Smoke Warning System

Abstract

In a smoke warning system ambient conditions are included in the evaluation of the smoke warning transmitter statuses, or the internal signal evaluation in the smoke warning transmitter is influenced. In this procedure the alarm threshold of the system is raised under certain ambient conditions so that the smoke warning transmitter per se is set so as to be less sensitive.

Description

Below, an advantageous exemplary embodiment of the invention is described in detail with reference to FIG. 1.

FIG. 1 shows a smoke warning system 1 for application in an aircraft, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, the system 1 comprises two groups of smoke warning transmitters 2, 3 which are for example arranged at critical positions in an aircraft (not shown).

According to FIG. 1, the group 2 of smoke warning transmitters comprises three smoke warning transmitters 2a-2c which are for example arranged in the cargo compartment of an aircraft. The smoke warning transmitters 2a-2c are electrically interconnected via a bus line 4 and can for example exchange data among themselves via this bus line 4.

According to the exemplary embodiment, the second group 3 of smoke warning transmitters shown in FIG. 1 comprises three smoke warning transmitters 3a-3c which are arranged in the cabin space of the aircraft. The smoke warning transmitters 3a-3c are electrically interconnected via a bus line 5 and can exchange data among themselves via this bus line 5.

Of course, the two groups 2, 3 of smoke warning transmitters can also be interconnected in order to exchange data among themselves.

The smoke warning transmitters 2a-2c and 3a-3c provide status information which is characteristic for an existing smoke situation in the vicinity of the respective smoke warning transmitters.

As shown in FIG. 1, group 2 of the smoke warning transmitters is connected to a device 8 via a data line 6, while group 3 of the smoke warning transmitters in the cabin space is connected to said device 8 via a data line 7.

The device 8 is used for setting an alarm threshold of the smoke warning system 1; said device 8 comprises for example an evaluation device 9. This evaluation device 9 receives information concerning the status of the smoke warning transmitters 2a-2c via the bus line 4 and the data line 6. Similarly, the evaluation device 9 receives information concerning the status of the smoke warning transmitters 3a-3c via the bus line 5 and the data line 7. The information received can for example be stored in a storage device (not shown) inside or outside the device 8. Instead of the data lines and the bus line, it is also possible to provide a single bus line.

Furthermore, the device 8 according to the preferred embodiment is connected to an aircraft data network 10. The connection can either be a wireless connection or a wire connection. The aircraft data network 10 receives data from various acquisition devices 11a-11e, which collect information concerning environmental conditions.

The acquisition device 11 a is for example a central maintenance system which, via a connection 12a, transmits flight data to the aircraft data network 10 during a flight.

The acquisition device 11b is for example a flight management system which transmits information concerning the destination to the aircraft data network 10 via a connection 12b.

The acquisition device 11c is for example a door control system which supplies information concerning the status of doors (for example the cargo compartment door) to the aircraft data network 10 via a connection line 12c.

The acquisition device 11 d is for example an air data system which supplies information concerning for example the temperature, humidity, pressure etc. of the air to the aircraft data network 10 via a connection 12d.

The acquisition device 11e is for example a flight warning system which supplies corresponding information to the aircraft data network 10 via a connection 12e.

As indicated by dashed lines in FIG. 1, any desired number of acquisition devices can be provided in system 1.

According to the invention, the acquisition devices 11a-11e, for example, continuously supply current data to the aircraft data network 10, which transmits this data automatically or on request to the device 8 via a connection interface 13. The connections 12a-12e, via which the respective acquisition devices 11a-11e are connected to the aircraft data network, can be wireless or wired connections.

Likewise, the connection interface 13 between the aircraft data network 10 and the device 8 can be a wireless or wired connection.

According to the exemplary embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the evaluation device 9 receives information concerning the ambient conditions from the acquisition devices 11a-11e via the connection interface 13 and the aircraft data network 10.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 1, the device 8 is connected to an output device 14, for example a display, which is arranged in the aircraft's cockpit (not shown).

As described above, the ambient conditions are acquired by the acquisition devices 11a-11e and are continuously provided, and are for example requested by the device 8. Based on these ambient conditions (hereinafter also referred to as input parameters) and the information relating to the status of the smoke warning transmitters 2a-2c and 3a-3c, the evaluation unit 9 calculates a corresponding command for adapting the alarm threshold of the system 1. As an alternative, the evaluation device 9 can also supply a corresponding command to a respective smoke warning transmitter in order to set its sensitivity.

Adaptation of the alarm threshold preferably take place depending on the following parameters:

• • destination with respective ambient parameters (temperature, atmospheric humidity, wind force, etc.) and special characteristics;
  • status of the cargo compartment door (closed, open); and
  • type of load (for example animals, industrial goods, perishable goods).

According to the exemplary embodiment, the procedure to be adhered to is as set out in the following status table. Smoke warning transmitter statuses 1-3 correspond to sensitivity levels:

• • 1. high sensitivity; alarm is issued for example at 3% reduction in light intensity per m;
  • 2. medium sensitivity; alarm is issued for example at 6% reduction in light intensity per m; and
  • 3. low sensitivity; alarm is issued for example at 9% reduction in light intensity per m.

	1	2	3	4	5	6
Condition	ΔT > 20°	rH > 60%	Critical freight loaded	Destination critical	Cargo door open	Cond. 1-5 not met
ΔT > 20°	2	3	3	3	3	—
rH > 60%	3	2	3	3	3	—
Critical	3	3	2	3	3	—
freight
loaded
Destination	3	3	3	2	3	—
critical
Cargo door	3	3	3	3	2	—
open
Cond. 1-5	—	—	—	—	—	1
not met
ΔT > 20°: temperature difference > 20° (outside - inside)
rH > 60%: relative atmospheric humidity > 60% (outside)
Critical freight loaded: for example chickens
Destination critical: for example dusty environment

Although, above, the invention has been described with reference to an application in an aircraft, the system according to the invention can also advantageously be used in other mobile applications (for example relating to railways, submarines, motor vehicles), because these systems can be subjected to quickly changing ambient conditions.

Although, above, the invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment, it is understood that a person with technical skills in this field can make modifications and alterations without leaving the scope of protection.

For example, a smoke warning transmitter can comprise temperature sensors 15 and issue an alarm if a critical temperature value is exceeded, irrespective of the ambient conditions. Similarly, the ambient conditions may be entered by a user, for example via a keypad.

List Of Reference Characters

• 1 System
• 2, 3 Groups of smoke warning transmitters
• 2 a-2c Smoke warning transmitters in the cargo compartment
• 3 a-3c Smoke warning transmitters in the cabin space
• 4 Bus line in the cargo compartment
• 5 Bus line in the cabin space
• 6 Data line to the cargo compartment
• 7 Data line to the cabin space
• 8 Device
• 9 Evaluation device
• 10 Aircraft data network
• 11 a-11e Acquisition devices
• 12 a-12e Connections
• 13 Connection interface
• 14 Output unit
• 15 Temperature sensor

Claims

1-8. (canceled)

9. A system for smoke warning, comprising a smoke warning transmitter for detecting a smoke situation; a plurality of differing acquisition devices for acquiring conditions of an environment in which a smoke situation is detected;a device for setting an alarm threshold of the smoke warning system depending on the acquired ambient conditions; andan output device for issuing an alarm if the set alarm threshold is exceeded and/or not reached, anda temperature sensor which sets off an alarm by the output device when a critical temperature is exceeded,irrespective of the registered ambient conditions.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the device comprises an evaluation device which from the smoke warning transmitter receives a status that is characteristic of a smoke situation, and, taking into account an ambient condition acquired by one of the acquisition devices , evaluates this status, whereas, based on the evaluation result, the output device (14) triggers an alarm.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the device supplies a signal to the smoke warning transmitter in order to influence its internal signal evaluation and in this way adjust its sensitivity, based on the ambient condition received by the acquisition device.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the acquisition device comprises at least one sensor which continuously acquires an ambient condition.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the acquisition device comprises a keypad by way of which the ambient conditions can be entered.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the display device (14) displays an alarm acoustically and/or visually.

15. The use of a system of claim 1 in an aircraft.

16. The system of claim 2, wherein the device supplies a signal to the smoke warning transmitter in order to influence its internal signal evaluation and in this way adjust its sensitivity, based on the ambient condition received by the acquisition device.