Patent Grant
11413485
The present invention relates to a fire-extinguishing sprinkler head.
A sprinkler head sprinkles fire-extinguishing liquid (fire-extinguishing water) when sensing heat of fire. The sprinkler head includes a nozzle and a heat-sensitive disassembling unit. The nozzle is connected to a water-supply pipe. The heat-sensitive disassembling unit goes into action to break down when sensing an outbreak of fire. A valve element and a resilient body such as a coned disc spring are disposed between the nozzle and the heat-sensitive disassembling unit. In ordinary times without an outbreak of fire, the outlet of the nozzle is closed with the valve element (see, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2012-105952).
For example, a known cylindrical sprinkler head has excellent design by virtue of its small dimension in the radial direction, namely, its small outside diameter. In the interest of avoidance of an increase in the outside diameter, such a sprinkler head includes components smaller than those included in typical sprinkler heads. In most cases, the trade-off is a correspondingly larger overall dimension in the axial direction.
An example of such a sprinkler head is an embedded sprinkler head disclosed Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Registration Application Publication No. 05-051370. The embedded sprinkler head includes a deflector and struts integral with the deflector. Fire-extinguishing liquid ejected from a nozzle is dispersed radially outward in all directions by the deflector. The struts hold the deflector of the sprinkler head in such a manner that the deflector is suspended from above. The sprinkler head includes a frame that is longer in its axial direction than a frame of a typical sprinkler head so as to provide space in which the struts are placed until the sprinkler head is activated to cause a breakdown action.
The sprinkler head, components of which are more closely packed, requires measures to keep the components from contact with each other during activation of the sprinkler head. In particular, the activation involves a large amount of displacement of the deflector, which moves within the frame and eventually protrudes from the frame.
The present invention has been made against a backdrop of the techniques known in the art. The objective of the present invention is to provide a sprinkler head that enables a deflector to move smoothly within a frame during activation.
To attain the objective, the present invention has the following features.
A sprinkler head according to an aspect of the present invention includes a main body, a valve element, a heat-sensitive disassembling unit, a deflector, at least one strut, and a guide ring. The main body includes a nozzle from which fire-extinguishing liquid is discharged. The nozzle is closed with the valve element. The heat-sensitive disassembling unit keeps the nozzle closed with the valve element. The heat-sensitive disassembling unit opens the nozzle through a breakdown action during activation of the sprinkler head. The deflector has a receiving surface and vanes extending from the receiving surface toward the main body. The deflector scatters, outward in axis crossing directions of the nozzle, the fire-extinguishing liquid discharged from the nozzle and received by the receiving surface. The at least one strut holds the deflector scattering the fire-extinguishing liquid. The guide ring is movable along the at least one strut and between a tip of the at least one strut and tips of the vanes.
When the heat-sensitive disassembling unit falls off from the main body and causes displacement of the deflector and the at least one strut, the guide ring movable along the at least one strut holding the deflector restricts lateral misalignment or inclination of the deflector and the at least one strut. This makes it certain that the deflector moves to a predetermined position for sprinkling fire-extinguishing liquid when the sprinkler head is activated.
Another feature of the present invention may be that the at least one strut extends along an exterior circumferential surface of the nozzle from the receiving surface of the deflector toward the main body, and that the guide ring extends in a circumferential direction along an exterior surface of the at least one strut.
That is, the guide ring may extend in the circumferential direction along the exterior surface of the at least one strut, which moves along the exterior circumferential surface of the nozzle. The guide ring thus provides, at a predetermined spacing from the exterior circumferential surface of the nozzle, space in which the at least one strut moves when the sprinkler head is activated to cause displacement of the deflector and the at least one strut.
Still another feature of the present invention may be that the guide ring includes at least one guide recessed portion in which the at least one strut is received.
This enables the at least one strut to move along the at least one guide recessed portion of the guide ring during displacement of the deflector. The at least one guide recessed portion eliminates or reduces the possibility that the guide ring will become a hindrance to the at least one strut during displacement of the deflector.
Still another feature of the present invention may be that the sprinkler head also includes a support ring to which the tip of the at least one strut is fixed.
This feature offers an advantage in that the at least one strut increases in strength. Furthermore, both the guide ring and the support ring connected to the at least one strut move with the at least one strut during the displacement of the deflector. The effect of restricting inclination of the deflector and the at least one strut may be further enhanced accordingly.
Still another feature of the present invention may be that the sprinkler head also includes an elastic member disposed between the guide ring and the main body.
The load applied by the elastic member is imposed on the deflector and the valve element through the guide ring. The valve element may thus be detached from the nozzle when the heat-sensitive disassembling unit falls off from the main body. The sprinkler head is therefore applicable to a vacuum sprinkler system where negative pressure is generated inside the nozzle.
Still another feature of the present invention may be that the at least one strut and the support ring are disposed within an interior circumference of the elastic member.
Another conceivable layout is as follows: the elastic member is disposed between the main body and the tip of the at least one strut. A disadvantage of this layout is that the sprinkler head is extended in its axial direction, with the elastic member being in line with the at least one strut. Meanwhile, the sprinkler head according to the aspect above has space in which the elastic member is disposed on the outer side with respect to the at least one strut and the support ring so as to extend alongside the at least one strut, and the overall length of the sprinkler head in its axial direction may thus be short.
Still another feature of the present invention may be that the guide ring is provided with claws, each of which is disposed between the nozzle and a corresponding one of the vanes.
Each claw between the nozzle and the corresponding vane eliminates or reduces the possibility that the deflector will be off center with respect to the nozzle.
When the deflector moves in the axial direction of the nozzle, the guide ring restricts lateral misalignment or inclination of the deflector. The present invention thus enables the deflector to move smoothly within the frame during activation of the sprinkler head.
A sprinkler head S according to an aspect of the present invention will be described below by way of embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. The wording “first . . . ”, “second . . . ”, and “third . . . ” used herein or in appended claims are intended to make different constituent components of the present invention distinguishable from one another and are not intended to represent a specific order, relative superiority, or the like.
Structure of Sprinkler Head S (
The sprinkler head S includes a main body 1, a frame 2, a valve element 3, a sprinkling portion 4, a spring member 5 (a resilient body), and a heat-sensitive disassembling unit 6. As illustrated in
The main body 1 in the uppermost side in the axial direction of the sprinkler head S and the frame 2 below the main body 1 constitute an exterior part of the sprinkler head S. The valve element 3, the sprinkling portion 4, and the spring member 5 are disposed in the inner space defined by the frame 2. The heat-sensitive disassembling unit 6 is disposed so as to extend over the inside and the outside of the sprinkler head S. Part of the heat-sensitive disassembling unit 6 protrudes downward from the frame 2 in the axial direction of the sprinkler head S. The axes of the constituent components of the sprinkler head S, or more specifically, the axes of the main body 1, the frame 2, the valve element 3, the sprinkling portion 4, the spring member 5, and the heat-sensitive disassembling unit 6 all coincide with the axis of the sprinkler head S.
The main body 1 of the sprinkler head S has a multilayer cylindrical shape. The main body 1 accommodates a nozzle 11, which has a cylindrical shape and extends in the axial direction of the sprinkler head S. That is, the axial direction of the nozzle 11 coincides with the axial direction of the sprinkler head S. The axis (central axis) of the nozzle 11 in its axis crossing directions also coincides with the corresponding axis of the sprinkler head S. The nozzle 11 is a channel of fire-extinguishing liquid (e.g., fire-extinguishing water) sprinkled by the sprinkler head S. The nozzle 11 has a nozzle end 11a, which is a lower end and an outlet of the nozzle 11. The fire-extinguishing water is discharged downward from the nozzle end 11a. The nozzle end 11a is in contact with the valve element 3 in a manner so as to abut against the valve element 3. In ordinary times without an outbreak of fire, the nozzle end 11a is closed with the valve element 3.
The main body 1 includes a water-supply pipe connection threaded portion 12, which extends along the exterior circumference of an upper end portion of the main body 1 and is connected to a water-supply pipe (not illustrated) through which fire-extinguishing water is supplied. The main body 1 also includes a flange portion 13, which extends along the exterior circumference of a middle part in the axial direction of the main body 1; that is, the flange portion 13 is located below the water-supply pipe connection threaded portion 12. The flange portion 13 includes a proximal end portion and a cylindrical portion. The proximal end portion is annular-ring shaped and protrudes outward in the axis crossing directions of the sprinkler head S. The cylindrical portion extends from the proximal end portion in a manner so as to be concentric with the nozzle 11. A gap portion 15 is defined between the flange portion 13 and the nozzle 11. The flange portion 13 includes a frame connection threaded portion 14, which extends along an interior circumferential surface of the flange portion 13 and is connected to the frame 2.
The frame 2 has a cylindrical shape. The outside diameter of the frame 2 is substantially equal to the inside diameter of the flange portion 13. The frame 2 includes a main body connection threaded portion 21, which extends along the exterior circumference of an upper end portion of the frame 2 and is connected to the frame connection threaded portion 14. The frame connection threaded portion 14 and the main body connection threaded portion 21, which constitute a coupling part, are fitted together. In this way, the main body 1 and the frame 2 of the sprinkler head S are coupled to each other and are combined into one unit. The frame 2 includes a step portion 22, which extends along the interior circumference of a lower end of the frame 2. The step portion 22 is annular-ring shaped and protrudes inward in the axis crossing directions of the sprinkler head S (see
The valve element 3 is located between the nozzle 11 and the sprinkling portion 4 and is rotatable with respect to the nozzle 11 and the sprinkling portion 4 about the axis of the sprinkler head S. As illustrated in
As illustrated in
In the present embodiment, the projection 31 and the disc attachment hole 32a, which constitute a connection portion where the protruding member 32 and the disc 3a are connected to each other, are located within the nozzle 11 (see
The disc 3a is overlaid with a water-stop sheet 33 (a sheet-like water-stop member), which is annular-ring shaped and disposed on an upper surface (a nozzle-side surface) of the disc 3a. The water-stop sheet 33 prevents fire-extinguishing water in the nozzle 11 from leaking out from the contact portion where the nozzle end 11a (see
The water-stop sheet 33 in the present embodiment has an adhesive layer formed on a back surface thereof. The adhesive layer is formed from an adhesive. The water-stop sheet 33 is attached to the surface of the disc 3a with the adhesive layer therebetween. The region on or close to the annular inside rim 33a of the water-stop sheet 33 is held in a manner so as to be sandwiched between the disc 3a and the bottom surface of the protruding member 32 and may thus be referred to as a held portion. As the adhesive layer ages, its adhesive strength becomes weaker. However, the water-stop sheet 33 between the disc 3a and the protruding member 32 will not come off unless the protruding member 32 is separated from the disc 3a. Thus, the water-stop sheet 33 can be stably held on the disc 3a irrespective of a reduction in the adhesive strength of the adhesive layer.
The disc 3a includes, on a back surface opposite to the nozzle-side surface thereof, a pin-receiving recessed portion 34, which is located in the midsection of the back surface and recessed along (toward the upside of) the nozzle 11. When the pin-receiving recessed portion 34 is pushed upward along its axis, the disc 3a is uniformly pressed against the nozzle end 11a. The nozzle end 11a is closed liquid-tight with the valve element 3 accordingly. The pin-receiving recessed portion 34 is surrounded by a surrounding wall 35, which has a cylindrical shape and is located on the outer side in axis crossing directions of the pin-receiving recessed portion 34. The outside diameter of the cylindrical-shaped surrounding wall 35 is smaller than the outside diameter of the disc 3a.
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
It is required that upon the application of heat from the surroundings, the sprinkler head S be activated to cause a breakdown action and sprinkle fire-extinguishing water in all directions with the main body 1 of the sprinkler head S as the center, namely, in the axis crossing directions of the nozzle 11 (the sprinkler head S). In the present embodiment, the breakdown action during the activation of the sprinkler head S is accompanied by displacement of the deflector 41 with respect to the main body 1 and the frame 2. As a result, the deflector 41 is hung from the frame 2, and fire-extinguishing water is sprinkled in all directions accordingly. This placement of the deflector 41 requires the struts 43 engaged with the frame 2.
Specifically, the deflector 41 includes the struts 43 extending along the axis of the sprinkler head S in the direction from the valve-element supporting portion 41a (the lower side) toward the main body 1 (the upper side). The struts 43 are disposed on the periphery of the deflector 41 at predetermined spacings. The deflector 41 may be held by the struts 43 in a manner so as to be suspended from above.
The structure of the deflector 41 may be obtained by bending a metal flat plate.
Fire-extinguishing water discharged from the nozzle 11 falls on the protruding member 32 and the annular protruding portion 41a2 and is then scattered outward in the axis crossing directions of the nozzle 11 by the vanes 46. As illustrated in
As with the vanes 46, each strut 43 in
As mentioned above, a feature of the sprinkler head S is that the struts 43 (the bending positions of the struts 43) are closer than the vanes 46 (the bending positions of the vanes 46) to the axis of the deflector 41. Owing to this feature, fire-extinguishing water discharged from the nozzle 11 splatters on the valve element 3 and flows through the annular protruding portion 41a2 of the deflector 41, and each flow of extinguishing water passes through side edges of any one of the struts 43 and is then guided by the vanes 46 adjacent to the strut 43 to flow to the back side of the strut 43 (toward the outer side surface 41b).
The following describes a comparative example in which the bending positions of the struts 43 coincide with the bending positions of the vanes 46, namely, the positions indicated by the dash-dot-dot line in
As to the sprinkler head S according to the present embodiment, the struts 43 are closer than the vanes 46 to the axis of the deflector 41, with a step being formed between each strut 43 and each vane 46 in the corresponding axis crossing direction of the sprinkler head S. The steps enable fire-extinguishing water to flow to the back side of the struts 43. Dash-dot-dot lines in
The structure of the vanes 46 may be refined to achieve a further increase in the amount of fire-extinguishing water that will be sprinkled on the back side of the struts 43. As illustrated in
The corner-trimmed edge part 46b mentioned above is a region where a corner is linearly cut at a bevel. Alternatively, the corner-trimmed edge part 46b may be a region where a corner is cut, for example, in the form of an arc or a step.
The vanes 46 include second vanes 46C, each of which is adjacent to other ones of the vanes 46 in the circumferential direction of the deflector 41. Each second vane 46C has second side edge portions 46D, which face the other ones of the vanes 46 and extend from the valve-element supporting portion 41a side toward the main body 1. As illustrated in
The liquid flow space 45B on the inner bottom surface (the lower side) of the deflector 41 provides a wide path for fire-extinguishing water, which will in turn be sprinkled over relatively short distances in the axis crossing directions of the sprinkler head S. The other part of the liquid flow space 45B adjacent to (the upper part of) the vanes 46 on the main body 1 side provides a narrow path for fire-extinguishing water. The amount of sprinkled water may thus be reduced, and the water level in the deflector 41 rises accordingly. Consequently, fire-extinguishing water overflows the vanes 46. Fire-extinguishing water overflowing the vanes 46 is in a position (surface layer) where the flow is less affected by the friction between fire-extinguishing water and the valve-element supporting portion 41a, namely, the bottom of the flow path, and as a result, the flow speed is relatively high. Furthermore, fire-extinguishing water overflowing the vanes 46 on the main body 1 side is less affected by the liquid flow spaces 45B. Fire-extinguishing water overflowing (the upper part of) the vanes 46 on the main body 1 side will thus be sprinkled over long distances in the axis crossing directions of the sprinkler head S. This enables the sprinkler head S to sprinkle fire-extinguishing water uniformly over long distances and short distances in the axis crossing directions.
Another conceivable design of the vane 46 is as follows: part of the second side edge portion 46D extends perpendicularly from the (upper) surface of the valve-element supporting portion 41a on the main body 1 side to about half the height of the vane 46, from where the upper part of the vane 46 is progressively broadened toward the main body 1. In this case, the flow of fire-extinguishing water is affected more by the liquid flow spaces 45B as in the case mentioned above.
Still another conceivable design of the vane 46 is as follows: the liquid flow space 45B illustrated in
Each strut 43 has third side edge portions 43A, which extend from the valve-element supporting portion 41a side toward the main body 1. A deflector known in the art may be obtained in the following manner: target sites of a metal flat plate that are to be formed into the struts 43 and the vanes 46 are bent in such a manner that the third side edge portions 43A, the first side edge portions 46B, and the second side edge portions 46D extend parallel to the axis of the deflector 41. This requires the following design: when the struts 43 and the vanes 46 are unfolded as illustrated in
In the present embodiment, meanwhile, each of the first side edge portions 46B extends parallel to the corresponding one of the third side edge portions 43A when the struts 43 and the vanes 46 are unfolded as a flat plate as illustrated in
As illustrated in
The support ring 42 has a shape of an annular-ring flat plate. The outside diameter and the inside diameter of the support ring 42 are greater than those of the nozzle 11. The struts 43 are secured with the support ring 42. As illustrated in
Main-body-side end portions 43B, which are tips of the struts 43, are fixed to the support ring 42 having a shape of an annular-ring flat plate. As illustrated in
As illustrated in
The guide ring 44 includes guide recessed portions 47, which guide the struts 43 in a manner so as to be out of the way of the struts 43 moving in the axial direction of the nozzle 11. As illustrated in
Referring to
Each claw 47a has a flat surface 47b, which faces the nozzle 11 and slides over the exterior circumferential surface of the nozzle 11 when the sprinkler head S is activated. That is, the claws 47a on the guide ring 44 are slidable over the nozzle 11 in a manner so as to have surface contact with the nozzle 11; that is, the claws 47a are slidable over the nozzle 11 with the flat surfaces 47b contacting the exterior circumferential surface of the nozzle 11. This makes the guide ring 44 less prone to lateral misalignment and inclination with respect to the nozzle 11. The sprinkling portion 4 can thus move smoothly without an exterior circumferential edge of the guide ring 44 getting snagged on an interior circumferential surface of the frame 2.
The flat planes 47b of the claws 47a each have a shape composed of a rectangular upper part and a semicircular lower part; that is, an end of each claw 47a on the disc 3a side is rounded in the form of a semicircle. When the sprinkler head S is activated to cause the guide ring 44 to descend, the claws 47a can possibly come into contact with the frame 2 or the nozzle 11. However, owing to the rounded ends, the claws 47a are less likely to get snagged on the frame 2 or the nozzle 11.
The guide ring 44 is placeable on the vanes 46. This enables a reduction in the space for a coil spring 48, which will be described later, and the overall length of the sprinkler head S in its axial direction may thus be short. The claws 47a hang down toward the disc 3a. The guide ring 44 may thus be stable on the vanes 46 and may be easily positioned on a target site accordingly.
It is not always required that the guide ring 44 be annular-ring shaped so as to extend along the entire circumference of the sprinkler head S. The guide ring 44 may include four arc-shaped segments corresponding to the four struts 43 or may be shaped like a half-annular ring. The guide ring 44 is preferably annular-ring shaped so as to extend along the entire circumference, where the guide ring 44 can maintain balance and is less likely to incline during displacement.
The struts 43 are inserted into the guide ring 44 before being combined with the support ring 42. The struts 43 are received in the respective guide recessed portions 47.
Instead of being provided on the interior edge portion of the guide ring 44, the guide recessed portions 47 may be provided on an exterior edge portion of the guide ring 44, where the guide recessed portions 47 are seemingly obtained by cutting off segments extending inward in the axis crossing directions of the sprinkler head S. In this case, the coil spring 48, which will be described layer, is disposed so as to be adjacent to the interior edge portion of the guide ring 44.
Each strut 43 includes a bent portion 43D, which is the middle part in the longitudinal direction of the strut 43. With the bent portion 43D being provided, the upper end of the strut 43, namely, the main-body-side end portion 43B is located on the outer side in the axis crossing direction of the deflector 41 with respect to a deflector-side end portion 43C, which is the lower end of the strut 43. This means that the upper part of the strut 43 adjacent to the main body 1 is located on the outer side in the axis crossing direction of the deflector 41 with respect to the other part of the strut 43. Thus, the distance between each strut 43 and the guide ring 44 is wide on the valve-element supporting portion 41a side and is narrow on the main body 1 side. When the heat-sensitive disassembling unit 6 falls off from the main body 1, the deflector 41 starts moving along the nozzle 11. In the initial stage of the displacement, a wide clearance between each strut 43 and the corresponding guide recessed portion 47 enables the guide ring 44 to move (slide) smoothly along the strut 43. In the last stage of the displacement, a narrow clearance between each strut 43 and the corresponding guide recessed portion 47 enables the guide ring 44 to restrict lateral misalignment and inclination of the deflector 41.
It is only required that the main-body-side end portion 43B of each strut 43 be located on the outer side in the axis crossing direction of the deflector 41 with respect to the corresponding deflector-side end portion 43C. Each strut 43 may include, in place of the bent portion 43D, a straight slope formed between the main-body-side end portion 43B and the deflector-side end portion 43C.
The support ring 42, the struts 43, and the guide ring 44 are disposed in the gap portion 15 between the exterior circumference of the nozzle 11 and the interior circumference of the frame 2. The coil spring 48 (an elastic member) is attached between the guide ring 44 and the main body 1. The coil spring 48 is disposed on the exterior circumferential edge of the guide ring 44. As illustrated in
Another conceivable layout is as follows: the coil spring 48 is disposed between the main body 1 and the tip (the main-body-side end portion 43B) of each strut 43. A disadvantage of this layout is that the sprinkler head S is extended in its axial direction, with the coil spring 48 being in line with the struts 43 (with the coil spring 48 and each strut 43 being aligned on the same axis). In the present embodiment, meanwhile, the sprinkler head S has, on the outer side with respect to the struts 43 and the support ring 42, the space (the gap portion 15) in which the coil spring 48 is juxtaposed with the struts 43, and the overall length of the sprinkler head S in its axial direction may thus be short.
The coil spring 48 exerts force on the guide ring 44, through which the deflector 41 is pushed downward in the axial direction of the nozzle 11 in a manner so as to move away from the main body 1. The load applied by the coil spring 48 is imposed on the deflector 41 and the valve element 3 accordingly. When the heat-sensitive disassembling unit 6 falls off from the main body 1, the load can reject negative pressure, if any, in the nozzle 11, and the valve element 3 may be detached from the nozzle 11 to open the nozzle end 11a. The sprinkler head S is therefore applicable to a vacuum sprinkler system where negative pressure is generated inside the nozzle 11.
The spring member 5 exerts force on the valve element 3, which in turn is pushed toward the nozzle 11 to close the nozzle end 11a. Referring to
Reducing the diameter of the coned disc spring 51 in the interest of downsizing the sprinkler head S typically causes a decline in the flexure of the coned disc spring 51, that is, a decline in the pressure which the coned disc spring 51 applies to push the valve element 3 against the nozzle 11 until the heat-sensitive disassembling unit 6 breaks down to fall off from the frame 2. The sprinkler head S according to the present embodiment includes more than one coned disc spring 51 to provide a load needed for stoppage of water. The coned disc springs 51 stacked on one another are typically more prone to lateral misalignment, and the coned disc springs 51 may also be more prone to inclination when the heat-sensitive disassembling unit 6 is in action. However, the heat-sensitive disassembling unit 6 and the coned disc springs 51 of the sprinkler head S according to the present embodiment are less prone to inclination until the guide-receiving portion 63c gets out of the guide portion 24 of the frame 2, as will be described later. Once the guide-receiving portion 63c gets out of the guide portion 24 of the frame 2, lateral misalignment and inclination of the coned disc springs 51 are tolerated to promote separation of the heat-sensitive disassembling unit 6 from the frame 2.
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
The slider 62 has a shape of an annular-ring flat plate. The outside diameter of the slider 62 is substantially equal to the outside diameter of each of the coned disc springs 51a and 51b. The slider 62 is disposed so as to be in contact with an interior edge portion of a lower surface of the coned disc spring 51b. The slider 62 includes holding recessed portions 62a, which extend along a peripheral edge of a lower surface of the slider 62. Each holding recessed portion 62a has a slope with a progressive decrease in the plate thickness toward the peripheral edge of the slider 62. The number of the holding recessed portions 62a is the same as the number of the balls 61. The holding recessed portions 62a are spaced uniformly in the circumferential direction of the slider 62. Each of the balls 61 is received in the corresponding one of the holding recessed portions 62a.
The coned disc spring 51b exerts bias force on the slider 62, which in turn presses the balls 61 from above. With the balls 61 being in contact with the upper inclined surface 23, force acts on the balls 61 all the time in a manner so as to shift the balls 61 downward and toward the axis of the sprinkler head S. The balls 61 are spaced uniformly in the circumferential direction of the slider 62, and a pressure load is uniformly imposed on the balls 61 accordingly. This arrangement prevents or reduces the concentration of the pressure load in one or more components and may thus prevent the occurrence of damage to the components. This arrangement also eliminates or reduces the possibility that nonuniformity in the pressure load will be produced to cause inclination of the slider 62. The spring member 5 on the slider 62 applies a closing load for closing the nozzle end 11a to the set pin 52, which in turn transmits the load to the axis of the valve element 3. Consequently, the closing load is uniformly imposed on the nozzle end 11a, and liquid leakage from the nozzle 11 may be prevented accordingly.
The slider 62 has, on and around the axis thereof, a hole with an internal screw thread. In the inner space defined by the frame 2, the plunger 64 with the balancer 63 and the cylinder 65 attached thereto is fitted to the spring member 5, the set pin 52, and the slider 62 provided with the balls 61. This causes the spring member 5 to exert bias force on the valve element 3 so that the nozzle end 11a is closed with the valve element 3. The heat-sensitive disassembling unit 6 is fitted to the frame 2 while being pressed downward.
The balancer 63 has a cylindrical shape, and the outside diameter of the balancer 63 is greater than the outside diameter of the slider 62. The balancer 63 includes a step portion 63b, where a peripheral part of an upper surface of the balancer 63 is trimmed off in the form of an annular ring. While force is acting on the balls 61 in a manner so as to shift the balls 61 downward and toward the axis of the sprinkler head S, the balls 61 are in contact with an exterior surface of the step portion 63b of the balancer 63 and may thus be prevented from moving. The balls 61 are held still by the balancer 63, and the heat-sensitive disassembling unit 6 and the frame 2 are joined together accordingly. The balancer 63 has, on and around the axis thereof, a through-hole into which the plunger 64 is insertable.
The guide-receiving portion 63c is on a side surface of the balancer 63 and faces the guide portion 24 of the frame 2. The guide-receiving portion 63c is slidable over the guide portion 24. The guide-receiving portion 63c slides over the guide portion 24 in the initial stage of the action of the heat-sensitive disassembling unit 6 and is thus capable of preventing or reducing the inclination of the heat-sensitive disassembling unit 6.
The plunger 64 is cylindrical. The outside diameter of the plunger 64 is substantially equal to the inside diameter of the slider 62. The plunger 64 is longer in the axial direction than in the axis crossing directions of the sprinkler head S. The plunger 64 has an upper end with an external screw thread extending along the exterior circumference thereof and provided for connection with the slider 62. When being connected with the slider 62, the plunger 64 extends through the hole of the coned disc spring 51b stacked on the slider 62. It is preferred that the distance between an upper surface of the slider 62 and an upper end of the plunger 64 connected with the slider 62 be equal to or slightly greater than the thickness of the coned disc spring 51b. The coned disc spring 51b is thus kept supported and prevented from slipping through the plunger 64 when the heat-sensitive disassembling unit 6 goes into action to fall off from the frame 2.
The plunger 64 includes a collar portion 64a, which is at a lower end of the plunger 64 and is annular-ring shaped so as to protrude outward in the axis crossing directions of the sprinkler head S. The collar portion 64a has an upper surface overlaid with a low-melting alloy 66, which is ring-shaped. The cylinder 65 is attached to the plunger 64 in a manner so as to cover and catch the low-melting alloy 66 lying over the collar portion 64a.
The cylinder 65 has a cylindrical shape with a bottom. The outside diameter of the cylinder 65 is substantially equal to the outside diameter of the frame 2. The cylinder 65 is formed from a highly thermally conductive material, such as copper or a copper alloy, and heat absorbed from a surface of the cylinder 65 may thus be conducted well to the low-melting alloy 66. The cylinder 65 has, on and around the axis thereof, a dent 65a, where a lower (bottom) part the cylinder 65 is dented upward. The low-melting alloy 66 is fitted between the dent 65a and the collar portion 64a. The cylinder 65 has, on and around the axis of the dent 65a, a through-hole into which the plunger 64 is insertable. The cylinder 65 includes a discoid portion 65b and a side surface portion 65c. The discoid portion 65b adjoins an exterior circumferential edge of the dent 65a and extends outward. The side surface portion 65c adjoins an exterior circumferential edge of the discoid portion 65b and extends so as to stand in line with the frame 2.
The side surface portion 65c has cavities 65d, which are elongated and communicate with an exterior circumferential surface of the dent 65a. When a fire breaks out, outside airflow (natural convection) is directed through the cavities 65d to reach the exterior circumferential surface of the dent 65a adjacent to the low-melting alloy 66, to which heat is conducted accordingly. The heat-sensitive disassembling unit 6 thus promotes transfer of heat from airflow to the low-melting alloy 66 fitted in the dent 65a.
The heat-sensitive disassembling unit 6 includes a heat insulator 67, which is placed between an upper surface of the dent 65a and a lower end of the balancer 63 and is ring-shaped. When being conducted to the cylinder 65, heat of fire is blocked by the heat insulator 67 from reaching the balancer 63.
The plunger 64 has a receiving cavity 64b, which extends through the plunger 64 in its axial direction. The small-diameter portion 55, the inclined surface 56, and the straight portion 57, which constitute the leg of the set pin 52, are received in the receiving cavity 64b. Specifically, the straight portion 57 is inserted in the receiving cavity 64b in a manner so as to be slidable over a circumferential surface defining the receiving cavity 64b. The straight portion 57 is in contact with the circumferential surface defining the receiving cavity 64b. The breakdown action causes the set pin 52 to move, with the inclined surface 56 contacting the circumferential surface defining the receiving cavity 64b.
In the initial stage of the action of the heat-sensitive disassembling unit 6 of the sprinkler head S, the straight portion 57 of the set pin 52 is in contact with the interior circumferential surface of the plunger 64 of the heat-sensitive disassembling unit 6. Owing to this feature, the heat-sensitive disassembling unit 6 caught on the frame 2 moves in line with the straight portion 57 inserted in the plunger 64 when going into action to break down and to fall off from the frame 2. In this way, the sprinkler head S restricts inclination of the heat-sensitive disassembling unit 6 in the initial stage of the breakdown action of the heat-sensitive disassembling unit 6.
The guide-receiving portion 63c of the heat-sensitive disassembling unit 6 and the guide portion 24 of the frame 2 slide over each other until the guide-receiving portion 63c gets out of the guide portion 24. This may also restrict the inclination of the heat-sensitive disassembling unit 6. In this stage, the straight portion 57 of the set pin 52 and the interior circumferential surface of the plunger 64 slide over each other. Consequently, not only the heat-sensitive disassembling unit 6 but also the set pin 52 is less prone to inclination. This makes the spring member 5 less prone to inclination and lateral misalignment. In this way, the inclination of the heat-sensitive disassembling unit 6 is restricted in two spots, that is, by the straight portion 57 of the set pin 52 inserted in the plunger 64 and by the guide portion 24 of the frame 2. This enables the sprinkler head S to ensure activation reliability with greater stability.
The breakdown action of the heat-sensitive disassembling unit 6 causes the set pin 52 to move, with the inclined surface 56 contacting the interior circumferential surface of the plunger 64. The inclination of the heat-sensitive disassembling unit 6 from the interior circumferential surface of the plunger 64 may be tolerated to a certain extent owing to the inclined surface 56 of the set pin 52. Specifically, when the straight portion 57 gets out of the receiving cavity 64b, the receiving cavity 64b restricts displacement of the small-diameter portion 55 and the inclined surface 56. This eliminates or reduces the possibility that the heat-sensitive disassembling unit 6 will incline excessively. Once the inclination restriction imposed by the straight portion 57 is removed, the sprinkler head S tolerates slight to moderate inclination of the heat-sensitive disassembling unit 6 and prevents excessive inclination of the heat-sensitive disassembling unit 6.
The plunger 64 includes a thin-walled portion 64c, which is below the middle part of the plunger 64 in its axial direction and lies on and above the collar portion 64a. The wall thickness of the thin-walled portion 64c between its exterior circumference and its interior circumference (the receiving cavity 64b) is smaller than the wall thickness of the other part of the plunger 64. The cross-sectional area of the thin-walled portion 64c is smaller than the cross-sectional area of an upper part of the plunger 64 or the cross sectional area of the collar portion 64a, and heat may not be conducted efficiently through the thin-walled portion 64c accordingly. Owing to the thin-walled portion 64c, part of the plunger 64 closer to the external screw thread (the upper part of the plunger 64) is less affected by heat absorbed by the collar portion 64a (the lower part of the plunger 64). The thin-walled portion 64c extends upward from an upper end of the collar portion 64a, lies beyond an edge of the heat insulator 67, and extends to about the height position of the lower end of the frame 2.
Action of Sprinkler Head S (
The following describes the action of the sprinkler head S with reference to
(a) While the sprinkler head S watches for an outbreak of fire (in ordinary times), the nozzle 11 of the main body 1 is supplied with pressurized fire-extinguishing water through a water-supply pipe, and pressure from the fire-extinguishing water is continuously applied to the valve element 3 (see
(b) When a fire breaks out and thermal airflow (natural convection) caused by the fire blows on the cylinder 65, heat of fire is conducted to the low-melting alloy 66. The low-melting alloy 66 then begins to melt by the application of heat from around the low-melting alloy 66, which in turn liquefies and flows out from a clearance between the plunger 64 and the dent 65a of the cylinder 65. Consequently, the volume of the low-melting alloy 66 between the collar portion 64a and the cylinder 65 is reduced (see
As the low-melting alloy 66 melts and flows out of the dent 65a, the cylinder 65 descends relative to the frame 2 in the axial direction of the sprinkler head S by an amount corresponding to the volume of the low-melting alloy 66 flowing out of the dent 65a. As the cylinder 65 descends, the heat insulator 67 and the balancer 63 overlying the cylinder 65 also descend. The elastic force of the spring member 5 is exerted on the slider 62, and the resulting bias force is exerted on the balls 61 in a manner so as to move the balls 61 toward the axis (inner side) of the sprinkler head S. The bias force acts on the balancer 63 while the balancer 63 is moving downward. That is, the force in directions different from the axial direction of the sprinkler head S acts on the balancer 63, and as a result, the heat-sensitive disassembling unit 6 is prone to inclination. However, the guide portion 24 extending along the interior circumference of the lower part of the frame 2 and the guide-receiving portion 63c restrict the inclination of the balancer 63 in motion. Furthermore, the straight portion 57 of the set pin 52 is guided by the interior circumferential surface of the upper part of the plunger 64. The balancer 63 with the plunger 64 inserted therein is less prone to inclination accordingly. In this way, the inclination of the heat-sensitive disassembling unit 6 is restricted in two spots, that is, by the upper part and the lower part in the axial direction of the heat-sensitive disassembling unit 6 in the frame 2 (see
When the low-melting alloy 66 flows out from the dent 65a and the balancer 63 descends accordingly, the guide-receiving portion 63c of the balancer 63 comes off from the guide portion 24 and gets out of the frame 2. When the guide-receiving portion 63c gets out of the guide portion 24, the heat-sensitive disassembling unit 6 is farther away from the valve element 3 than it has been before the breakdown action, as a result of the displacement of the heat-sensitive disassembling unit 6 relative to the set pin 52. The inclined surface 56, which is closer than the straight portion 57 of the leg of the set pin 52 to the heat-sensitive disassembling unit 6, is thus located at an interior circumferential end of the plunger 64.
A feature of the sprinkler head S according to the present embodiment is that the length L1 is shorter than the length L2; that is, the length of the inserted section of the straight portion 57 in the receiving cavity 64b of the plunger 64 is shorter than the length of the guide-receiving portion 63c. Owing to this feature, the inclination has already been tolerated when the guide-receiving portion 63c gets out of the guide portion 24 of the frame 2. In addition, the inclination of the set pin 52 is tolerated to a certain extent before the heat-sensitive disassembling unit 6 inclines. The heat-sensitive disassembling unit 6 can thus move more smoothly to fall off from the frame 2. Consequently, the clearance between the leg of the set pin 52 and the circumferential surface defining the receiving cavity 64b in the plunger 64 is increased, and inclination of the heat-sensitive disassembling unit 6 is thus rendered possible.
(c) When the heat-sensitive disassembling unit 6 inclines to a greater extent, the inclined surface 56 of the set pin 52 comes into contact with the receiving cavity 64b, and further inclination of the heat-sensitive disassembling unit 6 is not possible. In this way, excessive inclination of the heat-sensitive disassembling unit 6 is prevented. As the heat-sensitive disassembling unit 6 descends with inclination being tolerated to a certain extent, the clearance between the balancer 63 and the slider 62 gradually increases. The step portion 63b of the balancer 63 also descends. While bias force is acting on the balls 61 toward the axis (the inner side) of the sprinkler head S, the balls 61 are prevented from moving toward the axis by the step portion 63b of the balancer 63. As the descent is being made, the balls 61 in their respective positions where the clearance between the balancer 63 and the slider 62 gradually increases are more likely to move beyond the step portion 63b toward the axis. One of the balls 61 comes off from the upper inclined surface 23 to move beyond the descending step portion 63b toward the axis and is thus disengaged from the step portion 22 of the frame 2. The ball 61 then reaches the guide portion 24 located underneath the upper inclined surface 23 and is temporarily sandwiched between the step portion 63b of the balancer 63 and the guide portion 24 (see
This movement of one of the balls 61 causes the slider 62 to incline. As a result, the components supporting the heat-sensitive disassembling unit 6 become unbalanced. The components of the heat-sensitive disassembling unit 6 then become disengaged from each other, with freedom of movement permitted. The other balls 61 are then urged to move, and consequently, the spring member 5 and the heat-sensitive disassembling unit 6 descend immediately. In this way, the heat-sensitive disassembling unit 6 of the sprinkler head S can smoothly fall off from the frame 2.
Until the spring member 5 and the heat-sensitive disassembling unit 6 fall off from the frame 2 with the balls 61 coming off from the step portion 22, the valve element 3 is kept pressed against the nozzle end 11a by the action of the spring member 5, and the nozzle 11 is thus kept closed with the valve element 3. Specifically, the spring force of the spring member 5 is exerted on the set pin 52, which in turn transmits the force to the valve element 3. The nozzle end 11a is thus kept closed with the valve element 3 until the heat-sensitive disassembling unit 6 is completely detached. Owing to the inclined surface 56 of the set pin 52, inclination the heat-sensitive disassembling unit 6 is tolerated to a certain extent. The balls 61 can thus easily come off from the step portion 22. A lower end of the small-diameter portion 55 remains inside the plunger 64 until the heat-sensitive disassembling unit 6 falls off from the frame 2.
(d) Once the spring member 5 and the heat-sensitive disassembling unit 6 below the valve element 3 fall off from the frame 2, the load associated with the restoring force of the coil spring 48 is imposed on the guide ring 44, which in turn restricts the inclination of the deflector 41 while the valve element 3 descends to open the nozzle end 11a. The deflector 41 attached to the valve element 3, the support ring 42 attached to the deflector 41, and the guide ring 44 descend along with the valve element 3 (see
The guide ring 44 extends in a circumferential direction along exterior surfaces of the struts 43, which move along the exterior circumferential surface of the nozzle 11. The guide ring 44 thus provides, at a predetermined spacing from the exterior circumferential surface of the nozzle 11, space in which the struts 43 move when the sprinkler head S is activated to cause displacement of the deflector 41 and the struts 43. Furthermore, each claw 47a between the nozzle 11 and the corresponding vane 46 eliminates or reduces the possibility that the deflector 41 will be off center with respect to the nozzle 11; that is, each claw 47a restricts lateral displacement of the deflector 41.
When the heat-sensitive disassembling unit 6 falls off from the main body 1 and causes displacement of the deflector 41 and the struts 43, the guide ring 44 movable along the struts 43 holding the deflector 41 restricts lateral misalignment and inclination of the deflector 41 and the struts 43. This makes it certain that when the sprinkler head S is activated, the deflector 41 moves to a predetermined position for sprinkling fire-extinguishing water, that is, to the outside of the lower part of the frame 2.
(e) The guide ring 44 descends and reaches the step portion 22 of the frame 2. The support ring 42 above the guide ring 44 keeps descending and stops on the guide ring 44. In this state, the valve element 3 and the deflector 41 are hung from the frame 2 with the struts 43. The descent made by the valve element 3 is followed by the aforementioned opening up of the nozzle end 11a, from which pressurized fire-extinguishing water is discharged to splatter on the deflector 41 and is sprinkled in all directions to extinguish a fire (see
The positions where the struts 43 extend toward the main body 1 from the valve-element supporting portion 41a are closer to the axis of the sprinkler head S so as not to coincide with the positions of the vanes 46 in the axis crossing directions. This feature of the sprinkler head S offers an advantage in that fire-extinguishing water reaching the struts 43 is guided to flow to the back side of the struts 43 (toward the outer side surface 41b of the deflector 41) as denoted by the dash-dot-dot lines in
The following describes modifications of the embodiment above. In the embodiment above, the protruding member 32 (the holding member) has the disc attachment hole 32a (the columnar-portion push-in fitting hole), and the disc 3a is provided with the projection 31 (the columnar portion), which fits into the disc attachment hole 32a. Another conceivable design of the valve element 3 is as follows: the protruding member 32 is provided with a columnar portion, and the disc 3a has a columnar-portion push-in fitting hole. It is required that the plate thickness of the disc in this modification be greater than the plate thickness of the disc 3a in the embodiment above so that the depth of the disc attachment hole of the disc in this modification is substantially equal to the depth of the disc attachment hole 32a. The reason is as follows: flows of fire-extinguishing water discharged from the nozzle 11 exert pressure on the protruding member, and the disc attachment hole in this modification thus needs to be deep so that the protruding member does not easily come off from the disc.
The deflector 41 in the embodiment above includes four struts 43, which hold the deflector 41. The number of the struts 43 is not limited to this value; that is, the deflector 41 may include one or more struts. In the embodiment above, three vanes 46 are disposed between adjacent ones of the struts 43 so as to scatter, outward in the axis crossing directions of the nozzle 11, fire-extinguishing water discharged from the nozzle 11. The number of the vanes 46 between adjacent ones of the struts 43 is not limited to this value; that is, one or more vanes may be disposed between adjacent ones of the struts 43.
In the embodiment above, the protruding member 32 is a molded article of resin. This enables push-in fitting of the protruding member 32 on the disc 3a, and the protruding member 32 may thus be easily attached to the disc 3a. Alternatively, the protruding member 32 may be made of metal. It should be ensured that the protruding member 32 attached to the disc 3a can hold the sheet-like water-stop member. The disc 3a in the embodiment above is made of metal. Alternatively, the disc 3a made be a molded article of resin.
In the embodiment above, the projection 31 of the disc 3a is pushed into the disc attachment hole 32a of the protruding member 32, which is easily fixed to the disc 3a accordingly. Instead of being fixed to the protruding member 32 by push-in fitting, the disc 3a may be screwed into the protruding member 32. This holds true for the fixation in the aforementioned modification; that is, the protruding member 32 provided with a columnar portion may be screwed into the disc 3a having a columnar-portion push-in fitting hole. The protruding member 32 and the disc 3a may thus be firmly fixed to each other.
The protruding member 32 in the embodiment above has, on its axis, the vent 32b, through which pressure increased by push-in fitting of the projection 31 in the disc attachment hole 32a is released. Alternatively, a vent groove may be provided in an exterior circumferential surface of the projection 31 so as to extend in the longitudinal direction of the projection 31, and another vent groove may be provided in the bottom surface of the protruding member 32 so as to extend in its axis crossing direction. This enables the air trapped in the disc attachment hole 32a to escape along the exterior circumferential surface of the projection 31 and along the bottom surface of the protruding member 32.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| JP2019-131188 | Jul 2019 | JP | national |
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4596289 | Johnson | Jun 1986 | A |
| 5862994 | Pounder | Jan 1999 | A |
| 6976543 | Fischer | Dec 2005 | B1 |
| 7222678 | Shim | May 2007 | B2 |
| 9308405 | Kameishi | Apr 2016 | B2 |
| 9320929 | Koiwa | Apr 2016 | B2 |
| 9339675 | Koiwa | May 2016 | B2 |
| 9463343 | Koiwa | Oct 2016 | B2 |
| 9827455 | Tapia Negrete | Nov 2017 | B1 |
| 20060037761 | Shim | Feb 2006 | A1 |
| 20120024547 | Orr | Feb 2012 | A1 |
| 20120261498 | Kameishi | Oct 2012 | A1 |
| 20120285707 | Kameishi | Nov 2012 | A1 |
| 20180133725 | Silva, Jr | May 2018 | A1 |
| 20180304111 | Karihara | Oct 2018 | A1 |
| 20210016120 | Kikuchi | Jan 2021 | A1 |
| 20210197002 | Kikuchi | Jul 2021 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 5-51370 | Jul 1993 | JP |
| 08-141104 | Jun 1996 | JP |
| 08141104 | Jun 1996 | JP |
| 11-137714 | May 1999 | JP |
| 2005-304887 | Nov 2005 | JP |
| 2012-105952 | Jun 2012 | JP |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20210016120 A1 | Jan 2021 | US |
