Fire extinguishing system and diagnostic methods
AssigneeGuardian Safety Solutions International, Inc.
InventorsJ. Paul Rouse, Richard Bolack, Charles P. Schaefer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fire extinguishing system prevents fires or other emergency conditions on a heating device, such as a stove. The system uses sensors to detect the emergency and alert an operator. The system dumps fire suppressant material onto the heating device. The system also may shut-off power to the heating device. An alarm circuit and associated functionality assures the system is in working order by using diagnostic tests and other checks.
Claims15
A fire extinguishing system for an appliance to detect an emergency condition, the fire extinguishing system comprising:
- at least one sensor for detecting a condition regarding the appliance;
- an alarm circuit coupled to the at least one sensor;
- a radio frequency (RF) transmitter circuit coupled to the alarm circuit through a common-mode choke, the RF transmitter circuit configured to transmit an RF signal at a specified frequency when powered up by a transistor coupled to the common-mode choke, wherein a code transmitted at the frequency is programmed into a microprocessor within the RF transmitter circuit;
- and
- a shut-off assembly configured to shut-off the appliance, wherein the shut-off assembly includes an RF receiver circuit configured to receive the RF signal having the code at the specified frequency to initiate a shut-off sequence.
A safety device for an appliance comprising:
- an RF receiver to receive an RF signal transmitted in response to a command from an alarm circuit, wherein the RF receiver includes
- a radio receiver to demodulate the RF signal into demodulated data, and
- a microcontroller to compare the demodulated data to a code, wherein the code is set at the RF receiver using a jumper field;
- and
- a shut-off assembly coupled between the appliance and a power source, wherein a connection is closed between the appliance and the power source in response to the code corresponding to the RF signal.
A method for shutting off an appliance during an emergency condition, the method comprising:
- detecting a condition on the appliance using an alarm circuit;
- sending an RF signal from a transmitter circuit connected to the alarm circuit at a specified frequency in response to the detected condition and powered up by a transistor coupled to a common-mode choke, wherein a code for the frequency is programmed into a microprocessor within the RF transmitter circuit;
- receiving the RF signal at a receiver circuit;
- and
- activating a shut-off sequence in response to the RF signal having the code at the specified frequency to initiate the shut-off sequence to shut off power or gas to the appliance.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.