Lighting fixtures

Abstract

To obtain a lighting fixture that reduces checking time in automatic checking, and prevents a user from misunderstanding that an abnormality in the lighting fixture or power outage occurs.SOLUTION: A lighting fixture comprises: a luminous body; an emergency electric power source that supplies power to the luminous body when power from a commercial power source is not supplied; and a control unit that controls the light emission state of the luminous body. The control unit executes a regular lighting mode for causing the luminous body to emit light with the power supplied from the commercial power source, an emergency lighting mode for, when the power from the commercial power source is cut off, causing the luminous body to emit light with the power supplied from the emergency electric power source, and an automatic checking mode for, when a predetermined checking interval time is reached, causing the luminous body to emit light with the power supplied from the emergency electric power source over a predetermined set time to check the emergency electric power source. The power supplied to the luminous body in the automatic checking mode exceeds the power supplied to the luminous body in the emergency lighting mode and is equal to or less than the power supplied to the luminous body in the regular lighting mode.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This technology relates to lighting fixtures. In particular, it relates to the inspection of lighting fixtures having an emergency power source.

Background Art

[0002] There are lighting fixtures that can emit light by supplying power from a mounted emergency power source when the external power supply is cut off. In such lighting fixtures, the emergency power source mounted on the lighting fixture is inspected. In Patent Document 1, during normal use when receiving power supply from a commercial power source, the light source is turned off and the battery is charged. During a power outage when the power supply from the commercial power source is cut off, the light source is turned on and the charging of the battery is stopped. The lighting fixture of Patent Document 1 automatically inspects the emergency power source by lighting the light source with the power supply from the emergency power source. Also, the lighting fixture of Patent Document 1 shortens the inspection time by increasing the dimming level of the light source during inspection.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in Patent Document 1, since the lighting state of the light source is different during normal use and automatic inspection of the lighting fixture, during automatic inspection, the user of the lighting fixture may be erroneously recognized as having an abnormality in the lighting fixture or a power outage.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present disclosure is to obtain a lighting fixture that suppresses the user of the lighting fixture from being erroneously recognized as having an abnormality in the lighting fixture or a power outage while shortening the inspection time during automatic inspection that is periodically performed without an operation by an administrator. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The lighting fixtures related to this disclosure are light-emitting elements that emit light when power is supplied. As such, a regular light source and an emergency light source The system includes an emergency power supply that provides power to the light-emitting element when power is not supplied from the commercial power supply, and a control device that controls the illumination state of the light-emitting element. The control device performs the following modes: a normal lighting mode in which the light-emitting element is illuminated using power supplied from the commercial power supply; an emergency lighting mode in which the light-emitting element is illuminated using power supplied from the emergency power supply when power from the commercial power supply is cut off; and an automatic inspection mode in which, when a predetermined inspection interval is reached, the light-emitting element is illuminated using power supplied from the emergency power supply for a predetermined set time to inspect the emergency power supply. In normal lighting mode, the normal light source illuminates; in emergency lighting mode, the emergency light source illuminates; and in automatic inspection mode, the normal light source illuminates. In automatic inspection mode, the power supplied to the light-emitting element exceeds the power supplied to the light-emitting element in emergency lighting mode, and is less than or equal to the power supplied to the light-emitting element in normal lighting mode. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the lighting fixture described in this disclosure, the light source is illuminated in both the normal lighting mode and the automatic inspection mode, making it difficult for users to recognize that the automatic inspection mode is being performed. Furthermore, according to the lighting fixture described in this disclosure, the power supplied to the light source in automatic inspection mode exceeds the power supplied to the light source in emergency lighting mode, and is less than or equal to the power supplied to the light source in normal lighting mode. In other words, the power required from the emergency power supply in automatic inspection mode in this disclosure is greater than the power required from the emergency power supply in emergency lighting mode. Therefore, according to the lighting fixture described in this disclosure, the inspection time can be shortened compared to when the same amount of power as in emergency lighting mode is required in automatic inspection mode. As described above, the lighting fixture described in this disclosure can shorten the inspection time during automatic inspections that are performed periodically without operation by an administrator, while suppressing the misconception that there is a problem with the lighting fixture or that a power outage has occurred among users of the lighting fixture. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This figure shows the external appearance of the lighting fixture according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 2] This is a functional block diagram showing a lighting fixture according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 3] This figure illustrates the modes that can be performed in the lighting fixture according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 4] This diagram illustrates the automatic inspection mode of a lighting fixture according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 5] This is a diagram illustrating the automatic inspection mode of a lighting fixture related to a comparative example. [Figure 6] This figure shows the external appearance of the lighting fixture according to Embodiment 2. [Figure 7] This is a functional block diagram showing a lighting fixture according to Embodiment 2. [Figure 8] This figure illustrates the modes that can be performed in the lighting fixture according to Embodiment 2. [Figure 9] This diagram illustrates the automatic inspection mode of a lighting fixture according to Embodiment 2. [Figure 10] This is a diagram illustrating the automatic inspection mode of a lighting fixture related to a comparative example. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] The following description will explain the lighting fixture 1 and other components according to the embodiment, with reference to the drawings. In the following drawings, components with the same reference numerals are the same or equivalent and are common throughout the entire text of the embodiment described below. Also, the size relationships of the components in the drawings may differ from those of the actual components. Furthermore, the forms of the components shown throughout the specification are merely examples and are not limited to the forms described in the specification. In particular, the combinations of components are not limited to the combinations in each embodiment, and components described in other embodiments can be applied to other embodiments.

[0010] Embodiment 1. Figure 1 shows the external appearance of a lighting fixture 1 according to Embodiment 1. As shown in Figure 1, the lighting fixture 1 is an emergency exit sign used, for example, during disasters or power outages, and comprises a main body 2, a display unit 3, an inspection switch 5, and a notification unit 6. The main body 2 constitutes the outer casing of the lighting fixture 1 and houses the various devices described later. The main body 2 is mounted on the ceiling, wall, floor, etc., of the installation location of the lighting fixture. The display unit 3 is provided on the surface of the main body 2 and displays pictograms or arrows, etc., indicating escape routes or directions during disasters or power outages. The display unit 3 is illuminated at a predetermined brightness by a light-emitting element 12, which will be described later. Hereafter, the illumination of the display unit 3 may be described as the illumination of the lighting fixture 1. The display unit 3 may be an integral structure with the main body 2, or it may be a panel provided on one side of the main body 2.

[0011] The inspection switch 5 is one or more switches operated by the manager of the lighting fixture 1 when checking the battery level of the emergency power supply 11, which will be described later. The inspection switch 5 is the operating device for the lighting fixture 1. When the inspection switch 5 is operated, the lighting fixture 1 operates in various inspection modes, as will be described later. The notification unit 6 provides notification based on a notification signal from the control device 10, which will be described later. In Embodiment 1, the notification unit 6 has an LED (light-emitting diode) and provides notification by the LED emitting light. However, it is not limited to this. In particular, in Embodiment 1, the notification unit 6 provides notification of the results of the inspection operation based on the notification signal.

[0012] Figure 2 is a functional block diagram showing a lighting fixture 1 according to Embodiment 1. As shown in Figure 2, the display unit 3 has a light source unit 15. The lighting fixture 1 also has an emergency power supply 11 and a control device 10.

[0013] In Embodiment 1, the light source unit 15 is housed in the main body 2 (see Figure 1) of the lighting fixture 1 and includes a light-emitting element 12 and a mounting substrate 13. In Embodiment 1, the lighting fixture 1 is configured to mount the light-emitting element 12 on the mounting substrate 13.

[0014] The light emitter 12 serves as a light source to emit light and turn on the lighting fixture 1. Specifically, when the light emitter 12 is in normal use with power supplied from the commercial power supply 100, it emits light with the power supplied from the commercial power supply 100 and turns on the lighting fixture 1. Also, when power from the commercial power supply 100 is cut off in an emergency, the light emitter 12 emits light with the power supplied from the emergency power supply 11 and turns on the lighting fixture 1. Note that the light emitter 12 is described as having an LED, but is not limited thereto. The light emitter 12 may be, for example, an organic EL or a laser diode.

[0015] The emergency power supply 11 is, for example, a storage battery and is stored in the main body 2 (see FIG. 1) of the lighting fixture 1. When power is supplied from the commercial power supply 100, the emergency power supply 11 stores power, and when power from the commercial power supply 100 is not supplied, it serves as a backup power supply and supplies power to each device of the lighting fixture 1. Here, the emergency power supply 11 is a Ni-MH storage battery, but is not limited thereto. The emergency power supply 11 may be, for example, a secondary battery such as a Ni-Cd storage battery or a Li-Ion battery. Note that the emergency power supply 11 does not have to be stored in the main body 2.

[0016] The control device 10 is a device that controls operations such as lighting and inspection in the lighting fixture 1, and is stored, for example, in the main body 2 (see FIG. 1) of the lighting fixture 1. As hardware, the control device 10 is assumed to be composed of, for example, a microcomputer having a processing device such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit). In order to realize the above-described functions, the control device 10 has a lighting circuit section 10A, a charging circuit section 10B, an inspection processing section 10C, and a timing section 10D, as shown in FIG. 2. The lighting circuit section 10A controls the light emission state of the light emitter 12. The lighting circuit section 10A mainly performs functions (1) and (4) described later. The charging circuit section 10B performs charging control when charging the emergency power source 11 with the power supplied from the commercial power source 100. The charging circuit section 10B mainly performs function (2) described later. The inspection processing section 10C performs processing related to inspection control when executing various inspection functions described later. The inspection processing section 10C mainly performs functions (5) to (9) described later. The timing section 10D has a timer and performs timing. The time measured by the timing section 10D is used when the inspection processing section 10C and the like perform control. The timing section 10D mainly performs function (3) described later.

[0017] The control device 10 of Embodiment 1 has the functions shown in the following (1) to (9), and performs lighting or extinguishing of the lighting fixture 1, charging of the emergency power source 11, and inspection related to the emergency power source 11. (1) A function of causing the light emitter 12 to emit light by receiving power supply from the commercial power source 100 and lighting the lighting fixture 1. (2) A normal charging function of receiving power supply from the commercial power source 100 and normally charging the emergency power source 11. Here, normal charging is performed by trickle charging in which a minute current is supplied to the emergency power source 11 for charging. (3) A timer function of measuring the elapsed time after receiving power supply from the commercial power source 100. (4) A function of causing the light emitter 12 to emit light by switching to power supply from the emergency power source 11 when the power supply from the commercial power source 100 is interrupted, and lighting the lighting fixture 1. (5) An inspection function to check whether the lighting fixture 1 can be lit for a specified time (20 minutes or 60 minutes) by the emergency power supply 11 and the deterioration status of the emergency power supply 11. Here, function (5) is realized by illuminating the light-emitting element 12. (6) An automatic inspection function that, when the inspection switch 5 is operated, causes the light-emitting element 12 to light up using the emergency power supply 11 and performs the inspection of function (5). (7) A periodic automatic inspection function that, using the timer function of function (3), automatically performs the inspection of function (5) by illuminating the light-emitting element 12 with the emergency power supply 11 after a predetermined inspection interval has elapsed, without requiring operation of the inspection switch 5. The inspection in function (7) is performed over a predetermined set time. (8) A manual inspection function that, while the inspection switch 5 is being operated, uses the emergency power supply 11 to illuminate the light-emitting element 12 and check whether the lighting fixture 1 can be lit. (9) A function that notifies the notification unit 6 of the inspection results performed based on functions (5) to (7).

[0018] Figure 3 illustrates the modes that can be performed in the lighting fixture 1 according to Embodiment 1. As shown in Figure 3, the lighting fixture 1 in Embodiment 1 can perform four modes, for example, (a) normal lighting mode, (b) emergency lighting mode, (c) manual inspection mode, and (d) automatic inspection mode.

[0019] (a) The normal lighting mode is the mode under normal conditions. The lighting circuit section 10A of the control device 10 performs function (1) to make the light-emitting element 12 light up with power supplied from the commercial power supply 100, and the charging circuit section 10B of the control device 10 performs function (2) to charge the emergency power supply 11.

[0020] (b) The emergency lighting mode is a mode used in emergencies. The lighting circuit section 10A of the control device 10 switches from the normal lighting mode to the emergency lighting mode when it detects that the power supply from the commercial power supply 100 has been cut off due to a power outage. The lighting circuit section 10A of the control device 10 performs function (4) to make the light-emitting element 12 light up with power supplied from the emergency power supply 11 and light up the lighting fixture 1. At this time, the light-emitting element 12 becomes a load and the emergency power supply 11 discharges. Also, if the power supplied to the light-emitting element 12 in the normal lighting mode is 100%, the power supplied to the light-emitting element 12 in the emergency lighting mode is, for example, 50%. For this reason, in the emergency lighting mode, the display section 3 lights up dimmer than in the normal lighting mode.

[0021] (c) The manual inspection mode is a mode in which an inspection is performed with the operation of the inspection switch 5 by the administrator as the condition for starting the inspection. The manual inspection mode performs the automatic inspection function of function (6) or the manual inspection function of function (8) and provides notification of function (9).

[0022] (d) The automatic inspection mode is a mode in which an inspection is performed automatically, with the elapsed time interval as the inspection start condition, as will be described later. Next, the automatic inspection mode will be explained.

[0023] Emergency exit signs, as defined by the Fire Service Act, for example, have a built-in emergency power supply 11 that is charged, and in the event of a power outage when the power from the commercial power supply 100 is cut off, the light source is illuminated by power supplied from the charged emergency power supply 11.

[0024] Here, the emergency power supply 11 specifies the duration for which the emergency lights will remain lit, and in the event of a power outage, it is necessary to ensure that the lights can remain lit for at least the specified duration. The specified duration for emergency lights is 20 minutes or 60 minutes.

[0025] The duration of illumination in lighting fixture 1 depends on the charge level of the emergency power supply 11 and the deterioration status of the emergency power supply 11. The emergency lights primarily use trickle charging as their charging method, and under normal circumstances, the power of the emergency power supply 11 is controlled to always be in a fully charged state. However, if the emergency power supply 11 of lighting fixture 1 deteriorates, the duration of illumination tends to shorten over time, even when fully charged.

[0026] Therefore, it is necessary to periodically check whether the lighting fixture 1 can be lit for the specified time, thereby confirming the deterioration status of the emergency power supply 11, and if deterioration of the emergency power supply 11 is found, replacing the emergency power supply 11 to maintain the lighting fixture 1 in a state where it can be lit for the specified time.

[0027] Maintenance is generally carried out by the administrator, who performs inspections and verifies the inspection results. However, when such verification is performed, the management of lighting fixture 1 depends on the frequency of inspections by the administrator. Therefore, if the inspection frequency (interval) is long, there is a concern that the emergency power supply 11 may not be replaced at the appropriate time.

[0028] In the lighting fixture 1 of Embodiment 1, the control device 10 has the periodic automatic inspection function of function (5) and function (7) described above. Therefore, in automatic inspection mode, the control device 10 automatically performs an inspection even if the inspection switch 5 is not operated, when the time since power supply from the commercial power supply 100 reaches the inspection interval time, using the timer function of function (3).

[0029] The inspection interval mentioned above is not specifically defined, but it can be, for example, 6 months or 1 year. The inspection interval may be any other time, but it is preferable to perform the inspection once a year.

[0030] The method by which the control device 10 determines whether the emergency power supply 11 can remain lit for a specified time will be explained. Figure 4 is a diagram illustrating the automatic inspection mode of the lighting fixture 1 according to Embodiment 1. The left side of Figure 4 shows a simplified representation of the brightness of the display unit 3 in the normal lighting mode. The right side of Figure 4 shows a simplified representation of the brightness of the display unit 3 in the automatic inspection mode. As shown in Figure 4, the control device 10 supplies 100% of the power to the light-emitting element 12, the same as in the normal lighting mode, for a set time of 10 minutes required for the automatic inspection mode. The control device 10 then performs the inspection by determining whether the voltage of the emergency power supply 11 remains above a threshold voltage after the set time has elapsed. Here, the set time is set to 10 minutes, which is half of the power supplied to the light-emitting element 12 in the emergency lighting mode, so if the specified time is 20 minutes, the set time is 10 minutes.

[0031] The control device 10 may also make a determination based on a specified time for the emergency power supply 11. Alternatively, the control device 10 may set other thresholds that correlate with the lifespan of the emergency power supply 11 for the voltage after a specified time or set time has elapsed, and make a determination based on the set thresholds. Furthermore, the control device 10 may set a threshold for the illuminance after a set time and make a determination based on that.

[0032] Furthermore, in Embodiment 1, the automatic inspection mode receives the same 100% power supply as the normal lighting mode, so the light-emitting element 12 emits light with the same brightness in both the normal lighting mode and the automatic inspection mode. As a result, the display unit 3 is illuminated with the same brightness in both the normal lighting mode and the automatic inspection mode.

[0033] The control device 10 sends a notification signal to the notification unit 6 based on the inspection results determined by the judgment, using the function described in (9) above. The notification unit 6 displays the information based on the notification signal and notifies the administrator.

[0034] (Comparative example) Here, the effects of Embodiment 1 will be explained using a comparative example of a lighting fixture having the same configuration as Embodiment 1, where the power supplied to the light-emitting element 12 in automatic inspection mode is the same as that in emergency lighting mode, as is generally known, and the control of the lighting state is performed accordingly. In other words, in the comparative example, if the power supplied to the light-emitting element in normal lighting mode is set to 100%, then in automatic inspection mode, 50% of the power, equivalent to that in emergency lighting mode, is supplied to the light-emitting element from the emergency power supply. Figure 5 is a diagram illustrating the automatic inspection mode of the lighting fixture according to the comparative example. The left side of Figure 5 shows a simplified representation of the brightness of the display unit 3Z in normal lighting mode. The right side of Figure 5 shows a simplified representation of the brightness of the display unit 3Z in automatic inspection mode. As shown in Figure 5, the control device according to the comparative example supplies 50% of the power of the normal lighting mode to the light-emitting element in automatic inspection mode. For this reason, the inspection is performed with a set time of 20 minutes. Furthermore, in the lighting fixture according to the comparative example, when transitioning to automatic inspection mode, the brightness of the display unit 3Z decreases compared to normal lighting mode, so the change in brightness is perceived by users present at the location where the lighting fixture is installed. In this situation, there is a risk that users may mistakenly believe that there is a power outage or a malfunction in the lighting fixtures.

[0035] In contrast, with the lighting fixture 1 of Embodiment 1, the light-emitting element 12 and the display unit 3 light up with the same brightness in both the normal lighting mode and the automatic inspection mode, making it difficult for the user to recognize that the automatic inspection mode is being executed. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the user of the lighting fixture 1 from mistakenly believing that there is a malfunction in the lighting fixture 1 or that a power outage has occurred.

[0036] Furthermore, in the automatic inspection mode of Embodiment 1, the emergency power supply 11 supplies the same amount of power to the light-emitting element 12 as in the normal lighting mode. In other words, the power required by the emergency power supply 11 in the automatic inspection mode of Embodiment 1 is greater than the power required by the emergency power supply 11 in the emergency lighting mode. Therefore, with the lighting fixture 1 of Embodiment 1, the power of the emergency power supply 11 is consumed more quickly compared to the case where the same amount of power as in the emergency lighting mode is required in the automatic inspection mode, as in the comparative example, and the time required for inspection can be shortened.

[0037] Furthermore, if the power supplied to the light-emitting element 12 in automatic inspection mode exceeds the power supplied to the light-emitting element 12 in emergency lighting mode, and is less than or equal to the power supplied to the light-emitting element 12 in normal lighting mode, the brightness of the light-emitting element 12 and the display unit 3 may differ between normal lighting mode and automatic inspection mode. In this case as well, since the light-emitting element 12 is illuminated in both normal lighting mode and periodic inspection mode, it is difficult for users to recognize that automatic inspection mode is being performed. In addition, the power required from the emergency power supply 11 in automatic inspection mode in Embodiment 1 is greater than the power required from the emergency power supply 11 in emergency lighting mode. Therefore, with the lighting fixture 1 of Embodiment 1, the power of the emergency power supply 11 is consumed faster compared to the case where the same amount of power as the emergency lighting mode is required in automatic inspection mode, as in the comparative example, and the time required for inspection can be shortened. As described above, the lighting fixture 1 according to Embodiment 1 can shorten the inspection time during automatic inspections that are performed periodically without operation by an administrator, while suppressing the misconception that there is a problem with the lighting fixture 1 or that a power outage has occurred in the lighting fixture 1.

[0038] Embodiment 2. Figure 6 shows the external appearance of the lighting fixture 101 according to Embodiment 2. As shown in Figure 6, Embodiment 2 differs from Embodiment 1 in that the lighting fixture 101 is an emergency lighting fixture having a normal light source unit 15a and an emergency light source unit 15b. The specifications of the emergency lighting fixture are stipulated by the Building Standards Act. In Embodiment 2, the same parts as in Embodiment 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals and their descriptions are omitted, and the differences from Embodiment 1 will be explained in detail. Note that in Figure 6, the inspection switch 5 and notification unit 6 provided on the main body 2 are not shown. However, the inspection switch 5 and notification unit 6 may be provided on a remote control (not shown) for operating the lighting fixture 101, rather than on the main body 2.

[0039] Figure 7 is a functional block diagram showing a lighting fixture 101 according to Embodiment 2. As shown in Figure 7, the lighting fixture 101 has a normal light source unit 15a, an emergency light source unit 15b, and a normal lighting device 30. The normal light source unit 15a is a light source used when power is supplied from the commercial power supply 100. The emergency light source unit 15b is a light source used when power is supplied from the emergency power supply 11 when power supply from the commercial power supply 100 is interrupted. The normal light source unit 15a has a normal light emitter 12a and a mounting board 13a. The emergency light source unit 15b has an emergency light emitter 12b and a mounting board 13b. In Embodiment 2, the lighting fixture 101 is configured such that the normal light emitter 12a is mounted on the mounting board 13a and the emergency light emitter 12b is mounted on the mounting board 13b.

[0040] If the power supplied to the normal light source 12a of the normal light source unit 15a is set to 100%, the power supplied to the emergency light source 12b of the emergency light source unit 15b is, for example, 50%. Therefore, the emergency light source unit 15b in emergency lighting mode is dimmer than the normal light source unit 15a in normal lighting mode.

[0041] The normal lighting device 30 controls the illumination state of the normal light emitter 12a. The normal lighting device 30 primarily performs function (1) described later. The lighting circuit section 10A of the control device 10 in Embodiment 2 primarily performs function (4) described later. The charging circuit section 10B controls charging when charging the emergency power supply 11 with power supplied from the commercial power supply 100. The charging circuit section 10B primarily performs function (2) described later. The inspection processing section 10C performs processing related to inspection control when executing various inspection functions described later. The inspection processing section 10C primarily performs functions (5) to (9) described later. The timing unit 10D has a timer and performs timing. The time measured by the timing unit 10D is used when the inspection processing section 10C and others perform control. The timing unit 10D primarily performs function (3) described later.

[0042] The regular lighting device 30 and control device 10 of Embodiment 2 have the following functions (1) to (9), and perform tasks such as turning the lighting fixture 101 on or off, charging the emergency power supply 11, and inspecting the emergency power supply 11. (1) A function that receives power from commercial power supply 100 to make the normal light-emitting element 12a light up and to light up the lighting fixture 1. (2) A normal charging function that receives power from the commercial power supply 100 and normally charges the emergency power supply 11. Here, normal charging is performed by trickle charging, which charges the emergency power supply 11 by supplying a small current. (3) A timer function that measures the elapsed time since receiving power from commercial power supply 100. (4) A function that, if the power supply from commercial power supply 100 is interrupted, switches to power supply from emergency power supply 11 to illuminate the emergency light-emitting element 12b and light up the lighting fixture 1. (5) An inspection function to check whether the lighting fixture 1 can be lit for a specified time (30 minutes or 60 minutes) by the emergency power supply 11 and the deterioration status of the emergency power supply 11. Here, function (5) is realized by illuminating the normal light source 12a or the emergency light source 12b. (6) An automatic inspection function that, when the inspection switch 5 is operated, causes the emergency power supply 11 to illuminate the emergency light-emitting element 12b and performs the inspection of function (5). (7) A periodic automatic inspection function that, using the timer function of function (3), automatically performs the inspection of function (5) by illuminating the normal light source 12a with the emergency power supply 11 after a predetermined inspection interval has elapsed, without requiring operation of the inspection switch 5. The inspection in function (7) is performed over a predetermined set time. (8) A manual inspection function that, while the inspection switch 5 is being operated, uses the emergency power supply 11 to illuminate the emergency light-emitting element 12b and check whether the lighting fixture 1 can be lit. (9) A function that notifies the notification unit 6 of the inspection results performed based on functions (5) to (7).

[0043] Figure 8 is a diagram illustrating the modes that can be performed in the lighting fixture 101 according to Embodiment 2. Figure 9 is a diagram illustrating the automatic inspection mode of the lighting fixture 101 according to Embodiment 2. In the manual inspection mode, the control device 10 of Embodiment 2 does not illuminate the normal light source 12a, but illuminates the emergency light source 12b. That is, as shown in Figure 8, the normal light source unit 15a is turned off, and the emergency light source unit 15b is turned on. In the automatic inspection mode, the normal light source 12a is illuminated, but the emergency light source 12b is not illuminated. That is, as shown in Figure 8, the normal light source unit 15a is turned on, and the emergency light source unit 15b is turned off. In other words, as shown in Figure 9(a), in both the normal operation mode and the automatic inspection mode, only the normal light source unit 15a is turned on. Also, as shown in Figure 9(b), in both the emergency lighting mode and the manual inspection mode, only the emergency light source unit 15b is turned on. In the case of emergency lighting fixtures, the prescribed continuous lighting time is 30 minutes or 60 minutes.

[0044] (Comparative example) The effects of Embodiment 2 will be explained in comparison with the comparative example. Figure 10 is a diagram illustrating the automatic inspection mode of the lighting fixture 101Z according to the comparative example. As shown in Figure 10(a), in the lighting fixture 101Z of the comparative example, only the normal light source unit 15a is lit in the normal operation mode. Also, as shown in Figure 10(b), in both the emergency lighting mode and the automatic inspection mode, only the emergency light source unit 15b is lit. Therefore, in the lighting fixture 101Z of the comparative example, when switching to the automatic inspection mode, the illumination of the light source becomes dimmer than in the normal lighting mode, and the change in brightness is perceived by users present at the installation location of the lighting fixture 101Z. In this case, there is a risk that users may mistakenly believe that there is a power outage or that there is a malfunction in the lighting fixture 101Z.

[0045] In contrast, with the lighting fixture 101 of Embodiment 2, the normal light source unit 15a is illuminated in both the normal lighting mode and the automatic inspection mode, making it difficult for the user to recognize that the automatic inspection mode is being executed. Therefore, it is possible to prevent users of the lighting fixture 101 from mistakenly believing that there is a malfunction in the lighting fixture 101 or that a power outage has occurred.

[0046] Furthermore, in the automatic inspection mode of Embodiment 2, the emergency power supply 11 supplies the same amount of power to the light-emitting element 12 as in the normal lighting mode. In other words, in the automatic inspection mode of Embodiment 2, the power required by the emergency power supply 11 is greater than the power required when the emergency light-emitting element 12b is used in the automatic inspection mode, as in the comparative example. As a result, the power of the emergency power supply 11 is consumed more quickly, and the time required for inspection can be shortened.

[0047] In the embodiments 1 and 2 described above, the notification unit 6 had an LED and notified the inspection results by the color of the light emitted, flashing, etc., but it is not limited to this. The display of the notification unit 6 may be, for example, a segment display. Also, the notification unit 6 may have a liquid crystal monitor or the like and display characters, pictures, etc.

[0048] Furthermore, while Embodiment 2 described a case in which the emergency lighting fixture has separate normal light source units 15a and emergency light source units 15b, the normal light source unit 15a and the emergency light source unit 15b may be provided as the same light source having the same light-emitting element 12. In this case, as in Embodiment 1, the light-emitting element 12 is made to emit light at the same brightness in both the normal lighting mode and the automatic inspection mode. However, the brightness of the light-emitting element 12 may differ between the normal lighting mode and the automatic inspection mode, as long as the power supplied to the light-emitting element 12 in the automatic inspection mode exceeds the power supplied to the light-emitting element 12 in the emergency lighting mode and is less than or equal to the power supplied to the light-emitting element 12 in the normal lighting mode. [Explanation of symbols]

[0049] 1, 101, 101Z Lighting fixture, 2 Main unit, 3, 3Z Display unit, 5 Inspection switch, 6 Notification unit, 10 Control device, 10A Lighting circuit unit, 10B Charging circuit unit, 10C Inspection processing unit, 10D Timing unit, 11 Emergency power supply, 12 Light emitter, 12a Normal light emitter, 12b Emergency light emitter, 13, 13a, 13b Mounting board, 15 Light source unit, 15a Normal light source unit, 15b Emergency light source unit, 30 Normal lighting device, 100 Commercial power supply.

Claims

1. As light-emitting devices that emit light using supplied power, there are regular light-emitting devices and emergency light-emitting devices, An emergency power supply that supplies power to the light-emitting element when power is not supplied from the commercial power supply, The system includes a control device for controlling the light emission state of the light-emitting element. The control device is A normal lighting mode in which the light-emitting element is illuminated by power supplied from the commercial power supply, In the event that power from the commercial power supply is cut off, an emergency lighting mode is provided in which the light-emitting element is illuminated using power supplied from the emergency power supply. When a predetermined inspection interval is reached, an automatic inspection mode is executed in which the light-emitting element is illuminated using power supplied from the emergency power supply for a predetermined set time, thereby inspecting the emergency power supply. In the normal lighting mode, the normal light-emitting element is illuminated; in the emergency lighting mode, the emergency light-emitting element is illuminated; and in the automatic inspection mode, the normal light-emitting element is illuminated. In the automatic inspection mode, the power supplied to the light-emitting element exceeds the power supplied to the light-emitting element in the emergency lighting mode, and is less than or equal to the power supplied to the light-emitting element in the normal lighting mode. Lighting fixtures.

2. It also includes an inspection switch operated by the administrator, The control device is When the inspection switch is operated, the light-emitting element is illuminated using power supplied from the emergency power supply, and a manual inspection mode is executed to inspect the emergency power supply. The lighting fixture according to claim 1.

3. The control device controls the light-emitting state of the light-emitting element so that it emits light at the same brightness in both the normal lighting mode and the automatic inspection mode. A lighting fixture according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The inspection interval in the automatic inspection mode is six months or longer. A lighting fixture according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. The setting time in the automatic inspection mode is 60 minutes or less. A lighting fixture according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. The control device has a notification unit that notifies the inspection results. A lighting fixture according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. The aforementioned emergency power source is a battery. A lighting fixture according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

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