Not Applicable.
Not Applicable.
Not Applicable.
1. Technical Field
This invention relates to egress systems and, more particularly, to a multi-functional emergency egress system for assisting occupants of a dwelling to escape from hazardous conditions.
2. Prior Art
The United States has one of the highest fire death rates in the industrialized world. There were 4,045 civilian fire deaths in 2002, which showed a 13.3 percent increase from the previous year. The majority of all fire related deaths are caused by smoke inhalation. Much study has been done about the lethal effects of smoke inhalation which research from the National Fire Protection Association has shown is the leading cause of death in fires to building occupants and firefighters.
Carbon monoxide is the deadliest gas in fire smoke, primarily because the body has a stronger affinity for carbon monoxide than for oxygen. Carbon monoxide molecule passes directly into the bloodstream and it prevents the body from absorbing oxygen. Unfortunately, many individuals become disoriented in smoke filled rooms and lose precious time trying to find an exit way, time in which they are exposed to carbon monoxide and toxic fumes. In many cases, individuals have died only a few feet away from an exit and safe haven, only because they were disoriented and had lost too much time trying to find a way out. Obviously, it would be advantageous to provide a means for guiding people out of a burning building in a timely and safe manner.
Accordingly, a need remains for a multi-functional emergency egress system in order to overcome the above-noted shortcomings. The present invention satisfies such a need by providing a system that is convenient and easy to use, is automatic in its operation, and effectively provides users with a safe and quick means to egress a burning building. Such a system is especially helpful to those suffering from physical disabilities and others with limited mobility. The automatic operation of the system advantageously allows the user to direct all their time and energy to reaching an egress point. The solar back up power supply source also ensures that the system will be operational in the event of a power outage.
In view of the foregoing background, it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a multi-functional emergency egress system. These and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention are provided by a multi-functional emergency egress system for assisting occupants of a dwelling to escape from hazardous conditions.
The emergency egress system includes a controller that is located within the dwelling and is disposed adjacent to a window of the dwelling. Such a controller includes a user interface. The controller is electrically coupled to an external power supply source that includes at least one of a solar power supply source and an alternating current power supply source respectively.
A plurality of illuminable light emitting objects are seated about a perimeter of the window and face towards an interior of the dwelling. Such light emitting objects are horizontally and vertically oriented for advantageously and effectively defining a location and shape of the window.
A dedicated communications link is provided for transmitting a distress signal to a remotely located monitoring system. Such a dedicated communications link is electrically coupled to at least one alarm selected from the group including a smoke alarm, a fire alarm, a carbon monoxide alarm and a security system alarm of the dwelling.
A ladder assembly is housed to an exterior of the dwelling and is positioned adjacent to the window. Such a ladder assembly may be positioned directly above the window and includes a protective awning that has a curvilinear top surface sloping downwardly and away from the dwelling. A motor has a linear drive shaft directly coupled thereto. Such a motor and drive shaft are nested beneath the awning. A spool is horizontally registered adjacent to the motor. First and second pulleys are directly connected to the drive shaft and the spool respectively. A unitary belt is coupled about the first and second pulleys. The ladder is journaled about the spool and is selectively released when the motor rotates the drive shaft such that the first and second pulleys rotate in sync and effectively cause the ladder to wind and unwind about the spool during emergency situations.
A mechanism is included for automatically biasing the window and the ladder assembly to an open position such that the disabled occupant is advantageously and effectively able to exit the dwelling through the window via the ladder assembly respectively. The automatic window biasing mechanism and the illuminable light emitting objects are responsive to a distress signal emitted from the at least one alarm. Such an automatic window biasing mechanism preferably includes first and second actuators that are operably coupled to the window and to the ladder assembly respectively.
A processor is electrically coupled to the first and second actuators, and a memory is electrically coupled to the processor. Such a memory includes software instructions that effectively and conveniently cause the window to pivot along a vertical axis and swing outwardly away from the dwelling. The software instructions execute a programmable logic algorithm that includes the steps of determining whether the distress signal has been transmitted, calculating a period of time since the distress signal was initially transmitted, and comparing the time period with a threshold time period. Further steps include determining if the time period is less than the threshold time period, conveniently ignoring the distress signal and resetting the time period to a false value, and if the time period is greater than the threshold time period, effectively generating and simultaneously transmitting a plurality of control signals to the first and second actuators such that the window and the ladder assembly are advantageously simultaneously biased to open and expanded positions respectively.
A protective fire curtain assembly may be directly coupled to an exterior of the window of the dwelling. A mechanism is included for automatically biasing the fire curtain assembly between raised and lowered positions when the distress signal is detected from the at least one alarm. Such a biasing mechanism is electrically coupled directly to the at least one alarm. The protective fire curtain assembly preferably includes a pair of linear guide rails that are directly connected to an exterior of the dwelling and vertically oriented on opposed sides of the window. Each of the guide rails has coextensive lengths traveling along an entire longitudinal height of the window. A flexible awning has a plurality of planar sides that protrude outwardly from a periphery of the window. Such sides are statically affixed to each other and define a hollow cavity between the window and an inner wall of the awning for effectively and advantageously sheltering the disabled occupant from an interior of the dwelling and exterior ambient surroundings.
A motor assembly is electrically coupled to the controller. At least one rotary gear assembly is housed within an exterior wall of the dwelling and is operably engaged directly with at least one of the guide rails. Such a rotary gear assembly includes a toothed drive gear that is partially seated within the one guide rail. A linear anchor arm traverses through a center of the rotary gear. A pair of coextensively shaped rollers are equidistantly spaced along opposed sides of the drive gear. Such rollers are operably connected to the awning. A slotted linear track is contiguously housed within the one guide rail and extends along an interior chamber thereof. The drive gear is continuously locked with the track such that the rollers effectively bias the awning along the guide tracks when the distress signal is emitted by the at least one alarm.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
It is noted the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.
The novel features believed to be characteristic of this invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:
The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiment set forth herein. Rather, this embodiment is provided so that this application will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the true scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout the figures.
The system of this invention is referred to generally in
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A flexible awning 53 has a plurality of planar sides 54 that protrude outwardly from a periphery of the window 11. Such sides 54 are statically affixed to each other and define a hollow cavity 55 between the window 11 and an inner wall 56 of the awning 53 that is crucial for effectively and advantageously sheltering the disabled occupant from an interior of the dwelling 12 and exterior ambient surroundings. The awning 53 also includes a ramp 57 that is adaptable between raised and lowered positions. One side 54A of the awning 53 can be biased to an open position, wherein the ramp 57 is lowered for advantageously and effectively allowing the person sheltered within the awning 53 to exit therefrom.
Referring to
While the invention has been described with respect to a certain specific embodiment, it will be appreciated that many modifications and changes may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is intended, therefore, by the appended claims to cover all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.
In particular, with respect to the above description, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the present invention may include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation. The assembly and use of the present invention are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
4211306 | Brenner | Jul 1980 | A |
4237654 | Landem et al. | Dec 1980 | A |
5479151 | Lavelle et al. | Dec 1995 | A |
5908082 | Turner et al. | Jun 1999 | A |
6249221 | Reed | Jun 2001 | B1 |
6771181 | Hughen, Jr. | Aug 2004 | B1 |