Patent Publication Number: US-11642557-B2

Title: Sprinkler head accessory

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to an accessory of a sprinkler head installed in a building. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Sprinkler systems are installed in buildings. Upon detecting heat of a fire, such a sprinkler system operates automatically and sprinkles water to extinguish the fire. A nozzle provided in a sprinkler head is connected to a pipe connected to a water supply source. In normal times, the nozzle is in a closed state by a valve, which is supported by a heat-activated unit, being closed. If a fire breaks out, in response to the heat, the heat-activated unit operates to release the valve in the closed state, and the water filled in the pipe is discharged through the nozzle. The sprinkler head has, on an extension of an outlet of the nozzle, a deflector that scatters water in all directions. The water that has collided with the deflector is sprinkled over a predetermined range, thereby suppressing and extinguishing the fire. 
     In the sprinkler head installed in a room, the pipe is hidden by a ceiling board whereas the sprinkler head passes through the ceiling board and the deflector is disposed on the indoor side. Thus, the ceiling board has a through hole for installing the sprinkler head in a state of passing through the ceiling board. To hide the through hole, the sprinkler head has accessories such as a ceiling plate and an escutcheon (for example, refer to FIG. 5 of U.S. Pat. No. 7,185,567). 
     As  FIG.  6    illustrates, an outer ring  62  and an inner ring  64  that is attached to a sprinkler head  63  are provided to hide a through hole H of a ceiling board C into which the sprinkler head  63  is inserted. The outer ring  62  has a dish portion  61  having a diameter larger than that of the through hole H. The outer ring  62  hides the through hole H of the ceiling board C in a manner such that a tube portion  65  extending from the inner edge of the dish portion  61  to the back side of the ceiling is fitted onto the inner ring  64 . 
     When an operation of the above-described sprinkler head is attempted to be facilitated, the design thereof is deteriorated, and it thereby tends to be difficult to achieve both. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Thus, the present invention aims to facilitate a swift operation of a sprinkler head while the design of a sprinkler system is considered. 
     An aspect of the present invention is an accessory to be provided on a sprinkler head. The sprinkler head accessory includes an inner ring attached to the sprinkler head and an outer ring hiding the edge of a hole of a ceiling board through which the sprinkler head passes. The inner ring has an opposing wall portion facing the outer ring with a gap therebetween. A ventilation portion constituted by the gap which passes from the indoor side of the ceiling board to the back side of the ceiling board is provided between the outer ring and the opposing wall portion. 
     With such a configuration, the ventilation portion provided between the opposing wall portion and the outer ring encourages the thermal airflow generated during a fire to be discharged to the back side of the ceiling, the thermal airflow is supplied continuously to the heat-activated unit of the sprinkler head, and a swift operation of the sprinkler head can thereby be facilitated. Specifically, due to the ventilation portion provided between the opposing wall portion and the outer ring, the thermal airflow is diffused throughout a space above the ceiling, at a position away from the indoor side of the ceiling board. Thus, the thermal airflow is prevented from stagnating at the back side of the inner ring, and a temperature difference between the inner side of the ventilation portion and the outer side thereof is thereby maintained to enable continuous discharge of the thermal airflow to the back side of the ceiling. 
     According to an aspect of the present invention, the sprinkler head accessory can have a configuration in which the opposing wall portion on the inner ring side has a path. The sprinkler head accessory may alternatively have a configuration in which a path is provided on the outer ring side. According to an aspect of the present invention, the ventilation portion is provided between the opposing wall portion and the outer ring, and a circumferential wall portion and a tube portion thereby function as the walls of the ventilation portion. Moreover, according to an aspect of the present invention, because the ventilation portion is inconspicuous when viewed from the indoor side of the ceiling board, the sprinkler system can be configured without deteriorating a design. 
     According to the present invention, thermal airflow can be supplied continuously to a heat-activated unit of the sprinkler head, and a swift operation of the sprinkler head can thereby be facilitated. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a bottom view of a sprinkler head accessory according to a first embodiment, which is installed in a ceiling board. 
         FIG.  2    is a sectional view taken along line II-II of  FIG.  1   . 
         FIG.  3    is a perspective view of an inner ring illustrated in  FIG.  1   . 
         FIG.  4    is a bottom view of a first modification of the first embodiment. 
         FIG.  5    is a perspective view of an inner ring illustrated in  FIG.  4   . 
         FIG.  6    is a sectional view of an existing sprinkler head accessory. 
         FIG.  7    is a partial magnified view of the vicinity of a ventilation portion illustrated in  FIG.  2   . 
         FIG.  8    is a sectional view, which is taken along a line corresponding to line II-II of  FIG.  1   , illustrating an outer ring according to a second modification of the first embodiment. 
         FIG.  9    is a sectional view, which is taken along a line corresponding to line II-II of  FIG.  1   , illustrating an outer ring according to a third modification of the first embodiment. 
         FIG.  10    is a sectional view, which is taken along a line corresponding to line II-II of  FIG.  1   , illustrating a sprinkler head accessory according to a fourth modification of the first embodiment. 
         FIG.  11    is a partial enlarged view of a sectional view, which is taken along a line corresponding to line II-II of  FIG.  1   , illustrating the vicinity of a ventilation portion of a sprinkler head accessory according to a fifth modification of the first embodiment. 
         FIG.  12    is a partial enlarged view of a sectional view, which is taken along a line corresponding to line II-II of  FIG.  1   , illustrating the vicinity of a ventilation portion of a sprinkler head accessory according to a sixth modification of the first embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Hereinafter, preferred embodiments according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the present embodiments, which will be described below, are not intended to unreasonably limit the content of the present invention stated in the claims, and not all the constituents described in the present embodiments are essential as the solution of the present invention. 
     In the embodiments described below, common constituents are denoted by the same references, and overlapping descriptions in the specification will be omitted. Moreover, overlapping descriptions regarding common methods of use and functions and effects in the embodiments will also be omitted. Here, when being stated in the present specification and the claims, “first” to “sixth” are used to distinguish different constituents from one another and are not used to indicate, for example, a particular order and superiority or inferiority. 
     First Embodiment [FIG.  1  to FIG.  3 , FIG.  7 ] 
     As  FIGS.  1  and  2    illustrate, a sprinkler head accessory μl according to a first embodiment of the present invention is provided between a ceiling board C and a sprinkler head  50  disposed in a through hole H passing through the ceiling board C. The sprinkler head accessory μl has an inner ring  10  and an outer ring  20 . The sprinkler head accessory μl is disposed so that the tube axial direction of each of the inner ring  10  and the outer ring  20  is parallel to the vertical direction in which the through hole H is formed. Each of the inner ring  10  and the outer ring  20  is made of metal and constituted by, for example, a steel plate. Alternatively, each of the inner ring  10  and the outer ring  20  may be constituted by, for example, a stainless-steel plate or a brass plate. In addition, each of the inner ring  10  and the outer ring  20  may be made of a material other than metal and may be made of, for example, plastic. 
     The inner ring  10  is disposed between the outer ring  20  and the sprinkler head  50 . The inner ring  10  has a substantially circumferential groove shape. The inner ring  10  has a disc-shaped flat face  11  expanding in the radial direction (the horizontal direction) intersecting the tube axial direction of the inner ring  10 . The inner ring  10  also has circumferential wall portions  12  as “pieces” arranged vertically on a circular outer edge of the flat face  11  in the tube axial direction of the inner ring  10  (the vertical direction). By the inner ring  10  having the circumferential wall portions  12 , a distance in the tube axial direction of the inner ring  10  is ensured between the flat face  11  located at a lower end, which is an end on one side of the inner ring  10 , and distal ends of the circumferential wall portions  12  located at an upper end, which is an end on the other side of the inner ring  10 . 
     A circular hole  13  for installing the sprinkler head  50  is formed at the center, in the radial direction, of the flat face  11 . The edge of the hole  13  curves inward in the radial direction from the tube axial direction of the inner ring  10  so as to extend along a thread of a pipe-connecting screw  51  of the sprinkler head  50 , and the pipe-connecting screw  51  can screw into the edge of the hole  13 . 
     The circumferential wall portions  12  come into contact with a tube portion  21  of the outer ring  20  and are fitted in the inner circumference of the tube portion  21 . The circumferential wall portions  12  are arranged on the outer edge of the flat face  11  at equal intervals in the circumferential direction of the inner ring  10 . The circumferential wall portions  12  are provided in five places in the present embodiment. As  FIG.  7    illustrates, the inner ring  10  has partition portions  14  as “opposing wall portions” facing the outer ring  20  with a gap therebetween. The partition portions  14  extend along the tube portion  21 . As  FIG.  1    illustrates, the partition portions  14  are arranged vertically on recessed portions  14   a  located closer to the center than the circumferential wall portions  12  in the radial direction of the circumferential wall portions  12 . As  FIGS.  1 ,  2 , and  7    illustrate, between the circumferential wall portions  12  adjacent to one another in the circumferential direction thereof, the partition portions  14  rising from a corresponding one of the recessed portions  14   a  are formed away from the tube portion  21 . The circumferential wall portions  12  and the partition portions  14  each have the same length in the tube axial direction thereof. 
     As  FIG.  2    illustrates, the outer ring  20  is disposed between the inner ring  10  attached to the sprinkler head  50  and the ceiling board C. The outer ring  20  has the tube portion  21  and a dish portion  22 . The tube portion  21  extends in a direction intersecting the ceiling board C (that is, the tube axial direction of the outer ring  20 ). As described previously, the inner ring  10  is fitted in the tube portion  21 . The tube portion  21  is disposed so that the upper end thereof that is an end on the other side in the tube axial direction protrudes to the upper side relative to the upper ends of the circumferential wall portions  12 . Thus, a distance in the tube axial direction of the outer ring  20  is ensured between the flat face  11  located at the lower end of the inner ring  10  and a distal end of the tube portion  21  located at the upper end of the outer ring  20 . From the lower end, which is an end on one side of the tube portion  21  in the tube axial direction thereof, the dish portion  22  expands outward in the radial direction of the tube portion  21  along a ceiling surface. The dish portion  22  has an outer diameter larger than the inner diameter of the through hole H formed in the ceiling board C. The dish portion  22  has an outer edge in contact with the ceiling board C. 
     As  FIGS.  1  and  2    illustrate, the circumferential wall portions  12  extend from the outer edge of the flat face  11  along the tube portion  21 . The inner ring  10  engages with the outer ring  20  by the circumferential wall portions  12  pressing the tube portion  21 . The partition portions  14 , which are disposed closer to the center than the circumferential wall portions  12  in the radial direction of the inner ring  10 , are away from the tube portion  21 , and openings  30  are formed between the partition portions  14  and the tube portion  21 . Each of the openings  30  has an arc shape extending along the outer edge of the flat face  11 . 
     As  FIGS.  2  and  7    illustrate, the sprinkler head accessory μl has, between the tube portion  21  and the partition portions  14 , ventilation portions  31  constituted by respective gaps through which the indoor side of the ceiling board C and the back side of the ceiling board C communicate with one another. That is, each of the ventilation portions  31  is constituted by a gap that is formed so as to extend, from the corresponding opening  30 , upward in the tube axial direction of the inner ring  10 , between the tube portion  21  and the partition portions  14  rising from the corresponding recessed portion  14   a . The ventilation portion  31  is formed by the partition portions  14  being provided adjacent to the respective circumferential wall portions  12  and is located between two circumferential wall portions  12 . The ventilation portion  31  has a section whose surface is an arc shape extending along the outer edge of the inner ring  10 . 
     Plural ventilation portions  31  are preferably provided and more preferably provided at three to six locations. Each of the ventilation portions  31  has a length, in the tube axial direction of the tube portion  21  of the outer ring  20 , more than or equal to a predetermined length. The length of the ventilation portion  31  is more than or equal to half the length of each of the circumferential wall portions  12  and can more preferably be more than or equal to the length of the circumferential wall portion  12 . By the length of the ventilation portion  31  being more than or equal to half the length of the circumferential wall portion  12 , an effect of separating a jetting outlet of airflow and the flat face  11  from one another is brought to the fore. 
     The air heated during a fire moves upward in the room and stays below the ceiling board C. At this time, because there is a temperature difference between the room in which the fire has broken out and the space above the ceiling that is separated from the room by the ceiling board C, a portion of the heated air staying below the ceiling board C flows from each of the openings  30  into the tube portion  21 , passes through each of the ventilation portions  31 , and is discharged to the back side of the ceiling.  FIG.  7    illustrates flow a of the air that flows from the opening  30 , passes through the ventilation portion  31 , and is discharged to the back side of the ceiling. 
     Here, a distance in the tube axial direction of the sprinkler head accessory μl is ensured between the flat face  11  that is on the inlet side of the ventilation portion  31  and the distal ends of the circumferential wall portion  12  and the tube portion  21  that are on the outlet side of the ventilation portion  31 . With such a configuration, by the inner ring  10  having the circumferential wall portions  12  and the partition portions  14 , the air passing through each of the ventilation portions  31  hardly flows inward in the radial direction of the inner ring  10  relative to the circumferential wall portions  12  and the partition portions  14 . 
     Thus, the air that has passed through the ventilation portion  31  is discharged and diffused at a position away from the flat face  11  of the inner ring  10 , and the temperature in a space on the back side of the flat face  11  (the upper side of the flat face  11  in the tube axial direction of the inner ring  10 ) is thereby suppressed from rising. Accordingly, a temperature difference between the indoor side and the back side of the ceiling, with the flat face  11  of the inner ring  10  as the boundary, is maintained, and the heated air in the room flows from the opening  30 , passes through the ventilation portion  31 , and is discharged to an attic in a continuous manner. With the configuration according to the present embodiment, such airflow at a flow velocity developed by continuous flow can increase the proportion of a quantity of the heat transferred from the airflow to a heat-activated unit  52  of the sprinkler head  50 , and a swift operation of the sprinkler head  50  can be facilitated. 
     In contrast, if no openings  30  are formed between the outer edge of the flat face  11  (the partition portions  14 ) and the tube portion  21 , airflow is hardly generated near the sprinkler head  50 , and heat transport due to convection of the air that has heated is hardly performed with respect to a surface of the heat-activated unit  52 . Thus, in such a case, it is difficult to facilitate a swift operation of the sprinkler head  50 . 
     On the other hand, a configuration in which the openings  30  are formed between the outer edge of the flat face  11  and the tube portion  21  but no partition portions  14  are provided can be considered. In such a case, when the air that has passed through the openings  30  is discharged to the space above the ceiling, the heated air flows into the space on the back side of the flat face  11 , and the temperature difference between the indoor side and the back side of the ceiling, with the flat face  11  as the boundary, becomes smaller as time elapses. When the temperature difference between the indoor side and the back side of the ceiling, with the flat face  11  as the boundary, is smaller, the flow a of the air in the ventilation portion  31 , which is caused by natural convection driven by the temperature difference, stagnates. With such stagnation, the air around the sprinkler head  50  stops moving, and heat is hardly propagated into the heat-activated unit  52 , compared with the configuration, according to the present embodiment, including the partition portions  14 . 
     In addition, when the inner ring  10  is disposed near a lower portion of the tube portion  21 , that is, a position near the dish portion  22  in the tube axial direction of the inner ring  10 , the depth, in the tube axial direction, of a recessed space that is on the back side of the inner ring  10  and on the inner diameter side of the tube portion  21  (the space on the back side of the flat face  11 ) is increased. The sprinkler head accessory μl in such a case has a structure easily causing air to stagnate in the recessed space. However, in the present embodiment, by the inner ring  10  having the partition portions  14 , the ventilation portion  31  is formed between the partition portions  14  and the tube portion  21 . As  FIG.  7    illustrates, air passes through the ventilation portion  31  located on the opposite side of the recessed space (on the back surfaces of the partition portions  14 ) with the partition portions  14  therebetween. By doing so, the airflow is rectified so as to be directed upward, and an effect of encouraging the air staying in the recessed space to be drawn by the negative pressure caused by the airflow and to be discharged toward the outside of the tube portion  21  is exhibited. 
     First Modification [FIGS.  4  and  5 ] 
     Each of the openings  30  is preferably large to some extent in view of forming continuous airflow. However, the opening  30  is preferably small and inconspicuous in view of the design of a sprinkler system. Regarding the sprinkler head accessory μl according to the present embodiment, the configuration thereof can be modified to attach the outer ring  20  to the inner ring  10  in a more stable manner. 
     More specifically,  FIGS.  4  and  5    illustrate an example in which the engagement stability between the inner ring  10  and the outer ring  20  is focused.  FIGS.  4  and  5    illustrate a first modification of the embodiment illustrated in  FIGS.  1  to  3   , and the same constituents are denoted by the same references, and the description thereof will be omitted. In the first modification, as  FIG.  5    illustrates, each partition portion  14  is formed so that circumferential wall portions  12  are disposed on both sides of the partition portion  14 . The partition portion  14  according to the first modification is disposed, in the radial direction of the inner ring  10 , closer to the center than the partition portion  14  according to the above-described first embodiment. Thus, in such a configuration of the first modification, compared with the configuration of the previously described embodiment, the interval between the partition portion  14  and the tube portion  21  is wide, and an opening  35  is thereby conspicuous as  FIG.  4    illustrates. However, the engagement stability with the tube portion  21  increases because, in the entire circumference of the outer edge of the flat face  11 , the arc length of the opening  35  is small, and the proportion of the circumferential wall portions  12  pressing the tube portion  21  is large. 
     Second Modification [FIG.  8 ] 
     In the above-described first embodiment and first modification, the partition portions  14  as “opposing wall portions” are provided in the inner ring  10  to form the ventilation portions  31  between the partition portions  14  and the tube portion  21 . However, the ventilation portions  31  can be provided in the tube portion  21 . More specifically, as  FIG.  8    illustrates, the ventilation portions  31  can also be formed by forming vertical grooves  23  as “grooves” in a portion of a tube portion  21 . On the inner circumferential surface of the tube portion  21 , each of the vertical grooves  23  is formed so as to protrude, in the form of a groove, outward in the radial direction of the outer ring  20 . The vertical groove  23  has a rectangular shape having a length in the tube axial direction of the outer ring  20  more than a length thereof in the circumferential direction of the outer ring  20 , and, in the tube axial direction of the outer ring  20 , the vertical groove  23  has a length exceeding approximately two-thirds the length of the outer ring  20  from the upper end of outer ring  20 . 
     Each ventilation portion  31  according to a second modification is constituted by a gap formed between an “opposing wall portion” and the vertical groove  23  formed in a region facing the “opposing wall portion”. The “opposing wall portion” here may be the circumferential wall portion  12  or the partition portion  14 . 
     In the second modification, when the “opposing wall portion” is constituted by the circumferential wall portion  12 , the opening  30  between the circumferential wall portion  12  and the vertical groove  23  can be more inconspicuous because no partition portion  14  is required to be provided in the inner ring  10 . Thus, the design of the sprinkler system can further be improved. Moreover, because no partition portion  14  is required to be provided in the inner ring  10 , the structure of the inner ring  10  can further be simplified to enhance the versatility of the inner ring  10 . Furthermore, the sprinkler system can easily be attached without positioning the inner ring  10  and the outer ring  20  in the circumferential direction. 
     On the other hand, when the “opposing wall portion” is constituted by the partition portion  14  in the second modification, the opening  30  and the ventilation portion  31  that are between the partition portion  14  and the vertical groove  23  can be larger to cause a larger quantity of air to flow. Thus, airflow at a flow velocity developed by continuous flow can increase the proportion of a quantity of the heat transferred from the airflow to the heat-activated unit  52  of the sprinkler head  50 , and a swift operation of the sprinkler head  50  can further be facilitated. 
     Third Modification [FIG.  9 ] 
     As  FIG.  9    illustrates, the ventilation portions  31  can also be formed by forming narrow gaps  24  in a portion of a tube portion  21 . Each of the narrow gaps  24  is formed so as to pass through the tube portion  21  in the radial direction of the outer ring  20 . The narrow gap  24  has a slit shape having a length in the tube axial direction of the outer ring  20  more than a length thereof in the circumferential direction of the outer ring  20 , and, in the tube axial direction of the outer ring  20 , the narrow gap  24  has a length exceeding approximately five-sixths the length of the outer ring  20  from the upper end of the outer ring  20 . 
     Each ventilation portion  31  according to a third modification is the narrow gap  24  formed in a region of the tube portion  21  facing an “opposing wall portion”. The “opposing wall portion” here may be the circumferential wall portion  12  or the partition portion  14 . The different functions and effects exhibited by the different constituents each serving as “opposing wall portions” are similar to those in the above-described second modification. 
     Regarding a sprinkler head accessory μl according to the third modification, by the narrow gaps  24  being formed in the tube portion  21 , airflow can be discharged outward in the radial direction of the outer ring  20  and diffused. Thus, a temperature difference between the indoor side and the back side of the ceiling, with the flat face  11  of the inner ring  10  as the boundary, can be maintained in a more effective manner. 
     Fourth Modification [FIG.  10 ] 
     In the above-described first embodiment, the configuration in which the flat face  11  of the inner ring  10  expands along the ceiling board C (in the radial direction of the inner ring  10  and the horizontal direction) is provided. However, the inner ring  10  can have an inclined flat face  15  inclined away from the dish portion  22  in the tube axial direction of the inner ring  10  (in the vertical direction). That is, as  FIG.  10    illustrates, the inclined flat face  15  is inclined so that a portion of the inner ring  10  on the outer edge side is located on the upper side in the tube axial direction relative to a portion on the center side. Thus, the air heated during a fire is caused to flow along the inclined flat face  15  toward the outer edge. Accordingly, in a sprinkler head accessory μl according to a fourth modification, the heated air staying below the inner ring  10  can be guided to the openings  30  and to the ventilation portions  31 . 
     Fifth Modification [FIG.  11 ] 
     In the previously described embodiment, the partition portions  14  are formed by the edge of the flat face  11  being bent. However, the form of the inner ring  10  is not limited to such a form. As  FIG.  11    illustrates, the sprinkler head accessory μl can be formed by providing a tubular body  40  in the inner ring  10  closer to the center than the opening  30  in the radial direction, and a space between the tubular body  40  and the tube portion  21  can serve as ventilation portions  31 . 
     Sixth Modification [FIG.  12 ] 
     In the embodiment illustrated in  FIGS.  2  and  7   , each of the partition portions  14  is provided substantially parallel to the tube portion  21 . However, as  FIG.  12    illustrates, the inner ring  10  can have an inclined portion  16  formed by a distal end of each partition portion  14  being inclined so as to approach the tube portion  21 . By the inner ring  10  having the inclined portion  16 , the airflow that has flowed from the opening  30  moves toward the tube portion  21  along the partition portion  14 , and, after being discharged through the ventilation portion  31 , the airflow can be discharged outside along the inner circumference of the tube portion  21 . 
     In the embodiment illustrated in  FIGS.  2  and  7   , the circumferential wall portion  12  and the partition portion  14  have the same length in the tube axial direction thereof. However, the circumferential wall portion  12  and the partition portion  14  may have different lengths in the tube axial direction thereof. The partition portion  14  may be longer than the circumferential wall portion  12  in the tube axial direction thereof. By doing so, the airflow is further rectified so as to be directed upward, and an effect of further encouraging the air staying in the recessed space to be drawn by the negative pressure caused by the airflow and to be discharged toward the outside of the tube portion  21  is exhibited. 
     Note that, although each embodiment according to the present invention is described in detail as above, a person skilled in the art may easily understand that many modifications are possible without essentially departing from the new matters and the advantageous effects of the present invention. Thus, such modifications are all included in the scope of the present invention.