Alarm signaling device having a touch-to-silence feature

• US 6,144,289 A
• Filed: 06/02/1999
• Issued: 11/07/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: GE Security Incorporated (Carrier Global Corporation)
• Original Assignee: SPX Corporation
• Inventors: Le Bel, Vincent Victor
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phung
• Application Number:
  US09/324,564
• Time in Patent Office: 524 Days
• Field of Search: 340/514, 340/588, 340/628, 340/309.3, 340/286.05, 340/291-297, 340/301, 340/326, 340/328, 340/815.47, 340/630, 340/521, 340/644, 340/527, 200/43.09, 200/502, 200/506, 200/600, 200/52 R, 248/297.2
• US Class Current: 340/309.3
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 17/10 Actuation by presence of smoke or gases , e.g. automatic alarm devices for analysing flowing fluid materials by the use of optical means
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/9645 Resistive touch switches

Abstract

An alarm signaling device (10) that is operable to produce an alarm signal in a room when triggered by a fire alarm control panel. The signaling device includes a silencing circuit (24) that can be activated by a person in the room to temporarily extinguish the alarm signal. The silencing circuit includes a timing circuit (30) and a switch (32) consisting of a pair of touch contacts (38, 40) that are activated by body resistance.

Claims

1. An alarm signaling device configured for placement in a room monitored by a fire alarm control panel to provide alarm signaling in the room, the signaling device comprising:

an alarm operable to provide an alarm signal in the room when triggered by the fire alarm control panel; and

a silencing circuit coupled with the alarm and activatable by a person in the room for temporarily extinguishing the alarm signal, the silencing circuit including

a timing circuit for extinguishing the alarm signal when triggered and for permitting the alarm to operate normally a predetermined time interval after being triggered, and

a switch activatable by a person for triggering the timing circuit, the switch including a pair of spaced-apart conductive posts that serve both as touch contacts for triggering the timing circuit when a person simultaneously touches the posts and as a mechanical mount for mounting the silencing circuit to a face plate.

2. The alarm signaling device as set forth in claim 1, the timing circuit including

an oscillator coupled with the switch for counting a pre-determined time interval after the switch has been activated;

and

a latch coupled between the alarm and the switch for extinguishing the alarm when the switch is activated and coupled with the oscillator for permitting the alarm to operate normally when the oscillator has counted the pre-determined time interval.

3. An alarm signaling device configured for placement in a room monitored by a fire alarm control panel to provide alarm signaling in the room, the signaling device comprising:

a circuit board;

an alarm mounted to the circuit board and operable to provide an alarm signal in the room when triggered by the fire alarm control panel;

a silencing circuit mounted to the circuit board and coupled with the alarm and activatable by a person in the room for temporarily extinguishing the alarm signal;

a face plate for covering the circuit board; and

the silencing circuit including a pair of spaced-apart touch contacts operable to extinguish the alarm signal when a person simultaneously touches both of the contacts and to mount the face plate to the circuit board.

4. An alarm signaling device configured for placement in a room monitored by a separate fire alarm control panel to provide alarm signaling in the room, the signaling device comprising:

an alarm operable to provide an alarm signal in the room when triggered by the fire alarm control panel; and

electronic circuitry for powering and controlling operation of the alarm, the electronic circuitry including

an input for receiving an alarm triggering signal from the fire alarm control panel for triggering the alarm, and

a silencing circuit coupled with the alarm and activatable by a person in the room for temporarily extinguishing the alarm signal.

5. The alarm signaling device as set forth in claim 4, the silencing circuit including

timing circuit for extinguishing the alarm signal when triggered and for permitting the alarm to operate normally a predetermined time interval after being triggered;

and

a switch activatable by a person for triggering the timing circuit.

6. The alarm signaling device as set forth in claim 5, wherein the switch is a pair of spaced-apart touch contacts operable to trigger the timing circuit when a person simultaneously touches both the contacts.