Safety apparatus

• US 20100025053A1
• Filed: 07/31/2008
• Published: 02/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lyle H. Chesley
• Original Assignee: Lyle H. Chesley
• Inventors: Chesley, Lyle H.
• Granted Patent: US 8,899,342 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 169/56
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 3/16 in electrical installations, e.g. cableways
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 37/40 with electric connection between sensor and actuator
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 99/0036 using foam

Abstract

A safety apparatus is disclosed for inhibiting an outbreak of an electrical fire within an electrical box. The apparatus includes a heat sensitive device which is disposed within the electrical box for sensing a potentially hazardous temperature rise within the electrical box caused by an electrical fault in the electrical box. A control device is associated with the heat sensitive device such that the control device is activated by the heat sensitive device when the heat sensitive device senses the potentially hazardous temperature rise within the electrical box. An electrical fire inhibiting device is operably connected to the control device. The electrical fire inhibiting device has a dormant mode and a fire extinguishing mode. The arrangement is such that when the control device is activated by the heat sensitive device, the control device switches the fire inhibiting device from the dormant mode to the fire extinguishing mode so that the outbreak of the electrical fire within the electrical box is prevented.

Claims

1. A safety apparatus for inhibiting an outbreak of an electrical fire within an electrical box, said apparatus comprising:

a heat sensitive device disposed within the electrical box for sensing a potentially hazardous temperature rise within the electrical box caused by an electrical fault in the electrical box;

a control device associated with said heat sensitive device such that said control device is activated by said heat sensitive device when said heat sensitive device senses said potentially hazardous temperature rise within the electrical box; and

an electrical fire inhibiting device operably connected to said control device, said electrical fire inhibiting device having a dormant mode and a fire extinguishing mode such that when said control device is activated by said heat sensitive device, said control device switches said fire inhibiting device from said dormant mode to said fire extinguishing mode so that the outbreak of the electrical fire within the electrical box is prevented.

2. A safety apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein

said heat sensitive device includes:

a bimetallic strip which warps in response to said potentially hazardous temperature rise within the electrical box.

3. A safety apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein

said heat sensitive device includes:

a thermal strip;

said thermal strip including;

a first metallic portion having a first and a second end;

a second metallic portion fabricated from a metal having a different coefficient of thermal expansion relative to a coefficient of thermal expansion of said first metallic portion, said second portion having a first and a second extremity, the arrangement being such that said first end of said first metallic portion and said first extremity of said second metallic portion are joined together and said second end of said first metallic portion and said second extremity of said second metallic portion are joined together so that when said potentially hazardous temperature rise is present within the electrical box, said first and second metallic portions warp in response to said potentially hazardous temperature rise within the electrical box due to said difference in said coefficients of thermal expansion of said metallic portions.

4. A safety apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein

said control device includes:

jeweler'"'"'s thread having a first and a second termination, said first termination of said jeweler'"'"'s thread being connected to said heat sensitive device, said second termination being connected to said electrical fire inhibiting device so that when said heat sensitive device senses said potentially hazardous temperature rise, said jeweler'"'"'s thread pulls said electrical fire inhibiting device for switching said fire inhibiting device from said dormant to said fire extinguishing mode.

5. A safety apparatus as set forth in claim 4 further including:

a capillary tube defining a capillary for the slidable reception therein of said jeweler'"'"'s thread so that when said first termination of said jeweler'"'"'s thread is moved by said heat sensitive device, such movement is transmitted to said second termination of said jeweler'"'"'s thread.

6. A safety apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein

said electrical fire inhibiting device includes:

a canister which defines an enclosure and a neck portion;

said enclosure containing a vaporous propellant, liquid propellant and foaming agent;

a mixing valve disposed within said neck portion such that when said fire inhibiting device is disposed in said fire extinguishing mode, said vaporous propellant, liquid propellant and foaming agent are mixed by said mixing valve so that said mixed vaporous propellant, liquid propellant and foaming agent flow through said neck portion and past said mixing valve for extinguishing the electrical fire.

7. A safety apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein

said electrical fire inhibiting device includes:

a canister which defines an enclosure and a neck portion;

said enclosure containing a vaporous propellant, liquid propellant and foaming agent;

an actuation valve disposed in a vicinity of said neck portion.

8. A safety apparatus as set forth in claim 7 further including:

a spring associated with said actuation valve so that when said spring is tripped, said actuation valve moves from an inoperative to an operative disposition thereof, said operative disposition of said actuation valve permitting mixing of said vaporous propellant, liquid propellant and foaming agent such that said mixed vaporous propellant, liquid propellant and foaming agent flow through said neck portion for extinguishing said electrical fire.

9. A safety apparatus as set forth in claim 8 wherein

said spring is a compression spring which when tripped, actuates said actuation valve.

10. A safety apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein

the electrical box is an electrical circuit breaker box.

11. A safety apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein

the electrical box is an electrical junction box.

12. A safety apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein

the electrical box is an electrical outlet box.

13. A safety apparatus as set forth in claim 12 wherein

said electrical outlet box includes:

a housing defining a cavity for the reception therein of said heat sensitive device, said control device and said electrical fire inhibiting device;

a cover plate fabricated from a material which changes color when heated in order to provide an additional visual warning of the potentially hazardous temperature rise within the electrical box caused by an electrical fault in the electrical box.

14. A safety apparatus for inhibiting an outbreak of an electrical fire within an electrical box, said apparatus comprising:

a heat sensitive device disposed within the electrical box for sensing a potentially hazardous temperature rise within the electrical box caused by an electrical fault in the electrical box;

a control device associated with said heat sensitive device such that said control device is activated by said heat sensitive device when said heat sensitive device senses said potentially hazardous temperature rise within the electrical box;

an electrical fire inhibiting device operably connected to said control device, said electrical fire inhibiting device having a dormant mode and a fire extinguishing mode such that when said control device is activated by said heat sensitive device, said control device switches said fire inhibiting device from said dormant mode to said fire extinguishing mode so that the outbreak of the electrical fire within the electrical box is prevented;

the electrical box being an outlet box which includes;

a housing defining a cavity for the reception therein of said heat sensitive device, said control device and said electrical fire inhibiting device; and

a cover plate fabricated from a material which changes color when heated in order to provide an additional visual warning of the potentially hazardous temperature rise within the electrical box caused by an electrical fault in the electrical box.

15. A safety apparatus for inhibiting an outbreak of an electrical fire within an electrical box, said apparatus comprising:

a heat sensitive device disposed within the electrical box for sensing a potentially hazardous temperature rise within the electrical box caused by an electrical fault in the electrical box;

a control device associated with said heat sensitive device such that said control device is activated by said heat sensitive device when said heat sensitive device senses said potentially hazardous temperature rise within the electrical box;

an electrical fire inhibiting device operably connected to said control device, said electrical fire inhibiting device having a dormant mode and a fire extinguishing mode such that when said control device is activated by said heat sensitive device, said control device switches said fire inhibiting device from said dormant mode to said fire extinguishing mode so that the outbreak of the electrical fire within the electrical box is prevented;

said heat sensitive device including;

a bimetallic strip which warps in response to said potentially hazardous temperature rise within the electrical box;

said control device including;

jeweler'"'"'s thread having a first and a second termination, said first termination being connected to said heat sensitive device, said second termination being connected to said electrical fire inhibiting device so that when said heat sensitive device senses said potentially hazardous temperature rise, said jeweler'"'"'s thread pulls said electrical fire inhibiting device for switching said fire inhibiting device from said dormant to said fire extinguishing mode;

a capillary tube defining a capillary for the slidable reception therein of said jeweler'"'"'s thread so that when said first termination of said jeweler'"'"'s thread is moved by said heat sensitive device, such movement is transmitted to said second termination of said jeweler'"'"'s thread;

said electrical fire inhibiting device including;

a canister which defines an enclosure and a neck portion;

said enclosure containing a vaporous propellant, liquid propellant and foaming agent;

a mixing valve disposed within said neck portion such that when said fire inhibiting device is disposed in said fire extinguishing mode, said vaporous propellant, liquid propellant and foaming agent are mixed by said mixing valve so that said mixed vaporous propellant, liquid propellant and foaming agent flow through said neck portion and past said mixing valve for extinguishing the electrical fire;

an actuation valve disposed in a vicinity of said neck portion;

a spring associated with said actuation valve so that when said spring is tripped, said actuation valve moves from an inoperative to an operative disposition thereof, said operative disposition of said actuation valve permitting mixing of said vaporous propellant, liquid propellant and foaming agent such that said mixed vaporous propellant, liquid propellant and foaming agent flow through said neck portion for extinguishing said electrical fire; and

said spring being a compression spring which when tripped, actuates said actuation valve.