Patent ID: 11878195
Assignee: KIDDE TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Field: Chemical engineering (Chemistry)
Classification: CPC A  B | IPC A  B

Claim 5:
6. A fire extinguisher discharge nozzle, comprising:
a tubular member;
sidewalls extending at first ends thereof from the tubular member and defining at second ends thereof, which are opposite the first ends, an aperture through which a medium(s) is dischargeable;
a biasing element configured to bias the sidewalls to cause the second ends to assume one of dilated and constricted conditions; and
an actuating element configured to drive the sidewalls to cause the second ends to assume the other one of the dilated and constricted conditions in opposition to the bias,
the actuating element comprising at least one of smart materials and shape memory alloys disposed in abutment with external surfaces of the sidewalls and a controller to control the at least one of the smart materials and the shape memory alloys based on a characteristic of the medium(s),
wherein the controller comprises:
a sensor configured to sense the characteristic of the medium(s);
a processor configured to determine whether to control the at least one of the smart materials and the shape memory alloys based on readings of the sensor; and
circuitry by which the processor is coupled to the at least one of the smart materials and the shape memory alloys.