Multi-functional emergency egress system

An emergency egress system includes a controller that is located within a dwelling, adjacent to a window thereof, and has a user interface. The controller is coupled to an external power supply source, including solar and alternating current power supply sources. Light emitting objects are vertically and horizontally seated about a window perimeter, facing towards the dwelling's interior. A dedicated communications link transmits a distress signal to a monitoring system and is coupled to an alarm, including a smoke-, a fire-, a carbon monoxide- and a security system-alarm. A ladder assembly is positioned adjacent to the window. A mechanism is included for automatically opening the window and the ladder assembly, allowing the occupant to exit the dwelling through the window via the ladder assembly. The automatic window biasing mechanism and the light emitting objects are responsive to a distress signal emitted from the at least one alarm.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable.

Not Applicable.

REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX

Not Applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

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.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

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.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The system of this invention is referred to generally inFIGS. 1-17by the reference numeral10and is intended to provide a multi-functional emergency egress system. It should be understood that the system10may be used to assist many different types of people exit a burning, or other wise hazardous, dwelling and should not be limited to only being used by physically disabled individuals.

Referring initially toFIGS. 1,2,8,9and16, the system10includes a controller20that is located within the dwelling and is disposed adjacent to a window11of the dwelling12. Such a controller20includes a user interface21that includes a plurality of buttons22that are essential for activating and setting the various functions and modes of the system10, respectively. The controller20is electrically coupled to an external power supply source23that includes at least one of a solar power supply source23A and an alternating current power supply source23B respectively. Such a solar power supply source23B is crucial and advantageous for ensuring that the system10can still operate in the event of a power outage.

Referring toFIGS. 1,6and16, a plurality of illuminable light emitting objects24are seated about a perimeter of the window11and face towards an interior of the dwelling12. Such light emitting objects24are horizontally and vertically oriented, which is important for advantageously and effectively defining a location and shape of the window11. Of course, the light emitting objects24may be programmed to intermittently flash or to illuminate in a rotating fashion for increasing the visibility of the window11, as is obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art.

Referring toFIG. 16, a dedicated communications link25is provided for transmitting a distress signal to a remotely located monitoring system26. Such a dedicated communications link25is electrically coupled to at least one alarm27selected from the group including a smoke alarm, a fire alarm, a carbon monoxide alarm and a security system alarm of the dwelling. Of course, the dedicated communications link25may also be connected to a fire sprinkler system, as is obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art.

Referring toFIGS. 1,2,3,6,7,16and17, a ladder assembly30is housed to an exterior of the dwelling12and is positioned adjacent to the window11. Such a ladder assembly30is positioned directly above the window11and includes a protective awning31that has a curvilinear top surface32sloping downwardly and away from the dwelling12, which is important for effectively directing precipitation and other falling debris away from the ladder assembly30. A motor33has a linear drive shaft34directly coupled thereto, without the use of intervening elements. Such a motor33and drive shaft34are nested beneath the awning31. A spool35is horizontally registered adjacent to the motor33. First36A and second36B pulleys are directly connected, without the use of intervening elements, to the drive shaft34and the spool35respectively. A unitary belt37is coupled about the first36A and second36B pulleys. The ladder38is journaled about the spool35and is selectively released when the motor33rotates the drive shaft34such that the first36A and second36B pulleys rotate in sync and effectively cause the ladder38to wind and unwind about the spool35during emergency situations.

Referring toFIGS. 5,16and17, a mechanism40is included for automatically biasing the window11and the ladder assembly30to an open position, which is vital such that the disabled occupant is advantageously and effectively able to exit the dwelling12through the window11via the ladder assembly30respectively. The automatic window biasing mechanism40and the illuminable light emitting objects24are responsive to a distress signal emitted from the at least one alarm27. Such an automatic window biasing mechanism40includes first41A and second41B actuators that are operably coupled to the window11and to the ladder assembly30respectively, as is best shown inFIG. 17.

Referring toFIG. 17, a processor42is electrically coupled to the first41A and second41B actuators, and a memory43is electrically coupled to the processor42. Such a memory43includes software instructions that effectively and conveniently cause the window11to pivot along a vertical axis and swing outwardly away from the dwelling12. 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 first41A and second41B actuators such that the window11and the ladder assembly30are advantageously simultaneously biased to open and expanded positions respectively.

Referring toFIGS. 9,10,11,12,13,14,15and16, a protective fire curtain assembly50is directly coupled, without the use of intervening elements, to an exterior of the window11of the dwelling12. A mechanism51is included for automatically biasing the fire curtain assembly50between raised and lowered positions when the distress signal is detected from the at least one alarm27. Such a biasing mechanism51is electrically coupled directly, without the use of intervening elements, to the at least one alarm27such that said fire curtain assembly50automatically biases to the raised position after the occupants have exited the dwelling12. The protective fire curtain assembly50further includes a pair of linear guide rails52that are directly connected, without the use of intervening elements, to an exterior of the dwelling12and vertically oriented on opposed sides of the window11. Each of the guide rails52has coextensive lengths traveling along an entire longitudinal height of the window11.

A flexible awning53has a plurality of planar sides54that protrude outwardly from a periphery of the window11. Such sides54are statically affixed to each other and define a hollow cavity55between the window11and an inner wall56of the awning53that is crucial for effectively and advantageously sheltering the disabled occupant from an interior of the dwelling12and exterior ambient surroundings. The awning53also includes a ramp57that is adaptable between raised and lowered positions. One side54A of the awning53can be biased to an open position, wherein the ramp57is lowered for advantageously and effectively allowing the person sheltered within the awning53to exit therefrom.

Referring toFIGS. 13,14and15, a motor assembly58is electrically coupled to the controller20. At least one rotary gear assembly59is housed within an exterior wall of the dwelling12and is operably engaged directly, without the use of intervening elements, with at least one of the guide rails52. Such a rotary gear assembly59includes a toothed drive gear61that is partially seated within the one guide rail52. A linear anchor arm62traverses through a center of the rotary gear59. A pair of coextensively shaped rollers63are equidistantly spaced along opposed sides64of the drive gear61. Such rollers63are operably connected to the awning53. A slotted linear track65is contiguously housed within the one guide rail52and extends along an interior chamber thereof. The drive gear61is continuously locked with the track65, which is vital such that the rollers63effectively bias the awning53along the guide rails52when the distress signal is emitted by the at least one alarm27.