Abstract:
A sprinkler assembly has a sleeve covering at least a portion of a conduit connecting the sprinkler to a branch line of a fire suppression system. The sleeve may have a color field, contrasting color patterns, symbols, indicia, or combinations of these elements and may be used to visibly indicate characteristics of the sprinkler assembly.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application is based upon and claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/765,233, filed Feb. 15, 2013, and hereby incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    This invention relates to a sleeve positionable on a flexible conduit assembly for connecting sprinklers to branch lines in a fire suppression system, the sleeve serving to identify characteristics of the flexible conduit assembly. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Fire suppression sprinkler systems used, for example, in structures such as office buildings, hotels, warehouses and private residences have a piping network comprising a riser pipe connected to a source of pressurized fire suppressing fluid, for example, a liquid, such as water, or a gas, such as halon. Branch pipe lines are connected to the riser pipe at each floor of the structure and extend throughout each floor so that fire suppressing fluid may be delivered through the branch lines to any location on each floor. The branch lines are usually suspended on hangers attached to the structural ceiling of each floor. Sprinklers, which serve to discharge the fluid in the event of a fire, are connected to the branch lines by flexible conduits. The use of flexible conduits provides a great advantage as it allows the position of the sprinklers to be easily adjusted, both laterally and vertically, in relation to the decorative ceiling which may be suspended beneath the structural ceiling of each floor. The flexible conduit saves time during installation, as it obviates the need for the technician to install a rigid pipe assembly, comprised of threaded pipe elements and threaded fittings, to connect the branch line to each sprinkler head on the floor. With a rigid pipe assembly even a minor miscalculation, either in the design or installation, can be aesthetically and functionally unacceptable, and require a redesign and reinstallation. 
         [0004]    As with many other fire safety related components, flexible conduits and the assemblies in which they are used must be approved into various categories by different agencies such as Underwriters&#39; Laboratories (UL), the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and Factory Mutual (FM). Installations using approved components must be inspected and must pass inspection before they are given the stamp of approval which states that they meet the appropriate requirements. 
         [0005]    Inspection of fire suppression sprinkler systems poses various practical problems due to the general inaccessibility of the sprinklers and their connecting conduits because they are often mounted high among ceiling structures, such as rafters or truss work, or above storage racks in warehouses high above the floor. In addition to the inaccessibility of the assemblies, inspection is further complicated by the fact that, from a distance, approved assemblies can be confused with non-approved assemblies or assemblies approved in other categories. A visual inspection of each sprinkler assembly therefore requires that an inspector mount a ladder, scaffolding, or a lift to view each assembly in detail to ensure that approved components which meet the requirements have been used. There is clearly a need for an identification device which makes inspection of sprinkler conduit assemblies easier to accomplish. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0006]    In one example embodiment, the invention encompasses, in combination, a flexible conduit and a sleeve covering at least a portion of the flexible conduit. The sleeve comprises a sidewall surrounding a central space. The central space receives the conduit. The sleeve is movable axially along the conduit and positionable at one of a plurality of positions between a first and a second end of the conduit. In a particular example, the sidewall is a unitary construction having no seam. In another example, the sidewall may have an inner surface, at least a portion of which contacts an outer surface of the conduit. Friction between the inner and outer surfaces holds the sleeve in the one of the plurality of positions along the conduit. 
         [0007]    In another example embodiment, the sidewall has an outer surface, and the outer surface of the sidewall has a contrasting color from the conduit. In another example embodiment, the sidewall has an outer surface, and the outer surface of the sidewall has a plurality of contrasting stripes thereon. 
         [0008]    By way of example, the sidewall may be flexible and will deform to accommodate the shape of the conduit. 
         [0009]    In another example embodiment, the conduit comprises a braided outer layer. In another example embodiment, the conduit comprises a corrugated outer layer. 
         [0010]    By way of example, the invention may also encompass a sprinkler assembly for use with a piping network of a fire suppression system. In an example embodiment, the sprinkler assembly comprises a sprinkler. A flexible conduit has a first end connected in fluid communication with the sprinkler. A second end of the flexible conduit is connectable in fluid communication with the piping network of the fire suppression system. A sleeve covers a portion of the flexible conduit. The sleeve comprises a sidewall surrounding a central space which receives the conduit. In one example embodiment, the sleeve is movable axially along the conduit and is positionable at one of a plurality of positions between the first and second ends of the conduit. In another example, the sleeve is fixed at one of a plurality of positions between the first and second ends of the conduit. 
         [0011]    In a particular example embodiment, the sidewall is a unitary construction having no seam. In another example embodiment, the sidewall has an inner surface which contacts an outer surface of the conduit. Friction between the inner and outer surfaces holds the sleeve in the one of the plurality of positions along the conduit. 
         [0012]    In another example embodiment, the sidewall has an outer surface, the outer surface of the sidewall having a contrasting color from the conduit. In another example embodiment, the sidewall has an outer surface, the outer surface of the sidewall having a plurality of contrasting stripes thereon. 
         [0013]    In a particular example embodiment, the sidewall is flexible and will deform to accommodate the shape of the conduit. 
         [0014]    In one example embodiment, the conduit comprises a braided outer layer. In another example embodiment, the conduit comprises a corrugated outer layer. 
         [0015]    The invention further encompasses a method of installing a sprinkler assembly in a piping network. In one example method, the sprinkler assembly has a sprinkler attached to a flexible conduit. A sleeve surrounds a portion of the conduit. The method comprises:
       attaching one end of the flexible conduit in fluid communication with the piping network;   fixing the sprinkler in a desired position; and   moving the sleeve along the conduit to a position wherein the sleeve is readily visible.       
 
         [0019]    The invention also contemplates a method of identifying a sprinkler assembly. In an example method, the sprinkler assembly has a sprinkler attached to a flexible conduit. The example method comprises surrounding a portion of the flexible conduit with a sleeve, the sleeve having visible markings thereon corresponding to at least one of a plurality of characteristics of the sprinkler assembly. The markings may comprise color fields, such as orange, yellow or other highly visible hues. By way of further example, the markings may comprise patterns of contrasting color. The markings may also comprise indicia. 
         [0020]    The characteristics identified by the sleeve can include (but are not limited to) the manufacturer of the assembly, the length of the conduit, the diameter of the conduit, the sprinkler K factor, the particular agency listing, the particular agency category listing, and combinations thereof. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0021]      FIG. 1  is an isometric view of an example sprinkler assembly embodiment according to the invention; 
           [0022]      FIG. 2  is a side view of an example combination of a flexible conduit and sleeve according to the invention; 
           [0023]      FIG. 3  is an isometric view of an example sleeve embodiment according to the invention; and 
           [0024]      FIG. 4  is an isometric view of an example sleeve embodiment according to the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0025]      FIG. 1  shows an assembly  10  for connecting a branch line  12  of a fire suppression system to a sprinkler  14 . Note that sprinkler is defined herein as any device which discharges a fire suppression fluid, and includes, but is not limited to, items such as sprinklers, heads, nozzles, emitters and the like, whether they be open or closed and open in response to a fire. Assembly  10  comprises a flexible conduit  16  which has a first end  18  connected to the branch line  12 , and a second end  20  which is connected to the sprinkler  14 . The branch line  12  is supported by a pipe hanger  22  attached to a portion of the structure in which the fire suppression system is mounted, in this example, to the structural ceiling  24  of a building. Branch line  12  is one of many branch lines connected to a riser pipe  26  in fluid communication with a pressurized source of a fire suppressing fluid, such as water (not shown). A portion of the assembly  10  near the second end  20  of the flexible conduit  16  is engaged by a bracket  28  that is mounted on a cross beam  30  which extends between and is mounted on support rails  32  which support a decorative ceiling, such as a suspended ceiling or a drop ceiling (not shown) intended to hide the structural ceiling  24 . Other mounting configurations are also feasible, the configuration shown in  FIG. 1  being by way of example only. 
         [0026]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , a sleeve  34  covers a portion of the flexible conduit  16 . Sleeve  34  is positioned on conduit  16  between first and second ends  18  and  20 . In this example sleeve  34  is positioned near first end  18 , where it may be highly visible to an inspector looking up from the ground beneath the installation. However, the sleeve  34  is slidably movable along the conduit  16  so that it may be positioned at any one of a plurality of positions between the first and second ends where it will be most easily seen. 
         [0027]    As shown in detail in  FIG. 3 , sleeve  34  comprises a sidewall  36  that surrounds a central space  38 . Central space  38  receives the flexible conduit  16 . Sidewall  36  in this example is of unitary construction, meaning it has no seam. Sidewalls having seams however are also feasible. Sidewall  36  has an inner surface  40  which contacts the outer surface  42  of the conduit  16  (see  FIG. 1 ). Friction between the inner surface  40  of sidewall  36  and the outer surface  42  of the conduit  16  may be used to hold the sleeve  34  in the desired position once that position has been determined. 
         [0028]    Sidewall  36  of sleeve  34  also has an outer surface  44 . Outer surface  44  will be visible for inspection of the sprinkler assembly  10 , and therefore it is advantageous to enhance its visibility. This may be done, for example, by having an outer surface  44  with a contrasting color from the conduit  16  (a “color field”  45 , shown in  FIG. 1 ). Highly visible colors, such as orange, are effective at enhancing the visibility. In addition to or instead of a color field, markings comprising patterns of contrasting color may be used. An example of such an embodiment is shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , where longitudinal stripes  46  of contrasting colors are found on the outer surface  44  of the sidewall  36  of the sleeve  34 . Additionally, it is further advantageous to provide symbols  47  or indicia  49  on the outer surface  44  as shown in  FIG. 3 . 
         [0029]      FIG. 4  illustrates a sleeve embodiment  35  wherein sidewall  36  comprises an open mesh  37 . Mesh  37  may be woven, knitted, or braided for example, or may be extruded, continuously formed, or formed by perforating an otherwise solid sidewall. 
         [0030]    It is also advantageous that the sidewall  36  of sleeves  34  or  35  be flexible so as to deform and accommodate the shape of the conduit  16 . This flexibility will facilitate moving and positioning of the sleeve  34  along a curved conduit as well as permit the conduit  16  to deform relatively unhindered. To this end, the sleeves  34  and  35  may be made of flexible, resilient materials such as nylon, polyethylene as well as other polymer compounds. 
         [0031]      FIG. 2  illustrates a combination flexible conduit  16  and sleeve  34 . Sleeve  34  surrounds a portion of the conduit between its first and second ends (only one end being shown). In the example shown in  FIG. 2 , the flexible conduit  16  has a braided outer layer  48  formed of stainless steel wire. Other materials are of course feasible. The example embodiment of the conduit  16  shown in  FIG. 1  has a corrugated outer layer  50 . Other types of construction for the flexible conduit  16  are also feasible. Furthermore, it is understood that sleeve  35 , comprising an open mesh (see  FIG. 4 ), could also be used in combination with the conduit  16 . 
         [0032]    Sleeves  34  or  35  according to the invention used in combination with flexible conduits  16 , for example, in fire suppression systems, permit the characteristics of the assembly or combination to be readily visually identified from a distance. This property of ready visual identification along with the ability to position the sleeve at a visible portion of the conduit greatly simplifies the work of inspectors, obviating the need for ladders, lifts and scaffolding. The sleeve may be used to indicate any of a number of characteristics of the assembly or combination, including, without limitation, the manufacturer, the length of the conduit, the diameter of the conduit, the type of sprinkler required for the conduit, the particular agency listing, the particular agency category listing, as well as other information.