Battery tamper indicator for detector

Abstract

A smoke detector includes a tamper indicator that can prevent a cover from at least partially covering a battery location and/or mounting of a detector body to a detector mount if a battery is not located at the battery location of the detector body. The detector mount and/or cover can engage with the detector body by relative rotation about an engagement axis, and the tamper indicator can pivot about a pivot axis that is parallel to the engagement axis and/or move along a linear path. The tamper indicator can prevent engagement of a portion of the detector mount, such as an intermediate component between the detector body and a base of the detector mount, with the detector body. The intermediate component can at least partially cover the battery location when engaged with the detector body. The base of the detector mount can engage with the detector body via the intermediate component.

1 . A smoke detector comprising:
 a body including at least one spiral ramp; and   an indicator to prevent assembly of the smoke detector absent installation of a battery, the indicator including a cam follower that engages the spiral ramp to enable the indicator during installation or removal of the battery to (i) downwardly or upwardly move and (ii) pivot to a position outside or inside of a location for the battery.   
     
     
         2 . The smoke detector of  claim 1 , wherein the indicator is configured to pivot about a pivot axis, and wherein the spiral ramp extends around the pivot axis. 
     
     
         3 . The smoke detector of  claim 2 , wherein the indicator is configured to both pivot about the pivot axis and move along the pivot axis. 
     
     
         4 . The smoke detector of  claim 1 , wherein the indicator is configured to pivot within the location for the battery about a pivot axis between first and second positions and to have a portion that extends out of the battery location when the tamper indicator is in the second position. 
     
     
         5 . A smoke detector comprising:
 a body configured to receive and hold a battery;   a tamper indicator mounted to the body and configured to move both pivotally and along a linear path between the first and second positions; and   a cover disposed on the body and movable independent of the tamper indicator.   
     
     
         6 . The smoke detector of  claim 5 , wherein the cover is part of a detector mount configured to be secured to a surface and to support the smoke detector on the surface. 
     
     
         7 . The smoke detector of  claim 6 , wherein the detector mount includes a base configured to be secured to the surface and the cover is an intermediate component of the detector mount configured to releasably engage with both the base and the detector body. 
     
     
         8 . The smoke detector of  claim 5 , wherein the cover is configured to engage with the detector body via rotation about an engagement axis and the tamper indicator is configured to pivot about a pivot axis that is parallel to the engagement axis. 
     
     
         9 . The smoke detector of  claim 5 , wherein the cover is configured to engage with the detector body via rotation about an engagement axis, and the tamper indicator is configured to prevent rotation of the cover about the engagement axis for engagement with the detector body when in the second position. 
     
     
         10 . The smoke detector of  claim 5 , wherein the tamper indicator is configured to pivot between the first and second positions about a pivot axis that is oriented along a direction in which the battery is received at the battery location. 
     
     
         11 . The smoke detector of  claim 5 , wherein the detector body has an upper surface arranged in a plane and the tamper indicator is configured to pivot between the first and second positions about a pivot axis that is oriented perpendicular to the plane. 
     
     
         12 . The smoke detector of  claim 5 , wherein the tamper indicator is configured to both pivot about a pivot axis and slide along the pivot axis in movement between the first and second positions. 
     
     
         13 . The smoke detector of  claim 5 , wherein the tamper indicator is configured to pivot within the battery location about a pivot axis between the first and second positions and to have a portion that extends out of the battery location when the tamper indicator is in the second position. 
     
     
         14 . The smoke detector of  claim 5 , wherein the tamper indicator moves along a spiral ramp between the first and second positions. 
     
     
         15 . The smoke detector of  claim 5 , wherein the tamper indicator is resiliently biased to move toward the second position and is configured such that a battery at the battery location holds the tamper indicator at the first position. 
     
     
         16 . The smoke detector of  claim 5 , wherein the tamper indicator in the second position is configured to prevent positioning of the cover suitably adjacent the detector body for engagement of the detector body with the cover. 
     
     
         17 . The smoke detector of  claim 5 , further comprising a detector mount configured to be secured to a surface and to engage the detector body to support the smoke detector on the surface, wherein the detector mount includes a sidewall with openings to permit air flow into a space defined by the detector mount and to a detector component of the detector body. 
     
     
         18 . The smoke detector of  claim 5 , wherein the tamper indicator includes an opening configured to receive a shaft of the detector body on which the tamper indicator is pivotally movable. 
     
     
         19 . The smoke detector of  claim 18 , wherein the tamper indicator is slidably movable along the shaft. 
     
     
         20 . The smoke detector of  claim 18 , wherein the detector body includes a spiral ramp configured to engage the tamper indicator and move the tamper indicator along the shaft in response to pivotal movement of the tamper indicator about the shaft.