# US 10,870,026 B2 · Spring-collet mechanism for activating a fire extinguisher

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- Number: US 10,870,026 B2
- Document ID: US10870026B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/829,285
- Filed: 2017-12-01
- Published: 2018-03-29
- Granted: 2020-12-22
- Earliest claimed: 2015-01-22
- Assignees: Kidde Technologies, Inc.
- Applicants: Kidde Technologies, Inc.
- Inventors: David Frasure; John Wright Porterfield
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10870026B2

## CPC

- A62C 13/62: with a single permanently pressurised container
- A62C 13/70: characterised by means for releasing the pressure gas
- A62C 13/74: the pressure gas container being pierced or broken
- A62C 35/023: {the extinguishing material being expelled by compressed gas, taken from storage tanks, or by generating a pressure gas (for foam generation A62C5/02)}
- A62C 35/11: controlled by a signal from the danger zone
- A62C 37/04: {with electrically-controlled release}
- A62C 37/36: an actuating signal being generated by a sensor separate from an outlet device
- A62C 3/08: in aircraft {(A62C3/0207 takes precedence)}
- 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

A method of actuating an extinguisher system may comprise retaining a broadhead cutter in close proximity to a burst disc surface, receiving an impulse signal, actuating a spring release mechanism in response to receiving the impulse signal, driving a cutter shaft towards the burst disc surface in response to actuation, and piercing the burst disc surface via the broadhead cutter coupled to the cutter shaft.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of actuating an extinguisher system comprising: retaining a broadhead cutter adjacent a burst disc surface; retaining a collet in a standby position via a pull rod, the collet encompassing the pull rod, the pull rod defines a centerline axis; retaining a spring system in a non-actuated position via the collet, wherein an outer flange of the collet is moved outward from the centerline axis to engage a recess within a cutter shaft in response to the spring system being retained in the non-actuated position; receiving an impulse signal; actuating a spring release mechanism in response to receiving the impulse signal, wherein the spring releasing mechanism comprises either a solenoid or a motor, the spring releasing mechanism coupled to the spring system via the pull rod; moving the pull rod with respect to the collet in response to the spring release mechanism actuating, moving the outer flange of the collet inward toward the centerline axis to disengage the recess within the cutter shaft in response to the pull rod moving, driving the cutter shaft towards the burst disc surface, via the spring system, in response to the outer flange of the collet moving inward; and piercing the burst disc surface via the broadhead cutter coupled to the cutter shaft.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of actuating an extinguisher system of claim 1, wherein the cutter shaft is driven by the spring system.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of actuating an extinguisher system of claim 1, further comprising stopping travel of the cutter shaft via physical contact with a stop ring.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of actuating an extinguisher system of claim 1, further comprising expelling extinguishing agent from within a fire extinguisher to aid in opening of the burst disc surface.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of actuating an extinguisher system of claim 1, wherein the burst disc surface is configured to petal out in response to piercing by the broadhead cutter.