This disclosure relates to dry sprinklers that are used in fire protection systems in buildings and other structures, and more particularly to dry sprinklers having a flexible conduit that extends between a sprinkler head and a sprinkler valve. The dry sprinkler can be connected to a branch fluid supply line that distributes fire suppression fluid, such as water.
Dry sprinklers are used in fire protection systems to extinguish or suppress fires. Dry sprinklers can be connected to a fluid distribution system that is installed in buildings or other structures. The fluid distribution system is connected to a fluid supply, specifically water or another fire suppression fluid. Dry sprinklers usually include a sprinkler head and a rigid, inflexible conduit connecting the sprinkler head to a connector fitting on a branch fluid supply line. The conduit includes a valve that is positioned at the connector fitting end, and the valve remains closed under normal conditions so that no fluid enters the sprinkler conduit until the sprinkler is actuated to release the fire suppression fluid. Dry sprinklers have sprinkler heads that are equipped with a thermally responsive component that is designed to be activated in the event of fire.
The thermally responsive component of the fire sprinkler head rapidly triggers the valve to open and release fluid through the sprinkler to extinguish the fire. As the triggering mechanism, dry sprinklers usually employ a rigid, inflexible link member that is positioned between the valve and the fire sprinkler head and is pressed against the fire sprinkler head by the force of fluid that is incident on the valve. When the thermally responsive element reacts in response to a fire, the link member is pushed out of the way of the valve by the fluid pressure or gravity, which causes the valve to open.
Dry sprinklers can be particularly useful in unconditioned (e.g., unheated) spaces such as attics, balconies, breezeways, and walkways, because the conduit of a dry sprinkler contains no fluid under normal conditions and there is therefore less risk of freeze breakages or other damage. Accordingly, in contrast to wet sprinkler systems, there is no need to take countermeasures to prevent freezing of the fluid in the sprinkler. For similar reasons, dry sprinklers are useful in spaces that are maintained under refrigerated (including freezing) conditions.
Installation of dry sprinklers can be difficult. During installation of the sprinkler system, the fluid distribution system is usually first installed, including the network of pipes with the branch fluid supply lines. Once the branch lines are installed, the installer determines the lengths of the dry sprinkler that is needed based on the distance from the desired sprinkler head location to the connector fitting on the branch line. The dry sprinklers are ordered at the specific length and configuration determined by the installer, and the dry sprinklers are then made-to-order and shipped to the installer, which can cause delays in construction of up to two weeks or more. Such delays are undesirable and can greatly increase construction expense. Alternatively, the system designer and/or specifications may mandate the sprinkler lengths. However, even in those circumstances, adjustments may have to be made in the field, which may cause undesired delays.
Also, once the branch line piping has been installed, it is difficult to move the location of the sprinkler head. Likewise, in some cases, the location of the sprinkler head will be limited by the construction based on where the branch line pipe can be installed.
According to one aspect, a dry sprinkler is provided that includes a fluid conduit that is configured to couple to a fluid supply, a valve that is positioned proximate to a first end of the conduit, the valve having a closed state that prevents fluid from the fluid supply from flowing through the conduit and an open state that allows fluid from the fluid supply to flow through the conduit, a fire sprinkler head positioned proximate to a second end of the conduit, the fire sprinkler head having a thermally responsive element that reacts to an elevated temperature condition, and an unbiased tie positioned within the conduit that is operably coupled to the valve, where the unbiased tie has at least an unengaged state and an engaged state. The unbiased tie is not biased towards the sprinkler head in the unengaged state, the reaction of the thermally responsive element to the elevated temperature condition causes the tie to change from the unengaged state to the engaged state, and changing the tie to the engaged state from the unengaged state allows the valve to change from the closed state to the open state.
According to another aspect, a dry sprinkler is provided that includes a flexible conduit that is configured to be coupled to a fluid supply, a valve positioned proximate to a first end of the conduit, the valve having a sealing member that is urged to a closed position in which fluid from the fluid supply is prevented from flowing through the conduit, the sealing member being movable to an open position in which fluid from the fluid supply flows through the conduit, a fire sprinkler head positioned proximate to a second end of the conduit, the fire sprinkler head having a thermally responsive element that is configured to react to an elevated temperature condition, an unbiased tie positioned within the flexible conduit and being present in the flexible conduit in a state such that the unbiased tie is not biased toward the fire sprinkler head, a first portion of the unbiased tie being operably coupled to the sealing member to urge it to the open position when the unbiased tie is engaged, an engagement action connected to the second portion of the unbiased tie, the engagement action being operably coupled to the thermally responsive element so that when the thermally responsive element reacts to the elevated temperature condition, the engagement action is triggered to apply tension to the unbiased tie thereby causing the tie to move the sealing member to the open position.
According to another aspect, a dry sprinkler is provided that includes a flexible conduit that is configured to be coupled to a fluid supply line, a valve positioned proximate to a first end of the conduit, the valve having a closed state in which fluid from the fluid supply is prevented from flowing through the conduit and an open state in which fluid from the fluid supply is allowed to flow through the conduit, an unbiased tie having a first portion that is operably coupled to the valve to open the valve when the unbiased tie is engaged, the unbiased tie being present in a state such that the tie is not biased toward the second end of the conduit, a sheath member that is located within the conduit and surrounds the unbiased tie over most of the length of the unbiased tie, and a fire sprinkler head positioned proximate to a second end of the conduit, the fire sprinkler head having a thermally responsive element that reacts to an elevated temperature condition. The unbiased tie is operably connected to the thermally responsive element so that the reaction of the thermally responsive element to the elevated temperature condition causes the tie to be engaged.
According to another aspect, a dry sprinkler is provided that includes a flexible conduit, a valve located proximate to a first end of the flexible conduit, a fire sprinkler head located proximate to a second end of the flexible conduit, an unbiased tie located within the flexible conduit and being present in a state such that the unbiased tie is not biased toward the fire sprinkler head, a first portion of the unbiased tie being operably coupled to the valve such that tensioning the tie allows the valve to move to an open position, and tensioning means for applying tension to the unbiased tie.
According to another aspect, a fire protection sprinkler system is provided that includes a network of pipes connected to a fluid supply, a control valve in fluid communication with the network of pipes and the fluid supply, the control valve configured to control the flow of fluid between the fluid supply and the network of pipes, at least one dry sprinkler fluidly connected to the network of pipes, the dry sprinkler including a conduit, a fire sprinkler head positioned proximate to the fluid outlet of the conduit, the fire sprinkler head having a thermally responsive element that reacts to an elevated temperature condition, a sprinkler valve positioned proximate the fluid inlet and having a closed state preventing flow of fluid through the conduit, and an open state allowing flow of fluid through the conduit, an unbiased tie positioned within the conduit and being present in the conduit in a state such that the unbiased tie is not biased toward the fire sprinkler head, a first portion of the unbiased tie being operably coupled to the sprinkler valve such that engaging the unbiased tie allows the valve to move to the open state, and an engagement action that is coupled to a second portion of the unbiased tie, and reaction of the thermally responsive element to the elevated temperature condition causes the engagement action to apply tension to the unbiased tie.
According to another aspect, a dry sprinkler is provided that includes a flexible conduit that is configured to be coupled to a fluid supply line, a valve positioned proximate to a first end of the conduit, the valve having a closed state in which fluid from the fluid supply is prevented from flowing through the conduit and an open state in which fluid from the fluid supply is allowed to flow through the conduit, an unbiased tie having a first portion that is operably coupled to the valve such that engaging the unbiased tie allows the valve to open, the unbiased tie being present in a state such that the tie is not biased toward the second end of the conduit, and a fire sprinkler head positioned proximate to a second end of the conduit, the fire sprinkler head having a thermally responsive element that reacts to an elevated temperature condition. The unbiased tie is operably connected to the thermally responsive element so that the reaction of the thermally responsive element to the elevated temperature condition causes the tie to be engaged.
According to another aspect, a dry sprinkler is provided that includes a flexible conduit that is configured to be coupled to a fluid supply, a valve positioned proximate to a first end of the conduit, the valve having a closed state in which fluid is prevented from flowing through the conduit and an open state in which fluid is allowed to flow through the conduit, an uncompressed tie having a first portion that is operably coupled to the valve such that engaging the uncompressed tie allows the valve to open, the uncompressed tie being present in a state such that it is not under compressive force, and a fire sprinkler head positioned proximate to a second end of the conduit, the fire sprinkler head having a thermally responsive element that reacts to an elevated temperature condition, wherein the uncompressed tie is operably connected to the thermally responsive element.
According to another aspect, a dry sprinkler is provided that includes a flexible conduit that is configured to be coupled to a fluid supply, a valve positioned proximate to a first end of the conduit, the valve having a closed state in which fluid is prevented from flowing through the conduit and an open state in which fluid is allowed to flow through the conduit, a substantially non-rigid tie having a first portion that is operably coupled to the valve such that engaging the non-rigid tie allows the valve to open, and a fire sprinkler head positioned proximate to a second end of the conduit, the fire sprinkler head having a thermally responsive element that reacts to an elevated temperature condition, wherein the non-rigid tie is operably connected to the thermally responsive element.
According to yet another aspect, a method of triggering a dry sprinkler in the event of a fire is provided, where the dry sprinkler includes (i) a conduit that is coupled to the fluid supply, (ii) a valve that is positioned proximate to a first end of the conduit and is urged to a closed state to prevent fluid from the fluid supply from flowing through the conduit, (iii) a fire sprinkler head that is positioned proximate to a second end of the conduit and includes a thermally responsive element that reacts to an elevated temperature condition, and (iv) a nontensioned tie that is operably coupled to the valve such that engaging the nontensioned tie allows the valve to open, and the method includes the steps of engaging the tie upon reaction of the thermally responsive element to the elevated temperature condition and applying tension to the tie at least until the valve opens and allows fluid from the fluid supply to flow through the conduit.
According to still another aspect, a method of installing a flexible dry sprinkler on a branch fluid line is provided. The method includes (i) providing a flexible dry sprinkler, which includes a flexible conduit, a valve disposed proximate to the inlet end of the flexible conduit, the valve having a closed state that prevents flow of fluid from the fluid supply through the conduit and an open state that allows flow of fluid from the fluid supply through the conduit, a fire sprinkler head positioned proximate to the outlet end of the conduit, the fire sprinkler head having a thermally responsive element that reacts to an elevated temperature condition, and a tie positioned within the flexible conduit, the tie having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion being operably connected to the valve to urge the valve to an open position when the tie is engaged, and the second portion being operably connected to the thermally responsive element to engage the tie when the thermally responsive element reacts to an elevated temperature condition, (ii) connecting the flexible dry sprinkler to the branch fluid line, (iii) bending the flexible conduit to locate the fire sprinkler head, and (iv) securing the flexible dry sprinkler in a fixed position with a bracket. The flexible dry sprinkler is installed on the branch line and secured with the bracket without engaging the tie and without opening the valve.
Exemplary embodiments are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
The dry sprinklers provided by this disclosure can be used in connection with fire protection sprinkler systems that are installed in buildings or on other structures.
The fluid supply line 14 connects to a control valve 16 that controls fluid supply to a network of pipes 18. The control valve 16 is in fluid communication with a main fluid supply line 17 that supplies fire suppression fluid to a plurality of branch lines 19 that extend from the main line 17. Each of the branch lines 19 supply the fire suppression fluid to a plurality of dry sprinklers 15. In the event of a fire (or other similar elevated temperature event), the dry sprinklers 15 are configured to distribute the fire suppression fluid within the structure 12 to extinguish or suppress the fire.
Although
The connection of the dry sprinkler 250 to the branch line 272 forms a connection axis Y in the center of the branch line connector 275 along the length of the conduit 210 in its unbent shape (see e.g.,
The dry sprinkler 250 can include a valve (not illustrated in
A fire sprinkler head 240 is coupled to the second end portion 235 of the dry sprinkler 250. The fire sprinkler head is configured to react to the elevated temperature condition in the event of fire to trigger the valve to open. The fire sprinkler head 240 can be coupled to the conduit in any suitable way, for example, by connecting a threaded end of the sprinkler head to a threaded end of the conduit or by mechanically coupling the sprinkler head into the second end of the conduit.
The dry sprinkler 250 includes a tie 220 that is positioned within the conduit 210 in this embodiment. The tie 220 generally extends from the first end portion 225 of the conduit to the second end portion 235 of the conduit and operably connects to the valve to open the valve after the fire sprinkler head reacts to the elevated temperature condition.
The tie 220 has an unengaged state and an engaged state.
The tie 220 can be characterized by one or more of the following:
(a) In an unengaged state, the tie is unbiased such that it is not biased toward the sprinkler head (excepting, of course, by its own weight from the force of gravity) and/or the valve. The term “unbiased” describes a configuration in which no force is applied to the tie to urge it in the direction of the sprinkler head and/or valve. Thus, for example, fluid pressure that impinges on the valve does not apply a force to the tie to urge it towards the sprinkler head or valve, and there is likewise no mechanical device that urges the tie toward the sprinkler head or valve;
(b) In an unengaged state, the tie is not under any compressive force (likewise excepting gravitational forces), e.g., the tie is not pressed against a portion of the dry sprinkler by the fluid pressure that is incident upon the valve;
(c) In an unengaged state, the tie is not under tension, and in an engaged state the tie is under tension;
(d) In an unengaged state, the tie has substantially no rigidity;
(e) The tie cannot support its own weight and cannot support a bending stress;
(f) The tie can be bent entirely around a radius that is smaller than a cross-sectional dimension of the tie;
(g) The tie is flexible;
(h) The tie is relatively inelastic such that it does not stretch significantly in the engaged state (e.g., the tie can have an elastic modulus of from 100 MPa to 150 GPa, from 1 GPa to 50 GPa, and from 2 GPa to 10 GPa).
By way of example, the tie 220 can include a cord, a rope, a string, a loop, a chain, a chain-like member where chain link portions connect once the tie is engaged, a cable, a ribbon, a tube, a wire, a monofilament line, and a multifilament line. In the illustrated embodiments, the tie 220 is positioned entirely within the conduit. However, in some configurations, only a portion of the tie 220 can be positioned within the conduit or the entire tie 220 can be positioned outside of the conduit or in a sidewall of the conduit.
A first portion of the tie 220 can be connected to the valve catch and a second portion of the tie 220 can be connected to the engagement action. The tie 220 thus can extend from the valve catch to the engagement action, and typically extends along at least 40 percent of the length of the conduit 210, at least 60 percent of the length of the conduit 210, or at least 90 percent of the length of the conduit 210. The tie is typically positioned to cross the midpoint of the conduit 210. The size and cross-sectional dimension of the tie 220 are not particularly important so long as the tie is operable to open the valve within a desired response time.
As shown in
The flexible conduit 210 can be used with a tie 220 having one or more of the characteristics described above, and the tie 220 can be configured with the conduit 210 so that the tie 220 is not inadvertently engaged during installation. In this regard, the tie 220 can be configured so that the fire sprinkler head can be positioned and secured at the desired location without inadvertently engaging the tie 220 and opening the valve.
As shown in
As also shown in
As shown in
The tie 220 is provided in or along the conduit 210 with enough slack such that (i) the tie 220 has a free length that is greater than the length of the conduit 210 that extends between the points where the tie is attached in the dry sprinkler; (ii) the fire sprinkler head can be laterally displaced with respect to the first end of the conduit by the maximum combination distance and angle (e.g., the DLAT distances and angles α discussed above) without a load being applied to the tie 220 that would open the valve. The presence of that slack in the tie 220 minimizes the risk that the valve will be accidentally opened when the sprinkler is transported, installed or used.
The flexible conduit 210 can include a flexible portion that comprises, for example, a corrugated tube, a hose, or a braided tube, which can be made from known materials including metal, rubber, etc. The flexible conduit 210 can include one or more flexible portions along at least 20 percent of the conduit length (DLEN), along at least 40 percent of the conduit length, along at least 60 percent of the conduit length, along at least 80 percent of the conduit length, from 50 to 95 percent of the conduit length, or along its entire length. The flexible conduit 210 can have a low elasticity so that when it is bent into a desired position it maintains its bent shape and does not return to its original position.
In some embodiments, the flexible conduit 210 includes an inflexible portion proximate to the first end 225 (fluid inlet end) that surrounds the valve and enables the conduit to be connected to branch line 272. The flexible conduit 210 can also include an inflexible portion that is proximate to the second end 235 (fluid outlet end) of the conduit that enables the fire sprinkler head to be connected to the conduit. The inflexible portion proximate to the second end 235 can also include a reducer that is formed to have at least one flat surface so that the second end of the conduit can be secured into place by affixing a bracket to the flat surface. The other end of the bracket can be affixed to a secure structure. The bracket and inflexible portion of the conduit can be configured so that the sprinkler head is secure and resists torsional forces. In general, the installation of the sprinkler system including the bracing should comply with applicable codes and guidelines that are used in this field.
The dry sprinklers can have discrete lengths of, for example, 1 ft., 2 ft., 4 ft., 6 ft., or any length therebetween.
In some embodiments, the dry sprinkler can be rigid and inflexible.
Referring to
Referring to
In this embodiment, the thermally responsive element 442, pip cap 448 and spacer 441 are operably coupled to the engagement action 455. A tubular support 472 is supported by spacer 441, which is in turn supported by the pip cap 448. The tubular support 472 includes pin 470 that fits in the detent 459 of shaft 454.
Shaft 454 is rotatably mounted in the flexible conduit 410. That shaft 454 is rotatably biased in one direction with a torsion spring 456 that is provided on the outside of reducer 438 within housing 452. In normal conditions, the pin 470 engages the detent 459 and prevents the shaft 454 from rotating. The shaft 454 includes a tie connection 457 that connects the tie 420 to the shaft 454.
As shown in
The engagement action that engages the tie 420 to apply a load thereto is not particularly limited to the disclosed embodiments. In general, the engagement action can store energy in the form of mechanical energy, potential energy, hydraulic energy, chemical energy, etc., and can release the energy to engage the tie and apply a load when the engagement action is triggered by the reaction of the thermally responsive element of the sprinkler head. Moreover, where the engagement action operates to apply tension to the tie, it may do so by winding (as in the embodiment shown in
The engagement action 755 can include a weight to which one end of the tie 720 is connected. The weight is supported by plug 748 of the fire sprinkler head 740. As shown in
The engagement action of a flexible dry sprinkler according to yet another embodiment is illustrated by
The flexible dry sprinkler can include a fire sprinkler head 840 at its second end, which includes a body 847 defining an opening 849 therethrough. The fire sprinkler head 840 further includes a thermally responsive bulb 842, and a pip cap 848 and a spacer 841 that are positioned in opening 849.
As can be seen, the spacer 841 supports the bushing 858, which in turn supports the pin 854 that is connected to the tie 820. The compression spring 856 is present in the conduit under compression between detents 857 and the bushing 858, thereby biasing the bushing 858 and pin 854 toward the sprinkler head 840. The tie 820 in this embodiment is a string or string-like member that is provided with slack in its unengaged state, and is not affected by the compression of the spring in this state. The tie 820 remains unbiased toward the fire sprinkler head until the thermally responsive element 842 reacts to an elevated temperature condition.
As can be seen in
Similar to the
The tie 920 in this embodiment is a string or string-like member that is provided with slack in its unengaged state, and is not affected by the compression of the spring in this state. As shown in
Referring to
The engagement action of a flexible dry sprinkler according to still another embodiment is illustrated in connection with
As shown in
As discussed above, the first end of the tie in each of the above embodiments is operably coupled to the valve by a valve catch that is configured to allow or cause the valve to move to an open state and preferably maintain the valve in the open state once the tie is engaged. In general, the valve can be biased into a closed state (e.g., biased by interference or by mechanical energy) in which fluid does not flow through the valve. The valve has an open state in which the bias is removed and fluid is allowed to flow through the valve. The valve catch can be operable to translate the load applied to the tie to release the valve bias to open the valve, as well as to maintain the valve in an open position. Exemplary embodiments illustrating the operation of the valve and valve catch are described below in connection with
As can be seen in
The valve catch 1270 includes a compression spring 1213, retention ring 1257, support balls 1233, and outer housing 1277. The support balls are positioned in groove 1235 and extend partially through housing 1277. As can be seen in
The valve catch 1470 includes retaining ring 1457, which prevents the short pivot arm 1438 from rotating outwardly when the valve 1460 in a closed position. The retaining ring 1457 is supported by compression spring 1413. The tie 1420 is connected to the retaining ring 1457.
The lever 1551 includes an extending portion 1547 that is supported on notch 1546 of the sprinkler housing when the valve 1560 is in a closed state. On the other end, the lever 1551 includes a clip end 1562 that is held by clip 1521 when the valve 1560 is closed. The valve catch 1570 also includes a second clip end 1561 that is held by the clip 1521 when the valve 1560 is closed. The clip 1521 holds the lever 1551 in a horizontal position and prevents the lever 1551 from rotating about pivot point 1549. The clip 1521 is connected to tie 1520.
The flexible dry sprinklers can optionally include a tie sheath as shown in
The tie sheath 1630 can be a hollow tubular member that extends within the conduit substantially from the valve catch to the engagement action. The tie sheath 1630 can extend substantially the length of the conduit, i.e., at least 80% of the conduit length. The tie sheath 1630 can have a cross-sectional dimension (e.g., diameter) that is less than half of the cross-sectional dimension of the flexible conduit 1610.
As shown in
Each of the valves and valve catches described above can be used in connection with any other embodiment, including any of the engagement actions, ties and/or tie sheaths described above. The type of valve and valve catch is likewise not particularly limited, and a person of ordinary skill in the art would understand that alternative structures would be operable to control the flow of fluid through the conduit. Moreover, although the valve is illustrated to be positioned within the conduit, the valve can be configured to be placed outside of the conduit upstream of the fluid inlet end of the conduit, for example, within the branch line.
The dry sprinklers described herein can be used with fire suppression systems to provide fire protection in unheated or refrigerated spaces. In some embodiments, the portion of the dry sprinkler that is upstream of the valve can be “wet”. The portion of the dry sprinkler that includes the valve can be positioned in a heat-controlled space where the temperature is controlled so that it does not drop below a predetermined temperature. For example, the heat-controlled space can be controlled so that the temperature does not drop below 70° F., below 40° or below freezing. The “dry” portion of the sprinkler that is positioned downstream of the valve can be subjected to lower temperature conditions because there is no risk that the fire suppression fluid will freeze and rupture the conduit or otherwise disrupt the normal operation of the sprinkler. Thus, in some embodiments, the portion of the dry sprinkler that includes the fire sprinkler head is located in an unheated space where the temperature is not controlled. Such unheated spaces may include garages, attics, outdoor walkways, breezeways, parking garages, balconies, decks, loading docks, ducts, and the like. In still other embodiments, the portion of the dry sprinkler that includes the fire sprinkler head can be located in a refrigerated space where fire protection is desired (e.g., such as freeze lockers or walk-ins) and where temperatures are maintained at near or below a freezing temperature.
In other embodiments, the entire dry sprinkler can be located in unheated or refrigerated space if the flow of water is stopped upstream of the valve, e.g., at a main control valve. In this configuration, the entire sprinkler and connecting branch line remain dry and only the portion of the pipe network upstream of the control valve is wet. The control valve can then be triggered to open in the presence of a fire by a smoke detector or heat activated sensor.
While the disclosed dry sprinklers, sprinkler systems, methods of operation and methods of installing have been described in conjunction with exemplary embodiments, these embodiments should be viewed as illustrative, not limiting. It should be understood that various modifications, substitutes, or the like are possible within the spirit and scope of the disclosure.
This is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/576,842, filed Sep. 20, 2019, which in turn is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/054,645, filed Feb. 26, 2016, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,449,402, which in turn is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/722,571, filed Dec. 20, 2012, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,345,918. The disclosure of the prior applications is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 16576842 | Sep 2019 | US |
Child | 17866892 | US | |
Parent | 15054645 | Feb 2016 | US |
Child | 16576842 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 13722571 | Dec 2012 | US |
Child | 15054645 | US |