AU2005100507B4 - Smoke Detector - Google Patents

Description

2005 18:58 Wallington-Dum er Sydney No. 1036 P. P/00/009 Regulation 3.2B

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR AN INNOVATION PATENT Invention Title: SMOKE DETECTOR The invention is described in the following statement together with the best method of performing it known to us: Our Reference: 056013 COMS ID No: SBMI-01308127 Received by IP Australia: Time 19:02 Date 2005-06-20 2.Nov. 2005 15:24 Wa I ington-Dum er Sydney No.2916 P. 4 2 n l SMOKE DETECTOR 0- The present invention relates to smoke detectors O and, more particularly, to smoke detectors and mounting fixtures and methods therefor.

BACKGROUND

In many jurisdictions it is now a requirement that 0 new buildings, both domestic and commercial, be fitted O with smoke detectors. Typically, these devices are housed o in a generally plastic enclosure and attached to ceilings CA 10 in strategic locations within the building.

Although not large, such devices by their bulk, colour and projection below the plane of the ceiling to which they are attached, produce a jarring detraction from the aesthetics of the room in which they are positioned. For this reason, there is a tendency to locate such detectors in a least intrusive position, rather than the optimum position for detection, which generally speaking, is central to the room.

It is an object of the present invention to address or at least ameliorate some of the above disadvantages.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION Accordingly, in a first broad form of the invention, there is provided a smoke detector adapted for installation within a bracket of a ceiling downlight; said smoke detector comprising a lower body portion COMS ID No: SBMI-01876181 Received by IP Australia: Time 16:26 Date 2005-11-02 2.Nov. 2005 15:25 Wallington-Dum er Sydney No.2916 P. 3 o adapted for engagement with said bracket, and an upper CA body portion extending upwardly from said lower 0 portion.

z SPreferably, said lower body portion is of similar shape to that of a light source adapted for retention Sin said bracket; said lower body having a front face 2 portion provided with a grille, a reset/test button and a warning light; said upper body portion having a o diameter not exceeding that of said front face portion.

Preferably, said bracket is adapted for insertion into a hole cut into a ceiling.

In a further broad form of the invention, there is provided a smoke detector adapted for substantially flush fitting within a ceiling aperture; said detector comprising a detector body and a mounting bracket; said mounting bracket arranged to be of similar appearance to brackets of flush-mounted downlights.

In still a further broad form of the invention, there is provided a method for releasably installing a smoke detector substantially flush with the surface of a ceiling; said smoke detector not projecting substantially below said surface; said method including the steps of:- COMS ID No: SBMI-01876181 Received by IP Australia: Time 16:26 Date 2005-11-02 2005 18:58 Wa Ilin ton-Dummer Sydney No.1036 P. 8 4o cutting a hole in a ceiling for 0 CAq insertion of a downlight-type bracket, installing a power supply and any required interconnecting cabling, o 5(c) installing said downlight-type bracket ointo said hole, 0 connecting said power supply and any 0 ciq said cabling to said smoke detector, fitting said smoke detector to said downlight-type bracket.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a typical smoke detector according to prior art mounted to a ceiling surface.

Fig-ure 2 is an exploded partially sectioned elevation view of the support components of a typical downlight bracket and light source with the main support component fitted to hole cut into a ceiling panel.

Figure 3 is a view of the components of Fig. 2 when assembled.

COMS ID No: SBMI-01308127 Received by IP Australia: Time 19:02 Date 2005-06-20 2005 18:58 Wallingtor-Dum er Sydney No.1036 P. 9 o Figure 4 is a side elevation view of a smoke detector Clq according to a preferred embodiment of the invention ;Figure 5 is a perspective view of the smoke detector oof Fig. 4, Cl Figure 6 is a partially sectioned elevation view of a opreferred embodiment of a smoke detector according to the In oinvention mounted in the support components of Figs. 2 and 0 tt% 3.

0 oFigure 7 is a view from below of the smoke detector of Cl Fig. 4 as fitted to the support components of Figs. 2 and 3, Figure 8 is a view of a the smoke detector of Figs- 4 and 5 fitted to a square downlight bracket mounted in a ceiling, Figure 9 is a view of the smoke detector front panel and mounting bracket of Fig. 8 viewed from underneath a ceiling.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS With reference to Figure 1 a typical smoke detector according to the prior art is enclosed in a body 12 affixed to the surface 14 of a ceiling. Such smoke detectors may be battery operated where they are retrofitted in older buildings but must be wired to a power supply in new buildings where appropriate regulations and building codes apply. They may also need to be interconnected so that if COMS ID No: SBMI-01308127 Received by IP Australia: Time 19:02 Date 2005-06-20 2005 18:59 Wallingtor-Dummer SydneyNo136 P N 0 10 3 6 P -6 oon e alarm is triggered in one part of a building, all other Cl alarms will also sound.

Smoke detectors for most commercial and domestic o installations operate on the principle of a radioactive source ionizing air in the detector and passing a current o through that air across a small gap. The presence of smoke o reduces the conductivity across the gap, setting off an alarm. other methods of smoke detection make use of o photoelectric technology to sense the presence of smoke.

in Smoke detectors generally include a reset/test button 16 which may be used to silence the alarm if the device is triggered by an other than dangerous smoke situation and for confirming the alarm is in working order. Smoke detectors are further equipped with an indicator light 18 to confirm that the detection circuit is in working order and a grille or grating to allow air and smoke to enter the inside of the body of the detector. A second grille 65 may be provided for the! alarm sound to pass through. In at least some jurisdictions, smoke detectors must display a warning that the detector must not be painted.

The actual components which make up the detector, that is the sensing circuitry, alarm sound generator and power supply module may be housed in any desired shape of enclosure. The power supply module may also be located in a separate housing in proximity to the sensing and alarm enclosure.

COMS IDNo: SBMI-01308127 Received by IP Australia:- Time 19:02 Date 2005-06-20 2005 18:59 Wal inigton-Dummer Sydney No.1036 P. 1 1 7 o The smoke detector of the present invention utilizes 0 C( the standard brackets of readily available downlights.. The term "downlight" as used in this specification refers to a ceiling mounted light comprising a light source retained in a bracket, the visible portion of which is a surrounding frame projecting only slightly below the surface of the -ceiling, all other parts of the downlight, including the t retaining parts of the bracket, projecting up into a hole 0 o cut into the ceiling.

ci The term "light source" as used in this specification comprises an integral assembly of a generally parabolic reflector, a transparent lens, power connections and a globe; the assembly adapted for fitting into the substantially flush mounting bracket of the downlight. It may further refer to a reflector and globe only; that is, an assembly without a lens.

First Preferred Embodiment Figure 2 shows a bracket assembly 20 typically used for installation of a standard halogen downlight into paneling or sheeting of a ceiling. Although the following examples of embodiments of the invention are with reference to a diachronic or halogen downlight and its fittings, it will be appreciated that the principles described may be applied to any fittings for downlights substantially flush mounted to a ceiling surface.

COMS ID No: SBMI-01308127 Received by IP Australia: Time 19:02 Date 2005-06-20 2G.Jun. 2005 18:59 I lington-Dunmer Sydney o133 .1 N 0 10 3 6 P 12 8o in the example of Fig. 2, bracket 22 is inserted into (N a hole 23 cut into the ceiling 24 and retained therein by ;Z ~spring clips 26.. A retaine~r ring 30 is adapted for o releasable insertion into bracket 22 by means of retainer lugs 32 which pass through diametrically opposed gaps (not oshown) in annular ledge 28 of bracket 22 in the manner of a 2 bayonet fitting.

Retainer ring 30 is provided with a spring clip 34 o for:ming a pair of arcuate ar-ms 36 extending from support member 38. Arms A6 are adapted to partially encircle and hold a light source 40 onto annular ledge 39. Light source as described above, comprises an integral assembly of a generally parabolic reflector 42, a transparent lens 44, power connections 46 and a halogen globe (not shown) The bracket 22, retainer ring 30 and light source 40 are shown assembled in Figure 3.

With reference to Figs, 4 to 7, a smoke detector according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, has a body 52 with a lower portion 54 of similar shape to that of the light source reflector 42 previously described. The front face .55 of the detector is ofE the same diameter as the lens 44.

Although shown in Figure 4 as of truncated parabolic form, it will be clear that an approximating conic section able to be gripped by the arms 36 of spring clip 34 will be equally suitable for lower portion 54. Indeed, the smoke COMS IDNo: SBMI-01308127 Received by IP Australia: Time 19:02 Date 2005-06-20 2005 18:59 Wall ingtor-Duarner Sydney o138 P No-1036 P. 13 o detector of the present invention may have its lower body (N portion adapted for mounting into any standard downlight ;Z f itting.

oThe upper portion 56 of body 52 is preferably cylindrical and the junction with lower body 5.4 shaped so o as not to interfere with the holding arrangement of the o light source, such as spring clip 34, The maximum diameter of upper body 56 is not greater than that of the lens 44 of o the light source for which the bracket is intended, so that the whole of the detector may be removed or inserted into the bracket 22 in a similar manner to that of a light source. The volume of the combined lower and upper portions 54 and 56 is sufficient to accommodate the working elements of the smoke detector. The power supply (not shown) and any interconnect ions with other smoke detectors within a building are connected via a plug-in socket 57 in end cap 59- The front face $5 of the smoke detector, which is analogous to the lens of the light source, is substantially in the form of a disc 58 in which is located a reset button indicator light 62, an air and smoke entry grille 64 and an alarm sound emitting grille 65, as best seen in Figs. 5 and 7.

Where the detection or light source technologies permit, disc 58 may be transparent and a light emitter fitted behind the disc. The smoke detector may then also COMS ID No: SBMI-01308127 Received by IP Australia: Time 19:02 Date 2005-06-20 20D5 18:59 Wallingtor-Dumr er Sydnoey No.-1036 14 10 o serve as a downlight, thus blending in with similarly 0 (Nq installed downlights in a room when the lights are switched ;Z onoFig. 8 shows the smoke detector 52 mounted in a square ci downlight bracket 70 inserted into a hole 72 cut into oceiling sheet 74. The appearance as seen from inside a room oin which the detector 52 and bracket 70 are installed is 0 shown in Fig. 9.

0 o FurLher Preferred Embodiments ci In a second preferred embodiment of the invention, the lower portion of the body of a smoke detector may incorporate the features of retaining ring 30 so as to be capable of fitting directly into the bracket 22.

in still a further embodiment of the invention the smoke detector may be supplied complete with its own bracket for fitting to a hole cut into a ceiling, the bracket being made available in a nunmber of styles and finishes to match those of the downlights with which the smoke detector is to be installed. Alternatively, the chosen bracket may such as to distinguish the detector from the downlights making it easily locatable, but yet not be visually intrusive in the marner of detectors mounted below the ceiling surface.

In Use The installation of a smoke detector of the present invention involves the following steps; COMS ID No: SBMI-01308127 Received by IP Australia: Time 19:02 Date 2005-06-20 2005 19:00 Wal n tor-Dummer Sydney No.1036 P. 11 select a suitable bracket, either identical to (Nq brackets of downlights (if any) in the room in which ;the smoke detector is to be located, or otherwise o satisfying aesthetic considerations, ci cut a hole in the ceiling at the selected location for o" the detector bracket, install power supply and interconnecting cabling as 0 required within the ceiling space, 0 install the bracket, ci connect power and any interconnecting cabling to the smoke detector connection socket, insert the smoke detector into the retaining bracket.

An advantage of the present invention is that the smoke detector maybe fitted to a large range of shapes and finishes of standard available fittings suited to any widely used flush-mounted ceiling light source. In addition to the advantage of an aesthetic appearance, a smoke detector according to the invention which becomes faulty may be rapidly demounted for inspection or repair and replaced if required.

The above describes only some embodiments of the present invention and modifications, obvious to those skilled in the art, can be made thereto without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.

COMS ID No: SBMI-01308127 Received by IP Australia: Time 19:02 Date 2005-06-20

Claims (5)

1. A smoke detector adapted for substantially flush O fitting within a ceiling aperture; said detector comprising a detector body and a mounting bracket; said smoke detector not projecting substantially below said ceiling; said mounting bracket arranged Q to be of similar appearance to brackets of flush- e- mounted downlights. o

2. The smoke detector of claim 1 wherein said detector is adapted for installation within a bracket of a ceiling downlight; said smoke detector comprising a lower body portion adapted for engagement with said bracket, and an upper body portion extending upwardly from said lower portion.

3. The smoke detector of claim 2 wherein said lower body portion is of similar shape to that of a light source adapted for retention in said bracket; said lower body having a front face portion provided with a grille, a reset/test button and a warning light; said upper body portion having a diameter not exceeding that of said front face portion.

4. The smoke detector of claim 1 or 2 wherein said bracket is adapted for insertion into a hole cut into a ceiling. COMS ID No: SBMI-01876181 Received by IP Australia: Time 16:26 Date 2005-11-02 2.Nov. 2005 15:25 Wal in ton-Dummer Sydney No.2916 P. 7 13 V

5. A method for releasably installing a smoke detector o substantially flush with the surface of a ceiling; Ssaid smoke detector not projecting substantially Z below said surface; said method including the steps CA CD of:- cutting a hole in a ceiling for Sinsertion of a downlight-type bracket, installing a power supply and any 0 required interconnecting cabling, installing said downlight-type bracket into said hole, connecting said power supply and any said cabling to said smoke detector, fitting said smoke detector to said downlight-type bracket. DATED: 24 October 2005 Anthony John Burke and John Spellman by their Patent Attorneys: WALLINGTON-DUMMER COMS ID No: SBMI-01876181 Received by IP Australia: Time 16:26 Date 2005-11-02