ITVI970067A1 - SAFETY DEVICE FOR AUTOMATIC CONTROL OF THE OPENING OF SKYLIGHTS, WINDOWS OR DOORS. - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention realises a safety device (1) for automatic control for the opening of skylights comprising: a valve body (2) with which a thermosensitive bulb (4), a bomb (10) containing pressurised gas for feeding the actuator of the opening of the skylight and a solenoid (20) whose movable element (21) cooperates with blocking means (3) of said bulb (4), are connected. A piston (6) coupled in said valve body (2) is supplied with a pin (7) suitable for piercing the membrane (12) which intercepts the delivery mouth (11) of said bomb (10) in order to feed said actuator when said movable element (21) releases said bulb (4).

Description

Description of the patent for industrial invention entitled: "SAFETY DEVICE FOR THE AUTOMATIC OPENING OF SKYLIGHTS, WINDOWS OR DOORS".

DESCRIPTION

The invention concerns a safety device for the automatic control of the opening of skylights, windows or doors in case of fire, particularly suitable for being applied to skylights.

It is known that when skylights are present in a building, they must be equipped with special safety devices designed to automatically control their opening to ensure, in the event of a fire, that the combustion products are evacuated.

More precisely, these safety devices, in the event of a fire, must be able to supply the actuator that controls the opening of the skylight cover with gas under pressure, generally CO2 contained in a cylinder.

According to a known type of embodiment, said safety devices comprise a can of pressurized gas whose delivery mouth, which is connected to the duct that feeds the actuator of the skylight, is sealed by a breakable membrane. In front of said membrane there is a shutter equipped with a stop mechanism, on which an actuator equipped with an explosive micro-charge piloted by an electric impulse coming from a manual or automatic remote control acts to release.

The safety devices of the known type described have the drawback that the resistor which ignites the exploder due to the Joule effect constitutes an ohmic load extremely sensitive to atmospheric discharges, induced currents, radio frequency disturbances present in the environment so that the safety device can accidentally intervene in a completely random way.

Another drawback is the fact that the periodic maintenance of these safety devices is quite expensive given the high cost of the cartridge that is no longer reusable.

Not the least drawback is also constituted by the fact that with these safety devices, whenever the intervention of the device itself is simulated to check its efficiency or if you intend to deliberately open the skylight to evacuate fumes or odors present in the room, it is necessary perform a manual intervention which inevitably involves the use of the explosive cartridge which must then be replaced.

In order to eliminate these drawbacks, the invention with protocol number PD93U000125 has been registered in the name of the same depositor of the present patent, in which a safety device is described which is provided with electromechanical means, in particular a solenoid, which mechanically intervene on the vial by means of levers and allow it to be removed without breaking it if you intend to simulate the intervention of the safety device to check its efficiency or if you intend to manually open the skylight.

This safety device has the advantage of allowing the simulation of the intervention without damaging any component.

Furthermore, since the solenoid is an inductive load that is not sensitive to external electrical disturbances, the danger of accidental intervention is eliminated.

However, said safety device has the drawback that the solenoid absorbs a rather high current since it must exert a considerable thrust on the levers for removing the thermosensitive vial to release it.

In particular, from the tests carried out it has been seen that in order to function correctly the solenoid, which is powered with direct current at 24 Volts, absorbs a current of 2 Amps.

The solenoids that equip the various safety devices are all connected in cascade and therefore, especially in industrial settlements where there are a large number of skylights and smoke evacuators, it is necessary to prepare electrical lines of adequate section and powered by uninterruptible power supplies. 'which are quite expensive and above all must be designed by expert personnel.

The present invention intends to overcome all the aforementioned drawbacks.

In particular, one of the purposes of the invention is to provide a safety device, particularly suitable for automatically controlling the opening of skylights, provided with electromechanical actuation means which have a much lower current absorption than known safety devices. equivalent to it.

A further purpose is that the safety device of the invention can be sent manually to check its operating efficiency by simulating the opening of the skylight and that it can be reloaded after the test intervention.

Last but not least, the safety device of the invention can be operated manually to open the skylight, at the user's will, without damaging the heat-sensitive vial.

The aforementioned purposes are achieved with the realization of a safety device for the automatic control of the opening of skylights, windows, doors and the like which in accordance with the main claim includes:

- a valve body in which a chamber is formed which communicates with at least one fluid actuator for opening said skylight;

- a piston coupled in said chamber, provided at one end with a pin and at the opposite end with elastic means suitable for achieving axial sliding in said chamber;

- a cylinder containing compressed gas, provided with a delivery mouth which communicates with said chamber and which feeds it with said compressed gas when said needle pierces a membrane which intercepts said delivery mouth;

a thermosensitive interrupter comprised between locking means designed to keep it fixed in position by axial compression exerted by thrust means in contact with said piston and is characterized by the fact that said clamping means of said interrupter comprise:

- a support element that accommodates a first end of said ampoule, rotatably coupled to said valve body and cooperating with said thrust means;

- a retaining element which accommodates a second end of said bulb, rotatably coupled to said valve body with respect to which it is made fixed by means of contrast means cooperating with the mobile assembly of a solenoid, said thrust means being suitable for carrying out the rotation of said support element with which they cooperate to obtain the release of the entire bulb when said solenoid disconnects said movable assembly from said contrast means so as to make said retaining element of said bulb free to rotate to make said piston free to slide inside said chamber, pushed by said elastic means.

According to a preferred embodiment, the support element and the retaining element which constitute the locking means between which the thermosensitive interrupter is kept fixed in position, are coupled to the valve body by means of pins, idle in the seats in which they are paired with.

In particular, the intervention of the solenoid consists solely of a recall action of the mobile unit that blocks the rotation of the retaining element which, when free, rotates freely in its seat as it is eccentrically pushed by the displacement of the piston. coupled in the cylindrical chamber of the valve element itself.

The solenoid can therefore be powered with very low currents since it, unlike what happens in devices of the known type with electromechanical control, does not have to perform any thrust action against mechanical parts but must only perform the function of removing the means. which constrain the retaining element since the actual actuation of the safety device takes place by the elastic means when these axially push the coupled piston into the cylindrical chamber of the valve body.

Advantageously, the use of the safety device of the invention allows, as already said, to use the same power supply lines as the previously mentioned and possibly already installed safety devices of the known type.

Still advantageously in the case of new installations, it is possible to create electrical systems that power them cheaper and less complex precisely because the power supply currents of the safety devices are lower, with the same number of control points made, compared to the use of equivalent safety devices of known type.

The aforementioned purposes and advantages will be better highlighted during the description of a preferred embodiment of the invention given as an indication but not a limitation which refers to the attached drawing tables where:

in fig. 1 shows the safety device of the invention in longitudinal section and in rest condition;

- in fig. 2 shows a detail of the device of fig. 1; - in fig. 3 shows the safety device shown in fig. 1, seen from the side of the thermosensitive interrupter;

- in fig. 4 shows a detail of the device shown in fig. 3;

- in. fig. 5 shows the safety device of the invention shown in longitudinal section, in the configuration it assumes when it is operated;

- in fig. 6 shows a detail of the device shown in fig. 5;

- in fig. 7 shows the side view of the safety device shown in fig. 5, partially sectioned in correspondence with the mobile element of the solenoid;

- in fig. 8 shows the enlargement of the detail corresponding to the mobile unit of the solenoid.

As can be seen in fig. 1 the safety device of the invention, indicated as a whole with 1, is composed of a valve body 2 which is externally provided with locking means 3 adapted to support a thermosensitive interrupter 4 and internally has a chamber 5 in which a piston 6 provided at one end with a pin 7 and at the opposite end with elastic means 8 suitable for carrying out, by thrust, its axial sliding.

It can also be observed that a sleeve 9 is applied to said valve body 2 on one side which places said chamber 5 in communication with the skylight actuator, both not shown in the figure, while on the opposite side and in correspondence with the pin 7 there is applied to the valve body itself a cylinder 10 containing inert gas under pressure, where said cylinder has a delivery mouth 11 which communicates with said chamber 5 and is closed by means of a breakable membrane 12.

As regards said locking means 3 of said ampoule 4, it can be observed that they comprise:

- a support element 31 which accommodates a first end 41 of said bulb 4 and is provided with a first pin 32 rotatably coupled in a first seat 35 made in the valve body 2;

- a retaining element 33 which accommodates a second end 42 of the same bulb 4 and is provided with a second pin 34 coupled to a second seat 36 made in the same valve body 2.

Finally, it can be observed that said first pin 32 of said support element 31 cooperates with thrust means, indicated as a whole with 15 and visible in greater detail in fig. 3, which comprise a ball 16 housed in an annular recess 17 with conical opposing walls 18, made in the body of said piston 6. Said ball 16, as can also be seen in the detail of fig. 2, is slidingly coupled inside a seat 180 made in the valve body 2 and is placed in contact with a thrust shaft 19 which slides within the same seat 180 and which contrasts against a first plane 321, offset by the amount 190 with respect to the longitudinal axis of said first pin 32 to which it belongs.

In the upper part of the valve body 2 there is a solenoid 20 whose movable element 21 cooperates with contrast means 22 which consist of a third pin 221 made elastic by means of a spring 224 and in contact with a second plane 341 belonging to said second pin 34.

More precisely, it is observed in fig. 4 and 8 that said third pin 221 is provided with a lowering 222 in which, when the safety device is in the rest position shown in figs. 1 and 2, the mobile assembly 21 is inserted so that said third pin 221 is kept locked in adherence against said second reference plane 341 of said second pin 34.

When the safety device of the invention is in rest conditions it, as already mentioned, is in the configuration shown in figs. 1 and 3 in which the ball 16 is housed in the annular recess 17 of the piston 6 and is pushed upwards by the conical side walls 18 so that the thrust shaft 19 is in contact with the first plane 321, offset of the quantity 190 with respect to the axis of the first pin 32 to which said first plane 321 belongs.

The mobile assembly 21 keeps the third pin 221 locked in the position of fig. 3 and contrasting against the second reference plane 341 of the second pin 34 prevents the latter from rotating. Consequently, the thermosensitive interrupter 4, which has its ends 41 and 42 housed respectively in the first seat 131 of the support element 31 and in the second seat 331 of the retaining element 33, remains locked in position due to the axial compression exerted by said elements. thrust means 15.

in this situation the piston 6 remains in the position shown in fig. 1 where, although the spring 8 is loaded, it is blocked by the presence of the ball 16 which prevents it from advancing towards the cylinder 10 in the direction 30 so that the pin 7 with which it is provided is detached from the fracturable membrane 12 .

In this position, the actuator that opens the skylight is not operated by the fluid contained in the cylinder 10 and therefore the skylight itself remains closed.

In the event of a fire, the thermosensitive bulb 4 fractures and the first pin 32 of the support element 31 can rotate idly around its own longitudinal axis as it is no longer locked in position by the interposition of the rigid body which prevented rotation and consisted of the bulb 4.

The thrust shaft 19 can therefore move upwards pushed by the ball 16 which rises due to the axial thrust on the piston 6 exerted by the elastic recovery of the spring 8 which, as can be seen in fig. 5, brings the pin 7 to pierce the fracturable membrane 12 of the cylinder 10.

During these movements, the retaining element 33 remains fixed in position.

The compressed inert gas flows through the internal duct 71 of the pin 7 to reach the duct 91 of the sleeve 9 from which, through a pipe not shown, it is fed into the actuator of the skylight, obtaining the opening of the latter.

It is observed that the compressed inert gas which also fills the chamber 180, cannot flow outside by drawing through the games present in the elements that make up the safety device since, as can be seen in fig. 6, the gasket 181 of the OR type arranged in the chamber 180, contrasts a contained against the ball 16, preventing the leakage of the compressed fluid.

This happens if the safety device intervenes in the event of a fire.

After the intervention of the safety device, it is returned to the rest position, shown in figs.

1 and 3, manually applying a rotation to the support element 31 and to the overlying retaining element 33, so as to reposition the interrupter ready for subsequent interventions.

The skylight is closed manually and the fluid which is contained inside the actuator and which allowed it to open, is discharged into the environment through the supply pipe, not shown, the duct 91 of the sleeve 9 which is traversed according to the direction 191 and the seat 180, from which it discharges to the outside by drawing between the clearances existing between the members that make up the safety device, not being, as can be seen in fig. 1 and also in fig. 2, the ball 16 pushed tightly against the gasket 181.

However, it is possible to obtain the intervention of the safety device itself by manually controlling it to deliberately open the skylight even if there is no fire or to check its operation.

In this case, by closing a switch, not shown in the figure, the solenoid 20 is energized which, as can be seen in figs. 7 and 8, releases the mobile unit 21 from the lowering 222 made in the third pin 221 which, no longer mechanically locked, retracts according to the direction 223 compressing the spring 224 and leaving the second pin 34 free to rotate around its own axis.

The thrust to which the bulb 4 is subjected by the action of the thrust means 15 and particularly by the thrust shaft 19 forced by the ball 16 causes the rotation of the second pin 34 itself whose second seat 331 frees the bulb 4. The latter then also disengages from the first seat 131 through which it is constrained to the support element 31 and therefore also makes the first pin 32 idle which in turn is made to rotate by the lifting of the thrust shaft 19 due to the sliding of the piston 6 generated by the thrust of the spring 8.

Also in this case, the advancement of the pin 7 is obtained, which moves to the configuration shown in fig. 5.

It is evident that if the user's intention is to activate the safety device only to test its operation, it will be his care, before activating it, to remove the cylinder 10 to avoid piercing the membrane and to collect the ampoule 4 when this is released from the locking means.

Conversely, should it be the intention of use to open the skylight using the compressed gas contained in the cylinder, he will only be able to recover the thermosensitive ampoule.

After each intervention of the safety device, both automatic and manual, it is necessary, as already mentioned above, to return it to the rest position shown in figs. 1 and 3, manually applying a rotation to the support element 31 and to the overlying retaining element 33 so as to reposition the bulb 4, ready for subsequent interventions.

It is therefore understood, based on what has been said, that the safety device of the invention achieves all the intended purposes. In particular, the purpose of obtaining the activation of the safety device is achieved by using solenoids which are supplied with currents lower than the currents necessary to supply the solenoids that equip the safety devices of the known type and in particular the safety device described in already cited patent having protocol number PD93U000125 in the name of the same inventor of the present patent.

In fact, the solenoid 20 of the safety device of the invention is only required to move the mobile assembly 21 with which it is provided and therefore it does not carry out any thrust action against any mechanical organ. Consequently it can be of low power and absorb a limited current that experimental tests carried out on prototypes have allowed to define approximately on values of 250 mA.

It has also been seen how it is possible to manually intervene and on the operator's command the safety device of the invention, for example to test its operation without having to destroy the thermosensitive ampoule and use the compressed gas contained in the cylinder.

Furthermore, the limited value of current that the solenoid absorbs and that experimental tests have indicated in about 250 mA. allows you to install the safety device of the invention also in replacement of the known electrical or electromechanical safety devices, without having to replace or otherwise modify the power supply lines.

During the power supply phase to the safety device of the invention, changes may be made which, however, if based on the same idea of the solution described, are all to be considered protected by this patent.

Claims (6)

CLAIMS 1) Safety device (1) for the automatic control of the opening of skylights, windows, doors and the like including: - a valve body (2) in which a chamber (5) is obtained which communicates with at least one fluid actuator for the opening of said skylight; - a piston (6) coupled in said chamber (5), provided at one end with a pin (7) and at the opposite end with elastic means (8) able to make the axial sliding thereof in said chamber (5) ; - a cylinder (10) containing compressed gas, provided with a delivery mouth (11) which communicates with said chamber (5) and which supplies it with said compressed gas when said pin (7) pierces a membrane (12) which intercepts said delivery mouth (11); - a thermosensitive bulb (4) comprised between locking means adapted to keep it fixed in position by axial compression exerted by thrust means (15) in contact with said piston (6), characterized in that said locking means (3) of said ampoule (4) include: - a support element (31) which receives a first end (41) of said bulb (4), rotatably coupled to said valve body (2) and cooperating with said thrust means (15); - a retaining element (33) which receives a second end (42) of said bulb (4), rotatably coupled to said valve body (2) with respect to which it is made fixed by means of contrast means (22) cooperating with the mobile assembly (21) of a solenoid (20), said thrust means (15) being able to perform the rotation of said support element (31) with which they cooperate to obtain the release of the entire interrupter (4) when said solenoid (20) disconnects said movable unit (21) from said contrast means (22) so as to make said retaining element (33) of said bulb (4) free to rotate to make said piston (6 ) free to slide inside said chamber (5), pushed by said elastic means (8). 2) Safety device (1) according to claim 1) characterized in that said support element (31) which receives said first end (41) of said bulb (4) is provided with a first cylindrical pin (32) which fits idly into a first hole (35) made in said valve body (2), said first cylindrical pin (32) being provided with a first reference plane (321) adapted to cooperate with said thrust means (15) in contact with said piston (6). 3) Safety device (1) according to claim 2) characterized by the fact that said thrust means (15) comprise a ball (16) housed in an annular recess (17) with opposite conical walls (18) made in the body of said piston (6), said ball (16) being slidingly coupled inside a seat (180) made in the valve body (2) orthogonally to the longitudinal axis of said piston (6) and being placed in contact with a thrust shaft (19) which contrasts against said first reference plane (321) of said first cylindrical pin (32) belonging to said support element (31). 4) Safety device (1) according to claim 3) characterized by the fact that inside said seat (180) made in the valve body (2) there is an OR-type gasket (181) inside which said gasket is slidingly coupled thrust shaft (19), said gasket (181) opposing against said ball (16) when said opposite conical walls (18) of said annular recess (17) force said ball (16) against said gasket (181). 5) Safety device (1) according to claim 3) characterized in that said thrust shaft (19) has its longitudinal axis orthogonal and offset with respect to the longitudinal axis of said first cylindrical pin (32) so as to be made with said first reference plane (321), an eccentric contact for obtaining the rotation of said first cylindrical pin (32) about its own longitudinal axis when the axial displacement of said piston (6) forces said thrust shaft (19) against said first reference plane (321). 6) Safety device (1) according to claim 1) characterized in that said retaining element (33) which accommodates said second end (42) of said bulb (4) is constituted by a second cylindrical pin (34) which is idly coupled in a second hole (36) made in said valve body (2) and which has an end protruding from the valve body itself provided with a second seat (331) adapted to receive said second end (42) of said bulb (4), said second pin (34) presenting in an intermediate position a second reference plane (341) in contact with contrast means (15) belonging to the valve body (2) itself and cooperating with said mobile assembly (21) of said solenoid (210).