VISUAL BUFFERING ELEMENT FOR HAZARD DETECTOR INTERNAL COMPONENTS

• US 20160334379A1
• Filed: 05/15/2015
• Published: 11/17/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Shih, Poll, Mittleman, Adam, Schmidt, Mathias, Dong, William, Webb, Nicholas
• Granted Patent: US 9,689,853 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0036 Specially adapted to detect a particular component all the other sub-groups of G01N33/0004 take precedence

Abstract

A hazard detector includes a chassis configured to house components of the hazard detector. The chassis includes a front defining a central aperture. The front has a domed contour such that an outer edge of an inner portion extends beyond an outer periphery of the front. The inner surface tapers from the outer edge toward the inner portion. The detector includes a mesh formed to the contour of the front so the mesh is flat against the front. The mesh defines an aperture corresponding to the central aperture. The detector includes a grille secured to the chassis that defines an aperture corresponding to the central aperture and defines openings positioned along the grille. An inner surface of the grille includes a contour corresponding to the contour of the front so the mesh is flat against the inner surface. The mesh is positioned between the grille and the chassis.

Claims

1. A hazard detector comprising:

a chassis configured to house components of the hazard detector, the chassis comprising a front surface comprising an inner portion defining a chassis central aperture, wherein;

the front surface has a domed contour such that an outer edge of the inner portion extends beyond an outer periphery of the front surface; and

the inner surface comprises a taper such that the outer edge tapers toward a center of the chassis to an inner edge of the inner portion;

a molded mesh, wherein;

the molded mesh is formed to match the domed contour of the front surface such that the molded mesh is substantially flat against the front surface; and

the molded mesh defines a mesh central aperture corresponding to the chassis central aperture; and

a grille secured to the chassis, the grille defining a grille central aperture corresponding to the chassis central aperture and further defining a plurality of openings positioned along a body of the grille, wherein;

an inner surface of the grille comprises a domed contour corresponding to the domed contour of the front surface of the chassis such that the molded mesh is substantially flat against the inner surface; and

the molded mesh is positioned between the front surface and the inner surface.

2. The hazard detector of claim 1, wherein:

the molded mesh comprises a plurality of flexible tabs formed radially around the mesh central aperture such that the plurality of flexible tabs is flexed to match the taper of the inner portion; and

at least one of the plurality of flexible tabs is secured to the inner portion of the chassis.

3. The hazard detector of claim 1, wherein:

the molded mesh has an air permeability of between about 5000 and 6500 L/m²s such that an audible signal of approximately 85 decibels may be emitted from the hazard detector that is audible at least 3 meters from the hazard detector and such that the molded mesh is penetrable by a particulate matter detectable by the hazard detector.

4. The hazard detector of claim 3, wherein:

the particulate matter comprises carbon monoxide.

5. The hazard detector of claim 1, wherein:

the molded mesh comprises woven fibers having diameters between about 50 and 75 microns.

6. The hazard detector of claim 5, wherein:

the woven fibers are spaced apart by between about 100 and 200 microns.

7. The hazard detector of claim 1, wherein:

the molded mesh comprises an open area of between about 30 and 40 percent.

8. The hazard detector of claim 1, wherein:

the molded mesh is secured to one or both of the front surface or the inner surface.

9. The hazard detector of claim 1, wherein:

the molded mesh has a thickness between about 75 and 200 microns.

10. A method of securing a molded mesh to a chassis of a hazard detector, the method comprising:

aligning an adhesive backing of a mesh with a front surface of the chassis such that a chassis central aperture corresponds to a mesh central aperture and that a plurality of tabs formed radially around the mesh central aperture align with a tapered inner portion of the front surface, wherein;

the front surface has a domed contour such that an outer edge of the tapered inner portion extends beyond an outer periphery of the front surface; and

the inner portion comprises a taper such that the outer edge tapers toward a center of the chassis to an inner edge of the inner portion;

flexing at least some of the plurality of tabs to conform to the tapered inner portion;

adhering the at least some of the plurality of tabs to the tapered inner portion such that the mesh is secured to the chassis;

applying heat and pressure to the mesh to mold the mesh to conform to a three dimensional shape of the domed contour of the front surface; and

coupling a grille to the chassis, such that the mesh is disposed between the grille and the chassis.

11. The method of securing a molded mesh to a chassis of a hazard detector of claim 10, wherein applying heat and pressure to the mesh comprises:

pressing a heated mold against the mesh and the chassis, an interior surface of the heated mold having a contour matching the domed contour of the front surface such that the mesh is molded to conform to the domed contour.

12. The method of securing a molded mesh to a chassis of a hazard detector of claim 11, wherein:

the heated mold is heated to between about 70 and 90°

C. and is pressed against the mesh and the chassis for between about 5 and 15 seconds at a pressure of between about 2 and 5 kgf/cm².

13. The method of securing a molded mesh to a chassis of a hazard detector of claim 10, wherein:

the molded mesh has an air permeability of between about 5000 and 6500 L/m²s such that an audible signal of approximately 85 decibels may be emitted from the hazard detector that is audible at least 3 meters from the smoke and carbon monoxide detector and such that the molded mesh is penetrable by particulate matter detectable by the hazard detector.

14. The method of securing a molded mesh to a chassis of a hazard detector of claim 10, wherein:

the molded mesh comprises woven fibers have diameters between about 50 and 75 microns; and

the woven fibers are spaced apart by between about 100 and 200 microns.

15. The method of securing a molded mesh to a chassis of a hazard detector of claim 10, wherein:

the molded mesh has a thickness between about 75 and 200 microns.

16. A hazard detector comprising:

a chassis configured to house components of the hazard detector, the chassis comprising a contoured front surface;

a three dimensionally molded mesh secured to at least a portion of the contoured front surface, wherein;

the three dimensionally molded mesh conforms to the contoured front surface such that the three dimensionally molded mesh is substantially flat against the contoured front surface; and

the three dimensionally molded mesh comprises woven fibers having diameters between about 50 and 75 microns, the woven fibers spaced apart from one another by between about 100 and 200 microns such that the molded mesh has an air permeability of between about 5000 and 6500 L/m²s such that an audible signal of approximately 85 decibels may be emitted from the hazard detector that is audible at least 3 meters from the hazard detector and such that the molded mesh is penetrable by particulate matter detectable by the hazard; and

a grille releasably secured to the chassis, the grille defining a plurality of openings positioned along a body of the grille, wherein an inner surface of the grille comprises a contour corresponding to the contoured front surface of the chassis.

17. The hazard detector of claim 16, wherein:

the contoured front surface comprises an inner portion defining a chassis central aperture;

the contoured front surface has a domed contour such that an outer edge of the inner portion extends beyond an outer periphery of the front surface; and

the inner surface comprises a taper such that the outer edge tapers toward a center of the chassis to an inner edge of the inner portion.

18. The hazard detector of claim 17, wherein:

the three dimensionally molded mesh defines a mesh central aperture corresponding the chassis central aperture;

the three dimensionally molded mesh comprises a plurality of flexible tabs formed radially around the mesh central aperture such that the plurality of flexible tabs are flexed to match the taper of the inner portion; and

at least one of the plurality of flexible tabs is secured to the inner portion of the chassis.

19. The hazard detector of claim 16, wherein:

the plurality of flexible tabs is separated by slits such that each of the plurality of flexible tabs flexes independent of the other of the plurality of flexible tabs.

20. The hazard detector of claim 16, wherein:

the at least one of the plurality of flexible tabs is secured to the inner portion using an adhesive.