US 12,458,821 B2
Protection and installation device for fire protection sprinklers
Shawn J. Feenstra, Caledonia, MI (US); and Gary William Pleyte, Byron Center, MI (US)
Assigned to Minimax Viking Patent Management GmbH, Bad Oldesloe (DE)
Filed by Minimax Viking Patent Management GmbH, Bad Oldesloe (DE)
Filed on Sep. 19, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/947,407.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/247,670, filed on Sep. 23, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0100701 A1, Mar. 30, 2023
Int. Cl. A62C 31/28 (2006.01); A62C 31/02 (2006.01); A62C 37/12 (2006.01); B05B 15/16 (2018.01)
CPC A62C 31/28 (2013.01) [A62C 31/02 (2013.01); A62C 37/12 (2013.01); B05B 15/16 (2018.02)] 21 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A protected fire protection sprinkler assembly comprising:
a fire protection sprinkler including:
a frame having a body having an inlet, an outlet, an internal passageway extending between the inlet and the outlet along a central sprinkler axis, and an external thread formed about the central sprinkler axis, the frame including a pair of spaced apart frame arms disposed in a plane and extending axially from the body;
a fluid deflection member affixed to the frame arms and centered along the central sprinkler axis; and
a thermally responsive trigger assembly aligned along the central sprinkler axis; and
a protective device disposed about the fire protection sprinkler, the protective device including:
a first protective member and a second protective member opposed one another about the plane to define a void therebetween for housing at least a part of the sprinkler therein, the opposed first and second protective members defining at least one lateral slot aligned with the plane extending parallel to the plane for passing the frame arms laterally therethrough in and out of the void, each of the first and second protective members consisting of a single confronting segment for confronting one frame arm and a shielding segment for shielding the thermally responsive trigger, the confronting segment of the first protective member and the confronting segment of the second protective member being on opposite sides of the plane and confronting different frame arms so as to collectively form a torque assist feature of the device in contact surface engagement with the pair of frame arms therebetween for transferring a torque to the frame of the sprinkler.