Fire Suppression Cylinder Mounting with Arcuate Brackets

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Fire suppression systems with pressurized cylinders mounted on vehicles often fail due to stress from repeated movement over rough terrain, causing the mounting apparatus to fracture and render the system inoperable.

Innovation Solution

A mounting apparatus with a support body and retaining members that enclose more than 50% of the cylinder's circumference, featuring arcuate support brackets and compressible materials like silicone, along with a design that allows for secure engagement and easy removal, is used to stabilize the cylinder.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional mounting apparatus with minimal enclosure is used, then the device complexity and weight are reduced, but the reliability and strength under vibration stress deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemounting apparatus reliabilityVSAvoidmounting apparatus complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The mounting apparatus is divided into a support body and separate retaining members that can be independently positioned and adjusted. The support body provides structural support while the retaining members provide adjustable retention, allowing each component to be optimized for its specific function and reducing overall complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The support body encloses more than 50% of the cylinder circumference, providing enhanced protection and stability where needed. The retaining members provide additional localized retention at specific positions. This distributed approach to enclosure and retention improves reliability without requiring complete circumferential enclosure throughout.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Strength

If traditional mounting apparatus with minimal enclosure is used, then the device complexity and weight are reduced, but the strength under vibration stress deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemounting apparatus strengthVSAvoidmounting apparatus complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The mounting apparatus is divided into a support body and separate retaining members that can be independently positioned and adjusted. The support body provides structural support while the retaining members provide adjustable retention, allowing each component to be optimized for its specific function and reducing overall complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The support body encloses more than 50% of the cylinder circumference, providing enhanced protection and stability where needed. The retaining members provide additional localized retention at specific positions. This distributed approach to enclosure and retention improves reliability without requiring complete circumferential enclosure throughout.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Stability of the object's composition

If the wall extends around more than 50% of the cylinder circumference, then the stability and security are improved, but the weight and manufacturing complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecylinder stabilityVSAvoidmounting apparatus weight
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The mounting apparatus is divided into a support body and separate retaining members that can be independently positioned and adjusted. The support body provides structural support while the retaining members provide adjustable retention, allowing each component to be optimized for its specific function and reducing overall complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The support body encloses more than 50% of the cylinder circumference, providing enhanced protection and stability where needed. The retaining members provide additional localized retention at specific positions. This distributed approach to enclosure and retention improves reliability without requiring complete circumferential enclosure throughout.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

4Stability of the object's composition

If the wall extends around more than 50% of the cylinder circumference, then the stability and security are improved, but the manufacturing cost and complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecylinder stabilityVSAvoidmounting apparatus manufacturability
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The mounting apparatus is divided into a support body and separate retaining members that can be independently positioned and adjusted. The support body provides structural support while the retaining members provide adjustable retention, allowing each component to be optimized for its specific function and reducing overall complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The support body encloses more than 50% of the cylinder circumference, providing enhanced protection and stability where needed. The retaining members provide additional localized retention at specific positions. This distributed approach to enclosure and retention improves reliability without requiring complete circumferential enclosure throughout.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

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

The apparatus provides enhanced stability and security for the fire suppression system, reducing the risk of failure and maintaining system operability even under harsh conditions, while also being lighter and easier to manufacture.

Implementation Method 1

The arcuate portion may include a compression material, such as silicone for example, which may be arranged to compress when the arcuate portion is pressed against the cylinder

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCompression: Compression

Implementation Method 2

The arcuate portion may include a compression material, such as silicone for example, which may be arranged to compress when the arcuate portion is pressed against the cylinder

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP3858442A1Mounting apparatus for fire suppression system
Publication Date: 2021.08.04 ARDENT LTD
  • EP3858442A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3858442A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3858442A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A mounting apparatus 100, for a fire suppression system that includes a cylinder, comprises a support body 120, defining an interior mounting space for the cylinder in use, and at least one retaining member 130, for securely retaining the cylinder in the mounting space. The body has a wall arranged in use to extend around more than 50% of the circumference of the cylinder when the cylinder is in the mounting space.