US 11,938,360 B2
Retrofit fire extinguisher apparatus
Shai Lavi, Hoshaya (IL); Aharon Binur, Amir (IL); and Yury Konovalenko, Hagoshrim (IL)
Assigned to LEHAVOT PRODUCTION & PROTECTION (1995) LTD., Lehavot Habashan (IL)
Appl. No. 17/264,335
Filed by LEHAVOT PRODUCTION & PROTECTION (1995) LTD., Lehavot Habashan (IL)
PCT Filed Aug. 1, 2019, PCT No. PCT/IB2019/056578
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Feb. 3, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/031037, PCT Pub. Date Feb. 13, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 1812726 (GB), filed on Aug. 6, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0299503 A1, Sep. 30, 2021
Int. Cl. A62C 37/00 (2006.01); A62C 13/76 (2006.01); A62C 37/50 (2006.01)
CPC A62C 37/50 (2013.01) [A62C 13/76 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A retrofit unit for retrofitting a conventional mechanical fire extinguisher having a pressurized canister, the retrofit unit comprising:
a body portion having a fluid path, said body portion having:
(i) a first connector for connection to a valve assembly of the fire extinguisher, such that when connected to said valve assembly in an operative mode, said fluid path fluidly communicates with a fluid volume within the canister; and
(ii) at least one of (A) a mechanical pressure gauge, and (B) a second connector for connection to said mechanical pressure gauge;
an electronic pressure sensor, connected to said body portion, and adapted to sense a fluid path pressure within said fluid path;
a processor adapted to receive at least one pressure-associated signal sensed by said electronic pressure sensor, and to produce pressure information based on said pressure-associated signal;
a power source adapted to provide power to said processor and to said electronic pressure sensor,
wherein at least one condition selected from the group consisting of a first condition, a second condition, a third condition, a fourth condition, a fifth condition, and a sixth condition is true, and wherein:
I. according to the first condition, the retrofit unit further comprises a transmitter, functionally associated with said processor, adapted to transmit said pressure information to a remote location, said processor is adapted to receive at least two pressure-associated signals from said electronic pressure sensor and to identify a change in pressure within the fluid path based on said at least two received signals, and said transmitter is adapted to transmit a notification indicating said identified change, to a user;
II. according to the second condition, the retrofit unit further comprises a transmitter, functionally associated with said processor, adapted to transmit said pressure information to a remote location, said processor is adapted to receive at least two pressure-associated signals from said electronic pressure sensor at two different times and to identify a rate of change in pressure within said fluid path (dP/dt) based on said at least two received signals;
III. according to the third condition, the retrofit unit further comprises a transmitter, functionally associated with said processor, adapted to transmit said pressure information to a remote location, said processor is further adapted to identify a pressure within said fluid path dropping beneath a pre-determined threshold based on said received at least one pressure-associated signal, and said transmitter is adapted to transmit a notification indicating said drop in pressure, to a user;
IV. according to the fourth condition, the retrofit unit further comprises a location sensor functionally associated with said processor, said location sensor adapted to provide to said processor at least one location signal indicating a location of the fire extinguisher, and said processor is adapted to identify a change in location of the fire extinguisher based on said received at least one location signal;
V. according to the fifth condition, the retrofit unit further comprises an orientation sensor functionally associated with said processor, said orientation sensor adapted to provide to said processor at least one orientation signal indicating a three dimensional orientation of the fire extinguisher, and said processor is adapted to identify a change in orientation of the fire extinguisher based on said received at least one orientation signal; and
VI. according to the sixth condition, the retrofit unit further comprises a real time clock (RTC), operative independently of said power source, said RTC is functionally associated with said power source and with said processor, said power source and said processor are adapted to have a first, sleeping mode, in which no measurements take place, and a second, measurement mode, in which said processor controls said electronic pressure sensor to provide said at least one pressure signal, and said RTC is adapted to trigger said power source and said processor to move from said sleeping mode to said measurement mode.