Tactiovisual exit finding system for aircraft cabins and the like
OwnerRichard F. Honigsbauminventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A tactiovisual exit finding system is provided with a collection of tactiley and visually recognizable vees to direct occupants of structures, such as aircraft and public buildings, to the nearest appropriate exits. Since these vees are recognizable by touch and sight, they are effective at any level of visibility including the smoke-compromised equivalent of total darkness. These vees are incorporated into the main aisle and exit passageway floors of such structures where they are tactiovisually addressable by persons walking, crawling, or anything in between. The system also utilizes tactiovisually distinctive upholstery on the seats that flank exit passageways to further identify such passageways.
Claims33
A system for finding an exit passageway in a structure having a plurality of fixed seats arranged in rows served by at least one main aisle and at least one exit served by an exit passageway, said system comprising:
- a passive tactiovisual exit passageway identifier having a plurality of passive unidirectional tactiovisual means for both singly and collectively and both tactilely and visually identifying a direction to said at least one exit.
A system for finding an exit passageway in a structure having a plurality of fixed seats arranged in rows served by at least one main aisle and at least one exit served by an exit passageway, said system comprising:
- an exit-passageway-floor-based passive tactiovisual exit passageway identifier and a main-aisle floor-based passive tactiovisual main aisle guide strip both having a plurality of passive unidirectional tactiovisual means for both singly and collectively and both tactilely and visually identifying a direction to said at least one exit.
A system for finding an exit passageway in a structure having a plurality of fixed seats arranged in rows served by at least one main aisle and at least one exit served by an exit passageway, said system comprising:
- at least one seat flanking said exit passageway, a portion of said flanking seat comprising upholstery having a plurality of passive unidirectional tactiovisual means for both singly and collectively and both tactilely and visually identifying a direction to said exit and for identifying said flanking seat as a seat flanking an exit passageway.
A system for finding an exit passageway in a structure having a plurality of fixed seats arranged in rows served by at least one main aisle and at least one exit served by an exit passageway flanked by at least one flanking seat of said rows of fixed seats, said system comprising:
- (a) passive unidirectional tactiovisual exit-passageway-floor-based means for identifying said exit-serving passageway;
- (b) passive unidirectional tactiovisual main-aisle-floor-based means for identifying said exit-serving exit passageway;
- and
- (c) passive unidirectional tactiovisual seat-based means for identifying said at least one flanking seat as a seat flanking an exit passageway.
A family of passive tactiovisual exit aids for a structure having a plurality of fixed seats arranged in rows served by at least one main aisle and at least one exit accessed from said at least one main aisle by an exit passageway, said exit passageway being flanked by at least one flanking seat of said seats, and in which said family of passive tactiovisual aids comprises at least one family member, each of said family members being tactiovisually identifiable as a member of said family of passive tactiovisual aids on the basis of tactiovisual familiarity with any other family member, said family of passive tactiovisual aids comprising:
- an exit-passageway-floor-based passive tactiovisual exit passageway identifier having a plurality of passive unidirectional tactiovisual first flooring means for both singly and collectively and both tactilely and visually identifying the direction to said at least one exit and for facilitating an identification of said exit-passageway-floor-based passive tactiovisual exit passageway identifier as one family member of said family of passive tactiovisual exit aids;
- and at least one of
- (a) a main-aisle-floor-based passive tactiovisual main aisle guide strip at least a portion of which has a plurality of passive unidirectional tactiovisual second flooring means for both singly and collectively and both tactilely and visually identifying the direction to said exit passageway and for facilitating an identification of said main-aisle-floor-based passive tactiovisual main aisle guide strip portion as one family member of said family of passive tactiovisual exit aids;
- (b) at least one of said seats comprising an armrest having a plurality of passive unidirectional tactiovisual first strip means for both singly and collectively and both tactilely and visually identifying the direction to said exit passageway and for facilitating an identification of said armrest as one family member of said family of passive tactiovisual exit aids;
- (c) at least one of said seats comprising a side panel having a plurality of passive unidirectional tactiovisual second strip means for both singly and collectively and both tactilely and visually identifying the direction to said exit passageway and for facilitating identification of said aisle-side panel as one family member of said family of passive tactiovisual exit aids;
- (d) at least one of said seats comprising a tray table having a plurality of passive tactiovisual embossed means for both singly and collectively and both tactilely and visually identifying the direction to said exit passageway and for facilitating identification of said tray table as one family member of said family of passive tactiovisual exit aids;
- and
- (e) at least a portion of said at least one exit passageway-flanking seat facing said passageway comprising upholstery having a plurality of passive unidirectional tactiovisual upholstery means for both singly and collectively and both tactilely and visually identifying the direction to said exit, and for facilitating identification of said upholstery as one family member of said family of passive tactiovisual exit aids.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.