sprinkler head

Abstract

This invention increases the amount of water sprinkled omnidirectionally, with an increased amount of water sprinkled in a direction in which a pin is installed. The present invention is provided with: a recess 26 that is provided to a nozzle-side surface of a deflector, and is formed to be recessed with respect to the nozzle-side surface of the deflector, from the periphery of a strut toward an outer edge 21b of the deflector; a first slit 27, which is provided to both sides of the width direction of the recess, and has an open end 27c provided adjacent to the outer edge 26b of the recess; a plurality of second slits 24, which each have an open end 24a provided, along the outer edge of the deflector, to the width-direction side of the first slit opposite from the side where the recess is provided, and have a closed end 24b provided separated from an outer edge 3a of a valve cap; and a plurality of third slits 28, which each have an open end 28a provided, along the outer edge of the deflector, to the width-direction side of the second slit opposite from the side where the first slit is provided, and have a closed end 28b provided more separated from the outer edge of the valve cap than the second slits.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE The present disclosure relates to a sprinkler head for fire suppression. [Background technology]

[0002] Sprinkler heads automatically activate to spray water in the event of a fire. The nozzle is normally closed by a valve. The valve is supported at the bottom end of the body by a heat-sensitive actuator. The heat-sensitive actuator decomposes when the heat of the fire activates the heat-sensitive element built into the heat-sensitive actuator. The valve is pressed toward the nozzle by the heat-sensitive actuator, but the nozzle opens when the valve moves away from the nozzle. The water released from the nozzle collides with a plate-shaped deflector installed in the extension direction of the nozzle axis and is scattered in all directions, extinguishing the fire.

[0003] One example of the above sprinkler head is a flush-type sprinkler head. In a flush-type sprinkler head, the body that connects to the water supply pipe is embedded in the ceiling, and only the lower part of the heat-sensitive activation unit protrudes into the room from the ceiling surface. The deflector is housed inside the sprinkler head. In the event of a fire, the heat-sensitive activation unit disassembles and activates, and the deflector moves a certain distance toward the room. The deflector is connected to the body by multiple pins.

[0004] The water released from the nozzle collides with the center of the deflector, then flows radially and splashes off the edge of the deflector. At this time, the water flowing from the center of the deflector to the edge is blocked by the pins around the pins, which tends to reduce the amount of water sprayed in the direction of the pins.

[0005] Therefore, fewer pins will result in a more uniform watering pattern. However, fewer pins will require the pins to be thicker to ensure they are strong enough to withstand the force of the water flow. Therefore, as the pins get thicker, they have a greater effect on the water flow, making it more difficult to achieve a uniform watering pattern.

[0006] As one means for solving the above problem, Patent Document 1 describes a method of forming a recess around the pin of the deflector, with the bottom of the recess extending to the outer periphery of the deflector. In the sprinkler head of Patent Document 1, the amount of water flowing in the direction of the pin installation is ensured by guiding the water flow inside the recess. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 6-39030 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] However, in order to enhance the fire suppression effect, it is desirable to be able to increase the amount of water sprayed in all directions from the sprinkler head while ensuring the amount of water flowing in the direction of the pin installation.

[0009] The present disclosure aims to provide a sprinkler head that can increase the amount of water sprayed in all directions while increasing the amount of water sprayed in the direction in which the pin supporting the deflector is installed in the sprinkler head. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] In order to achieve the above object, the present disclosure provides the following sprinkler head: That is, one aspect of the present disclosure is a sprinkler head including a body having a nozzle that discharges a fire-extinguishing liquid, a valve cap that closes the nozzle, a heat-sensitive operating unit that maintains the closed state of the valve cap relative to the nozzle and opens the closed state during a disassembly operation, a disk-shaped deflector that scatters the fire-extinguishing liquid discharged from the nozzle outward in a direction intersecting the axis of the nozzle, and a support post that supports the deflector, wherein the support post is provided on a surface of the deflector facing the nozzle and is recessed from the periphery of the support post toward an outer edge of the deflector relative to the nozzle. a recess provided on either side of the recess in the width direction, with its open ends adjacent to the outer edge of the recess; a plurality of second slits with their open ends located along the outer edge of the deflector on the opposite side of the first slit in the width direction to the side on which the recess is provided and their closed ends located away from the outer edge of the valve cap; and a plurality of third slits with their open ends located along the outer edge of the deflector on the opposite side of the second slit in the width direction to the side on which the first slit is provided and their closed ends located farther away from the outer edge of the valve cap than the second slits.

[0011] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, water flows into the recess and is rectified, causing a large amount of water to be scattered in a direction perpendicular to the outer edge of the recess, and water scattered from the first slit is scattered along an imaginary line. This increases the amount of water scattered in the direction of the pin. Furthermore, multiple second slits and multiple third slits are further provided on the outer edge of the deflector, thereby increasing the amount of water scattered in all directions. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to increase the amount of water sprayed in the direction in which the pin supporting the deflector in the sprinkler head is arranged, and also to increase the amount of water sprayed in all directions. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a sprinkler head of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II shown in FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a deflector unit. [Figure 4] FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of the vicinity of the pin (support) in FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. [Figure 7] 1A and 1B are explanatory diagrams of a water distribution test of the sprinkler head of the present disclosure. [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is an illustration of a crib fire test of a sprinkler head of the present disclosure. [Figure 9] 1A and 1B are diagrams illustrating the test results of a crib fire test of the sprinkler head of the present disclosure. [Figure 10] 1A and 1B are explanatory diagrams showing the test results of a water spray distribution test of the sprinkler head of the present disclosure. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of other test results of the water spray distribution test of the sprinkler head of the present disclosure. [Figure 12] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the state of the sprinkler head of the present disclosure when spraying water. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] One aspect of the present disclosure will be described in detail below. However, the description is not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure, and should be understood as a description explaining an exemplary embodiment. The following description does not unduly limit the scope of the claims, and not all of the configurations described in this embodiment are necessarily required as solutions.

[0015] In the following description, terms indicating directions such as "upper," "lower," "left," and "right" are used for convenience of explanation and do not limit the method or manner of use. Terms such as "first" and "nth" (n is an integer) following "first" in this specification and claims are used as identifying terms to distinguish different elements and do not indicate a particular order or superiority or inferiority.

[0016] The terms used in the following description are for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Elements according to an aspect described in the present specification and claims are intended to include the plural unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. The term "and / or" refers to and includes any and all possible combinations of one or more of the associated listed elements. The terms "includes," "including," "comprises," and / or "comprising" used in the present specification and claims specify the presence of features, operations, elements, or steps. However, they are not used as terms that exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, operations, elements, steps, and / or groups thereof.

[0017] One embodiment of a "sprinkler head" of the present disclosure will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 6. The sprinkler head S has a body 1, a deflector unit 2, a valve cap 3, a heat-sensitive operating part 4, and a heat collector 5. The sprinkler head S of this embodiment is a flush-type sprinkler head in which the body 1, which connects to a water supply pipe, is embedded in a ceiling and installed.

[0018] The body 1 is hollow and cylindrical, and the interior thereof is a nozzle 11. The nozzle 11 is cylindrical and extends between one end and the other end of the body 1 in the cylindrical axis direction (height direction, up-down direction). In this specification and claims, the "axial direction" of the nozzle 11 is also referred to as the "cylindrical axis direction." A male thread 12 that connects to a water supply pipe P is provided at one end of the body 1. At the other end of the body 1, there is an outwardly extending flange 13, and a cylindrical frame 14 is threadably connected to the flange 13.

[0019] The frame 14 is installed on the outer periphery of the outlet end of the nozzle 11, and a step 15 extending inward is installed at the lower end inside the frame 14 (the end opposite the end of the frame 14 connected to the flange 13). A lever 41 of the heat-sensitive operating unit 4, which will be described later, is engaged with this step 15.

[0020] The deflector unit 2 in Fig. 3 is configured to include a deflector 21, a pin 22 as a support, and a guide ring 23. The deflector unit 2 is housed inside a frame 14. The deflector 21 is disk-shaped and has a plurality of slits 24, 27, and 28 on its periphery (outer edge). These slits 24, 27, and 28 are arranged symmetrically with respect to an imaginary line Lx that passes through the central axis of the pin 22 and the center of the deflector 21, as shown in Fig. 4.

[0021] In this embodiment, a plurality of first slits 27, second slits 24, and third slits 28, each having a different shape and size, are provided along the outer edge 21b of the deflector 21. The first slits 27 are provided on both sides of a recess 26, which will be described later, in the width direction, and the open ends 27c are provided adjacent to the outer edge 26b of the recess 26. The configuration of the first slits 27 will be described in detail later.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 4 , the open ends 24a of the second slits 24 are provided along the outer edge 21b of the deflector 21 on the opposite side of the first slit 27 from the side where the widthwise recesses 26 are provided. In this embodiment, two second slits 24 are provided in each of the directions of 45°, 135°, 225°, and 315° from the center of the deflector 21 with respect to an imaginary line Lx passing through the central axis of the pin 22 and the center of the deflector 21. Furthermore, the closed ends 24b of the second slits 24 are provided away from the outer edge 3a of the valve cap 3, thereby making the slits short. Note that, in this embodiment, the number of second slits 24 is not limited to two each of the directions of 45°, 135°, 225°, and 315° from the center of the deflector 21 with respect to the imaginary line Lx. That is, it is sufficient that a plurality of second slits 24 are provided in each of the aforementioned directions, and a configuration in which three or more second slits are provided in each direction may be adopted. In addition, in this specification, directions at 45°, 135°, 225°, and 315° from the center of the deflector 21 with respect to the imaginary line Lx may be referred to as "45° directions."

[0023] The third slits 28 have their open ends 28a provided along the outer edge 21b of the deflector 21 on the opposite side of the second slits 24 in the width direction from the side where the first slits 27 are provided. In this embodiment, three third slits 28 are provided in each of the directions of 72 to 108° and 252 to 288° from the center of the deflector 21 with respect to the imaginary line Lx. Furthermore, the closed ends 28b of the third slits 28 are provided away from the outer edge 3a of the valve cap 3, and the slit depth is shorter than that of the second slits 24. Note that, in this embodiment, the number of third slits 28 is not limited to three in each of the directions of 72 to 108° and 252 to 288° from the center of the deflector 21 with respect to the imaginary line Lx. That is, it is sufficient that a plurality of third slits 28 are provided in each of the aforementioned directions, and two or four or more third slits 28 may be provided in each of the directions. Furthermore, in this specification, the directions of 72 to 108° and 252 to 288° from the center of the deflector 21 with respect to the imaginary line Lx may also be referred to as "72° directions."

[0024] The second slits 24 and the third slits 28 are tapered, increasing in width from the center of the deflector 21 toward the open ends 24a and 28a on the outer periphery (outer edge) side. The angle of the tapered shape is preferably 20 to 30° from the viewpoint of water spraying performance. The tapered shape of the second slits 24 and the third slits 28 can generally increase the amount of water sprayed by widening the angle. However, if the tapered shape angle is widened and the tip of the deflector 21 becomes sharp, there is a concern that the durability of the mold may decrease when the deflector 21 is mass-produced. Therefore, in this embodiment, the tapered shape angle is set to 25°, which is the angle at which the taper can be widened most while fixing the depth of the second slits 24 and the third slits 28.

[0025] The deflector 21 has a hole (center hole) at its center that penetrates in the plate thickness direction (the cylindrical axial direction of the body 1), and the valve cap 3 is rotatably installed in the hole. Closed ends 24b, 28b of the second slit 24 and the third slit 28 on the center side of the deflector 21 are respectively provided away from the outer edge 3a of the valve cap 3. In this embodiment, the closed end 28b of the third slit 28 is provided farther away from the outer edge 3a of the valve cap 3 than the second slit 24. In other words, the third slit 28 is a slit with a shallower cut than the second slit 24.

[0026] A plurality of pins 22 are installed between the deflector 21 and the guide ring 23. The sprinkler head S of this embodiment has two pins 22. The pins 22 are inserted into holes 21c (pin insertion holes) formed near the periphery of the deflector 21 and penetrating the deflector 21 in its thickness direction (the cylindrical axis direction of the body 1). The pins 22 are also arranged adjacent to the outer edge 3a of the valve cap 3 installed on the deflector 21. One end (the guide ring side end) of the pins 22 is fixedly connected to the annular guide ring 23, and the other end (the deflector side end) of the pins 22 forms a flange 25. As a result, the deflector 21 is slidably held between the guide ring 23 and the flange 25.

[0027] The nozzle 11-side flat surface 21a of the deflector 21 has a recess 26 formed from around the hole 21c through which the pin 22 is inserted toward the outer edge 21b of the deflector 21, recessed toward the heat-sensitive actuation unit 4 relative to the nozzle 11-side flat surface 21a of the deflector 21. The step between the bottom surface 26f of the recess 26 and the flat surface 21a, which is the general surface of the deflector 21, forms a side wall 26a. Water (fire-extinguishing liquid) that flows into the recess 26 is rectified by the side wall 26a and scattered from the outer edge 26b of the recess 26. The step of the recess 26 functions to guide the fire-extinguishing liquid discharged from the nozzle 11 into the recess 26. Note that in the present embodiment, an example has been shown in which the bottom surface 26f of the recess 26 is recessed into the flat surface 21a of the deflector 21 and protrudes downward. However, the recess may also be formed, for example, by crushing the metal material forming the deflector 21. In this case, the thickness of the recess (bottom surface portion of the recess) in the thickness direction of the deflector 21 is formed to be thinner than the thickness of the peripheral portion of the recess.

[0028] The outer edge 26b of the recess 26 is linear and located inside the imaginary outer circumferential circle of the deflector 21, which is shown by the dashed line in FIG. 5 . Therefore, a large amount of water is scattered in a direction perpendicular to the linear outer edge 26b. Furthermore, because the linear outer edge 26b of the recess 26 is located inside the imaginary outer circumferential circle of the deflector 21, the distance that water scattered from the recess 26 travels is shorter than the distance that water scattered from the outer edge of the deflector 21. Therefore, water can be scattered over a short distance from the location where the sprinkler head S is installed. Meanwhile, the inner edge 26d of the recess 26 is located so as to overlap the outer edge 3a of the valve cap 3. In this embodiment, the outer edge 26b of the recess 26 is linear; however, the shape of the outer edge 26b is not limited to a linear shape as long as the outer edge 26b is located inside the imaginary outer circumferential circle of the deflector 21.

[0029] 5, the width W of the recess 26 is preferably set to 1.2 to 1.5 times the diameter D of the pin 22. In this embodiment, it is set to about 1.3 times. This forms a narrowed portion 26e between the pin 22 and the side wall 26a of the recess 26, thereby improving the flow rate of water passing through the narrowed portion 26e.

[0030] First slits 27 are provided on both sides of the recess 26 in the width direction. As shown in FIG. 5, the first slits 27 have open ends 27c adjacent to the outer edge 26b of the recess 26. Each first slit 27 has a first side 27a located on the pin 22 side and a second side 27b facing the first side 27a. The first side 27a is formed along the side wall 26a of the adjacent recess 26 and is formed parallel to the imaginary line Lx. On the other hand, the second side 27b is formed so as to approach the first side 27a from the closed end side toward the open end side of the first slit 27. That is, the second side 27b is inclined with respect to the imaginary line Lx, and is formed so that the second side 27b intersects with the imaginary line Lx when extended in the direction of the open end 27c of the first slit 27.

[0031] That is, the second sides 27b of each first slit 27 are inclined with respect to the imaginary line Lx so that extending the second sides 27b toward the open ends 27c of the first slits 27 intersects with the imaginary line Lx. Therefore, the width of the first slits 27 narrows toward the outer edge of the deflector 21, thereby improving the flow rate of the water that flows in and causing the water that splashes from the first slits 27 to splash in the direction of the pins 22 along the extension of the imaginary line Lx. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the first slits 27 are provided on both sides of the recess 26 in the width direction, so that the amount of water sprayed in the direction of the pins 22 can be increased.

[0032] Water that flows into first slit 27 flows along second side 27b and then flows in a direction perpendicular to the line connecting open ends 27c, so that it flows toward an extension of imaginary line Lx on the back of pin 22. Furthermore, if the corner between outer edge 26b of recess 26 and first slit 27 is cut diagonally to provide inclined surface 26c, the water flowing through first slit 27 will be urged by inclined surface 26c toward imaginary line Lx.

[0033] As shown in FIG. 5 , the closed end 27d of the first slit 27 is spaced apart from the outer edge 3a of the valve cap 3. More specifically, the length L1 from an orthogonal virtual line Ly, which is obtained by rotating the virtual line Lx 90 degrees around the center of the deflector 21, to the outer periphery of the pin 22 is approximately equal to the length L2 from the orthogonal virtual line Ly to the closed end of the first slit 27. When the first slit 27 is shallow and the relationship of length L1 < length L2 is satisfied, water is sprayed at a position far from the head of the pin 22 in the rear direction. On the other hand, when the first slit 27 is deep and the relationship of length L1 < length L2 is satisfied, water is sprayed at a position too close to the head of the pin 22 in the rear direction. For this reason, in this embodiment, the length L1 is approximately equal to the length L2 to facilitate spraying water at a desired position that is reasonably close to the head of the pin 22 in the rear direction.

[0034] As described above, one end of the pin 22 is fixedly connected to the guide ring 23. The outer diameter of the guide ring 23 is smaller than the inner diameter of the frame 14 and larger than the inner diameter of the step 15. Therefore, the guide ring 23 is configured to be locked onto the step 15 after it falls off due to the operation of the heat-sensitive operation unit 4.

[0035] An arm 23a is provided on the outer edge of the guide ring 23. The arm 23a is provided parallel to the pin 22 and is disposed adjacent to the pin 22. More specifically, the arm 23a is disposed on an imaginary plane (not shown) where the imaginary line Lx and the axis of the nozzle 11 intersect. The length of the arm 23a is shorter than the length of the pin 22. The arm 23a is housed in a groove 15a formed in a step 15 of the frame 14. The groove 15a is parallel to the axis of the nozzle 11 and acts as a guide when the guide ring 23 slides within the frame 14.

[0036] Furthermore, when the nozzle 11 is open and discharging water, the side of the arm 23a is held by the groove 15a. As a result, even if the water flow is unstable, the flat surface 21a of the deflector 21 is perpendicular to the central axis of the nozzle 11, preventing the deflector 21 from vibrating. Furthermore, because the arm 23a is housed in the groove 15a, the guide ring 23 and the deflector 21 are prevented from moving in the circumferential direction. As shown in FIG. 2, the groove 15a is located at a position rotated 90° around the axis of the nozzle 11 from the position where the lever 41 engages with the step 15.

[0037] The valve cap 3 is formed in a disk shape with a protrusion on the nozzle 11 side. A plate-shaped saddle 31 is provided between the valve cap 3 and the lever 41. The valve cap 3 closes the outlet end of the nozzle 11 by the lever 41 engaging with the step 15 and being pressed via the saddle 31, thereby being held at the outlet position of the nozzle 11.

[0038] A seal member 32 is installed between the valve cap 3 and the outlet end of the nozzle 11. The seal member 32 is made of, for example, a fluororesin. In this embodiment, the seal member 32 is installed at the outlet end of the nozzle 11, but the seal member 32 may also be installed on the valve cap 3. In this state, the deflector 21, with the valve cap 3 mounted thereon, is disposed within the frame 14 in close proximity to the guide ring 23. A spring 33 is installed between the guide ring 23 and the flange 13 and biased thereto. When the heat-sensitive actuation unit 4 is activated, the spring 33 urges the guide ring 23, the deflector 21, and the valve cap 3 to move outward from the frame 14. The load of the spring 33 is lower than the load pressing the valve cap 3 against the outlet end of the nozzle 11.

[0039] 2 and 3, the valve cap 3 has an annular flat portion 34a that contacts the outlet end of the nozzle 11, an inner convex portion 34b that is provided inside the flat portion 34a and protrudes toward the interior of the nozzle 11, and an outer convex portion 34c that protrudes in the opposite direction from the inner convex portion 34b. A slope 34d is formed on the outer edge of the flat portion 34a from the surface on the inner convex portion 34b side toward the outer edge. The shapes of the flat portion 34a, the inner convex portion 34b, and the slope 34d affect the water spray pattern because water discharged from the nozzle 11 collides with and flows over these surfaces when the sprinkler head is activated.

[0040] The outer edge 3a of the valve cap 3 is positioned so as to overlap the inner edge 26d of the recess 26. This allows water to flow along the inclined surface 34d of the valve cap 3 and into the recess 26 without reducing its momentum. In addition, the outer edge 3a of the valve cap 3 is positioned so as to be separated from the closed end 24b of the second slit 24 and the closed end 28b of the third slit 28.

[0041] In this embodiment, the pin 22 is disposed adjacent to the outer edge 3a of the valve cap 3. Specifically, when the heat-sensitive actuation unit 4 is actuated, the deflector 21 slides along the pin 22, and the outer edge 3a of the valve cap 3 and the pin 22 are disposed adjacent to each other with a slight gap between the valve cap 3 and the pin 22. By disposing the pin 22 adjacent to the outer edge 3a of the valve cap 3 in this manner, the water released from the nozzle 11 flows directly from the valve cap 3 into the recess 26 in which the pin 22 is disposed, and is scattered from the outer edge 26b of the recess 26 while maintaining its momentum.

[0042] 1, 2, and 6 includes a pair of levers 41, a support plate 42, a balancer 43, a set screw 44, a cylinder 45, a plunger 46, and a fusible alloy 47. Publicly known components of the heat-sensitive actuation unit 4 are described in, for example, JP 2005-27929 A.

[0043] Cylinder 45 is formed in a cylindrical shape with a bottom, and a male screw protrudes from the bottom. Cylinder 45 is filled with a fusible alloy 47, and a plunger 46 is placed on top of fusible alloy 47, i.e., on the side opposite the bottom of cylinder 45. These components form the heat-sensitive element of heat-sensitive operating unit 4. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, a heat collector 5 is connected to the male screw. As a result, heat collector 5 is held in body 1 so as to protrude from the lower end of body 1.

[0044] The heat collector 5 is bowl-shaped with a nut 51 attached to its center. The nut 51 is threaded onto the male thread 45a of the cylinder 45. The nut 51 is formed with a larger diameter at the end on the heat collector 5 side and a smaller diameter at the end on the cylinder 45 side. This forms a step 54 in the middle of the nut 51. After the nut 51 is connected to the cylinder 45, adhesive poured into the threaded joint between the nut 51 and the male thread 45a hardens.

[0045] The end of the nut 51 on the heat collector 5 side is in direct contact with the bottom surface of the cylinder 45. The end of the nut 51 on the heat collector 5 side has a larger diameter than the end on the cylinder 45 side. This increases the contact area between the heat collector 5 and the nut 51, resulting in stable joint strength between the heat collector 5 and the nut 51. Furthermore, because the contact area between the heat collector 5 and the nut 51 is larger than the end on the cylinder side, the heat absorbed by the heat collector 5 can be efficiently transferred to the nut 51.

[0046] The outer diameter of the end of the nut 51 is configured to be equal to or smaller than the diameter of the bottom surface of the cylinder 45. More preferably, the outer diameter of the end of the nut 51 is configured to be equal to or smaller than the inner diameter of the cylinder 45. By doing so, the heat absorbed by the heat collector 5 is transferred to the fusible alloy 47 via the nut 51 and the bottom surface of the cylinder 45 without passing through, for example, the side surface of the cylinder 45, thereby reducing loss during heat transfer.

[0047] The heat collector 5 has multiple openings 55 formed on its side surface. The openings 55 are arranged around the entire side surface of the heat collector 5 at equal lengths and intervals. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, six openings 55 are provided. The number of openings 55 is greater than the number of levers 41. By making the openings 55 large enough, the efficiency of airflow passing through the heat collector 5 can be improved. Specifically, the height of the openings 55 is 2 to 5 mm, and the width of the openings 55 is 8 to 12 mm. With this configuration, air heated by a fire flows into the heat collector 5 through the openings 55, allowing the heat collector 5 to absorb heat from the inside as well.

[0048] The escutcheon E is configured to have a dish portion E1 that covers the hole H between the ceiling C and the sprinkler head S, and a tubular portion E2 that extends from the inner edge of the dish portion E1 and engages with the frame 14. The dish portion E1 is configured so that the outer peripheral edge that extends outward from the lower end of the tubular portion E2 can come into contact with the ceiling surface C1.

[0049] Next, performance tests and test results of the sprinkler head of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. FIGS. 7(A) and 7(B) are explanatory diagrams of a water spray distribution test of the sprinkler head of the present disclosure. FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of a cribbed fire test of the sprinkler head of the present disclosure. FIGS. 9(A) and 9(B) are explanatory diagrams of test results of a cribbed fire test of the sprinkler head of the present disclosure. FIGS. 10(A) and 10(B) are explanatory diagrams of test results of a water spray distribution test of the sprinkler head of the present disclosure. FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram of other test results of a water spray distribution test of the sprinkler head of the present disclosure. In FIGS. 9(A) and 9(B), 10(A) and 10(B), and 11, the water spray area from each slit is represented by a dashed line.

[0050] As performance tests for the sprinkler head S of the present disclosure, a water sampling distribution test and a crib fire test were conducted. In the water sampling distribution test, water was actually sprayed from the sprinkler head S onto a water sampling unit 60 consisting of a total of 16 1-foot square water sampling units arranged in four rows and four columns, and the average water sampling volume of each water sampling unit was measured. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 7(A), water sampling tests were conducted for a case in which four sprinkler heads S were arranged 10 feet apart on the outside of the four corners of the water sampling unit 60, and a case in which six sprinkler heads S were arranged 10 feet apart on the outside of the four corners and in the horizontal centers of the four corners of the water sampling unit 60. Meanwhile, in the crib fire test, as shown in FIG. 8, a 4-foot square crib 70 was set on fire, and actual firefighting operations were performed using four sprinkler heads S arranged 10 feet apart on the outside of the four corners of the crib 70, to confirm the fire suppression effectiveness.

[0051] In the comparative deflector 21′ used in the crib fire test, as shown in FIG. 9(A), the 45° slit 24′ had only one deep slit with a small tapered angle. Therefore, the spray area from the 45° slit 24′ was limited to the diagonal peripheral area of ​​the crib 70, and the fire was not sufficiently suppressed by spraying water over the entire area of ​​the crib 70. Furthermore, in the comparative deflector, the slit 24′ had a deep cut, so more water flowed into that slit 24′. This reduced the amount of water sprayed onto the first slit 27′, and the amount of water sprayed toward the pin was not sufficient. Thus, the results of the crib fire test for the comparative deflector indicated the need to improve the fire suppression effect over the entire area of ​​the crib 70.

[0052] In contrast, in the deflector 21 of this embodiment, as shown in Figure 9(B), the slits are shallower and two second slits 24 are provided in the 45° direction, each tapered wider than the slits 24' of the comparative example. This increases the distance that water can be sprayed from the second slits 24, and allows water to be sprayed over a wider area from the 45° direction of the deflector 21.

[0053] In addition, in the deflector 21 of this embodiment, the second slits 24 are shallower than the slits 24' of the comparative example, so the size of each slit is smaller. As a result, the amount of water flowing through each second slit 24 is reduced, and therefore the amount of water sprayed from the first slits 27 does not need to be reduced, ensuring a sufficient amount of water sprayed toward the pins.

[0054] Furthermore, even though each of the second slits 24 is smaller than the slits 24' of the comparative example, providing two second slits 24 in the 45° direction ensures that the amount of water that can be sprayed over a wider area is secured. From this, it was found that by providing two second slits 24 with shallower tapered slit cuts in the 45° direction of the deflector 21, it is possible to increase the amount of water sprayed in the 45° direction of the deflector 21 and expand the spray area, thereby achieving a fire suppression effect over almost the entire surface of the crib 70.

[0055] On the other hand, the results of the water sampling distribution test showed that in the deflector 21' serving as the comparative example, the first slits 27' aligned with the recesses 26' were configured to be approximately parallel, with a small tapered angle. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 10(A), the average water sampling volume of the water sampling receptacles installed in the corners on the front side of the water sampling receptacle unit 60 was high, while the average water sampling volume of the spray receptacles on the central side of the water sampling receptacle unit 60 was low. In other words, the results of the water sampling distribution test showed that if the first slits 27' aligned with the recesses 26' were configured to be approximately parallel, it was necessary to ensure a sufficient amount of water sprayed in the direction of the pins 22.

[0056] In contrast, in the deflector 21 of this embodiment, as shown in Figure 10(B), the width of the first slits 27 is configured to narrow from the center side to the outer edge side of the deflector 21. Therefore, water sprayed from the first slits 27 is directed toward the center side of the water sampling tank unit 60, and it is possible to increase the average amount of water collected by the water sampling tank located on the center side of the water sampling tank unit 60. From this, it was found that by providing first slits 27, the slit width of which narrows from the center side to the outer edge side of the deflector 21, on both sides of the recess 26, it is possible to increase the amount of water sprayed in the direction of the pin 22, including the back side of the pin 22.

[0057] Further, looking at other test results of the water spray distribution test, as shown in Figure 11, in this embodiment, three shallower tapered third slits 28 are provided in the direction from 72 to 108 degrees from the center of the deflector 21. This enabled an increase in the average water collection volume of the water collection bins on the front side of the four corners of the water collection bin unit 60. This shows that by providing three shallower tapered third slits 28 in the direction from 72 to 108 degrees from the center of the deflector 21, it is possible to increase the amount of water sprayed to the water collection bins on the four corners of the water collection bin unit 60. Furthermore, because the third slits 28 are configured with an even shallower cut than the second slits 24, water can be sprayed farther, and the water spray area was found to be expanded.

[0058] Based on the results of these performance tests, in this embodiment, by providing a recess 26 in the direction in which the pin 22 of the deflector 21 is installed and first slits 27 on both sides of the recess 26, the amount of water sprayed in the pin direction of the deflector 21 is increased. In addition, by providing multiple tapered second slits 24 that widen toward the outer edge of the 45° direction of the deflector 21, it is possible to increase the amount of water sprayed from the 45° direction of the deflector 21 and expand the spray area. Furthermore, by providing multiple tapered third slits 28 that widen toward the outer edge of the 72° direction of the deflector 21 (72° to 108° directions), it is possible to increase the distance that water can be sprayed from the 72° direction of the deflector 21 and increase the amount of water sprayed to the four corners of the fire extinguishing target. That is, in this embodiment, by providing a recess 26, a first slit 27, a second slit 24 and a third slit 28 in the deflector 21, the amount of water sprayed in the direction of the pin 22 of the deflector 21 is increased, and the amount of water sprayed in all directions of the sprinkler head S is also increased, thereby enhancing the fire suppression effect.

[0059] Next, the operation process of the sprinkler head S according to one embodiment of the present disclosure in the event of a fire will be described with reference to the drawings. Figure 12 is a diagram showing the state of the sprinkler head of the present disclosure when sprinkling water.

[0060] As shown in Figure 1 above, the sprinkler head S is installed with its body 1 screwed to the water supply pipe P and its heat collector 5 exposed to the room's interior from the ceiling C. A hole H is formed in the ceiling C so that the sprinkler head S can be inserted into the room, and an escutcheon E is installed to cover the hole H.

[0061] When a fire breaks out, the heat of the fire warms the air in the room, creating an updraft, and the heated air accumulates under the ceiling C. The air, driven by this updraft, flows along the dish portion E1 of the escutcheon E and into the gap E3 located between the cylindrical portion E2 and the heat collector 5. The air then passes through the opening 55 and reaches the inside of the heat collector 5. The heat of this airflow is absorbed by the surfaces of the heat collector 5, the nut 51, and the cylinder 45, and is transferred to the fusible alloy 47, promoting its melting.

[0062] When the fusible alloy 47 melts, the plunger 46 moves toward the bottom of the cylinder 45, loosening the engagement between the balancer 43 and the lever 41, causing the lower end of the lever 41 to rotate and disengage from the balancer 43. The lever 41 rotates further and falls off the step 15 of the frame 14. Furthermore, the saddle 31 and the valve cap 3 that were placed on the lever 41 also fall off the outside of the frame 14.

[0063] The deflector unit 2, into which the valve cap 3 is assembled, slides within the frame 14 and moves toward the step 15 due to the action of the spring 33 so that the outer edge of the guide ring 23 engages with the step 15. The deflector 21 and valve cap 3 move downward in the drawing along the pin 22 and are locked onto the flange 25, as shown in FIG. 12 . This causes the deflector 21 and valve cap 3 to be suspended below the frame 14 by the pin 22. When the valve cap 3 moves away from the outlet end of the nozzle 11, water in the water supply pipe P is released from the nozzle 11 and hits the valve cap 3 and the deflector 21.

[0064] Water that strikes the valve cap 3 flows along its surface, passes through the surface of the deflector 21, and is then scattered onto the floor. Water flowing around the pin 22 flows from the slope 34d on the outer edge 3a side of the valve cap 3 into the recess 26 without passing through the surface of the deflector 21. As the water that flows into the recess 26 passes through the narrowed portion 26e between the pin 22 and the side wall 26a of the recess 26, its flow velocity increases and it is straightened by the side wall 26a, and it is scattered from the outer edge 26b of the recess 26. At this time, the water is scattered in a direction perpendicular to the linear outer edge 26b of the recess 26, and its flying distance is closer to the sprinkler head S than water scattered from the outer edge 21b of the deflector 21. Furthermore, the water that passes through the first slit 27 adjacent to the recess 26 increases its flow velocity and flows along the extension of the imaginary line Lx, increasing the amount of water sprayed behind the pin 22.

[0065] As described above, in this embodiment, recesses 26 are provided from the periphery of pins 22 toward outer edge 21b of deflector 21, and first slits 27 are provided on both sides of recesses 26 in the width direction. By configuring deflector 21 in this manner, it is possible to increase the amount of water sprayed in the direction in which pins 22 are arranged. In particular, the narrower the spacing between first slits 27, the smaller the angle at which sprayed water is divided to the left and right of pins 22, and the more water sprayed in the direction of pins 22. For this reason, in this embodiment, the width of recesses 26 is narrowed as much as possible, and first slits 27 are placed close to each other.

[0066] On the other hand, water that flows from the valve cap 3 into the second slit 24 is sprayed onto the floor surface in a range close to the position where the sprinkler head S is installed. As described above, the second slit 24 has a tapered shape that widens toward the open end 24a, so that the water that flows into the second slit 24 is sprayed while spreading along the taper. This increases the amount of water sprayed in a range close to the sprinkler head S, and also achieves a spray pattern that reduces unevenness in the amount of water sprayed. On the other hand, water that splashes onto the floor surface from the outer edge 21b of the deflector 21 is sprayed onto the floor surface in a range far from the position where the sprinkler head S is installed.

[0067] As a result, water that strikes deflector 21 is sprayed evenly in all directions onto the floor surface, suppressing and extinguishing the fire. In particular, in this embodiment, deflector 21 is configured to have recesses 26 in the direction of pin 22, first slits 27 on both sides of recesses 26, and a plurality of second slits 24 and third slits 28 that are tapered and shallower and widen toward the outer edge of deflector 21. As a result, the amount of water sprayed in the direction of pin 22 supporting deflector 21 is increased, and the amount of water sprayed in all directions from sprinkler head S is also increased, thereby enhancing the fire suppression effect.

[0068] The following describes the advantages of the present disclosure that have not been described above.

[0069] The second slit 24 is positioned such that its closed end 24b is spaced apart from the outer edge 3a of the valve cap 3, and water flowing over the surface of the valve cap 3 flows from the inclined surface 34d along the flat surface 21a of the deflector 21 before flowing into the slit 24. Furthermore, the greater the height dimension of the inner convex portion 34b of the valve cap 3, the closer the water scattered from the slit 24 is to a position from the sprinkler head S. The height dimension from the back surface of the flat portion 34a facing the deflector 21 to the flat portion 34a is preferably 2 to 3 times, and in this embodiment is configured to be 2.5 to 2.8 times.

[0070] Furthermore, the water scattered from outer edge 26b of recess 26 is sprayed at a position close to sprinkler head S because outer edge 26b is positioned inside the imaginary outer circumferential circle of deflector 21. On the other hand, if outer edge 26b is positioned closer to the outer circumferential diameter of deflector 21, water can be sprayed at a position farther away.

[0071] By combining the configurations described above, the amount of water sprayed at a position close to the sprinkler head S can be increased.

[0072] Although each embodiment of the present disclosure has been described in detail above, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that many modifications are possible without substantially departing from the novel features and effects of the present disclosure. Therefore, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0073] For example, a term described at least once in the specification or drawings together with a different term having a broader or similar meaning can be replaced with that different term anywhere in the specification or drawings. Furthermore, the configurations and operations of the sprinkler head and deflector are not limited to those described in the embodiments of the present disclosure, and various modifications are possible. [Explanation of symbols]

[0074] 1 body, 2 deflector unit, 3 valve cap, 3a outer edge (of valve cap), 4 heat-sensitive operating part, 5 heat collector, 11 nozzle, 14 frame, 15 step, 21 deflector, 21a flat surface (surface on the nozzle side), 21b outer edge (of deflector), 21c hole (pin insertion hole), 22 pin (support), 23 guide ring, 24 second slit, 24a open end (of second slit), 24b closed end (of second slit), 26 recess, 26a side wall, 26b outer edge (of recess), 26c inclined surface, 26d inner edge (of recess), 26e narrowed portion, 26f bottom surface, 27 first slit, 27a first edge, 27b second edge, 27c open end (of first slit), 27d closed end (of first slit), 28 Third slit, 28a (of the third slit) open end, 28b (of the third slit) closed end, 31 saddle, 32 sealing member, 33 spring, 34a (of the valve cap) flat portion, 34b (of the valve cap) inner convex portion, 34c (of the valve cap) outer convex portion, 34d (of the valve cap) inclined surface, 41 lever, 42 support plate, 43 balancer, 44 set screw, 45 cylinder, 45a (of the male thread), 46 plunger, 47 fusible alloy, 51 nut, 54 step, 55 opening, S sprinkler head

Claims

1. a body having a nozzle for discharging a fire extinguishing liquid; a valve cap that closes the nozzle; a heat-sensitive operating unit that maintains the valve cap in a closed state relative to the nozzle and opens the closed state during a disassembly operation; a disk-shaped deflector having a plurality of plate pieces and a plurality of slits alternately formed along a circumferential direction, and scattering the fire-extinguishing liquid discharged from the nozzle outward in a direction intersecting the axis of the nozzle; A sprinkler head comprising at least a first support and a second support supporting the deflector on an imaginary line passing through a center of the deflector, the plurality of plate pieces include a first plate piece on which the first support pillar is disposed and a second plate piece on which the second support pillar is disposed; the first plate piece and the second plate piece are provided on the nozzle side surface of the deflector, and each has a recess formed from a periphery of the first support pillar or the second support pillar toward an outer edge of the deflector so as to be recessed from the nozzle side surface of the deflector, the plurality of slits include a first slit, a plurality of second slits, a plurality of third slits, a plurality of second slits, and a first slit, which are arranged in this order from the first support pillar to the second support pillar on an outer edge of the deflector on one side and the other side of the imaginary line, The first slit is The first plate piece and the second plate piece are provided on both sides of the recess in the width direction, and open ends are provided adjacent to the outer edges of the recess, a first side located on the first support column side or the second support column side, and a second side opposite to the first side, the first side is formed along a side wall of the adjacent recess, the second side is formed so as to approach the first side from the closed end side toward the open end side of the first slit, Each of the plurality of second slits has: an open end is provided along an outer edge of the deflector on the opposite side to the side on which the recess is provided in the width direction of the first slit, a closed end spaced apart from an outer edge of the valve cap; The tapered shape has a width that increases from the closed end toward the open end, Each of the plurality of third slits has: an open end is provided along an outer edge of the deflector on the opposite side of the second slit in the width direction from the side on which the first slit is provided, a closed end is provided farther away from the outer edge of the valve cap than the second slit, The tapered shape has a width that increases from the closed end toward the open end, The first plate piece and the second plate piece guide the fire-extinguishing liquid into the recessed portion and cause it to splash, The first slit has a width that decreases from the closed end toward the open end due to the second side, thereby increasing the amount of fire-extinguishing liquid sprayed toward the back side of the first support or the second support, The plurality of second slits extend the water spray area to a wider range in accordance with the number of slits, closer to the third slits, The plurality of third slits expand the water spray area farther away than the second slits and over a wider range depending on the number of slits. Sprinkler head.

2. the plurality of second slits are provided in pairs in directions of 45°, 135°, 225°, and 315° from the center of the deflector with respect to an imaginary line passing through the central axis of the support column and the center of the deflector, The plurality of third slits are provided in three directions each of 72 to 108 degrees and 252 to 288 degrees from the center of the deflector with respect to the virtual line. The sprinkler head of claim 1.

3. The second slit and the third slit have a tapered shape angle of 20° to 30°. The sprinkler head of claim 1.

4. The angle of the tapered shape is 25°. The sprinkler head of claim 3.

5. The outer edge of the recess is disposed inside the imaginary outer circumferential circle of the deflector. The sprinkler head of claim 1.

6. The outer edge of the recess is formed in a straight line. The sprinkler head of claim 1.

7. The corners between the outer edges of the recesses in the first plate piece and the second plate piece and the first slits are formed as obliquely cut slopes. The sprinkler head of claim 1.

8. The first support and the second support are located within the recess closer to the valve cap than the closed end of the first slit. The sprinkler head of claim 1.

Images