Patent US4719973A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
← Back to Patent Explorer
US4719973A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Fire and explosion detection and suppression

Assignee: Kidde Fire Protection Ltd
•
Filing: 1986-11-25
•
Granted: 1988-01-19
•
Expires: 2006-11-25
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract A fire and explosion detection and suppression system protects a hangar within which may be stored jet aircraft whose engines may be run up particularly in the re-heat mode. Two radiation sensors are mounted within the hangar and detect for at least predetermined amounts of radiation of predetermined and different types (e.g. one sensor may be a UV sensor and the other may be an IR sensor). When they simultaneously detect sufficient radiation, they operate an AND gate. This fires off suppressor units. To prevent false alarms due to radiation emitted by a running jet engine or a jet engine running in re-heat mode, such a running jet engine is sensed by a transducer responsive to the emitted acoustic or vibrational energy. This blocks the AND gate.

Inventors

  • 👤 Nicholas S. Allen
  • 👤 Peter E. Moore

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-30 06:12
CPC Classifications
G; G08; G08B; G08B29/00; G08B29/18; G08B29/185; G08B29/188; G08B17/00; G08B17/12

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim 113 words
A fire and explosion detection system for detecting fire or explosion within an area to be protected, comprising radiation detection means operative to produce an alarm signal in response to the detection of electromagnetic radiation from a source within the said area and thereby indicative of a fire or explosion in the said area, non-radiation-responsive transducer means operative to detect the existence within the said area of a predetermined non-radiation parameter and thereby indicating that the source of electromagnetic radiation to which the radiation detection means is responsive is one in response to which no alarm signal is required, and inhibit means responsive to the non-radiation-responsive transducer means for blocking such alarm signal.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 113 words
A fire and explosion detection system for detecting fire or explosion within an area to be protected, comprising radiation detection means operative to produce an alarm signal in response to the detection of electromagnetic radiation from a source within the said area and thereby indicative of a fire or explosion in the said area, non-radiation-responsive transducer means operative to detect the existence within the said area of a predetermined non-radiation parameter and thereby indicating that the source of electromagnetic radiation to which the radiation detection means is responsive is one in response to which no alarm signal is required, and inhibit means responsive to the non-radiation-responsive transducer means for blocking such alarm signal.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 49 words
A system according to claim 1, in which the radiation detection means comprises a plurality of radiation sensors each producing a respective output signal in response to detection of predetermined radiation, and including circuit means responsive to the outputs of the radiation sensors to produce the said alarm signal.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 48 words
A system according to claim 2, in which the circuit means includes a coincidence gate for producing the said alarm signal in response to simultaneous receipt of the output signals from the radiation sensors, and the inhibit means comprises means for blocking such response of the coincidence gate.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 51 words
A system according to claim 2, in which the circuit means comprises logic means for producing the said alarm signal in response to simultaneous receipt of the output signals from a predetermined selection of the radiation sensors, and the inhibit means comprises means for blocking such response of the logic means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 32 words
A system according to claim 1, in which the said source of electromagnetic radiation which is required not to produce an alarm signal is a running jet engine of a jet aircraft.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 32 words
A system according to claim 5, in which the predetermined non-radiation parameter to which the non-radiation-responsive transducer means is responsive is the acoustic or vibrational energy emitted by the running jet engine.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 89 words
A fire and explosion detection and suppression system, for protecting an area in which jet aircraft may be stored, comprising radiation detection means for detecting electromagnetic radiation arising from such fires and explosions within the said area and for producing a respective alarm signal, suppression means within the area and responsive to the alarm signal to discharge fire and explosion suppressant into the area, and transducer means responsive to the acoustic or vibrational energy emitted by a running jet engine for inhibiting the production of the said alarm signal.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 89 words
A fire and explosion detection and suppression system, for protecting an area in which jet aircraft may be stored, comprising radiation detection means for detecting electromagnetic radiation arising from such fires and explosions within the said area and for producing a respective alarm signal, suppression means within the area and responsive to the alarm signal to discharge fire and explosion suppressant into the area, and transducer means responsive to the acoustic or vibrational energy emitted by a running jet engine for inhibiting the production of the said alarm signal.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 53 words
A system according to claim 7, in which there are a plurality of such radiation detection means each capable of producing a said alarm signal, and the non-radiation-responsive transducer means is connected to block the production of the alarm signal by at least one but not all of the said radiation detection means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 59 words
A system according to claim 7, in which the radiation detection means comprises a plurality of radiation sensors each producing a respective electrical output in response to receipt of radiation of a predetermined type, and including respective circuit means connected to receive the outputs from each plurality of sensors and to produce the said alarm signal in response thereto.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 81 words
A fire and explosion detection and suppression method, for protecting an area in which jet aircraft may be stored, comprising the steps of detecting electromagnetic radiation arising from such fires and explosions within the said area and for producing a respective alarm signal. responding to the said alarm signal by discharging fire and explosion suppressant into the area, and responding to the acoustic or vibrational energy emitted from a running jet engine by inhibiting the production of the said alarm signal.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 81 words
A fire and explosion detection and suppression method, for protecting an area in which jet aircraft may be stored, comprising the steps of detecting electromagnetic radiation arising from such fires and explosions within the said area and for producing a respective alarm signal. responding to the said alarm signal by discharging fire and explosion suppressant into the area, and responding to the acoustic or vibrational energy emitted from a running jet engine by inhibiting the production of the said alarm signal.

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1991-01-18 1991-07-20 1992-01-19 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1995-01-18 1995-07-20 1996-01-19 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1999-01-18 1999-07-20 2000-01-19 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag