Patent ID: 7431099

Claim:
An onboard fire suppression system for an automotive vehicle, comprising: at least one reservoir containing a fire suppressant agent; a propellant, operatively associated with said reservoir, for expelling the fire suppressant agent from the reservoir; a distribution system for receiving fire suppressant agent expelled from said reservoir and for distributing the suppressant agent in at least one location external to a vehicle; and and a spool valve, located between said reservoir and said distribution system, for controlling a flow of suppressant agent from said reservoir to said distribution system wherein said spool valve comprises: a valve body; a valve seat formed in said valve body; a control chamber formed in said valve body; a shuttle positioned in said valve body for sliding movement, with said shuttle comprising: a flow control pintle mounted upon a first end of a valve spool stem, with said flow control pintle cooperating with said valve seat to control flow through the spool valve; a control piston, mounted within said control chamber upon a second end of said valve spool stem, for moving said flow control pintle to an open position; and a pilot valve, mounted within a control passage extending from said reservoir to said control chamber, for allowing fluid to flow from said reservoir to said control chamber, so as to cause said control piston to slidably move the shuttle, including the flow control pintle, to an open position if the pressure within the reservoir exceeds a predetermined threshold pressure.