IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,940,349
Granted Patent B2
US 10,940,349 · App. 16/097,896 · Granted Mar 9, 2021

Protective cap for a sprinkler nozzle, use of such a protective cap, and method for assembling and/or disassembling a sprinkler nozzle on a pipeline

Inventors: Stefan Schnell (Stockelsdorf, DE); Frank Rönnfeldt (Sühlen, DE)
Assignee: Minimax GmbH & Co. KG
A62C35/68A62C31/28A62C37/11A62C31/02A62C37/08A62C37/12B05B1/265B05B15/16
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,940,349
App. No.
16/097,896
Granted
Mar 9, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present invention relates to a protective cap for an extinguishing nozzle, in particular a sprinkler nozzle, which has at least a nozzle main body with a nozzle outlet, with a cap main body, and a cap neck which is arranged on the cap main body, the cap main body having a force transmission section for bearing in sections against a nozzle main body of the extinguishing nozzle in a force-transmitting, preferably positively locking manner, and the protective cap, in particular the cap neck, being set up to mechanically shield the nozzle outlet of the extinguishing nozzle, the cap main body having an outer contour with one or more action surfaces for attaching a tool.

Claims (27)

1. A protective cap for an extinguishing nozzle, which has a nozzle main body with a nozzle outlet, the protective cap comprising: a cap main body, and a cap neck which is arranged on the cap main body, the cap main body and the cap neck having a lateral introduction and discharge slot, the cap main body having an inner contour including a force transmission section for bearing against the nozzle main body of the extinguishing nozzle in a force-transmitting, and in a positively locking manner, and the cap neck being set up to mechanically shield the nozzle outlet of the extinguishing nozzle, the cap main body having an outer contour with one or more action surfaces that attach to a tool without direct contact between the tool and the extinguishing nozzle, wherein the one or more action surfaces on the outer contour is arranged at a same horizontal plane as the force transmission section on the inner contour of the cap main body.

2. The protective cap as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the extinguishing nozzle comprises a sprinkler nozzle including a spray head, and wherein the cap neck is dimensioned in such a way that, in a mounted state on the sprinkler nozzle, the spray head is enclosed partially or completely.

3. The protective cap as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the sprinkler nozzle further includes a spraying disk which is arranged on the spray head, wherein the cap neck is dimensioned in such a way that, in the mounted state, it is arranged spaced apart from the spraying disk on the spray head of the sprinkler nozzle.

4. The protective cap as claimed in claim 3 , wherein a cap shield for enclosing the spraying disk of the sprinkler nozzle is arranged on the cap neck.

5. The protective cap as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the cap shield has a lateral introduction and discharge slot for the spraying disk of the sprinkler nozzle, which lateral introduction and discharge slot is adapted to an outer contour of the spraying disk which can be guided through the slot.

6. The protective cap as claimed in claim 2 , wherein, at a spray head-side end of the cap neck, the cap neck has a terminating face with a recess for at least one section of the spray head.

7. The protective cap as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the recess in the terminating face has a shape which is adapted to a shape of the spray head and is set up to fix an end which faces the spray head on the spray head.

8. The protective cap as claimed in claim 1 , the extinguishing nozzle having a trigger element, and the cap neck being set up to shield the trigger element mechanically.

9. The protective cap as claimed in claim 1 , the extinguishing nozzle having a closure element which is arranged on the nozzle outlet, the cap neck and/or the cap main body being set up to shield the closure element mechanically in a mounted state.

10. The protective cap as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the lateral introduction and discharge slot extends substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the protective cap.

11. The protective cap as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the introduction and discharge slot extends over an entire height of the protective cap, and a slot width of the introduction and discharge slot changes over the entire height of the protective cap.

12. The protective cap as claimed in claim 10 , wherein at least one wall region of the cap main body and the cap neck, is arranged so as to lie opposite the introduction and discharge slot, and is elastically deformable.

13. The protective cap as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the one or more action surfaces comprise a polygonal tool attachment which is configured with a predefined flats width.

14. The protective cap as claimed in claim 1 , wherein, on an inner contour of the cap main body which faces the nozzle main body, the cap main body has a guide which is set up to guide the protective cap in a radial direction with respect to a longitudinal axis of the extinguishing nozzle along a guide part of corresponding configuration on the nozzle main body while being brought into contact or out of contact.

15. The protective cap as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the guide is configured as a projection which protrudes on the inner contour of the cap main body.

16. The protective cap as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the cap main body and the cap neck are configured in one piece.

17. The protective cap as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising one or more handles which can be actuated by hand in order to bring the cap main body into contact or out of contact with the nozzle main body.

18. The protective cap as claimed in claim 17 , further comprising a first handle which is arranged on the cap neck and is configured as a bracket.

19. The protective cap as claimed in claim 17 , further comprising two second handles which are configured as two actuating flanks which extend on both sides along the lateral introduction and discharge slot and are oriented with respect to one another at an angular range α of from approximately 60° to 120° .

20. A kit, comprising the sprinkler nozzle with the nozzle main body with the nozzle outlet, and the protective cap as claimed in claim 4 which is mounted on the sprinkler nozzle.

21. A method for mounting an extinguishing nozzle, on a pipeline of a nozzle pipe system of a fire extinguishing system, comprising the steps:

bringing a protective cap into contact with at least one nozzle main body of an extinguishing nozzle by wav of a lateral introduction and discharge slot, or providing an extinguishing nozzle which is equipped with a protective cap by way of a lateral introduction and discharge slot:

fastening the extinguishing nozzle which is equipped with the protective cap to an outlet opening of a pipeline of a nozzle pipe network using a tool, the tool for fastening the extinguishing nozzle being attached to an outer contour of the protective cap by way of one or more action surfaces without direct contact between the tool and the extinguishing nozzle, the one or more action surfaces being on a same plane as a horizontal plane of a force transmission section on an inner contour of the protective cap, and

removing the protective cap from the extinguishing nozzle which is mounted on the pipeline, by the protective cap being pulled off in a radial direction with respect to a longitudinal axis of the extinguishing nozzle.

22. A method for dismantling an extinguishing nozzle, from a pipeline of a nozzle pipe system of a fire extinguishing system, comprising the steps:

bringing a protective cap into contact with at least one nozzle main body of an extinguishing nozzle by way of a lateral introduction and discharge slot:

releasing the extinguishing nozzle which is equipped with the protective cap at an outlet opening of a pipeline of a nozzle pipe network using a tool, the tool for releasing the extinguishing nozzle being attached on an outer contour of the protective cap by way of one or more action surfaces without direct contact between the tool and the extinguishing nozzle, the one or more action surfaces being on a same plane as a horizontal plane of a force transmission section on an inner contour of the protective cap; and removing the extinguishing nozzle from the pipeline and leaving the protective cap on the dismantled extinguishing nozzle.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF LEGAL FORM Recorded Dec 22, 2021
From: MINIMAX GMBH & CO. KG
To: MINIMAX GMBH
Reel/Frame 058563/0312 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 29, 2020
From: SCHNELL, STEFAN; RÖNNFELDT, FRANK
To: MINIMAX GMBH & CO. KG
Reel/Frame 053915/0194 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20190143163A1 · May 16, 2019
Cited By (6)
US 12,458,821 US 12,478,998 US 12,544,609 US 12,569,708 US 12,576,419 US 12,623,243