Sprinkler Head Set Pin Inclined Surface Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fire-extinguishing sprinkler heads face issues with reduced load and flexure due to downsizing, leading to premature water leakage and delayed activation, as well as mechanical misalignment and inclination problems that hinder smooth operation.
Innovation Solution
The sprinkler head design incorporates a set pin with an inclined surface and a straight portion, along with a resilient body of multiple coned disc springs, to restrict initial inclination and ensure stable breakdown action, preventing excessive misalignment and ensuring reliable activation by maintaining the necessary load and preventing water leakage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the diameter of the coned disc spring is reduced to downsize the sprinkler head, then the size of the sprinkler head is reduced, but the load applied by the coned disc spring and flexure decline, causing water leakage before activation
Solution Approach 1:
The single coned disc spring is divided into multiple coned disc springs arranged in parallel. Each spring contributes to the total load, allowing the individual springs to be smaller in diameter while maintaining the required total load and flexure for reliable activation without water leakage.
Solution Approach 2:
The coned disc springs are positioned to contact specific regions of the valve element (first and second contact regions). This localized contact distribution optimizes the load application and flexure characteristics, ensuring reliable activation while allowing smaller spring dimensions.
2Reliability
If the heat-sensitive disassembling unit inclines too much during activation, then the breakdown action is compromised, but restricting inclination may hinder the breakdown mechanism
Solution Approach 1:
The set pin incorporates an inclined surface that dynamically adapts to the heat-sensitive disassembling unit's movement. As the unit inclines during breakdown, the inclined surface of the set pin rotates accordingly, maintaining proper contact and guidance without excessive restriction, thus ensuring both stability and smooth operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The set pin acts as an intermediary between the resilient body and the heat-sensitive disassembling unit. Its inclined surface mediates the interaction, allowing controlled inclination while preventing excessive misalignment, thereby balancing activation stability with breakdown smoothness.
3Device complexity
If a single coned disc spring is used to simplify the structure, then the number of components is reduced, but the load distribution and activation control are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The single coned disc spring is segmented into multiple springs that contact different regions of the valve element. This segmentation improves load distribution precision across the valve element surface, ensuring uniform and reliable activation while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
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 design enhances the reliability and stability of sprinkler head activation by maintaining the necessary load and preventing water leakage, ensuring timely and effective fire extinguishing while minimizing mechanical misalignment.
Implementation Method 1
a resilient body, which comprises a plurality of coned disc springs
Implementation Method 2
The heat-sensitive disassembling unit goes into action to break down when sensing an outbreak of fire
Data Source
AI summary
A sprinkler head includes a main body, a valve element, a heat-sensitive disassembling unit, a cylindrical frame, a set pin between the valve element and the disassembling unit, and a spring member engaged with the pin. The body includes a nozzle from which fire-extinguishing liquid is discharged. The disassembling unit includes a plunger having an interior circumferential surface. The disassembling unit keeps the nozzle closed with the valve element and opens the nozzle through a breakdown action during activation. The frame includes an upper part connected to the body and a lower part engaged with the disassembling unit. The pin includes a leg inserted in the plunger and including an inclined surface and a straight portion closer to the valve element. The straight portion is in contact with and slidable over the circumferential surface. The breakdown action causes the pin to move, with the inclined surface contacting the circumferential surface.