Sprinkler deflector

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9717937-B2
Application number	US-201314430152-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 20, 2013
Priority date	Sep 21, 2012
Publication date	Aug 1, 2017
Grant date	Aug 1, 2017

Abstract

A sprinkler assembly including a fluid deflecting structure including a plurality of spaced apart tines defining a plurality of slots. The tines include a first pair of symmetric tines and a second pair of symmetric tines disposed orthogonally to the first pair of symmetric tines. The plurality of slots includes a group of asymmetric slots each having a first portion with a constant width and a second portion with a variable width radially outward of the first portion of the asymmetric slot.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A sprinkler comprising:
a frame having a body having an inlet, an outlet and an internal passageway extending between the inlet and the outlet to define a longitudinal sprinkler axis, the frame including two frame arms extending distally from the body about the outlet to define a plane bisecting the body such that the arms are equidistantly disposed about the plane; and
a planar fluid deflecting structure supported by the frame arms, the fluid deflecting structure having a center aligned along the longitudinal sprinkler axis and a peripheral edge about the center, the deflecting structure including a plurality of spaced apart tines defining a plurality of slots including
a first pair of symmetrical tines defining a first axis of symmetry disposed in the plane;
a second pair of symmetrical tines defining a second axis of symmetry disposed orthogonally with respect to the first axis of symmetry, each pair of symmetrical tines including a first portion having a constant width and a second portion radially outward of the first portion having a variable width such that the second portion broadens in the direction from the center to the peripheral edge; and
three groups of asymmetric slots angularly disposed between the first and second pairs of symmetric tines, the three groups of asymmetric slots including a first group of asymmetric slots, each slot in the first group of asymmetric slots having a first portion with a constant width and a second portion with a variable width radially outward of the first portion of the slot;

the first group of asymmetric slots being angularly disposed between a second group of asymmetric slots and a third group of asymmetric slots, each of the second and third group of asymmetric slots having first portion with a constant width and a second portion with a variable width radially inward of the first portion of the slot, each asymmetric slot in the three groups of asymmetric slots being asymmetric about an axis extending radially through the asymmetric slot and centered through the first portion of the asymmetric slot having a constant width.

2. The sprinkler of claim 1 , wherein the second portion of the second symmetrical tine includes an outer edge having a first segment defining a first included angle with respect to the second axis of symmetry and a second segment defining a second included angle with respect to the second axis of symmetry that is less than the first angle.

3. The sprinkler of claim 1 , wherein the outlet to the deflecting structure defines a distance of about 1¼ inch.

4. The sprinkler of claim 1 , wherein the deflecting structure is substantially circular defining a diameter of about 1¼ inch.

5. The sprinkler of claim 1 , wherein the deflecting structure is non-circular, the peripheral edge including a first peripheral edge defining a first diameter of the deflecting structure about the center, and a second peripheral edge defining a second diameter of the deflecting structure about the center, the second diameter being greater than the first diameter.

6. The sprinkler of claim 5 , wherein the first diameter is about 1¼ inches and the second diameter is about 1.5 inches.

7. The sprinkler of claim 1 , wherein the deflecting structure includes a central opening disposed about a distal terminal portion of the frame, the first portions of each of the symmetrical tines having a first end disposed between the peripheral edge and the central opening and a second end disposed between the first end and the central opening, the first end of the first portion of the second symmetrical tine being disposed at a distance from the first axis of symmetry that is greater than the distance between the first end of the first portion of the first symmetrical tine and the second axis of symmetry.

8. The sprinkler of claim 1 , wherein the first asymmetrical slot includes an open end and a closed end, a pair of spaced apart sidewalls extending from the closed end to the open end, the pair of sidewalls include a first sidewall defining a first substantially constant included angle with respect to the first axis of symmetry over the first and second portions of the slot and a second sidewall having a first segment extending parallel to the first sidewall and a second segment defining a second included angle with respect to the second axis of symmetry, the second included angle being less than the first included angle.

9. The sprinkler of claim 1 , wherein the second portion of each tine of the first pair of symmetrical tines includes an outer edge having a segment which extends to the peripheral edge and defines a substantially constant included angle with respect to the first axis of symmetry.

10. The sprinkler of claim 1 , wherein the deflecting structure includes a first surface and an opposite second surface to define a uniform thickness over the deflecting structure, each of the first and second surfaces being perpendicular to the longitudinal sprinkler axis.

11. The sprinkler of claim 1 , wherein the second portion of the first pair of symmetrical tines varies in width at one constant rate along its length, the second portion of the second pair of symmetrical tines varying in width at a first constant rate and a second constant rate different than the first constant rate over the length of the second portion of the second pair of symmetrical tines.

12. The sprinkler of claim 1 , wherein the deflecting structure includes two pairs of asymmetric tines angularly disposed between the first and second pairs of symmetric tines, the two pairs of asymmetric tines being angularly adjacent to one another to define therebetween an asymmetric slot of the first group of asymmetric slots.

13. The sprinkler of claim 1 , wherein each of the asymmetric slots includes an open end and a closed end defining the radially innermost portion of the slot, wherein the closed end of at least one of the second and third group of asymmetric slots is more radially inward than the closed end of the first group of asymmetric slots.

14. The sprinkler of claim 1 , wherein each of the asymmetric slots includes an open end, a closed end defining the radially innermost portion of the slot, and a pair of spaced apart sidewalls extending from the closed end to the open end, wherein one sidewall of the second group of asymmetric slots is defined by an outer edge of the first pair of symmetric tines and the third group of asymmetric slots is defined by an outer edge of the second pair of symmetric tines, the pair of sidewalls of the first group of asymmetric slots includes a first sidewall defining a first substantially constant included angle with respect to the first axis of symmetry and a second sidewall having a first segment extending parallel to the first sidewall of the first group of asymmetric slots and a second segment defining a second included angle with respect to the second axis of symmetry, the second included angle being less than the first included angle.

15. The sprinkler of claim 14 , wherein the first sidewall is angularly disposed closer to the first axis of symmetry than the second sidewall, the second sidewall being angularly disposed closer to the second axis of symmetry than the first sidewall.

16. The sprinkler of claim 1 , wherein the peripheral edge includes a first peripheral edge defining a first diameter of a first circle about the center, and a second peripheral edge defining a second diameter of a second circle about the center, the second diameter being greater than the first diameter such that the first circle is smaller and concentric with the second circle.

Assignees

• Tyco Fire Products Lp

Inventors

• Miller Lyle
• Ancone Mathew R

Classifications

• A62C35/68 Primary

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

• A62C31/02

  Nozzles specially adapted for fire-extinguishing · CPC title

• A62C37/11 Primary

  heat-sensitive · CPC title

• B05B1/267

  the liquid or other fluent material being deflected in determined directions · CPC title

• B05B1/265

  the liquid or other fluent material being symmetrically deflected about the axis of the nozzle · CPC title