Fire fighting foam injection system with auto-start feature

• US 7,318,483 B2
• Filed: 07/27/2004
• Issued: 01/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fire Research Corp. (Safe Fleet Holdings LLC)
• Original Assignee: Hypro LLC (Pentair Plc (Ireland))
• Inventors: Horeck, Robert S., Arvidson, Lawrence C.
• Primary Examiner(s): GORMAN, DARREN W
• Application Number:
  US10/900,010
• Publication Number:
  US 20050155776A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,267 Days
• Field of Search: 169/14, 169/13, 169/15, 169/24, 169/44, 239/69, 239/68, 239/61, 239/310, 239/318, 239/172, 239/398, 239/407, 239/329, 239/332, 239/10, 239/67, 700/285, 700/12, 700/282, 700/283, 137/3, 137/5, 137/558
• US Class Current: 169/44
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 5/02 of foam
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0329 Mixing of plural fluids of diverse characteristics or conditions

Abstract

A fire fighting vehicle of the type having a system for introducing a liquid foam concentrate into a water delivery hose so that the percentage concentration of foamant in the mixture remains at a predetermined set value irrespective of variations in the water flow rate. The improvement provided involves the addition of an AutoStart feature whereby upon application of power to the foam control system, the system comes up in an on mode without the need for human intervention.

Claims

1. A method of automatically starting a foam injection system, the method comprising:

applying power to a controller of the foam injection system;

detecting raw water flow in a delivery hose;

automatically introducing an amount of liquid foam concentrate in a water stream;

initially determining whether the controller is operational;

disabling the controller from operating in a run mode;

determining whether the controller includes instructions to operate in an automatic start mode; and

allowing the controller to operate in the automatic start mode.

2. The method of claim 1 and further comprising operating hydraulic and electric pumps to provide the amount of liquid foam concentrate from at least one tank.

3. The method of claim 2 and further comprising determining whether the hydraulic and electric pumps are operational.

4. The method of claim 1 and further comprising detecting the amount of liquid foam concentrate in at least one tank and generating a signal indicative of the amount of liquid foam concentrate in the at least one tank.

5. The method of claim 1 and further comprising determining whether the amount of liquid foam concentrate in at least one tank allows for operation of the foam injection system.