Sprinkler status indicator
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An apparatus comprising:
- a valve with an internal flow channel;
the valve having an open and a closed state and a multi-position valve cap that is hingedly connected to the valve, the cap rotates about a connection point between a closed position in which the flow channel is closed and an open position in which the flow channel is open, the cap remaining affixed to the apparatus throughout its entire range of motion between the closed position and the open position;
a heat responsive element directly coupled to the cap which in the absence of a predetermined amount of applied heat, retains the valve in the closed state; and
a device, directly coupled to the element which is directly responsive to a change in the valve'"'"'s state and emits a wireless signal indicative of the valve'"'"'s changed state.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A fire suppression valve includes an RF transmitter which transmits an indication that a closed valve has opened. The transmitter can be implemented as a passive wireless identifier tag energized by a source of wireless signals.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising:
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a valve with an internal flow channel;
the valve having an open and a closed state and a multi-position valve cap that is hingedly connected to the valve, the cap rotates about a connection point between a closed position in which the flow channel is closed and an open position in which the flow channel is open, the cap remaining affixed to the apparatus throughout its entire range of motion between the closed position and the open position;a heat responsive element directly coupled to the cap which in the absence of a predetermined amount of applied heat, retains the valve in the closed state; and a device, directly coupled to the element which is directly responsive to a change in the valve'"'"'s state and emits a wireless signal indicative of the valve'"'"'s changed state. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10)
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7. An apparatus comprising:
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a valve that has an open and a closed state and a multi-position valve cap that is hingedly connected to the valve, the cap remaining affixed to the apparatus throughout its entire range of motion between the open state and the closed state; a heat responsive element directly coupled to the valve cap which in the absence of a predetermined amount of applied heat, retains the valve in the closed state, a device, directly coupled to the element, which emits a wireless signal indicative of the valve'"'"'s changed state;
the device being responsive to radio frequency energy received wirelessly. - View Dependent Claims (8)
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11. A system comprising:
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a plurality of fire suppression valves, each of the valves includes a multi-position valve cap that rotates about a connection point and remains affixed throughout its entire range of motion and a wireless state indicating emitter mechanically coupled between the valve and the cap that directly detects a change in state of the valve; at least one wireless receiver; and at least one radio frequency transmitter, energy from the transmitter activates the emitters. - View Dependent Claims (12)
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13. A system comprising:
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at least one radio frequency receiver; and a plurality of fire suppression valves, each of the valves having a closed state and a flow state and a passive radio frequency state indicating emitter, in response to radio frequency energy, the respective emitter wirelessly transmits a valve state indicator to the receiver; each of the plurality of valves having a multi-position valve cap that is hingedly connected to the valve, the cap remaining affixed to the valve throughout its entire range of motion between the closed state and the flow state and wherein each of the emitters is directly coupled through a fusible link to a respective cap. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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- 15. A system as in clam 14 which includes a control element coupled to the receiver and to the at least one transmitter.
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17. A sprinkler head comprising:
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a housing with an internal flow channel; a multi-position valve cap for closing the channel, the valve cap hingedly connected to a member adjacent the housing such that the cap is capable of swinging between a first position in which the flow channel is sealed and a second position in which the flow channel is unobstructed, the cap remaining affixed to the member in any position relative the housing and throughout its entire range of motion between the first position and the second position; a radio frequency emitter; a fusible link between the valve cap and radio frequency emitter, where the fusible link retains the valve cap in the first position, where the emitter is directly coupled electrically to the cap via operation of the fusible link when the cap is in the first position and not coupled thereto when the cap is in a second position. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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- 18. A sprinkler head as in clam 17 where the cap is retained in the first position by a heat sensitive member.
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21. A sprinkler head comprising:
- a housing with an internal flow channel;
a multi-position valve cap for closing the channel, the valve cap hingedly connected to a member adjacent the housing such that the cap is capable of swinging between a first position in which the flow channel is sealed and a second position in which the flow channel is unobstructed, the cap remaining affixed to the member in any position relative the housing and throughout its entire range of motion between the first position and the second position; and
a passive radio frequency identifier-type tag, a portion of which is mechanically coupled to the cap and a portion of which is mechanically coupled to the housing, which emits a wireless signal indicative of the valve cap'"'"'s position. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
- a housing with an internal flow channel;
Specification