IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,865,387
Granted Patent B2
US 11,865,387 · App. 17/474,641 · Granted Jan 9, 2024

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 11,865,387
App. No.
17/474,641
Granted
Jan 9, 2024
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 (41)

1. A fluid control assembly, comprising:

a first solenoid valve coupled with a diaphragm port of a diaphragm valve, the first solenoid valve to change, responsive to a first electrical signal, from a first open state allowing fluid flow into the diaphragm port from a first fluid line to a first closed state preventing fluid flow into the diaphragm port from the first fluid line;

a second solenoid valve coupling the diaphragm port with a second fluid line extending to a vent, the second solenoid valve to change, responsive to a second electrical signal, from a second closed state preventing fluid flow from the diaphragm port out of the vent through the second fluid line to a second open state allowing fluid flow out through the second fluid line; and

a controller to transmit the first electrical signal responsive to detection of a fire condition and transmit the second electrical signal responsive to detection of the fire condition, the controller to detect the fire condition responsive to a detection signal from a fluid detector coupled with an outlet side of the diaphragm valve, the detection signal indicating at least one of pressure or flow rate.

2. The fluid control assembly of claim 1 , comprising:

the fluid detector is a first fluid detector, the fluid control assembly comprising a second fluid detector between the diaphragm port and the first solenoid valve.

3. The fluid control assembly of claim 1 , comprising:

a third solenoid valve coupled with an inlet port of the diaphragm valve, the first fluid line coupled with the inlet port.

4. The fluid control assembly of claim 1 , comprising:

a fourth solenoid valve coupled with an outlet port of the diaphragm valve.

5. The fluid control assembly of claim 1 , comprising:

a check valve between the first solenoid valve and the diaphragm port.

6. The fluid control assembly of claim 1 , comprising:

a fifth solenoid valve to release fluid from an outlet port of the diaphragm valve to a drain.

7. A fluid control system, comprising:

a diaphragm valve, comprising:

a diaphragm chamber defining a diaphragm port;

an inlet;

an outlet; and

a diaphragm to move, in the diaphragm chamber, based on a release of fluid from the diaphragm chamber through the diaphragm port, between a first state sealing the inlet from the outlet and a second state allowing fluid flow between the inlet and the outlet;

a first electrical control point coupling the diaphragm port with a first fluid line, the first electrical control point to change, responsive to being energized, from a first state to a second state to reduce fluid flow from the first fluid line into the diaphragm chamber through the diaphragm port;

a second electrical control point coupling the diaphragm port with a second fluid line extending to a vent, the second electrical control point to change, responsive to being energized, from a third state to a fourth state to increase fluid flow from the diaphragm chamber into the second fluid line out of the vent; and

a controller to transmit a first electrical signal to energize the first electrical control point, responsive to detecting a fire condition, and transmit a second electrical signal to energize the second electrical control point, responsive to detecting the fire condition, the controller to detect the fire condition responsive to a detection signal from a fluid detector coupled with an outlet side of the diaphragm valve, the detection signal indicating at least one of pressure or flow rate.

8. The fluid control system of claim 7 , comprising:

a check valve between the first electrical control point and the diaphragm port.

9. The fluid control system of claim 7 , comprising:

an inlet port coupled with the inlet, the first fluid line couples the inlet port with the first electrical control point.

10. The fluid control system of claim 7 , comprising:

the first electrical control point and the second electrical control point are solenoid valves.

11. The fluid control system of claim 7 , comprising:

the fluid detector is a first fluid detector, the fluid control assembly comprising a second fluid detector between the diaphragm port and the first solenoid valve.

12. The fluid control system of claim 7 , comprising:

a third electrical control point coupled with an inlet port of the diaphragm valve, the first fluid line coupled with the inlet port.

13. The fluid control system of claim 7 , comprising:

a fourth electrical control point coupled with an outlet port of the diaphragm valve.

14. The fluid control system of claim 7 , comprising:

a fifth electrical control point to release fluid from an outlet port of the diaphragm valve to a drain.

15. The fluid control system of claim 7 , comprising:

a resetting detector to initiate reset of the first electrical control point and the second electrical control point.

16. The fluid control system of claim 7 , comprising:

a plurality of sprinklers coupled with the outlet.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 14, 2021
From: WILLIAMS, JAMES O.; WILKINS, ROGER S.
To: TYCO FIRE PRODUCTS LP
Reel/Frame 057477/0704 →
Continuity (5)
Continuation 16743688 · Jan 15, 2020
Continuation 16185297 · Nov 9, 2018
Continuation 15501378
Provisional Application 62032896 · Aug 4, 2014
Related Publication 20210402237A1 · Dec 30, 2021