Apparatuses, systems and methods for self-testing optical fire detectors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9355542-B2
Application number	US-201414164409-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 27, 2014
Priority date	Jan 27, 2014
Publication date	May 31, 2016
Grant date	May 31, 2016

Abstract

An integral testing system for testing OFDs is provided. The OFD may comprise a body, a detector, and an infrared source. The detector and the infrared source may be housed with the body. The infrared source may be configured to generate emissions having one or more infrared wavelengths that are detectable by the detector. The infrared source may be configured to produce infrared emissions to simulate flaming fire.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An optical flame detector comprising:
a body;
a first infrared source housed within the body and configured to generate a first emission having a first wavelength;
a second infrared source housed within the body and configured to generate a second emission having a second wavelength that is different than the first wavelength, the first emission and the second emission being generated in less than one hundred milliseconds and in response to receiving a request to perform a self-test;
a first window coupled to the body and configured to filter and reflect the first emission from the first infrared source and the second emission from the second infrared source;
a second window coupled to the body and configured to filter and reflect the first emission from the first infrared source and the second emission from the second infrared source;
a first detector housed within the body and configured to monitor an environment through the first window and to receive the first emission from the first infrared source reflected by the first window and to receive the second emission from the second infrared source reflected by the first window; and
a second detector housed within the body and configured to monitor the environment through the window and to receive the first emission from the first infrared source reflected by the second window and to receive the second emission from the second infrared source reflected by the second window.

2. The optical flame detector of claim 1 , wherein the first infrared source is capable of producing a plurality of emissions having wavelengths of approximately 1 μm to approximately 20 μm.

3. The optical flame detector of claim 1 , wherein the first infrared source is collocated on the same surface as the first detector.

4. The optical flame detector of claim 1 , wherein the first infrared source is a MEMS device.

5. The optical flame detector of claim 1 , further comprising a LED emitter.

6. The optical flame detector of claim 5 , wherein the LED emitter is configured to generate a third emission having a third wavelength that is different than the first wavelength and the second wavelength.

7. The optical flame detector of claim 1 , wherein the first infrared source is configured to produce full output infrared emissions in tens of milliseconds.

8. The optical flame detector of claim 1 , wherein the first infrared source is a film-like device.

9. The optical flame detector of claim 8 , wherein the first infrared source is a film resistor.

10. The optical flame detector of claim 1 , wherein the first window is at least one of operatively coupled to or formed in the body and wherein the first infrared source is positioned within the body such that the first infrared source does not obstruct a field of monitoring of the detector.

11. A self-testing fire suppression system comprising:
an optical flame detector comprising,
a first detector,
a second detector,
a first infrared source configured to produce a first emission having a first wavelength and a second emission having a second wavelength in less than one hundred milliseconds and that is different than the first wavelength,
a first window configured to filter and reflect the first emission and the second emission from the first infrared source to the first detector, and
a second window configured to filter and reflect the first emission and the second emission from the first infrared source to the second detector.

12. The self-testing fire suppression system of claim 11 , wherein the first infrared source is a MEMS based infrared source.

13. The self-testing fire suppression system of claim 11 , wherein the optical flame detector further comprises an LED emitter.

14. The self-testing fire suppression system of claim 11 , wherein the optical flame detector further comprises a second infrared source.

15. The self-testing fire suppression system of claim 14 , wherein the second infrared source is configured to produce a third emission having a third wavelength that is different than the first wavelength and the second wavelength.

16. The self-testing fire suppression system of claim 11 , wherein the first infrared source is configured to produce emissions having wavelengths of approximately 1 μm to approximately 20 μm.

Assignees

• Kidde Tech Inc

Inventors

• Bell Ken
• Thebert Robert

Classifications

• G01J5/0801

  Means for wavelength selection or discrimination · CPC title

• G01J5/0014

  for sensing the radiation from gases, flames · CPC title

• G01J5/0803

  Arrangements for time-dependent attenuation of radiation signals · CPC title

• G01J5/04

  Casings · CPC title

• G01J5/0896

  using a light source, e.g. for illuminating a surface · CPC title