JP6851444B2 - Fire extinguisher with internal mixing / gas cartridge - Google Patents

Description

Cross-reference of related applications
[0001] This application is a partial continuation of application 14 / 313,761 filed on June 24, 2014, and is a co-pending application of the applicant filed on May 5, 2015 14 / Partial continuation applications of 704,820, the entire contents of which are expressly incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The present invention relates to an improvement in a portable fire extinguisher. More specifically, the present invention relates to a fire extinguisher that uses a replaceable gas cartridge that provides a propellant that pushes the fire extinguishing medium out of the fire extinguisher.

[0003] Many portable fire extinguishers have a similar design such that the fire extinguishing powder is contained in a continuously pressurized chamber. This type of fire extinguisher requires scheduled maintenance performed by certified, trained and qualified technicians issued by state fire marshal officers. This maintenance involves discharging, cleaning and refilling the fire extinguisher. If not done on a regular basis, the powder in the chamber will become solid and / or the pressure in the chamber may leak, which is insufficient to propel the powder out of the metering distribution nozzle. there is a possibility. If maintenance is not performed accurately, water absorption by the fire extinguishing powder will cause solidification and shut off the metering and distribution nozzle. The conditions mentioned above will prevent the fire extinguishing powder from being properly weighed and distributed when needed.

[0004] Current fire extinguishers are prone to wear and tear due to constant pressure and the progression of lacerations. When the fire extinguisher is serviced, it is discharged into the reuse chamber and all parts must be disassembled and cleaned. All pressure rings must be replaced and then all parts must be reassembled, where new powder will be placed in the chamber before pressurizing the chamber. Such maintenance of current fire extinguishers often causes wear and tear on the fire extinguisher more than it would when used to extinguish a fire.

[0005] U.S. Pat. No. 6,189,624 issued to Chambers on February 20, 2001, and Japanese Patent No. 9,225,056 issued to Yamazaki Tomoki on September 2, 1997. The fire extinguishing mechanism is disclosed, where the chamber is not continuously pressurized and the pressurized cartridge is a separate entity integrated within the chamber. Although these patents disclose separate pressurized cartridges, the cartridges are not located where they are easy to service, replace, or inspect. This minimizes the ability to determine the charge level of the cartridge to be pressurized.

[0006] US Pat. No. 2,541,554 (“US '551”) issued to CH Smith on February 13, 1951, and Gravattski on November 2, 2002.
G. D. Russian patents RU2,209,101 (“RU'101”) issued by the Russians disclosed a fire extinguisher equipped _{with an external CO 2 gas cartridge.} In the case of US '554, the CO ₂ gas cartridge sits above the fire extinguisher chamber and is not integrated into the handle of the fire extinguisher. In the case of RU'101, the CO ₂ gas cartridge is outside the fire extinguisher and is connected to the fire extinguisher using a pipe or hose. _{None of these patents disclose CO 2} cartridges that are outside the chamber, but none of these are located inside the handle, which makes it easy to inspect and replace the structure of the fire extinguisher. It is not possible to make it possible.

[0007] U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,128,163, issued November 21, 2006, all issued to Hector Rousseau, U.S. Pat. No. 7,318 issued January 15, 2008. , 484, and US Pat. No. 7,793,737, issued September 14, 2010, disclose a fire extinguisher with a gas cartridge in the handle and a fluffing mechanism. .. These patents have similar characteristics, but the gas cartridge is oriented to eject vertically upwards. When gas is discharged from a cartridge containing a compressed liquefied gas such as CO _2, it must cause evaporation from the liquid contained to maintain a thermodynamic equilibrium with the cartridge. Heat is required to cause evaporation, and the temperature and pressure of the compressed liquefied gas will decrease if the heat available from the cartridge's ambient environment is inadequate. When _{the pressure of CO 2} drops to less than 517 kPa (75 psig), the liquid CO ₂ solidifies into dry ice. Since cartridge-type fire extinguishers are usually used immediately after drilling holes in the cartridge, the generated dry ice is phased into gas and contributes to the effective discharge of the fire extinguisher. Do not have enough time to absorb enough heat. This effect is exacerbated when the ambient temperature is low, and it has been measured that existing cartridge-type fire extinguishers on the market waste 40% of the amount of _{CO 2 charge under the condition of −40 ° C.} However, even if this gas is unused during normal discharge, the fire extinguisher must be structurally designed based on a fully pressurized gas load, which is why the optimal design is Will not be. In addition, in order to the possibility of flow paths by dry ice or frozen valve causes that the temperature is reduced due to expansion of CO ₂ is shut off to minimize, on the basis of the unique properties of CO _2, the main fire extinguishers It must be avoided that the path between the chamber and the cartridge is complicated.

[0008] An opening for placing powder in a fire extinguisher due to the structural requirement that the pressure in the chamber must be maintained at all times due to the pressure conditions present when using a pressurized fire extinguisher. The part is limited. The presented application eliminates this need by providing an external gas cartridge, which allows the chamber to be present in a normally unpressurized state. By not applying pressure to the chamber, it is possible to enlarge the top opening of the fire extinguisher, which allows the fire extinguisher to be filled with powder or to check the amount and / or condition of the powder in the chamber. It will be easier.

[0009] The gas cartridge is oriented to expel only the liquid propellant into the body of the fire extinguisher, and the fire extinguisher further has a fluffer accessible from outside the chamber. A fire extinguisher with a replaceable gas cartridge is required, such that the chamber has an enlarged top opening for filling the fire extinguisher. The proposed fire extinguisher provides this solution with an external gas cartridge oriented for downward discharge, an external mechanism for starting the internal stirrer, and a large opening. By doing so, it will be realized. The downward discharge of the compressed liquefied gas causes the liquid to be discharged into the fire extinguisher, which is approximately equivalent to the amount that causes the evaporation required to maintain the temperature and pressure in the cartridge above the triple point. It is no longer necessary for the cartridge to absorb the amount of heat, which prevents the propellant from solidifying. In the case of compressed liquefied CO ₂ , it has been experimentally demonstrated in _{such a concept that almost 100% of CO 2} is discharged from the cartridge even when the precondition of the fire extinguisher is −40 ° C.

[0010] The purpose of this fire extinguisher is to eliminate the need for maintenance personnel to enter the protected area. The fire extinguisher can receive a high standard of maintenance, can be operated by automatic "self-maintenance", and / or can be manually serviced by the owner or end user. This eliminates the need for non-employees to enter the privacy of business and government area. This fire extinguisher can be operated, maintained, refilled and charged with minimal training without the need for custom equipment.

[0011] When the fire extinguisher is placed in a protected area, it is ideal to reduce the maintenance and maintenance of the fire extinguisher from the outside. This will reduce or eliminate the possibility of terrorists using fire extinguishers as weapons or using pseudonyms as fire extinguisher mechanics to enter protected areas.

[0012] The purpose of this fire extinguisher is to provide a fire extinguisher with an external gas cartridge. The inverted external gas cartridge allows the liquid in the gas cartridge to be discharged directly into the fire extinguisher. _{Widely accepted gas cartridges such as CO 2} cartridges or nitrogen cartridges used in other applications may be adapted to work with this fire extinguisher. Since the gas cartridge is outside the chamber, it can be easily replaced or replaced without replacing the entire fire extinguisher. This provides great benefits when servicing a large number of fire extinguishers at once.

[0013] Another object of this fire extinguisher is to provide a fire extinguisher with an optional stirring mechanism accessible from the outside. The size, structure and need of the agitation mechanism may be based on the size of the fire extinguisher. An externally accessible agitation mechanism is intended to keep the powder in a fluffed, agitated, agitated, or disturbed state with the aim of preventing the powder from solidifying, and Helps prevent the powder in the chamber from bridging in order to keep the powder in a liquefied state so that it is properly discharged onto the fire. Stirring is achieved using paddles, flappers, chains, rods, or other mixing mechanisms located within the chamber. The mixing mechanism can be accessed using the connections at the top, bottom or sides of the chamber and can be operated manually or with some type of tool.

Another object of this fire extinguisher is to provide a fire extinguisher with an enlarged filling opening. The enlarged filling opening makes it easier and faster to fill and / or empty the chamber. Also, the top can be easily removed to visually inspect the condition of the powder in the chamber.

Yet another purpose of this fire extinguisher is to provide a top housing that opens and closes quickly, allowing the user to quickly open and refill the fire extinguisher. This also allows firefighters to load the desired fire extinguishing medium based on the type of fire.

[0016] From the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention, together with accompanying drawings in which similar reference numerals represent similar components, the various objectives, features, embodiments and advantages of the invention can be found. It becomes clearer.

[0017] It is a perspective view which shows the fire extinguisher. [0018] It is sectional drawing which shows the fire extinguisher. [0019] It is a detailed view which shows the metering distribution valve. It is sectional drawing which shows the head of a fire extinguisher. [0021] It is a figure which shows the stage of removing a safety device before discharging a fire extinguisher. It is a figure which shows the stage of removing a safety device before discharging a fire extinguisher. It is a figure which shows the stage of removing a safety device before discharging a fire extinguisher. [0022] FIG. 6 is a detailed view showing a pressurized gas cartridge drilling mechanism. [0023] It is a detailed cross-sectional view which shows the drilling pin. [0024] It is a graph which shows the amount of dry ice generated based on the direction of a pressurized gas. [0025] It is a figure which shows the stirring / sucking pipe. [0026] It is a figure which shows the detail of a plurality of suction suction ports and a stirring arm.

[0027] FIG. 1 shows an external perspective view of the fire extinguisher 19. The fire extinguisher 19 has a substantially cylindrical shape including a bottom housing 20 and a top housing 30. In a preferred embodiment, the bottom housing 20 and top housing 30 are made of a lightweight elastic material such as plastic, but may be made of other materials including steel, brass, copper or aluminum. The bottom housing 20 may also be made of a transparent material that allows visual inspection within the fire extinguisher 19. The top housing 30 is screwed onto the bottom housing 20, but may be mounted using a bionette or latch mechanism. The bottom housing 20 has an enlarged opening to allow the bottom housing 20 to be more easily filled with the flame suppressant. The wall-mounting mechanism may be incorporated into the top housing 30 of the fire extinguisher 19, or may be wrapped around the body of the bottom housing 20, or the top housing 30 of the fire extinguisher 19 may be forked.

[0028] With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the handle 40 allows the operator to hold the fire extinguisher 19 by arranging his or her hand so that it passes through the grip area 41. This allows the fire extinguisher 19 to be held in an upright position when transferred or used. Also, although the fire extinguisher 19 can be stored and / or transferred in an upright position, it is not important that the fire extinguisher 19 be in an upright position for storage and operation. Partially within the handle 40 and the top housing 30, a replaceable pressurized gas cartridge 50 is located below the transparent portion 42 of the handle 40. The transparent portion 42 provides the ability to confirm that the pressurized gas cartridge 50 is installed in the fire extinguisher 19. In a preferred embodiment, the pressurized gas cartridge 50 is shown partially inside the handle 40 and the top housing 30, but other arrangements are possible.

[0029] The replaceable pressurized gas cartridge 50 is _{essentially composed of a compressed gas cartridge of CO 2} , but another type of gas cartridge that does not promote the spread of fire is also possible. Since the gas in the cartridge is subject to high pressure and is potentially in a liquid state, a cartridge with a small propellant is required to release the flame suppressant 99 inside the fire extinguisher 19. It is also contemplated that multiple gas cartridges may be used to accommodate larger fire extinguishers without departing from the invention of this design. Pressurized gas cartridges are available and can be replaced or serviced without the need to service the entire fire extinguisher 19. The handle 40 and its transparent portion 42 protect the pressurized gas cartridge 50 if the fire extinguisher 19 is dropped or handled roughly. The trigger mechanism 60 activates the pressurized gas cartridge 50 to pressurize the chamber 22 and release the flame suppressor 99 into and out of the hose 81 and the outlet port 90.

Although some figures in this document show and describe the flexible hose 81, some embodiments contemplated may include ducts, hollow passages or nozzles 97, where fire extinguishing. The medium passes through the main body of the fire extinguisher through the nozzle 97 to extinguish the fire. The control valve lever 92 opens and closes the outlet port 90, that is, prevents the flame suppressor 99 from overflowing the fire extinguisher when the chamber is pressurized. If nozzle 97 is used, a control valve may be located near the nozzle to control the flow of fire extinguishing medium out of the fire extinguisher. The perforation mechanism of the pressurized gas cartridge and the path from the gas cartridge 50 to the chamber 22 are shown and described in FIG.

FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view of the fire extinguisher 19. The operator may position his or her hand or glove to pass through the grip area 41 of the handle 40 and may use either hand to carry, transfer or use the fire extinguisher 19. When the top housing 30 is removed from the bottom housing 20, the flame suppressor 99 is placed in the chamber 22 within the bottom housing 20 through the enlarged cylindrical opening 70. Over time, the flame suppressant 99 is compressed and solidified in the bottom of the chamber 22. When the flame suppressing substance 99 is in a solidified state, the risk of improper discharge increases. Within the fire extinguisher 19, a plurality of stirring arms 120 are arranged on the central shaft 110. The stirring wheel 100 can be accessed from below the fire extinguisher 19. By rotating the stirring wheel 100, the flame suppressing substance 99 is stirred again, and the possibility that the suppressing substance 99 is improperly discharged from the fire extinguisher 19 is minimized. Turning the stirring wheel 100 will also loosen the flame suppressor 99, as can be seen in the hood mixer.

[0032] Polycarbonate is one cost-effective candidate for providing a transparent bottom housing 20, but contact with ammonia gas, which is the main component of ABC dry chemicals, causes material degradation. It is necessary to isolate or protect the polycarbonate from direct exposure, especially at high temperatures. When using a polycarbonate material, the interior of the bottom housing 20 is preferably coated with a transparent protective coating 21 comprising a siloxane base or an equivalent thereof. The coating 21 improves chemical resistance and abrasion resistance, and also provides UV protection. The coating 21 may be applied in a number of similar manners to isolate the exposure of the polycarbonate to monoammonium phosphate and any ammonia gas released. The coating 21 provides the required chemical resistance, whereas the polycarbonate bottom housing 20 provides the required strength and impact resistance.

[0033] In another exemplary embodiment, the bottom housing 20 is configured as a transparent cylinder from two separate cylinders, where the inner cylinder 21 is inserted into the outer cylinder 23 of the bottom housing 20. This can be achieved by inserting and molding a transparent inner cylinder of tritan, acrylic, styrene acrylonitrile, or other material of equivalent function into the outer cylinder 23 of polycarbonate. When the outer cylinder 23 is polycarbonate, it functions to provide the strength and impact resistance required for the assembly, while the inner cylinder 21 provides the chemical resistance required for monoammonium phosphate. In these embodiments, the strength of the inner cylinder 21 may be sufficient to ensure safe operation when the outer cylinder 23 of the bottom housing 20 is damaged by a harsh environment or impact.

[0034] When releasing the flame suppressing substance 99 from the fire extinguisher 19, the operator must make a hole in the pressurized gas cartridge 50. The pressurized gas cartridge 50 is fixed by the threaded portion 52 or otherwise fixed in the top housing of the fire extinguisher 19. Within the top housing 30, a replaceable pressurized gas cartridge 50 is located below the transparent portion 42 of the handle 40. The handle 40 and its transparent portion 42 protect the pressurized gas cartridge 50 when the fire extinguisher falls, and further allow the operator to confirm that the pressurized gas cartridge 50 is installed in the fire extinguisher 19. To. When drilling a hole in the pressurized gas cartridge 50, the operator lowers or rotates the trigger mechanism 60, which pushes the drilling pin 62 into the pressurized gas cartridge 50. Details of the trigger mechanism 60 and the drilling pin 62 are shown and described in detail by FIGS. 6 and 7. When the pressurized gas cartridge 50 is punctured, gas and / or liquid is pushed into the chamber 22.

[0035] When the liquefied gas is discharged from the pressurized gas cartridge 50, it must cause evaporation from the liquid contained in the pressurized gas cartridge 50 to maintain a thermodynamic equilibrium. It is necessary to cause evaporation to maintain the thermodynamic equilibrium heat. Insufficient heat available from the cartridge's ambient environment will reduce the temperature and pressure of the compressed liquefied gas. In the case of liquefied CO ₂ , when the pressure drops below 517 kPa (75 psig), the liquid CO ₂ solidifies into dry ice. When dry ice is produced, the time it takes for the dry ice to heat the dry ice and phase it into gas to adequately absorb the ambient heat mass to contribute to the effective discharge of the fire extinguisher 19. Does not have.

[0036] Dry ice production is exacerbated at low temperatures. Testing agencies such as UL and CSA require fire extinguishers to operate at temperatures as low as -40 ° C (-40 ° F). _{If the pressurized gas cartridge with CO 2} is oriented vertically so that the discharge port is on top (ie, the thread 52 is in the upper position), the test completes the fire extinguisher discharge. Later, it was shown that up to 40% (mass) of CO ₂ could maintain the form of dry ice. When the pressurized gas cartridge 50 _{contains CO 2} and is oriented in an inverted orientation (ie, the threaded portion 52 is in the lower position), it is added to maintain temperature and pressure above the triple point. It is no longer necessary for the cartridge to absorb an amount of heat approximately equal to the amount for evaporating _{the liquid CO 2} from the pressure gas cartridge 50, thereby avoiding the formation of dry ice in the cartridge 50. In such a concept, it has been experimentally demonstrated that _{almost 100% of CO 2} is emitted from the cartridge even when the fire extinguisher is premised on -40 ° C (-40 ° F). Once the CO ₂ enters the chamber 22, sufficient heat and surface area is obtained in a relatively large volume to rapidly convert the _{liquid CO 2} into the gas CO _2.

[0037] A mixture of flame suppressor 99 and gas is pushed through a flow path 80 within the central shaft 110 and even the top housing 30, where the mixture is hose to a valve 95 which is manually operable. It is pushed through 81 and discharged out of the exit port 90. The central shaft 110 has an integral suction pipe 112, where the flame suppressor 99 is pushed through the integral suction pipe 112 into a plurality of holes at the bottom of the central shaft 110. The metering and distribution nozzle 96 has a valve 95 that operates with a control rod 94 for opening and closing the valve 95. The control rod 94 uses the spring 93 to hold the valve 95 in the closed state. The operator pushes down the control valve lever 92 so as to overcome the spring 93 and opens the valve 95. The metering distribution nozzle 96 can be operated by either hand. This is illustrated and explained in detail with reference to FIG.

[0038] FIG. 3 shows a detailed view of the metering distribution nozzle 96. This figure shows a part of the handle 40 and the grip area 41. The top housing 30 has a flow path 80 from inside the fire extinguisher 19 through the top housing 30. When the valve 95 is in the closed position, the fire extinguisher 19 can maintain the pressurized state after the pressurized gas cartridge 50 is punctured. In this "prepared" state, all of the pressure and flame suppressor 99 in the fire extinguisher 19 is controlled by the valve 95. The metering distribution nozzle 96 has a valve 95 connected to a control rod 94. When the control rod 94 is pulled back, it becomes possible to flow from the hose 81 to the outlet port 90.

[0039] The operator can hold the metering distribution nozzle 96 of the fire extinguisher 19 with one hand, and can operate the lever 92 with the same one hand. The operator can then point the metering distribution nozzle 96 towards the fire. When the lever 92 is pushed down, the lever presses the spring 93 and slides the control rod 94 to open the valve 95. When the valve 95 is opened, the flame suppressor 99 flows out of the outlet port 90. When the lever 92 is released, the spring 93 closes the valve 95, thereby preventing further metering and distribution of the flame suppressor 99. As a result, the pressure in the chamber 22 of the fire extinguisher 19 is maintained.

[0040] FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view of the top housing 30 of the fire extinguisher 19. The handle 40 allows the operator to hold the fire extinguisher 19 by arranging his / her hand so that it passes through the grip area 41. A trigger mechanism 60 is connected to a lift plate 55, which lifts the drilling pin 62 into the sealed end of the pressurized gas cartridge 50 under the transparent portion 42 of the handle 40. The pressurized gas cartridge 50 is fixed by the threaded portion 52 or otherwise fixed in the top housing 30. Details of the trigger mechanism 60 and the drilling pin 62 are shown and described in detail by FIGS. 5 and 6. When the cartridge 50 is _{filled with compressed liquid CO 2} , the flow path between the pressurized gas cartridge 50 and the inside of the fire extinguisher 19 produces dry ice that may block or limit the flow path. It should be as smooth as possible to limit the fear. The bottom housing 20 is shown connected to the top housing 30. When the valve 95 is opened, _{the static pressure from the CO 2} or compressed gas from the gas cartridge 50 pushes the flame suppressor 99 downward into the opening of the central shaft 110 and further upwards the integrated suction pipe 112. And push it through the flow path 80 to the hose 81. If there is a leak in the seal 109 with respect to the top housing 30, the gas from the gas cartridge 50 bypasses the inhibitor 99 and travels directly into the flow path 80 and finally enters the outlet valve 95. As a result, the range of the inhibitory substance 99 is reduced and the amount of emissions is reduced. When installing the bottom housing 20 relative to the top housing 30 in order to properly assemble the seal 109 to the top housing 30, the guiding feature of the top housing 30 captures the central shaft 110.

[0041] FIGS. 5A, 5B and 5C show the steps of rearranging the safety knob 72 before the fire extinguisher 19 is exhausted. The initial stage of FIG. 5A is how the fire extinguisher 19 exists before activation. At this position, the safety knob 72 limits the movement of the trigger mechanism 60. The safety knob 72 is essentially rectangular, thereby locking or blocking the trigger mechanism 60 in one direction, and when the safety knob 72 is rotated 90 degrees, the sides of the trigger mechanism 60 are safe. It becomes possible to pass through the knob 72. The opposing vertical side of the trigger mechanism 60 is fixed using the flange portion 76 of the safety knob 72. The safety knob 72 is rotated to allow activation (68). The safety knob 72 can be operated by either hand.

[0042] In FIG. 5B, the safety knob 72 is shown in a vertical orientation, allowing the trigger mechanism 60 to pass through the side portion of the safety knob 72. When the safety knob 72 is rotated, this rotation causes the internal pin 74 to shear and release the tamper display 73 or push it out. The release of the mischief display unit 73 indicates that the fire extinguisher 19 may have been discharged and that a service inspection is required. Further, when the safety knob 72 is in the vertical direction, access to the gas cartridge 50 by opening the transparent portion 42 of the handle 40 is blocked. This design prevents the new pressurized gas cartridge 50 from being inserted without returning the trigger mechanism 60 to the locked upright orientation, which allows the new pressurized gas cartridge 50 to be punctured during insertion. Be prevented.

[0043] In FIG. 5C, the operator can then pull or push the trigger mechanism 60 downwards until state 67 (dashed line) where the trigger mechanism 60 is shown in the lower position (69). When the trigger mechanism 60 is rotated from the upper position to the lower position 67, the drilling pin 62 is pushed into the pressurized gas cartridge 50 to make a hole in the pressurized gas cartridge 50. The trigger mechanism 60 can be operated by either hand.

[0044] FIG. 6 shows a detailed view of the drilling mechanism of the pressurized gas cartridge 50. The pressurized gas cartridge 50 is fixed in the retainer 56 in the top housing 30 by the threaded portion 52. The pressurized gas cartridge 50 and the threaded retainer 56 remain stationary when the end of the pressurized gas cartridge 50 is punctured. In this figure, a set of fixtures and overlapping parts have been removed for clarity. The pivoting of the trigger mechanism 60 around the shaft 58 increases the mechanical advantage of drilling holes at the ends of the pressurized gas cartridge 50. The free end of the trigger mechanism 60 is connected to the lift rod 53 and the return spring 54, the return spring 54 keeps the trigger mechanism 60 in a normal state, and under normal conditions the perforation pin 62 is the end of the pressurized gas cartridge 50. Do not touch. The lift rods 53 (only one shown) are integrally connected and act in parallel to lift the lift plate 55, thereby raising the drilling pins 62 linearly.

[0045] FIG. 7 shows a detailed cross-sectional view of the drilling pin 62. The perforation pin 62 has a pointed end 61 for drilling a hole in the seal on the end of the pressurized gas cartridge 50. _{The partially hollow central portion 65 passes gas or liquid CO 2} from the pressurized gas cartridge 50 into the chamber 22 of the fire extinguisher 19 even when the pin 62 is held at the perforated position in the gas cartridge 50. Allows you to. The perforated pin 62 has a taper 66 for increasing the size of the hole when the pin is inserted into the pressurized gas cartridge 50, and the taper 66 pulls the pin from the cartridge 50 via the force applied by the spring 54. Provides a draft for easy pushing out. One end of the perforated pin 62 has a feature portion 64 for assembly, where the perforated pin 62 is held on the lift plate 55. The expansion shank 63 supports the perforation pin 62 between the assembly feature portion 64 and the partially hollow central portion 65. Since the perforation pin 62 is firmly supported, it is possible to prevent the gas cartridge 50 from being accidentally punctured when dropped or used roughly.

[0046] Fire extinguishers generally require approval from regulatory agencies such as the Underwriters Laboratory (UL). Most fire extinguishers pressurize the housing. The fire extinguisher disclosed in this document uses a separate pressurized cartridge 50 filled with liquefied gas that must exit the cartridge 50 and expand into the bottom housing 20.

[0047] In the case of a cartridge-operated extinguisher, there is an interval of 5 seconds after the cartridge has been punctured for the purpose of creating pressure before the start of drug discharge. May be placed. The fire extinguisher shall have an emission duration of 8 seconds or more, or the minimum duration specified in the fire extinguisher evaluation / fire test standard.

[0048] If the charged fire extinguisher is held in a vertical position, the discharge nozzle is in a horizontal position. The fire extinguisher will then be discharged and the duration to gas point and dry chemical emissions will be recorded.

When ejected vertically upwards, varying amounts of dry ice (solid CO ₂ ) are retained in the _{CO 2 cartridge, depending on the ambient temperature and the orientation of the gas cylinder.} On the other hand, when discharged vertically downward, only the minimum amount of dry ice was retained.

[0050] FIG. 8 shows a graph of the amount of dry ice generated based on the orientation of the pressurized gas. This graph shows the amount of dry ice at a temperature of 45 ° C (70 ° F) and a temperature 46 of −40 ° C (-40 ° F). At 70 ° C. (70 ° F.), it is shown that almost no dry ice is generated at almost all posture positions. At -40 ° C (-40 ° F), the amount of dry ice is from a large amount exceeding 40% when the cartridge is in the vertical orientation 47, or about 15% when the cartridge 48 is in the horizontal orientation 48. From a large amount exceeding the above, it is possible to shift to almost 0% of 49 when the cartridge 50 is inverted. When the cartridge is engaged into the fire extinguisher 19 (52), the liquid in the _{lighter vaporized gas CO 2 cartridge 50 pushes the heavier liquid in CO 2} out of the opening in the cartridge 50. In this form, the inverted cartridge 50 _{pushes the liquid CO 2 out} of the cartridge 50.

[0051] _{The condition of the cartridge of the pressurized liquid CO 2} was set to 70 ° C. (70 ° F.) or −40 ° C. (-40 ° C.), and discharge was performed in various directions, and these results were measured. Thirty seconds after making a hole in the cartridge, the dry ice remaining in the cartridge was measured.

[0052] FIG. 9 shows the stirring arm 120 and the suction pipe 112 integrated with the stirring arm 120. In this preferred embodiment, the stirring arm 120 and the integral suction tube 112 are manufactured as a single unit around the central shaft 110. Although this embodiment shows a suction tube 112 with a stirring arm or blade 120, embodiments are also contemplated in which the stirring arm or blade 120 may not be incorporated. Whether or not to include the stirring arm or blade 120 is generally determined by the capacity and rating of the fire extinguisher. The bottom cap 111 of the central shaft 110 is fitted into the bottom of the fire extinguisher 19. A seal around the bottom cap 111 prevents pressurized gas from passing through the bottom of the fire extinguisher 19 and exiting. The seal 109 on the upper end of the central shaft 110 bypasses the pressurized gas and enters directly into the flow path 80 and finally into the outlet valve 95, thereby reducing the range of inhibitor 99 and discharging. Prevents the amount from being reduced. The seal 109, and the seal around the bottom cap 111, allow the central shaft 110 to rotate within the fire extinguisher 19. To assist in the manufacture, the bottom cap 111, the integral suction tube 112 and / or the stirring arm 120 may be individual parts or may be combined in any efficient manner.

[0053] An integral suction tube 112 is configured to include an elongated tube member 119, which has a blade 120 formed with the elongated tube. The bottom cap 111 is fixed to the elongated tube 119 by ultrasonic welding or the like.

Since the pressurized gas cartridge 50 is inverted, substantially only the liquefied gas goes out and expands in the fire extinguisher 19 to become gas, whereby substantially all the gas in the cartridge is removed. It is released. Since the liquid / gas is released at a high speed, the pressure wave 113 moving at a speed close to the speed of sound pushes the top of the stirring arm 120. The gusset 116 supports the stirring arm 120 and prevents the stirring arm 120 from being scraped off by the pressure wave. The pressure inside the fire extinguisher 19 stabilizes in a short time. When the valve 95 is opened, static pressure in the chamber 22 pushes the flame suppressor 99 towards at least one suction port 114 at the bottom of the central shaft 110 shown in other figures herein.

FIG. 10 shows the details of the plurality of suction ports 114 and the stirring arm 120. The stirring arm 120 is narrow, has a convex portion, is zigzag, and is tapered (115), thereby maximizing the pushed flame suppressor 99 while minimizing rotational resistance. Mix and maximize the flow of pressurized inhibitor 99 during discharge. The holes 117 in the stirring arm 120 allow the flame suppressor 99 to pass around the stirring arm 120 and the support gusset 116. The pressure wave 113 of the liquefied gas is shown in a state of pushing down the arm 120. The bottom of the central shaft 110 points to a plurality of suction ports 114, where the flame suppressor 99 is pushed into or sucked into the suction port 114 and passes through an integral suction tube 112. The flame suppressor 99 can exit the fire extinguisher 19 through the hose 81 and the metering distribution nozzle 96. A bottom seal is present in a recess within the bottom cap 111 of the central shaft 110. Bottom cap 11
The lower portion 118 of 1 is configured to include a head for gripping from the outside and includes a wheel that allows the head to rotate the central shaft 110 from the outside. In this embodiment, the drive is shaped like a "+", but other shapes are also conceived that provide essentially equal performance.

[0056] Thus, certain embodiments of portable fire extinguishers have been disclosed. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that, in addition to those mentioned above, many other modifications are possible without departing from the inventive concept herein. Therefore, the subject matter of the present invention is not limited to the scope of the appended claims.

[0057] Industrial applicability concerns fire extinguishers.

Claims (8)

A perforation mechanism for a portable fire extinguisher, the portable fire extinguisher used by a chamber (22) configured to hold a flame suppressor (99) and the portable fire extinguisher. It comprises a pressurized gas cartridge (50) configured to pressurize the chamber (22) when actuated by a person.
The perforation mechanism is
Lift plate (55) and
A perforation pin (62) connected to the lift plate (55) that pressurizes the pressurized gas cartridge (50) to release gas from the pressurized gas cartridge (50) into the chamber (22) of the portable fire extinguisher. A perforation pin (62) configured to drill a hole in the gas cartridge (50),
A trigger mechanism (60) connected to the lift plate (55), wherein the trigger mechanism (60) moves from a first position to a second position to cause the lift plate (55) and the perforation. Corresponding movement of the pin (62) occurs and the perforated pin (62) punctures the pressurized gas cartridge (50) to release the gas from the gas cartridge (50) into the chamber (22). With a trigger mechanism (60) configured as
The portable fire extinguisher includes a movable safety knob (72) such that the user's access to the pressurized gas cartridge (50) can be blocked, of the trigger mechanism (60). movement to the second position from said first position, said its permissible operating by the movement of the safety knob (72),
Drilling mechanism. The drilling mechanism according to claim 1.
The movement of the trigger mechanism (60) is a downward movement of the trigger mechanism (60) toward the chamber (22) and an upward movement of the lift plate (55) and the drilling pin (62) away from the chamber (22). Perforation mechanism, including movement of. The drilling mechanism according to claim 1.
A perforation mechanism in which the perforation pin (62) is connected to a threaded retainer (56) configured to receive the pressurized gas cartridge (50). The drilling mechanism according to claim 1.
A drilling mechanism in which the lift plate (55) is urged away from the pressurized gas cartridge (50) by a return spring (54). A method of operating a portable fire extinguisher (19), wherein the portable fire extinguisher includes a chamber (22) configured to hold a flame suppressor (99) and the portable fire extinguisher. Also comprises a pressurized gas cartridge (50) configured to pressurize the chamber (22) when actuated by the user.
The method is
The safety knob (72) is moved from the first safety knob position to the second safety knob position, thereby blocking the user's access to the pressurized gas cartridge (50) and of the trigger mechanism (60). and a step release the lock state,
The step of moving the trigger mechanism (60) from the first trigger position to the second trigger position, and
With
The step of moving the trigger mechanism (60) is to make a hole in the pressurized gas cartridge (50) so that gas is discharged from the pressurized gas cartridge (50) into the chamber (22). , A method comprising the step of moving a perforation pin (62) connected to the trigger mechanism (60). The method according to claim 5.
To that process release the locked state of the trigger mechanism (60) includes a release prank display unit (73), or extruding process, way. The method according to claim 5.
The step of moving the trigger mechanism (60) from the first trigger position to the second trigger position includes moving the trigger mechanism (60) in the first direction.
The step of moving the perforation pin (62) comprises moving the perforation pin (62) in a second direction opposite to the first direction. The method according to claim 5.
Further, a method comprising using a return spring to urge the perforated pin (62) away from the pressurized gas cartridge (50).

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