Patent Description:
The pop-out nozzle is biased in the retracted position by a spring included with the nozzle construction. That is, the nozzle itself includes a shoulder that directly engages with the spring during activation. Because the spring is compressed by the shoulder of the nozzle, the nozzle itself serves as a piston for the spraying apparatus.

ISO <NUM> applies to the design, testing, and operation of pre-engineered fire extinguishing systems to protect galley hoods, ducts, fryers and other grease laden appliances. The standard requires that nozzles be approved for their intended use and be provided with caps or other suitable devices to prevent the entrance of grease vapors, moisture, or other foreign materials into the piping. While the fixed nozzle does not provide the necessary protection for the discharge orifices, the pop-out nozzle may protect the orifices in the retracted state of the nozzle. Other means to protect the discharge orifices has been the blow off cap as suggested by standard. However, if the system is activated, then the caps are blown off and have to be manually re-installed. In real applications, the nozzles are not accessible without excessive effort thus replacing the caps is very much of a challenge.

Accordingly, there exists a need in the art for a water mist spraying apparatus in which a type approved nozzle can be installed in a way that the discharge orifices of the type approved nozzle are protected.

<CIT> discloses a spray head for fire sprinkler systems. <CIT> discloses a fire detection and suppression apparatus. <CIT> discloses a sprinkler for extinguishing a fire. <CIT> discloses a rotary water mist sprayer.

According to the invention, there is provided a suppression unit as claimed in claim <NUM>.

Embodiments could include the actuator piston including an exterior surface having a first shoulder, and the casing including an interior surface having a second shoulder, a first end of the biasing device may be operatively engaged with the first shoulder, and a second end of the biasing device may be operatively engaged with the second shoulder.

Embodiments could include the casing including a protection portion operatively arranged to block the discharge orifices in the passive condition of the nozzle, the second shoulder disposed between a first end and a second end of the casing, and the protection portion disposed between the second shoulder and the second end of the casing.

Embodiments could include an O-ring seal between the protection portion of the casing and the nozzle.

Embodiments could include the biasing device being a spring.

Embodiments could include the spring made of stainless steel.

Embodiments could include the spring concentrically surrounding a portion of the actuator piston and a portion of the nozzle.

Embodiments could include an inlet portion, the inlet portion having a fluid passageway in communication within the interior channel of the actuator piston and the interior bore of the nozzle, the inlet portion further including a receiving section, a first portion of the casing receivable within the receiving section.

Embodiments could include the nozzle threadably attached to the actuator piston.

Embodiments could include the nozzle including a shoulder, an end of the actuator piston adjacent the shoulder of the nozzle.

Embodiments could include an O-ring seal between the end of the actuator piston and the shoulder of the nozzle.

According to the invention, there is provided a method of employing a nozzle within a suppression unit as claimed in claim <NUM>.

The subject matter, which is regarded as the present invention, is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion of the specification. The foregoing and other features, and advantages of the present invention are apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:.

<FIG> shows a block diagram of an embodiment of a fire suppression system <NUM>. The system <NUM> includes a fire suppression unit <NUM> including an actuator piston <NUM> and a nozzle <NUM> (a spray head). While connected to the actuator piston <NUM>, the nozzle <NUM> is separable from the actuator piston <NUM> and thus the nozzle <NUM> can be utilized as a fixed, non-actuatable nozzle in other embodiments. The fire suppression unit <NUM> receives a fluid for activating the actuator piston <NUM> to move the nozzle <NUM> from a retracted position (passive condition) to an extended position (active condition). In one embodiment, the fluid <NUM> is from a water mist system <NUM>. That is, the fluid <NUM> may be water which, due to high pressure, is then atomized into water mist. However, the fluid <NUM> is not limited to water and water mist, but may additionally or alternatively include additives, foam agent, or any other suppression agent deemed suitable for the intended purpose. Also in one embodiment, the fire suppression system <NUM> is incorporable in a hood or duct <NUM>, although other uses of the fire suppression system <NUM> are within the scope of these embodiments.

<FIG>, <FIG>, and <FIG> illustrate an embodiment of the fire suppression unit <NUM> in a passive or inactive condition with the nozzle <NUM> in a retracted position (the nozzle <NUM> hidden from view in <FIG>), while <FIG>, <FIG>, and <FIG> illustrate an embodiment of the fire suppression unit <NUM> in an active condition, with the nozzle <NUM> in an extended position. Under normal circumstances, such as in an environment without fire, the fire suppression unit <NUM> is in the passive condition shown in <FIG>, <FIG>, and <FIG>. As shown in <FIG>, in one application of the fire suppression unit <NUM>, the fire suppression unit <NUM> is mounted on a surface <NUM> of the hood or duct <NUM>, such as a galley duct of a marine vessel. The surface <NUM> separates a protected area <NUM>, such as an interior of the duct <NUM>, from an unprotected area <NUM>, such as an exterior area of the duct <NUM>. By "unprotected" it should be understood that while the area <NUM> is not protected by the suppression unit <NUM>, the area <NUM> may be protected by other suppression units <NUM> or other devices not described herein. Also, the fire suppression unit <NUM> may be employed in other fields and applications other than marine galley ducts, such as, but not limited to, any industrial ventilation or material transport system, wood processing plants, coal power plants, bakeries, laundries (including marine laundry ducts), and anywhere air with small flammable particles is present and ventilated or transported using channels and air. Also, the protected area <NUM> may simply be a room, and the unprotected area <NUM> may be disposed behind a ceiling panel or wall. The surface <NUM> may thus represent any panel, wall, or surface upon which the fire suppression unit <NUM> is mounted.

The nozzle <NUM> is movably supported relative to the surface <NUM> by a casing <NUM> (cylinder body). The casing <NUM> includes a flange <NUM> having a plurality of securement receiving areas <NUM>, such as grooves, holes, or apertures, for receiving a respective number of securement devices <NUM> (<FIG>), such as screws, therethrough to secure the fire suppression unit <NUM> to the surface <NUM>. The casing <NUM> further includes a body <NUM> having a longitudinal axis <NUM> and an interior main chamber <NUM> for receiving the nozzle <NUM> therein. Also received within the main chamber <NUM> is the actuator piston <NUM>, which is also longitudinally movable within the casing <NUM>, and biasing device <NUM>, such as a compression spring, and in particular a stainless steel spring. An O-ring <NUM> may be disposed between the actuator piston <NUM> and the body <NUM>, an O-ring <NUM> may be disposed between the nozzle <NUM> and the body <NUM>, and an O-ring <NUM> may be disposed between the actuator piston <NUM> and the nozzle <NUM>. An inlet portion <NUM> (otherwise referred to as a connection plug) is fixedly attached to the body <NUM>. The actuator piston <NUM>, O-ring <NUM>, biasing device <NUM>, inlet portion <NUM>, and casing <NUM> cooperate together to form an actuator for the suppression unit <NUM>. In one embodiment, the inlet portion <NUM> includes a body receiving section <NUM> concentrically surrounding a first portion <NUM> (an upstream portion) of the body <NUM>, and thus may also be termed a "nut. " The body receiving section <NUM> and the first portion <NUM> of the body <NUM> may include cooperating threads <NUM> for threadably engaging the body <NUM> within the inlet portion <NUM>. The inlet portion <NUM> further includes a fluid passageway <NUM> defining a flow path for a fire suppression fluid <NUM> to pass in direction <NUM> from a fluid supply, such as water mist system <NUM> (<FIG>), towards the actuator piston <NUM> and nozzle <NUM>. The fluid passageway <NUM> may further extend along the longitudinal axis <NUM>. The inlet portion <NUM> may include exterior threads <NUM> for connecting with a hose or pipe to connect to the fluid supply (such as water mist system <NUM>).

The nozzle <NUM> includes a first end <NUM> and a second end <NUM>. A filter <NUM> is positioned at the first end <NUM>, and is operatively arranged to filter incoming fluid <NUM> from the fluid passageway <NUM> entering an interior bore <NUM> of the nozzle <NUM>, such as through inlets <NUM>, such as of a filter mesh. The filter <NUM> may include a filter plug covered with filter mesh as illustrated, however the filter <NUM> may be designed in an alternative matter, to filter the flow of fluid into an interior bore <NUM>. The nozzle <NUM> also includes a nozzle body <NUM> having a first end <NUM> and a second end <NUM> (corresponding to the second end <NUM> of the nozzle <NUM>) and an interior bore <NUM>, the interior bore <NUM> also extending along the longitudinal axis <NUM>. Adjacent the second end <NUM> of the nozzle body <NUM> is at least one discharge orifice <NUM> that passes through the nozzle body <NUM> from the interior bore <NUM> to an exterior surface <NUM> of the nozzle body <NUM> (see <FIG>). A plurality of discharge orifices <NUM> is illustrated, and is disposed in a discharge area <NUM> of the nozzle body <NUM>. Thus, fluid <NUM> from the fluid passageway <NUM> enters the interior bore <NUM> via the inlets <NUM> and then exits the interior bore <NUM> via the discharge orifices <NUM>.

As is evident from <FIG>, <FIG>, and <FIG>, fluid may not freely exit the discharge orifices <NUM> when the second end <NUM> of the nozzle <NUM>, including the discharge area <NUM> of the nozzle body <NUM>, is disposed within the main chamber <NUM> of the casing <NUM>. In the passive condition shown in <FIG>, <FIG>, and <FIG>, a protection portion <NUM> of the casing <NUM> covers the discharge orifices <NUM>. In one embodiment, an inner diameter of the protection portion <NUM> may be substantially the same as an outer diameter of the discharge area <NUM>, such that the protection portion <NUM> forms a close fit sleeve / sheath that covers and protects the discharge orifices <NUM> in the passive condition. The discharge area <NUM> is provided with a substantially constant outer diameter for this purpose.

Using fluid pressure, the actuator piston <NUM> moves the nozzle <NUM> from the passive condition shown in <FIG>, <FIG>, and <FIG>, to the active condition shown in <FIG>, <FIG>, and <FIG>. The actuator piston <NUM> receives the nozzle <NUM> therein, such as by threaded engagement between exterior threads <NUM> on the exterior surface <NUM> of the nozzle body <NUM> and interior threads <NUM> on an interior surface <NUM> of the actuator piston <NUM>. A second end <NUM> of the actuator piston <NUM> may further abut with a shoulder <NUM> on the nozzle body <NUM> of the nozzle <NUM> for assisting in proper assembly between the actuator piston <NUM> and the nozzle <NUM>. The shoulder <NUM> is a section of the nozzle body <NUM> that has a larger diameter than the section of the nozzle body <NUM> that includes the exterior threads <NUM>. Due in part to the second end <NUM> in abutment with the shoulder <NUM>, a spring chamber <NUM>, in receipt of the biasing device <NUM>, is separated from the interior bore <NUM> of the nozzle <NUM> and interior channel <NUM> of the actuator piston <NUM> by the actuator piston <NUM> and the nozzle <NUM>. The O-ring <NUM> may be positioned between the second end <NUM> of the actuator piston <NUM> and the shoulder <NUM> of the nozzle <NUM>. The O-ring <NUM> may be positioned between a first end <NUM> of the actuator piston <NUM> and the body <NUM> of the casing <NUM>. The interior channel <NUM> of the actuator piston <NUM>, in which the nozzle <NUM> is received, may include a frustoconical tapered portion <NUM> for guiding fluid towards the nozzle <NUM>. An annulus <NUM> is further disposed between the interior surface <NUM> of the actuator piston <NUM> and the filter <NUM>. The annulus <NUM> ends at the threaded connection between exterior threads <NUM> and interior threads <NUM> between the actuator piston <NUM> and the nozzle <NUM>. Fluid that wells up in the annulus <NUM> may then find way into the inlets <NUM> and the interior bore <NUM> of the nozzle body <NUM>.

The spring chamber <NUM> between the body <NUM> of the casing <NUM> and the actuator piston <NUM> / nozzle <NUM> encloses the biasing device <NUM>, such as the illustrated spring, therein. The biasing device <NUM> includes a first end <NUM> that abuts with a shoulder <NUM> on an exterior surface <NUM> of the actuator piston <NUM>, and a second end <NUM> that abuts with a shoulder <NUM> on an interior surface <NUM> of the body <NUM>. The shoulder <NUM> on the interior surface <NUM> of the body <NUM> is disposed upstream of the discharge orifices <NUM>, even in the passive condition, and thus the biasing device <NUM> is shielded from moisture from the discharge orifices <NUM>, as well as shielded from moisture from the fluid passageway <NUM> of the inlet portion <NUM> and the interior channel <NUM> of the actuator piston <NUM>. The shoulder <NUM> faces the shoulder <NUM>. The shoulder <NUM> is spaced a first distance from the shoulder <NUM> in the passive condition shown in <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG>, and the shoulder <NUM> moves closer to the shoulder <NUM> to be spaced a second distance smaller than the first distance in the active condition shown in <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG>. As the casing <NUM> is fixedly supported on the surface <NUM>, the actuator piston <NUM> is responsible for moving the shoulder <NUM> closer to the shoulder <NUM> and compressing the biasing device <NUM> there between. Thus, the actuator piston <NUM> serves as a piston within the suppression unit <NUM>. Activation of the actuator piston <NUM> to compress the biasing device <NUM> occurs upon receipt of fluid pressure from the fluid passageway <NUM> of the inlet portion <NUM> into the interior channel <NUM> of the actuator piston <NUM>. The increasing pressure within the interior channel <NUM> will force the actuator piston <NUM> in the direction <NUM>, and force the nozzle <NUM> in direction <NUM>. When the nozzle <NUM> is moved longitudinally to the extended position, the discharge orifices <NUM> are moved longitudinally past the protection portion <NUM> of the casing <NUM>. In this active condition, the discharge orifices <NUM> are fluidically communicable with the protected area <NUM>. That is, the discharge orifices <NUM> are no longer protected by the body <NUM> of the casing <NUM>. The O-ring <NUM> may remain within the protection portion <NUM> to retain the seal between the exterior surface <NUM> of the nozzle body <NUM> and the protection portion <NUM> of the body <NUM> of the casing <NUM>, such that fluid dispersed into protected area <NUM> is blocked from entry between the nozzle body <NUM> and the casing body <NUM>. When the fluid pressure is removed, the reduced pressure on actuator piston <NUM> will allow the biasing device <NUM> to extend in direction <NUM> and push on shoulder <NUM> of the actuator piston <NUM> such that the actuator piston <NUM> will move in direction <NUM>, thus retracting the nozzle <NUM> back within the casing <NUM>.

Claim 1:
A suppression unit (<NUM>) comprising:
a nozzle (<NUM>) having an exterior surface (<NUM>), an interior bore (<NUM>) extending along a longitudinal axis, and a plurality of discharge orifices (<NUM>) passing from the interior bore (<NUM>) to the exterior surface (<NUM>);
an actuator piston (<NUM>) including an interior channel in fluid communication with the interior bore (<NUM>);
a casing (<NUM>), the actuator piston (<NUM>) and the nozzle (<NUM>) disposed within the casing (<NUM>); and
a biasing device (<NUM>) compressible between the actuator piston (<NUM>) and the casing (<NUM>);
wherein the discharge orifices (<NUM>) are protected by the casing (<NUM>) in a biased passive condition of the nozzle (<NUM>), and the discharge orifices (<NUM>) are moved longitudinally out of the casing (<NUM>) in an active condition of the nozzle (<NUM>);
wherein the discharge orifices (<NUM>) are located in a discharge area (<NUM>) of the nozzle (<NUM>) and the discharge area (<NUM>) is slidable within a protection portion (<NUM>) of the casing (<NUM>), the discharge area (<NUM>) having approximately same outer dimensions as inner dimensions of the protection portion (<NUM>); and
wherein the exterior surface (<NUM>) in the discharge area has a constant outer diameter along the longitudinal axis,
characterized in that:
the nozzle (<NUM>) is separably attached to the actuator piston (<NUM>);
the nozzle (<NUM>) includes a filter having inlets to fluidically communicate the interior channel of the actuator piston to the interior bore (<NUM>) of the nozzle (<NUM>), and the interior channel includes an annular space between the filter and an interior surface of the actuator piston; and
the casing (<NUM>) comprises a flange (<NUM>) to secure the suppression unit to a surface (<NUM>) separating a protected area and an unprotected area, such that the interior bore (<NUM>) of the nozzle (<NUM>) passes through the surface (<NUM>) and the protection portion (<NUM>) extends into the protected area.