TEST EQUIPMENT FOR TESTING HAZARD DETECTORS

• US 20090308134A1
• Filed: 11/24/2006
• Published: 12/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SATA Limited
• Original Assignee: SATA Limited
• Inventors: Pepper, Stewart
• Granted Patent: US 8,966,952 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/1.60
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/12 Checking intermittently signalling or alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/145 of fire detection circuits

Abstract

Apparatus for testing a hazard detector, the apparatus comprising electrically-powered generating means arranged to generate at least two stimuli for application to the detector; and control means arranged to control the generation of each stimulus by said stimulus generating means, wherein said generating means includes a carbon monoxide generator.

Claims

1. Apparatus for testing a hazard detector, the apparatus comprising:

electrically-powered generating means arranged to generate at least two stimuli for application to the detector; and

control means arranged to control the generation of each stimulus by said stimulus generating means, characterised in that said apparatus further comprising at least one removable cartridge having material stored therein for the generation of a said stimulus.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electrically-powered generating means is arranged to generate at least three stimuli.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 or 2 further comprising an opening arranged to receive a hazard detector.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising delivery means arranged to move stimulus from said generating means to a detector under test.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 where said delivery means is arranged to introduce stimulus to a detector from the side of the detector.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said delivery means comprises a duct arrangement.

7. The apparatus of claims 5 or 6 wherein said delivery means further comprises at least one fan.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said generating means includes a carbon monoxide generator.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said generating means includes a synthetic smoke generator.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising a peristaltic pump arranged to pump said surrogate smoke material from said cartridge to said smoke generator.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said peristaltic pump comprises a portion of tubing and a rotatably mounted pump member and the portion of tubing is positioned on said cartridge and the pump member is positioned on the apparatus.

12. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said carbon monoxide is generated from a carbon based material.

13. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said carbon based material is stored in said cartridge.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said removable cartridge is provided with memory means to which said control means can read data from and/or write data to.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said control means is arranged to write data indicating the amount of material remaining in the cartridge.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said control means is arranged to provide an indication of when to replace said cartridge on the basis of said data indicating the amount of material remaining in the cartridge.

17. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising priming means arranged to prime said apparatus when the cartridge is replaced.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 further comprising a trigger means arranged to provide said priming means with an indication of when said cartridge is replaced

19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein said trigger is provided by a said memory means.

20. The apparatus of claims 18 or 19 wherein said trigger means comprises a latch circuit which is reset when a cartridge is replaced.

21. The apparatus of claims 18 or 19 wherein said trigger means comprises a real-time clock (RTC) circuit.

22. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein said latch or RTC circuit comprises a temporary power supply.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein said temporary power supply is a capacitor.

24. The apparatus of claim 20 further comprising monitoring means arranged to monitor the status of said latch circuit when said apparatus is switched on.

25. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said memory means is further arranged to store control parameters for controlling the operation of the apparatus.

26. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising data transfer means arranged to read data from and/or write data to a detector under test.

27. The apparatus of claim 26 wherein said data transfer means is arranged to receive test information concerning the test requirements of the detector, which said control means uses to control the generation of stimulus.

28. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein said data transfer means comprises an antenna arranged to communicate with a short range RFID device located on or near said detectors.

29. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said control means is further arranged to prevent current peaks coinciding.

30. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said generating means includes a heat generator.

31. The apparatus of claim 30 wherein said heat generator comprises an electrical heating element and a fan.

32. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising connection means arranged to connect said apparatus to a pole.

33. The apparatus of claim 32 wherein said pole includes a battery which provides electrical power to the apparatus through said connection means.

34. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said control means is a PIC microcontroller.

35. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said control means further comprises a user interface.

36. The apparatus of claim 35 wherein said user interface includes an LCD display and a push-button control panel.

37. The apparatus of claims 35 or 36 wherein said user interface further comprises a wireless device.

38. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein said wireless device is a radio, optical or infrared based device.

39. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein said user interface further comprises a Bluetooth device.

40. The apparatus of claim 37 wherein wireless device is a remote control means.

41. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said apparatus comprises at least one fan arranged to distribute said stimulus to said opening.

42. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said apparatus farther comprises a diaphragm arranged along the periphery of said opening.

43. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said latch or RTC circuit comprises a temporary power supply.