EP-4735121-A1 - METHOD FOR OPERATING A REMOTE-CONTROLLED PORTABLE FIRE EXTINGUISHER

EP4735121A1EP 4735121 A1EP4735121 A1EP 4735121A1EP-4735121-A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a remote-controlled portable fire extinguisher, which emits a status message and/or the status of which can be retrieved, with the aid of a GSM signal. The present invention further relates to a method for remotely monitoring a portable fire extinguisher, wherein the portable fire extinguisher can be certified by means of a digital signature if ready for use.

Inventors

Dubberke, Carsten Johannes Alfred
Alvarez Garcia, Francisco José
Milosevic, Domagoj Ivan

Assignees

Dubberke, Carsten Johannes Alfred
Alvarez Garcia, Francisco José
Milosevic, Domagoj Ivan

Dates

Publication Date: 20260506
Application Date: 20240628

Claims (13)

1. Method for checking a hand-held fire extinguisher (1), comprising a container with a fire extinguishing medium, a handle (3) for transporting and/or operating the hand-held fire extinguisher (1), an outlet nozzle (5) optionally with a hose (4), characterized in that the hand-held fire extinguisher (1) is assigned a wireless remote monitoring module (6) for monitoring the condition of the hand-held fire extinguisher and the remote monitoring module (6) sends condition data of the hand-held fire extinguisher (1), wherein this condition data is read out and a test report/test result with a digital signature is sent to the operator of the hand-held fire extinguisher (1) and/or to third parties and/or is stored in a database.
2. Method for checking a hand-held fire extinguisher (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the digital signature is a qualified electronic signature.
3. Method for checking a hand-held fire extinguisher (1) according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that a test seal with a code, in particular a barcode or bar code, in particular a QR code or bar code, is printed out or sent and is applied to the hand-held fire extinguisher (1), wherein when the code is read in, the most recently available test data, at least the test result of the hand-held fire extinguisher, can be called up.
4. Method for checking a hand-held fire extinguisher (1), in particular according to claim 1, comprising a container with a fire extinguishing medium, a handle (3) for transporting and/or operating the hand-held fire extinguisher (1), an outlet nozzle (5) optionally with a hose (4), characterized in that the hand-held fire extinguisher (1) is assigned a wireless remote monitoring module (6) which monitors the pressure and temperature in the container and has a motion sensor, wherein the remote monitoring module (6) uses a GSM signal to monitor the state of the hand-held fire extinguisher (1) is transmitted and/or the status of the hand-held fire extinguisher (1) can be retrieved.
5. Method for checking a hand-held fire extinguisher (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the end of the hose (4) is attached to the hand-held fire extinguisher (1) and that a plug contact (8) records a change in the position of the end of the hose (4) and transmits it to the remote monitoring module (6).
6. Method for checking a hand-held fire extinguisher (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that a protective device monitors one end of the outlet nozzle (5).
7. Method for checking a hand-held fire extinguisher (1) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the remote monitoring module (6) is retrofitted.
8. Method for checking a hand-held fire extinguisher (1) according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that a hood (9) is placed over the upper part of the container, in particular over the handle (3), wherein the remote monitoring module (6) is integrated into the hood (9).
9. Method for checking a hand-held fire extinguisher (1) according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that an M2M-GSM connection is used as the GSM transmission unit.
10. Method for checking a hand-held fire extinguisher (1) according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that a power supply unit is present which is assigned to the remote monitoring module (6).
11. Method for checking a hand-held fire extinguisher (1) according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the remote monitoring module (6) has a manipulation protection, in particular a sensor, such that unauthorized third-party access can be detected.
12. Method for checking a hand-held fire extinguisher (1) according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that a message which can be called up via the remote monitoring module (6) has at least one of the following parameters: device ID, date/time stamp, pressure, temperature, movement, plug contact (8), protective device, battery status.
13. Method for checking a hand-held fire extinguisher (1) according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that an adapter plate is inserted into an upper opening (12) of the container, which reduces an opening size of the opening (12).

Description

Method for operating a remotely monitored hand-held fire extinguisher The present invention relates to a method for monitoring a hand-held fire extinguisher according to the features in claim 1. Hand-held fire extinguishers are known from the state of the art and are kept at various locations in order to give people nearby the opportunity to fight the fire quickly and effectively if a fire breaks out. Such hand-held fire extinguishers are used in public facilities and commercially run companies in particular, but also in private households. In most cases, the provision of hand-held fire extinguishers is a legal requirement. To ensure that the hand-held fire extinguishers can be used directly for years to come once they have been set up, there are various laws and standards as well as regulations in occupational safety, according to which these hand-held fire extinguishers must be checked for functionality at a certain cycle, for example every two years or annually. For this purpose, it is imperative that an appropriately qualified and trained person visits the individual hand-held fire extinguisher on site at the specified time intervals, subjects it to at least a visual and technical inspection and leaves a test seal and corresponding test report. The object of the present invention is, based on the state of the art, to show a possibility of monitoring hand-held fire extinguishers, while at the same time complying with specified test standards and minimizing the workload for testing. The above-mentioned object is achieved with a method for a remotely monitored hand-held fire extinguisher according to the features in claim 1. The hand-held fire extinguisher has a container with a fire extinguishing medium, a handle for transporting and operating the hand-held fire extinguisher, an outlet nozzle and, optionally, a hose. The method according to the invention is characterized in that a remote monitoring module is provided for monitoring the status of the hand-held fire extinguisher. With the help of the remote monitoring module, status data of the hand-held fire extinguisher can be recorded, evaluated and sent or retrieved, in particular as described below in this application. According to the invention, the method is characterized in that a test report is then created or processed using the status data, whereby this test report or the result is in turn sent to the operator of the hand-held fire extinguisher and/or to third parties using a digital signature. The third parties can be, for example, an insurance company, an authority, a fire protection officer or a partner company. The test report or result can also be sent in the form of a digital test sticker or a digital seal. This test sticker or seal indicates that the tested hand-held fire extinguisher has met all criteria and is ready for use. The test report depends on the respective legislation of the country, the responsible technical inspection service and other fire protection measures or conditions. At the end, a status report or the result of the test report should emerge. The fire extinguisher is ready for use. It meets the conditions of the test report and is ready for use. The test report is therefore a record of a visual and/or mechanical test on site, which is however made possible by remote access via remote monitoring. The test report or its result can then be stored in the company's internal documentation, for example. The test report can also be printed out, in particular on an appropriate adhesive label and then attached to the fire extinguisher. In this case, a seal or label, for example in the form of a barcode or QR code, would be printed out, which represents the fulfillment of all test criteria. The test report can, for example, have an additional QR code, so that a safety officer can immediately check the authenticity of the test report, which is then also stored in a database, by reading the QR code. This offers a significant advantage compared to the methods previously known in the state of the art. Here, the condition or the operational readiness of the fire extinguisher always had to be checked and certified by an employee at an on-site inspection at specified intervals. The interaction of remote monitoring and digitally certified test protocols and results makes it possible to carry out these activities completely remotely. This offers immense potential savings, as employees no longer have to attend on-site appointments to test the functionality and operational readiness of a respective hand-held fire extinguisher. This saves personnel. Resources are also saved, as no vehicles, travel times, etc. are required. If the test certificates, i.e. test protocols and/or test results, are only stored digitally, For example, if the fire extinguisher can be read using a barcode or QR code and a check can then be carried out to determine whether a digital test certificate has been deposited for this fire extinguisher, this also saves pri