# US 10,870,024 B2 · Controlled system and methods for storage fire protection > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,870,024 B2 - Document ID: US10870024B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/317,524 - Filed: 2015-06-09 - Published: 2017-05-04 - Granted: 2020-12-22 - Earliest claimed: 2014-06-09 - Assignees: Tyco Fire Products LP - Applicants: Tyco Fire Products LP - Inventors: Zachary L. Magnone; Daniel G. Farley; Chad Albert Goyette; John Desrosier; Donald D. Brighenti; Bernhard Abels; Jacob Joseph Dube; Richard P. Bonneau - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10870024B2 ## CPC - A62C 3/002: {for warehouses, storage areas or other installations for storing goods} - A62C 35/60: wet, i.e. containing extinguishing material even when not in use - A62C 37/10: Releasing means, e.g. electrically released - A62C 37/40: with electric connection between sensor and actuator - A62C 37/46: Construction of the actuator - A62C 99/0072: {using sprayed or atomised water} - A62C: FIRE-FIGHTING (fire-extinguishing compositions, use of chemical substances in extinguishing fires A62D1/00; spraying, applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces in general B05; alarm arrangements G08B, e.g. fire alarms actuated by smoke or gases G08B17/10) ## Abstract Fire protection systems and methods for ceiling-only high-piled storage protection. The systems include a plurality of fluid distribution devices disposed beneath a ceiling and above a high-piled storage commodity having a nominal storage height ranging from a nominal 20 ft. to a maximum nominal storage height of 55 ft. and means for quenching a fire in the storage commodity. The stored commodity to be protected may include exposed expanded plastics. The fluid distribution devices include a frame body having an inlet, an outlet, a sealing assembly, and an electronically operated releasing mechanism supporting the sealing assembly in the outlet. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for ceiling-only fire protection of a storage occupancy having a ceiling defining a nominal ceiling height of thirty feel or greater, the system comprising: a plurality of fluid distribution devices disposed beneath the ceiling and above a high-piled storage commodity in the storage occupancy having a nominal storage height less than the nominal ceiling height and ranging from a nominal 20 ft. to a maximum nominal storage height of 55 ft., the high-piled storage commodity including any one of Class I, II, III or IV, Group A, Group B, or Group C plastics, elastomers, rubber, and exposed expanded plastic commodities, the plurality of fluid distribution devices including a fluid distribution device with a frame body having an inlet, an outlet, and a sealing assembly, the sealing assembly having a sealing button, or a plug; a fluid distribution system including a network of pipes interconnecting the plurality of fluid distribution devices to a water supply; a plurality of detectors to monitor the storage occupancy for a fire; and a controller coupled to the plurality of detectors to detect and locate the fire, the controller being coupled to the plurality of fluid distribution devices to identify and control operation of a select number of fluid distribution devices of the plurality of fluid distribution devices defining a discharge array above and about the fire, the controller: receives an input signal from each of the plurality of detectors; determines whether the input signal from one or more detectors of the plurality of detectors meets or exceeds a pre-alarm threshold using the input signal from each of the plurality of detectors; assigns a fluid distribution device of the plurality of fluid distribution devices associated with the one or more detectors of the plurality of detectors for which the input signal meets or exceeds the pre-alarm threshold to a device queue; and generates an output signal for operation of each assigned fluid distribution device of the plurality of fluid distribution devices responsive to the input signal meeting or exceeding an alarm threshold greater than the pre-alarm thresholds; wherein, the device queue has met a minimum threshold number of assigned fluid distribution devices of the plurality of fluid distribution devices within the device queue to allow for operation of each assigned fluid distribution device of the plurality of fluid distribution devices. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the high-piled storage commodity comprises the exposed expanded plastic commodity. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein the exposed expanded plastic commodity has the maximum nominal storage height of at least forty feet (40 ft.). ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The system of claim 3, wherein the exposed expanded plastic commodity has the maximum nominal storage height ranging from fifty to fifty-five feet (50-55 ft.). ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the high-piled storage commodity includes a rack storage being any one of multi-row rack, double-row rack, or single-row rack storage. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the high-piled storage commodity includes a non-rack storage arrangement including any one of palletized, solid-piled, bin box, shelf or back-to-back shelf storage. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the discharge array of the select number of fluid distribution devices of the plurality of fluid distribution devices consists of any one of nine, eight or four distribution devices. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the select number of fluid distribution devices of the plurality of fluid distribution devices is a preprogrammed number. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the controller determines a first distribution device of the plurality of fluid distribution devices associated with a threshold detection of a fire by the plurality of detectors and determines distribution devices of the plurality of distribution devices adjacent the first distribution device to define a total number of fluid distribution devices equal to the select number. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein determining the plurality of fluid distribution devices adjacent the first distribution device is independent of readings from the plurality of detectors. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the frame body defines a nominal K-factor of any one of 14.0 GPM/PSI1/2; 16.8 GPM/PSI1/2; 19.6 GPM/PSI1/2; 22.4 GPM/PSI1/2; 25.5 GPM/PSI1/2; 28.0 GPM/PSI1/2; and 33.6 GPM/PSI1/2. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the nominal K-factor is 25.2 GPM/PSI1/2. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the nominal ceiling height is 45 feet and the nominal storage height is 40 feet. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the nominal ceiling height is 50 feet and the nominal storage height is 45 feet. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the nominal ceiling height is 48 feet and the nominal storage height is 43 feet. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the nominal ceiling height is 60 feet and the nominal storage height is 55 feet. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the nominal ceiling height is 30 feet and the nominal storage height is 25 feet.