Patent Publication Number: US-9844690-B2

Title: Fire extinguishing appliance adjustable in foam expansion ratio

Description:
The current application claims a foreign priority to application number 104203775 filed on Mar. 13, 2015 in Taiwan 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to a fire extinguishing spray-head device, particularly to a fire extinguishing appliance adjustable in foam expansion ratio for producing best fire extinguishing efficacy. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     In order to extinguish fire in a shortest time, fire extinguishing apparatuses, such as extinguishers and automatic fire extinguishing systems installed in large buildings, are respectively provided with a nozzle at the front end of a pipe for spraying the fire extinguishing agent of the fire extinguishing apparatus and further for increasing a spraying range and distance so as to speed up fire extinguishing work and reduce loss of life and property. 
     However, the conventional nozzles are mostly bored with one or plural micro-pores at the front end for atomizing the fire extinguishing agent when the fire extinguishing agent passes through the nozzles, but such atomizing nozzles are unable to control foam expansion ratio and mixing efficiency of the fire extinguishing agent, thus unsatisfactory in fire extinguishing efficiency. Therefore, it is necessary how to devise a fire extinguishing appliance that is able to spray out water mist and controllable in water-spraying quantity for enhancing fire extinguishing efficiency. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The objective of this invention is to offer a fire extinguishing appliance adjustable in foam expansion ratio. The fire extinguishing appliance of this invention is provided with a damping piece to actuate non-toxic agent to rotate and collide with the damping piece when the non-toxic agent passes through the damping piece, thus able to enhance the foam expansion ratio, the mixing efficiency and the fire extinguishing efficacy of the non-toxic agent. 
     The fire extinguishing appliance adjustable in foam expansion ratio in the present invention includes a main body and a guide unit. The main body is formed therein with an agent chamber, and the pressure in the agent chamber is higher than that of the outside, having a non-toxic agent received in the agent chamber. The guide unit is connected with the main body and has its interior bored with a flow passageway having two ends respectively formed with an inlet and an outlet, having at least one inner wall formed between the inlet and the outlet. The guide unit has the inlet communicating with the agent chamber of the main body and the outlet communicating with the outside, with a damping piece mounted on the inner wall. 
     In use of the fire extinguishing appliance adjustable in foam expansion ratio, when the non-toxic agent in the agent chamber is actuated to get into the flow passageway along the inlet of the guide unit and passes through the damping piece, the non-toxic agent will rotate and extensively collide with air for increasing foam expansion ratio and mixing efficiency of the non-toxic agent. Thus, when the non-toxic agent is sprayed out of the outlet of the guide unit, the non-toxic agent is able to extinguishing fire for a large area, with quickness and with high efficiency. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
       This invention will be better understood by referring to the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a first preferred embodiment of a fire extinguishing appliance adjustable in foam expansion ratio in the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the first preferred embodiment of a spray-head seat and a water guide member in the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is an axial cross-sectional view of the first preferred embodiment of the spray-head seat and the water guide member combined together in the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a radial cross-sectional view of the first preferred embodiment of the spray-head seat and the water guide member combined together in the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a side view of the first preferred embodiment of the water guide member in the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic view of the first preferred embodiment of the fire extinguishing appliance in a using state in the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  is an axial cross-sectional view of a second preferred embodiment of a spray-head seat and a water guide member combined together in the present invention; 
         FIG. 8  is a system schematic view of a third preferred embodiment of a fire extinguishing appliance adjustable in foam expansion ratio in the present invention; and 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a fourth preferred embodiment of a fire extinguishing appliance adjustable in foam expansion ratio in the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     A first preferred embodiment of a fire extinguishing appliance  100  adjustable in foam expansion ratio in the present invention, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , includes a main body  10 , a spray-head seat and a water guide member  30  as main components combined together. 
     The main body  10  has its interior formed with an agent chamber  11  received therein with a non-toxic agent  12 , and the pressure in the agent chamber  11  is higher than that of the outside. The main body  10  is coupled with a connecting pipe  13  communicating with the agent chamber  11  and having its free end provided with a combining screw thread  14  on the outer surface. In the first preferred embodiment, the main body  10  is a portable fire extinguishing steel cylinder that is provided with a lever switch  15 , and the main body  10  has its interior filled with high pressure gas in advance, letting the pressure in the main body  10  become higher than that of the outside, so that the non-toxic agent  12  in the agent chamber  11  can be output when a user presses the lever switch  15 . 
     The spray-head seat  20 , referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , is to be assembled with the connecting pipe  13 , having its two axial ends respectively defined to be a first end face  21  and a second end face  22 . The first end face  21  of the spray-head seat  20  is provided with a first accommodating groove  23 , which is formed with a first inner ring surface  231  and a bottom surface  232 . The first inner ring surface  231  of the spray-head seat  20  is provided with a first female thread  233  and a second female thread  234 , and the spray-head seat  20  has the first female thread  233  fixedly screwed with the combining screw thread  14  of the main body  10 . Further, the bottom surface  232  of the spray-head seat  20  is disposed with a recessed groove  24  and bored with a jet orifice  25  that is gradually contracted from the first end face  21  toward the second end face  22  and formed into a conical shape. The second end face  22  of the spray-head seat  20  is provided with a second accommodating groove  26 , which is formed with a second inner ring surface  261 , with the second accommodating groove  26  communicating with the first accommodating groove  23  via the jet orifice  25 . The second inner ring surface  261  of the spray-head seat  20  is set with at least one damping piece  27 , which is a screw in this preferred embodiment. 
     The water guide member  30 , referring to  FIGS. 2 and 5 , is to be received in the first accommodating groove  23  of the spray-head seat  20 , composed of a seat and a protruding ring  32  extending from one side surface of the seat  31 , and the protruding ring  32  is smaller than the seat  31  in diameter. The seat  31  has its outer circumferential edge formed with a male thread  311  corresponding to the second female thread  234  of spray-head seat  20 . The water guide member  30  can be combined with the spray-head seat  20  by the male thread  311  and the second female thread  234 , and the second female thread  234  is longer than the male thread  311 . Further, the seat  31  is axially bored with a plurality of through insert holes  312  spaced apart at the outer side of the protruding ring  32 . The protruding ring  32  has its free end facing the jet orifice  25  and has its inner ring surface defined to form a volute chamber  33  corresponding with the jet orifice  25 . The protruding ring  32  is axially cut with a plurality of flow passageways  34  spaced apart and communicating with the volute chamber  33 . The flow passageways  34  are provided in the direction of tangent of the inner ring surface of the protruding ring  32 , and the entrances of the flow passageways  34  are not opposite to one another. In this preferred embodiment, the flow passageways  34  are bored from the free end of the protruding ring  32  toward the seat  31 , and each flow passageway  34  is formed with two side walls  341  and a bottom wall  342  between the two side walls  341 , and an included angle (a) is formed by the bottom wall  342  with the radial direction of the protruding ring  32 , letting the bottom wall  342  become a slant state, as shown in  FIG. 5 . In addition, the seat  31  is bored with a through hole  35  at a location corresponding to the central position of the protruding ring  32 , with the through hole  35  communicating with the volute chamber  33 . 
     In using, referring to  FIG. 6 , when a fire breaks out, a user needs only to have the spray-head seat  20  aligned to the fire and press the lever switch  15  to force the non-toxic agent  12  in the agent chamber  11  to get into the first accommodating groove  23  of spray-head seat  20  through the connecting pipe  13  and then orderly pass through the insert holes  312  and the through hole  35  of the water guide member  30  and get into the volute chamber  33  via the flow passageways  34 . At this time, since the flow passageways  34  are formed in the direction of tangent of the inner ring surface of the protruding ring  32 ; therefore, when the non-toxic agent  12  enters the volute chamber  33 , the non-toxic agent  12  will move forward along the inner side wall of the volute chamber  33  and form a whirlpool state and thus, when passing through the jet orifice  25 , the non-toxic agent  12  will be cast into the second accommodating groove  26  because of centrifugal force. Subsequently, the non-toxic agent  12  in the second accommodating groove  26  will be mixed with air and produce foam and, when passing through the screw thread of the damping piece  27 , the non-toxic agent  12  will be actuated to rotate and extensively collide with air to enable the non-toxic agent  12  to enhance foam expansion ratio and mixing efficiency and lastly, the non-toxic agent  12  will be sprayed out of the second accommodating groove  26  of the spray-head seat  20 , thus able to extinguish fire for a large area, with quickness and with high efficiency. 
     One special feature of this invention is that the second accommodating groove  26  is employed as a space for the non-toxic agent  12  to mix with air and carry out foaming and, when passing through the second accommodating groove  26 , the non-toxic agent  12  will collide with the damping piece  27  and rotate for increasing the foam expansion ratio and the mixing efficiency of the non-toxic agent  12 , thus enabling the non-toxic agent  12  to extinguish fire with high efficiency. 
     Another special feature of this invention is that the second female thread  234  of the spray-head seat  20  is longer than the male thread  311  of the water guide member  30 ; therefore, the position of the water guide member  30  at the second female thread  234  of the spray-head seat  20  can be adjusted via the male thread  311 . Thus, the water guide member  30  can be assembled at different positions in the spray-head seat  20  so that the fire extinguishing appliance  100  adjustable in foam expansion ratio of this invention can be formed with different-sized foaming space for adjusting the foam expansion ratio and the mixing efficiency of the non-toxic agent  12 . By so designing, foaming space, foam expansion ratio and fire extinguishing efficiency of all sorts of non-toxic agents can be adjusted. 
     A second preferred embodiment of a fire extinguishing appliance adjustable in foam expansion ratio in the present invention, as shown in  FIG. 7 , is almost the same as the first preferred embodiment in structure, except that the damping piece  27  consists of plural square bulging rings  271  and triangular bulging rings  272 . Thus, when the non-toxic agent  12  passes through the second accommodating groove  26 , the non-toxic agent  12  will bump against the square bulging rings  271  and the triangular bulging rings  272  and rotate to increase the mixing strength and the mixing efficiency of the non-toxic agent  12  with air for enhancing the foam expansion ratio and the mixing efficiency of the non-toxic agent  12  to enable the non-toxic agent  12  to extinguish fire with high efficiency. Substantially, the damping piece  27  of this invention is not restricted to the screw thread, the square bulging rings and the triangular bulging rings disclosed in the first and the second preferred embodiments, but all that can bump against the non-toxic agent  12  for enhancing foam expansion ratio, mixing efficiency and fire extinguishing efficiency of the non-toxic agent  12  are available. 
     A third preferred embodiment of a fire extinguishing appliance  100  adjustable in foam expansion ratio in the present invention, as shown in  FIG. 8 , is different from foresaid preferred embodiments in structure. In the third preferred embodiment, the main body  10  is a fixed fire extinguishing water tank connected with a fire detector  40  and a gas supply unit  50 , such as an air compressor or a gas cylinder. The main body  10  has the connecting pipe  13  connected with two spray-head seats  20 , which are positioned over a combustible material  200 . Thus, when the combustible material  200  catches fire and the fire is detected by the fire detector  40 , the gas supply unit  50  will be started to have high pressure gas conveyed into the main body  10  to force the non-toxic agent  12  in the main body  10  to get to the spray-head seats  20  to be formed into fine water mist by the spray-head seats  20  for carrying out fire extinguishing work, thus equally attaining the same effect as described in foresaid preferred embodiments. 
     A fourth preferred embodiment of a fire extinguishing appliance  100  adjustable in foam expansion ratio in the present invention, as shown in  FIG. 9 , is different from the first preferred embodiment in structure. The fire extinguishing appliance  100  adjustable in foam expansion ratio in the fourth preferred embodiment is provided with a guide unit  60  connected with the main body  10 . The guide unit  60  has its interior bored with a through flow passageway  61  having two ends respectively formed with an inlet  62  and an outlet  63 , and at least one inner wall  64  is formed between the inlet  62  and the outlet  63 . The inlet  62  of the guide unit  60  communicates with the agent chamber  11  of the main body  10 , while the outlet  63  of the guide unit  60  communicates with the outside, and the inner wall  64  of the guide unit  60  is provided thereon with a damping piece  65 . In the fourth preferred embodiment, the guide unit  60  is composed of a connecting pipe  66 , a spray-head seat  67  threadably connected with the connecting pipe  66 , and a foaming member  68  combined with the spray-head seat  67 , and the flow passageway  61  passes through the interior of the connecting pipe  66 , the spray-head seat  67  and the foaming member  68 . The connecting pipe  66  has one end formed with the inlet  62  and another end threadably connected with the spray-head seat  67 . The free end of the spray-head seat has its outer circumference disposed with a first combining piece  671 , which is a male thread, and the foaming member  68  is provided with a second combining piece  681 , which is a female thread opposite to the first combining piece  671 , and the foaming member  68  is foamed with the outlet  63 . Further, the connecting pipe  66  is formed with an inner wall  641  mounted thereon with a damping piece  651 , which is a screw, and the foaming member  68  is formed with an inner wall  642  provided thereon with a damping piece  652 , which is a screw. 
     By so designing, when fire breaks out, a user needs only to have the spray-head seat  67  aligned to the fire and press the lever switch  15  to force the non-toxic agent  12  in the agent chamber  11  to get into the flow passageway  61  along the inlet  62  of the guide unit  60  and then orderly pass through the connecting pipe  66 , the spraying-head seat  67  and the foaming member  68  and lastly, the non-toxic agent  12  will be sprayed out of the outlet  63  of the guide unit  60 . When the non-toxic agent  12  passes through the screw of the damping pieces  651  and  652 , the non-toxic agent  12  will be actuated to rotate and extensively collide with air for increasing the foam expansion ratio and the mixing efficiency of the non-toxic agent, thus able to extinguish fire for a large area, with quickness and with high efficiency. 
     What is worth mentioning is that, aside from having the connecting pipe  66  provided with the damping piece  651  and having the foaming member  68  provided with the damping piece  652 , the inner wall  64  of the flow passageway  61  can be provided thereon with the damping piece  65  at any location for enhancing the foam expansion ratio and the mixing efficiency of the non-toxic agent  12 . 
     Moreover, the connecting pipe  66  further contains a siphon tube and an agent conveyer tube connected with the siphon tube. The siphon tube has one end formed with the inlet  62  communicating with the agent chamber  11  of the main body  10 , the inlet  62  being an agent suction inlet, and the agent conveyer tube has its free end provided with the outlet  63 . Further, the siphon tube has an inner wall at the location of the inlet  62  mounted thereon with a spiral damping piece. Thus, the siphon tube of the guide unit  60  can function to suck agent for enhancing the foam expansion ratio and the mixing efficiency of the non-toxic agent  12 . 
     While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been described above, it will be recognized and understood that various modifications may be made therein and the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications that may fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.