Signalling fire extinguisher assembly

• US 5,848,651 A
• Filed: 06/20/1997
• Issued: 12/15/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: En-Gauge, Inc.
• Original Assignee: MIJA Industries, Inc.
• Inventors: McSheffrey, John J., McSheffrey, Brendan T., Levenson, Michael R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pike, Andrew C.
• Application Number:
  US08/879,445
• Time in Patent Office: 543 Days
• Field of Search: 169/23, 169/30, 169/51, 169/75, 340/289, 340/531, 340/533, 340/539, 340/568, 340/626, 340/687
• US Class Current: 169/51
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 13/76 Details or accessories
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 37/50 Testing or indicating devices for determining the state of readiness of the equipment

Abstract

A portable fire extinguisher assembly includes a fire extinguisher with a tank containing fire extinguishing material, a valve for metering release of the fire extinguishing material, and a gauge displaying pressure within the tank, and a docking station in communication with the fire extinguisher. An electronic circuit in communication with the fire extinguisher and the docking station issues a signal upon detection of predetermined conditions, including at least one predetermined internal condition and at least one predetermined external condition. The fire extinguisher electronic circuit includes cooperative male and female electrical/communication connection elements defined by the fire extinguisher and docking station.

Claims

1. A portable fire extinguisher assembly comprising:

a fire extinguisher comprising a fire extinguisher tank defining a volume containing fire extinguishing material and further defining a fire extinguisher tank outlet, and a fire extinguisher valve assembly mounted at said fire extinguisher tank outlet, said fire extinguisher valve assembly comprising;

a fire extinguisher valve housing,

a fire extinguisher valve disposed relative to said fire extinguisher tank outlet for metering release of the fire extinguishing material from said volume,

a fire extinguisher valve trigger mounted for movement of said fire extinguisher valve between a first position for containing the fire extinguishing material within said volume and a second position for metering release of the fire extinguishing material, and

a fire extinguisher gauge disposed in communication with said volume for display of pressure condition of the fire extinguishing material within said volume,

a docking station mounted in vicinity of and in communication with said fire extinguisher, and

a fire extinguisher assembly electronic circuit disposed in communication with said fire extinguisher and said docking station and adapted, upon detection of a predetermined condition among a set of predetermined conditions comprising at least one predetermined internal condition and at least one predetermined external condition, to issue an issuing signal corresponding to said predetermined condition, said fire extinguisher assembly electronic circuit comprising cooperative male and female electrical/communication connection elements defined by said fire extinguisher and said docking station,

said at least one predetermined internal condition comprising a low pressure condition within said fire extinguisher tank, and said fire extinguisher assembly electronic circuit further comprising a detector of said predetermined internal condition, said detector of said predetermined internal condition being adapted, upon detection of said predetermined internal condition, to actuate issue of said issuing signal corresponding to said predetermined internal condition, and

said at least one predetermined external condition comprising a received signal from an electronic circuit external of said fire extinguisher, and said fire extinguisher assembly electronic circuit further comprising a detector of said predetermined external condition, said detector of said predetermined external condition being adapted, upon detection of said predetermined external condition, to actuate issue of said issuing signal corresponding to said predetermined external condition, and

said fire extinguisher assembly electronic circuit further adapted to issue said issuing signal to a remote station and to receive said received signal from a remote station.

2. The portable fire extinguisher assembly of claim 1, further comprising a bracket for removably mounting said fire extinguisher to a surface, said bracket removably positioning said fire extinguisher relative to said docking station for mating engagement of said cooperative male and female electrical/communication connection elements.

3. The portable fire extinguisher assembly of claim 1, wherein said fire extinguisher assembly electronic circuit further comprises an rf antenna and rf signal means and said issuing signal comprises an rf signal.

4. The portable fire extinguisher assembly of claim 3, wherein said fire extinguisher assembly electronic circuit further comprises an rf signal receiver for receiving said received signal from a remote rf signalling station source.

5. The portable fire extinguisher assembly of claim 1 or 3, wherein said fire extinguisher assembly electronic circuit further comprises an electronic signal means and said issuing signal comprises an electronic signal.

6. The portable fire extinguisher assembly of claim 5, wherein said fire extinguisher assembly electronic circuit further comprises an electronic signal receiver for receiving said received signal from a remote electronic signalling station source.

7. The portable fire extinguisher assembly of claim 1, wherein said issuing signal comprises a visual issuing signal and said fire extinguisher assembly electronic circuit further comprises an electroluminescent light panel mounted upon a gauge face surface of said fire extinguisher gauge and adapted to issue said visual issuing signal by illumination of a region of said gauge face surface.

8. The portable fire extinguisher assembly of claim 1, wherein said gauge comprises a gauge pointer and a gauge scale, said gauge pointer being moveable relative to said gauge scale for indication of pressure, and said fire extinguisher assembly electronic circuit further comprises said gauge pointer and a contact disposed in a region selected for interengagement of said contact and said gauge pointer as said tank approaches the predetermined low pressure condition.

9. The portable fire extinguisher assembly of claim 8, wherein said predetermined internal condition further comprises a high pressure condition, and said fire extinguisher assembly electronic circuit further comprises a contact disposed in a region selected for interengagement of said contact and said gauge pointer as said tank approaches the predetermined high pressure condition.

10. The portable fire extinguisher assembly of claim 1, wherein said predetermined external condition further comprises removal of said fire extinguisher from an external support bracket.

11. The portable fire extinguisher assembly of claim 1, wherein said issuing signal comprises an audio issuing signal.

12. The portable fire extinguisher assembly of claim 11, wherein said audio issuing signal comprises a recorded instructional message.

13. The portable fire extinguisher assembly of claim 1, wherein said predetermined external condition further comprises smoke.

14. The portable fire extinguisher assembly of claim 1, wherein said predetermined external condition further comprises lack of light.

15. The portable fire extinguisher assembly of claim 1, wherein said predetermined external condition further comprises lack of external power.

16. The portable fire extinguisher assembly of claim 1, wherein said predetermined internal condition comprises low battery power.

17. The portable fire extinguisher assembly of claim 1, wherein said detector comprises a timer and said predetermined internal condition comprises lack of inspection reset.