Wall-Mounted Visual Alarm Device With Segmented Reflector
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wall-mounted visual alarm devices face challenges in achieving efficient light distribution and coverage to meet European Standard EN54-23 requirements, leading to increased current consumption and cost due to higher light output levels, and struggle to match sounder coverage effectively, making cost-effective designs difficult.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a reflector with a sharp cut-off for rays outside the required cuboid illumination fields, using five LEDs with 3 in a center reflector cavity and 2 angled 'arms' to break up illumination into semi-overlapping fields, optimizing even lighting across the cuboid shape, and employs a sealed optical cover and piezoelectric sound element for efficient power usage and robustness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If higher light output levels are used to meet EN54-23 requirements and cover practical room sizes, then coverage area is improved, but current consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The illumination space is segmented into multiple cuboid zones, each served by a dedicated LED module with tailored optics. This allows each LED to operate at lower power while collectively covering the required area, avoiding the need for a single high-power light source
Solution Approach 2:
Each LED module is equipped with custom-designed shaping optics that concentrate light precisely into the required cuboid pattern. This local optimization ensures uniform illumination within each zone while minimizing light waste, achieving high coverage efficiency at lower current consumption
2Area of stationary object
If more powerful VAD units or greater numbers of units are deployed to achieve required coverage, then illumination coverage is improved, but device complexity and installation cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the coverage area into discrete cuboid zones, each handled by a standardized LED module. This segmentation allows flexible configuration where multiple simple modules replace complex high-power alternatives, simplifying both device design and installation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal modular design where identical LED modules with standardized mounting and optics can serve multiple positions and configurations. This multi-functionality reduces the variety of device types needed, lowering overall system complexity and installation cost
3Area of stationary object
If wall mounted sounder coverage is to be matched by VAD coverage, then effective combined alarm coverage is improved, but achieving this requires optimized light distribution which increases design difficulty
Solution Approach 1:
The illumination coverage is segmented into standardized cuboid units that can be systematically arranged to match sounder coverage patterns. This segmentation transforms the complex continuous optimization problem into discrete modular planning, reducing design difficulty
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs adjustable optical parameters in the shaping optics to fine-tune the illumination pattern of each module. By changing optical parameters rather than redesigning entire systems, the VAD coverage can be precisely matched to sounder coverage with minimal design complexity
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
This approach maximizes coverage volume with the lowest power input, reducing voltage drops and improving reliability, allowing for more devices per fire alarm circuit while maintaining effective illumination and sound coverage, thus achieving a cost-effective solution.
Implementation Method 1
The design incorporates a reflector with a sharp cut-off for rays outside the required cuboid illumination fields, using five LEDs with 3 in a center reflector cavity and 2 angled 'arms' to break up illumination into semi-overlapping fields, optimizing even lighting across the cuboid shape, and employs a sealed optical cover and piezoelectric sound element for efficient power usage and robustness.
Implementation Method 2
The design incorporates a reflector with a sharp cut-off for rays outside the required cuboid illumination fields, using five LEDs with 3 in a center reflector cavity and 2 angled 'arms' to break up illumination into semi-overlapping fields, optimizing even lighting across the cuboid shape
Implementation Method 3
using five LEDs with 3 in a center reflector cavity and 2 angled 'arms' to break up illumination into semi-overlapping fields
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention concerns a visual alarm device configured to be mounted on a mounting wall and to illuminate a cuboid shape with a flash light having a minimum light intensity, the visual alarm device comprising a housing 1, 3 configured to be mounted on the mounting wall, a plurality of light emitting devices (13) provided in the housing 1, 3, a reflector body 17 configured to directed the light emitted by the light emitting devices 13 into four partially overlapping predetermined fields. According to the invention these fields comprise a first field covering a front wall and far floor of the cuboid shape, a second field covering the left hand side wall of the cuboid shape, a third field covering the right hand side wall of the cuboid shape, and a fourth field covering the near floor area around and under the visual alarm device of the cuboid shape.