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US 9,038,742 B2Granted
Suppressant actuator
AssigneesKidde Technologies, Inc., G.W. Lisk Company, Inc.
InventorsJohn Wright Porterfield, Jr., Andrew W. Phillips, David Frasure, George F. Howard, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An exemplary suppressant actuator assembly includes a release member movable from a first position that restricts flow of a suppressant to a second position that permits flow of a suppressant. A biasing member moves from a more-biased position to a less-biased position to move the release member from the first position to the second position. A solenoid is activated to permit movement of the biasing member.
Claims20
A suppressant actuator assembly, comprising:
- a release member moveable from a first position that restricts flow of a suppressant to a second position that permits flow of a suppressant;
- a biasing member that moves from a more-biased position to a less-biased position to move the release member from the first position to the second position;
- a solenoid that is activated to permit movement of the biasing member;
- at least one bearing;
- and
- a firing pin, wherein moving the firing pin from an engaged position to a disengaged position permits movement of the at least one bearing to permit movement of the release member to the second position,
- wherein the release member, the biasing member, and the solenoid move along a common axis.
4 more elements
A suppressant system, comprising:
- a controller;
- a supply of a suppressant;
- a release member that is moveable from a first position to a second position that permits more flow of the suppressant from the supply than the first position;
- a biasing member that moves from a more-biased position to a less-biased position to move the release member from the first position to the second position;
- a solenoid that is activated in response to a command from the controller to initiate movement of the biasing member from the more-biased position to the less-biased position;
- at least one bearing;
- and
- a firing pin, wherein moving the firing pin from an engaged position to a disengaged position permits movement of the at least one bearing to permit movement of the release member to the second position, wherein the release member, the biasing member, and the solenoid move along a common axis.
5 more elements
A method of activating a suppressant system, comprising:
- activating a solenoid to move a firing pin from an engaged position to a disengaged position to permit movement of a biasing member;
- and
- using the biasing member to move a release member from a first position that restricts flow of a suppressant to a second position that permits flow of a suppressant,
- wherein moving the firing pin from an engaged position to a disengaged position permits movement of at least one bearing to permit movement of the release member to the second position, further comprising activating the solenoid along an axis and moving the biasing member and the release member along the same axis.
1 more element
A suppressant actuator assembly, comprising:
- a suppressant stored in a supply container;
- a release member axially moveable from a first position that restricts flow of a suppressant from the supply container to a second position that permits flow of a suppressant from the supply container;
- a bias spring biasing the release member towards the second position;
- a firing pin interacting with a plurality of ball bearings, the firing pin having a locked position in which the plurality of ball bearings radially interfere with movement of the release member and prevent movement of the release member from the first position to a second position, and an unlocked position in which the plurality of ball bearings are moveable radially relative to the firing pin to allow the release member to move from the first position towards the second position;
- a solenoid, which when actuated moves the firing pin toward the unlocked position;
- and
- a bias pin coupled to the firing pin, biased by a spring pushing between the release member and the bias pin, to bias the bias pin and the firing pin toward the unlocked position, wherein the release member, the biasing member, and the solenoid move along a common axis.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.