US 12,330,001 B1
Fire protection systems and methods using fire protection devices installed in pipe fittings with an internally housed seal member
Shawn J. Feenstra, Caledonia, MI (US); Gary William Pleyte, Hastings, MI (US); and Derek John Scheffers, Mattawan, MI (US)
Assigned to Minimax Viking Patent Management GmbH, Bad Oldelsoe (DE)
Filed by Minimax Viking Patent Management GmbH, Bad Oldesloe (DE)
Filed on Feb. 17, 2025, as Appl. No. 19/055,095.
Application 19/055,095 is a continuation of application No. 18/514,577, filed on Nov. 20, 2023, granted, now 12,257,465.
Application 18/514,577 is a continuation of application No. 17/915,291, granted, now 11,872,425, issued on Jan. 16, 2024, previously published as PCT/US2022/016868, filed on Feb. 17, 2022.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/247,630, filed on Sep. 23, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/150,421, filed on Feb. 17, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/150,439, filed on Feb. 17, 2021.
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A62C 31/28 (2006.01); A62C 31/02 (2006.01); A62C 37/11 (2006.01)
CPC A62C 31/28 (2013.01) [A62C 31/02 (2013.01); A62C 37/11 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A fire protection system comprising:
a pipe header having an internal fluid passageway extending along a longitudinal axis, the pipe header having an opening formed therein radially about the longitudinal axis;
a branch connector including a unitary tubular member having a first terminal end, and a second terminal end spaced from the first terminal end, the unitary tubular member including an internal gasket chamber surface between the first terminal end and the second terminal end with a single annular seal member housed in the tubular member and supported therein by the internal gasket chamber surface, an internally threaded surface between the internal gasket chamber surface and the second terminal end, and an internal stepless surface extending from the first terminal end to the internal gasket chamber surface, the first terminal end being connected about the opening in the pipe header with the stepless surface in fluid communication with the internal fluid passageway of the pipe header; and
a fire protection device comprising a frame having a frame body with a frame inlet, a frame outlet and a frame internal passageway extending from the frame inlet to the frame outlet along an axis of the fire protection device, the frame body being in a threaded engagement with the internally threaded surface of the tubular member to establish the frame internal passageway of the fire protection device in fluid communication with the internal fluid passageway of the pipe header;
wherein the fire protection device includes a fluid deflection member coupled to the frame and a protective cap disposed about the frame and the fluid deflection member,
wherein the protective cap includes an internal surface for engaging the frame and an external surface for applying a manual torque to the protective cap to thread in the fire protection device into engagement with the internally threaded surface of the tubular member, and
wherein the internal surface transfers the manual torque from the external surface of the protective cap to the frame of the fire protection device to compress the single annular seal member and provide a fluid tight seal between the fire protection device and the branch connector.