Remote fire extinguisher station inspection

• US 20050269110A1
• Filed: 04/21/2005
• Published: 12/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: En-Gauge, Inc.
• Original Assignee: MIJA Industries, Inc.
• Inventors: McSheffrey, John J. Jr., McSheffrey, Brendan T.
• Granted Patent: US 7,726,411 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 169/51
• 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 a fire extinguisher, the apparatus comprising:

a global positioning system receiver located with the fire extinguisher, the global positioning receiver configured to generate location information from signals received from a constellation of global positioning satellites; and

an electronic circuit in communication between the global positioning system receiver and a remote central station configured to issue of a signal to the remote central station indicating a location of the fire extinguisher.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the electronic circuit is configured to issue a wireless signal to the remote central station.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fire extinguisher comprises a tank defining a volume containing fire extinguishing material, the apparatus further comprising:

a pressure sensor for detection of a pressure condition of the fire extinguishing material contained within the volume of the fire extinguisher tank.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the electronic circuit is further configured to issue a signal to the remote central station upon detection of an out-of-range pressure condition.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the pressure sensor comprises:

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

a gauge scale;

a gauge pointer moveable relative to said gauge scale for indication of pressure; and

a magnet mounted to the gauge pointer and at least one magnetic sensor responsive to proximity of said magnet as the tank approaches an out-of-range pressure condition.

6. The apparatus for remote inspection of claim 5, wherein said at least one magnetic sensor comprises a Hall Effect sensor.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the fire extinguisher is installed in a predetermined location.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising:

a sensor configured to detect removal of the portable fire extinguisher from its predetermined location, and wherein the electronic circuit is further configured to issue a signal to the remote central station upon detection of removal of the portable fire extinguisher from its predetermined location.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the second sensor comprises a tether.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

an obstruction sensor configured to detect an obstruction blocking access to the fire extinguisher.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the electronic circuit is further configured to issue a signal upon detection of an obstruction blocking access to the fire extinguisher.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the fire extinguisher is a portable fire extinguisher.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the fire extinguisher is a hand-held portable fire extinguisher.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said electronic circuit comprises a wireless signal receiver for receiving a wireless signal from the remote central station.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said electronic circuit is further configured to issue an audio signal.

29. The fire extinguisher of claim 1, wherein said electronic circuit comprises a wireless signal receiver for receiving a wireless signal from the remote central station.

30. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein the electronic circuit is further adapted to issue a signal in response to a request from said central station.

16. A fire extinguisher comprising:

a tank defining a volume a containing fire extinguishing material;

a delivery device for delivering the fire extinguishing material;

a global positioning system receiver configured to generate location information from signals received from a constellation of global positioning satellites; and

an electronic circuit in communication between the global positioning system receiver and a remote central station configured to issue of a signal to the remote central station indicating a location of the fire extinguisher.

17. The fire extinguisher of claim 16 wherein the electronic circuit is configured to issue a wireless signal to the remote central station.

18. The fire extinguisher of claim 16 further comprising a pressure sensor configured to monitor pressure of fire extinguishing material contained within the volume of the tank.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the pressure sensor comprises:

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

a gauge scale;

a gauge pointer moveable relative to said gauge scale for indication of pressure; and

a magnet mounted to the gauge pointer and at least one magnetic sensor responsive to proximity of said magnet as the tank approaches an out-of-range pressure condition.

20. The fire extinguisher of claim 18 wherein the electronic circuit is configured to issue a signal containing information about the pressure of the fire extinguisher tank to the remote central station.

21. The fire extinguisher of claim 16 wherein the fire extinguisher is installed in a predetermined location, the apparatus further comprising:

a sensor for detecting presence of the fire extinguisher in its installed position.

22. The fire extinguisher of claim 21 wherein the electronic circuit is configured to issue a signal to the remote central station in response to the sensor detecting removal of the fire extinguisher from its installed position.

23. The fire extinguisher of claim 21 wherein the sensor comprises a tether.

24. The fire extinguisher of claim 16 further comprising:

a sensor for detecting an obstruction blocking access to the fire extinguisher.

25. The fire extinguisher of claim 24 wherein the electronic circuit is configured to issue a signal to the remote central station in response to the sensor detecting an obstruction blocking access to the fire extinguisher.

26. The fire extinguisher of claim 25 wherein the sensor comprises an ultrasonic emitter and detector.

27. The fire extinguisher of claim 16 wherein the delivery system is portable with the tank.

28. The fire extinguisher of claim 27 wherein the fire extinguisher is a hand-held portable fire extinguisher.

31. The fire extinguisher of claim 16 further comprising a docking station housing said electronic circuit.

32. A fire extinguisher gauge comprising:

a pressure sensor for detecting pressure of fire extinguishing material stored in a fire extinguisher tank;

a global positioning system receiver for generating location information from signals received from a constellation of global positioning satellites; and

an electronic circuit for issuing a signal to a remote central station indicating a location of the fire extinguisher.

33. The fire extinguisher gauge of claim 32 wherein the electronic circuit is further configured to issue a signal to the remote central station indicating a pressure condition of the fire extinguishing material.

34. The fire extinguisher gauge of claim 32 wherein the pressure sensor comprises a Bourdon tube gauge.