Patent ID: 12186605

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIGS.1and2show one embodiment of a pendent fire protection sprinkler20of the invention. The pendent fire protection sprinkler20includes a sprinkler body22having an inlet at an inlet end, an outlet (not shown) at an outlet end, and a fluid passage24for the fluid. A sprinkler axis A extends along the fluid passage24. The inlet end of the pendent fire protection sprinkler20has threads for connection to piping of a sprinkler system, and the fluid passage24extends from the inlet end to the outlet end. When the pendent fire protection sprinkler20is installed in a ceiling, the outlet end is located within 2 inches (50.8 mm) of the ceiling. One or more frame arms26,28project downward from the sprinkler body22, e.g., on either side of the sprinkler axis A. If more than one frame arm26,28is provided, the plurality of frame arms26,28may form a junction36at their respective lower ends (i.e., the outlet end of the pendent fire protection sprinkler20). A plug32seals the fluid passage24in the sprinkler body22, and a thermally responsive element30is provided between the plug32and the junction36. The thermally responsive element30holds the plug32in place, sealing the orifice of the fluid passage24until actuation of the pendent fire protection sprinkler20. A deflector34is mountable to the junction36at the end of the one or more frame arms26,28, at an opening38in the deflector34.

The deflector34is arranged to direct fluid in a generally horizontal direction when the pendent fire protection sprinkler20is mounted in the ceiling. That is, for the purpose of directing fluid in a generally horizontal direction, the deflector34has a central portion42that extends outward from the sprinkler axis A, generally along a plane perpendicular to the sprinkler axis A. In a typical embodiment, the central portion42may be bent relative to the sprinkler axis A at a first angle θ1. The deflector34also includes at least one outer angled portion44,46,48,50that extends from an outer peripheral edge of the central portion42at a second angle θ2that is greater than the first angle θ1with respect to the sprinkler axis A. The outer angled portion includes a first angled portion44extending outward from the peripheral edge of the central portion42, at the second angle θ2from the sprinkler axis A, in a first direction, and has a length L1, as shown inFIG.3. A second angled portion46extends outward from the peripheral edge of the central portion42, at the second angle θ2from the sprinkler axis A, in a second direction, and has a length L2. The first and second directions may be opposite to each other with respect to the sprinkler axis A. In addition, a third angled portion48may be provided on the outer angled portion, extending outward from the peripheral edge of the central portion42in a third direction, and has a length L3. A fourth angled portion50extends outward from the peripheral edge of the central portion42, in a fourth direction, and has a length L4. The third and fourth directions may be opposite to each other with respect to the sprinkler axis A. That is, the first and second angled portions44,46are provided on opposing sides of the central portion42with respect to the sprinkler axis A, and produce the length of the rectangular coverage area of the installed pendent fire protection sprinkler20, and the third and fourth angled portions are provided on opposing sides of the central portion42with respect to the sprinkler axis A, and produce the width of the rectangular coverage area of the installed pendent fire protection sprinkler20.

As shown inFIG.2, each of the first angled portion44, the second angled portion46, the third angled portion48, and the fourth angled portion50may be bent at the second angle θ2from the sprinkler axis A, in a downward direction (i.e., in the output direction). The second angle θ2is preferably at least 104° relative to the sprinkler axis A. Alternatively, as shown inFIG.4, the first to fourth angled portions44,46,48, and50may be bent at an angle θ3relative to a horizontal plane that is perpendicular to the sprinkler axis A, with θ3being approximately 14°. This angle may ordinarily be the same for the first to fourth angled portions44,46,48, and50, although it is within the broader scope of the invention for the first to fourth angled portions44,46,48, and50to be bent at two, three, or four different angles. As noted above, and as shown inFIG.3, the first angled portion44and the second angled portion46may be symmetrical to each other with respect to the sprinkler axis A, and the third angled portion48and the fourth angled portion50may be symmetrical to each other with respect to the sprinkler axis A.

In a typical embodiment, the combination of the lengths L1and L2, representing the length of the first angled portion44and the second angled portion46of the deflector34, is 1.46 inches (37.08 mm) (L1and L2may each be half of that combined length, or 0.72 inch (18.54 mm) as measured from the sprinkler axis A), and the combination of the lengths L3and L4representing the width of the deflector34is 0.92 inch (23.37 mm) (L3and L4may each be half of that combined length, or 0.46 inch (11.68 mm) as measured from the sprinkler axis A). The opening38of the deflector34may have a diameter of 0.306 inch (7.77 mm), and the central portion42may have a diameter of 0.567 inch (14.40 mm). The lengths L1and L2are measured generally along a long axis L of the deflector34, and the lengths L3and L4are measured generally along a short axis S of the deflector34. In a typical embodiment, a width of the coverage area along the short axis S is less than a length of the coverage area along the long axis L. For example, the width of the coverage area along the short axis S is 14 feet (4.27 m), and the length of the coverage area along the long axis L is 28 feet (8.53 m).

Spaces, or slots,52are provided between adjacent angled portions44,46,48, and50, as shown inFIG.3. The width of the slot52between a side edge of the first angled portion44and an adjacent side edge of either one of the third angled portion48and fourth angled portion50may be 0.06 inch (1.52 mm). Similarly, the width of the slot52between a side edge of the second angled portion46and a side edge of either one of the adjacent third angled portion48or fourth angled portion50may also be 0.06 inch (1.52 mm). The slots52allow some of the fluid that flows out of the fluid passage24to flow downward (i.e., along the outlet direction), in addition to the fluid being deflected horizontally by the deflector34. While the slots52are generally oriented radially with respect to the sprinkler axis A, the slots52do not lie precisely along a radius of the central portion42of the deflector34, and instead, an axis of each slot52is offset from the radius of the central portion42. That is, the axes of opposing slots52are not collinear, and instead are parallel to each other and offset from each other by a distance of, e.g., 0.20 inch (5.08 mm), and are offset an equal distance from a diametric line that passes through the sprinkler axis A. In addition, in another embodiment, the first and second angled portions44,46may have a rounded peripheral edge, while the third and fourth angled portions48,50may have a peripheral edge that is rectilinear, with one or more straight edge portions, as shown inFIG.3.

In a preferred embodiment, a portion of the pendent fire protection sprinkler20is mounted in the ceiling so that a minimum distance between the deflector34and the ceiling is 1 inch (25.4 mm). Alternatively, the pendent fire protection sprinkler20may be mounted in a recess in the ceiling, such that a minimum distance between the deflector34and the ceiling is 0.75 inch (19.05 mm). The pendent fire protection sprinklers20having the structure disclosed herein may be spaced over 20 feet (6.10 m) apart, up to 28 feet (8.53 m) apart, and water distribution that meets the requirements set forth in NFPA 13 can be obtained over a 392 square foot (36.42 m2) area.

The pendent fire protection sprinkler20may have a K-factor in the range of 3 gpm/(psi)1/2to 30 gpm/(psi)1/2, the K-factor being defined as

K=Qp,
where W is the flow rate from the outlet of the pendent fire protection sprinkler20in gallons per minute, and p is the residual pressure at the inlet of the pendent fire protection sprinkler20in pounds per square inch. More particularly, the pendent fire protection sprinkler20may have a K-factor in the range of 5.6 gpm/(psi)1/2to 14.8 gpm/(psi)1/2, and most preferably, the pendent fire protection sprinkler20may have a K-factor of 5.6 gpm/(psi)1/2.

As noted above, each pendent fire protection sprinkler20that may be used in a pendant sprinkler arrangement, as described above, has a rectangular coverage area comprising the long axis L and the short axis S. The long axis L is perpendicular to the short axis S, and the long axis L may extend from 20 to 35 feet (6.10 to 10.67 m).

While the present invention has been described with respect to what are, at present, considered to be the preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. To the contrary, the invention is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.