Fire fighting robot

• US 8,381,826 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2010
• Issued: 02/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hadi A. Al-Azemi
• Original Assignee: Hadi A. Al-Azemi
• Inventors: Al-Azemi, Hadi A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Len
• Assistant Examiner(s): Le, Viet
• Application Number:
  US12/748,845
• Publication Number:
  US 20110232925A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,065 Days
• Field of Search: 169/46, 169/52, 169/24, 169/62, 169/68, 169/51, 169/70, 169/54
• US Class Current: 169/52
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 27/00 Fire-fighting land vehicles

Abstract

A fire fighting robot including a frame assembly and a fire extinguishing mechanism disposed on or within the frame assembly for ejecting a fire suppressant onto a fire. The robot also includes a caterpillar type of drive including a left and a right endless metal belt or track with an independent drive unit on each side of the robot. The left and the right motor are provided for rotating the endless belts to move the robot in a forward or rearward direction. Retractable illumination and video means for displaying a remote image of the area around the robot are provided. The robot also includes a mechanism for connecting the fire extinguishing mechanism to a source of water or other fire suppressant and for positioning a stream of suppressant onto a fire. In addition, the robot includes a pair of cooling fans and sprinkler system for maintaining the robot at an acceptable temperature.

Claims

1. A fire fighting robot consisting of:

a frame assembly, a housing and a fire extinguishing mechanism disposed on said frame for ejecting a fire suppressant onto a fire;

a caterpillar drive assembly including a left caterpillar drive unit, a left engine for rotating said left caterpillar drive unit in a forward and rearward direction and a right caterpillar drive unit and a right engine for rotating said right caterpillar drive unit in a forward and rearward direction and a first remote control means for controlling said engines to thereby position said robot with respect to a fire;

a sprinkler for cooling said robot;

wherein moving the robot in a forward direction opens a water valve to pump water onto a fire and moving the robot in a reverse direction shuts off the flow of water, and if the robot moves forward, it opens a sprinkler for cooling the robot and when it moves in reverse it stops the flow of water;

illumination means and video means for displaying an image of an area around said robot at a remote location and means for cooling the interior and exterior of said robot; and

second remote control means for controlling a nozzle and means for raising and lowering said nozzle for directing a flow of fire suppressant onto a fire;

in which

said robot has a length of about 116 cm, a width of about 85 cm and a height of about 90 cm; and

which includes

an outer housing and in which said camera is rotatable about a vertical axis and is retractable into said outer housing; and

wherein said cooling means includes a water sprinkler for cooling an exterior surface of the robot and a pump for removing any accumulated liquid from the interior of said housing.