Patent ID: 6851482

Claim:
A sprinkler assembly for controlling a fire comprising: at least one fluid conduit defining a flow passage including an inlet for receiving a fluid from a fluid source and at least one conduit outlet for discharging the fluid; at least one dispensing mechanism in fluid communication with said at least one conduit outlet for dispensing the fluid received from said at least one fluid conduit; a valve assembly for controlling flow of the fluid through said at least one fluid conduit and adapted for connection between the fluid source and said at least one fluid conduit, said valve assembly including a valve inlet for receiving the fluid and a valve seal positioned upstream of said conduit inlet, said valve seal being moveable between a closed position blocking fluid flow through said at least one fluid conduit and an open position permitting fluid flow through said at least one fluid conduit, said valve seal being maintained in said closed position by a sealing force, said sealing force being applied to said valve seal independent from said dispensing mechanism and said at least one fluid conduit; a sensing mechanism operatively connected to said valve assembly, said sensing mechanism being thermodynamically responsive to at least one of heat, smoke, infrared radiation and ultraviolet radiation emitted by a heat source, and an actuating mechanism operatively connected to said sensing mechanism and said valve assembly for permitting movement of said valve seal to said open position in response to said sensing mechanism, wherein said valve seal remains in said open position irrespective of a magnitude of said at least one of heat, smoke, infrared radiation and ultraviolet radiation emitted by the heat source once said valve seal moves into said open position by said actuating mechanism in response to said sensing mechanism.