Localized automatic fire extinguishing apparatus

Abstract

An automated fire extinguishing apparatus includes a turret with a nozzle connected to a water supply. A plurality of sensors are used to detect a fire monitored by the apparatus. The signals from the sensors are used to aim the nozzle toward the fire and to initiate water ejection therefrom. After the fire is extinguished the water is turned off.

I claim:  
     
       1. A fire extinguishing apparatus comprising; 
       a turret mounted in a preselected area;  
       sensor means for detecting a fire;  
       nozzle means mounted on said turret, said nozzle means being arranged and constructed to eject a fire extinguishing agent; and  
       aiming means coupled to said sensor for aiming said nozzle means toward said fire when said fire is detected by said sensor means;  
       wherein said sensor means includes a first set of sensors having optical axes disposed at a first angle with respect to a vertical line and a second set of axis disposed at a second angle with respect to said vertical line.  
     
     
       2. The extinguisher of  claim 1  wherein said turret is rotatable. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of  claim 2  wherein said aiming means includes means for rotating said turret about a vertical axis. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of  claim 3  wherein said nozzle means is rotatable with respect to a horizontal axis. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said first set of sensors alternate with respect to said second said of sensors. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said sensor means is mounted on said turret for concurrent movement with said nozzle means. 
     
     
       7. A fire extinguishing apparatus comprising; 
       a housing rotatable about a first axis;  
       a nozzle supported by said housing;  
       sensor means for sensing a fire;  
       aiming means for aiming said nozzle toward said fire; and  
       water supply means coupled to said sensor means for supplying water to said nozzle when said fire is sensed;  
       wherein said sensor means comprises a plurality of sensors arranged in an array around said nozzle.  
     
     
       8. The apparatus of  claim 7  wherein said nozzle is rotatable about a second axis normal to said first axis. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of  claim 7  wherein said sensor means is mounted on said housing and is coupled to said nozzle for concurrent movement therewith. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of  claim 7  wherein said nozzle is constructed and arranged to occult said fire from some of said sensors when said nozzle is not aimed toward said fire. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus of  claim 7  wherein each of said sensors comprises an electrical element, and a field of vision, said electrical element generating an electrical signal when said fire is in the field of vision of the corresponding sensor. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of  claim 11  further comprising filtering means for filtering a frequency of said electrical signals to differentiate said fire from other heat sources. 
     
     
       13. A fire extinguishing apparatus comprising: 
       a housing disposed in a preselected area;  
       nozzle means for selectively directing water at a fire;  
       a plurality of sensor means mounted on the nozzle means, each said sensor monitoring a portion of said area to generate a sensor signal when a fire is detected; and  
       aiming means coupled to each said sensor means for aiming said nozzle toward said fire.  
     
     
       14. The apparatus of  claim 13  wherein said housing is rotatable about a vertical axis and said nozzle is mounted on said housing. 
     
     
       15. The apparatus of  claim 14  wherein said nozzle means is rotatable about a horizontal axis. 
     
     
       16. The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein said nozzle means and said sensors are mounted on an arm. 
     
     
       17. The apparatus of  claim 16  wherein said aiming means includes a pan motor for panning said housing about said vertical axis in response to signals from said sensors. 
     
     
       18. The apparatus of  claim 17  further comprising a tilting motor for tilting said nozzle means with respect to said horizontal axis in response to signals from said sensors. 
     
     
       19. A fire extinguishing apparatus comprising; 
       
         a housing rotatable about a first axis;  
       
       
         a nozzle supported by said housing;  
       
       
         a plurality of sensors arranged in an array around said nozzle, said sensors being used to sense a fire;  
       
       
         a nozzle aiming unit that aims said nozzle toward said fire; and  
       
       
         a fire extinguishing agent supply unit that supplies fire extinguishing agent to said nozzle when said fire is sensed. 
       
     
     
       20. The apparatus of  claim 19  wherein said nozzle is rotatable about a second axis normal to said first axis. 
     
     
       21. The apparatus of  claim 19  wherein said sensors are coupled to said nozzle for concurrent movement therewith. 
     
     
       22. The apparatus of  claim 19  wherein said nozzle is constructed and arranged to occult said fire from some of said sensors when said nozzle is not aimed toward said fire. 
     
     
       23. The apparatus of  claim 19  wherein each of said sensors comprises an electrical element with a field of vision, said electrical element generating an electrical signal when said fire is in the field of vision of the corresponding sensor. 
     
     
       24. The apparatus of  claim 23  further comprising a filter that filters a frequency of said electrical signals to differentiate said fire from other heat sources. 
     
     
       25. The apparatus of  claim 19  wherein said fire extinguishing agent supply unit stops the supply of said fire extinguishing agent to said nozzle when said fire is no longer sensed by said sensors. 
     
     
       26. The apparatus of  claim 25  wherein said sensors are coupled to said nozzle for concurrent movement therewith. 
     
     
       27. The apparatus of  claim 26  wherein said nozzle is constructed and arranged to occult said fire from some of said sensors when said nozzle is not aimed toward said fire. 
     
     
       28. The apparatus of  claim 25  wherein said nozzle is constructed and arranged to occult said fire from some of said sensors when said nozzle is not aimed toward said fire. 
     
     
       29. The apparatus of  claim 19  wherein said nozzle aiming unit aims said nozzle towards said fire based on signals from said sensors. 
     
     
       30. The apparatus of  claim 29  wherein said fire extinguishing agent supply unit stops the supply of said fire extinguishing agent to said nozzle when said fire is no longer sensed by said sensors. 
     
     
       31. A fire extinguishing apparatus comprising: 
       
         a housing disposed in a preselected area;  
       
       
         a nozzle that selectively directs fire extinguishing agent at a fire;  
       
       
         a plurality of sensors mounted on the nozzle, each said sensor monitoring a portion of said area to generate a sensor signal when a fire is detected; and  
       
       
         a nozzle aiming unit that aims said nozzle toward said fire. 
       
     
     
       32. The apparatus of  claim 31  wherein said housing is rotatable about a vertical axis and said nozzle is mounted on said housing. 
     
     
       33. The apparatus of  claim 32  wherein said nozzle is rotatable about a horizontal axis. 
     
     
       34. The apparatus of  claim 33  wherein said nozzle and said sensors are mounted on an arm. 
     
     
       35. The apparatus of  claim 34  wherein said nozzle aiming unit includes a pan motor for panning said housing about said vertical axis in response to signals from said sensors. 
     
     
       36. The apparatus of  claim 35  further comprising a tilting motor for tilting said nozzle with respect to said horizontal axis in response to signals from said sensors. 
     
     
       37. The apparatus of  claim 31  wherein said nozzle aiming unit aims said nozzle towards said fire based on signals from said sensors. 
     
     
       38. The apparatus of  claim 37  wherein said nozzle aiming unit determines that said nozzle is properly aimed at said fire by balancing the signals received from at least one opposing pairs of the sensors. 
     
     
       39. A method for directing a nozzle of a fire extinguishing apparatus towards a fire, said method comprising the acts of: 
       ( a )  monitoring infrared energy within a predetermined area;    
       ( b )  filtering out the infrared energy not within a predetermined frequency range to produce filtered energy signals;    
       ( c )  determining existence of a fire within the predetermined area based on the filtered energy signals;    
       ( d )  determining a location of the fire within the predetermined area when said determining (c)    determines the existence of the fire; and    
       ( e )  directing a nozzle of a fire extinguishing apparatus to the location of the fire,    
         wherein said determining  ( d )  of the location of the fire and said directing  ( e )  of the nozzle to the location of the fire are performed simultaneously.   
     
     
       40. A method as recited in  claim 39 , wherein said monitoring ( a )  monitors a plurality of infrared sensors.   
     
     
       41. A method as recited in  claim 39 , wherein the predetermined frequency range is from 5-10 Hz. 
     
     
       42. A method for directing a nozzle of a fire extinguishing apparatus towards a fire, said method comprising the acts of: 
       ( a )  monitoring infrared energy within a predetermined area;    
       ( b )  filtering out the infrared energy not within a predetermined frequency range to produce filtered energy signals;    
       ( c )  determining existence of a fire within the predetermined area based on the filtered energy signals;    
       ( d )  determining a location of the fire within the predetermined area when said determining  ( c )  determines the existence of the fire; and    
       ( e )  directing a nozzle of a fire extinguishing apparatus to the location of the fire;    
       
         wherein the fire extinguishing apparatus includes a plurality of sensors positioned around the nozzle, and the sensors detect the infrared energy. 
       
     
     
       43. A method as recited in  claim 42 , wherein said determining ( d )  of the location of the fire finds the location of the fire by balancing the infrared energy received from the sensors.   
     
     
       44. A method as recited in  claim 42 , wherein said determining ( d )  of the location of the fire and said directing  ( e )  of the nozzle to the location of the fire are performed simultaneously.   
     
     
       45. A method for extinguishing a detected fire, said method comprising the acts of: 
       ( a )  monitoring infrared energy within a predetermined area;    
       ( b )  filtering out the infrared energy not within a predetermined frequency range to produce filtered energy signals;    
       ( c )  determining existence of a fire within the predetermined area based on the filtered energy signals;    
       ( d )  determining a location of the fire within the predetermined area when said determining  ( c )  determines the existence of the fire;    
       ( e )  directing a nozzle of a fire extinguishing apparatus to the location of the fire;    
       ( f )  supplying fire extinguishing agent through said nozzle when said fire is sensed; and    
       ( g )  ceasing the supply of the fire extinguishing agent through said nozzle when said fire is no longer sensed by said sensors.   
     
     
       46. A method as recited in  claim 45 , wherein following said ceasing ( g ),  said method is again ready to locate another fire by repeating said acts  ( a )  through  ( g ). 
     
     
       47. A method as recited in  claim 45 , wherein said monitoring ( a )  monitors a plurality of infrared sensors.   
     
     
       48. A method as recited in  claim 45 , wherein the predetermined frequency range is from 5-10 Hz. 
     
     
       49. A method as recited in  claim 45 , 
       
         wherein the fire extinguishing apparatus includes a plurality of sensors positioned around the nozzle, and the sensors detect the infrared energy, and  
       
         wherein said determining  ( d )  of the location of the fire finds the location of the fire by balancing the infrared energy received from the sensors.   
     
     
       50. A method as recited in  claim 45 , wherein said determining ( d )  of the location of the fire and said directing  ( e )  of the nozzle to the location of the fire are performed simultaneously.   
     
     
       51. A method for extinguishing a detected fire, said method comprising the acts of: 
       ( a )  monitoring infrared energy within a predetermined area;    
       ( b )  filtering out the infrared energy not within a predetermined frequency range to produce filtered energy signals;    
       ( c )  determining existence of a fire within the predetermined area based on the filtered energy signals;    
       ( d )  determining a location of the fire within the predetermined area when said determining (   c )  determines the existence of the fire;    
       ( e )  directing a nozzle of a fire extinguishing apparatus to the location of the fire; and    
       ( f )  supplying fire extinguishing agent through said nozzle when said fire is sensed, wherein the fire extinguishing apparatus includes a plurality of sensors positioned around the nozzle, and the sensors detect the infrared energy, and    
         wherein said determining  ( d )  of the location of the fire finds the location of the fire by balancing the infrared energy received from the sensors.   
     
     
       52. A method for extinguishing a detected fire, said method comprising the acts of: 
       ( a )  monitoring infrared energy within a predetermined area;    
       ( b )  filtering out the infrared energy not within a predetermined frequency range to produce filtered energy signals;    
       ( c )  determining existence of a fire within the predetermined area based on the filtered energy signals;    
       ( d )  determining a location of the fire within the predetermined area when said determining (   c )  determines the existence of the fire;    
       ( e )  directing a nozzle of a fire extinguishing apparatus to the location of the fire; and    
       ( f )  supplying fire extinguishing agent through said nozzle when said fire is sensed,    
         wherein said determining  ( d )  of the location of the fire and said directing  ( e )  of the nozzle to the location of the fire are performed simultaneously.   
     
     
       53. An apparatus for detecting a location of a fire within a predetermined area, said apparatus comprising: 
       
         means for monitoring infrared energy within the predetermined area;  
       
       
         means for filtering out the infrared energy not within a predetermined frequency range to produce filtered energy signals;  
       
       
         means for determining existence of a fire within the predetermined area based on the filtered energy signals;  
       
       
         means for determining a location of the fire within the predetermined area when said means for determining determines the existence of the fire;  
       
       
         means for directing a nozzle of a fire extinguishing apparatus to the location of the fire;  
       
       
         means for supplying fire extinguishing agent through said nozzle when said fire is sensed; and  
       
       
         means for ceasing the supply of the fire extinguishing agent through said nozzle when said fire is no longer sensed by said sensors. 
       
     
     
       54. An apparatus as recited in  claim 53 , wherein said means for determining the location of the fire is performed using the filtered energy signals. 
     
     
       55. An apparatus as recited in  claim 54 , wherein said apparatus further comprises; 
       
         means for directing a nozzle of a fire extinguishing apparatus to the location of the fire. 
       
     
     
       56. An apparatus as recited in  claim 55 , wherein the determining of the location of the fire by said means for determining and the directing of the nozzle to the location of the fire by said means for directing are performed simultaneously.