Systems and methods for suppressing fire in containers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11577106-B2
Application number	US-201715681816-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 21, 2017
Priority date	May 15, 2012
Publication date	Feb 14, 2023
Grant date	Feb 14, 2023

Abstract

A device for suppressing fire inside a container includes a support structure configured to be mounted inside a vehicle at a position associated with at least one location configured to receive a container. The device further includes a deployment structure coupled to the support structure and a penetrator assembly coupled to the deployment structure. The penetrator assembly includes a nozzle having a tip configured to pierce a container and an actuator associated with the nozzle. The actuator is configured to extend the tip of the nozzle such that it pierces a container. The support structure and the deployment structure are configured such that the penetrator assembly is movable in at least one plane with respect to the support structure, and the penetrator assembly is configured to receive fire suppressant and direct the fire suppressant into the container.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for suppressing fire, the system comprising:
a support structure configured to be mounted inside a vehicle;
a pivot mount fixedly attached to the support structure, the pivot mount including a first hinge;
a pivot member pivotably connected to the first hinge, the pivot member including a second hinge;
an arm extending lengthwise from a first end to a second end, the first end being pivotably coupled to the second hinge, the arm being movable to a plurality of positions in a plane relative to the support structure, each of the positions being disposed above a location configured to receive a container; and
a penetrator assembly coupled to the second end of the arm, the penetrator assembly comprising:
a nozzle having a tip configured to pierce the container, and
an actuator associated with the nozzle, wherein the actuator is configured to extend the tip of the nozzle in a direction perpendicular to the plane such that the tip pierces the container; and
at least one conduit associated with the penetrator assembly and configured to supply fire suppressant to the nozzle.

2. The system of claim 1 , further including a fire suppressant delivery system, comprising:
at least one tank configured to contain fire suppressant; and
the at least one conduit providing flow communication between the at least one tank and the penetrator assembly.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the at least one tank comprises a first tank and a second tank, wherein the first tank is configured to contain a first fire suppressant component, and the second tank is configured to contain a second fire suppressant component, and wherein the at least one conduit comprises:
a first conduit providing flow communication between the first tank and the penetrator assembly, and
a second conduit providing flow communication between the second tank and the penetrator assembly.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the first fire suppressant component comprises a gas and the second fire suppressant component comprises a foam solution, and the penetrator assembly is configured to combine the gas and the foam solution to form fire suppressant foam and discharge the fire suppressant foam from the nozzle into the container.

5. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a controller that deploys the penetrator assembly and activates the actuator upon detection of a temperature associated with a container that is greater than a predetermined temperature.

6. The system of claim 1 , further including:
at least one sensor configured to detect a temperature associated with at least one container; and
a controller that:
receives a signal indicative of the temperature associated with the at least one container from the at least one sensor,
compares the temperature associated with the at least one container with a predetermined temperature, and
deploys the penetrator assembly and actuates the actuator if the temperature associated with the at least one container is greater than the predetermined temperature.

7. The system of claim 1 , further including:
at least one sensor configured to detect a temperature associated with at least one container; and
a controller that:
receives a signal indicative of the temperature associated with the at least one container from the at least one sensor,
compares the temperature associated with the at least one container with a predetermined temperature, and
activates a warning signal if the temperature associated with the at least one container is greater than the predetermined temperature, and
wherein the warning signal provides an indication that the temperature associated with the container is greater than the predetermined temperature.

8. The system of claim 7 , further comprising a system activation switch configured to deploy the penetrator assembly and actuate the actuator.

9. The system of claim 6 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises a first sensor configured to detect a temperature associated with a first container, and a second sensor configured to detect a temperature associated with a second container.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the controller:
receives signals indicative of the temperatures associated with the first and second containers from the first and second sensors,
compares the temperatures associated with the first and second containers with at least one predetermined temperature, and
deploys the penetrator assembly and actuates the actuator if the temperature associated with either the first or second container is greater than the at least one predetermined temperature, and
wherein the controller controls deployment of the penetrator assembly such that the nozzle penetrates the container associated with the temperature that is greater than the at least one predetermined temperature.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second end of the arm and the penetrator assembly are configured to pivot with respect to one another.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein as the arm pivots with respect to the support structure, the arm and the penetrator assembly pivot with respect to one another so that the penetrator assembly maintains a substantially constant orientation relative to the support structure.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the support structure comprises a stow actuator configured to maintain the penetrator assembly in a stowed condition and release the penetrator assembly from the stowed condition for movement to a deployed condition.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the stow actuator comprises one of a pneumatic cylinder, a hydraulic cylinder, or an electric actuator.

15. The system of claim 1 , wherein the arm comprises an upper link and a lower link, wherein the upper and lower links extend parallel with respect to one another between the first end and the second end of the arm.

16. The system of claim 1 , wherein the actuator of the penetrator assembly comprises one of a pneumatic cylinder, a hydraulic cylinder, an electric actuator, or a spring.

17. The system of claim 1 , wherein the nozzle comprises a tubular member, and wherein the tip is located at a first end of the tubular member.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the tubular member is frangible such that once the tip has penetrated the container, the container can be moved without the tip being removed from the container.

19. The system of claim 7 , wherein the at least one sensor is one of a thermopile, an optical pyrometer, or an infrared sensor.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the warning signal comprises one of a warning light or an audible message.

Assignees

• Federal Express Corp

Inventors

• Petzinger Mark R

Classifications

• A62C5/02

  of foam · CPC title

• A62C3/08 Primary

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

• A62C31/22

  specially adapted for piercing walls, heaped materials, or the like · CPC title

• A62C37/08

  comprising an outlet device containing a sensor, or itself being the sensor, i.e. self-contained sprinklers · CPC title

• A62C3/07 Primary

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