Remote activation system for a breathing apparatus filling station
A Compressed Air Breathing Apparatus (CABA) or Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) is routinely used in environments when there is no breathable air and in emergency situations. However, CABA/SCBA tanks have limited capacity to hold compressed air, and BA filling stations are required in environments in which it may be necessary to refill the CABA/SCBA tanks during an emergency situation. Disclosed is a BA filling station system with a back-up air supply and remote activation. Two or more filling stations are interconnected by one or more air supply lines to provide a flow of compressed air between the filling stations, and one or more remote activation lines to control the flow. Advantageously, the system provides redundancy between the remotely located BA filling stations and substantially improves safety by making available a back-up source of an air supply from another interconnected filling station.
1. A filling station system for a breathing apparatus, comprising:
a first filling station having a first air bank system;
a second filling station having a second air bank system;
a first air supply line extending between the first filling station and the second filling station, the first air supply line adapted to supply a flow of air from the first air bank system to the second filling station;
a first user-operable activation device provided at or near the second filling station for remotely activating the flow of air from the first air bank system; and
a first activation valve coupled to the first air supply line and controlled by the first user-operable activation device, the first activation valve configured to activate or stop airflow between the first air bank system and the second air bank system.
2. The filling station system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second air supply line extending between the second filling station and the first filling station, the second air supply line adapted to supply a flow of air from the second air bank system to the first filling station, and
a second user-operable activation device provided at or near the first filling station for remotely activating the flow of air from the second air bank system.
3. The filling station of claim 2 , further comprising a second activation valve coupled to the second air supply line and controlled by the second user-operable activation device, the second activation valve configured to activate or stop airflow between the first air bank system and the second air bank system.
4. The filling station system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first air bank system and the second air bank system comprises a cascade air bank system.
5. The filling station system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first activation device and the second activation device comprises a remote control line or control channel adapted to transmit a control signal between the first and second filling stations.
6. The filling station system of claim 5 , wherein the control signal comprises a control signal air transmitted a low to medium pressure between about 50 psi to 250 psi.
7. The filling station system of claim 6 , further comprising one or more additional filling stations connected in series with the first filling station or the second filling station, each of the one or more additional filling stations having an air bank system, and an air supply line connecting the air bank system to at least one other filling station, thereby to make available a volume of air from more than one air bank system at one of the filling stations.
8. The filling station system of claim 7 , further comprising a user-operable activation device located at or near each filling station, a remote control line or control channel adapted to transmit a control signal between filling stations.
9. The filling station system of claim 8 , wherein a control line or control channel is adapted to transmit a control signal to more than one filling station.
10. The filling station system of claim 1 , wherein the first filling station and the second filling station are adapted to be placed in a recharging mode, whereby both the first filling station and the second filling station are recharged either from the location of the first filling station or the location of the second filling station.
11. A remote activation system for a breathing apparatus filling station, comprising:
a user-operable activation device for remotely activating air flow between a first filling station having a first air bank system and a remote second filling station having a second air bank system, the first filling station and the second filling station having an air supply line extending therebetween and a first activation valve coupled to the air supply line;
wherein the user-operable activation device is located at or near the first filling station, and adapted to transmit a remote control signal to activate the flow of air from the second air bank system to the first filling station via the first activation valve, whereby the volume of air from both first air bank system and second air bank system are available to recharge a breathing apparatus at the first filling station.
12. The remote activation system of claim 11 , wherein the activation device comprises at least one control line or channel extending between the first filling station and the second filling station, the control line or channel adapted to transmit a control signal to start or stop the flow of air from the second air bank system to the first filling station.
13. The remote activation of claim 12 , wherein the activation device is adapted to transmit a control signal air.
14. The remote activation system of claim 13 , wherein the control signal air comprises a low to medium pressure between about 50 psi to 250 psi.
15. The remote activation system of claim 11 , wherein the activation device comprises a wired or wireless electronic control device adapted to transmit a wired or wireless electronic control signal over a control line or control channel between the first filling station and the second filling station.
16. A method of operating a filling station system for a breathing apparatus, comprising:
providing a first filling station having a first air bank system;
providing a second filling station having a second air bank system;
providing a first air supply line extending between the first filling station and the second filling station, the first air supply line adapted to supply a flow of air from the first air bank system to the second filling station;
activating a first control signal at or near the second filling station to remotely activate the flow of air from the first air bank system to the second filling station; and
providing a first activation valve coupled to the first air supply line and controlled by the first control signal, the first activation valve configured to activate or stop airflow between the first air bank system and the second air bank system.
17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
providing a second air supply line extending between the second filling station and the first filling station, the second air supply line adapted to supply a flow of air from the second air bank system to the first filling station; and
activating a second control signal at or near the first filling station to remotely activate the flow of air from the second air bank system to the first filling station.
18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising providing a second activation valve coupled to the second air supply line and controlled by the second control signal, the second activation valve configured to activate or stop airflow between the first air bank system and the second air bank system.
19. The method of claim 16 , wherein the method further comprises providing a cascade air bank system for at least one of the first air bank system and the second air bank system.
20. The method of claim 16 , wherein activating the first control signal or the second control signal comprises transmitting a control signal air between the first and second filling stations over a remote control air line.
21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the method further comprises transmitting the control signal air at a low to medium pressure between about 50 psi to 250 psi.
22. The method of claim 16 , further comprising providing one or more additional filling stations connected in series with the first filling station or the second filling station, each of the one or more additional filing stations having an air bank system, and an air supply line connecting the air bank system to at least one other filling station.
23. The method of claim 16 , wherein the method further comprises placing the first filling station and the second filling station into a recharging mode, and recharging both the first filling station and the second filling station either from the location of the first filling station or the location of the second filling station.
24. A method of operating a remote activation system for a breathing apparatus filling station, comprising:
providing a user-operable activation device located at or near a first filling station having a first air bank system;
connecting the first filling station to a second filling station having a second air bank system with at least a first air supply line, a first activation valve, and a first control line or channel; and
remotely activating air flow from the second air bank system to the first filling station based on control of the first activation valve, whereby the volume of air from both first air bank system and second air bank system are available to recharge a breathing apparatus at the first filling station.