Wall-Mountable Rotating Spray Head for Reduced Water Damage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Fire sprinkler systems are less commonly used in residential properties due to cost, water damage concerns, and retrofitting difficulties, while existing alternatives like the Automist system may not fully meet consumer expectations for design flexibility and safety.
Innovation Solution
A wall-mountable spray head unit with a rotatable spray nozzle assembly, sensors, and controllers that deliver a mist of fire-suppressant material, allowing early fire detection and efficient water usage, and can be easily installed in homes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional fire sprinkler systems are installed in residential properties, then fire safety is improved, but water damage risk and installation complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical parameters of water delivery by using high-pressure mist spray (droplets of approximately 40 to 120 microns in diameter) instead of traditional water flow. This parameter change allows effective fire suppression with significantly reduced water consumption and minimized water damage risk while maintaining fire safety reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments the water delivery function into separate components: external sensors detect fire conditions, the controller processes sensor signals, and the rotatable spray head assembly delivers suppressant material. This segmentation allows the spray head to be wall-mountable and easily retrofitted without complex installation requirements
2Reliability
If traditional fire sprinkler systems are installed in existing properties, then fire safety is improved, but retrofitting difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into independently installable components: wall-mountable spray head units with integrated rotatable assemblies, external sensors that can be mounted separately, and a controller. This modular segmentation enables easy retrofitting into existing properties without requiring complex structural modifications
Solution Approach 2:
The controller acts as an intermediary that receives signals from external sensors and activates the spray head assembly. This intermediary architecture allows flexible installation configurations where sensors can be positioned independently from spray heads, simplifying retrofitting processes in existing buildings
3Device complexity
If sensors are integrated into the rotatable spray head assembly, then system compactness is improved, but sensor monitoring capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments sensors from the rotatable spray head assembly, placing sensors externally while maintaining the spray head's rotational freedom. This segmentation ensures sensors can continuously monitor the room without being constrained by the spray head's movement, preserving both compactness and monitoring capability
Solution Approach 2:
The controller serves as an intermediary that receives signals from external sensors and triggers the rotatable spray head assembly to rotate and spray suppressant material. This intermediary architecture allows sensors to maintain fixed monitoring positions while the spray head rotates independently to target detected fire locations
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 system provides effective fire suppression with reduced water consumption, aesthetic integration, and simplified installation, addressing consumer desires for design flexibility and safety without the drawbacks of traditional systems.
Implementation Method 1
The spray nozzle may be configured such that the mist consists of droplets of approximately 40 to 120 microns in diameter. The spray nozzle may be configured to form a thin fan of water mist in the plane, which is preferably the vertical plane. This allows the Coanda effect to carry the mist spray.
Data Source
AI summary
A wall-mountable spray head unit (11) is described. The spray head unit comprises a rotatable spray head assembly (8) which comprises a spray manifold (18) rotatable about a first axis (17), a spray nozzle (19) supported by the spray manifold and orientated to deliver a mist of fire-suppressant material radially in a plane in a plane defined by the first axis and a second axis which is perpendicular to the first axis. The spray head unit includes a sensor (20) and/or an interface (35) for receiving a sensor signal from an external sensor and/or a control signal from an external controller. The rotatable spray head assembly does not support a sensor.