The present invention is directed to fire suppression systems for vehicles and industrial applications. More specifically, the present invention is directed to manual actuators for use in fire suppression systems for vehicles and industrial applications.
Known firefighting systems for vehicles and industrial applications include a firefighting agent supply coupled to one or more fixed nozzles to protect multiple hazards or hazard areas. Generally, the systems include multiple detectors designated for monitoring and detection of an area or occupancy, a storage or supply of a firefighting agent, firefighting devices for distributing the agent and a control system to control delivery of the agent to the distribution devices. The systems can include manual actuators for use in the release of the firefighting agent. Known manual actuators can he electric or mechanical functioning devices that are coupled to the firefighting hardware or devices of the system. Exemplary systems that provide for manual actuation include restaurant tire suppression systems, vehicle fire suppression systems, or clean agent systems, such as for example, INERGEN® fire extinguishment from Tyco Fire & Intergated Solutions (UK) Ltd of Tyco International Ltd., Halocarbon, or carbon dioxide (CO2) fixed systems.
In some installations, such as in off-road heavy vehicles, the manual actuators for multiple zones are often installed in a central location. The central location may have multiple actuators lined up next to each other, for example, in a bank of manual actuators. The central location could be an egress path for the vehicle operator. Known manual actuators do not provide or include identification means for identifying which manual actuator is to be operated to actuate the appropriate devices to address the appropriate area for release of firefighting agent in response to a fire condition. Prior solutions to the problem use separate actuating devices and notification devices. This requires more components, more installation time and increased product cost. Accordingly, there is need for manual actuators that integrate manual operation with an identifying function to facilitate the appropriate selection and operation of the manual actuators.
The present invention is directed to systems and methods for use in fire protection systems for vehicles or industrial applications. Preferred embodiments include a manual actuating device that includes an operating mechanism for manual release of a firefighting agent, an indicator for selectively identifying the actuating device for manual operation; and a housing for housing each of the operating mechanism and the indicator. A preferred embodiment of a fire protection system includes a release device for releasing a firefighting agent into one of a plurality of hazard areas; and a manual actuating device including an indicator to identify the manual actuating device for operating the release device. The preferred indicator has a first condition in which the indicator is in a standby state and a second condition in which the indicator is in an identify state to identify the manual actuating device for operation.
Another preferred re protection system includes a plurality of detectors with each of the plurality of detectors configured to generate a detection signal upon detecting a fire condition in one of a plurality of hazard areas. A plurality of release assemblies is provided in which each of the plurality of release assemblies is configured to discharge a fire fighting agent into one of the plurality of hazard areas. A plurality of manual actuating devices are each configured to manually actuate at least one release assembly that is different than at least one release assembly actuated by another manual actuating device. Each of the manual actuating devices preferably includes a housing having an indicator with a standby state and an identify state to identify the manual actuating device for operation. The system preferably includes a controller in communication with each of the manual actuating devices to selectively operate at least one indicator from the standby state to the identify state to identify the at least one manual actuating device for actuating the at least one release assembly for discharge of the firefighting agent into the at least one of a plurality of hazard areas for which a fire condition has been detected by at least one detector. A preferred method of fire protection is provided that includes detecting a fire condition in at least one of the hazard areas; and selectively identifying a manual actuator at the actuator for manual operation to release a firefighting agent into the at least one hazard area.
Although the Disclosure of the Invention and the preferred systems and methods address the disadvantages of known fire suppression systems for vehicles and industrial applications it is to be understood that any fire protection system capable of incorporating the preferred systems and methods described herein can be covered. The Summary of the Invention is provided as a general introduction to some embodiments of the invention, and is not intended to he limiting to any particular configuration or system. It is to he understood that various features and configurations of features described in the Summary of the Invention can be combined in any suitable way to form any number of embodiments of the invention. Some additional example embodiments including variations and alternative configurations are provided herein.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and constitute part of this specification, illustrate exemplary embodiments of the invention and, together with the general description given above and the detailed description given below, serve to explain the features of the exemplary embodiments of the invention.
Preferred embodiments of fire protection systems and methods for the protection of multiple areas of an occupancy, location or site are provided. Generally, the system 10 includes detection means 12 for detecting a fire condition in an area of the occupancy and a release means 14 for discharging a firefighting agent into a hazard area of the occupancy. The system 10 includes a plurality of manual actuators or manual actuating devices 16 to manually actuate the release means 14. Each of the preferred embodiments of the manual actuating devices 16 includes an indicator 18 for visually and/or audibly identifying the manual actuating device 16 for operation. In the preferred operation of the system 10, a fire condition is detected in one or more of the hazard areas and the indicators 18 are selectively operated to identify the appropriate manual actuating device(s) 16 for manual operation to discharge a firefighting agent into the hazard area(s) in which a fire condition was detected. It should be understood that the preferred manual actuating devices 16 can be implemented in systems that include and provide for automated actuation and release of the firefighting agent. Accordingly, the identifying manual actuating devices 16 can be implemented in known fire protection systems, for example those previously described, that provide for automatic and manual actuation.
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Regardless of the type of indicator, the indicator 18 defines a first standby state and a second identify state. Upon receipt of an appropriate signal, the indicator 18 alters state going from the standby state to the identify state in which the indicator 18 is energized or operated to identify the manual actuating device 16 for operation. In order that an indicator 18 properly identifies the manual actuating device 16 for operation, the indicator 18 is properly associated with a manual actuating device 16 to be identified by the indicator. In a preferred embodiment, the manual actuating device 16 and indicator 18 are preferably integrated into a single housing or unit 22 to associate the indicator 18 with a particular manual actuating device 16 and operable mechanism 20 for proper identification upon energizing the indicator 18. Accordingly, in one preferred aspect the identification of the manual actuating device 16 for operation is identified at the device itself. Moreover, integrating the manual actuating device 16, operable mechanism 20 and indicator 18 in the preferred housing 22 facilitates their installation and coupling, as a single unit, to the system 10 or another device in the system 10 thereby eliminating the need for separate installations and/or hardware for each of the actuating device 16 and the indicator 18. Preferred embodiments of the housing 22 include a single connector for coupling to the system 10 such that all input and output signals in and out of the housing 22 pass through or are carried by the single connector. Accordingly to the extent the manual actuating device 16 is hard wired to the system 10, the preferred embodiments of the housing 22 eliminate or minimize the amount of conduit needed to connect the manual actuating device 16 and its associated indicator 18.
The preferred detection means 12 of the system 10 includes a plurality of detectors 12a, l 2b, 12e for monitoring and detecting a fire condition in the protection area, each detector preferably configured to generate a detection signal upon detecting a fire condition in the protection area. The detection signal is preferably in a form that can be communicated to another device as an input signal to that device. The detection signal is preferably an electronic signal, digital or analog, for being conveyed or communicated over wire, fiber optic, cable or other appropriate medium. Alternatively, the detection signal can be a wireless signal, such as for example, Bluetooth signal, other radio signal or other type of wave signal. Embodiments of the detectors 12 can further provide for visual and/or audio alarm in response to detecting a fire condition. Known detector devices for use in the system can include analog and digital devices for various modes for fire detection including: (i) spot thermal detectors to determine when the surrounding air exceeds a set temperature, (ii) linear detection wire which conveys a detection signal from two wires that are brought into contact upon a separating insulation material melting in the presence of a fire, (iii) optical sensors which differentiate between open flames and hydrocarbon signatures, and (iv) a linear pressure detector in which pressure of an air line increases in the presence of sufficient heat.
A preferred release means 14 is respectively installed or positioned for discharge of a firefighting agent into a hazard area in response to a fire condition. A preferred release means 14 is embodied as a releasing assembly that includes a source or supply of firefighting agent, a device for controlling release of the agent from the supply and a distributor for discharging and/or distributing the agent within the hazard area. In the preferred system 10, release means 14a, 14b, 14c are respectively installed or positioned within each of the hazard areas 1, 2, 3 for discharge of the firefighting agent into the hazard area in response to a fire condition. Associated or coupled directly or indirectly to each of the release means or assemblies 14a, 14b, 14c, respectively, are preferred manual actuating devices 16a, 16b, 16c. The release means and manual actuating devices are preferably associated with one another at a one-to-one ratio (1:1). Alternatively, the components may be associated at a release means to-manual actuating device ratio of greater than 1:1 provided that manual actuating device 16a actuates one or more release means or assemblies 14 that is different than the release means or assemblies 14 actuated by the other manual actuating devices 16b, 16c. In the preferred system 10, the manual actuating devices 16a, 16b, 16c are preferably located remotely from their respectively associated release assemblies 14a, 14b, 14c. Moreover, the manual actuating devices 16a, 16b, 16c are preferably located remotely and centralized, for example, in an area of egress, for access by personnel in the area of the occupancy.
Following detection of a fire condition in any one of the hazard areas 1, 2, 3 by the detectors 12a, 12b, 12c, the indicators 18a, 18b, 18c of the manual actuating devices 16a, 16b, 16c are selectively operated to identify an appropriate manual actuating device for manual operation. Upon operation, each identified manual actuating device(s) 16a, 16b, 16c provides an appropriate actuating signal to the release means 14a, 14b, 14c associated with the operated manual actuating Appropriate actuating signals can include electrical signals, pneumatic signals or any other type of signal to actuate the control device of the preferred release means. The electrical signals can be communicated over wires or cables or alternatively communicated wirelessly. In response, the release means 14a, 14b, 14c discharges and preferably distributes the firefighting agent into the hazard areas 1, 2, 3.
In the preferred system 10 of
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While the present invention has been disclosed with reference to certain embodiments, numerous modifications, alterations, and changes to the described embodiments are possible without departing from the sphere and scope of the present invention, as defined in the appended claims. Accordingly, it is intended that the present invention not be limited to the described embodiments, but that it has the full scope defined by the language of the following claims, and equivalents thereof.
This application is an international application claiming the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/008,984, filed Jun. 6, 2014, which application is incorporated by, reference in its entirety.
Number | Date | Country | |
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62008984 | Jun 2014 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | PCT/US2015/033141 | May 2015 | US |
Child | 15370799 | US |