METHOD FOR ILLUMINATING TRAFFIC FAIRWAYS AND ILLUMINATION

Abstract: A method for illuminating traffic fairways, such as roads, by means of at least one illumination device arranged in connection with the fairway. The method is especially characterized in that the illumination device (2) is by means of an illumination source (3) for ultraviolet light (3') forced to emit ultraviolet light (3') to make a fluorescent material visible, e.g. road surfacing (4) or an article of clothing (5) of a person (6) in connection with the fairway (1). The invention also relates to an illumination for executing the method.

Description: Method for Illuminating Traffic Fairways and Illumination 11 The present invention relates to a method for illuminating traf¬ fic fairways, such as roads, by means of at least one illumina- * tion device arranged in connection with the fairway. The invention also relates to an illumination for fairways. There are large and increasing efforts made today to increase the traffic safety. One possibility is to expand and improve the il¬ lumination. A leading illumination, e.g. a road illumination, is today per¬ formed in such way that a somewhat darker area, e.g. a pe¬ destrian, can be discerned against a somewhat lighter area, i.e. the road surface or similar. The illumination of cars, however, is performed with the purpose to discern a somewhat lighter area, e.g. a pedestrian, against a somewhat darker area/background. In this respect the two kinds of illumination are counteracting each other and are in combination acting as contrast eliminators, this being a substantial problem which is difficult to solve. The present invention relates to a method and an illumination which are substantially eliminating this problem. Thus, the invention relates to a method and an illumination for traffic fairways, e.g. roads, by means of at least one illumina¬ tion device arranged in connection with the fairway. The method is especially characterized by that the illumination * device is by means of an illumination source for ultraviolet light forced to emit ultraviolet light to make a fluorescent material visible, e.g. road surfacing or an article of clothing of a person in connection with the fairway. The invention also relates to an illumination for traffic fairwa¬ ys, e.g. roads. The illumination is esspecially characterized by that at least one illumination device is present in connection with the fair¬ way, the illumination device being arranged by means of an illu¬ mination source for ultraviolet light to make a fluorescent mate¬ rial visible, e.g. road lights or an article of clothing of a person on the fairway or at its side. The invention will be decribed in combination with executing ex¬ amples and the attached drawing, on which - figure 1 is a schematical view of the fairway with an illumina¬ tion according to the invention; - figure 2 is a schematical axial section of a part of a first embodiment of an illumination device for illumination according to the invention; and - figure 3 is a schematical axial section of a part of a second embodiment of an illumination device for illumination according to the invention. In figure 1 a traffic fairway in form of a road is designed by 1 och by 2 illumination devices, of which at least one is situated in connection with the fairway, this of course also possibly being situated on the fairway, at the side of the fairway or in another position to the fairway to illuminate the fairway and, eventually, parts in its surroundings. According to the invention, the illumination device 2 is supplied with a radiation source 3 for utltraviolet light, and according to figures 2 and 3 arranged to make material visible being fluo¬ rescent in ultraviolet light, e.g. road illumination 4, articles of clothing 5 of a person 6 or similar on the road or at the road side. According to an embodiment there is a filtering device 7 accor¬ ding to figures 2 and 3 arranged for the radiation from the radi¬ ation source 3 for ultraviolet light to substantially limit the amount of visible light. The filter 7' of the filtering device 7 can consist of any known filter being suitable for the purpose. According to one embodiment Wood's glass is used as a filter. Possible embodiments comprise a filtering device 7 being switch- able between two or several filtering states, the filter in a first filtering state being active and thereby filtering the main part of the radiation from the UV-radiation source 3 and in a second state leaving the main part of the radiation from the UV- radiation source unaffected. In the embodiment according to figu¬ re 3 there is a filter 7' arranged between a reflector 8 of the illumination device 2 and the radiation source 3, the filter 7' for example being substantially in form of a tube, axially orien¬ tated and displaceable from the position indicated with fully drawn lines, in which the main part of the radiation from the UV-radiation source is forced to pass the filter to a position drawn with dashed lines, in which the main part of the radiation from the UV-radiation source is left unaffected by the filter 7' . According to an embodiment the filter 7' is axially displaceable by means of a pulling magnet device of suitable known kind com¬ prising a coil 9 and a draw bar 10 and preferably a spring device 11 to push the filter 7' against a spring force e.g. to the posi¬ tion drawn with dashed lines in figure 3, where the radiation from the UV-radiation source is substantially left unaffected. Instead of a displaceable filter 7' also rotationable filters can be arranged substantially in form of a tube (not shown), which can be positioned relatively to it and an eventual reflec¬ tor by rotation around the radiation source 3 so that different parts of the radiation leaving the illumination device have pas¬ sed through the filter. By means of the filtering devices 7 arranged for switching be¬ tween different states of filtration, thus, an illumination devi¬ ce for switching between ultraviolet light, visible light and a combination of ultraviolet light and visible light can be arran¬ ged, which for example is achieved by means of a separate light source for visible light and a light source 3 for a substantial part of visible light and a substantial part of UV-light, only the UV-light being achieved by only the UV-radiation source by filtering the visible light out from it. By means of filter for visible light and a radiation source 3 for substantial parts of both UV-light and visible light a switch can be accomplished in a substantially corresponding way between on one hand a combination of UV-light and visible light and on the other hand substantially only UV-light. Also the radiation source for substantial parts of UV-light and substantial parts of vi¬ sible light are here designed by 3. The embodiment according to figure 3 comprises a filter 7 ' ar¬ ranged in front of the radiation source 3 in the radiation direc¬ tion of the illumination device so that all of, or eventually the main part of the radiation from the illumination device has pas¬ sed through the filter 7' . According to an embodiment the radiation source consists of a discharge lamp, preferably a mercury discharge lamp. The illumination devices are according to an embodiment arraged to illuminate road surfacing parts, fairway surfacing parts 1', including under UV-radiation fluorescent material and being ar¬ ranged to thereby being substantially visible. According to a special embodiment the illumination devices are arranged to illu¬ minate under UV-radiation fluorescent material included in the road surfacing in connection with parts of high danger level, as crossings for pedestrians and highway entrances and exits. The method and the function of the illumination according to the invention are substantially described in the foregoing. By using UV-radiation for illumination, objects, road surface etc. can be made visible without the problem of counteracting illumination. Different combinations of UV-light and visible light can be used and be adopted to different applications. Thus, it can be conve¬ nient to vary the illumination during the day regarding the com¬ bination of UV-light and visible light. The invention has been described above in connection with examp- lifying embodiments. Further embodiments and minor changes can of course been made without departing from the spirit of the inven¬ tion. Thus, the illumination devices have been shown very schematical¬ ly. The real appearance of the illumination devices depends on and should be adapted to the application in question, the inten¬ sity, the design of the reflector, etc. being variable. The illumination devices can combine an UV-radiation source and a radiation source in one unit, an electric fitting, or in separate units. The invention is not supposed to be limited to the embodiments described previously, but can be modified within the range of the attached claims.

Claims: C l a i m s 1. Metod for illuminating traffic fairways, such as roads, by means of at least one illumination device arranged in connection with the fairway, characterized in that the illumination device (2) is by means of an illumination source (3) for ultraviolet light (3' ) forced to emit ultraviolet light (3' ) to make a fluorescent material visible, e.g. road surfacing (4) or an ar¬ ticle of clothing (5) of a person (6) in connection with the fairway (1) . 2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the radia¬ tion (3' ) from the radiation source (3) for ultraviolet light (3 ' ) is filtered to substantially limiting the part of visible light. 3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the illumination device (2) has to radiate visible light by means of a radiation source (3) for visible light. 4. Method according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that the illumination device (2) has to illuminate fairway surfacing parts ( 1 ' ) , including fluorescent material, which parts (1' ) thereby being made substantially visible. 5. Method according to claim 4, characterized in that the fairway surfacing ( 1 ' ) in connection with parts of high danger level, such as crossings for pedestrians and highway entrances and exits has to include fluorescent material and to be illuminated by ultraviolet light (3' ) . 6. Illumination for traffic fairways, such as roads, characteri¬ zed in that at least one illumination device ( 2 ) i situated in connection with the fairway ( 1 ) , the illumination device by means of a radiation source (3 ) or ultraviolet light (3 ' ) being ar¬ ranged to make visible fluorescent material, such as road surfa¬ cing (4) or an article of clothing ( 5 ) of a person ( 6 ) on the fairway (1) or at its side. 7. Illumination according to claim 6, characterized in that a filtering device ( 7) is arranged for radiation (3 ' ) from the radiation source (3 ) for ultraviolet light for substantially limiting the percentage of visible light. 8. Illumination according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the illumination devices (2) comprise a light source (3) for visible light. 9. Illumination according to claim 6, 7 or 8, characterized in that the illumination device (2) is arranged to illuminate fair¬ way surfacing parts (1 ' ) , comprising fluorescent material and thereby meant to be substantially visible. 10. Illumination according to claim 6, 7, 8 or 9, characterized in that the illumination device (2) is arranged to illuminate fluorescent material being included in the fairway surfacing ( 1 ' ) in connection with parts of high danger level, such as crossings for pedestrians and highway entrances and exits. 11. Illumination according to claim 6, 7, 8, 9 or 10, characteri¬ zed in that the illumination device comprises a radiation source (3) being arranged to emit both a large percentage visible light and a large percentage of ultraviolet light (3 ' ) . 12. Illumination according to claim 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 or 11, charac¬ terized in that the radiation source (3) consists of a discharge lamp, preferably a mercury discharge lamp. 13. Illumination according to claim 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 or 12, characterized in that the illumination device (2) is arranged to switch between ultraviolet light (3' ), visible light and a combi¬ nation of ultraviolet light (3' ) and visible light. 14. Illumination according to claim 13, characterized in that a filter (7 ' ) for visible light is arranged to switch between on one hand a combination of UV-light (3' ) and visible light and on the other hand substantially only UV-light (3' ).

Inventors: BERGKVIST LARS A, FAST PEDER, BERGKVIST, LARS, A., FAST, PEDER
Applicants: LABINO PATENT AB
Application year: 1990
Main classification: F21S1
IPC codes: A41D1, E01F9, F21S2, F21S8, F21V9, G09F13