An arrangement and method to monitor products in a fire safety cabinet

Abstract

The invention comprises the fire safety cabinet (4) having fire safety properties satisfying requirements of a fire safety standard. The arrangement further comprises at least one antenna (5) on a side structure (6) of the fire safety cabinet having at least one area allowing radio frequencies to propagate through the side structure. The antenna / s (5) is / are installed on said area / s, on an outer side of the side structure. The arrangement comprises also a RFID reader unit (10) connected to the antenna / s, and a cover (11) installed on said side structure.

Description

[0001] An arrangement and method to monitor products in a fire safety cabinet

[0002] Field of technology

[0003] The invention relates to arrangements and methods to monitor products in a fire safety cabinet.

[0004] Prior art

[0005] Fire safety cabinets are used to store flammable or explosive or other combustible materials / chemicals in order to prevent / restrict them to flame or explose in a fire situation. The fire safety cabinets, like fire safety storage cabinets, can be categorized into different material like flammable liquids, explosive products, pressurized gas etc. Further, the cabinets can be classified according to time of a certain temperature increase inside the cabinet, like 15, 30, 60 or 90 minutes. For satisfying the requirements the classification / categorization different fire safety standards are used fortesting the cabinets.

[0006] For example, EN 14470-1 is a fire safety standard to test cabinets for storing inflammables. According to this standard, the temperature increase inside the cabinet must not exceed 200 °C. Depending on the time taken to reach this temperature, the cabinet will be classified as type 15, 30, 60 or 90 min. These time classes leave sufficient time for humans to leave a place where the cabinet is, and for the firefighters to get in before the flammable products / chemical may flame I explode. As said, there are standards for different products, for example EN 14470-2 for pressurized gas cylinders. So, the structures of the cabinets are tested according to the standards. If the cabinet passes the tests of the standard, a certificate for satisfying the requirements of the standard is given.

[0007] In order to monitor products / chemicals inside the safety cabinet an RFID arrangement is used. The products inside the cabinet are labeled with RFID tags, and antennas are situated inside the cabinet so that a RFID reader can read reliably the RFID tags. The antennas require cablings through the structure of the cabinet, which means changes in the structure. Therefore, the certification of the cabinet is not valid anymore and the cabinet must be tested again according to the standard. The testing is expensive and time consuming.

[0008] Short description

[0009] The object of the invention is to make an alternative solution in order to alleviate the problems of known solutions. The object is achieved in a way described in the independent claims. Dependent claims illustrate different embodiments of the invention.

[0010] A monitoring arrangement to monitor products in a fire safety cabinet according to the invention comprises the fire safety cabinet having fire safety properties satisfying requirements of a fire safety standard. The arrangement further comprises at least one antenna on a side structure of the fire safety cabinet having at least one area allowing radio frequencies to propagate through the side structure. The antenna / s are installed on said area / s, on an outer side of the side structure. The antenna / s are capable to create radio waves inside the fire safety cabinet for reading RFID tags of the products. The arrangement comprises also a RFID reader unit connected to the antenna / s, and a cover installed on said side structure to prevent radio frequencies to propagate through the cover.

[0011] A method for monitoring products in a fire safety cabinet according to the invention provides a fire safety cabinet. The cabinet has fire safety properties satisfying requirements of a fire safety standard.

[0012] The method further comprises steps of providing at least one antenna on a side structure of the fire safety cabinet having at least one area allowing radio frequencies to propagate through the side structure, said antenna / s provided on said area / s, on an outer side of the side structure; providing a RFID reader unit connected to said antenna / s; providing a cover on said side structure to prevent radio frequencies to propagate through the cover; and providing radio waves inside the fire safety cabinet for reading RFID tags of the products. List of figures

[0013] In the following, the invention is described in more detail by reference to the enclosed drawings, where

[0014] Figure 1 illustrates an example of a fire safety cabinet,

[0015] Figure 2 illustrates an example of an embodiment according to the invention,

[0016] Figure 3 illustrates another example of an embodiment according to the invention, and

[0017] Figure 4 illustrates a flow chart example of an inventive method.

[0018] Description of the invention

[0019] Figure 1 illustrates a schematic example of a fire safety cabinet 1. The cabinet comprises a door / doors 2 in a front side for putting products into the cabinet and taking them away from the cabinet. As said, the fire safety cabinet has fire safety properties satisfying requirements of a fire safety standard, for example EN 14470-1.

[0020] Figure 2 shows an example of an arrangement 3 according to the invention. The arrangement comprises the fire safety cabinet 4 having fire safety properties satisfying requirements of a fire safety standard.

[0021] The arrangement further comprises at least one antenna 5 on a side structure 6 of the fire safety cabinet having at least one area allowing radio frequencies to propagate through the side structure. The antenna / s 5 is / are installed on said area / s, on an outer side of the side structure. The outer side of the side structure is the surface away from the internal space 7 of the cabinet 4.

[0022] The antenna / s 5 is / are capable to create radio waves inside the fire safety cabinet for reading RFID tags 9A, 9B, 9C of the products 8A, 8B, 8C. The arrangement comprises also a RFID reader unit 10 connected to the antenna / s, and a cover 11 installed on said side structure to prevent radio frequencies to propagate through the cover. The cover can be a metal plate, or another plate having a metal sheet. In addition, the cover 11 may comprises other part as well, like metal tape etc.

[0023] The fire safety properties satisfying requirements of a fire safety standard are illustrated schematically in figure 2 as side structures 6, 6A, 6B, 6C. So, in this text the side structures are the structures of the cabinet, which provide the requirements of a fire safety standard. Therefore, each side structure for its part provides the requirements of a fire safety standard.

[0024] The side structures cover the internal space 7 of the cabinet in all six directions. So, also the door / s comprises the side structure having required fire safety properties. The side structures mean also the structures on the top and bottom of the of the cabinet.

[0025] The side structures 6, 6A, 6B, 6C comprise often material, like metal, which prevents radio frequencies to go through the side structure. However, there can be at least one side structure in the fire safety cabinet 4 satisfying requirements of a fire safety standard, which side structure allows the propagation of radio frequencies through it. This side structure may as whole, or partly, or having several areas to allow radio frequencies to go through. So, the side structure has at least one area allowing radio frequencies to propagate through the side structure. The material / s in the area allow the propagation of radio frequencies. It may also be possible that the fire safety cabinet satisfying the requirements of the standard, has more than one side structure as described above to allow the propagation of the radio waves through it. Therefore, the fire safety cabinet may have another or more side structure / s 6 having at least one area 19, 19A, 19B allowing radio frequencies to propagate through it / them on which other structure / s there is at least one antenna 5. These antennas are also connected to the RFID reader unit 10.

[0026] As can be noted the invention comprises a radio frequency identification system (RFID) which utilizes electromagnetic fields, like radio waves to identify the tags 9A, 9B, 9C of the products 8A, 8B, 8C.

[0027] The RFID tags comprises an antenna for receiving and transmitting signals; an integrated circuit, which stores (The integrated circuit comprises a memory.) and processes information and modulates and demodulates radio frequency (RF) signals; and a body wherein the antenna and the integrated circuit are. An RFID reader unit is a main unit of an RFID system. The RFID reader unit transmits and receives radio waves in order to communicate with RFID tags. So, the reader sends a radio signal for identifying the tags of the products in the cabinet. The reader is in connection with one or more antennas 5 for transmitting and receiving radio waves. The antenna / s can be an integrated antenna with the reader unit or an external antenna / s, 5 as the case is in figure 2 and 3.

[0028] The tags 9A, 9B, 9C are usually passive, in other words they are powered by energy of the radio waves from the RFID reader. However, the tags may be active tags, i.e. they are powered by a battery. The active tags are not so common than passive tags.

[0029] After receiving the identification radio wave signal from the RFID reader unit 10 (via the antennas) the RFID tag 9A, 9B, 9C provides a response radio wave signal containing its identification and other possible information. The identification information may, for example, be a serial number of the product whereto the tag is attached. The other information relates also to the product where to the tag is attached, like a stock number, production date and other product specific information. The response signal is received by the RFID reader unit 10. The content of the received response signal can usually be transmitted forward via, for example, a communication module 17 connected with the RFID reader unit. The communication module can also be integrated with the reader unit. The communication module can, for example, be a LAN module, Wi-FI module, or 4G / LTE modem. As can be seen it is possible to make inventory from the products inside the fire safety cabinet.

[0030] Regarding the RFID technology, it should be noted that there are three main areas of frequencies having different read ranges and other specifications. Three main frequency ranges are low frequency 30 - 300 kHz; high frequency 13.56 MHz; and ultra-high frequency 300 - 3000 MHz. Inside the fire safety cabinet, it is convenient to use the frequency within a range of 860 - 960 MHz.

[0031] When situating the antenna / s on the side structure of the fire safety cabinet having at least one area allowing radio frequencies to propagate through it, a coverage space of the radio waves 13 inside the cabinet should receive all possible locations inside the cabinet and on selves 14 whereto the products 8A, 8B, 8C with the tags can be situated. Energy of the used radio frequency should be enough high, that the tags receive the radio wave signal from the RFID reader unit (via the antennas).

[0032] The cover 11 is installed on the side structure whereto the antenna / s are to prevent radio frequencies to propagate through the cover. In this way, the radio waves from the antennas do not disturb surrounding area around the fire safety cabinet. For example, next to the fire safety cabinet there can be a self for other products which are provided with another RFID system. The RFID system of the fire safety cabinet is not desired to disturb the other RFID system.

[0033] So, within the arrangement according to the invention, the fire safety cabinet and the cover can provide a Faraday cage for RFID frequencies used in the arrangement. The Faraday cage may contain small holes, which do not allow the used RFID frequencies to go through them.

[0034] Figure 3 shows another embodiment 15 according to the invention. The antennas 5 are situated on a back side 18 of the cabinet 4A. The back side is a side structure of the fire safety cabinet having at least one area allowing radio frequencies to propagate through the side structure. In this example the area 19 is almost as large as the whole back side 18, but the area / s can also be another size 19A, 19B.

[0035] The antennas are connected to the RFID reader unit 10 through cables 16. In this embodiment the reader unit 10 is situated on the top surface of the cabinet 4A, but it can be situated on another surface of the cabinet as well. In addition, the reader unit 10 is further connected to a communication module 17, which can, for example, be a LAN module, Wi-FI module, or 4G / LTE modem. A cover 11A is installed on the back side 18, covering the antennas in order to prevent the propagation of the radio waves from the antennas to the surrounding of the fire safety cabinet.

[0036] The fire safety cabinet may also have other structures 12, which do not affect to the required fire safety standard properties. These other structures may, for example, be additional surfaces / plates, which have an effect on appearance and / or mechanical support, etc. These other structures may be utilized when installing the antennas, the cables and the reader unit. Therefore, the other structures can be used when installing the antennas on at least one area 9, 19A, 19B allowing radio frequencies to propagate through the side structure. So, the antenna / s are installed on an outer side of the side structure 6, like on the surface of the side structure or the surface of the other structure.

[0037] A possible embodiment of the invention is that the antennas 5 are attached on the cover 11 , more precisely on the inside surface of the cover, which is towards the side structure 6. In this way a modular structure can be constructed, which is easy to install on the fire safety cabinet. The modular structure having the cover 11 and the antennas 5 is easy to modify to be suitable for different fire safety cabinets, like for different dimension, sizes, etc.

[0038] Further, an inventive embodiment can also comprise an access control device to follow users of the fire safety cabinet, the access control device is in connection with the monitoring system, more precisely with the RFID reader unit 10. When a product is removed from the fire safety cabinet, or added into the cabinet, it can be monitored who removed or added the product. As said above, the product is provided with the tag.

[0039] Further, the access control device can comprise a lock for daily use. This lock is installed on the fire safety cabinet in such a way that it does not affect the fire safety properties according to the fire safety standard. The lock for daily use makes it possible to restrict the users of the fire safety cabinet so that only authorized users can open the door of the fire safety cabinet. It is also possible that the authorized users only can open the door at a certain time of the day, and the rest time of the day all users are allowed to use the cabinet.

[0040] Figure 4 illustrates a flow chart example of a method according to the invention. A method for monitoring products in a fire safety cabinet according to the invention has a step of providing 41 a fire safety cabinet. The cabinet has fire safety properties satisfying requirements of a fire safety standard. The method further comprises steps of providing 42 at least one antenna on a side structure of the fire safety cabinet having at least one area allowing radio frequencies to propagate through the side structure, said antenna / s provided on said area / s, on an outer side of the side structure; providing 43 a RFID reader unit connected to said antenna / s; providing 44 a cover on said side structure to prevent radio frequencies to propagate through the cover; and providing 55 radio waves inside the fire safety cabinet for reading RFID tags of the products.

[0041] In addition, the method can provide a Faraday cage for RFID frequencies used in the method. The RFID radio frequencies used in the method can be in a range of 860 - 960 MHz. A cable / s can be provided in the method between the antenna / s and the RFID reader unit for connecting the antennas with the reader unit.

[0042] If the fire safety cabinet has another or more side structure / s 6 having at least one area 19, 19A, 19B allowing radio frequencies to propagate through it / them, the method according to the invention may provide at least one antenna 5 on the other or more side structure / s 6.

[0043] As described above, the inventive arrangement and method provides a solution wherein the safety certificate of the existing fire safety cabinet is not jeopardized I ruined when installed the RFID system. In addition, the installed RFID system does not disturb other RFID systems or other system around the fire safety cabinet. The inventive solution is cost-effective, and it works fine in a challenging fire safety cabinet space.

[0044] It may also be possible to utilize more than one side structure of the fire safety cabinet for installation of the antennas, if more than one side structures have area / s allowing radio frequencies to propagate through the side structure.

[0045] The figures of this description are schematic. Therefore, the dimensions of the inventive arrangement in the figures may be exaggerated and real embodiments may comprise other parts not illustrated in the figures.

[0046] The inventive monitoring system can be installed on the fire safety cabinet when manufacturing the cabinet. However, it is also possible to install the monitoring system afterwards. The retrofitting is especially convenient when using the above said modular structure having the cover and the antennas.

[0047] It is evident from the above that the invention is not limited to the embodiments described in this text but can be implemented in many other different embodiments within the scope of the independent claims.

Claims

Claims1. A monitoring arrangement to monitor products in a fire safety cabinet, the arrangement (3, 15) comprising the fire safety cabinet (4, 4A) to store flammable material having fire safety properties satisfying requirements of a fire safety standard, characterised in that the arrangement further comprises at least one antenna (5) on a side structure (6) of the fire safety cabinet (4, 4A) having at least one area (19, 19A, 19B) allowing radio frequencies to propagate through the side structure, said antenna / s installed on said area / s, on an outer side of the side structure (6), said antenna / s (5) being capable to create radio waves inside the fire safety cabinet for reading RFID tags (9A, 9B, 9C) of the products; a RFID reader unit (10) connected to said antenna / s; and a cover (11 , 11 A) installed on said side structure (6) to prevent radio frequencies to propagate through the cover (11 , 11 A).

2. An arrangement according to claim 1 , characterised in that the arrangement (3, 15) provides a Faraday cage for RFID frequencies used in the arrangement.

3. An arrangement according to claim 2, characterised in that the RFID radio frequencies are in a range of 860 - 960 MHz.

4. An arrangement according to claim 1 , 2 or 3, characterised in that the arrangement (3, 15) comprises a communication module (17) connected with the RFID reader unit (10).

5. An arrangement according to any of claims 1 - 4, characterised in that the communication module (17) is a LAN module, Wi-FI module, or 4G / LTE modem.

6. An arrangement according to any of claims 1 - 5, characterised in that arrangement comprise a cable / s (16) between the antenna / s (5) and the RFID reader unit (10).

7. An arrangement according to any of claims 1 - 6, characterised in that the fire safety cabinet has another or more side structure / s (6) having at least one area (19, 19A, 19B) allowing radio frequencies to propagate through it / them on which other structure / s there is at least one antenna (5).

8. An arrangement according to any of claims 1 - 7, characterised in that said side structure / s for its part provides the requirements of a fire safety standard.

9. An arrangement according to any of claims 1 - 6, characterised in that the antennas (5) are attached on the cover (11), on the inside surface of the cover, which is towards the side structure 6.

10. An arrangement according to any of claims 1 - 9, characterised in that it comprises an access control device is in connection with the RFID reader unit (10)11. An arrangement according to claim 10, characterised in that the access control device comprises a lock for daily use.

12. A method for monitoring products in a fire safety cabinet to store flammable material, in which method a fire safety cabinet is provided (41), said cabinet having fire safety properties satisfying requirements of a fire safety standard, characterised in that the method further comprises steps of providing (42) at least one antenna on a side structure of the fire safety cabinet having at least one area allowing radio frequencies to propagate through the side structure, said antenna / s provided on said area / s, on an outer side of the side structure; providing (43) a RFID reader unit connected to said antenna / s; providing (44) a cover on said side structure to prevent radio frequencies to propagate through the cover. providing (45) radio waves inside the fire safety cabinet for reading RFID tags of the products.

13. A method according to claim 12, characterised in that the method provides a Faraday cage for RFID frequencies used in the method.

14. A method according to claim 13, characterised in that the RFID radio frequencies are in a range of 860 - 960 MHz.

15. A method according to any of claims 12 - 14, characterised in that a cable / s (16) is / are provided between the antenna / s and the RFID reader unit.

16. A method according to any of claims 12 - 15, characterised in that at least one antenna (5) is provided on another or more side structure / s (6) having at least one area (19, 19A, 19B) allowing radio frequencies to propagate through it / them.

17. A method according to any of claims 12 - 16, characterised in that said side structure / s for its part provides the requirements of a fire safety standard.

Images