DK179103B1

DK179103B1 - A quick fluid-releasing alarm unit

Info

Publication number: DK179103B1
Application number: DKPA201670057A
Authority: DK
Inventors: Hjørleif Johansen
Original assignee: Protect As
Priority date: 2016-02-02
Filing date: 2016-02-02
Publication date: 2017-10-30
Also published as: DK201670057A1; WO2017133743A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a fluid-releasing alarm unit (1), the alarm unit (1) comprising a container (2) adapted to contain a fluid; a retaining means (3) adapted to retain the container (2) in a first position; a flow controlling means (4, 5) adapted to enable the flow of the fluid from the container (2); and an actuating means (6, 7, 8, 9) adapted to move the container (2) along a longitudinal axis (z), characterized in that, when an alarm is activated, the actuating means (6, 7, 8, 9) is further adapted to release the container (2) from a second position, so that the retaining means (3) resiliently moves and retains the container (2) to the first position by exploiting the force exerted by the retaining means (3), whereby the container (2) engages with the flow controlling means (4, 5) for releasing the fluid from the container (2). Also, the invention relates to a security system (15) and a method (100) thereof.

Description

A quick fluid-releasing alarm unit Field of the invention

The invention relates to the technical field of alarm and security systems, particularly to alarm and security systems where a fluid is released as a means for warding off an intruder.

More specific the invention relates to a fluid-releasing alarm unit, the alarm unit comprising a container adapted to contain a fluid; a retaining means adapted to retain the container in a first position; a flow controlling means adapted to enable the flow of the fluid from the container; and an actuating means adapted to move the container along a longitudinal axis between said first position and a second position, wherein , when an alarm is activated, the actuating means is further adapted to release the container from said second position, so that the retaining means resiliently moves the container to the first position and retains it in the first position by exploiting the force exerted by the retaining means, whereby the container engages with the flow controlling means for releasing the fluid from the container.

Furthermore, the invention relates to a security system comprising at least one fluidreleasing alarm unit.

Furthermore, the invention relates to a method of using such fluid-releasing alarm unit in such security system.

Background of the invention DE19500011A1 discloses in the embodiments of FIGs. 4-6 a mechanism to release fluid from an aerosol can by means of a cam wheel that by rotating pushes the bottom of the can such that the nozzle at the top of the can engages with a fixed bolt. In particular, when the device is not active, a spring pushes on the top of the can to maintain the can away from the bolt. This mechanism has the drawback of releasing fluid slowly, as it requires the cam wheel to rotate (the speed of which rotation depends on the motor used) before being able to engage the nozzle with the bolt. US 3,930,597 describes a fluid-releasing alarm unit of the type mentioned above. This unit discloses actuating means which makes it possible to activate the release of the fluid from the container. This unit does not disclose that the actuating means activation can replace the container in the second position.

Hence, there is a need in the technical field of fluid-releasing alarm units of overcoming the abovementioned drawback of the state-of-the-art solution.

Aspects of the invention

The first aspect of the invention is to provide an improvement to the state-of-the-art. The second aspect of the invention is to solve the aforementioned drawback of the prior art by providing an alarm unit capable to release fluid quickly and to load the alarm unit.

Description of the invention

The aforementioned aspects of the invention are achieved by a fluid-releasing alarm unit (e.g. a fog cannon, smoke machine, smoke cannon or fog bomb), the alarm unit comprising a container (e.g. an aerosol can) adapted to contain a fluid (e.g. a pressurized gas or pressurized fog fluid mixture); a retaining means adapted to retain the container in a first position (i.e. a position where the container is not engaged with the flow controlling means); a flow controlling means (e.g. a valve, an actuator/releasing adapter and a nozzle) adapted to enable the flow of the fluid from the container; and an actuating means adapted to move the container along a longitudinal axis (i.e., along the length of the container) between said first position and a second position, wherein, when an alarm is activated (e.g. when an intrusion is detected), the actuating means is further adapted to release the container from said second position (i.e. a position where the container is engaged with the flow controlling means), so that the retaining means resiliently moves the container to the first position and retains it in the first position by exploiting the force exerted by the retaining means, whereby the container engages with the flow controlling means for releasing the fluid from the container. When the alarm is deactivated/off (e.g. when no intrusion is detected), the actuating means is further adapted to move the container from the first position into the second position by exerting on the container a force opposite to the force exerted by the retaining means.

The technical effect achieved by the invention is to hold the container in a position (the second position) at a distance from the flow controlling means when the alarm is off, a position where the retaining means exerts a force, which, when the container is finally released (when the alarm is on), promptly pulls the container towards the flow controlling means for releasing the fluid. Hence, the invention has the advantage of providing an alarm unit that quickly releases the fluid. Moreover it is achieved to move the container back into a charge/load state (the second position) after the fluid has been released by exerting a force greater and opposite with respect to the force exerted by the retaining means. Hence, this embodiment has the advantage of providing a mechanism to load the alarm unit.

In an advantageous embodiment the actuating means comprises a tap and a cam wheel, the tap being directly or indirectly attached to the container (e.g. the tap may be attached to a housing of the container and may be arranged in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis), wherein the tap and the cam wheel are so arranged as to cooperate for moving the container along the longitudinal axis (e.g. the tap and the cam wheel may be operatively connected by, for example, being positioned in proximity of each other).

In an advantageous embodiment the cam wheel is shaped such that a first portion of the cam wheel cooperates with the tap for moving the container from the first position into the second position, and a second portion of the cam wheel cooperates with the tap for releasing the container from the second position.

Advantageously, the alarm unit further comprises a motor, wherein the cam wheel is coupled to the motor such that the cam wheel is able to rotate about an axis when the motor is active. For example, a shaft could project outwardly from the motor and could rotate when the motor is active. The cam wheel could then be connected to the shaft and could rotate when the shaft rotates.

The technical effect achieved by the abovementioned embodiments is to: (i) move the container from the first position to the second position by the tap engaging with the cam wheel (e.g. the tap may be pushed by the first portion of the cam wheel during the rotation of the cam wheel) in the first direction; (ii) hold the container in the second position, for example, by stopping the rotation of the cam wheel when the tap is in proximity of the second portion; and (iii) release the container when the alarm is acti- vated, for example, by the cam wheel being further rotated such that the tap moves from the first portion to the second portion of the cam wheel and the container is moved by the force exerted by the retaining means towards the flow controlling means.

In an advantageous embodiment the cam wheel is a snail cam wheel, wherein the second portion is a step having a length. Herein, a snail cam wheel is defined as a cam wheel having a slow rising portion and then a sudden drop portion. The technical effect of this embodiment is that the tap is pushed by the snail cam wheel in a first direction at a steady state until it reaches the step, where it is suddenly released towards a second direction.

Hence, the abovementioned embodiments have the advantage of providing mechanisms to load and quickly unload the alarm unit.

In an advantageous embodiment the length of the step is 6 to 14 mm, preferably 8 to 12 mm and most preferably approximately 10 mm. The technical effect of this embodiment is to select a release time, which enables a quick and effective release of the fluid from the container. Hence, this embodiment has the advantage of providing an alarm unit with an adjustable release time.

Advantageously, the actuating means comprises a threaded bar, a worm gear or an asymmetric wheel.

In an advantageous embodiment the alarm unit further comprises a movable housing for housing the container, the housing being adapted to be coupled, along the longitudinal axis, to the retaining means on one side (e.g. by an eyelet that engages with a hook of a spring) and to the tap on the other side (the tap may also be an integral part of the housing). The technical effect achieved by this embodiment is to enable and ease the movement of the container within the alarm unit. Hence, this embodiment has the advantage of providing an alarm unit where the container can move along the longitudinal axis for engaging/disengaging with the flow controlling means.

In an advantageous embodiment the alarm unit further comprises a stopper (e.g. a bolt) and the housing comprises a guide having a length (e.g. an elongated hole), the stopper being arranged inside the guide. The technical effect achieved by this embodiment is to enable a controlled movement of the housing along the longitudinal axis (e.g. the housing, and thereby the container housed therein, can move back and forth from the first position to the second position, and vice versa). Advantageously, the length of the guide is equal or greater than the length of the step of the snail cam wheel. Hence, this embodiment has the advantage of providing an alarm unit, where the movement of the container along the longitudinal direction can be controlled.

In an advantageous embodiment the retaining means is a spring or an elastic band. The technical effect achieved by these retaining means is to resiliently retain the container in the first position and to enable a quick pull of the container towards the flow controlling means when the container is released from the second position. Hence, this embodiment has the advantage of enabling a quick release of the fluid from the alarm unit.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the fluid is a fog-generating fluid (e.g. a fluid comprising water and glycol) and the alarm unit/fog cannon further comprises at least one heat exchanger for turning the fog-generating fluid into fog. Herein, the term “fog” also encompasses the term “smoke”. The technical effect achieved by this embodiment is that, when an intrusion is detected, fog is released in the interesting area so that the intruder is suddenly blinded and quickly scared away. Hence, this embodiment has the advantage of effectively warding off the intruder when the alarm is triggered.

Also, the aforementioned aspects of the invention are achieved by a security system comprising at least one fluid-releasing alarm unit as described above, at least one sensor (e.g. located in the same room as the alarm unit) and a control unit (e.g. remotely located from the alarm unit), the sensor being adapted to detect an event (e.g. a change in temperature, pressure, phase shifts, etc.) in the surroundings of the sensor and to send a notification about the event to the control unit, wherein the control unit is adapted to read the notification of the sensor and to activate the alarm unit for releasing the fluid (e.g. the control unit sends a notification to a control module in the alarm unit, which triggers the actuating means, thereby releasing the container that quickly engages with the flow controlling means for releasing the fluid).

Also, the aforementioned aspects of the invention are achieved by a method comprising: - providing a security system as described above; - the sensor detecting an event in the surroundings of the sensor; - the sensor sending a notification about the event to the control unit; - the control unit reading the notification of the sensor; - the control unit triggering the actuating means; - the actuating means moving the container to the first position; - the alarm unit releasing the fluid from the container (2); and - the actuating means (6, 7, 8, 9) moving the container (2) from the first position into the second position.

Note that all the aforementioned advantages of the alarm unit are also met by the system and the method described above.

Hereafter, the invention will be described in connection with drawings illustrating nonlimiting examples of the invention.

Brief description of the drawings FIG.l: A fog cannon in loaded state. FIG.2: A fog cannon in release state. FIG.3: A fog security system. FIG.4: A method of releasing fog in a fog security system.

Notations

Li: Length of the step of the snail cam wheel L2: Length of the guide z: Longitudinal axis 1: Fog cannon 2. Aerosol can 3: Spring 4: Valve 5: Nozzle 6: Tap 7: Snail cam wheel 8: Shaft 9: Motor 10: Housing 11: Guide 12: Eyelet 13: Member 14: Stopper 15: Security system 16: Motion detector 17: Control unit 18: Actuator/releasing adapter

Preferred embodiments of the invention FIGs. 1 and 2 show a fog cannon 1 in a loaded state and in a release state, respectively.

The fog cannon 1 comprises: an aerosol can 2; a spring 3; a valve 4 (e.g. a spring-loaded valve), an actuator/releasing adapter 18 and a nozzle 5; a tap 6, a snail cam wheel 7 having a step of length Li, a shaft 8 and a motor 9; a housing 10 comprising a guide 11 having a length L2=Li, the housing 10 being fastened to the spring 3 by an eyelet 12 and being coupled to the tap 6 by a member 13; a stopper 14 arranged inside the guide 11.

In operation, the snail cam wheel 7 rotates about the shaft 8 of the motor 9 and pushes with its slow rising portion the tap 6 along a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis z. Consequently, since the tap 6 is fastened by member 13 to the housing 10, the container 2 moves in the same direction of the tap 6, away from the spring 3. The motor 9 is then switched off when the tap 6 is in proximity of the step of the snail cam wheel 7, so that the container 2 is ready to be released. When the alarm is on, the motor 9 is switched on again and the snail cam wheel 7 rotates such that the tap 6 jumps the step of the snail cam wheel 7 for a length LI, which releases the container 2 from the loaded state to the release state, where the container 2 engages with the valve 4 for releasing the fog through the an actuator/releasing adapter 18 and the nozzle 5. FIG.3 shows a fog security system 15 comprising the fog cannon 1 described above, a motion detector 16 and a control unit 17. When an intrusion is detected by the control unit 10 on the base of the measurements received from the motion detector 16, the control unit 17 triggers the actuating means 6, 7, 8, 9, thus activating the release of the fluid from the container 2. FIG.4 shows a method 100 of releasing fog in a fog security system 15 comprising: - providing 101 a fog security system 15 as described above; - the motion detector 16 detecting 102 an event in its surroundings; - the motion detector 16 sending 103 a notification about the event to the control unit 17; - the control unit 17 reading 104 the notification of the motion detector 16; - the control unit 17 triggering 105 the actuating means 6, 7, 8, 9; and - the alarm unit 1 releasing 106 the fog.

Claims

A fluid-triggering alarm unit (1), comprising a container (2) for holding a fluid; a holding means (3) arranged to hold the container (2) in a first position; a flow control means (4, 5) arranged to enable the flow of fluid from the container (2); and an activating means (6, 7, 8, 9) arranged to move the container (2) along a longitudinal axis (z) between the first position and a second position, wherein the activating means (6, 7, 8, 9) when an alarm actuated, further arranged to release the container (2) from the second position such that the holding means (3) resiliently moves the container (2) to the first position and holds it in the first position by utilizing the force exerted by the holding means. (3), wherein the container (2) engages the flow control means (4, 5) to release the fluid from the container (2), characterized in that when the alarm is deactivated, the actuating means (6, 7, 8, 9) are further arranged for moving the container (2) from the first position to the second position by exerting on the container (2) a force opposite to the force exerted by the holding means (3).

An alarm unit (1) according to claim 1, wherein the activating means (6, 7, 8, 9) comprises a pin (6) and a wafer (7), which is directly or indirectly attached to the container (2), wherein the pin (6) ) and the wafer (7) are arranged such that they can cooperate to move the container (2) along the longitudinal axis (z).

An alarm unit (1) according to claim 2, wherein the wafer (7) is formed such that a first portion of the wafer (7) cooperates with the pin (6) to move the container (2) from the first position to the second position. and another portion of the wafer (7) cooperates with the pin (6) to release the container from the second position.

An alarm unit (1) according to claim 3, wherein the wafer (7) is a snail-shaped wafer, wherein the second portion is a longitudinal (LI) ledge.

An alarm unit (1) according to claim 4, wherein the length (LI) of the ledge is 6 to 14 mm, preferably 8 to 12 mm and most preferably about 10 mm.

An alarm unit (1) according to any preceding claim, wherein the alarm unit (1) further comprises a movable housing (10) for housing the container (2), which housing (10) is adapted to be coupled along the longitudinal axis (z) to the holding means ( 3) on one side and to the pin (6) on the other.

An alarm unit (1) according to claim 6, wherein the alarm unit (1) further comprises a stop (14) and the housing (10) comprises a guide (11) of a length (L2), wherein the stop (14) is arranged inside the guide (11).

An alarm unit (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the holding means (3) is a spring or an elastic band.

An alarm unit (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the fluid is a fog generating fluid and the alarm unit (1) further comprises at least one heat exchanger for converting the fog generating fluid into fog.

Security system (15), characterized in that the security system (15) comprises at least one fluid-triggering alarm unit (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, at least one sensor (16) and a control unit (17), which sensor (16) is arranged to record an event in the environment of the sensor (16) and to send a message about the event to the control unit (17), wherein the control unit (17) is arranged to read the message of the sensor (16) and activate the alarm unit (1) for releasing the fluid .

Method (100), characterized in that the method (100) comprises: - providing (101) a security system (11) according to claim 11, which security system comprises a container (2) arranged to hold a fluid; a holding means (3) arranged to hold the container (2) in a first position; a flow control means (4, 5) arranged to enable the flow of fluid from the container (2); an activating means (6, 7, 8, 9) adapted to move the container (2) along a longitudinal axis (z) between a first position and a second position; at least one sensor (16) and one control unit (17), - that the sensor (16) records (102) an event in the environment of the sensor (16), - that the sensor (16) sends (103) a message about the event to the control unit (17) ) - that the controller (17) reads (104) the sensor (16) message, - that the controller (17) triggers (105) the activating means (6, 7, 8, 9), - that the activating means (6, 7, 8, 9) ) moving the container (2) to the first position, - the alarm unit (1) releasing (106) the fluid from the container (2), and - activating means (6, 7, 8, 9) moving the container (2) from the first position to the second position.