# US 9,038,742 B2 · Suppressant actuator > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,038,742 B2 - Document ID: US9038742B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/398,156 - Filed: 2012-02-16 - Published: 2013-02-07 - Granted: 2015-05-26 - Earliest claimed: 2011-08-02 - Assignees: Kidde Technologies, Inc.; G.W. Lisk Company, Inc. - Applicants: John Wright Porterfield, Jr.; Andrew W. Phillips; David Frasure; George F. Howard, Jr. - Inventors: John Wright Porterfield, Jr.; Andrew W. Phillips; David Frasure; George F. Howard, Jr. - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9038742B2 ## CPC - A62C 37/40: with electric connection between sensor and actuator - A62C 3/07: in vehicles, e.g. in road vehicles - 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 37/04: {with electrically-controlled release} - A62C 37/46: Construction of the actuator - 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 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. ## Claims ### Claim 1 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. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The suppressant actuator assembly of claim 1, wherein the firing pin is moveable by the solenoid from the engaged position to the disengaged position, the firing pin in the engaged position limiting more movement of the biasing member than the firing pin in the disengaged position. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The suppressant actuator assembly of claim 2, wherein the at least one bearing comprises a plurality of bearings circumferentially arranged about the firing pin, the bearings in a held position between a portion of the release member and a header of the release member when the firing pin is in the engaged position. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The suppressant actuator assembly of claim 3, wherein the bearings in the held position directly contact the firing pin, an angled face of the header, and the release member. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The suppressant actuator assembly of claim 1, wherein the release member moves from the first position to the second position along a first axis, and the biasing member moves from the more-biased position to the less-biased position along a second axis that is aligned with the first axis. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The suppressant actuator assembly of claim 5, wherein the first axis is coaxial with the second axis. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The suppressant actuator assembly of claim 1, wherein the biasing member comprises a coil spring. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The suppressant actuator assembly of claim 7, wherein the coil spring is configured to exert at least 667 Newtons of force. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The suppressant actuator assembly of claim 1, wherein the biasing member receives at least a portion of the release member when the release member is in the first position. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The suppressant actuator assembly of claim 1, wherein the suppressant comprises a fire suppressant. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The suppressant actuator assembly of claim 1, wherein the release member comprises a piston. ### Claim 12 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. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The suppressant system of claim 12, wherein the controller activates the solenoid in response to detecting an increased temperature. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The suppressant system of claim 12, wherein at least a portion of the system is housed in an engine bay of a vehicle. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The suppressant system of claim 12, wherein the biasing member comprises a coil spring. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The suppressant system of claim 12, wherein the release member comprises a piston. ### Claim 17 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. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the biasing member comprises a coil spring. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, including puncturing a membrane with the release member to release the suppressant when the biasing member is moving from the first position to the second position. ### Claim 20 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.