EP0225173B1

EP0225173B1 - Particle or gaseous detector

Info

Publication number: EP0225173B1
Application number: EP19860309240
Authority: EP
Inventors: Stephen Henry Ellwood
Original assignee: Caradon Gent Ltd
Current assignee: Novar Systems Ltd
Priority date: 1985-11-29
Filing date: 1986-11-26
Publication date: 1995-05-10
Anticipated expiration: 2006-11-26
Also published as: DE3650321T2; GB8529436D0; DE3650321D1; EP0225173A3; EP0225173A2

Description

This invention relates to particle or gaseous detectors comprising a chamber incorporating a sensor. The detector may be a fire detector and the sensor may be a combustion product sensor.
Previously known fire detectors have included smoke sensors which may, for example, be an optical sensor or an ionisation detector and it would be usual for the fire detector to be mounted on a flat surface such as a ceiling. In such circumstances it is known that a significant proportion of gaseous streams carrying smoke would travel in different directions substantially horizontally along the ceiling.
Thus, in the past, it has been customary either to provide apertures in the detector extending in planes normal to the ceiling surface or to provide the chamber with a cylindrical or dome-like metallic mesh having a mesh size small enough to prevent entry of all but the smallest insects. In either case smoke travelling along the ceiling surface would be able to enter the chamber through an aperture extending at right angles to the direction of travel of the smoke or through an appropriately disposed part of the mesh.
However, problems arise with smoke travelling in other directions and at an angle to the mounting surface. Generally the differing directions of travel of a smoke carrying gaseous stream result from variations in the velocity of the stream. With a fire detector mounted on a ceiling smoke carried by a slow gaseous (generally air) stream travelling for example at less than about 0̸.1 m/s tends to be carried by convection vertically upwards. When the airspeed is higher than about 0̸.1 m/s the smoke tends to be carried along in a direction generally parallel with the ceiling as described above.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved particle or gaseous detector that is capable of providing more consistent results than hitherto with variations in the speed of the gaseous medium.
According to the present invention there is provided a particle or gaseous detector to be mounted on a flat surface such as a ceiling, comprising a chamber incorporating a sensor and open to the ambient atmosphere via one or more apertures extending generally in a plane or planes parallel with the mounting surface characterised in that a part of the casing of the detector extends externally of the aperture or apertures and is shaped so that at least a part of any low velocity gaseous stream travelling generally parallel with the plane(s) of the aperture(s) is deflected upwardly therethrough normal to the plane thereof.
The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a fire detector mounted on a ceiling,
Figure 2 is a cross-section to a larger scale of the detector of Fig. 1 taken on X-X of Fig. 1 and partly in differing radial sections, and
Figure 3 is a plan view of the base of the chamber of the detector of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawings the fire detector comprises a cup-shaped body 1 to be fixed to a ceiling 2; a chamber base, indicated generally at 3 and a cover structure 4, incorporating a generally flat, annular mesh 5, the structure and the base together defining a chamber 6.
The body 1 contains a clip-fit box 7 having a pillar 8 having jaws 9 and 10̸ embracing a radial edge 11 of a printed circuit board 12, the jaws each being provided with flexible electrical wiper connectors 13 for engaging corresponding fixed contacts (not shown) on the board 12. The Chamber base 3 is circular and has flat peripheral region 14 formed with an upstanding wall 15 the upper part of which has an inwardly directed shoulder 16. Inwardly of the region 14 the base has a chordal ridge 17 which is offset from a diameter of the base. The upper surface 18 of the ridge lies in the plane of the upper surface of the region 14 and, as shown in Fig. 3 the ridge is tapered from a narrow end 19 to a wider end 20̸ and is formed with a similarly tapered central groove 21. It will be understood that the centre line of the groove is not only displaced from a diameter of the base but is also at a small angle, for example, about 2° to the diameter.
On each side of the ridge 17 the base slopes away at 22 and 23 to flat parts 24 and 25. A first groove 26 is formed in the slope 22 and flat part 24 to terminate at 27. A second groove 28 is formed in the slope 23 and flat part 25 to terminate at 29. As shown in Fig. 3 the groove 26 lies on a diametrical line 30̸ whereas the groove 28 is displaced from this line by an angle A which may be between 3° and 12° and is preferably between 3° and 5° or about 4°.
The angle B between the median line of the groove 26 and the plane containing the region 14 is preferably about 20̸°. The angle C between the median line of the groove 28 and the plane containing the region 14 is preferably about 16°. The angle between the median lines of the grooves is between 170̸° and 135° and is preferably between 160̸° and 140̸°. Part circular stepped parts 31 extend around the slopes 22 and 23 to meet the inner perimeter of the region 14.
The printed circuit board 12 carries supports 32 and 33 having recesses 34 and 35 of generally cup-shaped formation respectively formed witg 36 and 37 to be engaged by catches 38 and 39 on the base 3 to lock the latter and the board 12 together. The edge 11 in the board 12 forms part of a recess 40̸ therein and the lower surface of the base 3 has depending walls 41, 42 and 43 corresponding in size and shape with the periphery of the recess 40̸ and serving to seal against the board 12 and to accommodate the pillar 8.
When the base 3 and board 12 are locked together the recess 34 is in register and in contact with the end 27 of the groove 26 and the recess 35 is in register and in contact with the end 29 of the groove 28. As shown in Fig. 2 the recess 34 is formed with internal steps 44 and a photodiode (not shown) is located in the bottom of the recess, with its optimum optical path facing, through a double convex plastic lens 45 along the median line of the groove 26. The recess 35 is provided with a light emitting diode 46 having its optimum optical path directed along the median line of the groove 28. These median lines meet at D a position spaced above and laterally from the ridge 17. The diode 46 is preferably of the gallium aluminium arsenide type which emits radiation at a shorter wavelength than those conventionally used (880̸ nm instead of 950̸ nm).
The supports 32 and 33 carry pairs of pillars 47, 48 and 49, 50̸ respectively passing through slots 51 and 52 in the base 3. Thermistors 53 are mounted across each pair of pillars, their connections such as 54 passing downwardly to the board 12 holding them in place. It will be noted that the upper parts of the thermistors are level with the shoulder 16 of the wall 15 and they are in contact with the mesh 5.
As will be seen most clearly in fig. 3 a number of inwardly directed, sloping, buttresses 55 extend radially inwardly of the wall 15; between these buttresses circumferential ridges 56 are formed on the base 3. (These ridges are not shown in Fig. 2.)
A plate 57, formed with a recess 58 in register with the recess 40̸ in the board 12 is in contact with the board at several places (not shown) around its periphery and is locked with the board and the base 3 by a number of arms such as 59 having cranked ends 60̸ carried by the base and engaging the plate. Thus the base, the board and the plate can be assembled and handled as a single unit.
The chamber 6 is closed by a cap 61 having a circumferential wall 62 with an outwardly directed ledge 63 to receive the inner periphery of the mesh 5. The under surface 64 of the cap 61 is formed with a series of part circumferential ridges having surfaces 65a, b, c, d, e and f of decreasing radius centred on the diode 46. These surfaces are also inclined at different angles to the surface 64. To ensure accurate location of the cap 61 the latter is supported on a number of asymmetrically disposed pegs 66 having reduced diameter portions 67 passing into clearance holes (not shown) in the base 3.
The cover 4 has a top 68 engaging the upper surface 69 of the cap 61 and having a depending skirt 70̸ embracing the wall 62 and clamping the inner periphery of the mesh 5 against the ledge 63. At its outer periphery the top 68 is formed with a part 71 extending outwardly of the skirt 70̸ and a number of spaced apart radial fins 72 and increased width ribs 73 linking the top 68 with a circumferential part 74. The fins 72 are each formed with ribs 75 to clamp the outer periphery of the mesh 5 against the shoulder 16 and the buttresses 55. The cover 4 is secured to the base 3 by a series of snap fit members such as 76 having enlarged heads 77 passing through apertures 78 in the base 3. This engagement holds the mesh 5 and the cap 61 locked against the base 3.
The plate 56 is formed around its periphery with a number of locking members such as 79 rotationally engageable with members such as 80̸ on the body 1. The recesses 40̸ and 58 in the board 12 and plate 57 enable the pillar 8 to be accommodated while rotational movement between the body 1 and the remainder of the detector both locks and unlocks the plate 57 to the body 1 and at the same time engages and disengages the connectors 13. It will be understood that the board 12 and box 7 contain electrical connectors and such circuitry as may be necessary and the box 7 also has terminals (not shown) accessible through the body 1. If desired the board 12 and box 7 could contain the necessary micro computer and other circuitry disclosed in our copending application 8431883 now British Patent No. 2,168,517.
As is well known, scattering by smoke particles in the chamber 6 and particularly in the region D thereof, of radiation from the diode 46 is detected by the photodiode in the recess 34. The use of a diode 46 based on gallium aluminium arsenide at a shorter than usual wavelength is important since the relationship between scatter and wavelength is an inverse fourth power law. The photodiode in the recess 34 preferably incorporates an infra-red bandpass filter to assist rejection of ambient light level that may enter the chamber 6. Light cannot directly enter the chamber 6 in the sense to fall directly on the photodiode but a low level may penetrate due to multiple reflections.
A major feature of this construction is the reduction to a defined standing level of scatter and reflections within the chamber 6 of light from the diode 46 in no smoke conditions. The defined standing level enables smoke conditions. The defined standing level enables periodic or continuous monitoring of the working of the whole sensor.
Thus the interior surfaces of the chamber 6 are of a textured black finish to reduce spurious light reflections and these are further reduced by the presence of the parts 31, steps 44, ridges 56 and surfaces 65a-f.
The desired low scatter angle of 10̸° (i.e. when the optimum optical paths meet at 170̸°) has been determined in a series of experiments. In practice we have found considerable advantage over known constructions with scatter angles up to 45°. The different angles between these paths and the plane of the region 14 of the base 3 together with the off-centre location of the ridge 17 and the angle A enable a small scatter angle to be achieved whilst preventing direct reception by the photodiode of radiation from the diode 46. The slot 21 helps to prevent spurious scatter by small insects standing on the central part of the surface 18. Should the slot 21 not be present a small insect of a particular size at the centre of the surface 18 will create more scatter than the same insect at the edge of the surface.
The provision of the thermistors 53 increases the overall sensitivity of the detector to fires and it also increases the range of types of fire that can be detected. The mesh 5 also acts as a heat collector for the thermistors which are connected in parallel so that, because they are non-linear devices, the one at higher temperature predominates. The fins 72 do not extend across the annular gaps between the ribs 73 and the skirt 70̸ so that an annular space 81 exposed to the mesh 5 enables hot air to travel around the space 81 and contact the mesh 5 over a larger area thereof so as to reduce any dependence on directional approach in the horizontal direction.
When the detector is mounted on a ceiling surface 2 as shown in Fig. 1 smoke carried in a low-speed airstream travels upwardly through the mesh 5 by convection. If the airspeed is high (say above 0̸.1 m/s) then a significant part of it will be travelling along the surface of the ceiling. In these circumstances this air is then deflected by the part 71 and skirt 70̸ (Fig. 2) so that a component of it passes normally through the mesh. This deflection is helped by the fins 72 and ribs 73. It has been found with the present invention that even at low air speeds the concentration of smoke within the chamber 6 can be higher than that in the airstream externally of the chamber.
It will be understood that although as described above the fire detector incorporates the mesh 5, such mesh is not essential in circumstances where insects are not a problem or where instead of a fire detector the invention is applied to other gaseous detectors.

Claims

A particle or gaseous detector to be mounted on a flat surface such as a ceiling, comprising a chamber (6) incorporating a sensor and open to the ambient atmosphere via one or more downwardly facing apertures between wall parts (15,62) the aperture(s) (in 5) extending generally in a plane or planes parallel with the mounting surface characterised in that a part (70,71) of the casing of the detector extends externally of the aperture or apertures and is shaped so that at least a part of any low velocity gaseous stream travelling generally parallel with the plane(s) of the aperture(s) is deflected upwardly therethrough normal to the plane thereof.
A detector according to claim 1 in which the casing is formed with an uninterrupted annular space (81) communicating with the aperture(s) extending without intermission through 360° between annular spaced portions (70,75) of the casing which enables hot air to travel therearound and pass through the aperture(s) over a larger area thereof so as to reduce dependence upon directional approach.
A detector according to claim 2 in which the space (81) communicates externally of the casing past a series of fins (72) and ribs (73) to guide hot air travelling in a number of different directions, into the space.
A detector according to any one of the preceding claims in which the aperture(s) is covered by a mesh (5).
A detector according to claim 4 including at least one thermal sensor (53) in contact with the mesh (5).
A detector according to any one of the preceding claims constituting a fire detector and incorporating a smoke sensor.