AU2004100525B4

AU2004100525B4 - Emergency light test unit

Info

Publication number: AU2004100525B4
Application number: AU2004100525A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Donald Kenneth Pleace; Trevor Henley Taylor
Original assignee: Taylor Annette Jennifer
Current assignee: Taylor Annette Jennifer
Priority date: 2004-07-01
Filing date: 2004-07-01
Publication date: 2005-02-24
Anticipated expiration: 2012-07-01
Also published as: AU2004100525A4

Description

Regulation 3.2 Revised 2/98

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act, 1990 COMPLETE INNOVATION SPECIFICATION NAME OF APPLICANTS ACTUAL INVENTORS ADDRESS FOR SERVICE INVENTION TITLE: DETAILS OF ASSOCIATED APPLICATION NO(S) Trevor Henley Taylor and Annette Jennifer Taylor Trevor Henley Taylor and Donald Kenneth Pleace Peter Maxwell Associates Level 6 Pitt Street SYDNEY NSW 2000 EMERGENCY LIGHT TEST UNIT Nil The following statement is a full description of this invention including the best method of performing it known to us:m:\docs\20041016\059407.doc The present invention relates to an emergency light test unit for use in public buildings.

Under the Building Code of Australia, public buildings generally are required to have emergency evacuation lighting. The standard that sets out the requirements for the design, installation and operation of emergency evacuation lighting systems is AS/NZS 2293.1.1998. Another standard, AS/NZS 2293.2.1995, deals with the inspection and maintenance of these systems.

Hitherto, the different components (as stipulated in Section 4 of AS/NZS 2293.1.1998) necessary for providing the required periodic testing of these lighting systems have been obtained separately and then assembled together at the site of the testing.

The testing requirements call for both a 90 minutes "standard" test and a 120 minutes "new batteries" test to be conducted. These two different discharge times are presently tested by an operator separately adjusting various components that need to be brought to the site of the testing.

It is an object of the present invention to provide these different components as a preassembled, single unit that is more compact than the aforementioned assemblies, and wherein the components are housed in a practicable casing that is easy to install, say, within electrical switchboards or distribution switchboards, or as a stand alone unit.

It is another object of the invention to provide more simplified means for conducting any necessary discharge time tests.

According to the invention, there is provided an emergency light test unit comprising testing means, a casing for housing the testing means, the testing means being preassembled within the casing, and a means of actuating the 11/01/2005 testing means whereby the testing means will perform discharge time tests of an emergency light system.

Preferably, the actuating means comprises a button or a key operated switch mounted on the casing, the operation of which is adjustable to perform one of a plurality of discharge time tests.

It is preferred that the actuating means is operable, in a first adjustable mode, to perform a 90 minutes discharge time test, and is operable, in a second adjustable mode, to perform a 120 minutes discharge time test.

Preferably, the first and second adjustable modes of operation of the actuating means are set by selecting a time duration over which the actuating means is operated.

In a preferred form, the first adjustable mode requires operating the actuating means momentarily to perform the 90 minutes discharge time test, and the second adjustable mode requires operating the actuating means for 3 seconds to perform the 120 minutes discharge time test.

In order that the invention may be readily understood and put into practical effect, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Fig. 1 is a top view of a first preferred emergency light test unit according to the invention, and Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a second preferred emergency light test unit according to the invention.

The emergency light test unit 10 shown in Fig. 1 includes testing means preassembled and housed within a compact casing 12, and a button 14 for actuating the testing means, the button 14 being mounted on the casing 12.

Pressing the button 14 will cause the testing means to perform a discharge time test of an emergency light system. Alternatively, as shown in Fig. 2, a key 11/01/2005 operated switch 15 may be used for actuating the testing means of the unit A "test in progress" light 16 is mounted on the casing 12 adjacent the button 14, and there are written instructions for operating the button 14 adjacent thereto. The testing means may embody 2, 4, 6 or 8 pole units (circuits).

The emergency light test unit is adapted to perform both a 90 minutes discharge test and a 120 minutes discharge test, the duration of the test being determined by a user selecting a time duration over which the button 14 is operated. To achieve this, the operation of the button 14 is adjustable between a first mode, which requires operating the button 14 momentarily (by pressing and then instantly releasing the button) to perform the 90 minutes discharge test, and a second mode, which requires operating the button 14 for 3 seconds (by pressing and maintaining pressure on the button for 3 seconds before release) to perform the 120 minutes discharge test. The button 14 may thus be referred to as a multi-use button and its mounting on the casing that houses the testing means provides a more simplified means for conducting the necessary discharge time tests than the prior art.

Throughout the duration of a selected discharge test, the light 16 is illuminated or will flash at a particular rate to indicate to a user that the test is in progress. During a 90 minutes "standard" test, the light 16 will flash slowly, whilst during a 120 minutes "new batteries" test, the light 16 will flash more quickly. At any time during the test, a user may momentarily press the button 14 to immediately cancel the test and reset the emergency light test unit to zero. Upon completion of a test, the unit will automatically reset to zero.

Various modifications may be made in details of the design, construction and method of operation of the emergency light test unit without departing from the scope and ambit of the invention.

30/06/04

Claims

1. An emergency light test unit comprising testing means, a casing for housing the testing means, the testing means being preassembled within the casing, and a means of actuating the testing means whereby the testing means will perform discharge time tests of an emergency light system.

2. The emergency light test unit of claim 1 wherein the actuating means comprises a button or a key operated switch mounted on the casing, the operation of which is adjustable to perform one of a plurality of discharge time tests.

3. The emergency light test unit of claim 2 wherein the actuating means is operable, in a first adjustable mode, to perform a 90 minutes discharge time test, and is operable, in a second adjustable mode, to perform a 120 minutes discharge time test.

4. The emergency light test unit of claim 3 wherein the first and second adjustable modes of operation of the actuating means are set by selecting a time duration over which the actuating means is operated. The emergency light test unit of claim 4 wherein the first adjustable mode requires operating the actuating means momentarily to perform the 11/01/05 minutes discharge time test, and the second adjustable mode requires operating the actuating means for 3 seconds to perform the 120 minutes discharge time test. Dated this 1 1th day of January 2005 Trevor Taylor and Annette Jennifer Taylor Patent Attorneys for the Applicant PETER MAXWELL ASSOCIATES 11/01/05