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US 9,168,406 B2Granted
Automatic actuation of a general purpose hand extinguisher
AssigneeKidde Technologies, Inc.
InventorsMarcus Chaney, Patrick Lofvenholm
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An automatic fire extinguisher valve assembly includes a valve body, a push rod disposed in the valve body, a poppet stem arranged perpendicular to the push rod and disposed in the valve body, a poppet-to-valve body seal coupled to the poppet stem and disposed in the valve body and a poppet return spring coupled to the poppet stem and disposed in the valve body, wherein the push rod is configured to engage the poppet stem to open the poppet-to-valve body seal.
Claims17
An automatic fire extinguisher (AFE) valve assembly, comprising:
- a valve body;
- a push rod defining an angled face and disposed in the valve body;
- a poppet stem arranged perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the push rod, disposed in the valve body and continuously contacting the angled face of the lush rod to in maintaining a closed position of the assembly, apply a continuous force to the push rod in a direction opposite a force applied to the push rod by an actuator of the automatic fire extinguisher;
- a poppet-to-valve-body seal coupled to the poppet stem and disposed in the valve body;
- and
- a poppet-return spring coupled to the poppet stem and disposed in the valve body, wherein the push rod is configured to force the poppet stem toward a cylinder of the automatic fire extinguisher to open the poppet-to-valve-body seal for creating fluid communication between the cylinder and a main outlet of the assembly, allowing extinguishing agent from the cylinder to flow from the main outlet.
3 more elements
An automatic fire extinguisher (AFE) system, comprising:
- a valve assembly;
- a main outlet coupled to the valve assembly;
- a cylinder defining an upwardly extending neck coupled to the valve assembly;
- a refill valve coupled to the valve assembly for re-filling the cylinder with extinguishing agents;
- and
- an actuator coupled to the valve assembly and including a pin configured to be ejected a distance to push the valve assembly to actuate the valve assembly to place the valve assembly and the cylinder in fluid communication to allow the extinguishing agents to flow upwardly from the cylinder to the main outlet,
- wherein the valve assembly comprises:
- a valve body;
- a push rod defining an angled face and disposed in the valve body;
- a poppet stem arranged perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the push rod, disposed in the valve body, and continuously contacting the angled face of the push rod to, in maintaining a closed position of the valve assembly, apply a continuous force to the push rod in a direction opposite a force applied to the push rod by the pin of the actuator;
- a poppet-to-valve-body seal coupled to the poppet stem and disposed in the valve body;
- and
- a poppet-return spring coupled to the poppet stem and disposed in the valve body,
- wherein the push rod is configured to force the poppet stem toward the cylinder to open the poppet-to-valve-body seal for creating the fluid communication.
11 more elements
A method for operating an automatic fire extinguisher (AFE), the method comprising:
- detecting at least one of a fire or explosion in a confined space;
- activating the automatic fire extinguisher that includes:
- a valve assembly including:
- a valve body;
- an end stop disposed in the valve body;
- a push rod having an angled face and keyway disposed in the angled face and disposed in the valve body;
- a poppet stem arranged perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the push rod, disposed in the valve body, and continuously contacting the angled face of the push rod to, in maintaining a closed position of the valve assembly, apply a continuous force to the push rod in a direction opposite a force applied to the push rod by an actuator of the automatic fire extinguisher;
- a poppet-to-valve-body seal coupled to the poppet stem and disposed in the valve body;
- and
- a poppet-return spring coupled to the poppet stem and disposed in the valve body, wherein the push rod is configured to force the poppet stem toward a cylinder of the extinguisher coupled to the valve assembly to open the poppet-to-valve-body seal for creating fluid communication between the cylinder and a main outlet coupled to the valve assembly, allowing extinguishing agent from the cylinder to flow from the main outlet;
- and
- a refill valve coupled to the valve assembly, wherein the actuator is configured to place the valve assembly and the cylinder in fluid communication in response to the at least one of the fire and explosion event;
- and
- securing the push rod.
11 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.