US-12623106-B2 - Dry horizontal sidewall fire protection sprinkler for residential fire protection

US12623106B2US 12623106 B2US12623106 B2US 12623106B2US-12623106-B2

Abstract

An automatic dry horizontal sidewall fire protection sprinkler assembly for residential fire protection. The sprinkler assembly includes an elongate tubular outer housing having a first end and a second end. The second end of the housing defines an outlet opening and an internal channel and contact surface proximate the outlet opening. A fluid deflection member is coupled to the housing at a fixed distance from the outlet opening. An internal fluid control assembly includes an ejectable member that is ejected out the outlet opening and displaced out of the fluid flow path between the housing and the fluid deflection member. The sprinkler assembly provides a plurality of coverage areas suitable for residential fire protection over a plurality of nominal operating temperatures up to 200° F.

Inventors

Darci Ann Flowers

Assignees

MINIMAX VIKING PATENT MANAGEMENT GMBH

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20210330

Claims (17)

1 . An automatic residential dry horizontal sidewall sprinkler assembly comprising: a tubular outer housing having a first end and a second end opposite the first end with an internal conduit extending from the first end to the second end along a central longitudinal sprinkler axis, the first end defining a fluid intake end of the sprinkler assembly having an inlet opening and an internal sealing surface proximate the inlet opening, the second end defining a fluid discharge end of the sprinkler assembly having an outlet opening; a fluid control assembly disposed coaxially within the internal conduit of the outer housing defining a nominal K-factor of any one of 4.0, 4.2, or 4.4 [GPM/(psi) 1/2 ]; a horizontal fluid deflection member affixed to the outer housing at a fixed distance from the outlet opening; and a thermally responsive trigger seated at a fixed distance from the outlet opening between the outlet opening and the horizontal fluid deflection member to define an unactuated state of the sprinkler assembly with the fluid control assembly seated against the thermally responsive trigger to locate the fluid control assembly in a fluid tight sealed engagement with the sealing surface, the trigger having a nominal operating temperature of any one of 155° F., 175° F. or 200° F. and a thermal response defining an actuated state of the sprinkler assembly wherein the fluid control assembly axially translates out of sealed engagement with the sealing surface and provides a plurality of sprinkler coverage areas suitable for residential fire protection performance; each coverage area being defined by a minimum operating pressure of firefighting fluid delivered to the inlet opening and a minimum fluid flow from the outlet opening, wherein the coverage areas include 16 ft.×18 ft. or 16 ft.×20 ft. for the nominal operating temperature, wherein each coverage area is provided at each of a first deflector-to-ceiling distance of 4-6 in. and a second deflector-to-ceiling distance of 6-12 in., and wherein for each coverage area the minimum operating pressure and minimum fluid flow at the first deflector-to-ceiling distance does not increase to provide the coverage area at the second deflector-to-ceiling distance.
2 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the nominal operating temperature is 200° F.
3 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the nominal operating temperature is 200° F., and the coverage area is 16 ft.×20 ft.
4 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the nominal operating temperature is 175° F., and the coverage area is 16 ft.×20 ft.
5 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the fluid deflection member includes a first tab and a second tab, the first and second tabs being opposed from one another apart about a plane defined by the central longitudinal sprinkler axis and a lateral axis extending perpendicular to the central longitudinal sprinkler axis to define an unencumbered fluid flow path extending from the outlet opening through the horizontal fluid deflection member along the central longitudinal sprinkler axis.
6 . The assembly of claim 5 , wherein each of the first and second tabs has a trailing edge and a leading edge with a fluid flow surface therebetween, each of the first and second tabs being angled with respect to the central longitudinal sprinkler axis so that the leading edge is radially inward of the trailing edge.
7 . The assembly of claim 6 , wherein the second tab includes a closed formed slot extending in a direction perpendicular to the leading edge.
8 . An automatic residential dry horizontal sidewall sprinkler assembly comprising: a tubular outer housing having a first end and a second end opposite the first end with an internal conduit extending from the first end to the second end along a central longitudinal sprinkler axis, the first end defining a fluid intake end of the sprinkler assembly having an inlet opening and an internal sealing surface proximate the inlet opening, the second end defining a fluid discharge end of the sprinkler assembly having an outlet opening; a fluid control assembly disposed coaxially within the internal conduit of the outer housing defining a nominal K-factor ranging from 4.0 [GPM/(psi) 1/2 ] to 14.0 [GPM/(psi) 1/2 ]; a horizontal fluid deflection member affixed to the outer housing at a fixed distance from the outlet opening; and a thermally responsive trigger seated at a fixed distance from the outlet opening between the outlet opening and the horizontal fluid deflection member to define an unactuated state of the sprinkler assembly with the fluid control assembly seated against the thermally responsive trigger to locate the fluid control assembly in a fluid tight sealed engagement with the sealing surface, the trigger having a nominal operating temperature of any one of 155° F., 175° F., or 200° F. and a thermal response defining an actuated state of the sprinkler assembly wherein the fluid control assembly axially translates out of sealed engagement with the sealing surface and provides a plurality of sprinkler coverage areas suitable for residential fire protection performance; each coverage area being defined by a minimum operating pressure of firefighting fluid delivered to the inlet opening and a minimum fluid flow from the outlet opening, the coverage areas including any one of: (i) 12 ft.×12 ft.; (ii) 14 ft.×14 ft.; (iii) 16 ft.×16 ft.; (iv) 16 ft.×18 ft.; and (v) 16 ft.×20 ft. for the nominal operating temperature, wherein the horizontal fluid deflection member includes a first tab and a second tab, the first and second tabs being opposed from one another apart about a plane defined by the central longitudinal sprinkler axis and a lateral axis extending perpendicular to the central longitudinal sprinkler axis to define an unencumbered fluid flow path extending from the outlet opening through the horizontal fluid deflection member along the central longitudinal sprinkler axis, wherein each of the first and second tabs has a trailing edge and a leading edge with a fluid flow surface therebetween, each of the first and second tabs being angled with respect to the central longitudinal sprinkler axis so that the leading edge is radially inward of the trailing edge, wherein the leading edge of the first tab defines a plurality of spaced apart open end slots extending from the leading edge in a direction perpendicular to the leading edge, and wherein the plurality of open end slots includes a central slot defining a slot length and two lateral slots disposed equidistantly about the central slot, the lateral slots each having a slot length greater than the slot length of the central slot.
9 . The assembly of claim 8 , wherein each coverage area is provided at each of a first deflector-to-ceiling distance of 4-6 in. and a second deflector-to-ceiling distance of 6-12 in., wherein for at least one coverage area the minimum operating pressure and fluid flow at the first deflector-to-ceiling distance increases to provide the coverage area at the second deflector-to-ceiling distance, the increase being no more than 20%.
10 . The assembly of claim 8 , wherein each coverage area is provided at each of a first deflector-to-ceiling distance of 4-6 in. and a second deflector-to-ceiling distance of 6-12 in., wherein for at least one coverage area the minimum operating pressure and fluid flow at the first deflector-to-ceiling distance does not increase to provide the coverage area at the second deflector-to-ceiling distance.
11 . The assembly of claim 10 , wherein the at least one coverage area includes a first coverage area of 16 ft.×18 ft. and at least a second coverage area of 16 ft.×20 ft.
12 . The assembly of claim 8 , wherein the leading edge of the second tab defines a central linear edge and two lateral linear edges disposed about the central edge, the central edge being closer to the plane than the two lateral edges.
13 . The assembly of claim 12 , wherein the trailing edge of the second tab includes a pair of open-ended slots disposed about the central linear edge and extending in a direction toward the central linear edge of the second tab.
14 . The assembly of claim 8 , wherein the fluid control assembly includes: a seal subassembly; a fluid flow tube abutting the seal subassembly; and an ejectable support subassembly abutting the fluid flow tube, the support subassembly being seated against the thermally responsive trigger in the unactuated state of the sprinkler assembly in which the seal subassembly forms a sealed engagement with the internal sealing surface of the housing, the support subassembly including a projection member that is received in an axially extending channel formed in the housing to guide the fluid control assembly in an axial translation from the unactuated state of the sprinkler assembly to the actuated state of the sprinkler assembly in which the seal subassembly is spaced from the sealing surface.
15 . The assembly of claim 8 , wherein the horizontal fluid deflection member includes an annular member centered about the central longitudinal sprinkler axis, the first tab and the second tab extending from the annular member in the direction of the unencumbered flow path.
16 . The assembly of claim 8 , wherein the nominal operating temperature is 200° F., and the coverage area is 16 ft.×20 ft.
17 . The assembly of claim 8 , wherein the nominal operating temperature is 175° F., and the coverage area 16 ft.×20 ft.

Description

PRIORITY DATA AND INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE This application is a 35 U.S.C. § 371 application of International Application No. PCT/US2021/024886, filed Mar. 30, 2021, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/003,628 filed Apr. 1, 2020, each of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates generally to dry sprinkler assemblies and in particular, dry horizontal sidewall fire protection sprinklers for residential fire protection. BACKGROUND ART Generally, automatic fire protection sprinklers include a sprinkler frame and/or housing having an inlet, an outlet and internal passageway through which firefighting fluid flows and discharged to impact a fluid deflection member that is coupled to the sprinkler frame and spaced from the outlet. Fluid flow through the sprinkler is controlled by a thermally responsive trigger which supports a sealing assembly in a position that seals the internal passageway of the sprinkler. The trigger has a nominal operating temperature and thermal sensitivity to define the thermal responsiveness of the sprinkler at which the sprinkler actuates in response to a fire. Upon thermal actuation of the trigger in response to a fire, the trigger fractures or collapses thereby releasing the sealing assembly to allow the flow of fluid through the sprinkler internal passageway, out the outlet and toward the fluid deflection member. Fluid deflection members can be formed to a variety of geometries to suit a given fire protection application. The deflector geometries can be categorized into one of two types. One type of fluid deflection member presents a central abutment to the fluid discharge from the outlet opening and fans the fluid discharge radially. Such a deflector geometry is shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 7,766,252. An alternate type of deflection geometry defines an unencumbered fluid flow path. As used herein, an “unencumbered fluid flow path” provides for a fluid discharge column in which its central core is not impacted by any sprinkler structure and fanned radially. Instead, the fluid deflection member geometry acts on the periphery of the discharge column to direct the fluid stream in a desired manner Such a deflector geometry is shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 7,712,218. One type of automatic sprinkler is the dry sprinkler assembly. An example of a dry sprinkler is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 8,636,075. Dry sprinklers can be configured for installation in a variety of orientations depending upon the application. Dry sprinklers can be configured for an upright installation, a pendent installation or a horizontal installation. An example of a horizontal dry sprinkler is shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,921,928. A dry sprinkler assembly generally includes a tubular sprinkler housing with an inlet end fluid opening and a discharge outlet opening axially spaced from the inlet opening with an internal passageway extending therebetween. An internal fluid control assembly is supported within the housing between the inlet and outlet openings by a frangible thermally responsive glass bulb trigger to seal the sprinkler at the fluid inlet. When the bulb fractures in response to a fire, a component of the fluid control assembly is ejected from the outlet of the housing allowing the remainder of the fluid control assembly to axially translate out of its sealed position thereby opening the fluid inlet and sprinkler internal passageway. To ensure proper opening and operation of a dry sprinkler assembly, it is important that the ejected member completely clear the sprinkler structure and fluid flow path between the housing and the fluid deflection member. Accordingly, there remains a need for dry sprinkler assemblies and in particular for dry horizontal sidewall sprinkler assemblies that can properly eject the fluid control component for a variety of housing member and deflection member configurations. Fire protection sprinklers are generally subject to industry accepted fire code requirements and the approval of the “authority having jurisdiction” (AHJ) ensure compliance with applicable codes and requirements. One applicable standard is “NFPA 13: Standard for the installation of Sprinkler Systems” (2019) (“NFPA 13”) from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). NFPA 13 provides minimum requirements for the design and installation of automatic fire sprinkler systems based upon the area to be protected, the anticipated hazard and the type of protection performance to be provided. One manner of satisfying the applicable requirements, is by identification of fire protection sprinklers capable of a particular thermal response or sensitivity through appropriate industry accepted operational testing. To facilitate the AHJ approval process, fire protection equipment can be “listed,” which as defined by NFPA 13, means that the equipment is included in a list by an organization that is acceptable to the AHJ and w