Status-reporting device for reporting a predetermined temperature state, temperature sensor suitable for such a status-reporting device, and process for the production of such a temperature sensor

• US 5,463,375 A
• Filed: 12/21/1992
• Issued: 10/31/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dylec Limited
• Original Assignee: Dylec Limited
• Inventors: Bauer, Heinz
• Primary Examiner(s): Peng, John K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel J.
• Application Number:
  US07/962,789
• Time in Patent Office: 1,044 Days
• Field of Search: 340/584, 340/517, 340/577, 340/870.17, 374/158, 374/194, 374/208, 374/209, 374/210
• US Class Current: 340/517
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 26/00 Alarm systems in which substations are interrogated in succession by a central station

Abstract

The invention is directed to a status-reporting device with a plurality of sensors which send output signals whose values depend on the status monitored by the sensors and with an evaluating device which is connected to the sensors and responds by sending an alarm signal when a preselected value of the output signals is reached. According to the invention, the evaluating device has an individual threshold switch (IC₅₁) which generates the alarm signal and is connected with the output (3) of an interrogating device (IC₃) which has a plurality of inputs (1, 2, 5, 12-15) connected to each sensor, respectively, and means (IC₂) which connect the inputs (1, 2, 5, 12-15) with the output (3) periodically and one after the other. Also described is a temperature sensor which is particularly suitable for fire detection and fire extinguishing systems, as well as a process for the production thereof (FIG. 4).

Claims

1. Status-reporting device for reporting a predetermined temperature state comprising a plurality of temperature sensors (Rs₁ -Rs₇) producing output signals according to a temperature state monitored by the sensors, and an evaluating device connected to the sensors and having means for generating and transmitting an alarm signal when a preselected value the output signals is reached, said evaluating device comprising an interrogating device (IC₃) having an output (3) and a plurality of inputs (1, 2, 5, 12-15) for said sensors (Rs₁ -Rs₇), means (IC₂) for connecting the sensors and the inputs (1, 2, 5, 12-15) of the interrogating device (IC₃) with the output (3) of the interrogating device (IC₃) periodically and one after the other, said means (IC₂) being coupled with said interrogating device, and a threshold switch (IC₅₁) having an output (7) being connected to said means for generating and transmitting said alarm signal and connected with the output (3) of said interrogating device, wherein each of said temperature sensors (Rs₁ -Rs₇) is a bead-heat conductor (1) provided with a tip (3) carrying a semiconductor bead (4) and arranged in a housing (6), said housing (6) having a hollow end portion (8) and a protective cap (12) connected to said hollow end portion (8) so that said tip 3 is arranged within said protective cap (12), said protective car (12) is provided with at least one opening for maintaining a flow of air around said tip (3) and said bead-heat conductor (1) in said housing (6) is embedded in a casting compound (11) in such a way that only said tip (3) projects out of said casting compound (11).

2. Status-reporting device according to claim 1, wherein said evaluating device further comprises a monoflop (IC₆) for temporarily storing the alarm signal and wherein the output (7) of the threshold switch (IC₅₁) is connected with the monoflop (IC₆) and monoflop (IC₆) has an output (10).

3. Status-reporting device according to claim 2, further comprising an alarm and safety device (20) and a power switch (T₁), said power switch (T₁) being connected to said alarm and safety device (20) and having a control input (2), and wherein the output (10) of the monoflop (IC₆) is connected with the control input (2) of the power switch (T₁).

4. Status-reporting device according to claim 3, wherein said alarm and safety device (20) contains an extinguishing device (22) and means for triggering the extinguishing device (22) when the alarm signal is received by said alarm and safety device (20).

5. Status-reporting device according to claim 3, wherein said alarm signal has a duration and said alarm and safety device (20) contains a warning device (L₁) including means for warning for the duration of the alarm signal and a further warning device (L₂) responsive to the alarm signal.

6. Status-reporting device according to claim 3, wherein said alarm and safety device (20) includes a testing device (41, L₃, L₄) including means for checking operation of said alarm and safety device (20).

7. Status-reporting device according to claim 6, further comprising a further testing device including means for checking proper functioning of the evaluating device and means for responding to improper functioning of the evaluating device and means for sending an additional alarm signal when said improper functioning is detected and wherein said further testing device is connected with the sensors (Rs₁ -Rs₇) in parallel with the evaluating device.

8. Status-reporting device according to claim 7, wherein the further testing device includes an additional threshold switch (IC₅₂) comprising means for transmitting the additional alarm signal;

an additional interrogating device (IC₄) having an output and a plurality of inputs (1, 2, 4, 5, 112, 13,

     15) and wherein said inputs of said additional interrogating device are connected to each sensor (Rs₁ -Rs₇) respectively and said output of said additional interrogating device is connected said additional threshold switch and means (IC₂) for connecting the sensors and the inputs (1, 2, 4, 5, 12, 13,

     15) with the output of the additional interrogating device periodically and one after the other.

9. Status-reporting device according to claim 8, further comprising a display device (39) and wherein the additional threshold switch (IC₅₂) has an output (1) and the output (1) of the additional threshold switch is connected to the display device (39).

10. Status-reporting device according to claim 9, wherein the display device (39) contains a keyboard (43) including keys and at least one monitor device (44) for testing each of the sensors (Rs₁ -Rs₇) individually by actuating the keys of the keyboard (43).

11. Status-reporting device for reporting a predetermined temperature state comprising a plurality of temperature sensors (Rs₁ -Rs₇) producing output signals whose values depend on a temperature status monitored by the sensors, and an evaluating device connected to the sensors and including means for transmitting an alarm signal when a preselected value of the output signals is reached, a threshold switch (IC₅₁) for producing the alarm signal and having an output (7);

an interrogation device having an output (3) and a plurality of inputs (1, 2, 5, 12-15) for said sensors (Rs₁ -Rs₇), the output (3) of the interrogation device being connected to the threshold switch (IC₅₁); and

means (IC₂) for connecting the sensors and the inputs (1, 2, 5, 12-15) of the interrogation device (IC₃) with the output (3) of the interrogation device (IC₃) periodically and one after the other, wherein each of the temperature sensors (Rs₁ -Rs₇) have a housing (6) and a bead-heat conductor provided with a tip (3) carrying a semiconductor bead (4) in the housing (6) and embedded in a casting compound (11) in such a way that said tip (3) carrying the semiconductor bead (4) projects out of the casting compound, the housing (6) includes a hollow end portion (8) and a protective cap (12) connected with the hollow end portion (8), said protective cap being provided with at least one opening for maintaining a flow of air around the tip (3), and the casting compound (11) also partially fills the protective cap (12); and

monoflop means (IC₆) for temporarily storing the alarm signal having an output and connected with the output (7) of the threshold switch (IC₅₁).

12. Status-reporting device according to claim 11, further comprising an alarm and safety device (20) and a power switch (T₁) having a control input (2) and connected to the alarm and safety device (20) and wherein the output of the monoflop means (IC₆) is connected with the control input (2) of the power switch (T₁).

13. Status-reporting device according to claim 12, wherein the alarm and safety device (20) includes an extinguishing device (22) and means for triggering the extinguishing device (22) by the alarm signal.

14. Status-reporting device according to claim 12, wherein the alarm and safety device (20) contains warning means (L₁) for warning for the duration of the alarm signal and additional warning means (L₂) permanently warning responsive to the alarm signal.

15. Status-reporting device according to claim 12, wherein the alarm and safety device (20) includes a testing device (41, L₃, L₄) for checking operation of the alarm and safety device (20).

16. Status-reporting device according to claim 11, further comprising a testing device for checking proper functioning of the evaluating device and for responding to improper functioning of the evaluating device and means for sending an additional alarm signal when said improper function is detected, and wherein said testing device is connected in parallel with the evaluating device.

17. Status-reporting device according to claim 16, wherein the testing device has an additional threshold switch for sending the additional alarm signal having an output (1) and an additional interrogating device (IC₄) having an output and a plurality of inputs (1, 2, 4, 5, 12, 13, 15), the inputs of the additional interrogating device being connected to each sensor (Rs₁ -Rs₇) respectively and said output of said additional interrogating device being connected to the additional threshold device and means (IC₂) for connecting the sensors and the inputs (1, 2, 4, 5, 12, 13, 15) of the additional interrogating device with the output (3) of the additional interrogating device periodically and one after the other.

18. Status-reporting device according to claim 17, further comprising a display device (39) and wherein the output (1) of the additional threshold switch (IC₅₂) is connected to the display device (39).

19. Status-reporting device according to claim 18, wherein the display device (39) contains a keyboard (43) including keys and at least one monitor device (44) for testing the sensors (Rs₁ -Rs₇) individually by actuating the keys of the keyboard (43).

20. Status-reporting device for reporting a predetermined temperature state, said status-reporting device comprising a plurality of temperature sensing means (Rs₁ -Rs₇) for generating output signals whose values are characteristic of temperatures monitored by the sensing means, and evaluating means for receiving said output signals and for sending an alarm signal in response to said output signals when a preselected value of at least one of the output signals is reached, said evaluating means including a threshold switch (IC₅₁) for generating the alarm signal;

an interrogation device (IC₃) having a plurality of inputs (1, 2, 5, 12-15) connected to respective ones of said sensing means (Rs₁ -Rs₇) and an output (3) connected to said threshold switch (IC₅₁) and means (IC₂) for connecting the sensors and the inputs (1, 2, 5, 12-15) of the interrogation device (IC₃) with the output (3) of the interrogation device (IC₃) periodically and one after the other; and

testing means for checking for a proper functioning of the evaluating means and for responding to an improper functioning of the evaluating means and means for sending an additional alarm signal when the improper functioning is detected, said testing means being connected in parallel with the evaluating device and including an additional threshold switch (IC₅₂) for generating the additional alarm signal, an additional interrogating device (IC₄) having a plurality of inputs (1, 2, 4, 5, 12, 13,

     15) connected to respective ones of said sensing means (Rs₁ -Rs₇) and an output connected to the additional threshold switch (IC₅₂) and means (IC₂ ) for connecting the sensors and the inputs (1, 2, 4, 5, 12, 13,

     15) of the additional interrogating device (IC₄) with the output (3) of the additional interrogating device (IC₄) periodically and one after the other, wherein the interrogating devices (IC₃, IC₄), the threshold switches (IC₅₁, IC₅₂), and the means (IC₂) are combined to form a standardized plug-in card (IC₈) having input connections including connections for heat conductors, adjusting members, display devices and operating voltages, and means for selecting and adjusting said heat conductors individually, and having at least one output (2) for transmitting the alarm signals generated by the evaluating means and wherein each of the temperature sensing means (Rs₁ -Rs₇) includes a housing (6) and a bead-heat conductor comprising a tip (3) carrying a semiconductor bead (4) in the housing (6) embedded in a casting compound (11) in such a way that said tip (3) carrying the semiconductor bead (4) projects out of the casting compound, the housing (6) includes a hollow end portion (8) and a protective cap (12) connected with the hollow end portion (8) and provided with at least one opening for maintaining a flow of air around the tip (3), and the casting compound (11) also partially fills the protective cap (12).

21. Process for making a temperature sensor comprising a housing (6) having a base (9), a hollow end portion (8) remote from the base, said hollow end portion being at an open end of the housing, and a protective cap (12) on the open end of the housing, said protective cap being provided with at least one opening for maintaining a flow of air;

plug-in connectors arranged within the housing (6) and a sensor element (1) in the form of a bead-heat conductor and having leads (5) and a tip (3) carrying a semiconductor bead (4), said sensor element (1) being arranged within said hollow end portion (8) so that said leads (5) are connected with the plug-in connectors and said tip (3) is arranged within said protective cap (12), wherein said hollow end portion (8) and partially also said protective cap (12) are filled by a casting compound (11) consisting of epoxy casting resin, said sensor element (1) being embedded in the casting compound (11) so that said tip (3) projects out of the casting compound (11), said process comprising the steps of;

a) providing the sensor element (1) with the leads connected to the plug-in connectors in the housing (6);

b) filling the hollow end portion and at least a part of the protective cap with a mixture of a sealing compound and a hardener in a mixture weight ratio of said sealing compound to said hardener of 10;

1 to 10;

1.1 so as to form the casting compound, said filling continuing until only the tip of the bead conductor carrying the heat conductor bead projects out of the casting compound;

c) heating the filled hollow end portion and the filled part of the protective cap of step d) at about 80°

C. for about 16 hours, then heating at about 120°

C. for about 3 hours and finally heating at about 180°

C. for about 3 hours so as to cure the casting compound; and

d) allowing the filled hollow end portion and the filled part of the protective cap heated in step e) to cool to room temperature so as to form the temperature sensor.

22. Process as defined in claim 21, wherein said sealing compound consists of Stycast 2762 FT and said hardener consists of catalyst 17.

23. Process as defined in claim 21, further comprising the step of preheating the hollow end portion of the housing and the protective cap to about 80°

C.

24. Temperature sensor comprising:

a housing (6) having a base (9), and a hollow end portion (8) remote from the base and at an open end-of the housing and a protective cap (12) on the open end of the housing, said protective cap being provided with at least one opening for maintaining a flow of air, plug-in connectors arranged in the housing (6) and a sensor element (1) in the form of a bead-heat conductor having a glass tube with a tip (3) enclosing a heat sensing bead (4), and with leads (5) fastened to said bead (4) and being guided out of said glass tube, said sensor element (1) being arranged within said hollow end portion (8) so that said leads (5) are connected with the plug-in connectors and said tip (3) being arranged within said protective cap (12), wherein said hollow end portion (8) and partially also said protective cap (12) are filled by a casting compound consisting of epoxy casting resin (11), said sensor element (1) being embedded in the casting compound so that said tip (3) projects out of the casting compound.