EP2774656A1

EP2774656A1 - Control system of fire protection facilities

Info

Publication number: EP2774656A1
Application number: EP13382078.7A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Carolina Vilas Blanco; Hector Gil San Jose
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2013-03-08
Filing date: 2013-03-08
Publication date: 2014-09-10
Anticipated expiration: 2033-03-08
Also published as: PL2774656T3; NO2774656T3; PT2774656T; ES2682720T3; EP2774656B1

Abstract

Control system of fire protection facilities, fitted with, at least, one pressure group and/or, at least, one equipped fire hydrant and/or, at least, one fire extinguisher (8), with the corresponding function means, such that the essential object of the invention, in addition to monitoring continuously and automatically that the pressure of every component of the installation is the optimal and that the fire extinguishers are at their location, is to monitor that the safety pins (15) of the actuating lever (9) of the fire extinguishers (8) have not been tampered with, which is applicable for installation in all types of buildings, and, thus, is applicable in public institutions, shopping centres, health and educational centres and residential buildings, as well as in all types of businesses and warehouses.

Description

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The following invention, as expressed on the heading of the present specification, is related to a control system of fire protection facilities, being of the type of fire protection facilities installed in all types of buildings and warehouses fitted with, at least, one pressure group and/or, at least, one equipped fire hydrant and/or, at least, one fire extinguisher, with the corresponding function means, such that the essential object of the invention, in addition to monitoring continuously and automatically that the pressure of every component of the installation is the optimal and that the fire extinguishers are at their location, is to monitor that the safety pins of the actuating lever of the fire extinguishers have not been tampered with.
Likewise, the pressure gauges of the different components of the facility include Bluetooth transmission with the object of being able to obtain "in situ", in the technical periodic maintenance by using tablet, mobile telephones, PDA or similar, the information concerning the status of the pressure gauge.

FIELD OF APPLICATION

In the present specification a control system of fire protection facilities is described, which is applicable for installation in all types of buildings, and, thus, is applicable in public institutions, shopping centres, health and educational centres and residential buildings, as well as in all types of businesses and warehouses.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

As it is known, the security measures in general and, in particular fire safety measures have been improved overtime with the object of minimizing the risk of the same.
Thus, the different components of a fire protection facility such as the pressure group, the equipped fire hydrants and the fire extinguishers are provided with pressure gauges that allow knowing that the pressure is the optimal and for this, regular inspections are carried out.
Despite this, at any time a pressure leak may occur rendering the corresponding component useless, not being aware of it until an "in situ" inspection is performed, such that if said component had to be used during that interval of time it will not be possible, and this may have fatal consequences.
This problem is exacerbated in those rooms of the facility that are enclosed with restricted access and which are only checked when performing the corresponding inspection of the facility by the maintenance services, so they may be unusable and this is not detected until an inspection. Thus, the discharge of automatic fire extinguishers can occur in burners or boilers where no one accesses until the inspection and that therefore said area is unprotected.
Likewise, it may also be the case that the pressure group does not have the correct pressure whereby in the event of use of the equipped fire hydrants there will not be the sufficient pressure, with the added disadvantage that by not having the correct pressure the pumps work without enough pressure and they can be damaged and the facility is left unprotected.
Similarly, the fire extinguishers may lose pressure, they can be discharged or can be stolen, leaving the area unprotected, such that, normally, there is no evidence of it until there is an inspection. Exceptionally, it may be the case that, in those components that are exposed such as fire extinguishers, someone is aware of the lack of pressure or even of the lack of a fire extinguisher and can give notice, although these are very sporadic situations.
On the other hand, there can be faulty maintenance by the maintenance company of the facility, by carelessness or by lack of the corresponding element, and therefore not being in conditions to be used.
Ultimately the real fact is that although there may be a fire protection facility properly mounted it may occur that the same is not in the proper conditions of use and therefore in the case of having to make use of it, it does not accomplish its function.
On the other hand, we can consider document EP 12 38 2288 , of the same owners of the present document, wherein a control system of fire protection facilities is described, based on providing the pressure gauges of all the components of the facility with a LED light and a communication via radio or wiring, so that, on a pressure drop, they are easily visible using the LED light and through the communication via radio or wiring they can transmit it to a control centre consisting of a monitoring station of the signal that sends a warning by e-mail, telephone or SMS to the computer that can be located at the client's location or at the maintenance company.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, an existing problem is that in the case of theft or loss of a safety pin of the actuating lever of the fire extinguishers there are no means that allow knowing this, so that, in these circumstances, the fire extinguishers can lose pressure and extinguishing agent and, with this, efficiency or rendering them inoperative.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With the object of solving the mentioned problems, the present specification describes a control system of fire protection facilities that, being of the type of facilities that have, at least, one pressure group and/or, at least, one equipped fire hydrant and/or, at least, one fire extinguisher, comprises in addition:

√ at least, one pressure group equipped with a pressure gauge provided with a LED light and means of communication via radio or wiring;
√ at least, one equipped fire hydrant equipped with a pressure gauge provided with a LED light and means of communication via radio or wiring;
√ at least, one fire extinguisher equipped with a pressure gauge provided with a LED light and means of communication via radio or wiring;
√ a control centre with, at least, one monitoring station responsible for receiving the warning signal from the various components of the facility;
√ a warning receiving centre equipped with, at least, one computer receiving information about the components of the facility from the monitoring station of the control centre via SMS, e-mail or telephone and is connected to the mobile or land telephone network, and the receiving centre may be in the facilities of the client or in the maintenance company, and;
√ a storage database of the plane of the facility with the location of the different components of the same,

characterized in that

➢ the pressure gauges of all the components of the facility relating to pressure groups, equipped fire hydrants and fire extinguishers, are provided with a power supply battery and include Bluetooth transmission, and;
➢ the safety pin of the actuating lever of the fire extinguishers is directly associated with the corresponding pressure gauge of the same.

Thus, in a first practical implementation, the safety pin, associated with the pressure gauge is inserted, by one of its ends, in a small hole of the pressure gauge itself in contact with the means of communication.
In a second practical implementation, the safety pin, associated with the pressure gauge, will be connected to the same by means of a metallic or non-metallic element, e.g. a wire or strand, inserted in a small hole of the pressure gauge itself in contact with the means of communication.
In this way, in addition to the different benefits already listed in document EP 12 38 2288 , through the association of the safety pin to the pressure gauge means, it is provided the additional advantage of being able to control if the safety pin has been tampered with, primarily, if the same has been released, thus leaving the actuating lever of the fire extinguisher free, such that it may be accidentally operated and the fire extinguisher could lose effectiveness or could be discharged.
Likewise, by incorporating all the pressure gauges of the different components of the facility Bluetooth transmission the technical periodic maintenance may be carried out through a tablet, mobile telephone, PDA or the like in order to obtain the information concerning the status of the pressure gauges "in situ".
Thus, the control system allows continuous monitoring of the fire protection facility for checking the good condition of the same, which allows that all the components are in perfect state of use.
To complement the description that will be carried out next, and with the object of helping to a better understanding of the features of the invention, the present specification is accompanied by a set of drawings, in the figures of which are represented the most characteristic details of the invention in an illustrative manner and without limitation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1. It shows a schematic view of a practical implementation of a fire protection facility formed by a pressure group, two equipped fire hydrants and a series of fire extinguishers that are communicated via radio with a control station.
Figure 2. It shows a front view of a pressure gauge relating to a fire extinguisher provided with a LED light, communication via radio, a battery and Bluetooth transmission and which is associated to the safety pin of the same.
Figure 3. It shows a rear view of the pressure gauge of the previous figure and it can be seen how the same is provided with a small hole in which the safety pin or an element linked to the same fits, to be able to control a possible release of the safety pin.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In view of the aforementioned figures and according to the adopted numbering it can be seen how the control system of fire protection facilities is applicable in all types of fire protection facilities having, at least, one pressure group, and/or, at least, one equipped fire hydrant and/or, at least, one fire extinguisher, such that on the basis of a system in which the pressure gauges of the different components of the facility are equipped with a LED light and means of communication via radio or equivalent, it is about providing with a battery and Bluetooth transmission all the pressure gauges, while, in addition, the pressure gauges relating to the fire extinguishers are associated with the safety pin of the actuating lever of the same.
In addition, the control system of the fire protection facility has a control centre 11 with, at least, one monitoring station 12 of the signal sent by the different components of the facility, and said incidents are communicated, via e-mail, telephone or SMS, to a computer 13 receiving information from the different components of the facility and this is communicated to the mobile or fixed telephone network, having, at least, one storage database 14 of the plane of the facility to be controlled with the location of the different components of the same.
The warning receiving centre equipped with a computer 18 receiving information about the status of the facility will be associated with a keyboard and a screen 17 and may be located in the place of the facility or in a different place as it may be in the maintenance company.
Thus, according to figure 1 of the drawings and by way of example, the pressure group 1 is equipped with a pressure gauge 2 provided with a LED light 3, means of communication via radio 4, a battery 5 and Bluetooth transmission 6.
In this way, If the pressure in the group falls below a certain parameter the warning LED light 5 will be switched on and the means of communication via radio 4 will send a communication to the station 12 of a control centre 11, in real time, notifying the incidence produced to be able to act accordingly.
Likewise, the equipped fire hydrants 7 are provided with a pressure gauge 2' also provided with a LED light 3', means of communication via radio 4', a battery 5' and Bluetooth transmission 6', such that if the pressure of the same is below certain parameter the warning LED light 3' will be switched on and the means of communication via radio 4' will send a communication to the station 12 of a control centre 11, in real time, notifying the incidence produced to be able to act accordingly. In the same way, the different fire extinguishers 8 of the facility are equipped with a pressure gauge 2" provided with a LED light 3", means of communication via radio 4", a battery 5" and Bluetooth transmission 6", such that if the pressure of any of them is not the optimal, the warning LED light 3" will be switched on and the means of communication via radio 4" will send a communication to the station 12 of a control centre 11, in real time, notifying the incidence produced to be able to act accordingly.
In this way, the fire protection facility is perfectly monitored, so that any incident that occurs in the same is notified in real time to a station 12 of a control centre 11 that will communicate it to a warning receiving centre 18 that may be located in the maintenance company, in the facilities of the owner of the fire protection facility or both, with a 24-hour monitoring.
Thus, at the moment of the occurrence of a failure in the facility and after it is communicated to the station 12 of the control centre 11 through the customized software, the component that sends the communication caused by the incidence produced is detected on the plane of the facility, properly stored in the database 14, in which all the components of the same are determined, so that its location is known.
Simultaneously with this, the red LED light is turned on, visual signal of the failure of the corresponding component.
In addition, with the object of having complete control of the facility, and in particular of the fire extinguishers or the like, the safety pin of the actuating lever 9 that anchors it with respect to the fixed handle 10, is associated with the pressure gauge 2" to control a possible release of the same.
Thus, in a first practical implementation, the safety pin 15 of the fire extinguisher can fit in a small hole 19 of the pressure gauge 2" being associated with the means of communication 4", such that when the safety pin 15 is released it detects this and sends a communication to the station 12 of the control centre 11 of the incidence produced and having perfect knowledge of the fire extinguisher 8 in which the incidence has occurred.
That is, when the safety pin 15 is not in contact with the means of communication, a signal via radio will be emitted to the station 12 of the control centre 11 to give notice of the incidence produced.
In a second practical implementation of the invention the safety pin 15 can be linked to a metallic or non-metallic element, such as a strand or wire that will fit in the small hole 19 of the pressure gauge 2" associated with the means of communication 4" to detect manipulation of the same.
This is intended to prevent the release of the safety pin 15 from the actuating lever 9 and the accidental discharge of the fire extinguisher 8 losing efficiency or being rendered unusable.
On the other hand, by providing the pressure gauges of all the components of the facility (pressure group, equipped fire hydrant and fire extinguishers) with Bluetooth transmission 6, 6', 6", the information concerning the status of the pressure gauge may be obtained "in situ", by means of a tablet, mobile telephone, PDA, or the like in the technical periodic maintenance without relying on the central control system that can be installed in the client's location or in the company responsible for its maintenance.
In addition, the Bluetooth system can be activated from the control centre so that the battery is not consumed except when performing the maintenance.
Depending on the size that the fire protection facility may have, the same may include one or more radio repeaters 16 for the appropriate communication of the information.
The improvements made in the control system of fire protection facilities provide the following advantages, in addition to those already mentioned in document EP 1238228 :

√ obtainment of the status of the pressure gauges of all the components of the facility, by means of a tablet, mobile telephone, PDA or the like;
√ control of the possible theft or loss of the safety pin of the actuating lever of the fire extinguishers, and;
√ activation of the Bluetooth system from the control centre when it is going to be used, preventing the consumption of the battery included in the pressure gauges.

In short, the object is to be able to remedy any failure of the components of the fire protection facility immediately when they occur, so that all the components are always available.

Claims

Control system of fire protection facilities, being of the type of fire protection facilities installed in all types of buildings and warehouses fitted with, at least, one pressure group and/or, at least, one equipped fire hydrant and/or, at least, one fire extinguisher with the corresponding function means, and which facilities comprise:
√ at least, one pressure group (1) equipped with a pressure gauge (2) provided with a LED light (3) and means of communication via radio (4) or wiring;

√ at least, one equipped fire hydrant (7) equipped with a pressure gauge (2') provided with a LED light (3') and means of communication via radio (4') or wiring;

√ at least, one fire extinguisher (8) equipped with a pressure gauge (2") provided with a LED light (3") and means of communication via radio (4") or wiring;

√ a control centre (11) with, at least, one monitoring station (12) responsible for receiving the warning signal from the various components of the facility;

√ a warning receiving centre (18) equipped with, at least, one computer (13) receiving information about the components of the facility from the monitoring station (12) of the control centre (11) via SMS, e-mail or telephone and is connected to the mobile or land telephone network, and the warning receiving centre (18) may be in the facilities of the client or in the maintenance company, and;

√ a storage database (14) of the plane of the facility to be controlled with the location of the different components of the same,
characterized in that:
➢ the pressure gauge (2), (2') and (2") of all the components of the facility relating to pressure group (1), equipped fire hydrant (7) and fire extinguisher (8), are provided with a power supply battery (5), (5') and (5") and include Bluetooth transmission (6), (6') and (6"), respectively, and;

➢ the safety pin (15) of the fire extinguishers or similar (8) is associated with the corresponding pressure gauge (2") of the same.
Control system of fire protection facilities, according to claim 1, characterized in that the safety pin (15), associated with the pressure gauge (2") is inserted, by one of its ends, in a small hole (19) of the pressure gauge itself in contact with the means of communication (4").
Control system of fire protection facilities, according to claim 1, characterized in that the safety pin (15), associated with the pressure gauge (2"), is connected to the same by means of an element, inserted in a small hole (19) of the pressure gauge itself (2") in contact with the means of communication (4").