EP2687269B1

EP2687269B1 - Remote monitoring device of fire-fighting equipment

Info

Publication number: EP2687269B1
Application number: EP12382288.4A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Carolina Vilas Blanco; Hector Gil San Jose
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2012-07-19
Filing date: 2012-07-19
Publication date: 2017-01-18
Anticipated expiration: 2032-07-19
Also published as: EP2687269A1; PT2687269T; ES2620971T3; PL2687269T3

Description

The following invention, as expressed in the statement of the present specification, relates to a control system for fire prevention facilities, the fire prevention facilities being of the type which are mounted in all types of buildings and warehouses that mount at least one pressure group and/or at least one equipped fire hydrant and/or at least one fire extinguisher, with corresponding function means, so that the essential object is to continuously and automatically control that the pressure of all the components of the facility is correct and that the fire extinguishers are at their place of location.
Thus, in a control centre the proper state of all the components of the fire protection facility is continuously being monitored of and at the moment that a failure occurs it is known instantly in order to be able to act accordingly with the object of rectify said failure.

FIELD OF APPLICATION

The present specification describes a control system for fire prevention facilities, which is applicable for installation in all types of buildings, and thus, applies in public institutions, shopping malls, health and educational centres, and residential buildings, as well as in all types of businesses and industrial warehouses.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

As it is known, with the passage of time the security measures in general and, in particular as regards fire prevention, have been improving with the object of minimizing the risk thereof, see for example WO 2010/035150 A1 .
Thus, the different components of a fire protection facility such as the pressure group, the equipped fire hydrants and the fire extinguishers are provided with gauges that allow to know that the pressure is correct and for this regular reviews are carried out.
Despite this, at any time can occur a pressure leak rendering useless the corresponding component and not being aware of this until there is a review of said component, such that if in that interval said component has to be used it will not be possible, and this may have fatal consequences.
This problem becomes more serious in those rooms of the facility that are closed having restricted access and that are only tested when the corresponding review of the facility is carried out by the maintenance services, so they may be useless and this is not detected until the review is carried out. Thus, the discharge of automatic fire extinguishers can occur in burners or boilers wherein no one accesses until the review is carried out and therefore said area is unprotected.
Likewise, it may also be the case that the pressure group does not have the correct pressure such that there will not be enough pressure in the event of use of the equipped fire hydrants, with the added inconvenient that by not having the correct pressure the pumps operate without sufficient pressure and they can be damaged and the facility remains unprotected.
Similarly, the fire extinguishers may lose pressure, may be discharged or may be stolen, leaving the area unprotected and so that, typically, there is no record of this until a review is carried out. Exceptionally, there might be the case that, in those components that are within sight, such as fire extinguishers, someone will realize the lack of pressure or even the lack of some fire extinguisher and can give warning, although these are very sporadic situations.
On the other hand, an inadequate maintenance can be provided by the maintenance company of the facility, by neglect or lack of the corresponding item, and therefore not being in working conditions.
In short, the real fact is that although there can be a fire protection facility properly mounted, it may occur that it is not in the appropriate working conditions and therefore, in the case of having to use the same, it does not fulfil its function.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With the object of solving the aforementioned problems, the present specification describes a control system for fire prevention facilities, the fire prevention facilities being of the type of facilities which have, at least one pressure group and/or, at least one equipped fire hydrant and/or, at least one fire extinguisher, allowing to know instantly any malfunction of the same, such that the system comprises:

at least one pressure group equipped with a pressure gauge provided with a Led light and communication means, via radio or wiring;
at least one equipped fire hydrant provided with a pressure gauge provided with a Led light and communication means, via radio or wiring;
✔ at least one fire extinguisher equipped with a pressure gauge provided with a Led light and communication means, via radio or wiring;
✔ a control centre with, at least one computer receiving information from the components of the facility and that is connected to the fixed or mobile telephone network, and;
✔ a storage database of the plan of the facility with the situation of the different components of the same.

In this way, as soon as the pressure falls below a default value the warning Led light will turn on having a visual information of a lack of pressure and in addition, a communication via radio or other equivalent means will be sent to the control centre informing of the detected malfunction so that it can be instantly repaired.
Also, if, for example, a fire extinguisher is moved from its place of location, also, a communication via radio or other equivalent means will be sent to the control centre, allowing to immediately verify the reason why it has been taken.
In those fire protection facilities that cover a large area and have numerous components there could be some radio relay station.
Thus, the control system enables a continuous control of the fire prevention facility to ensure the good condition of the same, which allows that all the components are in perfect state of use.
To complement the description that will be carried out in the following, and with the object of helping to a better understanding of the features of the invention, the present specification is accompanied by a set of plans, the figures of which represent, in an illustrative manner and without limitation, the most characteristic details of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DESIGNS

Figure 1. It shows a schematic view of a simple practical implementation of a fire prevention facility consisting of a pressure group, two equipped fire hydrants and a set of fire extinguishers, which are communicated via radio with a control centre.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In view of the aforementioned figure and according to the adopted numbering it can be observed as the fire prevention facilities control system is applicable in all kinds of fire prevention facilities that have, at least one pressure group, and/or, at least one equipped fire hydrant and/or, at least one fire extinguisher, such that the system is based on providing the gauges of the different components of the facility with a Led light and with communication means, via radio or other equivalent means.
Moreover, the control facility has a control centre 7 with at least one computer 8 which receives information from the various components of the facility and it is connected to the fixed or mobile telephone network, having at least one storage database 9 of the plan of the facility to be controlled with the location of the different components of the same.
Thus, according to figure 1, the pressure group 1 is equipped with a pressure gauge 2 provided with a Led light 3 and communication means 4, via radio, so that if the pressure of the same is below a given parameter the warning Led light 2' will turn on and the communication means 4, via radio, will send a communication to the computer 8, in real time, notifying the incidence produced and being able to act accordingly.
Also, the equipped fire hydrants 5 are equipped with a pressure gauge 2' provided with a Led light 3' and communication means 4', via radio, so that if the pressure of the same is below a given parameter the warning Led light 3' will turn on and the communication means 4', via radio, will send a communication to the computer 8, in real time, notifying the incidence produced and being able to act accordingly.
Likewise, the different fire extinguishers 6 of the facility are equipped with a pressure gauge 2" provided with a Led light 3" and communication means 4", via radio, so that if the pressure of the same is not adequate the warning Led light 3" will turn on and the communication means 4", via radio, will send a communication to the computer 8, in real time, notifying the incidence produced and being able to act accordingly.
In this way, the fire prevention facility is perfectly controlled, so that any incident that occurs in the same is notified in real time to a control centre that may be in the maintenance company, in the facilities of the fire prevention facility owner or both, with a 24-hour control.
Thus, when a failure occurs in the facility and it is communicated to the control centre 7 by the custom software, the component sending the communication by the incidence produced is detected at the plan of the facility, in which all the components of the same are determined, having it perfectly located.
Simultaneously, the failure warning visual signal, the red Led light, turns on at the corresponding component.
Depending on the size that the fire prevention facility may have, it may incorporate one or more radio relay station 10 for the proper communication of the information.
Among the different advantages provided by the control system described in the present specification it can be considered:

✔ real time warning of the pressure loss of the elements that make up the fire protection facility, so that the problems encountered can be solved immediately, thus ensuring the proper functioning and effectiveness of the facility;
✔ real time warning of the possible theft of fire extinguishers;
✔ avoiding repairs caused by loss of pressure in the groups between required maintenances;
✔ avoiding possible oblivion by the maintenance company or bad maintenance of fire-fighting equipment, and;
✔ having positioned and controlled the fire prevention components by the software with the plan of the facility, so that if one is moved, the corresponding communication is sent.

In short, it is about being able to remedy any failure of the components of the fire prrevention facility immediately when they occur, so that all components are always available.

Claims

CONTROL SYSTEM FOR FIRE PREVENTION FACILITIES, the fire prevention facilities being of the type which are mounted on all kinds of buildings and warehouses, mounting at least one pressure group and at least one equipped fire hydrant and at least one fire extinguisher with the corresponding function means, wherein the control system comprises:
at least one pressure group (1) equipped with a pressure gauge (2) provided with a Led light (3) and communication means (4), via radio or wiring;

at least one equipped fire hydrant (5) provided with a pressure gauge (2') provided with a Led light (3') and communication means (4'), via radio or wiring;

at least one fire extinguisher (6) equipped with a pressure gauge (2") provided with a Led light (3") and communication means (4"), via radio or wiring;

a control centre (7) with, at least one computer (8) receiving information from the components of the facility and that is connected to the fixed or mobile telephone network, and;

a storage database (9) of the plan of the facility to be controlled with the situation of the different components of the same facility.
CONTROL SYSTEM FOR FIRE PREVENTION FACILITIES, according to claim 1, characterized in that the control system incorporates, at least one radio relay station (10).