Patent Application
20210346741
When a firefighter uses a nozzle, in some cases, it is the firefighter holding the nozzle that controls the pressure, velocity, direction, shape, etc., of the flow coming out from the nozzle. In other cases, the flow from the nozzle can be controlled by a control center mounted to a fire apparatus distant from the fire scene, such as a fire truck. Wireless and wired communications are available between the control center and the nozzle, and automated wired solution may be more reliable.
To realize wire connection between the control center and the nozzle, a few problems need to be solved. First, usually one or more hoses are connected between the fire truck and the nozzle. Therefore, wire connection between a hose and the nozzle or between two hoses needs to be established in a quick, reliable, and simple way. Second, due to the strong force of high-pressure fluid flow coming out from the nozzle, and ongoing movement of the nozzle, a fully swiveling coupling is used in the nozzle to handle movement and pressure of the nozzle during use.
This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key factors or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.
As provided herein, systems and methods are disclosed for a wired communication and electrical coupling system between a nozzle and a command center, with a wire connection in the intervening hose(s), which may allow wired communication between the nozzle and a distant control center. In this way, the control center coordinating a fire scene may send signals to the nozzle to adjust the pressure, velocity, direction, shape, etc., of the fluid flow coming out from the nozzle, and may receive signals from the nozzle to adjust flow, pressure, etc., and provide real-time data of the fire scene.
In one implementation of a nozzle, the nozzle may comprise a swiveling joint coupled on one end to a hose coupler, and on the other end to an electronic housing processing signals from the control center. The swiveling joint may be configured in a way that it can fully swivel in a three-hundred and sixty degree manner, for example, to any angle in either direction, while maintaining electrical connection between the hose connector and the electronic housing. For example, the swiveling joint may comprise a slip ring assembly having two or more parts that remain in electrical contact when the swiveling joint swivels.
In other implementations, the hose couplings may comprise a hose connector configured to be easily and quickly connected to another hose. For example, one side of the hose coupling may comprise one or more locating pins for easy alignment with a corresponding structure in the other side of the hose coupling, on the hose. In this way, when two hoses are connected, electrical connection may be appropriately established through a port on the hose connector connecting to a wire, or through a plurality of input ports for power connection, ground connection, and CAN signal transmission, respectively. In this way, wire connection between the hose and the nozzle may be established in a quick, reliable, and simple way.
To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the following description and annexed drawings set forth certain illustrative aspects and implementations. These are indicative of but a few of the various ways in which one or more aspects may be employed. Other aspects, advantages and novel features of the disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the annexed drawings.
What is disclosed herein may take physical form in certain parts and arrangement of parts, and will be described in detail in this specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof and wherein:
The claimed subject matter is now described with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are generally used to refer to like elements throughout. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the claimed subject matter. It may be evident, however, that the claimed subject matter may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, structures and devices may be shown in block diagram form in order to facilitate describing the claimed subject matter.
The nozzle 100 may comprise a nozzle tip 110 that can be adjusted to form a desired fluid shape that is produced from the flow outlet 150. In one example, the nozzle tip 110 may be a 1720 Turbojet. The nozzle tip 110 can also be used to adjust the flow from a dispersed pattern to a straight pattern (e.g., by rotating a pattern sleeve). The nozzle 100 may also comprise an inlet valve assembly 120, which may further comprise a shutoff component 122 and a grip component 124. The shutoff component 122 may be used to control an internal ball valve to open and close fluid flow into the nozzle tip 110, or to adjust the amount of fluid flow into the nozzle tip 110. The grip component 124 may be configured to be hand-held by a user.
The nozzle 100 may comprise a communicator 130, making up a communications control portion of the nozzle 100, that comprises a housing to house electrical and communications devices. The communicator 130 can be used to, among other things, process signals from the control center, control the pressure, velocity, direction, shape, etc., of the fluid flow, and/or generate and send signals indicative of state data of the nozzle, sensor data indicative of fluid flow characteristics (e.g., pressure, flow rate, temperature, etc.) and command data (e.g., user commands) to the control center. The communications control portion 130 may comprise user inputs (e.g., buttons) that can be used to generate certain alerts, commands, or other signals, which can be transmitted to the control center, such as fluid pressure or flow rate demands (e.g., increase/decrease). Additionally, the nozzle 100 may comprise a rotating/swiveling joint 140 and a hose connector 170 to be connected to a hose. The rotating joint 140 may be part of a nozzle-hose coupler or connector 170 at one end, and coupled to the communications control portion 130 at the other end. The rotating joint 140 may be configured in a way allows independent rotation of the hose and nozzle around a central axis, while wire connection between the hose connector 170 and the electronic housing 130 is maintained when the rotating joint 140 rotates/swivels (e.g., in a 360 degree manner).
Further, as illustrated, the example coupling 200 can comprise one or more gaskets 230, 240, such as O-rings, respectively disposed in a gasket channel 232, 242. In this example, the gaskets 230, 232 can be disposed between the inlet coupling 210 and the joint housing 260. In this example, the joint housing 260 can be used to house the slip ring coupling 210 in combination with the inlet coupling 210. The respective gaskets 230, 240 can be used to provide a water resistant seal between the outside and inside of the joint housing, for example, to mitigate problems cause by water intrusion on the electrical components of the slip ring coupling 210.
In this implementation of the slip ring coupling 310, and first slip ring 340 may comprise a plurality of contact feet 320 and a second slip ring 350 may comprise a plurality of complementary contact rings 330. For example, each contact foot 320 may be of spaced apart from an adjacent one, and the contact rings 330 may be concentric circles that are spaced to operably contact a complementary contact foot 320. In one example, each contact foot 320 may operably be in electrical contact with a corresponding contact ring 330. For example, when the swiveling joint 140 operably swivels, the contact feet 320 and the contact rings 330 can remain in electrical/communicative coupling as they rotate around the same axis 260 in the same or different directions, independently of each other. In this way, for example, each contact foot 320 may operably remain in electric contact with the corresponding contact ring 330 during the rotation. Therefore, a wired connection can be maintained during the rotation of the swiveling joint 140.
As an example, the first slip ring 340 can comprise the contact feet 320, and the second slip ring 350 can comprise the contact rings 330. In this example, the first slip ring 340 can be electrically/communicatively coupled with communicator 130, in a stationary coupling. Further, in this example, the second slip ring 350 can be electrically/communicatively coupled with wire coupler 220 in the rotating joint 140, in a stationary coupling. In this way, in this example, the mechanical rotatable coupling between the communicator 130 and the rotating joint 140 is maintained, while the electrical/communication coupling between the communicator 130 and a coupled hose can be operably maintained.
Further, in some implementations, a rotary electrical coupling 410 may comprise a support ring 430 (e.g., a polymer ring) on the exterior of the rotary electrical coupling 410. As an example, the support ring 430 may have a complementary number of contact slits 440 as the number of contact pins 420. For example, each contact pin 420 may fit into a corresponding contact slit 440 so that they remain in electrical contact with the wire coupler 220. The support ring 430 can provide for electrical insulation, protection from water intrusion, and/or reduction of friction for rotation of the joint.
As shown in
In some implementations, the hose-hose coupler 500 can comprise one or more locating pins 550B or alignment tools that operably couple with a complementary pin receptacle (e.g., a hole, or pocket), or the like, to facilitate alignment between respective connectors 510A, 510B. When the respective coupler portions 510A, 510B of the hose-hose coupler 500 are coupled, the ports 540A, 540B can be coupled to provide electrical/communication coupling between hoses.
In another example implementation, as illustrated in
In this example, the hose coupling 700 can comprise one or more coupling/locating pins or alignment tools 750A and a complementary pin receptacle 750B. As an example, the locating pin 750A can be disposed on the first portion 710A and the pin receptacle 750B can be disposed on the second portion 710B. In this example, the locating pin 750A can be disposed in the pin receptacle 750B during the threaded coupling of the two hose coupling portions 710A, 710B together. In this way, for example, with the pin 750A and receptacle 750B aligned, the first communication/electrical coupling port 740A can be appropriately aligned with the second communication/electrical coupling port 740B to operably form the communication/electrical coupling 760 between hoses. The operably formation of the communication/electrical coupling 760 between hoses allows for electrical communication between a first wire 730A, on a first hose 770A and a second wire 730B on a second hose 770B. As an example, operable coupling of the nozzle to a hose, and subsequent hoses together can allow for communication and electrical power to be available to and from the nozzle to a central communication/power apparatus (e.g., fire truck).
The word “exemplary” is used herein to mean serving as an example, instance or illustration. Any aspect or design described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as advantageous over other aspects or designs. Rather, use of the word exemplary is intended to present concepts in a concrete fashion. As used in this application, the term “or” is intended to mean an inclusive “or” rather than an exclusive “or.” That is, unless specified otherwise, or clear from context, “X employs A or B” is intended to mean any of the natural inclusive permutations. That is, if X employs A; X employs B; or X employs both A and B, then “X employs A or B” is satisfied under any of the foregoing instances. Further, at least one of A and B and/or the like generally means A or B or both A and B. In addition, the articles “a” and “an” as used in this application and the appended claims may generally be construed to mean “one or more” unless specified otherwise or clear from context to be directed to a singular form.
Although the subject matter has been described in language specific to structural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts described above. Rather, the specific features and acts described above are disclosed as example forms of implementing the claims. Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. Thus, the appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment” or “in an embodiment” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. Of course, those skilled in the art will recognize many modifications may be made to this configuration without departing from the scope or spirit of the claimed subject matter.
Also, although the disclosure has been shown and described with respect to one or more implementations, equivalent alterations and modifications will occur to others skilled in the art based upon a reading and understanding of this specification and the annexed drawings. The disclosure includes all such modifications and alterations and is limited only by the scope of the following claims. In particular regard to the various functions performed by the above described components (e.g., elements, resources, etc.), the terms used to describe such components are intended to correspond, unless otherwise indicated, to any component which performs the specified function of the described component (e.g., that is functionally equivalent), even though not structurally equivalent to the disclosed structure which performs the function in the herein illustrated exemplary implementations of the disclosure.
In addition, while a particular feature of the disclosure may have been disclosed with respect to only one of several implementations, such feature may be combined with one or more other features of the other implementations as may be desired and advantageous for any given or particular application. Furthermore, to the extent that the terms “includes,” “having,” “has,” “with,” or variants thereof are used in either the detailed description or the claims, such terms are intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising.”
This application claims priority to U.S. Ser. No. 63/021,126, entitled WIRED SMART NOZZLE, filed May 7, 2020, which is incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63021126 | May 2020 | US |
