BULB DEVICE

Abstract

A bulb device 100 for a sprinkler device 200 of a fire suppression system, and a method of manufacturing a bulb device 100. The bulb device 100 includes a sprinkler bulb 101; a wireless communication device 120; and a coupling 150 affixing the wireless communication device 120 to an external surface of the sprinkler bulb 101.

Claims

1. A bulb device for a sprinkler device of a fire suppression system, the bulb device (100) comprising: a sprinkler bulb (101); a wireless communication device (120); and a coupling (150) affixing the wireless communication device (120) to an external surface of the sprinkler bulb (101).

2. A bulb device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the coupling (150) reinforces the sprinkler bulb (101) adjacent the wireless communication device (120).

3. A bulb device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sprinkler bulb (101) only contains fluid (130).

4. A bulb device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wireless communication device (120) comprises an RFID tag.

5. A bulb device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bulb device (100) is arranged to propel the wireless communication device (120) away from the sprinkler bulb (101) upon activation of the sprinkler bulb (101).

6. A bulb device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the coupling (150) is configured to protect the wireless communication device (120) from the sprinkler bulb (101) during activation.

7. A sprinkler device for a fire suppression system, the sprinkler device comprising: a bulb device (100) as claimed in claim 1; an antenna (220) for communicating with the wireless communication device (120) of the bulb device (100); and a base plate (230), wherein the antenna (220) is disposed within the base plate (230).

8. A sprinkler device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the antenna (220) is a coil antenna.

9. A sprinkler device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the sprinkler bulb (101) of the bulb device (100) is coaxial with the antenna (220).

10. A sprinkler device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the base plate (230) is formed of metal, heat resistant polymer, glass, and/or composite.

11. A sprinkler device as claimed in claim 7, comprising a flux concentrator (240) arranged to concentrate flux from the antenna (220) at the bulb device (100).

12. A sprinkler device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the antenna (220) is configured to use signals in the frequency range of 100 kHz to 160 kHz.

13. A method of manufacturing a bulb device (100) comprising affixing a wireless communication device (120) to an external surface of a sprinkler bulb (101).

14. A method of manufacturing a bulb device (100) comprising: manufacturing a first bulb device (100) using the method of claim 13; recovering the wireless communication device (120) after breakage of the sprinkler bulb (101) of the first bulb device (100); and affixing the wireless communication device (120) to an external surface of a second sprinkler bulb (101).

15. A method of operating a fire suppression system, the method comprising providing a bulb device (100) as claimed in claim 1; positioning the bulb device (100) in a sprinkler device (200); and propelling the wireless communication device (120) away from the sprinkler device (200) by activation of the sprinkler bulb (101) of the bulb device (100).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0051] Certain preferred embodiments of the invention are describe by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0052] FIG. 1 shows a bulb device comprising a sprinkler bulb and a wireless communication device;

[0053] FIG. 2 shows a sprinkler device comprising the bulb device of FIG. 1; and

[0054] FIG. 3 shows the activation of the bulb device schematically.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0055] FIG. 1 shows a bulb device 100 comprising a sprinkler bulb 101 and a wireless communication device 120 coupled to the sprinkler bulb 101 by a coupling 150. The wireless communication device is a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag 120. The sprinkler bulb 101 comprises a sealed frangible housing 110 containing a liquid 130 and a gas 140.

[0056] In use, the bulb device 100 is located in a sprinkler device 200 (see FIG. 2) of a fire suppression system (not shown), and is positioned to hold a seal 210, plug or the like in place to prevent fire suppression fluid from leaving the sprinkler device 200. The seal 210 of the sprinkler device 200 is partially shown in FIG. 1. The sprinkler bulb 101 is arranged so that it prevents deployment of fire suppressant fluid from the sprinkler device 200 unless it breaks. In the event of a fire near the sprinkler device 200, the liquid 130 in the housing 110 will be heated and therefore pressure within the housing 110 will increase. Once the liquid 130 reaches a predetermined temperature (e.g. indicative of being near a fire), the resulting pressure from the heated liquid 130 will break the frangible housing 110 and the seal 210 of the sprinkler device 200 will no longer be held in place. Fire suppression fluid will then be discharged from the sprinkler device 200. The housing 110, liquid 130, and gas bubble 140 can be configured so that the housing 110 will break under predetermined conditions e.g. when the liquid 130 reaches a predetermined temperature, and hence when the housing 110 is exposed to a predetermined pressure thereby. The housing 110 may be formed of any suitable material such as glass, plastic, crystal, ceramic, quartzoid, or the like. Quartzoid may be preferred for its prevalence in the field.

[0057] The RFID tag 120 is affixed to an external surface of the housing 110 of the sprinkler bulb 101 i.e. to an external surface of the sprinkler bulb 101. As such, the RFID tag 120 is not within the sprinkler bulb 101 e.g. either within the liquid 130 or the housing 110. The coupling 150 is disposed between the sprinkler bulb 101 and the wireless communication device 120.

[0058] FIG. 2 shows the sprinkler device 200 in more detail. The sprinkler device comprises the bulb device 100 arranged to maintain the seal 210 in a sealing position in a sprinkler body 212 while the sprinkler bulb 101 is intact. In the event of a fire near the sprinkler device 200, the fluid in the sprinkler bulb 101 is heated until pressure breaks the sprinkler bulb 100 and allows the seal 210 to move out of sealing engagement with the sprinkler body 212, thereby permitting fire suppression fluid (e.g. water) to be released from the sprinkler device 200 e.g. via a fluid inlet 250.

[0059] The sprinkler bulb 101 is held in the sprinkler device 200 by the sprinkler body 212. The sprinkler body 212 is mounted by a sprinkler mounting adapter 214 so as to receive fire suppression fluid from the fluid inlet 250. A base plate 230 is provided at the base of the sprinkler device 200, and a coil antenna 220 is located inside the base plate 230 together with a flux concentrator 240 adjacent the coil antenna 220. The base plate 230 extends radially outward from a central axis of the sprinkler device 200. The base plate 230 is wider than the sprinkler body 212 and/or the mounting adapter 214, and the coil antenna 220 is therefore also wider than the sprinkler body 212 and the mounting adapter 214.

[0060] The flux concentrator 240 is immediately adjacent coil antenna 220 and reflects flux from one side of the coil antenna 220, thereby concentrating flux at the bulb device 100. The flux concentrator 240 thereby prevents (or at least reduces) parasitic loss of the signal from the coil antenna 220 to components of the sprinkler device 200.

[0061] The RFID tag 120 is responsive to the flux from the coil antenna 220, so that the RFID tag 120 of the bulb device 100 emits a signal that is detected by the coil antenna 220. The coil antenna 220 and bulb device 100 therefore communicate during use. In particular, the coil antenna 220 is operable to detect the presence of the bulb device 100 (and hence of the sprinkler bulb 101), and may also detect other data e.g. an identification number or the like, depending on what sort of sprinkler bulb 101 is used.

[0062] The flux concentrator 240 also helps concentrate flux from the bulb device 100 (specifically from the RFID tag 120) at the coil antenna 220, and thereby improves communication between the coil antenna 220 and the bulb device 100. Since the bulb device 100 is relatively small and at least partially enclosed by the sprinkler body 212, the signal from the RFID tag 120 may be relatively weak and may not be detectable by the coil antenna 220 without provision of the flux concentrator 240.

[0063] The coil antenna 220 is disposed inside the base plate 230, and is disposed around the fluid inlet 250. The coil antenna 220 therefore does not interfere with the release of fire suppressant from the sprinkler device 200. The bulb device 100 is positioned coaxially with the coil antenna 220, and is thereby located at a position of relatively high signal strength from the coil antenna 220. The size and position of the coil antenna 220 therefore ensures reliable communication between the second antenna and the RFID tag 120.

[0064] The provision of the base plate 230 also allows the coil antenna 220 to be large enough, and close enough to the bulb device 100 to ensure reliable communication therebetween. The base plate 230 also protects the coil antenna 220 in the event of a fire, so that the coil antenna 220 does not need to be replaced in after a fire event. Instead, only the sprinkler bulb 100 may need to be replaced.

[0065] FIG. 3 shows a schematic of the sprinkler device 200 during a detection event when the sprinkler bulb 101 bursts or explodes. A magnification of the bursting sprinkler bulb 101 is also shown, in which fragments 112 of the sprinkler bulb 101 are shown. As can be seen from FIG. 3, the coupling 150 of the bulb device 100 has prevented the portion of the housing 110 near the RFID tag 120 from breaking. Further, the coupling 150 protects the RFID tag 120 (or any suitable wireless communication device) from damage during explosion of the sprinkler bulb 101. In practice, the activation of the sprinkler bulb 101 can be relatively high energy, and is essentially an explosion, as high pressure within the sprinkler bulb 101 is explosively released by the housing 110 shattering. The fragments 112 can therefore be launched outwards with significant force. The coupling 150 therefore prevents fragments 112 impacting the RFID tag 120 and thereby causing damage to it. The coupling 150 is therefore a shield protecting the RFID tag 120 from fragments 112 of the sprinkler bulb 101.

[0066] Moreover, the RFID tag 120 is external to the sprinkler bulb 101 and therefore is not exposed to the high pressures within the housing 110 necessary to cause the bulb 101 to shatter. Thus, the RFID tag 120 is protected from the sprinkler bulb 101 activation and can be recovered and re-used e.g. affixed to another sprinkler bulb 101. Since the RFID tag 120 is not damaged by the activation of the sprinkler bulb 101, it may continue to operate and may be located by scanning for a signal from it.

[0067] The coupling 150 also increases integrity of the portion of the sprinkler bulb 101 adjacent the RFID tag 120 i.e. the fragment 112 carrying the RFID tag 120. As a result, instead of fragmenting further, the fragment 112 of the sprinkler bulb 101 is held together and energy from activation and explosion of the sprinkler bulb 101 goes to propelling the fragment 112 and RFID tag 120 outwards. The RFID tag 120 is therefore launched away from the sprinkler device 200 by activation of the sprinkler bulb 101, carried by the coupling 150. Thus, the coupling 150 acts as a vehicle for the RFID tag 120 upon activation of the sprinkler bulb 101 and enables the RFID tag 120 to be propelled away from the sprinkler device 200 (and the location of the sprinkler bulb 101 at activation). Consequently, the sprinkler device 200 is less likely to detect the RFID tag 120, and thus activation of the bulb device 100 and sprinkler bulb 101 is more likely to be detected. The location of the wireless communication device 120 outside the sprinkler bulb 101 with the coupling 150 disposed between the wireless communication device 120 and the sprinkler bulb 101 may therefore increase the reliability with which activation of the sprinkler bulb 101 is detected.