Smoke detector having a magnet

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10161905-B2
Application number	US-201715599566-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 19, 2017
Priority date	May 19, 2017
Publication date	Dec 25, 2018
Grant date	Dec 25, 2018

Abstract

An example smoke detector includes (i) a chamber; (ii) a first electrode disposed within the chamber; (iii) a second electrode disposed within the chamber, wherein gas is disposed in an inner space of the chamber between the first electrode and the second electrode; (iv) a radioactive source generating alpha particles within inner space of the chamber; and (v) a magnet coupled to the chamber, where the magnet generates a magnetic field in the inner space of the chamber.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A smoke detector comprising:
a chamber;
a first electrode disposed within the chamber;
a second electrode disposed within the chamber, wherein gas is disposed in an inner space of the chamber between the first electrode and the second electrode;
a radioactive source generating alpha particles within inner space of the chamber; and
a magnet disposed in the smoke detector and coupled to the chamber, wherein the magnet generates a magnetic field in the inner space of the chamber.

2. The smoke detector of claim 1 , wherein the chamber is shaped as a cylinder, wherein the first electrode is disposed within the cylinder at a first base thereof, and wherein the second electrode is disposed within the cylinder at a second base thereof opposite the first base.

3. The smoke detector of claim 1 , wherein the magnet is coupled to an exterior surface of the chamber adjacent to the first electrode or the second electrode.

4. The smoke detector of claim 1 , further comprising:
a pole coupled to the first electrode or the second electrode, wherein the pole protrudes within the inner space of the chamber, and wherein the radioactive source is coupled to the pole.

5. The smoke detector of claim 1 , wherein the magnet is a first magnet mounted to a first side of the chamber, and wherein the smoke detector further comprises:
a second magnet mounted to a second side of the chamber opposite the first side thereof.

6. The smoke detector of claim 1 , wherein the magnet is mounted to a first side of the chamber, and wherein the smoke detector further comprises:
a coupling member coupled to the magnet mounted to the first side of the chamber, wherein the coupling member interfaces with a second side of the chamber opposite the first side thereof.

7. The smoke detector of claim 6 , wherein the coupling member includes a yoke having a U-shape and comprising: (i) a first leg portion coupled to the magnet, (ii) a second leg portion coupled to the second side of the chamber, and (iii) a connecting portion that couples the first leg portion to the second leg portion.

8. The smoke detector of claim 6 , wherein the coupling member is made of a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic material.

9. The smoke detector of claim 1 , wherein the magnet includes a permanent magnet, an electro-magnet, or an electro-permanent magnet.

10. A smoke detector comprising:
a chamber;
a first electrode disposed within the chamber;
a second electrode disposed within the chamber, wherein air is disposed within the chamber between the first electrode and the second electrode;
a radioactive source emitting alpha particles in the air between the first electrode and the second electrode; and
a magnet disposed in the smoke detector and coupled to the chamber, wherein the magnet generates a magnetic field having magnetic flux lines passing through the air between the first electrode and the second electrode, and wherein the magnet is oriented such that at least a portion of the magnetic flux lines is substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the chamber.

11. The smoke detector of claim 10 , wherein the chamber is shaped as a cylinder, wherein the first electrode is disposed within the cylinder at a first base thereof, and wherein the second electrode is disposed within the cylinder at a second base thereof opposite the first base.

12. The smoke detector of claim 10 , wherein the magnet is coupled to an exterior surface of the chamber adjacent to the first electrode or the second electrode.

13. The smoke detector of claim 10 , further comprising:
a pole coupled to the first electrode or the second electrode, wherein the pole protrudes within the inner space of the chamber, and wherein the radioactive source is coupled to a tip of the pole.

14. The smoke detector of claim 10 , wherein the magnet is a first magnet mounted to a first side of the chamber, and wherein the smoke detector further comprises:
a second magnet mounted to a second side of the chamber opposite the first side thereof.

15. The smoke detector of claim 10 , wherein the magnet is mounted to a first side of the chamber, and wherein the smoke detector further comprises:
a yoke that is U-shaped and comprising: (i) a first leg portion coupled to the magnet, (ii) a second leg portion coupled to a second side of the chamber opposite the first side thereof, and (iii) a connecting portion that couples the first leg portion to the second leg portion.

16. A smoke detector comprising:
a chamber;
a first electrode disposed within the chamber;
a second electrode disposed within the chamber, wherein air is disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode;
a radioactive source emitting alpha particles in the air between the first electrode and the second electrode;
a first magnet mounted to an exterior surface of the chamber at a first side of the chamber; and
a second magnet mounted to the exterior surface of the chamber at a second side of the chamber opposite the first side thereof, wherein the first magnet and the second magnet cooperate to generate a magnetic field having magnetic flux lines passing through the air disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode.

17. The smoke detector of claim 16 , wherein the chamber is shaped as a cylinder, wherein the first electrode is disposed within the cylinder at a first base thereof, and wherein the second electrode is disposed within the cylinder at a second base thereof opposite the first base.

18. The smoke detector of claim 16 , wherein the first electrode is coupled to an interior surface of the chamber at the first side adjacent to the first magnet, and wherein the second electrode is coupled to the interior surface of the chamber at the second side adjacent to the second magnet.

19. The smoke detector of claim 16 , wherein the first and second magnets are oriented such that at least a portion of the magnetic flux lines is substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the chamber.

20. The smoke detector of claim 16 , further comprising:
a pole coupled to the first electrode or the second electrode, wherein the pole protrudes within the inner space of the chamber, and wherein the radioactive source is coupled to a tip of the pole such that the radioactive source is positioned proximate to a center of the chamber.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Tillotson Brian

Classifications

• G01T7/125

  Alarm- or controlling circuits using ionisation chambers, proportional counters or Geiger-Mueller tubes, also functioning as UV detectors (measuring radiation intensity with counting tubes G01T1/18; measuring radiation intensity with ionisation chambers G01T1/185; flame monitoring in combustion devices F23Q7/00, F23N; fire alarms actuated by presence of radiation of particles, e.g. of infrared radiation, of ions G08B17/11; discharge tubes per se H01J47/00) · CPC title

• G08B17/113

  Constructional details · CPC title

• G01N27/66 Primary

  and measuring current or voltage · CPC title