smoke detector

Abstract

To provide a smoke type tester which can easily perform an operation test of a fire sensor.SOLUTION: A smoke type tester 10 is a smoke type tester which is mounted on a drone and performs an operation test of a fire sensor, the smoke type tester comprising: a cover portion 20 for covering a surrounding of the fire sensor; a pipe 30 extending in a vertical direction along a side face portion of the cover portion 20; a smoking portion 40 which is connected to a bottom of the pipe 30 and conducts test smoke into the pipe 30; a first opening portion 32a and a second opening portion 32b, which are formed at an upper portion of the pipe 40 and blow the test smoke conducted into the pipe 40 into the cover portion 20; and a cushion member 50 formed at an upper end portion of the cover portion 20.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a smoke tester. Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a smoke tester. This smoke tester includes a tester unit and a support rod. The tester unit includes a main body, a housing, and a gas cylinder. A housing is fixed to the upper end of the main body. A cylinder case for accommodating a gas cylinder is provided at the lower end of the main body. A smoke generating agent is sealed inside the gas cylinder. A support frame is rotatably connected to the upper part of the main body. The support rod is attached to the support frame.

[0003] When inspecting a fire detector, an operator extends the support rod, brings the housing into contact with the ceiling, and covers the fire detector with the housing. Thereafter, the smoke generating agent in the gas cylinder is discharged into the housing, filling the housing with smoke. In this state, the operator checks whether the fire detector operates. Prior Art Documents Patent Documents

[0004] Patent Document 1 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2013-50928 Summary of the Invention Problem to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] Fire detectors may be installed in high ceiling areas such as atriums, or above ducts. In addition, objects may be placed on the floor surface directly below the fire detector. In such cases, even if the support rod is extended, the tester unit may not reach the fire detector. Therefore, conventional smoke testers have had a problem in that it may be difficult to perform an operation test of a fire detector in some cases.

[0006] This disclosure is made to solve the problems described above and aims to provide a smoke tester that can easily perform operational testing of fire detectors. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The smoke tester according to this disclosure is a smoke tester mounted on a drone for performing operational tests on a fire detector, comprising: a cover surrounding the fire detector; a pipe extending vertically along the side of the cover; a smoke generating unit connected to the lower part of the pipe for introducing test smoke into the pipe; an opening formed at the upper part of the pipe for blowing the test smoke introduced into the pipe into the cover; and a cushioning member formed at the upper end of the cover. The covering portion comprises a ring-shaped frame that constitutes the upper end of the covering portion, and a cylindrical cover supported by the frame that constitutes the side portion of the covering portion, the cushioning member being provided on the upper surface of the frame, and the frame being supported by the pipe so as to be tiltable. It is. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to this disclosure, it is possible to easily perform operational tests on fire detectors. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This diagram shows the state of the smoke tester according to Embodiment 1 when in use. [Figure 2] This is a side view showing the configuration of the smoke tester according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 3] This is a perspective view showing the configuration of the frame and pipes in the smoke tester according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 4] This is a side view showing the configuration of the smoke tester according to Embodiment 1 when a downward external force is applied to the frame. [Figure 5] This figure shows the state of the smoke tester according to Embodiment 1 during an operational test. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] Embodiment 1. A smoke detector according to Embodiment 1 will now be described. The smoke detector of this embodiment is configured to perform an operational test of a fire detector using test smoke. The fire detector is, for example, a smoke detector installed on the ceiling. Figure 1 shows the smoke detector according to this embodiment in use. The vertical direction in Figure 1 represents the vertical up and down direction.

[0011] As shown in Figure 1, when the operation test of the fire detector is performed, the smoke tester 10 is mounted on top of the drone 80. A drone is a remotely controlled multi-rotor type unmanned aerial vehicle.

[0012] Figure 2 is a side view showing the configuration of the smoke tester according to this embodiment. Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the frame and pipes in the smoke tester according to this embodiment. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the smoke tester 10 has a cover 20, pipes 30, a smoke generating section 40, a camera 60, and a cushioning member 50.

[0013] The cover 20 is configured to surround the fire detector during operational testing of the fire detector. The cover 20 has a bottom 21, a frame 22, and a cover 23. The cover 20 forms a hood that surrounds the sides and bottom of the fire detector. The top surface of the cover 20 is open.

[0014] The bottom portion 21 is formed so that it is approximately horizontal when the smoke tester 10 is mounted on the drone 80. The frame 22 is formed in a circular ring shape with a central axis 22a. The frame 22 is positioned above the bottom portion 21. The frame 22 is positioned opposite the bottom portion 21 so as to be parallel to it. The frame 22 constitutes the upper end of the cover portion 20. A portion of the frame 22 in the circumferential direction is supported by the pipe 30.

[0015] The cover 23 constitutes a side surface portion of the covering portion 20. The cover 23 is supported by the frame 22. The cover 23 is formed into a deformable sheet shape using vinyl resin or the like. The cover 23 is formed in a cylindrical shape. The axial length of the cover 23 is longer than the distance between the frame 22 and the bottom portion 21. The upper end of the cover 23 is fixed to the frame 22 substantially over the entire circumference. A part of the upper end of the cover 23 in the circumferential direction may be fixed to a frame connecting portion 31 described later. The cover 23 hangs down from the frame 22 by its own weight. When the cover 23 is supported by the frame 22, the shape of the cover 23 is generally a cylindrical shape coaxial with the frame 22. The lower end of the cover 23 is in contact with the bottom portion 21.

[0016] The pipe 30 is arranged inside the cover 23. The pipe 30 extends vertically along the cover 23. The pipe 30 has a frame connecting portion 31 connected to the frame 22. The frame connecting portion 31 is provided at the upper end of the pipe 30. Inside the pipe 30, a smoke flow path 30a through which test smoke flows is formed.

[0017] In the present embodiment, the pipe 30 also serves as a vertical frame that supports the frame 22. For this reason, the lower end portion of the pipe 30 is fixed to the bottom portion 21. Thereby, the frame 22 is fixed to the bottom portion 21 via the pipe 30. The pipe 30 may have elasticity or stretchability so that the smoke tester 10 can absorb impact when contacting a ceiling or a fire detector.

[0018] A smoke introduction port 30b is formed at a lower portion of the pipe 30. The smoke introduction port 30b is configured to introduce test smoke into the smoke flow path 30a from outside the pipe 30.

[0019] A first opening 32a and a second opening 32b are formed at an upper portion of the pipe 30. The first opening 32a and the second opening 32b are provided at positions having different heights from each other. Both the first opening 32a and the second opening 32b are provided above the smoke introduction port 30b.

[0020] The first opening 32a is formed in the frame connection portion 31. The first opening 32a is located at the same height as the frame 22. The second opening 32b is located below the first opening 32a. Each of the first opening 32a and the second opening 32b opens in a direction parallel to the bottom portion 21 and toward the central axis 22a of the frame 22. Test smoke in the smoke flow path 30a blows out into the cover portion 20 from each of the first opening 32a and the second opening 32b.

[0021] The smoke generating unit 40 is configured to generate test smoke. As the smoke generating unit 40, for example, an atomizer that generates smoke by heating a mixed liquid of glycerin and propylene glycol with a heating coil is used. The smoke generating unit 40 is of a battery-powered type that operates using electric power from a battery. The smoke generating unit 40 operates, for example, by remote control.

[0022] The smoke generating unit 40 is disposed inside the cover portion 20, that is, on the bottom portion 21 and inside the cover 23. The smoke generating unit 40 has a smoke outlet 41 for discharging test smoke. The smoke outlet 41 is connected via a tube 42 to the smoke inlet 30b of the pipe 30. Thereby, the test smoke generated by the smoke generating unit 40 flows through the tube 42 into the smoke flow path 30a in the pipe 30.

[0023] The cushion member 50 is provided at the upper end portion of the cover portion 20. The cushion member 50 is formed in a circular ring shape centered on the central axis 22a. The cushion member 50 of the present embodiment is provided on the upper surfaces of the frame 22 and the frame connection portion 31.

[0024] The cushion member 50 is a component that absorbs the impact when the smoke tester 10 comes into contact with the ceiling. The cushion member 50 also has the function of suppressing the leakage of test smoke from inside the cover 20 to the outside by closely contacting the ceiling. The cushion member 50 has elasticity, deforming when an external force is applied and returning to its original shape when the external force is removed. The cushion member 50 is formed using, for example, sponge, fur, or the like.

[0025] When the smoke tester 10 comes into contact with the ceiling as the drone 80 ascends, the smoke tester 10 receives a reaction force from the ceiling. This reaction force puts a load on the drone 80, increasing the power consumed by the drone 80. As a result, the drone 80 may overheat or its flight time may be shortened. Furthermore, due to the effects of the reaction force, the drone 80 may lose its attitude in mid-air and fall.

[0026] In contrast, in this embodiment, a cushioning member 50 is provided at the upper end of the cover portion 20, so the cushioning member 50 comes into contact with the ceiling. The impact when the smoke tester 10 comes into contact with the ceiling is absorbed by the cushioning member 50. Therefore, the reaction force that the smoke tester 10 receives from the ceiling can be mitigated. This prevents abnormal overheating of the drone 80, shortening of the flight time of the drone 80, and the drone 80 from falling.

[0027] The camera 60 is positioned inside the covering 20, specifically on the bottom 21 and inside the cover 23. The camera 60 captures images of the vertically upward direction. The operator of the drone 80 can view these images in real time. Therefore, even if the fire detector is installed in a location that is difficult for the drone 80 operator to see, such as in a high-ceilinged area like an atrium or above a duct, the drone 80 operator can move the smoke tester 10 to the location of the fire detector.

[0028] On the bottom 21 and inside the cover 23, in addition to the smoke-generating unit 40, a control box (not shown) may be located. The control box may house, for example, a receiver for remotely operating the smoke-generating unit 40, a battery for the receiver, a battery for the smoke-generating unit 40, etc. The control box may be located outside the cover 20.

[0029] In this embodiment, the frame connection portion 31 also functions as a hinge portion that tilts the frame 22 relative to the bottom portion 21. That is, the frame 22 is supported by the pipe 30 so that it can be tilted.

[0030] Figure 4 is a side view showing the configuration of the smoke tester according to this embodiment when a downward external force is applied to the frame. The frame 22 is rotatable around the frame connection part 31 as the axis of rotation. Under normal conditions, the frame 22 is maintained parallel to the bottom part 21 by the action of a torsion coil spring (not shown), etc. In Figure 4, the frame 22 under normal conditions is shown by a dashed line.

[0031] When a downward external force is applied to the frame 22, as shown in Figure 4, the frame 22 tilts downward together with the cushion member 50, with the frame connection portion 31 as the axis of rotation. At this time, the distance between the frame 22 and the bottom portion 21 decreases in the portion of the frame 22 that is far from the frame connection portion 31. This change in distance is absorbed by the deformation of the cover 23. As a result, even if the ceiling is inclined with respect to the horizontal plane, the cushion member 50 can be brought into close contact with the ceiling, making it easy to perform operational tests of the fire detector. When the frame 22 tilts downward, the orientation of the first opening 32a may also be tilted downward in accordance with the tilt of the frame 22.

[0032] When the downward external force on the frame 22 is removed, the frame 22 returns to a state parallel to the bottom 21 due to the action of a torsion coil spring or the like.

[0033] Next, a method for testing the operation of a fire detector using a smoke detector will be described. Figure 5 shows the state of the smoke detector during operation testing according to this embodiment. As shown in Figure 5, a fire detector 91 is installed on the ceiling 90. The fire detector 91 has a smoke detection section 92 that protrudes downward. Multiple air inlets 93 are formed on the side of the smoke detection section 92 to introduce indoor air into the smoke detection section 92. The bottom surface of the smoke detection section 92 is covered by a protective plate 94. In addition, when the fire detector 91 is activated, an operation confirmation light 95 lights up.

[0034] As the drone 80 is remotely controlled, the smoke tester 10 is brought closer to the fire detector 91, and the fire detector 91 is surrounded by the cover 20. When the smoke tester 10 comes into contact with the ceiling 90, the impact is absorbed by the cushioning member 50, thus mitigating the reaction force that the smoke tester 10 receives from the ceiling 90. This reduces the load on the drone 80. In addition, the cushioning member 50 is in close contact with the ceiling 90 around its entire circumference with respect to its central axis 22a.

[0035] At this time, since the drone 80 is stationary in the air, a strong downward airflow is generated around the smoke tester 10 due to the rotation of the propeller. However, since the internal space of the cover 20 is surrounded by the cover 23 and the cushioning member 50, the airflow from the propeller has almost no effect on the internal space of the cover 20.

[0036] The test smoke generated in the smoke-generating section 40 flows into the smoke channel 30a through the tube 42 and the smoke inlet 30b. The test smoke that flows into the smoke channel 30a rises within the smoke channel 30a and is blown out into the internal space of the cover section 20 from the first opening 32a and the second opening 32b, respectively.

[0037] In the configuration shown in Figure 5, the smoke detection section 92 of the fire detector 91 is located at the same height as the first opening 32a. Therefore, one of the multiple air inlets 93 faces the first opening 32a. The test smoke blown out from the first opening 32a flows towards the air inlet 93 facing the first opening 32a. Since the internal space of the cover 20 is hardly affected by the airflow from the propeller, the test smoke blown out from the first opening 32a flows into the air inlet 93 without much diffusion. The operation of the fire detector 91 can be confirmed by checking the illumination of the operation confirmation light 95 using the camera 60. This makes it possible to perform an operational test of the fire detector 91 without filling the entire internal space of the cover 20 with test smoke.

[0038] As described above, the smoke tester 10 according to this embodiment is configured to be mounted on a drone 80 to perform operational tests on a fire detector 91. The smoke tester 10 comprises a cover 20, a pipe 30, a smoke generating section 40, a first opening 32a and a second opening 32b, and a cushioning member 50. The first opening 32a and the second opening 32b are examples of openings.

[0039] The cover portion 20 is configured to surround the fire detector 91. The pipe 30 extends vertically along the side of the cover portion 20. The smoke generating portion 40 is connected to the lower part of the pipe 30. The smoke generating portion 40 is configured to introduce test smoke into the pipe 30. The first opening 32a and the second opening 32b are formed at the top of the pipe 30. The first opening 32a and the second opening 32b are configured to blow the test smoke introduced into the pipe 30 into the cover portion 20. The cushioning member 50 is formed at the upper end of the cover portion 20.

[0040] With this configuration, the operation of the fire detector 91 can be tested by remotely controlling the drone 80 equipped with the smoke tester 10. Therefore, even if the fire detector 91 is installed in a high-ceiling area such as an atrium or above a duct, the operation of the fire detector 91 can be easily tested.

[0041] Furthermore, this configuration allows test smoke to be blown out from the first opening 32a and the second opening 32b toward the fire detector 91. This enables efficient flow of test smoke into the air inlet 93 formed on the side of the fire detector 91. Consequently, the operation test of the fire detector 91 can be performed quickly.

[0042] Furthermore, with this configuration, the impact when the smoke tester 10 comes into contact with the ceiling 90 can be absorbed by the cushioning member 50. As a result, the reaction force that the smoke tester 10 receives from the ceiling 90 can be mitigated, and the load on the drone 80 can be reduced. Consequently, abnormal overheating of the drone 80 and insufficient output of the drone 80's battery can be prevented. In addition, because the reaction force that the smoke tester 10 receives from the ceiling 90 is mitigated, the attitude of the drone 80 in the air can be stabilized, thus preventing the drone 80 from falling.

[0043] In the smoke tester 10 according to this embodiment, the first opening 32a and the second opening 32b are multiple openings provided at different heights. With this configuration, test smoke can be blown out toward the fire detector 91 from each of the first opening 32a and the second opening 32b, which are provided at different heights. Therefore, even when sequentially performing operational tests on multiple types of fire detectors with different protrusion heights from the ceiling 90, test smoke can be efficiently introduced into the air inlet 93 of each fire detector.

[0044] In the smoke tester 10 according to this embodiment, the cover portion 20 may have a bottom portion 21, a ring-shaped frame 22, and a cylindrical cover 23. The frame 22 is positioned above the bottom portion 21 and opposite to it. The frame 22 constitutes the upper end of the cover portion 20. The cover 23 is supported by the frame 22. The cover 23 constitutes the side portion of the cover portion 20.

[0045] In the smoke detector 10 according to this embodiment, the frame 22 is supported by a pipe 30 so as to be tiltable. With this configuration, even when the ceiling 90 is inclined with respect to the horizontal plane, the operation test of the fire detector 91 can be easily performed.

[0046] In this embodiment, the pipe 30 also serves as a vertical frame, but a separate vertical frame may be provided in addition to the pipe 30. In this case, the frame 22 is fixed to the bottom 21 via a separately provided vertical frame. In this case, the pipe 30 is mainly used to form the smoke passage 30a. Therefore, as long as the upper end of the pipe 30 is supported by the frame 22, the lower end of the pipe 30 does not need to be fixed to the bottom 21. [Explanation of symbols]

[0047] 10 Smoke tester, 20 Cover, 21 Bottom, 22 Frame, 22a Central axis, 23 Cover, 30 Pipe, 30a Smoke passage, 30b Smoke inlet, 31 Frame connection, 32a First opening, 32b Second opening, 40 Smoke generating section, 41 Smoke outlet, 42 Tube, 50 Cushioning material, 60 Camera, 80 Drone, 90 Ceiling, 91 Fire detector, 92 Smoke detection section, 93 Air inlet, 94 Protective plate, 95 Operation confirmation light.

Claims

1. A smoke detector tester mounted on a drone to perform operational tests on fire detectors, A cover surrounding the fire detector, A pipe extending vertically along the side surface of the covering portion, A smoke generating unit connected to the lower part of the aforementioned pipe, which introduces test smoke into the aforementioned pipe, An opening is formed at the top of the pipe, which blows the test smoke introduced into the pipe into the cover, A cushioning member formed at the upper end of the covering portion, Equipped with, The aforementioned covering part is, The ring-shaped frame that constitutes the upper end of the covering portion, A cylindrical cover supported by the frame and constituting the side portion of the covering, It has, The cushioning member is provided on the upper surface of the frame, The frame is supported by the pipe so as to be tiltable. Smoke detector.

2. The smoke tester according to claim 1, wherein the openings are a plurality of openings provided at different heights.

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