Patent Application
20100122824
This invention relates to apparatus designed to apply fire retardant to specific sites, typically in an effort to protect structures from wildfire and/or to control wildfire behavior and direction, and more specifically, to a portable fire retardant application apparatus for distributing fire retardant in desired areas around and on the exterior surfaces of structures when needed, or in specific areas to impede wildfire progress.
In recent years numerous wildfires, particularly in the Western regions of the United States, have destroyed thousands of homes and other structures. While these fires have been concentrated primarily in the Western states, the risk from wildfire to residences exists throughout the U.S. and in other parts of the world.
Over the past several decades there has been an increasing migration of population from cities and towns toward rural areas, and there has been a dramatic increase in the number of homes and communities being built at the interfaces between urban and forest lands—the so-called “urban-wildland” interface. As more homes and communities are built along the boundaries between urban and forested areas, and particularly in areas that are historically burned by wildfires, more and more of these structures are directly exposed to the risks of destruction by wildfires. This population and construction trend, coupled with historical timber management practices that have led to increased forest fuel loading in recent years, and drought conditions existing across the Western U.S. have led to an unprecedented number of structures being in danger of exposure to wildfires.
Conventional methods of fighting wildfires often have little impact when the fires enter the urban-wildland interface where residential subdivisions have been built, and wildfire fighters often can only stand back and watch as homes in the path of a wildfire are destroyed. The inability to prevent wildfire from destroying communities has been seen dramatically in the past several years, during which several highly publicized wild fires destroy thousands of homes in throughout the West, including Colorado, California, Nevada, Utah and other states.
The costs of fighting wildfires can be enormous. During the wildfire season of 2003, the costs of fighting wildfires in the Western portion of the U.S. have been estimated to be in the hundreds of millions of dollars.
But the costs associated with fighting wildfires pale in comparison to the costs of lost homes and other structures destroyed by wildfires. For example, according to the Insurance Services Office, Inc. (www.iso.com), the estimated insured losses arising out of the wildfires in San Diego and San Bernardino counties in Southern California in 2003 alone exceed over $2 billion. Of this, over $1 billion in payments arise out of a single wildfire—the Cedar Fire—which destroyed over 2,200 residential and commercial buildings. On a nationwide basis, the annual insured losses attributable to wildfires are undoubtedly much higher.
Given the staggering amounts of economic and environmental damage caused by wildfires, there is increasing interest in mitigation techniques that reduce the risks to both communities and forest lands. With respect to homes and communities, there are numerous wildfire mitigation strategies that can be taken to alleviate the risk of wildfires destroying residences. These include relatively simple measures such as establishing an effective “defensible space” around homes located in at-risk areas. Another simple approach that many communities have adopted on a community-wide basis is decreasing the fuel loads around urban-wildland interfaces. Good community planning before residential areas are built is also important, since it may be unwise to locate residential developments in areas that are highly prone to wildfires.
Nonetheless, homes, commercial structures and other buildings continue to be built at the edges of the urban areas where the risk of wildfire is the greatest, and even deep in forested areas. There are several known systems specifically designed to deliver fire retardant to and around structures when a wildfire threatens. As an example, Firebreak Spray Systems, LLC, the assignee of the present invention, manufactures and installs a variety of retardant application systems that are designed to be installed in and around homes. Another example of a large retardant application system is exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 5,165,482, which describes a preemptive fire deterrent system that, among other things, applies water to specific areas on and around a structure when a wildfire approaches. Large systems such as those installed by Firebreak Spray Systems, LLC and that typified by the '482 patent are known to be effective, but for a variety of reasons, may not be appropriate for all homeowners and all situations. Specifically, there is a need for improved apparatus for applying fire retardant to specific locations, without all of the equipment and infrastructure needed in large systems.
The present invention defines a portable, self contained apparatus for applying fire retardant to specific locations, typically a structure or a perimeter around a structure in order to prevent flames from igniting the structure.
The invention will be better understood and its numerous objects and advantages will be apparent by reference to the following detailed description of the invention when taken in conjunction with the following drawings.
A first illustrated embodiment of a portable fire retardant application apparatus 10 according to the present invention is shown in
It should also be noted at the outset that the apparatus shown in the drawings and described herein is of a specific size. However, the invention is not limited to any specific size unless the invention defined in the claims is so-limited.
With reference now to
Tank 12 is preferably fabricated from a plastic material such as high density polyethylene that is lightweight, strong and chemically resistant to the fire retardant that is contained in the tank so that neither the tank nor the retardant degrades over time and storage. The tank 12 shown in the figures is formed in a single piece by injection molding. Tank 12 includes a handle 14 molded into the body at the forward end 16. A pair of wheels 18, only one of which is shown in
The tank 12 shown in
A cap 32 is threaded onto a fill opening on the upper surface 34 of tank 12. As detailed below, when cap 32 is removed the fill opening may be accessed to add retardant to the tank. Apparatus 10 includes a battery well or compartment 36 that contains a battery (described below) and a switch 38 which controls power to a pump, which also is described below. Battery compartment 36 defines a compartment that is sealed off from the interior of tank 12 and yet which defines a battery compartment that lies within the profile of the tank. A battery cover plate 40 that is removably attached to the tank with screws 42 that thread into threaded openings at cooperative positions in each of the four corners of the battery compartment to seal the battery into the compartment. A wiring harness 44 extends through cover plate 40 and provides an electrical connection to an external power source so that the battery may be charged.
Turning now to
The wiring harness that provides the electrical connection from the battery 54 to the terminals on pump 56 is shown generally with reference number 58. Preferably, the wiring connections extend through the interior of tank 12 directly from the battery to the pump. However, it will be appreciated that the electrical interconnections may be routed from the battery to the pump in any convenient manner. With battery 54 inserted into compartment 36 and the electrical interconnections made between the battery and the pump 56, the electrical connection between switch 38 and battery 54 is made and the cover plate 40 is screwed into place. In
Pump 56 is a conventional pump that is has an electric motor 58 that is operable by 12 volt battery 54 and a pump unit 60 that has an inlet 62 that is fluidly connected to the interior of tank 12 and an outlet 64 that has a fitting 66 that may be connected to hosing and a nozzle assembly through which fire retardant is sprayed. More specifically, as shown in
Some kinds of fire retardants that may be used in apparatus 10 may tend to stratify over time. Depending upon the type of fire retardant used, tank 12 may include an internal agitator such as a paddle-type mixer, powered by motor 58 and shown schematically in
Operation of apparatus 10 will now be detailed. When apparatus 10 is not in use, or “idle”, the tank 12 may be stored either filled with liquid fire retardant or empty. Hose and nozzle assembly 80 may be either attached or detached. Preferably, battery 54 is connected to an external power source such as a standard 110 volt powered wall outlet with charger cord 45, which attaches to wiring harness 45 to charge the battery and maintain the battery in an optimally charged condition. When a homeowner or other user determines that a structure or other area is imminently threatened by wildfire or other fire threat, the owner detaches the charger cord 45 and makes sure that the hose and nozzle assembly 80 is connected. If the tank 12 is empty, the tank is filled with retardant. The entire apparatus 10 with tank 12 full is then wheeled to the location where retardant is to be applied and the switch 38 is moved to the “on” position. This begins operation of motor 58 and pump 56, and also mixing paddle 90 if the apparatus includes such a mixing device. Fire retardant is then sprayed through spray nozzle 86 onto whatever surfaces or structures the owner deems most appropriate. The fire retardant used in the apparatus 10 is preferably of the type that will remain on the surfaces onto which it has been sprayed, providing continuing protection against wildfire, until the retardant residual has been washed off.
As an alternative or option, pump 56 may be adapted for being powered by a secondary power supply such as 110 volt grid power supply. However, this requires an extension cord running from the power supply (i.e., either a powered wall outlet or a generator), and the range of the apparatus 10 is therefore limited.
The apparatus 10 according to the present invention defines a self-contained, fully powered and rechargeable retardant delivery system that may be stored until needed, then quickly wheeled to the location where retardant is to be applied. Even if grid power is interrupted by a wildfire, the apparatus 10 is fully powered and operable without an external power source.
While the present invention has been described in terms of a preferred embodiment, it will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill that the spirit and scope of the invention is not limited to those embodiments, but extends to the various modifications and equivalents as defined in the appended claims.
