Patent ID: 7766091

Claim:
A pendent-type fire protection sprinkler comprising: a sprinkler body defining an orifice along an orifice axis and an outlet generally coaxial with the orifice axis, the sprinkler body having a K-factor of at least one of about 19, 22, 25 and 34, a pair of arms disposed on a plane extending from the sprinkler body, an apex supported by the pair of arms, the apex having an apex axis, a first end and a second end, the second end of the apex being wider than the first end, the apex having an outer peripheral surface extending between the first and second end with the apex axis being generally coaxial with the orifice axis, and a deflector mounted to the apex, the deflector having a first, inside surface opposed to a flow of fluid and an opposite, second surface, and having a deflector axis generally coaxial with the orifice axis, the deflector having a plurality of slots disposed about the deflector axis extending inward to an innermost portion, the plurality of slots defining at least two groups of slots, a first group of slots of the at least two groups of slots having at least four slots disposed to one side of the plane, and a second group of slots of the at least two groups of slots having a pair of opposed radial slots disposed in the plane and at least three radial slots disposed to one side of the plane, one of the first and second groups of slots of the at least two groups of slots having at least two pairs of slots extending radially inward and having the innermost portion at least substantially in line axially with the outer peripheral surface of the apex, and one of the first and second groups of slots of the at least two groups of slots having each slot having the innermost portion between an outer edge of the deflector and the outer peripheral surface of the apex; wherein a slot length of the slots in one of the first and second group of slots vary from a slot length of the slots of the other one of the first and second group of slots; each slot of one of the first and second group of slots having a first width generally transverse to the slot, and each slot of the other one of the first and second group of slots having a second width transverse to the slot centerline of the slot in the other group of the first and second group of slots and different than the first width; and wherein, when the sprinkler is tested in accordance with the “Ten Pan Distribution Test” described in the Apr. 8, 1997, edition of UL 199, Standard for Automatic Sprinklers for Fire Protection Service, at a flowing water rate of 100 gallons per minute, an average water density of equal to or greater than about 1.00 gallons per minute per square foot is delivered for collection into a one foot long by one foot wide pan centered at a three foot radius from the deflector axis.