Dry Sprinkler Assembly Centering Wall for Full Fluid Opening
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing dry sprinkler assemblies face challenges in facilitating the positioning and translation of internal components while minimizing surface contact between these components and the housing, leading to potential interference and reduced fluid flow efficiency.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a tubular outer housing with specific internal surface configurations, including a cantilevered centering wall and dissimilar surface geometries, to centrally locate and axially translate the fluid control assembly, minimizing interference and maximizing fluid flow by ensuring non-parallel surfaces and annular gaps, thereby facilitating full opening of the sprinkler assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If internal components are positioned close to the housing to maximize space utilization, then device compactness is improved, but surface contact between components and housing increases causing interference and reduced fluid flow efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a cantilevered centering wall that extends radially inward from the housing, creating a three-dimensional positioning structure. This wall provides a landing surface for the fluid control assembly while maintaining axial spacing between the assembly and the housing, thus resolving the conflict between compact positioning and fluid flow efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The centering wall acts as an intermediary structure between the housing and the fluid control assembly. It provides support and positioning functions while preventing direct surface contact between the assembly and housing, thereby eliminating interference and maintaining optimal fluid flow paths.
2Speed
If internal components are allowed to translate freely during actuation, then responsiveness to fire is improved, but component interference with housing increases
Solution Approach 1:
The centering wall is positioned asymmetrically within the housing, creating a unique translation path for the fluid control assembly. This asymmetric positioning ensures that during actuation, the assembly moves along a predetermined path that avoids contact with the housing, thus preventing interference while maintaining fast response.
Solution Approach 2:
The centering wall is pre-positioned within the housing during manufacturing, establishing the correct geometric relationship between the housing and the fluid control assembly before actuation. This preliminary positioning ensures that during rapid translation upon actuation, the assembly follows the correct path without interfering with the housing.
3Ease of manufacture
If parallel surfaces are used between housing and internal components, then manufacturing simplicity is improved, but fluid flow efficiency is reduced due to interference
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using parallel surfaces between the housing and internal components, the patent employs a cantilevered centering wall with non-parallel surfaces. This asymmetric geometry eliminates interference zones while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through standard machining operations.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration enhances the fluid flow efficiency by allowing the sprinkler to fully open and discharge firefighting fluid effectively, with improved discharge characteristics and reduced interference, supporting fast response to fires.
Implementation Method 1
a thermally responsive trigger assembly disposed between the fluid deflection member and the outlet opening to define an unactuated state of the sprinkler assembly, while operation of the thermally responsive trigger assembly defines an actuated state of the sprinkler assembly
Data Source
AI summary
Automatic dry sprinkler assemblies for fire protection systems. Preferred embodiments of the automatic dry sprinkler assemblies include a tubular outer housing having an inlet, an outlet opening, and an internal surface configuration proximate the outlet opening that defines an internal landing surface and a cantilevered centering wall. A fluid deflection member is spaced from the outlet opening along a fluid flow path of the assembly. A fluid control assembly disposed within the outer housing for axial translation from an unactuated state to an actuated state of the sprinkler assembly to control fluid flow from the inlet to the outlet for fluid discharge along the fluid flow path to the deflection member. The internal landing surface and cantilevered centering wall are axially spaced from one another proximate the outlet opening to circumscribe and confront components of the fluid control assembly to facilitate centering and axial translation of the fluid control assembly.