US3720823A - Chemiluminescent lighting construction - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an improved chemiluminescent lighting construction. The new construction affords a highly substantial increase in light intensity and an increase in the workable temperature range for the light reaction, with a correspondingly small increase in material and dimensionality over prior constructions. The construction contemplates disposing a plurality of light producing layered elements within a transparent or translucent encapsulating envelope. The elements are separated by mesh-fabric spacers which allow an activating fluid to flow through the spacers to activate a chemiluminescent substance contained within the layered elements and thereby cause the layered elements to luminesce.

Description

United States Patent 1191 Black et a1.

l 1March 13, 1973 1 1 CHEMILUMINESCENT LIGHTING CONSTRUCTION [75] inventors: Richard I. Black, Closter, N.J.; Ed-

ward M. Yacko, Bridgeport, Conn.

[73] Assignee: Remington Arms Company, Inc., Bridgeport, Conn.

221 Filed: July6,l970

21 Appl.No.: 52,281

[52] U.S.'Cl. ..240/2.25, 116/114, 252/188.3

[51] Int. Cl ..F2Iv 9/16 [58] Field of Search.....240/2.25; 250/71; 116/124 B, 116/114; 252/188.3; 161/167; 193/25 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,539,794 1 1/1970 Raunut et a1. ..240/2.25 3,558,502 1/1971 Tatyrek et a1. ..252/188.3 3,576,752 4/1971 Lehikoinen ..116/114 Primary Examiner- Louis J, Capozi Attorney-John H. Lewis, Jr. and Nicholas Skovran [57] ABSTRACT The invention relates to an improved chemiluminesoent lighting construction. The new construction affords a highly substantial increase in light intensity and an increase in the workable temperaturerange for the light reaction, with a correspondingly small increase in material and dimensionality over prior constructions. The construction contemplates disposing a plurality of light producing layered elements within a transparent or translucent encapsulating envelope. The elements are separated by mesh-fabric spacers which allow an activating fluid to flow through the spacers to activate a chemiluminescent substance contained within the layered elements and thereby cause the layered elements to luminesce.

11 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTEDIIARI 3 ms 3,720,823 sum 10F 4 ONDITIO 3 PLANE AT A GIVEN INITIAL TEMPERATURE I5 OPERATED IN A DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENTAL TEMPERATURE. LIGHT VALUE MEASURED IO SECONDS AFTER PLANE INFLATION.

I III 5 '5 M40 1: OOTLAMBE ILI 0..

5A m \LI FIG. 2. g 2w ILI O 5 t 5 ENVIRONMENTAL TEMFER TuRE -DE6REES F F -T I qxum-imnmmmm coumnons: PLANE AT A GIVEN TEMPERATURE IS OPERATED m A DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENTAL TEMPERATURE. LIGHT VALUE MEASURED |o SECONDS AFTER PLANE INFLATION.

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ACTIVATING H FLUID SOURCE fltfarneys PATENTEUIIIR 1 31m SHEET 2 [IF 4 ERIGHNSS OF A-TYPE CHEMICAL LIGHTPLANE UNDER VARIOUS URE IS OPERATED LIGHT VALUE CONDITIONS PLANE AT A GIVEN INITIAL TEMPERAT IN A DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENTAL TEMPERATURE.

O B S T R u M IA w L ON M /V\ IF F 5 S 5 E N I 4 O m 0 M M m m L D F P N I u 5 M .l M 0 m o wm A p 38 a R B M P E T A M T P L F T E A X 0 T I I O S\ 1 F L D T A N R T O E N n a M 5 /nM N O O.L m 9 0 N OW 0 O N D F -E E C m m S A E M c o o o o w 6 4 2 O 2 4 u k WUUGQMQ NKDP EU12NF UZQJQ J C. Z

FIG. 4.

mum-1i IN A DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENTAL NITIAL TEMPERATURE IS OPERATED TEMPERATURE. LIGHT VALUE FIG. 5

Altar/74w PATENHTUHAM 3191s SHEET 3 BF 4 FIG. 6.

BRIGHTN ESS TIME CURVES Amhmmm-zjhoomv mmuzhtwim MINUTES m vm Maw Mi W .Mar 06 w 5 GJMAHQQMQ flttorngys CHEMILUMINESCENT LIGHTING CONSTRUCTION The invention pertains to a chemiluminescent lighting construction and more particularly to a lighting construction having a greater working temperature range and increased light intensity which is accomplished by a correspondingly small increase in material and dimensionality over prior constructions.

Generally speaking, the construction contemplated by this invention is similar in appearance to that shown in the patent issued to E. T. Cline, U. S. Pat. No. 3,350,553, issued Oct. 31, 1967.

The Cline patent describes an extended light source composed of a porous substrate impregnated witha chemiluminescent substance that is sealed within a transparent plastic tube or envelope. The envelope is sealed against leakage and has means for introducing an activating gas into the sealed container to activate the chemiluminescent substrate.

The chemiluminescent substance contained within the substrate is oxygen activated, and the present invention contemplates using the same chemical (although others may be used), which is a tetrakis (dimethyl-amino) ethylene, but which may also be a tetrakis (disubstituted-amino) ethylene.

The tetrakis (dimethyl-amino) ethylene is given by the formula:

The tetrakis (disubstituted-amino) ethylene is given by the generalfgrrnula:

RgN NR1 wherein the R's are the same or different and are monovalent alkyl or cycloalkyl of up to carbon atoms, divalent alkylene joined to an R attached to the same nitrogen to form a 3-5 membered monoaza heterocycle, and divalent alkylene joined to an R attached to the other nitrogen to form a 3-7 membered diaza heteroeyele.

The oxyluminescent substance may be in an inert carrier.

The envelope of the present invention may also be a polyamide film selected from the class consisting of polycaprolactam, poly(hexamethyleneadipamide), and poly(hexamethylenesebacamide).

After the basic Cline envelope construction was achieved, an attempt was made to try to increase the intensity of light that could be directed upon other surfaces. Naturally, the stacking of several of these envelopes in parallel would increase the light emission, but as a means of construction this was too bulky. lt wasobserved quite by accident that when several of the Cline envelopes were stacked in series, that is, one above the other, an increase in light intensity was created which was directly proportional to the number of layers of envelopes used. This normally would not be expected. Usually, one light source will block the previous light source emission so that only the last emission will be observed. The reason that the light increases in this particular case is due to the fact that each envelope, while being a separate light generating source, is also a light-transmitting element, i.e., each envelope in turn transmits the previous envelopes light through its own structure. Therefore, each successive layer acts to mechanically increase the light being produced.

The stacking of the envelopes is bulky and inefficient for development purposes, however, so an attempt was made to employ this principle using only one envelope to house several substrate elements.

When several layers of the chemically impregnated substrate were stacked, one upon the other, and this structure was encapsulated within an envelope, the expected results were not obtained. It was then discovered that if each layer of the substrate were stacked in a sandwich configuration, wherein the substrate layers were separated by transparent or translucent spacers, the same dramatic increase in light intensity previously experienced was observed.

In addition, a bonus effect was also obtained. Along with the increase in light output the reaction was sustained over a wider temperature range. In other words, a sustainable light reaction took place at lower ambient temperatures.

The reason that this construction intensifies the light is believed to be based upon a two-fold effect which ineludes:

l. a mechanical staging or multiplication of light emitting and transmitting layers which gang together to produce a multiple increase in light emission; and

2. chemical activity takes place en masse within one envelope rather than in individually separated subunits. The chemical reaction is exothermic, although of a low order energy level. The en masse chemical activity results in a higher level of heat production and a consequent higher temperature. This causes a further increase in light activity, since the intensity of the light emission is directly dependent upon the surrounding temperature. In other words, the staging of these lightproducing units causes a synergistic effect to take place.

The fact that the reaction can take place at a lower working temperature is also attributable to the increase in chemical activity. The increase in chemical activity adds heat energy into the system, enabling the resultant reaction to proceed in a lower temperature environment.

In other experiments an additional important effect was observed. it was found that the light intensity that was produced by a given envelope construction would be varied by changing the concentration of the chemiluminescent mixture in the substrate within the envelope. The direction of the variation was the reverse of what might normally be expected, namely, higher light intensity is produced by reducing the concentration of chemiluminescent mixture.

The reason that this effect occurs is probably due to the fact that a thinner distribution of chemiluminescent mixture within the substrate permits a more intimate contact of chemiluminescent mixture and activating fluid.

It was further found that there is a limiting range within which the concentration of chemiluminescent mixture can'be varied. This range is determined by the saturation of the substrate at one extreme and by dryness of the substrate at the other extreme.

It is an object of this invention to provide a chemiluminescent lighting construction of increased light intensity which is easily deployed.

It is another object of this invention to provide a chemiluminescent lighting construction of increased light intensity that is capable of performing in lower temperature environments.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a chemiluminescent lighting construction wherein the light intensity is a function of the number of layers of chemiluminescent substrate stacked in a sandwich configuration.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a chemiluminescent lighting construction wherein the light intensity is a function of the concentration of chemiluminescent mixture in the substrate.

These and other objects will become apparent with reference to the subsequent detailed description and the attached drawings in which:

FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of the chemiluminescent construction of this invention;

FIGS. 2 through are graphs showing the light intensity output (also referred to as brightness) of the standard construction (A) and the sandwich-type construction of this invention (B), respectively, wherein:

FIG. 2 depicts the light intensity of the standard construction (A) as recorded seconds after activation;

FIG. 3 illustrates the light intensity of the sandwichtype construction of the invention (B) as recorded 10 second after activation;

FIG. 4 shows the light intensity of the standard construction (A) as recorded 90 seconds after activation;

FIG. 5 depicts the light intensity of the sandwichtype construction of the invention (B) as recorded 90 seconds after activation; and

FIG. 6 illustrates a graph of light intensity versus time for various concentrations of the chemical-carrier mix per unit volume of substrate.

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of a short section of one embodiment of the invention.

Generally speaking, this invention is for a chemiluminescent lighting construction comprising a plurality of light-generating and light-transmitting layered elements which contain a chemiluminescent substance designed to luminesce upon contact with an activating fluid. The layered elements are separated by lighttransmitting spacers. The spacers, while accomplishing the separation of the layers, also allow the activating fluid to pass through to the layered elements.

A sealed light-transmitting envelope encapsulates the layered elements with the spacers therebetween.

Means are provided for admitting the activating fluid to said envelope to cause the chemiluminescent substance within the layered elements to luminesce.

Now referring to FIGS. 1 and 7, schematic and pictorial views are shown of a preferred embodiment of this invention. A source of activating fluid 3 is transmitted through a tube 4 to the envelope 7 sealed at the ends as indicated by 7a. The envelope is conveniently a seamless lay flat tube of a transparent or translucent material compatible with the active chemical so that light may be transmitted therethrough. The envelope encapsulates a sandwich-type construction of two or more layered elements 6 which are separated from each other by mesh-fabric spacers 5. Another meshfabric spacer 9 separates at least one face of the sandwich construction from the envelope 7. The layered elements 6 contain or are impregnated with a lightgenerating chemiluminescent substance. Both the layered elements 6 and the spacers 5 and 9 are of transparent or translucent materials so that light may pass therethrough. The layered elements are generally of glass fiber paper as disclosed in the Cline US Pat. No. 3,350,553 and the spacers are generally of a coarse, open mesh, or netlike structure, e.g. a netting of nylon as also disclosed in the Cline patent. The envelope 7 is usually of polyamide film as was previously mentioned, while the chemiluminescent substance is usually a tetrakis (dimethyl-amino) ethylene which is activated by air or other oxygen bearing fluid admitted through tube 4 and connection 4a. Although certain definite materials are expressed above, the invention is not considered to be limited by any particular substance, material construction, or configuration within the confines of the inventive concept.

The preferred embodiment illustrated in FIG. 7 is an elongated form of panel as adapted for the illumination of emergency escape slides of passenger aircraft.

The substantial difference between this invention and that of the Cline patent resides in the provision within the same envelope 7 of two or more of the layered elements 6 each impregnated with the chemiluminescent substance and separated from each other and from at least one of the walls of the envelope by spacers 5 and 9 to facilitate the admission and spreading of the activating fluid. Since the spacers and the layered elements are both translucent or transparent light originating within one of the layered elements is transmitted through the adjacent elements and none of the light output is lost. Indeed, as will be set forth below, the effect is surprisingly more than additive and the total light output from a two or three layered set of elements will be more than twice or three times that from a single layered element and the performance with respect to operation at low temperatures will also be improved by increasing the number of layers, provided each layer is separated from the adjacent layer by a netlike spacer to improve the distribution of the activating fluid.

This improvement is believed to be due primarily to the fact that with the multilayered construction the light generating active chemical is thinly spread over a maximum of area to present a maximum surface exposed to intimate contact with the acticating gas. Similarly, the reaction is somewhat exothermic and when confined within a single envelope this effect also increases the intensity of the reaction and improves performance at low temperatures.

FIGS. 2 through 5 and TABLE I show the brightness output of the standard (single-layered substrate element) construction, denoted as (A), and the sandwichtype construction of the invention, designed as (B), respectively. The sandwich construction depicted in this data used two layered elements separated by a spacer, although a plurality of stacks or sandwiches can be used with ,a correspondingly proportional increase in light intensity. Construction (A) has a ratio by volume of active chemiluminescent material [tetrakis (dimethyl-amino) ethylene] to inert carrier (mineral oil) of 3:5, whereas construction (B) has a ratio of 5:5. The ratio by volume of chemical-carrier mixture to substrate is 1.5:1 for (A) and 1.2:l for (B). Substrate thicknesses for constructions (A) and (B) are the same.

In the main, the higher intensity of light output exhibited by construction (B) is due to a combination of the multiple sandwich effect and of the lower chemical concentration effect. The major increase in light intensity, however, is attributable to the sandwich effect.

'The relative and the absolute variations in light intensity that occur with variations in the ratio of chemical-carrier mix to substrate are illustrated in FIG. 6.

FIGS. 2 and 3 give a comparison of light intensity measurements for (A) and (B) constructions described in the previous paragraphs after seconds have elapsed from activation. FIGS. 4 and 5 give a comparison of light intensity after 90 seconds.

In TABLE I below, three sets of comparison points, Points A and D, Points B and F, and Points C and F, respectively, are compared. These points were extracted from FIGS. 4 and 5, and are listed to show the increase in light intensity achieved with the use of construction (B).

TABLE I Light Plane Performance Conditions: Light planes were initially at a temperature of 50 F.

Light planes were activated and operated in the different temperature environments designated below.

Plane brightness as measured 90 seconds after activation.

Plane Brightness in Light Footlarnberts Plane In F. In 0 F. In --20 F. Construction Environment Environment Environment (Point A) (Point B) (Point C) A 0.455 0.265 0.190 (Point D) (Point E) (Point F) B 1.275 0.860 0.635

FIG. 6 represents a graph of brightness versus time for various ratios of volume of chemiluminescent mix to substrate volume. It is observed that the peaks of the brightness curves are higher as chemical mix to substrate ratios are lower. The data for FIG. 6 was obtained from sample light planes in which a chemiluminescent mix consisting of 3 parts tetrakis (dimethylamino) ethylene and 5 parts of mineral oil was used. The set of curves would show different absolute values if a chemiluminescent mix with a different ratio of active chemical to inert carrier were-used. However, the relative positions of the different curves would remain the same.

It is'to be noted that, with regard to the sandwich effeet, the same increase in performance cannot be achieved by placing one absorbent sheet immediately adjacent to another without a mesh separator, nor will there be an increase in performance by doubling the thickness of a single absorbent sheet.

Light intensity and performance will be relatively proportional to the number of sandwich layers, Le, a light plane having two layered elements 6 each separated by spacer 5, respectively, will have approximately two times the original (standard) light intensity; a three-layered light plane will have approximately three times the light intensity. Increasing the number of sandwich layers will further increase the brightness and lower the temperature range.

Brightness and performance will be relatively inversely proportional to the ratio of chemical mix volume to substrate volume. However, due to practical considerations, the volume-to-volume ratio is effective only within the range of 0.531 to 3.0:1, which represents a very dry to very wet application.

Many modifications and variations will occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention, for example: layered elements can be in the form of spherical, cylindrical or ellipsoid shells as well as flat planar elements. The encap sulating envelope may be spherical, cylindrical or ellipsoid as well as flat to conform to the layered panels. Such a construction may find use as a luminescent sleeving or covering for an object contained within the construction configuration.

As aforementioned, various materials may be used in the construction of this invention. All that is necessary is to be sure that each layer, spacer, or envelope element can transmit the light through itself so that the ganging effect can be produced.

Such variations and modifications as are illustrative of the inventive concept are considered to be a part of this invention as represented by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A chemiluminescent lighting construction com prising:

a plurality of light generating and light transmitting layered elements containing a chemiluminescent substance designed to luminesce upon contact with an activating fluid;

light-transmitting fluid pervious spacers respectively disposed between the individual layered elements for providing separation between said layered elements and for allowing said activating fluid to pass therethrough to said layered elements; sealed light transmitting envelope encapsulating said layered elements with spacers therebetween; and

means for admitting the activating fluid to said envelope to cause the chemiluminescent substance within the layered elements to luminesce.

2. The chemiluminescent lighting construction of claim I, wherein the spacers are of a mesh construction for allowing the activating fluid to pass through said spacers to the layered elements and contact the chemiluminescent substance causing it to luminesce.

3. The chemiluminescent lighting construction of claim 1, further comprising:

a light-transmitting non-adherent element disposed between the layered elements and the encapsulating envelope to provide a non-adhering effect between said layered elements and the encapsulating envelope, whereby the layered elements separate from the envelope upon inflation.

4. The chemiluminescent lighting construction of claim 1, wherein the chemiluminescent substance is an oxygen activated substance.

5. The chemiluminescent lighting construction of claim 4, wherein the chemiluminescent substance is a tetrakis (disubstituted-amino) ethylene of the formula:

claim 4, wherein the chemiluminescent substance is tetrakis (dimethyl-amino) ethylene.

8. The chemiluminescent lighting construction of claim 7, wherein the tetrakis (dimethyl-amino) ethylene is in a mineral oil carrier to form'a mixture and the ratio of the volume of the mixture of tetrakis (dimethyl-amino) ethylene and mineral oil to the unit volume of any layered element within the construction falls between the range: 0.5:1 and 3.0: l.

9. The chemiluminescent lighting construction of claim 1, wherein the envelope is a polyamide film.

10. The chemiluminescent lighting construction of claim 9, wherein the polyamide film is selected from the class consisting of polycaprolactam, poly(hexamethyleneadipamide), and poly(hexamethylensebacamide).

11. The chemiluminescent lighting construction of claim 1, wherein the layered elements are composed of glass fiber paper.

Claims (10)

1. A chemiluminescent lighting construction comprising: a plurality of light generating and light transmitting layered elements containing a chemiluminescent substance designed to luminesce upon contact with an activating fluid; light-transmitting fluid pervious spacers respectively disposed between the individual layered elements for providing separation between said layered elements and for allowing said activating fluid to pass therethrough to said layered elements; a sealed light transmitting envelope encapsulating said layered elements with spacers therebetween; and means for admitting the activating fluid to said envelope to cause the chemiluminescent substance within the layered elements to luminesce.

2. The chemiluminescent lighting construction of claim 1, wherein the spacers are of a mesh construction for allowing the activating fluid to pass through said spacers to the layered elements and contact the chemiluminescent substance causing it to luminesce.

3. The chemiluminescent lighting construction of claim 1, further comprising: a light-transmitting non-adherent element disposed between the layered elements and the encapsulating envelope to provide a non-adhering effect between said layered elements and the encapsulating envelope, whereby the layered elements separate from the envelope upon inflation.

4. The chemiluminescent lighting construction of claim 1, wherein the chemiluminescent substance is an oxygen activated substance.

5. The chemiluminescent lighting construction of claim 4, wherein the chemiluminescent substance is a tetrakis (disubstituted-amino) ethylene of the formula: (R2N)2C C(NR2)2 wherein the R''s, which need not be the same, are selected from the group consisting of monovalent alkyl of up to 10 carbons, monovalent cycloalkyl of up to 10 carbons, divalent alkylene joined to an R attached to the same nitrogen to form a 3-5 membered monoaza heterocycle, and divalent alkylene joined to an R attached to the other nitrogen to form a 3-7 membered diaza heterocycle.

6. The chemiluminescent lighting construction of claim 4, wherein the chemiluminescent substance is in an inert carrier.

7. The chemiluminescent lighting construction of claim 4, wherein the chemiluminescent substance is tetrakis (dimethyl-amino) ethylene.

8. The chemiluminescent lighting construction of claim 7, wherein the tetrakis (dimethyl-amino) ethylene is in a mineral oil carrier to form a mixture and the ratio of the volume of the mixture of tetrakis (dimethyl-amino) ethylene and mineral oil to the unit volume of any layered element within the construction falls between the range: 0.5:1 and 3.0:1.

9. The chemiluminescent lighting construction of claim 1, wherein the envelope is a polyamide film.

10. The chemiluminescent lighting construction of claim 9, wherein the polyamide film is selected from the class consisting of polycaprolactam, poly(hexamethyleneadipamide), and poly(hexamethylensebacamide).

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