GB2278477A

GB2278477A - Alarm device

Info

Publication number: GB2278477A
Application number: GB9410532A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Geoffrey John Austen
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1993-05-27
Filing date: 1994-05-26
Publication date: 1994-11-30
Also published as: GB9410532D0; GB9310987D0

Abstract

The device is for sensing smoke, fumes, heat and has two sensor means 5, 6 one on either side of a door 1 and an alarm means 9 to which the sensor means are connected. The two sensor means are attached together for location over the top of the door. The sensor device is self-contained and portable to allow temporary location on the top of the door for example in a hotel or hostel where a sensor means is needed on the external side of the door to sense any fumes, smoke or heat in a communal area such as a stairwell or landing, the alarm then sounding within the room which is partitioned from the stairwell or landing by the door. <IMAGE>

Description

SENSOR DEVICE This invention relates to a sensor device.

The necessity of having an alarm within a house or a flat for the detection of fumes and fire is becoming increasingly accepted. Most alarms that are available are self-contained units for detection of fire by sensing smoke, heat or fumes. The alarms are usually battery run and are attachable to a wall or ceiling.

The attachment is usually via screws which damage decorations and make the installations of the alarm permanent.

Such alarms protect a single zone by locating smoke, heat or fumes within that zone. The zone is usually divided from other zones in a building by walls and doors. Therefore, a fire can smoulder in one zone, for example in a kitchen area, which is divided from a second zone containing the alarm, for example a hallway, by a door which prevents the smoke, heat or fumes from reaching the sensor until the fire is well established in the first zone.

An area of particular danger is where a number of selfcontained areas are separated from a communal area.

Such self-contained areas often have their communicating doors communicating with the communal area shut. For example, this arrangement occurs in self-contained flats, bedsits, bedrooms, hotels, hostels, hospitals etc.

According to the present invention there is provided a sensor device comprising two sensor means one on either side of a door, an alarm means to which the sensor means are connected, and an attachment means for location of the device on a door.

Preferably, the two sensor means are connected by the attachment means. Preferably, the sensor means are sensitive to fumes and/or heat.

Preferably, the attachment means is in the form of a member which is locatable over the top of a door such that a first sensor means is located on a first side of the door and a second sensor means is located on the second side of the door.

Preferably, the member is a generally rigid plate. The plate may have two substantially parallel portions joined by a third portion.

The first sensor means may be disposed adjacent to and electrically connected to the alarm means on the first side of the door which side faces into a room and where the second side of the door faces a communal area.

Preferably, the second sensor means is electrically connected to the alarm means. The connection may be in the form of flat conductors disposed on the plate, or alternatively by means of the plate which has two pieces electrically isolated.

Preferably, the two sensor means are each attached to one of the two substantially parallel portions of the plate. The sensor means are preferably attached to the plate from the side of the plate adjacent to the door in order to prevent tampering with the attachment or removal of a sensor means.

Preferably, the attachment means is adaptable to fit a variable thickness of door and includes adjustable means to ensure a close fit with the door.

Preferably, padding means are provided between the attachment means and the door to prevent movement of the attachment means.

There may be provided a securing means for securing the attachment means to the door. Preferably, the securing means is in the form of a flat topped pin located on the top of the door through the attachment means.

Preferably, the attachment means is sufficiently thin such that it is locatable between the door and the door surround and the door closing operation is not restricted.

Preferably, the device is self-contained and easily portable.

A standard smoke detector device may be used as the first sensor and alarm means and may be attachable to the attachment means and second sensor means.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by means of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which; Fig 1 is a perspective view of a door with a sensor device in accordance with the present invention; and Fig 2 is a cross-section of a door and door jamb with a sensor device in accordance with the present invention.

Referring to the drawings, a sensor device 4 has a first sensor means 5 and a second sensor means 6 which are locatable on either side of a door 1. The two sensor means 5, 6 are joined by a plate 10. The plate has two generally parallel members 12, 13 which are joined at one end by an orthogonal member 11. Each of the sensor means 5, 6 is attached to one of the parallel members 12, 13.

The orthogonal member 11 is placeable across the top of a door 1 with the two parallel members 12, 13 lying on opposite sides of the door 1. The plate 10 is formed of pressed metal and has a thickness and dimensions to suit the normal tolerances of a door fit. The plate 10 is rigid enough to hold the sensor means 5, 6 but is also thin enough to be accommodated within the closing tolerances of most doors 1. The metal plate 10, when the door 1 is closed, sits between the door 1 and the doorstop 3 which borders the door, the doorstop 3 being disposed underneath the lintel and overdoor panel 2.

As the dimensions of the plate 10 allow it to be used for any thickness of door 1, the device 4 may need to be held in place on the door 1 and this can be done by using a flat-topped pin 18 which can be inserted through the top orthogonal member 11 of the plate 10 and into the top of the door 1. Adjustable means in the form of an adjustable pad, spring, wedge, thumbscrew or similar may be incorporated into the plate 10 to hold the device 4 against the face of the door 1.

Additionally, foam pads 14, 15 in the form of high density expanded foam may be placed between one of the parallel sides 12,13 of the plate 10 and the face of the door 1 in order to eliminate any rattling of the device 4 against the door 1.

One of the sensor means 5 contains the components of a standard smoke alarm and includes a sensor 7, a battery 19, a speaker 9 all enclosed in an outer casing 22 incorporating a perforated area 16 through which the speaker 9 can sound and through which the fumes and/or smoke can pass to reach the sensor 7.

The second sensor means 6 which is locatable on the opposite side of the door 1 to the first sensor means 5, has a sensor 8 encased in a casing 23. The casing 23 has a perforated area 17 through which any fumes and/or smoke can pass to reach the sensor 8.

The sensor 8 of the second sensor means 6 is connected via the plate 10 to the speaker 9 and the battery 19 which are housed within the casing 22 of the first sensor means 5. The connection is by means of flat conductors bonded to the plate 10 or alternatively the plate 10 is formed in a two piece arrangement with the two pieces being electrically isolated from each other and thereby forming the connection between the two sensor 8 of the second sensor means 6 and the components of the first sensor means 5.

In an alternative embodiment, both the first and second sensor means 5 and 6 are in the form of standard smoke alarms each having all the components of a sensor, a battery and a speaker. In such an embodiment the connecting plate 10 can be in the form of any attachment member, possibly in the form of a flexible strap allowing the two sensor means 5, 6 to be hung on either side of a door 1.

In use the device 4 is placed over the top of the door 1 with the first sensor means 5 on the inside of the door 1 facing the restricted area for example a bedroom or a bedsit. The second sensor means 6 is located on the outside of the door 1 facing a communal area such as stairs or a hallway. The device 4 uses its sensors 7, 8 to sense any fumes, heat or smoke either in the restricted area or outside the door 1 in the communal area. If either of the sensors 7 or 8 sense any fumes, heat or smoke the speaker 9 is activated and a piercing alarm sound is made.

The device 4 is battery operated and regular checks should be made to ensure that the battery 19 is in working order. A test means can be incorporated into the device 4 to test the battery 19 and instructions should be issued that this should be done at regular intervals.

As an alternative use the device 4 can be installed in a reverse situation wherein the speaker 9 will face into the communal area and the sensor 8 of the second sensor means 6 will face into a restricted area. This could be used in a situation wherein the restricted areas are laboratories or rooms in an old people's home wherein the staff need to be informed of any unusual fumes, heat or smoke in any of the rooms.

The device 4 works equally well when the door 1 is open as well as when the door 1 is shut.

It is also possible to attach an existing standard smoke alarm unit to a plate 10 and additional sensor means 6 such that a standard alarm unit can be converted into such a portable sensor device 4.

The fixing will not damage decorations and can be fitted and removed quickly and easily. Due to the fact that the device 4 is portable it can be taken with users to hotels, hostels, bedsits, flats, etc to provide additional security during a temporary stay without relying on the existing fire alarm systems.

The casings 22, 23 are attached to the parallel plate members 12 and 13 from the side of the plate members 12, 13 adjacent to the door 1 such that the casings 22, 23 cannot be tampered with without dismantling the device from the door 1.

Improvements and modifications can be made to the above without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1A sensor device comprising two sensor means one on either side of the door, an alarm means to which the sensor means are connected, and an attachment means for location of the device on a door.

2 A sensor device as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the two sensor means are connected by the attachment means.

3 A sensor device as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the sensor means are sensitive to fumes and/or heat.

4 A sensor device as claimed in any one of the Claims 1 to 3 wherein the attachment means are in the form of a member which is locatable over the top of a door such that a first sensor means is located on the first side of the door and a second sensor means is located on the second side of the door.

5 A sensor devise as claimed in Claim 4 wherein the member is in the form of a generally rigid plate which has two substantially parallel portions joined by a third portion.

6 A sensor device as claimed in any of the preceding Claims wherein the sensor means is disposed adjacent to and electrically connected to the alarm means on the first side of the door, which side faces into a room and where the second side of the door faces a communal area.

7 A sensor device as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims wherein the second sensor means is electrically connected to the alarm means.

8 A sensor device as claimed in Claim 7 when dependent on Claim 5 wherein the connection is in the form of flat conductors disposed on the plate.

9 A sensor device as claimed in Claim 7 when dependent on Claim 5 wherein the connection is by means of the plate which has two pieces which are electrically isolated.

10 A sensor device as claimed in any one of Claims 5 to 9 wherein the two sensor means are each attached to one of the two substantially parallel portions of the plate.

11 A sensor device as claimed in Claim 10 wherein the sensor means are attached to the plate from the side of the plate adjacent to the door in order to prevent tampering with the sensor device.

12 A sensor device as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims wherein the attachment means is adaptable to fit a variable thickness of door and includes adjustable means to ensure a close fit with the door.

13 A sensor device as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims wherein padding means are provided between the attachment means and the door to prevent movement of the attachment means.

14 A sensor device as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims wherein securing means are provided for securing the attachment means to the door.

15 A sensor device as claimed in Claim 14 wherein the securing means in the form of a flat-topped pin located on the top of the door through the attachment means.

16 A sensor device as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims wherein the attachment means is sufficiently thin such that it is locatable between the door and the door surround and the door closing operation is not restricted.

17 A sensor device as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims wherein the device is self contained and portable.

18 A sensor device as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims wherein a standard smoke detector device may be used as the first sensor means and alarm means and is attachable to an attachment means and second sensor means.

19 A sensor device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.