FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to a composite body based fire extinguisher system. More particularly, the present invention relates to a composite body based fire extinguisher with intelligent wireless reporting system in which the fire extinguisher is a composite body based fire extinguisher that is fully UV protected and the reporting unit helps in real time or periodic monitoring of parameters that includes but not limited to temperature, pressure, movement and battery health.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

All the commercial establishments, homes, warehouses, public places and vehicles are required to install fire extinguishers to comply with the fire and safety rules and regulations. An external fire safety system is known as a fire extinguisher, which is used for extinguishing and/or controlling minor fires in emergency situations. Commonly, a fire extinguisher consists of a hand-held cylindrical pressure vessel, which carries an agent for extinguishing the fire.

Fire extinguishers are categorized into six different categories according to the type of fire. Different categories of fire extinguisher divided according to the type of fire includes water, foam, CO ₂ , powder, water mist and wet chemical. The water fire extinguishers are used for extinguishing class A fires, where solid combustibles such as wood, paper and textiles cause the fire. The water fire extinguishers are used in shops, offices, retail premises, schools, hotels, warehouses and domestic premises. The aqueous film forming foam (AFFF) fire extinguishers are used for extinguishing fire caused by class A and B fire, where fire is caused by inflammable liquids. The AFFF foam fire extinguishers are used in shipboard and shore facility fire suppression systems, fire fighting vehicles, and at fire training facilities. The CO ₂ fire extinguishers are used for extinguishing fire caused by class B fire, where the electrical equipment causes fire. The CO ₂ fire extinguishers are used in businesses where liquids may be present such as auto garages, workshops or manufacturing plants and it can also be used in server rooms, and/ or any area with large amounts of electrical equipment. The fire extinguisher works by releasing the fire extinguishing material at high pressure when a lever at the top of the fire extinguisher cylinder is pressed. The fire extinguishers include a plastic siphon tube, which leads from the bottom of the fire-suppressant reservoir to the top of the fire extinguisher. A spring-mounted valve is provided to block the passageway from the siphon to the nozzle. A smaller cylinder filled with compressed gas including carbon dioxide is provided at the top of the fire extinguishing cylinder. The compressed gas remains captured in the fire extinguisher with the help of a release valve. The safety pin is pulled out and the operating lever is depressed to use the fire extinguisher.

Currently, the fire extinguishers are inspected by a specialized operator. It is essential to carry these inspections manually every three months to ensure proper operation of the fire extinguishers. However, many owner/ occupant of the building where fire extinguishers are installed, fail to provide proper inspection, which results in non-functioning of the fire extinguishers, when they are required to perform. The non-timely inspection of the fire extinguishers causes various problems including loss of pressure, clogging of hoses, damaging of critical components and damaging of fire extinguishers due to long time exposure to environmental forces. A fire extinguisher depressurization occurs in the form of a slow leak that releases the gas and this depressurization occur due to a leaky and/or damaged valve component such as an O-ring seal or valve stem and moreover, damage to the cylinder of fire extinguisher causes slow leaks. The clogging of hoses and damaging of critical components of a fire extinguisher occurs even when fire extinguisher is partially used by discharging a small burst and after such partial use, the fire extinguishers are not serviced and/ or replaced. Moreover, fire extinguishers are also damaged due to long time exposure to harsh environmental condition such as low and high temperatures, exposure to UV rays, humidity, precipitation and other forms of moisture and excessive vibrations.

Further, the manual inspection of fire extinguishers is a crucial process that involves a thorough examination of various components to ensure their proper functioning. However, it is important to note that there are some drawbacks associated with this method. One of the drawbacks is the reliance on visual inspection. While visual examination can reveal obvious issues such as physical damage or corrosion, it may not detect internal problems that can affect the performance of the fire extinguisher. Hidden issues like clogged nozzles or damaged seals may go unnoticed, leading to a false sense of security regarding the extinguisher's effectiveness during an emergency.

Another drawback is the need for trained personnel to perform the inspection. Manual inspection requires individuals who have a good understanding of fire extinguishers, their components, and the relevant safety guidelines. Without proper training, there is a risk of missing critical signs of malfunction or incorrectly assessing the condition of the extinguisher, potentially compromising its effectiveness in an emergency situation.

Additionally, manual inspection can be time-consuming, especially in facilities with a large number of fire extinguishers. The process involves handling each extinguisher individually, which can be labor-intensive and may cause delays in regular inspections. This can be a challenge for organizations with limited resources or busy schedules, increasing the likelihood of postponed or incomplete inspections.

US20020029891A1 discloses an apparatus for remote inspection of fire extinguishers at one or a system of fire extinguisher stations includes, e.g., at each fire extinguisher station: a detector for lack of presence of a fire extinguisher in its installed position at the fire extinguisher station, a detector for out-of-range pressure of contents of the fire extinguisher at the fire extinguisher station, a detector for an obstruction to viewing of or access to the fire extinguisher at the fire extinguisher station and a device for transmission of inspection report information from the fire extinguisher station to a remote central station. However, the main drawback of present invention is the use of a Hall Effect sensor as the hall effect sensors work on the principle of a magnetic field, which makes the external magnetic fields to interfere, thereby providing inaccuracy in the measured value.

US20150290482 Al discloses improvements to a portable fire extinguisher where the improvements relate to a system where the owner of the extinguisher can monitor and maintain their fire protection. Systems in place today require the servicing of a third party. The service companies (third parties) are charged with maintaining the system. Further Improvements include an anti-bridging mechanism that is articulated from the exterior of the chamber to fluff, mix or stir the powder within the chamber to keep it in a liquefied state. The improvements further include a wall mounting bracket that reduces tampering with the extinguisher, an automatic fluffing motor and manual fluffing wheel. The bracket and or the fire extinguisher can have intelligence that identifies the location and the status of the fire extinguisher that can be accessed by a computer or smart device like a cell phone or tablet. However, the main drawback of present invention is the use of an external gas cartridge as the external gas cartridges operated fire extinguishers limits its application to places with low temperatures and/ or places, which are exposed to adverse conditions, these cartridges operated fire extinguisher are comparatively heavier. Although, such cartridges operated fire extinguishers have fewer accidental discharges, but tampering with the agent is possible since the pressure is not stored inside of the extinguisher. The cartridge-operated fire extinguishers include an indicator, to provide information about the activation of pressure, however, it is not required and the pressure gauge on a stored-pressure extinguishers are considered to be advantageous over the cartridge-operated fire extinguishers.

Therefore, due to aforementioned drawbacks, there is a need to provide a composite body based fire extinguisher with intelligent wireless reporting system having UV protection for real time or periodic wireless monitoring of parameters like temperature, pressure, location movement, etc.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The main object of the present invention is to provide a composite body based fire extinguisher with a UV protected vessel and that is made of a flexible material.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an intelligent wireless reporting system with a near field communication module that eliminates the need of manual inspection and to use digital inspection and instant wireless reporting to address the uncertainty of issues of manual inspection (i.e. paper based inspection), such as proof of actual inspection. Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an intelligent wireless reporting system, which provides a real-time movement notification of the composite body based fire extinguisher.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an intelligent wireless reporting system to provide remote maintenance of composite body based fire extinguisher.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a composite body based fire extinguisher with intelligent wireless reporting system having an alerting module such as LED light, which gets activated in case the measured temperature or pressure is more or less than a threshold value.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a composite body based fire extinguisher with intelligent wireless reporting system with a smart power supply unit, which notifies the health of the power source.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a composite body based fire extinguisher with intelligent wireless reporting system for efficiently monitoring the optimal working condition of the composite body based fire extinguisher.

In an embodiment, the present invention provides a composite body based fire extinguisher with intelligent wireless reporting system, comprising a fire extinguisher, a reporting module. The fire extinguisher includes a container body, a base and an operating lever. The container body have an aramid fibre material that is woven on an inner side of the container body, which increases strength and the container body is a density polyethylene composite body with a UV protection feature. The reporting module includes a housing, at least one transmitter, at least one receiver, at least one connector, a plurality of sensor, at least one battery unit and at least one cover. The housing encloses the transmitter, the receiver, plurality of sensor, the battery unit along with a near field communication module and a LED indicator. The plurality of sensors are configured for sensing a set of parameters of the fire extinguisher. The near field communication module is configured to transfer the set of parameters to a remote server via a wireless mode and the remote server is configured to analyze the set of parameters to determine whether the fire extinguisher has a normal status or abnormal status and the remote server sends the status to a mobile device for monitoring purposes. The remote server is configured to activate an alert mechanism in the mobile device and the reporting module in case of detection of an abnormal status, whereby the alert mechanism sends notification to the mobile device and activates the LED indicator to alert an operator aware about the abnormal status and the remote server is configured to maintain a log of the set of parameters and the status. The reporting module is connected to a monitoring system for collecting the log and performing a set of functions based on the log.

In another embodiment, the present invention provides a composite body based fire extinguisher with intelligent wireless reporting system that comprise of a smart power supply unit, a receiving and transmitting module for receiving the parameters from the sensors and transferring the parameters to the near field communication module.

In another embodiment, the present invention provide a composite body based fire extinguisher with intelligent wireless reporting system in which the near field communication module enables communication between a plurality of devices when the plurality of devices are touched together and/ or brought within a range of few centimeters range, the near filed communication module maintains logs and sends notification regularly.

The above objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the hereinafter set forth brief description of the drawings, detailed description of the invention, and claims appended herewith.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

An understanding of the composite body based fire extinguisher with intelligent wireless reporting system of the present invention may be obtained by reference to the following drawing: Figure 1 is a block diagram of composite body based fire extinguisher with intelligent wireless reporting system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a block diagram of reporting module of composite body based fire extinguisher with intelligent wireless reporting system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 3 is a flow diagram of working of composite body based fire extinguisher with intelligent wireless reporting system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of composite body based fire extinguisher with intelligent wireless reporting system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of composite body based fire extinguisher with intelligent wireless reporting system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention will now be described hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiment set forth herein. Rather, the embodiment is provided so that this disclosure will be thorough, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.

Many aspects of the invention can be better understood with references made to the drawings below. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. Instead, emphasis is placed upon clearly illustrating the components of the present invention. Moreover, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts through the several views in the drawings. Before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the embodiments of the invention are not limited in their application to the details of construction and to the arrangement of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The embodiments of the invention are capable of being practiced and carried out in various ways. In addition, the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

The present invention provides a composite body based fire extinguisher with intelligent wireless reporting system, which ensures optimal working condition of the system through eliminating the need of manual inspection, and operates on a smart power supply unit.

In an embodiment, the present invention provides a composite body based fire extinguisher with intelligent wireless reporting system, comprising a fire extinguisher, a reporting module. The fire extinguisher includes a container body, a base and an operating lever. The container body have an aramid fibre material that is woven on an inner side of the container body, which increases strength and the container body is a density polyethylene composite body with a UV protection feature. The reporting module includes a housing, at least one transmitter, at least one receiver, at least one connector, a plurality of sensor at least one battery unit and at least one cover. The housing encloses the transmitter, receiver, plurality of sensor, battery unit along with a near field communication module and a TED indicator. The plurality of sensors are configured for sensing a set of parameters of a fire extinguisher. The near field communication module is configured to transfer the set of parameters to a remote server via a wireless mode and the remote server is configured to analyze the set of parameters to determine whether the fire extinguisher has a normal status or abnormal status and the remote server sends the status to a mobile device for monitoring purposes. The remote server is configured to activate an alert mechanism in the mobile device and reporting module in case of detection of an abnormal status, whereby the alert mechanism sends notification to the mobile device and activates the TED indicator to alert an operator aware about the abnormal status and the remote server is configured to maintain a log of the set of parameters and status. The reporting module is connected to a monitoring system for collecting the log and performing a set of functions based on the log.

Figure 1 is a block diagram of composite body based fire extinguisher with intelligent wireless reporting system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The present invention provides an composite body based fire extinguisher with intelligent wireless reporting system (100) comprising of a composite body based fire extinguisher (1), an reporting module (2).

The fire extinguisher (1) includes a container body (3), a base (4) and an operating lever (5). The container body (3) have an aramid fibre material that is woven on an inner side of the container body (3) which increases strength and the container body (3) is a density polyethylene composite body with a UV protection feature.

The container body (3) is made from a combination of density polyethylene and other materials and this composite construction enhances the strength and structural integrity of the fire extinguisher, making the fire extinguisher (1) more robust and less prone to damage.

The UV protection feature refers to a specific characteristic added to the composite body. The Ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun cause degradation and discoloration of materials over time and to protect the fire extinguisher from these harmful effects, the UV protection feature is incorporated into the container body (3) material which helps to prevent UV radiation from breaking down the molecular structure of the composite body, ensuring that the fire extinguisher (1) remains visually appealing and functional for an extended period, even when exposed to sunlight or other sources of UV radiation.

Figure 2 is a block diagram of reporting module of composite body based fire extinguisher with intelligent wireless reporting system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The reporting module (2) include a housing (6), at least one transmitter (7), at least one receiver (8), at least one connector, a plurality of sensor (9); at least one battery unit (10); and at least one cover (11).

The housing (6) encloses the transmitter (7), receiver (8), plurality of sensor (9), battery unit (10) along with a near field communication module (12), and a TED indicator (13). The plurality of sensors (9) are configured for sensing a set of parameters of a fire extinguisher (1).

The housing (6) serves as the outer protective shell that encloses and supports the internal components of the reporting module (2) and provides structural integrity, protection against external factors, and helps maintain the overall form of the reporting module (2). The transmitter (7) is responsible for transmitting data or signals wirelessly. In this case, it likely transmits information gathered by the sensors or other components to external devices or monitoring systems. The receiver (8) captures wireless signals or data sent from the sensors and monitoring external sources. It enables the fire extinguisher (1) to receive instructions or information from the remote server or mobile device. The plurality of sensors (9) are configured to detect and measure specific parameters related to the fire extinguisher (1).

The battery unit (10) provides power to the reporting module (2) and the near field communication module (12) enables communication between the fire extinguisher (1) and compatible NFC-enabled devices. It allows for convenient data transfer, configuration, or interaction with the extinguisher using NFC technology. The FED indicator (13) provides visual feedback or status information to the user or maintenance personnel. It display various signals, such as battery level, operational status, or alert notifications, making it easier to monitor the extinguisher's condition at a glance.

Additionally, the near field communication module (12) is configured to transfer the set of parameters to a remote server (14) via a wireless mode and the remote server (14) is configured to analyze the set of parameters to determine whether the fire extinguisher (1) has a normal status or abnormal status and the remote server (14) sends the status to a mobile device (15) for monitoring purposes.

Figure 3 is a flow diagram of working of composite body based fire extinguisher with intelligent wireless reporting system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The remote server (14) is configured to activate an alert mechanism in the mobile device (15) and reporting module (2) in case of detection of an abnormal status, whereby the alert mechanism sends notification to the mobile device (12) and activates the TED indicator (9) to alert an operator aware about the abnormal status and the remote server (14) is configured to maintain a log of the set of parameters and status and the reporting module (2) is connected to a monitoring system (16) for collecting the log and performing a set of functions based on the log. The aramid fibre material is preferably ballistic fibers that are high-strength synthetic or natural fibers resistant to penetration. The housing (6) is preferably sphere in shape and made up of material Polyethylene, Polypropylene, Polycarbonate, Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene, and Polyethylene Terephthalate. The housing (6) and the cover (11) are made up of materials that include but are not limited to steel, stainless steel, plastic, metal.

The plurality of sensor (9) include an accelerometer, pressure sensor, temperature sensor, battery health sensor, gyro sensor, weight sensor, gas/ liquid composition sensor. The set of parameters include but not limited to pressure, temperature, orientation, geo-coordinates, battery health level, orientation, weight. The remote server (14) is preferably a cloud-based platform for storage and analysis, which assist in real time monitoring, and alerting as well as historical data analysis for enhancing maintenance and ensuring compliance with a predefined safety regulations.

The notification include but not limited to an electronic mail and short message service. The set of functions include but are not limited to authentication, monitoring, maintenance, alarm panel and rectification status, centralized facilities, instant notification alerts, calendar maintenance and field inspection report. The reporting module (2) has weight in range from 90g to 110g and dimension. The connector is preferably a T connector.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of composite body based fire extinguisher with intelligent wireless reporting system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The container body include an aramid fibre material, which is woven on the inner side of the container body. The aramid fibres are synthetic fibres which increases the strength of the container body and the aramid fibre provide reinforcement and help the container body withstand external forces or pressure.

The aramid fibres are woven on the inner side of the container body, implying that they form a layer within the structure of the body itself and the positioning of the aramid fibres ensures that the fibres are strategically placed to provide optimal strength and reinforcement, primarily focusing on the inner side where additional support is often needed. Further the container body (3) is composed of a material called density polyethylene, which is a type of plastic known for its strength, toughness, and resistance to impact. Furthermore, the container body (3) include a UV protection feature which means that the material used in constructing the container body has been specifically treated or formulated to resist the harmful effects of ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun. The UV protection helps to prevent degradation, discoloration, or weakening of the container body due to prolonged exposure to sunlight.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of composite body based fire extinguisher with intelligent wireless reporting system according to an embodiment of the present invention. Further, as an improvement, the fire extinguisher (1) includes a connection point is usually a threaded port or a specific attachment point for installing the reporting module (2).

Further, the system (100) comprises of a smart power supply unit, a receiving and transmitting module for receiving the parameters from the sensors and transferring the parameters to the near field communication module and an alerting module such as LED light which gets activated in case the measured temperature or pressure is more or less than a threshold value.

As an improvement, the system may include an inclination or weight sensor for indicating a real time or periodic inclination angle of the fire extinguisher, an instant fault alert unit for detecting and indicating any kind of fault in the fire extinguisher or the reporting module. A tamper sensor for detection go any kind of tamper on the reporting module.

EXAMPLE 1

Working of the Invention

The composite body-based fire extinguisher with an intelligent wireless reporting system (100) includes a fire extinguisher (1) that comprises a container body (3), a base (4), and an operating lever (5). The container body (3) is structured with an inner layer woven from aramid fibre material, which significantly enhances the strength. The aramid fibre reinforcement provides added durability and resistance to external forces. Additionally, the container body (3) is composed of a density polyethylene composite material, making it robust and resistant to impact. The composite body also incorporates a UV protection feature, safeguarding the fire extinguisher from potential damage caused by prolonged exposure to sunlight.

Further the present invention includes a reporting module (2) having the housing (6) that encloses the transmitter (7), receiver (8), plurality of sensors (9), a battery unit (10), near field communication module (12), and LED indicator (13). The housing (6) is characteristically spherical in shape and is made from materials such as Polyethylene, Polypropylene, Polycarbonate, Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene, or Polyethylene Terephthalate.

The plurality of sensors (9) integrated into the reporting module (2) are responsible for monitoring a set of parameters related to the fire extinguisher (1). The plurality of sensors (9) include an accelerometer, pressure sensor, temperature sensor, battery health sensor, gyro sensor, weight sensor, and gas/liquid composition sensor. The near field communication module (12) facilitates the wireless transfer of the collected parameter data to a remote server (14). The remote server (14) then analyses the data to determine the normal or abnormal status of the fire extinguisher (1). If an abnormal status is detected, an alert mechanism is activated, triggering a notification to a mobile device (15) and illuminating the TED indicator (13) to alert the operator.

The remote server (14) is configured to maintain a log of the parameter data and the corresponding status and also activate various functions based on the log, such as authentication, monitoring, maintenance, alarm panel and rectification status, centralized facilities, instant notification alerts, calendar maintenance, and field inspection reports.

The remote server (14) is preferably a cloud-based platform that enables real-time monitoring and alerting, as well as historical data analysis to enhance maintenance and ensure compliance with pre-defined safety regulations.

The reporting module (2) is connected to the monitoring system (16) to collect and process the log data. The reporting module (2) has weight in range from 90g to 110g and dimension. The monitoring system (16) performs various functions based on the data, ensuring effective management and operation of the fire extinguisher system.

The present invention plays a critical role in mitigating potential fire hazards, by ensuring that the fire extinguishers are in optimal condition and ready for use at all times.

The conventional fire extinguishers are manually inspected on a periodic basis, which often leads to delays in identifying potential issues or malfunctions, whereas the present invention uses the reporting module (2) for real time monitoring. The reporting module continuously collects crucial data such as pressure levels, weight, and temperature of the extinguisher, ensuring that any anomalies or deviations from the expected range are promptly detected.

The reporting module is equipped with wireless connectivity options like remote server, loT, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth enabling seamless communication between the reporting module and the monitoring system. This eliminates the need for manual data collection and allows for remote monitoring and management of fire extinguishers across multiple locations or buildings. The wireless connectivity also enables automatic notifications to be sent to maintenance personnel or facility managers in case of any abnormalities or maintenance requirements.

Further, as and improvement, the collected data is processed and analyzed using one more advanced techniques within the reporting module or a centralized system. This analysis helps identify patterns, trends, and potential issues that may arise in fire extinguishers. By employing one or more predictive maintenance techniques, maintenance schedules are optimized, reducing the risk of equipment failure and enhancing the overall efficiency of fire safety management.

The implementation of the inspection module offers several significant benefits, such as enhancement in fire safety by ensuring that fire extinguishers are consistently maintained and in proper working condition. It also reduces the reliance on manual inspections, freeing up valuable time for maintenance staff to focus on other critical tasks. Moreover, the realtime monitoring and predictive maintenance capabilities help prevent emergency situations by proactively addressing any potential malfunctions or deficiencies in fire extinguishers. Therefore, the present invention provides a composite body-based fire extinguisher with an intelligent wireless reporting system which offers enhanced strength, remote monitoring capabilities, and real-time alerts for efficient fire extinguisher management and maintenance.

Many modifications and other embodiments of the invention set forth herein will readily occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention pertain having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.

The foregoing description of embodiments of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed, and modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings or may be acquired from practice of the invention. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain the principals of the invention and its practical application to enable one skilled in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.