IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,415,106
Granted Patent B2
US 12,415,106 · App. 18/521,621 · Granted Sep 16, 2025

Fluid control assemblies for sprinkler systems

Inventors: James O. Williams (Marlborough, MA); Roger S. Wilkins (Warwick, RI)
Assignee: Tyco Fire Products LP
A62C35/68F16K7/126F16K15/033F16K31/02F16K37/0041
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,415,106
App. No.
18/521,621
Granted
Sep 16, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Automatic fluid control assemblies and methods for fire protection include an arrangement of electrically operated control points, a valve body and a controller to operate the fluid control assembly. The automatic fluid control assembly has an inlet, an outlet and a valve body to control flow between the inlet and the outlet. An electric latch includes a first electrically operated control point and a second electrically operated control point in fluid communication with a control line to control the flow of fluid from the inlet to the valve body and outlet. The methods of fluid control include controlling a plurality of electrically operated control points to perform any one of: a leak test, a trip test, a flow test, a water delivery test, and a validation test of a non-trip condition and a trip condition.

Claims (38)

1. A fire protection control system, comprising: a first valve comprising an inlet side and an outlet side, the inlet side coupled with a fluid supply; a sensor to detect a pressure on the outlet side of the first valve; a second valve coupled with a port of the first valve; a third valve coupled with a vent and with the second valve; and a controller comprising one or more processors to: determine, based on the pressure detected by the sensor corresponding to a fire condition, to cause operation of the first valve; and provide, to the second third valve, a control signal to cause the third valve to fluidly couple the second valve with the vent to cause the second valve to open to allow for fluid from the fluid supply to flow through the first valve to one or more sprinklers.

2. The fire protection control system of claim 1 , comprising:

the second valve to open into an open state to allow for fluid from the fluid supply to flow through the first valve to the one or more sprinklers; and

a diaphragm chamber, the diaphragm chamber in a depressurized state with the second valve in the open state.

3. The fire protection control system of claim 1 , comprising:

a diaphragm chamber; and

at least one of the first valve or the second valve including a latch configured to prevent fluid from pressurizing the diaphragm chamber.

4. The fire protection control system of claim 1 , wherein the fire protection control system includes a dry pipe fire protection system.

5. The fire protection control system of claim 1 , wherein the fire protection control system includes a preaction fire protection system.

6. The fire protection control system of claim 1 , comprising:

the first valve including a solenoid valve.

7. The fire protection control system of claim 1 , comprising:

the second valve including a solenoid valve.

8. The fire protection control system of claim 1 , comprising:

the controller to transmit an electrical signal to control fluid flow through at least one of the first valve or the second valve.

9. The fire protection control system of claim 1 , comprising:

a reset detector to detect heat corresponding to the fire condition; and

the reset detector coupled with the controller.

10. The fire protection control system of claim 1 , comprising:

a fluid detector to detect fluid flow through an outlet of the fire protection control system.

11. A fire protection control method, comprising: coupling a first valve with a fluid supply; coupling a second valve with a port of the first valve; coupling a third valve with the second valve; detecting, with a sensor, a pressure on an outlet side of the first valve; determining, with a controller comprising one or more processors, based on the pressure detected by the sensor corresponding to a fire condition; operating, responsive to the fire condition, the first valve; and providing, to the second third valve, a control signal to cause the third valve to fluidly couple the second valve with a vent to cause the second valve to open to allow for fluid from the fluid supply to flow through the first valve to one or more sprinklers.

12. The method of claim 11 , comprising:

opening the second valve into an open state to allow for fluid from the fluid supply to flow through the first valve to the one or more sprinklers, wherein a diaphragm chamber is in a depressurized state with the second valve in the open state.

13. The method of claim 11 , comprising:

a diaphragm chamber;

at least one of the first valve or the second valve including a latch; and

preventing, via the latch, fluid from pressurizing the diaphragm chamber.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first valve is of a dry pipe fire protection system.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the fire protection control system first valve is of a preaction fire protection system.

16. The method of claim 11 , comprising:

the first valve including a solenoid valve.

17. The method of claim 11 , comprising:

the second valve including a solenoid valve.

18. The method of claim 11 , comprising:

transmitting, via the controller, an electrical signal to control fluid flow through at least one of the first valve or the second valve.

19. The method of claim 11 , comprising:

detecting, with a reset detector, heat corresponding to the fire condition; and

the reset detector coupled with the controller.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 28, 2023
From: WILLIAMS, JAMES O.; WILKINS, ROGER S.
To: TYCO FIRE PRODUCTS LP
Reel/Frame 065688/0777 →
Continuity (6)
Continuation 17474641 · Sep 14, 2021
Continuation 16743688 · Jan 15, 2020
Continuation 16185297 · Nov 9, 2018
Continuation 15501378
Provisional Application 62032896 · Aug 4, 2014
Related Publication 20240100377A1 · Mar 28, 2024
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