Fire extinguishing container

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10201722-B2
Application number	US-201615186103-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 17, 2016
Priority date	Jun 17, 2016
Publication date	Feb 12, 2019
Grant date	Feb 12, 2019

Abstract

An enclosure, vehicle, and method for containing an overheating device are provided. An enclosure includes a body and a door that form a volume. The body includes is connected to a Venturi tube that is in communication with a fluid flow path flowing across an opening at an opposite end. In the event an overheating device is placed in the enclosure, a pressure sensor measures a pressure in the volume and a controller opens a first valve in a flow path through the Venturi tube so that air is pumped from the volume via the Venturi effect. The first valve is closed when the measured pressure drops below a threshold pressure. The enclosure can also include an extinguishing agent that can be expelled into the volume if a temperature sensor measures a temperature above a threshold temperature.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An enclosure, comprising:
a container comprising a body and a door, wherein the door is movable between an open position and a closed position and forms an airtight seal with the body in the closed position to define a volume in the container, wherein the body includes a port in communication with an upstream end of a Venturi tube, and wherein a downstream end of the Venturi tube is in communication with a fluid flow path flowing across an opening at the downstream end;
a pressure sensor arranged in the volume in the container, wherein the pressure sensor is operable to output a pressure signal;
a first valve arranged in an air flow path through the port, wherein the first valve is movable between an open state and a closed state;
a temperature sensor arranged in the volume in the container, wherein the temperature sensor is operable to output a temperature signal;
a pressurized extinguishing agent;
a second valve arranged in a flow path between the pressurized extinguishing agent and the volume in the container, wherein the second valve is changeable from a closed state to an open state; and
a controller operable, in an operable state, to:
receive the pressure signal from the pressure sensor;
in response to receiving the pressure signal, output first valve control signals to:
move the first valve to the open state in an event a value of the pressure signal exceeds a pressure threshold level; and
move the first valve to the closed state upon the value of the pressure signal dropping below the pressure threshold level;

receive the temperature signal from the temperature sensor; and
output a second valve control signal to change the second valve from the closed state to the open state upon a value of the temperature signal exceeding a temperature threshold level, wherein the controller outputs the second valve control signal upon the temperature signal exceeding the temperature threshold level and upon the value of the pressure signal dropping below the pressure threshold level.

2. The enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the controller includes an inactive state and the operable state, and wherein the controller transitions from the inactive state to the operable state upon the door being moved from the closed position to the open position and returned to the closed position.

3. The enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the controller includes an inactive state and the operable state, wherein the enclosure further comprises an activation input on an exterior of the container, and wherein the controller transitions from the inactive state to the operable state upon the controller receiving an activation signal from the activation input.

4. The enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the container includes an interior layer, an exterior layer, and an insulating layer arranged between the interior and exterior layers.

5. The enclosure of claim 4 , wherein the interior and exterior layers comprise at least one of a steel alloy and a titanium alloy.

6. The enclosure of claim 4 , wherein the insulating layer comprises at least one of: a refractory material and a phase change material.

7. An aircraft, comprising:
a compartment;
a container arranged in the compartment, the container comprising a body and a door, wherein the door is movable between an open position and a closed position and forms an airtight seal with the body in the closed position to define a volume in the container, wherein the body includes a port in communication with an upstream end of a Venturi tube, and wherein a downstream end of the Venturi tube is in communication with a fluid flow path across an opening at the downstream end, the fluid flow path comprising a freestream air flow path over an exterior of a fuselage of the aircraft, wherein the opening at the downstream end of the Venturi tube is flush with the exterior of the fuselage;
a pressure sensor arranged in the volume in the container, wherein the pressure sensor is operable to output a pressure signal;
a first valve arranged in an air flow path through the port, wherein the first valve is movable between an open state and a closed state; and
a controller operable, in an operable state, to:
receive the pressure signal from the pressure sensor; and
output first valve control signals to:
move the first valve to the open state in the event a value of the pressure signal exceeds a pressure threshold level; and
move the first valve to the closed state upon the value of the pressure signal dropping below the pressure threshold level.

8. The aircraft of claim 7 , further comprising:
a temperature sensor arranged in the volume in the container, wherein the temperature sensor is operable to output a temperature signal;
a pressurized extinguishing agent; and
a second valve arranged in a flow path between the pressurized extinguishing agent and the volume in the container, wherein the second valve is changeable from a closed state to an open state,
wherein the controller is further operable, in the operable state, to:
receive the temperature signal from the temperature sensor; and
output a second valve control signal to change the second valve from the closed state to the open state upon a value of the temperature signal exceeding a temperature threshold level.

9. The aircraft of claim 8 , wherein the controller outputs the second valve control signal upon the temperature signal exceeding a temperature threshold level and upon the value of the pressure signal dropping below the pressure threshold level.

10. The aircraft of claim 7 , wherein the compartment is a passenger compartment of the aircraft.

11. The aircraft of claim 7 , wherein the Venturi tube includes a first tube portion attached to the container and a second tube portion attached to the fuselage; and
further comprising a quick disconnect fitting that couples the first tube portion and the second tube portion together and that provides fluid communication between the first tube portion and the second tube portion.

12. The aircraft of claim 10 , wherein the controller is further operable to transmit an activation signal to avionics in a flight deck of the aircraft, and wherein the avionics display a notification to a pilot of the aircraft in response to receiving the activation signal.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Koreis Rocke R
• Scarce Joseph A

Classifications

• B65F2240/108

  Batteries · CPC title

• A62C3/16 Primary

  in electrical installations, e.g. cableways · CPC title

• A62C3/07 Primary

  in vehicles, e.g. in road vehicles · CPC title

• A62C3/06

  of highly inflammable material, e.g. light metals, petroleum products · CPC title

• A62C3/10

  in ships {(A62C3/0207 takes precedence)} · CPC title