Safety system for smoke and fumes

A detector in a space to be sensed and controlled gives an electrical signal upon fumes in the space reaching a predetermined level. An electrical circuit is thereby energized to operate a fan to exhaust the space. Inlet and outlet openings in the structure enclosing the space are biased closed but open in response to air pressure on operation of the fan. Also the main door is opened by mechanism actuated by the signal. When the main door is open, the circuitry for opening the main door is open, and there is no actuating the apparatus.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
The invention resides in the general field of detecting smoke and fumes, 
and controlling them, including controlling the facilities in which the 
smoke and fumes occur. Attention is directed to my prior U.S. Pat. No. 
4,819,551, dated Apr. 11, 1989. The invention of that patent resides in 
the same general field, but the present apparatus includes additional 
features that can be included in the previous system for greater and more 
refined control. 
As used herein, system includes both apparatus and method. As in the case 
of the invention of my prior patent referred to, the system of the present 
invention is well adapted to a garage for an automobile or car, although 
it is not limited to such installation. In many cases, a car is driven 
into a garage, and the door closed shortly thereafter. If the engine is 
left running, the noxious fumes develop rapidly, and it is desired to keep 
the environment, that is, the garage, clear of those fumes. A similar 
situation would exist for example in the home where gas escapes therein. 
The apparatus incorporates a detector for detecting those fumes, and 
includes controls for clearing the fumes therefrom, when they occur, 
including a fan or blower, and openings in the garage through which the 
fan can expel the fumes and draw in fresh air. The garage is provided with 
openings made for such purpose, and the main garage door for the car, may 
also be utilized for drawing in fresh air. 
The principal object of the present invention is to provide apparatus of 
the foregoing general character with additional features and advantages. 
One such feature is that the fan is automatically turned off when the 
garage is clear of the fumes. 
Another feature is that, the main garage door may be utilized for admitting 
fresh air into the garage. 
A further feature is to provide such apparatus that can be installed in 
conjunction with a previous control installation such as disclosed in my 
above mentioned patent, without requiring any modification of the circuit 
of the older control apparatus, to enable both automatic control according 
to the older system, and manual control, when desired, by means of the 
present apparatus overriding the action of the older circuit. 
Still another feature is that in the apparatus of the present invention, 
enables the user to manually actuate the individual controls of an older 
system, such as in the apparatus of the foregoing patent.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
As referred to above, the device of the invention is particularly 
applicable to situations where fumes develop, a most common example of 
which is a garage for an automobile or car. 
Referring to the drawings generally, FIG. 1 shows a garage and certain 
components therein, and FIG. 2 shows control components to be installed in 
the garage, including a novel main component of the present invention. 
FIG. 1 shows a detector or monitor 38 in the garage, as in the arrangement 
of my prior patent, and as referred to below. 
The garage is indicated at 10 in FIG. 1 and has a main opening 11 closed by 
the usual door 12 which in the present case, moves between a down or 
closed position, as indicated in full lines, and an upper or open position 
12a, as indicated in dot-dash lines. The door is opened by a power unit or 
driver 14 which includes an electrical motor and a rigid driver link 16. 
The door may be operated in a suitable arrangement, in which the power 
unit 14 includes a pinion 16a, and the link 16 includes a rack cooperable 
with the pinion. The door is closed by driving the link 16 to the right 
(FIG. 1), and pushing the door closed, which may be done manually, or by 
manually controlling the motor to run it in reverse. As an alternative 
arrangement, the power unit may be utilized to open the door, after which 
it is automatically locked, and then manually releasing it, and enabling a 
spring 17 (FIG. 3) to close it. In the opening operation, the link 16 is 
moved back (to the left, FIG. 1) to a position shown at 16b, pulling the 
door to open position. The arrangement includes an electrical control 
circuit as will be referred to again hereinbelow. Electrical conductors 18 
are shown (FIG. 1) leading from the motor of the driver 14, these 
conductors also being found in FIG. 6, at the lower right. 
The means for exhausting fumes or smoke from the garage includes a fan or 
blower 19 (FIG. 1, left) having an exhaust conduit 20 leading to the 
exterior. In the present case the fan has an electrical drive motor 20a, 
having an electrical circuit with conductors 21 leading therefrom, these 
conductors also being found in FIG. 6 at the lower right. The conduit 20 
leads through an opening 22 normally closed by an outer flap door 24. The 
opening 22 may be at one end of the garage and at the other end is a 
similar opening 26, closed by a flap door 28 on the inside. This opening 
26 will be referred to again in connection with the main opening 11. 
FIG. 5 shows a specific form of construction of flap door, e.g. 24 or 26, 
mounted on a fixed element 30 on the garage and biased downwardly to 
closed position by a coil spring 32 but yielding to let the air flow 
through as indicated by the dotted line arrows 34 (see also FIG. 1). 
The basic construction of the garage, and the installation of the safety 
arrangement therein, in the present case is similar to that of my prior 
patent referred to above, and for convenience, a brief description is 
first given of that arrangement, and particularly the detector means 
utilized. The detector 38 utilized in the present case is, in itself, 
known, and is often referred to as a smoke detector although similar 
devices respond to the presence of fumes and particularly carbon monoxide. 
As used herein fumes generically covers all noxious gases including carbon 
monoxide, and smoke detector generically includes all devices for 
detecting noxious fumes, and such that are operable that upon a 
concentration of the fumes reaching a certain level, they produce a signal 
which may be translated to a visual light signal or an audible signal, or 
both; in the present case such a signal, electrical in nature, is utilized 
for controlling electrical components for exhausting the fumes from the 
garage. In so exhausting the fumes, in addition to opening the inlet and 
outlet passages, 24, 26, the steps may also include opening the main 
garage door 12, as referred to again. 
The apparatus also includes means for sensing the door in its open 
position, as shown in FIG. 4. The door has a finger 40 engageable with 
switch means 42 connected with conductors 44. These conductors are 
included in the circuit for performing a certain function, when the door 
is in open position, as described hereinbelow. 
Referring to the specific steps of detecting the fumes and exhausting them, 
the apparatus includes (FIG. 2) a power receptacle or plug 45 for plugging 
into a power source, e.g., 120 VAC, which includes what is generally known 
as a wall cube 46, for producing reduced voltage of 9 VDC which is used in 
the control circuit of FIG. 6. 
A module 48 is shown, which constitutes a novel component of the present 
invention; it can be incorporated in a previously installed self-contained 
system as in my prior patent without modifying that system, as well as, of 
course, installing it as an entirely new system. This module is 
mechanically separate from the other components but connected therewith. 
It includes an outer casing 50 containing substantially all of the 
elements of the electronic circuit of FIG. 6. Included in the module is a 
terminal strip 54 from which outlet conductors 57, 18, 21 extend for 
conconnection with corresponding elements. This terminal strip is also 
shown in FIG. 6 at the bottom right. 
Referring to the circuit of FIG. 6, the plug 45 is plugged into a power 
circuit, and it includes the cube 46. A plug 60 in the circuit is plugged 
into outlet and receives the outlet 9 V therefrom, providing a control 
current through conductors 62. The circuit of FIG. 6 includes a number of 
contacts 63 providing a 9 V source. Power to the unit is conducted through 
conductors 64 to contacts 65 for providing power to the circuit. A 
manually actuated switch 66 is provided for shutting OFF the entire 
circuit when desired, which may be positioned at any convenient location 
such as at a distance for remote control, and conductors 67 lead to 
contacts 68 for actuating a relay 70. 
The detector 38 produces a pulsing signal, which in the present instance, 
according to its own character, is ON for 1-2 seconds, and OFF for 2-10 
seconds. This signal energizes the relay 70, which includes a coil 70a and 
contacts 70b. Upon the contacts By closing, the potential of pins 1, 2 of 
gate 72 (bottom left) and pin 13 of gate (middle left) go HI to 9 V. Pin 3 
of gate 72 then goes LO, causing pin 4 of gate 74 to go HI, to 9 V. This 
turns ON SCR 75, which causes energization of a relay 76. The contacts 76b 
upon being closed, close the circuit between conductors 77, 78, which then 
produce connection between the conductors 21 to turn ON the fan 19. At the 
same time that the foregoing step occurred, pin 3 of the gate 72 goes LO 
and pin 11 of gate 73 also goes LO. The output from these two steps 
proceeds through a capacitor 80 and to pins 8, 9 of gate 81. These pins, 
8, 9, go LO, but they begin to rise in voltage as the capacitor 80 is 
charged through resistor 84. While the pins 8, 9 are LO, pin 10 of gate 81 
is HI and it turns ON an SCR 77, and this turns ON a relay 86. The 
contacts 86b close, and connect conductors 87, 88, which acting through 
the terminal strip 54 (lower right), interconnect the conductors 18 to the 
opener for the main garage door 12. 
After an initial period, e.g. 1 second, the capacitor 80 (middle right) is 
charged to 9 V causing the pins 8, 9 to go HI, and the pin 10 to go LO. 
This turns OFF capacitor 80 and the relay 86 (middle right), thus opening 
the contacts 86b. 
If the main garage door 12 is open, that position is sensed through the 
switch means 44 (FIG. 4) that it is open. As a conseguence, the signal is 
transmitted through conductors 87, 88 (FIG. 6, right) bringing the 
resistor 90 (FIG. 6, upper left) to zero or ground. This causes the pin 12 
of gate 73 (middle right) to go LO, which stops pin 11 from going HI. This 
latter step prevents the contacts 86b (FIG. 6 middle right) from closing 
if the garage door is already open. 
The relays 70 (top), 76 (lower right) 86 (middle right) are operable, as 
long as they are energized, for retaining the corresponding portions of 
the circuitry energized, and upon de-energization, enabling those 
positions to again become de-energized. 
The detector is operable, according to its own internal law of operation, 
upon the level of noxious fumes lowering to a predetermined level, for 
producing a signal for returning the control circuit to original 
condition.