HIGHLY INTEGRATED DATA BUS AUTOMATIC FIRE EXTINGUISHING SYSTEM

• US 20110168416A1
• Filed: 01/12/2010
• Published: 07/14/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kidde Technologies, Inc. (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Original Assignee: Kidde Technologies, Inc. (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Cooke, James, Wyatt, Johnny Dewayne, Norris, Jeff, Wetzork, John, Embry, Bruce, Frasure, David
• Granted Patent: US 8,511,397 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 169/61
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 37/04 with electrically-controlled release
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 37/40 with electric connection between sensor and actuator
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 7/0045 Cable-harnesses

Abstract

A fire extinguishing system includes a first data bus having respectively first power and command leads. The system has multiple zones, each of which may include one or more detectors, and/or one or more suppressors and activation devices. The first data bus is directly connected and common to the detectors, suppressors and activation devices. A controller is connected to the multiple zones via the first data bus. A fire activation module includes the actuation device. First and second power leads are connected to the actuation device. A capacitor is connected to the actuation device and the power leads. The capacitor is configured to store electricity from the power leads and discharge the electricity to the actuation device during a suppression event. A wiring harness provides a zone identification element in communication with a connector and configured to provide a zone location assignment to the connector.

Claims

1. A fire extinguishing system comprising:

a first data bus including respectively first power and command leads;

multiple zones, each zone including a detector, a suppressor and an activation device, the first data bus directly connected and common to the detectors, suppressors and activation devices of the multiple zones; and

a controller connected to the multiple zones via the first data bus.

2. The system according to claim 1, comprising a second data bus including second power and command leads, the second data bus directly connected and common to the detectors, suppressors, and activation devices and the controller.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein each zone includes at least one microprocessor in at least one of the detector and the FAM, each zone configured to operate independently from the controller to detect and suppress a suppression event.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein the detector includes a first microprocessor configured to detect the suppression event in a suppression area and command the activation device in response to the suppression event.

5. The system according to claim 4, comprising an activation module including a second microprocessor configured to receive the command from the first microprocessor and actuate the actuation device in response to the command.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein the suppressor includes the actuation device having a valve configured to selectively release a suppressant into a suppression area.

7. The system according to claim 5, wherein the device having a current draw during the suppression event, first and second power leads connected to the actuation device and having a current capacity less than the current draw, and wherein the activation module including at least one capacitor connected to the actuation device and the power leads, the capacitor configured to store electricity from the power leads and discharge the electricity to the actuation device during the suppression event.

8. The system according to claim 3, comprising a network configuration device interfacing with the controller and providing a network map to the controller including the multiple zones and the detectors, the suppressors and the activation devices.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the first data bus includes a wiring harness including a connector having a pair of power leads and a pair of command leads, and at least one zone identification element in communication with the connector and configured to provide a zone location assignment to the connector.

10. A fire activation module for a fire extinguishing system comprising:

an actuation device having an instantaneous actuation current draw during an suppression event;

first and second power leads connected to the actuation device and having a current capacity less than the instantaneous actuation current draw; and

at least one capacitor connected to the actuation device and the power leads, the capacitor configured to store electricity from the power leads and discharge the electricity to the actuation device during the suppression event.

11. The module according to claim 10, comprising a microprocessor configured to receive a command from the detector and actuate the actuation device in response to the command.

12. The module according to claim 11, wherein the microprocessor, the capacitor, and the actuation device are integrated with one another into a single module.

13. The module according to claim 11, wherein the microprocessor having a zone location assignment and configured to read a zone identification element of at least one component within the zone location assignment including the activation device, the microprocessor providing the command to the activation device with the zone identification element corresponding to the zone location assignment.

14. The module according to claim 11, wherein the microprocessor is programmed to actuate at least one suppressor during a suppression event in response to the commands from a predetermined number of detectors.

15. A wiring harness for a fire extinguishing system comprising:

a connector having a pair of power leads and a pair of command leads; and

at least one zone identification element in communication with the connector and configured to provide a zone location assignment to the connector.

16. The wiring harness according to claim 15, wherein the zone identification element is a resistor corresponding to the zone location assignment.

17. The wiring harness according to claim 15, wherein the zone identification element is at least one pin providing a binary number corresponding to the zone location assignment.

18. The wiring harness according to claim 15, comprising a detector connected to the connector, the detector taking the zone location assignment.

19. The wiring harness according to claim 15, comprising a suppressor connected to the connector, the suppressor taking the zone location assignment.

20. The wiring harness according to claim 15, comprising a zone, the zone including multiple connectors having zone identification elements corresponding to the same zone location assignment.