This invention relates to a lit-up marking device of the type which has an angular section, used for positioning on the front vertex of the step, which defines two substantially perpendicular branches and a longitudinal ducting for fitting means of lighting and a translucent or transparent protector.
As background of the invention, Utility Models 293.909, 9802069 and 9803048, held by the applicant for this invention, may be mentioned.
Utility Model 293.909 relates to a protector for the front edge of the steps which is made up of an angular section whose front, upper zone has a continuous chamber for the fitting of a string of incandescent lights and a transparent or translucent plate which acts as protector for the lights which form the step-marking means.
Utility Model 9802069 describes a marking device for floors which, having an arrangement similar to that of the Model described above, has the particular feature that the ends of the wings of the section are slightly raised to form carpet retainers. The upper wing of the section also presents a longitudinal seat for fitting a strip of anti-slip material, thereby preventing users slipping when they walk on the metal section. Said Model further includes some wedge-shaped sections which act as a trim for the lit-up marking section where no carpet has been laid on either of the sides of same.
Utility Model 9803048 relates to improvements in lit-up marking device for grandstands, steps and the like; in accordance with said improvements, the section for fitting onto the front side of the step, grandstands and the like has a generally L-shaped layout whose front wing is formed by a vertical prolongation which runs from the longitudinal channel in which the lighting means are housed.
This wing has an end portion with which it makes contact with the front of the step, so that its middle zone is separated from the latter to form a cable ducting. The aforesaid front wing has on its front surface longitudinal guides for fitting an advertising plate or support. This advertising plate or support is lit from the back zone, for which purpose some orifices have previously to be made in the section for fitting of the corresponding lighting means in a position facing them.
This Model also makes provision for fitting a row-numbering plate on one of the side ends of the upper seat, by using the remaining length of the upper portion of the seat for fitting the anti-slip strip of material mentioned above.
The row-numbering plates are lit up from the lower zone, for which purpose some holes have to be made previously in the upper wing of the section for fitting of the corresponding lighting means in a position facing them.
Said improvements, by providing novel characteristics, such as the possibility of including row-numbering plates or an advertising support, involve some problems for the manufacturer and the fitter, such as the need to keep a larger stock since, depending on the end customer, a section must be fitted which permits the attachment of advertising or no attachment thereof, or the need to drill in the section some holes for fitting the means of lighting of the row-numbering plate and the advertising support.
Patent GB 2 115 451 describes: xe2x80x9ca unit for illuminating a step comprising a combination of a stair tread moulding and a second moulding, the second moulding being formed with a recess accommodating a lighting unit, and, in use, being a clamped adjacent a stair riser by a downward flange on the stair tread mouldingxe2x80x9d.
This illuminating unit does not include means for attaching advertising nor the possibility of adding same.
Among the background art of the invention we may also stress the existence of U.S. Pat. No. 5,340,627, relating to a step-illumination device comprising: xe2x80x9ca light fixture housing extrusion having first and second channels formed therein, and a vertical riser plate intersecting with a horizontal step plate at a right angle, the horizontal step plate including a top surface having an integrally-formed lip forming a first carpet insert slot; and a means for removably securing a light fixture in at a means one of the first and second channelsxe2x80x9d.
Patent GB 2 115 451 describes: xe2x80x9ca unit for illuminating a step comprising a combination of a stair tread moulding and a second moulding, the second moulding being formed with a recess accommodating a lighting unit, and, in use, being a clamped adjacent a stair riser by a downward flange on the stair tread moulding.xe2x80x9d
This lit-up marking device for steps, which is of the type that includes a section for positioning same on the front edge of the step or grandstand in question, which section presents two substantially perpendicular wings, a recess in its exterior vertex for fitting lighting means and a protector element, and an upper seat for fitting a strip of non-slip material and a row-numberer has the special feature of including an auxiliary section provided with guides for the fitting of an advertising support which is provided backing onto the riser or vertical surface of the step to be marked, while both sections present complementary means for attachment and detachment of said sections under pressure.
This special feature permits, according to customer needs, fitting of solely the upper section with the lit-up marking means for the step or the grandstand, or the fitting, together with it, of the auxiliary section which includes the guides for fitting the publicity support.
The complementary means for pressure-fitting of the two sections, principal and auxiliary, are defined respectively on the rear side of the former and on the front side of the latter, so that in the fitting position they overlap partially, in such a way that at a glance they appear to form a single section.
The lower end of the front wing of the principal section has a longitudinal channel with guides for fitting of the lighting means for the advertising support and recesses for hooking on a transparent or translucent protector, so that it is not necessary to machine any of the sections in order to fit said lighting means.
In accordance with the invention, the guides for fitting the lighting means are spaced at a short distance from the bottom of the aforesaid channel, leaving defined between them a hollow section for running the power-supply cables.
The seat defined in the principal section for fitting of the non-slip strip and the row-numberer has on its ends some interior mortised inlets, one of which is deeper so as to allow the power-supply cables of the means of lighting of the row-numberer to be run inside it, without any need to machine the section.
In accordance with the invention, the row-numberers have on the side facing the deeper mortised inlet an orifice for housing the corresponding lighting means.
This invention also includes other constructional features which affect: the translucent protector, in order to make the lit-up marking easier on the eye; the means of lighting used to achieve uniform-lighting across the entire width of the section; the side arrangement of LEDs for lighting up the optical fibre, the row-numberers and the advertising supports, together with incorporation of some ducts for the running through of cables for the various steps or the grandstand tiers and for concealed fitting of the LEDs or microbulbs used for side-lighting of the various elements.
As mentioned immediately above, the lighting means can be composed of a section of optical fibre or a slightly shorter length equal to the width of the step, for fitting the longitudinal recess of the section and some LEDs or microbulbs facing at least one of the ends of the section of optical fibre.
Optionally, the LEDs or microbulbs which light up the optical fibre can be housed in one of the ends of the translucent protector or in orifices made in an angle piece, of opaque material, for fitting onto the side ends of the front edge of the step or grandstand, and forming part of ducting for the power-supply cables.
Where the LEDs or the microbulbs are housed in the end of the translucent protector, that protector will have on the corresponding end an opaque section which prevents it being seen by the user.
The angle piece will be used for those cases in which the steps do not have individual power sockets, with such sockets fitted only on the end steps.
In both cases, therefore, the advantage is that the user is not exposed to an intense point of light in the zone in which the LED is located, since the latter is covered either by the angle piece, which is opaque, or by the opaque section of the protector.
The angle piece has side appendages for lateral attachment thereof onto the section placed on the front angle of the step and appendages on its rear and lower ends for attachment to cable-carrying terminal strips inside a longitudinal duct which, together with the angle pieces, form ducting for running the power-supply cables through the successive steps.
Provision has been made for the angle piece to have additional orifices for optional fitting of LEDs or microbulbs that side-light the row-numberers and the advertising supports in those cases in which the steps do not have individual power sockets and recourse has to be had to fitting the ducting mentioned above.
Said angle piece has a lower channel for passing cables from the terminal strips to the side orifices in which the LEDs or microbulbs are fitted.
In order to improve the marking of the steps, and in addition to the use of lengths of optical fibre lit up by the concealed LEDs, provision has been made for the translucent protector fitted on the longitudinal recess to have an upper portion coplanar with the upper surface of the section positioned on the front angle of the step, which makes it easier for users to see, especially when they are descending the stairway.
In accordance with the invention, the translucent protector has to the exterior a convex-curved surface which projects from the longitudinal recess of the section and an upper portion coplanar with the upper surface of the section which lights up a front portion of the horizontal surface of the step, thus making it easier to see for people descending the stairway.
The exterior surface of this translucent protector can have a longitudinal toothing that acts as a light diffuser and prevents users slipping if they tread on it.
Optionally, this protector may have an open, U-shaped arrangement or a tubular arrangement, in this last case being prolonged by the upper zone of the section being extended into a horizontal lug which ends in a U-shaped piece for fixing into one of the upper mortised inlets of the section, and by the front zone of the section into a convex-curved lug whose middle zone projects into a convex-curved lug whose middle zone projects beyond the vertical defined by the front of the section.