocks. They consist of a front face and two longitudinal walls comprising a lower wall and an upper wall.

[0004] Typically, the front panel displays a static pictogram depicting a silhouette of a person running through a doorway and a directional arrow to indicate the direction to take. Most often, the background of the front panel is green. Lighting devices also include light sources to illuminate the front panel and the static pictogram displayed.

[0005] Lighting devices as described above play an important role during building evacuation to facilitate operations and thus evacuate users quickly.

[0006] However, several studies have demonstrated the limitations of these devices. In fact, during evacuation, only 38% of users detect the various static pictograms. Thus, existing emergency lighting systems do not ensure optimal evacuation of a building.

[0007] There is therefore a need for an emergency lighting device that can be detected more easily and quickly by users. There is also a need for emergency lighting devices that influence the user sufficiently to follow the direction indicated by the user.

[0008] For this purpose, an emergency lighting device is proposed comprising a front face for displaying a pictogram, a rear face and at least one thick wall extending between the front face and the rear face. Said emergency lighting device comprises first lighting means adapted to illuminate the front face. According to the invention, said lighting device further comprises second lighting means installed on said at least one thick wall, said second lighting means being chosen so that the emitted light has a flashing frequency of between 5 Hz and 24 Hz adapted to influence the user's decision on the chosen evacuation direction.

[0009] Preferably the flashing frequency is 10Hz.

[0010] An advantage of the invention is therefore to provide safety lighting devices optimal allowing them to be detected more quickly and easily by the user and thus influence the direction to take during evacuation.

[0011] According to several experiments that will be described below, a flashing light will be detected more quickly in peripheral vision than a non-flashing light. Thus, emitting a flashing light visible to the user when he is not in front of the lighting device is more optimal.

[0012] In the same experiments, the value range between 2 Hz and 25 Hz is considered the most optimal for the detection of the lighting device by the user with preferentially a flashing frequency of 10 Hz.

[0013] Advantageously and in a non-limiting manner, the second light means may comprise a flashing light member arranged on said at least one thick wall.

[0014] An advantage is to capture the user's attention on the safety device when it is not located in front of him. Thus the lighting device will be detected in peripheral vision thanks to the flashing member installed on said at least one thick wall.

[0015] Advantageously and in a non-limiting manner, the flashing light member can emit an achromatic light of angular shape.

[0016] According to several experiments that will be described below, achromatic lights are detected more efficiently by the eye than chromatic lights in peripheral vision. Thus, emitting achromatic light visible to the user when they are not in front of the lighting device is more optimal. In addition, angular-shaped lights are also detected more quickly by the user in peripheral vision.

[0017] Advantageously and in a non-limiting manner, the flashing light organ emits a rectangular achromatic light.

[0018] The rectangular shape is chosen because it is a shape regularly used in industry and therefore its technical realization and manufacturing cost are simple and low.

[0019] Advantageously and in a non-limiting manner, the lighting device may comprise a digital display whose visible face is arranged against the front face.

[0020] The use of a digital display allows you to modify the projected shape or the direction to be indicated at any time.

[0021] Advantageously and in a non-limiting manner, the digital display may include electronic paper.

[0022] One advantage of e-paper is that it does not require power to display an image or text. In fact, the display remains in a stable state representing the last displayed image in the absence of power. A power source is only needed to change the text or image to be displayed. Therefore, its use consumes little energy.

[0023] The digital display can be controlled so that it can control the display of at least two different pictograms.

[0024] An advantage is being able to modify the pictogram displayed depending on the situation. For example, the display can change a pictogram encouraging the user to follow this direction into an aversive pictogram encouraging the user not to follow this direction.

[0025] Other features and advantages of the invention will emerge from reading the description given below of several particular embodiments of the invention, given for informational but non-limiting purposes, with reference to the appended drawings in which:

[0026] [Fig. 1] is a schematic view of an emergency lighting device as described in the main embodiment of the invention;

[0027] [Fig. 2] is an experimental result showing the percentage of detection as a function of the color of the target for all target shapes combined in peripheral vision;

[0028] [Fig. 3] is an experimental result showing the detection percentage (left) and reaction time (right) as a function of target shape for all target colors combined in peripheral vision;

[0029] [Fig. 4] is an experimental result showing the detection percentage as a function of the flashing frequency (from 1 Hz to 40 Hz);

[0030] [Fig. 5] is an experimental result showing the average correct response time as a function of the blinking frequency (from 1 Hz to 40 Hz) and the type of contrast;

[0031] [Fig. 6] is an experimental result showing the percentage of detection as a function of the color of the target for all target shapes combined in central vision;

[0032] [Fig. 7] is an experimental result showing the percentage of detection as a function of the shape of the target in central vision;

[0033] [Fig. 8] is a schematic view of an emergency lighting device as described in an alternative embodiment of the invention;

[0034] [Fig. 9] is a schematic view of an emergency lighting device as described in an alternative embodiment of the invention; and,

[0035] [Fig. 10] is a schematic view of a situation presenting two embodiments of the invention.

[0036] The emergency lighting devices are, within the meaning of the invention, cylindrical or polyhedral emergency lighting blocks comprising at least one wall of thickness. The most common shape for an emergency lighting block is that of a rectangular parallelepiped.

[0037] With reference to Figure 1, in the case of a parallelepiped lighting device 1, the lighting device 1 comprises a front face 3 and a rear face.

[0038] The lighting device 1 also comprises walls of thicknesses 5 extending between the front face 3 and the rear face. The walls of thicknesses comprising at least two side walls 6 and at least two longitudinal walls having an upper wall and a lower wall 7.

[0039] At least one fixing member may be included in the upper wall or the rear face allowing the lighting device to be hung in the desired location.

[0040] Firstly, the rear face comprises a fixing member allowing the lighting device 1 to be fixed to a wall in a well-known manner, for example by means of a wall mounting plate or by direct screwing of the rear face into the wall.

[0041] Alternatively, the upper wall comprises a fixing member for fixing or suspending the lighting device 1 to the ceiling or on a door frame. This fixing member may, for example, contain suspension wires for suspending the lighting device 1 from the ceiling.

[0042] The invention is not limited to a particular fixing member, whether or not included in the lighting device 1. Indeed, fixing kits can be offered separately so that the user can fix the lighting device 1 in the desired location and in the desired manner.

[0043] The lighting device 1 comprises a pictogram display member 11 whose visible face is arranged against the front face.

[0044] The pictogram display member 11 thus comprises a sheet whose visible face contains a pictogram as well as a directional sign. Said sheet being covered by a transparent cover forming the front face or covering a transparent cover forming the front face.

[0045] The displayed pictogram represents a silhouette of a character running through a door. The silhouette is green while the door is white.

[0046] The pictogram display member 11 also displays a white directional sign for directing users in an evacuation direction. The pictogram display member 11 further has a green background.

[0047] The choice of using a colored background comes from experimental results presented in detail in the rest of the description. The choice of the green color is also linked to user habits.

[0048] The color green is often used to indicate to the user that they can use a crossing, for example at traffic lights. A green light indicates that the user can proceed. Thus, the use of the color green is easily perceived as a color representing authorization.

[0049] In the same way, in the invention, the pictogram represented is not modified compared to the prior art, being standardized and well known to the user who will therefore follow the specified direction.

[0050] The lighting device 1 comprises first lighting means for illuminating the front face 3 and consequently the pictogram display member 11. These first lighting means thus make it possible to attract the user's attention to the lighting device 1.

[0051] In a first embodiment, the first lighting means may comprise LED or OLED lighting arranged in the body of the lighting device 1 between the front face 3 and the rear face.

[0052] Alternatively, the first lighting means may also comprise lighting arranged at the ends of the front face 3. The light of the lighting being emitted towards the front face 3.

[0053] The activation of these first light means presented above can be controlled in several ways.

[0054] The first lighting means can be activated when an alarm connected to the lighting device by wired communication means is triggered.

[0055] Alternatively, the first lighting devices are controlled remotely, for example by a remote computer installed in a control center or by a remote control.

[0056] In a non-limiting manner, the activation information may in this case be sent by “Wi-Fi ®”, “Bluetooth ®” or any other radiofrequency signal, to a remote transmitter. The lighting device 1 then comprises a radiofrequency receiver adapted to capture the activation signals and to control the activation of the first lighting means.

[0057] The lighting device 1 also comprises second lighting means chosen to influence the user's decision on the direction of evacuation whether when the lighting device is located in the user's peripheral vision or in the user's central vision.

[0058] The different combinations of the second lighting means presented below were chosen based on empirical experimental results allowing us to understand the functioning of users' visual perception, in particular the elements they capture during evacuation situations.

[0059] The experiments were conducted on participants (27 participants including 23 women and 4 men with an average age of 21.7 years) who had to touch, on a calibrated screen with a mouse cursor (mouse tracking technique), as quickly as possible, a target with the characteristics to be tested displayed randomly in a complex visual scene representing realistic environments, for example shopping centers.

[0060] Mouse tracking, also called mouse tracking, allows us to measure uncertainty in the decision, the number of correct decisions, as well as the reaction time taken by the participant to detect the target or the speed of movement of the mouse towards the target.

[0061] Experiments showed that depending on whether the device was detected in central vision when the participant was looking at the device from the front or in peripheral vision when the participant was not looking at the device from the front, the user did not detect the same elements quickly. There are therefore shape / color combinations that maximize the detectability performance of targets depending on the viewing angle.

[0062] In a first embodiment, with reference to figure 1, the second light means may correspond to at least one flashing light member 15 or at least one peripheral light member 15 located on one of the two side walls 5, the second light means will therefore be visible and detected by the user in peripheral vision.

[0063] The flashing light element 15 and the peripheral light element 15 emit achromatic light. Achromatic light means white lights and black or gray visual signals (of different shades).

[0064] Indeed, with reference to figure 2, showing the percentage of detection as a function of the color of the target, all target shapes combined in peripheral vision, achromatic light is the best detected with a percentage of 26%.

[0065] Preferably, the achromatic light diffused by the flashing light member 15 and the peripheral light member 15 is a white light. Indeed, in peripheral vision, the human retina detects white light more easily. Preferably, the flashing or peripheral light member 15 is installed on a background having a contrasting color compared to the white achromatic light.

[0066] In addition, the flashing light member 15 and the peripheral light member 15 are chosen so as to have an angular shape and consequently they diffuse a light of the same shape.

[0067] Indeed, with reference to Figure 3, showing the detection percentage (left) and reaction time (right) as a function of the target shape, all target colors combined in peripheral vision, angular shapes are the most easily detected shapes and the most quickly with the triangular shape being the best detected with a percentage of 23% and a reaction time of 1.32 seconds and the rectilinear shape being detected with a percentage of 22% and a reaction time of 1.33 seconds.

[0068] Preferably, the shape of the flashing light member 15 and the peripheral light member 15 is rectangular, with a thin width. Although, according to Figure 3, the triangular shape is the most effective shape, it is not chosen because being an unusual shape its technical realization and its manufacturing cost are more complicated and higher than a rectangular shape.

[0069] The light emitted by the flashing light member 15 further exhibits a flashing frequency ranging from 5 Hz to 24 Hz. Indeed, with reference to Figure 4, showing the detection percentage as a function of the flashing frequency (from 1 Hz to 40 Hz), the frequency range from 5 Hz to 24 Hz is the best detected with a percentage of 98%. In addition, with reference to Figure 5, showing the average correct response time as a function of the flashing frequency (from 1 Hz to 40 Hz), the frequency range from 5 Hz to 24 Hz is the best detected. The flashing also helps to attract the user's attention, since the flashing will be more easily perceived by the user compared to a light with static lighting.

[0070] Preferably, the flashing light organ 15 flashes at a frequency of 10 Hz, this frequency being the frequency that best attracts the user's attention and being the most optimal frequency for a user. Indeed, Figure 5 shows the reaction times between two luminances of the device with a strong contrast, i.e., a white light that flashes with a black background, or a medium contrast, i.e., a white light that flashes with a gray background. It can be seen in this figure that the targets were detected more quickly at 30 Hz and 40 Hz when the contrast was strong (1.70 ± 0.18s and 1.71 ± 0.20s) rather than medium (2.00 ± 0.19s and 2.07 ± 0.15s). Conversely, the targets were detected faster at 24 Hz, 20 Hz, 5 Hz and 1 Hz, when the contrast was medium rather than high. However, the 10 Hz blink frequency did not significantly interact with the target contrast factor (medium contrast: 1.39 ± 0.16s; high contrast: 1.39 ± 0.16s). Therefore, the 10 Hz frequency was identified as the most efficient with a lower average correct response time than the other frequencies, regardless of the contrast used.

[0071] The flashing light member 15 is installed, with reference to figure 1, in a rib 16 at the side wall 6 to direct the light in a single direction. Consequently, if a user looks at the lighting device 1 while facing the front face, the light emitted by the flashing light member 15 is barely visible. Conversely, if the user is located at a lateral distance from the lighting device, then the light emitted by the flashing light member will be perfectly visible.

[0072] The installation of the flashing light member 15 at the side wall 6 is not limited to installation in a rib, other arrangements can also be used.

[0073] In a second embodiment of the invention, the luminous indication means comprises at least one luminous member generating at the location most visible to the user in central vision a signal light 17 located on one of the longitudinal walls. Preferably it is installed on the lower wall 7 so that the emitted light is generated on the ground, however it can generate a light on the device.

[0074] This luminous emission organ 17 is chosen to diffuse a chromatic light, i.e. a colored light.

[0075] Indeed, with reference to Figure 6, showing the detection percentage as a function of the target color for all target shapes combined in central vision, chromatic light is the best detected since the detection percentages are greater than 88% while achromatic light has a detection percentage of 75%. More precisely, yellow and green colors are the best detected with a detection percentage of 91% and 90% respectively.

[0076] Additionally, mean color reaction times were shorter for red and green color targets with a time of 1.35 seconds than for yellow and blue color targets with a time of 1.36 seconds.

[0077] This is why, preferably, the chromatic light used has a wavelength between 492 nm and 577 nm corresponding to the emission of a green color because this color is the best detected and it is often associated with an authorization, more precisely an authorization to advance or to engage in a passage. The chromatic light used can also have a wavelength between 622 nm and 780 nm corresponding to the emission of a red color. Although the yellow color is the best detected, the red color is preferentially chosen because it is usually associated with a prohibition, particularly with safety signs.

[0078] The light emitting member 17 is also chosen to generate on the ground a light of circular shape. Indeed, in front vision, man detects more quickly and is influenced by a curvilinear shape rather than a polygon as shown in Figure 7, showing the percentage of detection as a function of the shape of the target in central vision, the circular shape is the best detected since the percentage of detection is 88% and higher than the other shapes.

[0079] Alternatively, the light-emitting member 17 can also diffuse a shape inside the circle.

[0080] For example, an arrow shape may be generated on the ground in the circle, oriented in an evacuation direction corresponding to the direction displayed by the illuminated pictogram display member 11 in order to remind and indicate the direction to take. This arrow thus makes it possible to remind the directional sign present on the pictogram display member 11. The emphasis on a direction influences the user so that he is encouraged to follow it rather than heading towards another path.

[0081] According to an alternative embodiment, with reference to Figure 8, the lighting device 1' is a modification of the lighting device 1. The device is modified and chosen so as to dissuade the user from taking the indicated direction.

[0082] In this alternative embodiment, the illuminated pictogram display member 11' has a digital display using electronic paper technology, also called "e-paper".

[0083] E-paper technology is a flexible media display technique. This technique does not require power to display an image or text. In fact, if power is lost, the display remains in a stable state representing the last displayed image. A power source is only required to change the text or image to be displayed.

[0084] The digital display is not limited to electronic paper, other displays such as tablets or electronic or OLED screens can be used.

[0085] Electronic paper technology is used to be able to change the pictogram and background depending on the situation and the evacuation plan to be applied.

[0086] This allows us to move from the pictogram with the background described above to a pictogram and a background that can dissuade the user from taking the path, for example.

[0087] The pictogram can then show an elongated silhouette with flames next to it. The user will therefore quickly understand that the path is dangerous.

[0088] The background color is also changed; it can, for example, become red. Indeed, the color red is often used to indicate a prohibition or danger, for example on road signs or traffic lights. Therefore, the user quickly equates the color red with a prohibition.

[0089] The 11' illuminated pictogram display also features a light unit to illuminate and brighten it.

[0090] In the case where the 11' luminous pictogram display has a digital display backlit, the light unit used to illuminate the pictogram display is not installed.

[0091] In this alternative embodiment, the flashing light member 15' of the side wall 6' is turned off.

[0092] Thus, no light is diffused by the side walls 6', the user looking at the lighting device 1' on the sides is therefore not attracted in this direction.

[0093] Similarly, the light organ 17' of the lower wall 7' is chosen so that it diffuses a red light on the ground since the red color is generally associated with a prohibition for the user.

[0094] Alternatively, the 17' light organ can also diffuse a shape inside the circle.

[0095] A cross can be generated on the ground, which serves to deter the user from going in that direction. The cross is also perceived as a prohibition.

[0096] The lighting device 1 and 1' is not limited to the embodiments presented above. The lighting device 1 and 1' may also comprise a combination of the different embodiments presented above.

[0097] The lighting device may also have a digital display as well as the two luminous means of indication presented.

[0098] According to an alternative embodiment, with reference to figure 9, the lighting device 1” has a cylindrical shape comprising a front face 3” and a wall of thickness 5”.

[0099] The lighting device 1” can include the different embodiments described above with the sole difference that it is cylindrical in shape.

[0100] Thus, the 5” thick wall includes a 15” flashing light organ as shown previously. This 15” flashing light organ is located so as to be seen in peripheral vision by a user far from the device.

[0101] The 5” thick wall also includes a 17” light emission member as shown previously. This 17” light emission member is located so as to be seen in central vision by a user located in front of the 1” lighting device.

[0102] In an alternative embodiment, the second light means are activated and controlled by control means such that the emitted light has a color, a flashing frequency and / or a shape generated at the location most visible to the user which are adapted to influence the user in the direction of evacuation. By influencing, it is meant that the user will be attracted by the indicated direction rather than by another direction thanks to the different means, and this light included in the lighting device 1.

[0103] The control means include means similar to those previously described as “Wi-Fi ®” or “Bluetooth ®” remote control means.

[0104] This way, the changes to be made can be controlled remotely in a control room.

[0105] However, the controls can also be managed automatically by a computer-implemented program, which can trigger pre-recorded evacuation scenarios or implement an artificial intelligence module adapted to make a decision based on data collected by different measuring points placed in the building. For example, smoke detectors to identify where the fire is located in the building and thus adapt the evacuation plan.

[0106] Figure 10 illustrates a situation of a lighting device presenting a combination of the different embodiments presented above.

[0107] With reference to this figure, the left lighting device 1'” includes a pictogram display 11'” which displays a pictogram of a silhouette running through a door on a green background as well as an arrow indicating the direction to take.

[0108] The left lighting device 1'” also comprises another light member 17'” which projects onto the ground a chromatic light having a wavelength between 492 nm and 577 nm and corresponding to the emission of a green color of circular shape with an arrow presenting the same direction as the display of pictogram 11'”.

[0109] So the left user located in front of the lighting device 1” from the left will detect it more quickly and follow the indicated direction.

[0110] In addition, the left lighting device 1'” also comprises a flashing light member 15'” emitting a white flashing light at one of the side walls of the left lighting device 1'”.

[0111] This achromatic flashing light will capture the attention of the user on the right so that he heads towards the left lighting device 11” and thus follows the direction indicated by it.

[0112] Finally, the right 11'” lighting device had its pictogram changed as well as the background color which then became red.

[0113] The light generated on the ground also changed color to red with a wavelength of emitted light between 622 nm and 780 nm, signaling to the right user located in front of this right lighting device 11'” that he should not follow this direction.

[0114] To also avoid attracting the attention of the user on the left, the 15'” flashing light is then switched off so as not to emit achromatic flashing light.

[0115] This figure therefore illustrates the fact that depending on the emergency situation and the route to be taken, the lighting devices are modified to indicate or prohibit a direction to users during evacuation.

[0116] The control means include means similar to those previously described as remote control means.

[0117] Thus, the changes to be made can be controlled by a human in a control room, but also by a computer program or artificial intelligence which will make a decision based on the data collected by different measuring points placed in the building and / or following a pre-recorded evacuation scenario.

Claims

Claims

1. Safety lighting device (1, 1', 1 ”, 1”') comprising a front face (3, 3', 3”) for displaying a pictogram, a rear face and at least one wall of thickness (5, 5', 5”) extending between the front face and the rear face, said safety lighting device comprising first light means adapted to illuminate the front face (3, 3', 3”), said lighting device (1, 1', 1 ”, 1 '”) being characterized in that it further comprises second light means installed on said at least one wall of thickness (5, 5', 5”), said second light means being chosen so that the emitted light has a flashing frequency of between 5 Hz and 24 Hz adapted to influence the user's decision on the chosen evacuation direction.

2. Lighting device (1, 1', 1 ”, 1 '”) according to claim 1, characterized in that the second light means comprise a flashing light member (15, 15', 15”, 15'”) arranged on said at least one wall of thickness (5, 5', 5”).

3. Lighting device (1, 1', 1 ”, 1 '”) according to claim 2, characterized in that the flashing light member (15, 15', 15”, 15'”) emits an achromatic light of angular shape.

4. Lighting device (1, 1', 1 ”, 1 '”) according to claim 2, characterized in that the flashing light member (15, 15', 15”, 15'”) emits achromatic light of rectangular shape.

5. Lighting device (1', 1 ”,1 '”) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the lighting device (1', 1 ”, 1 '”) comprises a digital display whose visible face is arranged against the front face (3').

6. Lighting device (1', 1”,1'”) according to claim 5, characterized in that the digital display comprises electronic paper. ii

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