Fire sensor, fire detection system, fire suppression system, and combinations thereof

• US 8,905,633 B2
• Filed: 08/27/2009
• Issued: 12/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Federal Express Corporation (FedEx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Federal Express Corporation (FedEx Corporation)
• Inventors: Popp, James B., Benjamin, Arthur J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jagan, Mirellys
• Application Number:
  US12/548,489
• Publication Number:
  US 20090315726A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,930 Days
• Field of Search: 374/121, 374/166, 374/124, 374/110
• US Class Current: 374/121
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 3/08 in aircraft A62C3/0207 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 31/22 specially adapted for piercing walls, heaped materials, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 37/44 only the sensor being in the danger zone
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0014 for sensing the radiation from gases, flames
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0066 for hot spots detection
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/025 Interfacing a pyrometer to an external device or network; User interface
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/48 Thermography; Techniques using wholly visual means

Abstract

A combination fire detection and fire suppression system may include a fire detection system configured to detect an undesirably high temperature associated with an area. The fire detection system may include a temperature sensor including a temperature sensor array and a fire alerting system associated with the temperature sensor. The fire alerting system may be configured to receive information from the temperature sensor and generate a warning signal based on an undesirably high temperature associated with the area. The fire detection system may include a fire control panel configured to receive the warning signal. The system may also include a fire suppression system including a fire suppressant delivery system configured to provide at least one fire suppressant agent to the area associated with the undesirably high temperature.

Claims

1. A temperature sensor array configured to receive temperature information associated with an area, the temperature sensor array comprising:

a base, and

a plurality of temperature sensing devices associated with the base such that the temperature sensing devices are arranged to monitor the temperature of the area,

wherein at least one of the temperature sensing devices is oriented at an angle with respect to the base that differs from an angle with respect to the base at which at least one other temperature sensing device is oriented;

at least two of the temperature sensing devices are oriented at respective angles with respect to the base such that an area monitored by one of the at least two temperature sensing devices does not overlap an area monitored by the other of the at least two temperature sensing devices; and

the base defines a plurality of apertures configured to receive at least one temperature sensing device.

2. The temperature sensor array of claim 1, wherein the apertures are configured such that each of the temperature sensing devices is aimed so that each temperature sensing device receives temperature information from at least a portion of the area different from another temperature sensing device.