Sprinkler Emergency Drain with Flexible Lip and Rolled Line
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fire safety devices for sprinkler systems are bulky, difficult to store and use, especially for young or elderly individuals, and may not effectively manage accidental sprinkler head activations, as they do not consider the possibility of a fire starting in the area where water is being channeled to a drain, and may not be large enough to capture all water flow from extended sprinkler heads.
Innovation Solution
A compact, lightweight, and portable shallow mouth water collection ring and drain line assembly that can be easily stored and deployed, featuring a flexible annular lip for adjusting to any angle and a polypropylene drain line that can expand from a compact roll, with the option to melt in case of a fire, allowing for efficient diversion of water from accidentally opened sprinkler heads to a drain or for fire control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional fire sprinkler water catching apparatus are used, then water can be channeled to a drain, but the devices are bulky and difficult to store and use
Solution Approach 1:
The drain line is stored in a compact rolled configuration within the collection ring assembly, with the roll core serving as a structural element. The entire assembly can be stored in a compact form factor that is significantly smaller than conventional devices, while still providing sufficient drain line length when deployed.
Solution Approach 2:
The device is divided into distinct functional components: a collection ring with lip for capturing water, a rolled drain line for water conveyance, and a support structure. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and facilitates compact storage while maintaining functionality.
2Volume of moving object
If the collection device is made compact, then storage is improved, but it may not be large enough to capture all water flow from extended sprinkler heads
Solution Approach 1:
The collection ring features a flexible annular lip that can dynamically adjust its position and angle to accommodate sprinkler heads at various distances from the ceiling and at different orientations. This flexibility allows the compact device to effectively capture water flow from extended sprinkler heads without requiring a larger fixed structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The device utilizes materials with specific properties - the flexible lip can deform and adapt its shape, the rolled drain line can expand from a compact state to a functional state. These parameter changes allow the device to maintain small storage volume while achieving sufficient water capture capacity when deployed.
3Ease of operation
If conventional drain hoses are used, then water can be conveyed to drain, but they are difficult to store and deploy
Solution Approach 1:
The drain line is stored in a compact rolled configuration within the collection ring assembly, with the roll core serving as a structural element. This nested arrangement eliminates the need for separate hose storage containers and simplifies deployment, as the drain line is already positioned and ready for use.
Solution Approach 2:
The drain line storage function is merged with the collection ring structure itself. The rolled drain line is integrated into the assembly, eliminating the need for separate hose management systems and reducing overall device complexity while maintaining functionality.
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 solution provides a compact, user-friendly device that effectively channels water from accidentally opened sprinkler heads to a drain, reducing damage and allowing for potential fire control by melting in case of a fire, addressing the bulkiness and inefficiencies of prior art devices.
Implementation Method 1
The plastic, in one embodiment, of both the shallow mouth collection ring and drain line assembly should be capable of quickly melting when exposed to heat and flames such that, should a fire break out near the small mouth collection ring and drain line assembly during use, the assembly will melt and thus no longer contain and convey water from an opened sprinkler head so the water will be distributed to the area of the fire from the sprinkler head
Data Source
AI summary
A fire sprinkler emergency drain apparatus for conveying liquid from an open or leaking sprinkler head or leaking portion of a fire extinguishing system that includes a shallow mouth collection ring and drain line assembly having a collection ring of a size to surround a fire sprinkler head or a recessed opening in which a fire sprinkler head is positioned and a flexible drain line connected to the collection ring to convey liquid from the sprinkler head to a drain area, the drain line being mounted in a rolled configuration wherein the drain line is flattened in cross sectional configuration adjacent the collection ring and the shallow mouth collection ring and drain line assembly being supported by a handle adapted to be attached to a pole for use in elevating the shallow mouth collection ring and drain line assembly relative to a sprinkler head.