Stacked Translucent Panels for Dynamic Evacuation Signage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing evacuation information boards with fixed displays are prone to misleading evacuees due to their inability to react to changing dangers, and those with changeable displays incur high production and operational costs along with significant power consumption.
Innovation Solution
A device featuring at least two translucent panels with illuminated fixed displays stacked one behind the other, where the control device switches the light sources on or off based on evacuation information, allowing for a variable and energy-efficient information panel that can react to dangers without increasing operational costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a fixed display is used on the information board, then the acquisition and operating costs are low, but the board cannot react to dangers in the evacuation route and may mislead people
Solution Approach 1:
The information board is divided into multiple independent translucent panels, each with its own fixed display and light source. This segmentation allows individual panels to be activated or deactivated independently, enabling the board to convey different evacuation information by lighting specific panels while keeping others dark, thus achieving adaptability without requiring a fully changeable display system.
2Reliability
If the lights of the fixed display are switched off to warn people, then dangers can be indicated, but people tend to perceive such changes as a technical defect and ignore them
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of changing the state of a single illuminated panel (on/off), the invention adds a spatial dimension by arranging multiple translucent panels in sequence. Different evacuation messages are displayed simultaneously on different panels, with the current valid message indicated by lighting the corresponding panel while keeping others dark. This spatial differentiation allows clear indication of active information without creating ambiguity about technical defects.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a changeable display is used to indicate changed circumstances, then dangers can be indicated, but the production costs and power consumption are high
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses intermittent illumination of multiple translucent panels instead of continuous illumination required by traditional changeable displays. Each panel can be illuminated only when needed to convey specific evacuation information, significantly reducing overall power consumption while maintaining the ability to indicate changed circumstances through selective panel activation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution creates a low-cost, energy-efficient information panel that can effectively respond to evacuation route hazards, preventing misguidance of evacuees while maintaining low operational expenses, by using light-emitting diodes and recessed displays to ensure visibility and avoid unnecessary illumination.
Implementation Method 1
the display being illuminated with the aid of the light guided in the translucent plate from a light source arranged in the area of the end face of the plate
Implementation Method 2
the display to be shown on the disk preceding one disk is placed in the overlapping area with the other disk displays behind it with the aid of recesses in the disk surface
Data Source
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AI summary
The device has an information board including fixed displays (2) arranged on two translucent plates (1, 8), where the displays are illuminated by light sources (4) i.e. LED, arranged in front sides of the plates. A control device switches on or off the light sources of the plates that are arranged with the displays one behind the other. A translucent screen is provided between the light sources of the plates that are arranged based on evacuation details that is represented on the displays.