CONNECTION ADAPTER FOR EXTINGUISHING AGENT CONTAINERS ON FIRE EXTINGUISHING SYSTEMS

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to an adapter for fluid-conducting connection of an extinguishing agent container to a pipe connection of a fire extinguishing system, having a first connection which is designed to be connected to a correspondingly designed connection of the extinguishing agent container, and a second connection which is designed to be connected to a corresponding pipe connection.

[0002] Connecting the extinguishing agent container to the piping network of a fire extinguishing system has repeatedly presented design challenges in practice in the past. The need for adaptation most frequently arises when an extinguishing agent container for a fire extinguishing system is subsequently delivered and installed after the piping network has already been permanently installed on the building.

[0003] In the past, the solution was to structurally adapt the piping network after the extinguishing agent tank was decommissioned, which required complex additional piping and additional fittings. The cost and construction effort required for this was considered disadvantageous.

[0004] Furthermore, attempts were made to adapt the position of the extinguishing agent container to the existing piping network by placing spacers, such as wooden wedges, underneath it. This resulted in a high installation effort and time expenditure, which is also considered to be disadvantageous.

[0005] Another workaround involved using an adapter in the form of a flexible hose between the extinguishing agent container and the piping network. While this allows for angle compensation in addition to (limited) height adjustment between the pipe connection on the one hand and the connection to the extinguishing agent container on the other, it is expensive to purchase and has a limited lifespan (typically ten years).

[0006] CN 2 887 345 Y, KR 200 460 709 Y1, WO 2011 / 031722 A1, and EP 2 835 567 A1 show various designs of conventional adapters for fluid-conducting connection of an extinguishing agent container to a pipe connection of a fire extinguishing system. CN 104 728 546 A discloses a flexible adapter for fluid-conducting connection of connections. DE 10 39 798 discloses an articulated pipe connection.

[0007] Other solutions use a connector where two cylindrical pipes are arranged so that they can slide inside each other. However, this solution has the disadvantage that when pressurized, it acts as a hydraulic piston, exerting forces of up to several tons on the pipeline network and its fastenings, which usually leads to damage or failure of the pipeline network fastenings and requires expensive repair work.

[0008] Accordingly, the invention was based on the object of creating a connection option for extinguishing agent containers to the piping networks of fire extinguishing systems that overcomes the disadvantages described above as far as possible. In particular, the invention was based on the object of providing an adapter that enables angle and length compensation between the extinguishing agent container and the piping network with reduced assembly effort and a long service life.

[0009] The invention solves the underlying problem by proposing an adapter according to claim 1. The adapter preferably has a rigid, length-adjustable pipe connector that extends along a longitudinal axis, wherein the first connection and the second connection are each articulatedly attached to the pipe connector. The advantage of combining an inherently rigid pipe connector with two articulated connections, preferably connected to the ends of the pipe connector, is seen in the fact that the compensation option regarding the angular misalignment between the extinguishing agent container and the pipe connection can be compensated for without having to accept the disadvantages, in particular the low durability, of a flexible hose. No additional fittings or alignment work are necessary, provided the connection of the extinguishing agent container is at approximately the correct height.

[0010] In an advantageous development, the pipe connector comprises a first connecting pipe and a second connecting pipe, which are movable relative to each other in the direction of the longitudinal axis. The adjustable length of the two connecting pipes relative to each other also ensures the possibility of compensating for unexpected height differences.

[0011] In a preferred embodiment, the first and second connecting pipes are screwed together. Particularly preferably, the first and second connecting pipes are screwed together using a trapezoidal thread. A particular advantage of the trapezoidal thread is the very stable design of the flanks, which enables high force absorption, meaning that no forces are exerted on the fastening of the piping network when pressure is applied. Furthermore, a very flexible selection of the thread pitch of the trapezoidal thread is possible. For example, by selecting a high pitch, the relevant height differences can be compensated for in a time- and cost-efficient manner by adjusting the length of the pipe connector with just a few turns.

[0012] Preferably, the first connecting pipe has an external thread, and the second connecting pipe has an internal thread. The two threads engage with each other to ensure that the length of the pipe connector can be adjusted in the direction of the longitudinal axis. The internal thread is preferably formed on a threaded insert that is fastened to the second connecting pipe, for example by screwing, in particular in the opposite direction to the thread pitch of the trapezoidal thread, or by being pressed into or onto the second connecting pipe. This also makes it possible to make the threaded insert from a different material than the connecting pipe, for example a material that is ductile relative to the pipe, while the pipe itself is made from a material that is stiffer than the threaded insert.

[0013] The pipe connector is adjustable in length by means of the connecting pipes, preferably over a length range of 20 mm or more, particularly preferably 50 mm or more. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the pipe connector is adjustable in length within a range of 55 mm to 105 mm in the direction of the longitudinal axis. While the size of the adjustment range fundamentally depends exclusively on the length of the individual pipes of the pipe connector and the length of the threaded section in the direction of the longitudinal axis, it has been found that in practice an adjustment range in the order of magnitude between 55 and 105 mm provides an optimal compromise between compactness of the component and versatility of use. The manufacturing tolerances of the system components can be compensated for, and in addition, sufficient adjustment travel is available for installation on the pipe connection of the fire extinguishing system, where the extinguishing agent valve can also be attached.This takes into account that the connection of the pipe connector can be screwed into the extinguishing agent valve and that the necessary "screw height" can also be compensated by the adjustment range of the pipe connector.

[0014] According to the invention, the first and / or second connection of the pipe connector are each coupled to the pipe connector by means of a spherical joint. The spherical joint preferably has a continuous flow channel for conducting fluid, so that pressurized extinguishing agent can enter the pipe connector from the extinguishing agent container through the first connection and exit the adapter through the second connection and enter the pipe connection of the fire extinguishing system or an extinguishing agent valve connected upstream therefrom, such as a backflow preventer.

[0015] According to the invention, the spherical joint comprises a housing with a first sliding surface and a roll member with a second sliding surface, wherein the first and second sliding surfaces slide against one another and are shaped such that the roll member is guided for spherical movement within the housing. A spherically movable movement means that the roll member has three rotational degrees of freedom. Other examples of spherically movable joints are universal joints or ball joints. The roll member can perform a roll, i.e., roll, pitch, and yaw (RPY) movement relative to the housing of the spherical joint.

[0016] The connections of the pipe connector are preferably formed on the respective rocker arm or the housing of the spherical joint, so that the rocker arms or housings are freely movable relative to the longitudinal axis of the pipe connector within a predefined conical volume.

[0017] In a preferred embodiment of the spherical joint, at least one of the first and second sliding surfaces is partially or completely partially spherical.

[0018] Further preferably, the spherical joint, for example on an insert embedded in the housing, has a third sliding surface arranged opposite the first sliding surface, and the rocker element further has a fourth sliding surface arranged opposite the third sliding surface, wherein the third and fourth sliding surfaces slide against one another and are preferably shaped such that the rocker element is guided in the housing for spherical movement, wherein further preferably at least one of the third and fourth sliding surfaces is partially spherical, at least in sections. The rocker element is thus guided between the first and third sliding surfaces, thereby eliminating translational degrees of freedom.

[0019] In a preferred further embodiment, a sealing element is provided between the first and second, and / or optionally the third and fourth sliding surfaces, which seals the spherical joint against fluid leakage to the outside.

[0020] In a further preferred embodiment, the spherical joint has an adjustment cone with an opening angle of 5° or more. The opening angle is preferably in a range of 5° to 20°. An opening angle of 5° defines a maximum angle compensation of 2.5° when both connections of the pipe connector are aligned parallel, for example, vertically. An opening angle of 10° defines a maximum possible angle compensation of 5° under the same conditions, and an opening cone of 20° would enable an angle compensation of up to 10° under the same conditions. The preferred range represents an optimal compromise between the overall height of the spherical joint and the practical application area of ​​the adapter.

[0021] According to the invention, the spherical joint comprises a preloading element which is coupled to the rocker arm on the one hand and the housing on the other hand and preferably acts on the rocker arm to return it to a central position in which the connection provided on the rocker arm is aligned in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the pipe connector. When the preloading element is preloaded in the direction of the first and second sliding surfaces, the first and second sliding surfaces are pressed against one another in a fluid-tight manner, regardless of the angular position of the spherical joint. Furthermore, the preloading element is designed to absorb vibrations and, preferably in a dampened manner, cushion them. This prevents the connection adapter from unintentionally becoming loose or suffering fatigue fracture.

[0022] The preload element preferably has a first and second end ring and one or more spring elements arranged in a wave-like manner between the two end rings. Optionally, the wave spring has one or more intermediate rings between the wave-shaped spring elements. The preload element is made of an elastically deformable material, for example spring steel or an elastomeric plastic, and has the advantage that, due to the wave layering of the spring elements, it requires extremely little axial installation space and is simultaneously very wear-resistant. If the wave spring is inserted into the housing between the first and third sliding surfaces, only one side of the spring is compressed when the rocker arm is deflected at an angle relative to the housing, while the other side can expand to compensate.

[0023] In a further preferred embodiment, one of the two tubes of the pipe connector is an inner tube, and the other of the two tubes is an outer tube, wherein the inner tube has a sliding portion, preferably arranged at the end face, which slideably rests against an inner wall of the outer tube. The sliding portion supports the inner tube against the outer tube and prevents the two tubes from jamming against each other.

[0024] Further preferably, a sealing element for sealing the pipe connector against fluid leakage is arranged between the inner pipe and the outer pipe, particularly preferably on the sliding section. The sliding section is preferably screwed or pressed onto the inner pipe.

[0025] The above-described embodiment of an adapter with a prestressing element is also a separate aspect of the invention. In that aspect, the invention relates to an adapter of the type initially described, which achieves the initially described problem by proposing an adapter for fluid-conducting connection of an extinguishing agent container to a pipe connection of a fire extinguishing system, with a first connection configured to be connected to a correspondingly designed connection of the extinguishing agent container, and a second connection configured to be connected to a corresponding pipe connection, wherein the first and / or second connection are each coupled to the pipe connector by means of a spherical joint, wherein the spherical joint has a housing with a first sliding surface and a rocker piece with a second sliding surface.The first and second sliding surfaces slide against each other and are shaped such that the rocker arm is guided in the housing for spherical movement. The spherical joint has a preloading element that is coupled to the rocker arm on the one hand and the housing on the other hand, and is preloaded toward the first and second sliding surfaces such that the first and second sliding surfaces are pressed against each other in a fluid-tight manner. The invention utilizes the advantages explained above, which is why reference is made to the above explanations in this regard. The invention preferably has one, several, or all of the preferred embodiments of the adapter according to the invention described above and below.

[0026] The invention has been described above with reference to the adapter according to the invention in a first and second aspect. In a further aspect, the invention further relates to a fire extinguishing system comprising an extinguishing agent container with a connection and a pipe connection, wherein the connection of the extinguishing agent container and the pipe connection are spaced apart from one another.

[0027] The invention achieves the underlying object in a fire extinguishing system as described above by providing an adapter which fluidically connects the extinguishing agent container to the pipe connection, wherein the adapter is preferably designed according to one of the preferred embodiments described above. In particular, the adapter has a first connection which corresponds to and is connected to the connection of the extinguishing agent container, a second connection which corresponds to and is connected to the pipe connection, and a rigid, variable-length pipe connector which extends along a longitudinal axis, wherein the first connection and the second connection are each articulatedly attached to the pipe connector. With regard to the advantages and preferred embodiments of the fire extinguishing system according to the invention, reference is made to the above explanations of the adapter according to the invention.

[0028] In a further aspect, the invention relates to the use of an adapter for fluidically connecting an extinguishing agent container to a pipe connection of a fire extinguishing system. According to the invention, the adapter is designed according to one of the preferred embodiments described above.

[0029] The invention will be explained in more detail below using a preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying figures. Herein: Figure 1 shows a schematic side view of a fire extinguishing system according to a preferred embodiment in an exploded view, Figures 2a,b show schematic side and cross-sectional views of an adapter for the fire extinguishing system according to Figure 1 , Figure 3 a schematic detailed view of an adapter for the fire extinguishing system according to Figure 1 in a further embodiment, and Figure 4 a prestressing element for the adapter according to Figure 3in a schematic spatial view.

[0030] In Figure 1 A fire extinguishing system 100 is shown. The fire extinguishing system 100 has a piping network 101, which has a piping connection 103 for supplying extinguishing agent. The extinguishing system 100 further has an extinguishing agent container 105, which preferably stores pressurized extinguishing agent and has a connection 107 via which extinguishing agent can be made available to the piping network 101. The connection 107 of the extinguishing agent container 105 and the piping connection 103 of the piping system 101 are fluidly connected by means of an adapter 1 according to the present invention. The adapter 1 has a pipe connector 3, which has a first pipe 3a and a second pipe 3b.

[0031] The adapter 1 has a first connection 5a, which is configured to be coupled to the connection 107 of the extinguishing agent container 105, for example, by means of a plug-in connector. Furthermore, the adapter 1 has a second connection 5b, which is configured to be coupled to the pipe connection 103, for example, also by means of a plug-in connector.

[0032] Further details on the structure of adapter 1 can be found in the following figures.

[0033] In Figure 2a and bA first preferred embodiment of the adapter 1 is shown. The adapter 1 has a first and second spherical bearing 9a,b, by means of which the connection 5a,b is coupled to the pipe connector 3. The spherical bearing 9a,b serves for the articulated connection such that the pipe connections 5a,b can perform a guided spherical movement, i.e., a movement along a virtual spherical surface. The spherical joints 9a,b each have a housing 11a,b. In the first spherical joint 9a, the first connection 5a of the pipe connector 3 is formed on the housing 12a of the first spherical joint 9a. The first spherical joint 9a further has a rocker piece 11a, which is connected to the first pipe 3a of the pipe connector 3.

[0034] The second spherical joint 9b has a housing 12b, which is connected to the second tube 3b of the pipe connector 3, and a rocker 11b, which has the second connection of the adapter 1. The housing 12a,b each has a first sliding surface 13 and a third sliding surface 17, wherein the second sliding surface 17 is formed on an insert 21 that is inserted into the housing. The rocker 11a,b each has a second and fourth sliding surface 15, 19, which bear against the respectively associated first and third sliding surfaces 13, 17, whereby the rocker is guided for spherical movement relative to the pipe connector 3. The rocking piece 11a,b can be moved in a rolling / rocking, yawing and tilting manner within an opening cone α, wherein the neutral position is defined as the position in which the connections 5a,b are aligned in the direction of the longitudinal axis L of the pipe connector 3.

[0035] Between at least one of the sliding surface pairs 13 / 15 and 17 / 19, a sealing element 23 is provided, which seals the pipe connector 3 or the adapter 1 against fluid leakage. In the embodiment shown according to Figure 2b the sealing element 23 is formed between the sliding surfaces 17 and 19.

[0036] The first tube 3a of the pipe connector 3 has an external thread 7 in the form of a trapezoidal thread. Engaging with this is an internal thread formed on the second tube 3b of the pipe connector 3. The pipe connector is thus variable in length. In the present case, the internal thread is formed on a threaded insert 25, which is inserted into the second tube 3b, for example by screwing. The first tube 3a is defined as the inner tube of the pipe connector 3, while the second tube 3b is defined as the outer tube. A sliding section is formed on the inner tube 3a, which is in the form of a sliding sleeve 27 mounted on the end face of the tube 3a. A sealing element 29 for sealing against fluid leakage is provided between the sliding section 27, which bears against an inner wall 28 of the second tube 3b in a slidingly movable manner with essentially no play, and the inner wall 28.

[0037] Due to the double sliding surface pairing 13 / 15 and 17 / 19, the spherical joint 9a,b is Figure 2a , b is subjected exclusively to spherical movement, thus exhibiting no translational component. The adapter 1' according to Figure 3 differs slightly from this. Although it is based on the same functional principle of the spherical bearing, it only has a sliding surface pair consisting of a first sliding surface 13 on the insert 21 and a second sliding surface 15 on the rocker element 11b. A sealing element 23 seals these two sliding surfaces 13, 15 against fluid leakage. The embodiment according to Figure 3 differs from that according to Figure 2b Furthermore, in that a pre-tensioning element 31 in the form of a wave spring is arranged between the housing 12 (b) and the rocker 11 (b), see also Figure 4The preload element 31 acts to press the rocker arm 11b against the insert 21. Furthermore, the preload element 31 preferably acts to return the rocker arm 11b to a neutral position aligned with the longitudinal axis L as soon as it has been deflected in a direction away from this neutral position. This is achieved by the preload element 31 having first and second end rings 33, 35 which are interconnected by means of several circumferential, wave-shaped, annular spring elements 37, 39. If the rocker arm 11b is deflected in a direction away from the longitudinal axis L, the preload element 31 is compressed in the direction of the deflection, but can simultaneously expand on the diametrically opposite side, so that the rocker arm 11b maintains a defined position in contact with the sliding surface 13 of the insert 21.Optionally, two additional sliding surfaces could be provided on the opposite surfaces of the rocker 11b and housing 12b.

[0038] In Fig. 4 It is indicated by way of example that upon compression of the prestressing element 31 on a first side in the direction of the arrows P 1 and P 2, due to the wave geometry of the spring elements 37, 39 on a second side opposite to the first side, an expansion of the prestressing element 31 in the direction of the arrows P 3 , P 4 is effected, which leads to the assembled state according to Fig. 3 a preload force is always exerted on the surfaces 13, 15, regardless of the position angle between the rocker arm and the housing.

[0039] Shown in Figure 3 only one of the two ends of the adapter 1', whereby this is to be understood that the other end of the adapter 1' is analogous to Figure 2b also with a pre-tensioning element and in the same arrangement as Figure 2bit shows, can be designed in the sense of the invention. List of reference symbols:

[0040] 1, 1'Adapter 3Pipe connector 3a,bConnecting pipe 5a,bAdapter connection 7Outer thread 9a,bSpherical joint 11a,bRoll piece 12a,bHousing 13First sliding surface 15Second sliding surface 17Third sliding surface 19Fourth sliding surface 21Insert 23Sealing element (spherical joint) 25Threaded insert 27Sliding section 28Inner wall 29Sealing element (pipe connector) 31Pre-tensioning element 33,35End ring 37,39Spring element 100Fire extinguishing system 101Pipe 103Pipe connection 105Fire extinguisher tank 107Fire extinguisher tank connection αOpening angle LLongitudinal axis of the pipe connector P 1 -P 4 arrows

Claims

1. An adapter (1) for connecting an extinguishing-agent container (105) to a pipeline connection (103) of a fire-extinguishing system (100) in a fluid-conducting manner, having - a first connector (5a), which is configured to be connected to a correspondingly configured connection (107) of the extinguishing-agent container (105), and - a second connector (5b), which is configured to be connected to a corresponding pipeline connection (103), characterized in that the first and / or second connectors (5a,b) are each coupled to a pipe coupling (3) by means of a spherical-cap joint (9a,b), wherein the spherical-cap joint (9a,b) has a housing (12a,b) with a first sliding surface (13), and a rocking piece (11a,b) with a second sliding surface (15), wherein the first and second sliding surfaces slide against one another and are shaped such that the rocking piece is guided in a spherically movable manner in the housing, wherein the spherical-cap joint (9a,b) has a pretensioning element (31), which is coupled to the rocking piece (11a,b) on one side and the housing (12a,b) on the other side, and is pretensioned in the direction of the first and second sliding surfaces (13, 15) such that the first and second sliding surfaces are pressed together in a fluidtight manner.

2. The adapter (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pipe coupling (3) has a first connecting pipe (3a) and a second connecting pipe (3b), which are movable relative to one another in the direction of the longitudinal axis (L).

3. The adapter as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first and second connecting pipes (3a,b) are screwed together, preferably by means of a trapezoidal thread (7).

4. The adapter (1) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the pipe coupling (3) is variable in length in the direction of the longitudinal axis (L) over a length range of 20 mm or more, preferably 50 mm or more, particularly preferably in a range from 55 mm to 105 mm.

5. The adapter (1) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the spherical-cap joint (9a,b) has a continuous flow duct for the passage of fluid.

6. The adapter (1) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one of the first and second sliding surfaces (13, 15) is partially spherical.

7. The adapter (1) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the spherical-cap joint (9a,b) has, preferably on an insert (21), a third sliding surface (17) which is arranged opposite the first sliding surface, and the rocking piece has a fourth sliding surface (19) which is arranged opposite the third sliding surface, wherein the third and fourth sliding surfaces slide against one another, and are preferably shaped such that the rocking piece is guided in a spherically movable manner in the housing, wherein further preferably, at least one of the third and fourth sliding surfaces is partially spherical.

8. The adapter (1) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the spherical-cap joint (9a,b) has an adjusting cone with an opening angle (α) of 5° or more, preferably in a range from 5° to 20°.

9. The adapter (1) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein one of the two pipes is an internal pipe, and the other of the two pipes is an external pipe, and wherein the internal pipe has a sliding portion (7) that is preferably arranged on the front side, and which slidably rests against an inner wall (28) of the external pipe.

10. The adapter as claimed in claim 9, wherein a sealing element (29) for sealing off the pipe coupling (3) against fluid egress is arranged between the internal pipe and the external pipe, preferably at the sliding portion.

11. A fire-extinguishing system (100) having an extinguishing-agent container (105) with a connection (107), and a pipeline connection (103), wherein the connection (107) of the extinguishing-agent container (105) and the pipeline connection (103) are spaced apart from one another, characterized in that an adapter (1) is provided which connects the extinguishing-agent container (105) to the pipeline connection (103) in a fluid-conducting manner, wherein the adapter (1) is configured as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 10.

12. The use of an adapter (1) for connecting an extinguishing-agent container (105) to a pipeline connection (103) of a fire-extinguishing system (100) in a fluid-conducting manner, wherein the adapter (1) is configured as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 10.