Signalling fire extinguisher assembly

• US 6,311,779 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2000
• Issued: 11/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: En-Gauge, Inc.
• Original Assignee: MIJA Industries, Inc.
• Inventors: McSheffrey, Brendan T., McSheffrey, John J., Levenson, Michael R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaver, Kevin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Dinh Q.
• Application Number:
  US09/742,733
• Publication Number:
  US 20010004938A1
• Time in Patent Office: 321 Days
• Field of Search: 169/23, 169/30, 169/51, 169/75, 340/289, 340/531, 340/533, 340/539, 340/568, 340/626, 340/682
• US Class Current: 169/23
• 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.

Claims

1. A portable pressurized equipment assembly comprising:

a tank defining an internal volume,

a gauge in communication with the internal volume having an output which signals an internal condition of the tank;

a docking station mounted in a location where the tank is uses; and

a signaling control circuit in communication with the gauge and the docking station, having an output carrying a tank condition signal.

2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the internal condition signaled by the gauge output is a pressure within the internal volume.

3. The assembly of claim 2, the signaling control circuit further comprising:

a circuit having an output which signals an external condition of the tank.

4. The assembly of claim 3, the docking station further comprising:

signal processing circuits having inputs which receive the internal and external condition signals and having an output which carries the tank condition signal, the tank condition signal indicative of both the internal and external tank condition.

5. The assembly of claim 4, in communication with a remote system monitor which annunciates tank conditions, the signal processing circuits further comprising:

an RF transmitter which transmits the tank condition signal to the system monitor.

6. The assembly of claim 4, in communication with a remote system monitor which annunciates tank conditions, the signal processing circuits further comprising:

a hardwired connection between the docking station and the remote system monitor.

7. The assembly of claim 4, the signaling control circuit further comprising:

an electrical/communication connection which when connected to the signal processing circuits of the docking station indicates pressure of the tank.

8. The assembly of claim 4, the signaling control circuit further comprising:

a contact responsive to the gauge output, the contact having a state indicative of a minimum pressure within the internal volume of the tank.