Fire suppression system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9044628-B2
Application number	US-81641610-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 16, 2010
Priority date	Jun 16, 2010
Publication date	Jun 2, 2015
Grant date	Jun 2, 2015

Abstract

A fire suppression system includes a volume reduction system having a seal member. The seal member is selectively deployable between a first position and a second position to seal an opening in a confined space.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fire suppression system, comprising:
a gas source configured to provide a gas output;
a distribution network connected to said gas source and configured to distribute said gas output throughout a confined space of an aircraft;
a volume reduction system including a seal member, wherein said seal member is selectively deployable between a first position and a second position in response to receiving said gas output to seal an opening in said confined space; and
said seal member attached to an underside of a floor located within said confined space.

2. The fire suppression system as recited in claim 1 , wherein said seal member includes an inflatable tube.

3. The fire suppression system as recited in claim 1 , wherein said seal member includes an inflatable mat.

4. The fire suppression system as recited in claim 1 , wherein said seal member includes a roller screen assembly.

5. The fire suppression system as recited in claim 1 , wherein said seal member includes a sliding door panel assembly.

6. The fire suppression system as recited in claim 1 , wherein said seal member is deflated in said first position and is inflated in said second position.

7. The fire suppression system as recited in claim 1 , wherein said volume reduction system includes a plurality of seal members deployable to isolate a first volume of said confined space from a second volume of said confined space.

8. The fire suppression system as recited in claim 1 , wherein said seal member includes a fire resistant material.

9. A method for use with a fire suppression system that responds to a fire threat within a confined space, comprising:
attaching a seal member to an underside of a floor located within the confined space, the floor dividing the confined space between a first volume and a second volume;
isolating the first volume of the confined space from the second volume of the confined space at a first location of the confined space by deploying the seal member; and
blocking an airflow leakage within the confined space at a second location of the confined space that is different from the first location.

10. The method as recited in claim 9 , wherein the first volume includes an aircraft cargo bay and the second volume includes a bilge, and the floor has at least one opening that extends between the aircraft cargo bay and the bilge, and the step of isolating includes:
deploying the seal member to seal the at least one opening and isolate the aircraft cargo bay from the bilge.

11. The method as recited in claim 10 , wherein the step of deploying a seal member includes:
inflating one of a tube and a mat.

12. The method as recited in claim 10 , wherein the step of deploying a seal member includes:
positioning one of a roller screen and a sliding door panel to seal the at least one opening of the floor.

13. The method as recited in claim 9 , wherein the confined space includes a cheek, and the step of blocking an airflow leakage within the confined space includes:
deploying a second seal member to block the airflow leakage from escaping from the first volume and the second volume into the cheek.

14. The fire suppression system as recited in claim 1 , comprising a controller that communicates with said volume reduction system, wherein said controller commands said volume reduction system to deploy said seal member to said second position in response to a fire threat signal.

15. The fire suppression system as recited in claim 1 , wherein said seal member obstructs at least one opening of a floor of said aircraft that divides said confined space into a first volume and a second volume in said second position.

16. A fire suppression system, comprising:
a volume reduction system including a seal member, wherein said seal member is selectively deployable between a first position and a second position to seal an opening in a confined space of an aircraft;
wherein said seal member obstructs at least one opening of a floor of said aircraft that divides said confined space into a first volume and a second volume in said second position; and
wherein said seal member is mounted to a beam structure of said floor with a restraint member.

17. The fire suppression system as recited in claim 1 , wherein said seal member extends longitudinally across a plurality of horizontally disposed beam structures that extend across said confined space.

18. A fire suppression system, comprising:
a volume reduction system positioned within a confined space of an aircraft and including a first seal member, wherein said first seal member is selectively deployable between a first position and a second position to isolate a first volume of said confined space from a second volume of said confined space at a first location of said confined space;
a leakage reduction system including a second seal member that is selectively deployable between a first position and a second position to block airflow at a second location within the confined space that is different from the first location, and said second location is a cheek of said confined space; and
a controller in communication with said volume reduction system and said leakage reduction system, wherein said controller deploys said first seal member and said second seal member to said second positions in response to a fire threat signal.

Assignees

• Seebaluck Dharmendr Len
• Simpson Terry
• Glaser Robert
• Kidde Tech Inc

Inventors

• Seebaluck Dharmendr Len
• Simpson Terry
• Glaser Robert

Classifications

• A62C99/0018

  using gases or vapours that do not support combustion, e.g. steam, carbon dioxide · CPC title

• A62C2/06 Primary

  Physical fire-barriers · CPC title

• A62C2/04 Primary

  Removing or cutting-off the supply of inflammable material · CPC title

• A62C3/08

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

• A62C35/68

  Details, e.g. of pipes or valve systems (valves in general F16K) · CPC title