GB2382204A

GB2382204A - Support plate and decorative cover for use with a smoke detector

Info

Publication number: GB2382204A
Application number: GB0127771A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Wayne North
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2001-11-20
Filing date: 2001-11-20
Publication date: 2003-05-21
Anticipated expiration: 2021-11-20
Also published as: GB0127771D0; GB2382204B

Abstract

A support plate 10 adapted to be fitted to a smoke detector casing 14 provides a means for attachment of one or more unrelated articles 18. The article being clipped, screwed, stuck or otherwise secured to the plate 10. When fitted to a smoke detector casing 14, the unrelated article 18 covers the detector casing, but either leaves a gap to allow air to pass freely to and from the detector or is formed with openings to allow air to pass to the detector. When fitted over a smoke detector, the unrelated article 18 includes an opening 20 through which the detector test button can be reached. The unrelated article 18 typically comprises a hollow housing, the outer surface of which is decorated or adapted to receive a decorative coating.

Description

Title: Improvements in and relating to smoke detectors Field of Invention This invention concerns smoke detectors and in particular a decorative cover for such devices and methods of fixing such a cover in place Background to the Invention Smoke detectors for domestic use tend to be housed in a shallow cylindrical plastics casing having a base and a cover which is usually clipped or screwed to a cylindrical peripheral wall on the base. Whilst in some types of alarm provision is made to screw the base directly to a ceiling or wall, many designs now incorporate a separate backing ring which itself is screwed to the ceiling or wall and provides on its outer face two or more lugs which co-operate with the base of the detector to provide a quick release coupling. In this way the detector can be removed very easily from the ceiling or wall for checking, replacing batteries and the like, or simply to be replaced if faulty, without the need for tools.

The present invention is particularly suited to detectors of this type, which in order to distinguish them from other fixed detectors, will be referred to as demountable detectors.

By their nature smoke detectors need to be mounted high up on ceilings or walls, it now being recommended that detectors should be placed on a wall some 1.5 metres or so above any electrical power socket, so as to detect any smoke arising from a faulty electrical plug or connector or burning wiring. Whilst the conventional detector casing has been engineered to a relatively small size, the need to accommodate a battery, detector and siren

does entail a certain minimum size and of necessity this cannot normally be buried in a ceiling or wall but must protrude proud of the surface on which it is mounted.

When mounted in living rooms, children's bedrooms and playrooms, there is the chance of damage occurring to the casings if children become boisterous and throw articles around, play games with balls inside the home and the like. With this in mind one object of the present invention is to provide extra protection for a smoke detector in such an environment.

It is also commonplace to decorate rooms such as children's bedrooms and playrooms with wall and ceiling mounted artefacts such as trophies, pictures, models, posters and other articles, all having some theme of interest to the child or children concerned. Thus for example children interested in football will decorate their rooms with memorabilia representative of their favourite team, such as scarves, pictures, footballs, representative trophies and the like. Children interested in a particular TV series will want to decorate their rooms with reproductions/pictures/models of the characters or articles which characterise the programmes concerned. Children interested in pop music will want pictures and posters of pop idols, models of instruments they play or articles representative of some favourite song or piece of music associated with the pop-idol or group concerned.

The list is endless.

Of course, it is not only children who like to decorate rooms in this way. Adults also like to be reminded of favourite activities or personalities and model aeroplanes, fishing trophies, golfing memorabilia and the like will often be found in studies, and halls and kitchens and bedrooms will often be decorated by the lady of the house with items of interest to her, and at Christmas time, birthdays and other celebrations it is common to decorate walls and ceilings with appropriate articles invoking a spirit of festivity, partying and jollity.

With all this in mind it is a further object of the present invention to incorporate smoke detectors into the desire to decorate the interiors of houses, in the manner exemplified by the foregoing examples.

Summary of the invention According to the present invention a smoke detector casing when mounted on a ceiling or wall is adapted to serve as a fixing for another unrelated article.

In one arrangement the casing is adapted by having fixed thereto a support plate having a hole therein which is a close fit around the smoke detector casing and can be push fitted thereto without removing the smoke detector casing from the ceiling or wall to which it is fastened.

In a more preferred arrangement for use with smoke detectors having a two part casing in which the base which is securable to the ceiling or wall includes a peripheral wall at least part of which is left exposed when the other part (the cover) is fitted thereto, and wherein the other part is like a hat and encompasses and partly covers the peripheral wall, the casing is adapted by having a support plate for an unrelated article fixed to the exposed part of the peripheral wall of the base. In this event the fitting of the support plate to the detector entails either removing the cover from the base of the casing (leaving the latter still in place on the ceiling or wall), fitting the support plate to the peripheral wall of the base, and refitting the detector cover, or removing the detector casing in its entirety from the ceiling or wall, pushing the base into the opening in the support plate and remounting the detector to the ceiling or wall, with the support plate now sandwiched between the detector cover and the ceiling or wall.

The support plate may be simply a friction or push fit on the detector. The opening in the support plate may include a sleeve which extends beyond the surface of the support plate and the interior of which is the same size and shape as the opening and it is the inside of the sleeve which engages the detector casing.

Where the support plate includes a sleeve as aforesaid, one or more screws or pins or other fixings may be employed to fix the sleeve to the detector more securely than will a friction or push fit.

Where provided the sleeve may be partially cut away, typically to form a plurality of narrow slots so that the sleeve can be thought of as being formed from a plurality of fingers.

Preferably the fingers are biased radially inwardly and the material from which the sleeve is formed has a natural resilience, so that when pushed over a detector casing part, the fingers grip the latter.

A segmented sleeve, so formed, may also be secured to the detector casing part by screws and the like and in addition or instead a resilient discontinuous band of sprung steel may be fitted around the fingers forming the segmented sleeve, to introduce a higher degree of resilience than is provided by the resilience of the sleeve material, and/or a clamping band such as a large diameter jubilee clip may be fitted around the segmented sleeve and tightened therearound after the support plate has been fitted around a detector casing part.

According to a preferred feature of the invention when fitted to a detector casing the support plate provides a means for attachment for one or more unrelated articles which may be clipped, screwed, stuck or otherwise secured thereto.

Whilst nor essential, an article secured to the support plate may in part cover the detector casing, but in so doing must leave a gap or be formed with one or more openings to allow air to pass freely to and from the detector, so that in the event of a fire smoke will still reach the detector.

Where an article attached to the support plate hides the detector, and would otherwise prevent access to the detector for the purpose of pressing the test button, the article

preferably includes an opening through which the test button can be reached, for regular testing of the alarm.

The test button opening may if desired include a bung or cover, lid or other device for covering the opening, but if so preferably includes some distinguishing feature to enable a householder to see where the covering device is positioned, to enable it to be removed to give access.

According to a preferred feature of the invention the article to be attached to the support plate comprises a generally hollow housing the outer surface of which is decorated or is adapted to receive a decorative covering.

In one example the housing may be hemispherical and the decoration may resemble part of the surface of a football.

In another example the housing may be modelled and coloured to resemble some or all of a TV character, typically the head and face of such a character, or a well-known children's character such as Paddington Bear, Noddy, Thomas the Tank Engine or the like.

In another example the housing may resemble a fish, or half-model of an aeroplane, halfmodel of a ship or boat, half-model of a sporting trophy such as a silver cup, a large golf ball and pair of crossed golf clubs or the top end of a golf club bag with golf clubs protruding.

Where the housing can be removed and replaced readily, a plurality of different housings depicting different items of interest may be provided and one selected according to taste, season, decoration requirement etc.

Thus for example the housing may be modelled and coloured to resemble some or all of a Father Christmas figure or a Christmas angel, a holly spray, Christmas tree or Christmas decorations.

The foregoing are merely intended as examples of the wide range of possibilities.

According to another aspect of the invention, where the detector is a demountable detector, the whole of the detector may be removed from the backing ring and the base of the housing fitted to the support plate provided by the invention without removing the detector cover. A decorative housing may then be fitted to the support plate and the combined unit of detector, housing and support plate, offered up and the base of the detector secured to the backing ring, as normal.

Preferably the decorative housing is formed from a lightweight material, such as a lightweight plastics material.

Preferably the decorative housing is formed by blow moulding plastics material and thereafter coloured by screen or ink jet printing.

The material from which the decorative housing is formed may itself be self-coloured and preferably a colour is chosen for the material which predominates in the finished article, to reduce the colour printing required.

Preferably the housing includes one or more openings through which air/smoke can pass to the detector, Preferably the support plate also includes one or more openings in addition to the opening by which it is secured around a detector casing part, to allow air/smoke to pass into the housing and reach the detector and to allow sound emitted by the detector siren to pass out through the support plate as well as out through any openings in the housing wall.

Preferably the housing is provided with a passage which will register with the test button of the detector when fitted thereto.

Preferably the housing can only be fitted to the support plate in a manner in which the passage therein aligns with the test button on the detector.

Preferably the housing is secured to the support plate by means of clips or screws either of which are hidden by the housing when the unit is mounted to a ceiling or wall.

Where screws are to be employed, and the detector is of the demountable type, the screws can be passed through holes in the support plate from the back surface thereof to enter the housing wall, or more preferably locally thickened regions of the housing wall.

Self-tapping screws may be employed or more preferably the housing wall regions which are to receive the screws are drilled and tapped and/or sleeved with a threaded metal insert, to allow machine screws to be screwed into the threaded openings so formed, to more readily permit housings to be mounted and demounted and replaced as required.

Where machine screws are employed these may be held captive in the support plate, so as not to be lost.

Instead of screws, rotatable two-part fixings may be employed, which typically are held captive in the support plate and protrude forward of the front face thereof to engage in complementary parts formed in or secured to (as by being moulded in situ) the interior of the housing.

Once fitted to the detector, a housing as aforesaid provides not only a decorative alternative to the appearance of the casing of the detector, but also a degree of protection against damage.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which :-

Fig 1 is an exploded view of a demountable smoke detector, support plate and decorative cover/housing as provided by the invention, Fig 2 is a side view of the assembly when fitted to a ceiling, Fig 3 is an exploded view of a demountable smoke detector and modified support plate and decorative cover/housing showing how the latter can be secured to the support plate, Fig 4 is a plan view of the support plate of Fig 3, Fig 5 is an edge view of the plate of Fig 4, Fig 6 is a side elevation of the domed decorative housing of Fig 3, Fig 7 is a rear perspective view of the detector support plate and decorative cover/housing when assembled and ready to be fitted to the backing ring secured to a wall or ceiling, and Fig 8 is a perspective view of the backing ring.

As best seen in Figs 1 and 2 the invention provides a circular support plate 10 having a circular opening 12 into which the base 14 of a demountable smoke detector casing (having its own cover 15) is a tight fit. The plate 10 includes an array of openings 16 to allow air/smoke to pass through the plate and in accordance with the invention a hollow domed housing 18 is fitted to the plate 10 to completely cover the detector casing cover 15.

The housing 18 includes an opening 20 to give access to the test button 22 of the detector and may include openings similar to the openings 16 in the plate 10, to further assist in allowing air/smoke to reach the detector and further assist in allowing sound emitted by the detector siren, to be heard when the housing 18 is in place.

The housing 18 may be snap fit on the plate 10 or the latter may have a single turn of thread profile formed around its edge (not shown) and a complementary thread profile (not shown) is formed around the inner edge of the housing 18.

Also shown in Fig 1 is a backing ring 24 which is screwed to a wall or ceiling at a position where the detector is to be mounted, and the underside of the floor of the detector base 14 is formed with openings which have larger and smaller regions to allow the base to be located on the ring 24 with the securing lugs 26,28 protruding through the large regions of the openings, and secured thereon by rotating the base 14 so that the lugs 26,28 now engage the smaller regions of the openings and the base is now held captive thereon due to the larger heads 30,32 of the lugs 26,28 now being prevented from passing through the openings.

The detector and housing/plate assembly can be removed from the ring by rotating it in the opposite sense, so that the enlarged heads 30,32 once again register with the parts of the openings (not shown) in the floor of the base 14 through which they can pass.

The assembly is shown mounted to a ceiling in Fig 2.

In Fig 3 a similar detector is shown comprising base 14, cover 15, and backing ring 24 and test button 22. The openings in the floor of the base 14 are now visible at 36,38.

The support plate is now designated 40 and includes a circular opening 42 through which the base unit 14 of the detector can be pushed to be engaged by four fingers 44,46, 48,50 which extend generally perpendicularly of the plane of the plate 40 and provide the point of contact with the exterior of the base unit 14. Typically the latter is a push fit in the fingers.

Although not shown, a screw may be screwed through one of the fingers 44 etc. , into the wall of the base unit 14.

Alternatively a jubilee clip may be fitted around the fingers and tightened to clamp the fingers on the base 14.

A housing which is to be fitted to the plate 40 is shown at 52 as comprising a hollow hemispherical shell the external surface of which is decorated or serves as a surface on which a decorative mask or cover may be secured as by adhesive or Velcro'111 or the like.

Internally the housing 52 includes a sleeve 54 integrally formed with the shell wall and open at its inner end and merging at its other end into an opening in the shell wall. The shell is fitted to the plate 40 so that the sleeve 54 registers with the position of the test button 22, to give access thereto.

The remainder of the plate 40 is cutaway to define a series of parallel spaced apart arcuate slots one of which is identified by 56, to provide good air/smoke flow through the plate into the interior of the shell 52 and to allow sound to pass out.

The shell 52 is also perforated to a greater or lesser extent by arrays of small openings such as 58,60 for the same purpose.

The support plate is better seen in Figs 4 and 5.

The shape of the shell 52 is better seen in the side view of Fig 6.

The lugs 26,28 with enlarged heads 30,32 respectively in the backing ring 24 are better seen in Fig 8.

The keyhole openings 36,38 with which the lugs co-operate can be seen clearly in Fig 3.

Claims

Claims 1. A support plate adapted to be fitted to a smoke detector casing to provide a means for attachment for one or more unrelated articles in combination with one such unrelated article.
2. A support plate as claimed in claim 1 wherein the unrelated article is clipped, screwed, stuck or otherwise secured thereto.
3. A support plate as claimed in claim 1 or 2 when fitted to a smoke detector casing, wherein the unrelated article in part covers the detector casing, but leaves a gap to allow air to pass freely to and from the detector, so that in the event of a fire smoke will still reach the detector.
4. A support plate as claimed in claim 1 or 2 when fitted to a smoke detector casing wherein the unrelated article covers the detector casing but is formed with one or more openings to allow air to pass to the detector.
5. A support plate as claimed in claim 2 or 3 wherein the unrelated article includes an opening through which the detector test button can be reached, for regular testing of the alarm.
6. A support plate as claimed in claim 5 wherein the test button opening includes a bung or cover, lid or other device for covering the opening, which includes a distinguishing feature to enable a householder to see where the covering device is positioned, to enable it to be removed to give access to the test button.

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7. A support plate as claimed in any of claims 1 to 6 wherein the unrelated article comprises a generally hollow housing the outer surface of which is decorated or is adapted to receive a decorative covering.
8. A support plate as claimed in any of claims 1 to 7 wherein the unrelated article is a hemispherical housing and the decoration resembles part of the surface of a football.
9. A support plate as claimed in any of claims 1 to 7 wherein the unrelated article is a housing modelled and coloured to resemble some or all of a TV character.
10. A support plate as claimed in claim 9 wherein the unrelated article is a housing modelled and coloured to resemble a well-known children's character.
11. A support plate as claimed in any of claims 7 to 10 wherein the housing is removable to allow its replacement by another different housing.
12. A support plate and unrelated article as claimed in any of claims 1 to 11 when fitted to a smoke detector casing.
13. A support plate as claimed in claim 12 having a hole therein which is a close fit around the smoke detector casing and can be push fitted thereto without removing the smoke detector casing from the ceiling or wall to which it is fastened.
14. A support plate as claimed in claim 12 wherein the detector casing is in two parts, a base which is securable to the ceiling or wall and which includes a peripheral wall at least part of which is left exposed when the other part (the cover) is fitted thereto, and wherein the other part is like a hat and encompasses and partly covers the peripheral wall of the base and wherein a support plate serving as a fixing for an unrelated article, is fixed to the exposed part of the peripheral wall of the base.

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15. A support plate as claimed in claim 14 wherein fitting the plate to the detector entails removing the cover from the base (leaving the latter still in place on the ceiling or wall), fitting the support plate to the peripheral wall of the base, and refitting the detector cover.
16. A support plate as claimed in claim 14 wherein the fitting of the support plate to the detector entails removing the detector casing in its entirety from the ceiling or wall, pushing the base into the opening in the support plate and remounting the detector to the ceiling or wall, with the support plate now sandwiched between the detector cover and the ceiling or wall.
17. A support plate as claimed in nay of claims 13 to 16 wherein the support plate is a friction or push fit on the detector casing.
18. A support plate as claimed in claim 17 wherein the opening in the support plate includes a sleeve which extends beyond the surface of the support plate and the interior of which is the same size and shape as the opening and it is the inside of the sleeve which engages the detector casing.
19. A support plate as claimed in claim 18 wherein one or more screws or pins or other fixings are employed additionally to fix the sleeve to the detector casing.
20. A support plate as claimed in claim 17,18 or 19 wherein the sleeve is partially cut away, to form a plurality of slots, leaving a plurality of fingers to engage the casing.
21. A support plate as claimed in claim 20 wherein the fingers are biased radially inwardly and the material from which the sleeve is formed has a natural resilience, so that when pushed over a detector casing part, the fingers grip the latter.
22. A support plate as claimed in claim 20 or 21 wherein a resilient discontinuous band of sprung steel is fitted around the fingers forming the sleeve, to introduce a higher degree of resilience than is provided by the resilience of the sleeve material alone.

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23. A support plate as claimed in claim 20 or 21 wherein a clamping band such as a large diameter jubilee clip is fitted around the fingers forming the sleeve and is tightened therearound after the support plate has been fitted around a detector casing part.
24. A support plate as claimed in claim 12 wherein the detector is a demountable detector, and the whole of the detector is removed from the backing ring to enable the base of the housing to be fitted to the support plate without removing the detector cover.
25. A support plate when fitted to a demountable detector as claimed in claim 24 having a decorative housing fitted to the support plate and wherein the combined unit is offered up and the base of the detector is secured to the backing ring to mount the combined unit to the wall or ceiling.
26. A support plate, demountable detector and decorative housing combination as claimed in claim 25 wherein the decorative housing is formed from a lightweight material, such as a lightweight plastics material.
27. A support plate, demountable detector and decorative housing combination as claimed in claim 25 or 26 wherein the decorative housing is formed by blow moulding plastics material and thereafter coloured by screen or ink jet printing.
28. A support plate, demountable detector and decorative housing combination as claimed in claim 25,26 or 27 wherein the decorative housing is formed from self-coloured material the colour for which is chosen as comprising a colour which predominates in the finished article, to reduce the colour printing required.
29. A support plate, demountable detector and decorative housing combination as claimed in any of claims 25 to 28 wherein the housing includes one or more openings through which air/smoke can pass to the detector.

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30. A support plate, demountable detector and decorative housing combination as claimed in any of claims 25 to 29 wherein the support plate also includes one or more openings in addition to the opening by which it is secured around the detector casing part, to allow air/smoke to pass into the housing and reach the detector and to allow sound emitted by the detector siren to pass out through the support plate as well as out through any openings in the housing wall.
31. A support plate, demountable detector and decorative housing combination as claimed in any of claims 25 to 30 wherein the housing is provided with a passage which registers with the test button of the detector.
32. A support plate, demountable detector and decorative housing combination as claimed in any of claims 25 to 31 wherein the housing can only be fitted to the support plate in a manner in which the passage therein aligns with the test button on the detector.
33. A support plate, demountable detector and decorative housing combination as claimed in any of claims 25 to 32 wherein the housing is secured to the support plate by means of clips or screws which are hidden by the housing when the unit is mounted to a ceiling or wall.
34. A support plate, demountable detector and decorative housing combination as claimed of claim 33 wherein the screws are passed through holes in the support plate from the back surface thereof to enter either the housing wall, or locally thickened regions of the housing wall.
35. A support plate, demountable detector and decorative housing combination as claimed in claim 34 wherein either self-tapping screws are employed, or the housing wall regions which are to receive the screws are drilled and tapped and/or sleeved with a threaded metal insert, and machine screws are screwed into the threaded openings so formed, to more readily permit housings to be mounted and demounted and replaced as required.

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36. A support plate, demountable detector and decorative housing combination as claimed in claim 35 in which the machine screws are held captive in the support plate, so as not to be lost.
37. A support plate, demountable detector and decorative housing combination as claimed in claim 32 wherein rotatable two-part fixings are employed to secure the housing to the support plate which are held captive in the support plate and protrude forward of the front face thereof to engage in complementary parts formed in or secured to the interior of the housing.
38. A support plate, demountable detector and decorative housing combination as claimed in any of claims 26 to 37 wherein the housing provides not only a decorative alternative to the appearance of the casing of the detector, but also a degree of protection against damage.
39. A support plate, demountable detector and decorative housing constructed arranged and adapted to be mounted to a wall or ceiling substantially as herein described and with reference to the accompanying drawings.