Remote fire extinguisher station inspection

• US 20030116329A1
• Filed: 10/21/2002
• Published: 06/26/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: En-Gauge, Inc.
• Original Assignee: MIJA Industries, Inc.
• Inventors: McSheffrey, John J., McSheffrey, Brendan T.
• Granted Patent: US 7,188,679 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 169/30
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 13/76 Details or accessories
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 37/50 Testing or indicating devices for determining the state of readiness of the equipment
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 7/062 indicating emergency exits

Abstract

An apparatus for remote inspection of fire extinguishers at one or a system of fire extinguisher stations includes, e.g., at each fire extinguisher station: a detector for lack of presence of a fire extinguisher in its installed position at the fire extinguisher station; a detector for out-of-range pressure of contents of the fire extinguisher at the fire extinguisher station; a detector for an obstruction to viewing of or access to the fire extinguisher at the fire extinguisher station; and a device for communication of inspection report information by wireless signal between the fire extinguisher station and a remote central station.

Claims

1. Apparatus for remote inspection of portable fire extinguishers in installed positions at one or a system of fire extinguisher stations, said apparatus comprising:

a fire extinguisher gauge mounted to a portable fire extinguisher comprising a fire extinguisher tank defining a volume containing fire extinguishing material and disposed in communication with the volume for detection and display of pressure condition of the fire extinguishing material contained within the volume of the fire extinguisher tank; and

an electronic circuit in communication between the fire extinguisher and a remote central station for issue of a wireless signal to the remote central station upon detection of one or more predetermined conditions selected from;

predetermined internal conditions and predetermined external conditions,

the predetermined internal conditions comprising an out-of-range pressure condition of fire extinguishing material contained within the volume of the fire extinguisher tank of the fire extinguisher at the fire extinguisher station, and said apparatus comprising a detector for the predetermined internal condition comprising said fire extinguisher gauge for detecting the out-of-range pressure condition of fire extinguishing material contained within the volume of the fire extinguisher tank of the fire extinguisher at the fire extinguisher station;

the predetermined external condition comprising;

lack of presence of a fire extinguisher in its installed position at the fire extinguisher station, and said apparatus comprising a detector for the predetermined external condition comprising a tether; and

presence of an obstruction to viewing of or access to the fire extinguisher station, and said apparatus comprising a detector for the predetermined external condition comprising a proximity sensor.

2. The apparatus for remote inspection of claim 1, wherein said detector for the predetermined external condition comprises a tether.

3. The apparatus for remote inspection of claim 2, wherein said tether is an electronic tether in electronic communication with said fire extinguisher.

4. The apparatus for remote inspection of claim 2 or claim 3, wherein said movement of the fire extinguisher relative to its installed position at the fire extinguisher station to dislodge engagement of said tether comprises removal of the fire extinguisher from its installed position.

31. The apparatus for remote inspection of claim 1 or claim 5, wherein said electronic circuit is further adapted to issue a wireless signal to the remote central station and to receive a wireless signal from the remote central station.

32. The apparatus for remote inspection of claim 1 or claim 5, wherein said electronic circuit comprises a wireless electronic signal means and said electronic circuit is adapted to issue a wireless electronic signal.

33. The apparatus for remote inspection of claim 1, claim 5, claim 31, or claim 32, wherein said electronic circuit comprises a wireless signal receiver for receiving a wireless signal from the remote central station source.

34. The apparatus for remote inspection of claim 1 or claim 5, wherein said electronic circuit is adapted to issue an audio signal.

35. The apparatus for remote inspection of claim 1 or claim 5, wherein said electronic circuit comprises an antenna and a wireless signal means and said electronic circuit is adapted to issue a wireless signal.

36. The apparatus for remote inspection of claim 35, wherein said electronic circuit comprises a wireless signal receiver for receiving a wireless signal from the remote central station.

37. The apparatus for remote inspection of claim 1 or claim 5, wherein the fire extinguisher tank further defines a fire extinguisher tank outlet;

the at least one portable fire extinguisher further comprises a fire extinguisher valve assembly mounted at the fire extinguisher tank outlet; and

the fire extinguisher valve assembly comprises;

a fire extinguisher valve housing, a fire extinguisher valve disposed relative to the fire extinguisher tank outlet for metering release of the fire extinguishing material from the volume, and a fire extinguisher valve trigger mounted for movement of the fire extinguisher valve between a first position for containing the fire extinguishing material within the volume and a second position for metering release of the fire extinguishing material.

38. The apparatus for remote inspection of claim 1 or claim 5, wherein said electronic circuit is adapted to issue a radio frequency signal.

39. The apparatus for remote inspection of claim 1 or claim 5, wherein said electronic circuit is adapted to issue an infrared signal.

40. The apparatus for remote inspection of claim 1 or claim 5, wherein said electronic circuit is adapted to issue an optical signal.

42. The apparatus for remote inspection of claim 37, further comprising means for maintaining a record of inspection report information for the fire extinguisher station or system of fire extinguisher stations.

5. Apparatus for remote inspection of portable fire extinguishers in installed positions at one or a system of fire extinguisher stations, said apparatus comprising:

a fire extinguisher gauge mounted to a portable fire extinguisher comprising a fire extinguisher tank defining a volume containing fire extinguishing material and disposed in communication with the volume for detection and display of pressure condition of the fire extinguishing material contained within the volume of the fire extinguisher tank; and

an electronic circuit in communication between with the fire extinguisher and a remote central station for issue of a wireless signal to the remote central station upon detection of one or more predetermined conditions selected from;

predetermined internal conditions and predetermined external conditions,

the predetermined internal conditions comprising an out-of-range pressure condition of fire extinguishing material contained within the volume of the fire extinguisher tank of the fire extinguisher at the fire extinguisher station, and

the predetermined external conditions comprising lack of presence of a fire extinguisher in its installed position at the fire extinguisher station and presence of an obstruction to viewing of or access to the fire extinguisher station.

6. The apparatus for remote inspection of claim 5, wherein said electronic circuit comprises a detector for the predetermined internal condition adapted to initiate the wireless signal to the remote central station upon detection of the predetermined internal condition.

7. The apparatus for remote inspection of claim 6, wherein said detector for the predetermined internal condition comprises said fire extinguisher gauge for detecting the out-of-range pressure condition of fire extinguishing material contained within the volume of the fire extinguisher tank of the fire extinguisher at the fire extinguisher station.

8. The apparatus for remote inspection of claim 7, wherein said fire extinguisher gauge comprises a gauge pointer and a gauge scale, said gauge pointer being moveable relative to said gauge scale for indication of pressure, and said apparatus further comprises a magnet mounted to said gauge pointer and at least one sensor responsive to proximity of said magnet as the tank approaches an out-of-range pressure condition.

9. The apparatus for remote inspection of claim 8, wherein said at least one sensor comprises at least one Hall Effect sensor.

10. The apparatus for remote inspection of claim 9, wherein the out-of-range pressure condition comprises a low-pressure condition, and said detector comprises a Hall Effect sensor positioned to detect the low-pressure condition.

11. The apparatus for remote inspection of claim 9, wherein said out-of-range pressure condition comprises a low-pressure condition and a high-pressure condition, and said sensor comprises a Hall Effect sensor positioned to detect the low-pressure condition and a Hall Effect sensor positioned to detect the high-pressure condition.

12. The apparatus for remote inspection of claim 9, claim 10, or claim 11, wherein said Hall Effect sensor is mounted generally in a plane of said gauge scale.

13. The apparatus for remote inspection of claim 12, wherein said Hall Effect sensor is mounted at a rear surface of said gauge scale.

14. The apparatus for remote inspection of claim 5, wherein the predetermined out-of-range pressure condition comprises a low-pressure condition.

15. The apparatus for remote inspection of claim 5 or claim 14, wherein said out-of-range pressure condition comprises a high-pressure condition.

16. The apparatus for remote inspection of claim 5, wherein said electronic circuit comprises a detector for the predetermined external condition adapted to initiate a wireless signal to the remote central station upon detection of the predetermined external condition.

17. The apparatus for remote inspection of claim 16, wherein the predetermined external condition comprises movement of the fire extinguisher relative to its installed position at the fire extinguisher station.

18. The apparatus for remote inspection of claim 17, wherein the predetermined external condition comprises removal of the fire extinguisher from its installed position at the fire extinguisher station.

19. The apparatus for remote inspection of claim 16, wherein the predetermined external condition comprises removal of the fire extinguisher from its installed position at the fire extinguisher station.

20. The apparatus for remote inspection of claim 16, claim 17, claim 18, or claim 19, wherein the predetermined external condition comprises presence of an obstruction to viewing of or access to the fire extinguisher station.

21. The apparatus for remote inspection of claim 20, wherein the obstruction is disposed within a range of about 6 inches to about 10 feet from the fire extinguisher station.

22. The apparatus for remote inspection of claim 20, wherein said detector for the predetermined external condition comprises a proximity sensor.

23. The apparatus for remote inspection of claim 22, wherein said proximity sensor comprises a sound wave emitter and a sound wave detector.

24. The apparatus for remote inspection of claim 22, wherein said proximity sensor comprises an ultrasonic transducer.

25. The apparatus for remote inspection of claim 16, wherein the detector for the predetermined external condition comprises an electronic tether engaged and in electronic communication with the fire extinguisher, and movement of the fire extinguisher relative to its installed position at the fire extinguisher station dislodges engagement of said tether and severs electronic communication, to initiate the wireless signal to the remote central station indicative of the predetermined external condition comprising lack of presence of the fire extinguisher in its installed position at the fire extinguisher station.

26. The apparatus for remote inspection of claim 25, wherein the movement of the fire extinguisher relative to its installed position at the fire extinguisher station to dislodge engagement of said tether comprises removal of the fire extinguisher from its installed position.

27. The apparatus for remote inspection of claim 25, wherein the predetermined external condition comprises at least lack of presence of a fire extinguisher in its installed position at the fire extinguisher station and presence of an obstruction to viewing of or access to the fire extinguisher station.

28. The apparatus for remote inspection of claim 27, further comprises a detector for detecting the predetermined internal condition, the detector comprises said fire extinguisher gauge for detecting the out-of-range pressure condition of fire extinguishing material contained within the volume of the fire extinguisher tank of the fire extinguisher at the fire extinguisher station.

29. The apparatus for remote inspection of claim 27, wherein said detector for the predetermined external condition comprises a proximity sensor.

30. The apparatus for remote inspection of claim 5, further comprising a bracket for mounting the fire extinguisher to a support, said bracket adapted to position the fire extinguisher in its installed position.

41. Apparatus for remote inspection of portable fire extinguishers in installed positions at one or a system of fire extinguisher stations, said apparatus comprising:

means for detecting lack of presence of a fire extinguisher in its installed position at the fire extinguisher station;

means for detecting out-of-range pressure of contents of the fire extinguisher at the fire extinguisher station;

means for detecting an obstruction to viewing of or access to the fire extinguisher at the fire extinguisher station; and

means for communicating inspection report information by wireless signal between the fire extinguisher station and a remote central station.