Claims:CLAIMS :

We Claim:

1. An Automotive Tubulous Fire Extinguishing System, comprising :
a hollow tubulous member configured at pre-determined locations in the vehicle,
wherein the tubulous member is made of thermo-sensitive polymeric material,
and encloses the fire extinguishing agent,
and the tubulous member starts to disintegrate as the temperature in the
pre-determined locations exceeds the pre-defined temperature.

2. An Automotive Tubulous Fire Extinguishing System as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the pre-determined locations in the vehicle are the Engine compartment or the bonnet.

3. An Automotive Tubulous Fire Extinguishing System as claimed in Claim 1,
wherein the thermo-sensitive polymeric material of tubulous member is
selected from the following polyamides : Nylon 6 - PA 6, Nylon 66 - PA 66, Nylon 12 - PA 12, Nylon 11 – PA 11, Nylon 63 - PA 63 or Cast Nylon 6 - PA 6 C or other Polyamide modifications.

4. An Automotive Tubulous Fire Extinguishing System as claimed in Claim 1,
wherein the pre-defined temperature is the range of 110 to 140 degree Celsius.

5. An Automotive Tubulous Fire Extinguishing System as claimed in Claim 1,
Wherein the fire extinguishing agent is selected from the following agents : 1,1,1,2,2,4,5,5,5-nonafluoro-4-(trifluoromethyl)-3-pentanone or 1,1,1,3,3,3-Hexafluoropropane or 1,1,1,2,3,3,3-Heptafluoropropane.
, Description:TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an automotive fire extinguisher system in tubulous form.

The present invention particularly relates to an arrangement in vehicles that provides effective fire protection system by automatically detecting fires in vehicles and extinguishing them.

BACKGROUND AND PRIOR ART OF THE INVENTION

A vehicle fire is an undesired conflagration (uncontrolled burning) involving a motor vehicle. Also termed car fire or auto fire, it is one of the most common causes of fire-related property damage.

The National Crime Records Bureau Data indicates that a total of 113961 people lost their lives due to Fire Accidents from 2010 to 2015 in India.

The NCRB categorizes deaths due to fire accidents into four broad groups. Deaths caused by Electric Short Circuit, by Fireworks, by Gas Cylinder/Stove Burst and by any other cause (including vehicle fires). From 2010, the number of deaths due to Electric Short Circuit was about 7% of all the deaths. The number of deaths due to firework accidents was just 1% of the total deaths. 17% deaths were caused by burst of Gas Cylinder/Stove.

Three fourths (75%) deaths were caused by other reasons like fire in buses, trains, other vehicles and buildings.

A vehicle contains many types of flammable materials, including flammable liquids like gasoline and oil as well as solid combustibles such as hose. Fuel leaks from ruptured fuel lines also can rapidly ignite, especially in petrol fuelled cars where sparks are possible in the engine compartment. Vehicles house multiple potential sources of ignition including electrical devices that may short circuit, hot exhaust systems, and modern car devices such as air bag detonators.

Top 10 causes a vehicle to go up in flames are:

• Design Flaw
• Lack Of Maintenance
• Crashes: One very highly dangerous reason. When a car is involved in an accident, it can puncture the fuel tank or any other part of the car that can cause fire instantaneously. Leaking fuel and shorting wires is the ultimate recipe for a fire.
• Accessories: Many accessories draw electricity or power from the vehicle's original wiring. They might run on a different fuse capacity or just that wiring could be left exposed which could create a spark and then a fire.
• Overheating Catalytic Converters: The exhaust system of the vehicles and Catalytic converters emit tremendous amount of heat. This could in turn start melting plastic body parts like the bumpers or side skirts and can result in a catastrophic ball of fire.
• Overheating Engine: Once the engine overheats, hot, boiling liquids tend to leak and come in contact with other parts of the car and the result-fire. This is a classic example of how one mistake or ignorance causes a chain reaction and then a disaster. A car that is not maintained well could have issues with the engine which will cause the engine to overheat, leaking fluids and thus resulting in a big ball of fire.
• Leaking Fluids: Fluids can rise to very high temperatures while the engine is running. Fluids like the coolant and oil can spill and come in contact with other hot parts of the engine of plastic body parts of the car and catch a fire.
• Electricals: This is a common problem or rather a culprit in most fire accidents. The vehicle is using current from the battery and then generating electricity again that charges the battery. So there are many wires involved. One worn out wire or a naked wire that is live can cause the fire that could turn out to be a big disaster.

In the past two months(June – August 2018), a total of 28 cases of cars catching fire have been reported in Chandigarh. Experts say the cars tend to catch fire either due to prolonged service requirement, defective accessories or loose connections.
One of the reasons for the vehicles catching fire is replacement of normal halogen headlights with High Intensity Discharge (HID) lamps. It develops cracks allowing argon or nitrogen to leak out of the tube and cause fire. Moreover, owners get high-intensity bulbs installed which have a higher wattage.

Vehicles need to be sent for servicing on time after every 10,000 km. The wires are weak on the inside and are not taped properly. Hence they can cause a spark any time, in seconds.

Installation of poor quality CNG kits in cars can also cause leakage from the fuel line in the engine bay. If the cylinder is of poor quality or a valve becomes loose, this can also cause a fire.

An Electronic Control Module (ECM) controls all the accessories and wiring in a car. When an additional accessory is added to the vehicle and its wattage is not supported by the same, the ECM tends to over-load, causing a short circuit in the accessory’s wire. Moreover, all the wiring is under the carpets so the entire vehicle ends up catching fire.

Loose connections in the fan pumps, radiator, accessories, plug and ignition wires are one of the most common reasons for car fires since they do not have a proper grip system. The hose pipes, diesel pipes and rubber tubes crack due to delayed servicing of the vehicle.

During summers, the engines tend to get heated up. It worsens the condition and causes sparks to ignite much faster than in winters but it often happens that lack of proper maintenance or fitment of components from roadside workshops compromise the safety of vehicles.

To overcome the above mentioned problems, automatic fire extinguishers were introduced. However, most of the existing automatic fire extinguishers are placed in the vehicle along with the passengers and/ or serve to extinguish fire manually.

US 7878259 Patent discloses a hand held fire extinguisher, in tubular form containing a fire suppressant and a propellant; whereby actuation of the actuator allows propellant flow from the propellant outlet passing through the propellant passage extending through the coated dry fire suppressant composition such that the propellant will mix with the fire suppressant, and such that the propellant and fire suppressant mixture will exit out through the open outlet end of the tube.

Patent document US 9795816 discloses a Self-contained fire extinguisher system with temperature sensor, wherein the linear temperature sensor is configured such that the thermally sensitive pyrotechnic material is ignited and combustion propagates to the source of the fire suppression medium in response to an ambient temperature reaching the auto-ignition temperature.

CN 206910623 Patent document describes a special fire extinguisher that uses dry powder class medicament and a spray gun assembly that can be inserted in an automobile engine cabin.

US 8607888 Patent document also describes a Self-contained automatic fire extinguisher, that is located within a wall or ceiling and housed within the space between two studs or joints. This unit includes a tank or series of tanks attached via flexible pressurized joints, and held in place by an expanding bracket. A sensor is attached to the unit, which reacts to prolonged exposure to direct heat and which can extend a nozzle beyond the wall or ceiling into the living space when actuated. The self-contained automatic fire extinguishing device is hidden behind a decorative face plate which permits the passage of the sensing device and a tank fill status indicator and which actuates out of the path of the nozzle upon activation. Prior to activation, an audible warning is sounded from the device to indicate the presence of a fire and an impending activation. Once activated, the fire extinguisher contents are dispersed into the space thus significantly retarding or completely extinguishing the fire.

Indian Patent Application 1320/MUM/2015 discloses an arrangement for extinguishing fire in a vehicle; an arrangement that comprises a plurality of provisions provided in pre-determined locations of the vehicle. The arrangement comprises a barrier that melts when temperature at pre-determined locations of the vehicle exceeds pre-defined temperature. The fire extinguishing agent drops from the plurality of provisions when the barrier melts.

Indian Patent Application 201641038503 discloses an automatic fluid sprinkler system to extinguish engine fire in a vehicle, which comprises of a fluid sprinkler unit and a windshield fluid tank. The fluid sprinkler unit upon detection of smoke in the engine compartment transmits control signals to draw fire extinguishing fluid from the windshield fluid tank.

Another Indian Patent Application 201721043312 discloses an Electric 2-in-1 vehicle fire extinguisher that can be operated both in an automatic mode as well as in a manual mode. A fire sprinkler system is installed inside the fire extinguisher cylinder enabling the cylinder to dowse fire in areas little away from the sprinkler and cylinder. In failure of automatic mode, passengers travelling in a vehicle can operate fire extinguisher in a manual mode in a vertically held position for the safety purpose.

To overcome these problems and disadvantages of the prior art, the present invention offers a novel automotive fire extinguisher system in tubulous form.

The present invention thus offers significant advantages like

• Automatic activation
• Eliminates clean –up costs
• Protected enclosure
• Cooling effect
• Easy to install
• No maintenance
• Lower cost of production
• Economical cost
• Long shelf life

The present invention provides a novel automotive fire extinguisher system in tubulous form, in which the fire extinguishing agent is enclosed in the hollow tubulous member of the system and is provided in critical fire prone zone; the engine compartment of the vehicle and/or the bonnet. Thereby, the present invention eliminates the need of installation of any additional components or space in the vehicle for holding the fire extinguishing system.

The present invention provides a novel automotive fire extinguisher system in tubulous form wherein the vehicular fire is put off at the initial stages, thereby preventing further damage caused in subsequent stages of fire as well as safeguarding the life of passengers in the vehicle.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Many shortcomings of the prior art are overcome by the present invention as disclosed. Additional features and advantages are disclosed through the techniques of the present invention. A specific embodiment and aspect of the invention is described in detail herein.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, there is provided a novel automotive fire extinguisher system in tubulous form.

The fire extinguisher system comprises a hollow tubulous member configured in pre-determined locations of the vehicle. The hollow tubulous member is adapted to store a fire extinguishing agent.

Further, the hollow tubulous member is made of pressurized thermo-sensitive polymeric material that can easily detect high temperatures above 120 degrees Celsius and encloses the fire extinguishing agent.

The hollow tubulous member disintegrates when temperature at the pre-determined locations of the vehicle exceeds the pre-defined temperature. The fire extinguishing agent is released from the tubulous member through tiny orifices created by the member as it disintegrates.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the pre-determined locations of the vehicle are the engine compartment or the bonnet.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the fire extinguishing agent could be selected from the following agents : 1,1,1,2,2,4,5,5,5-nonafluoro-4-(trifluoromethyl)-3-pentanone or 1,1,1,3,3,3-Hexafluoropropane or 1,1,1,2,3,3,3-Heptafluoropropane.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the hollow member is configured in the form of a pressurized thermo- sensitive tubulous structure and the material of the tubulous member includes thermo-sensitive polymeric medium, selected from the following polyamides like Nylon 6 - PA 6, Nylon 66 - PA 66, Nylon 12 - PA 12, Nylon 11 – PA 11, Nylon 63 - PA 63 or Cast Nylon 6 - PA 6 C or other Polyamide modifications.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the pre-defined temperature is in a range of 110 to 140 degree Celsius.

It is to be understood that the embodiments of the invention described above may be used in any combination with each other.

The foregoing summary is illustrative only and is not intended to be in any way limiting. In addition to the illustrative embodiments and features described above, further embodiments and features will become apparent by reference to the drawings and the following detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING FIGURES

The novel features and characteristics of the invention are set forth in the description. The invention itself, as well as a preferred mode of use, objectives and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following description of an illustrative embodiment when read in conjunction with the accompanying figures.

The preferred embodiment is described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying figures wherein reference numerals represent the elements :

FIG.1 illustrates perspective view of an automotive vehicle depicting the pre-determined locations of the fire extinguishing system may be provided, according to the example of the invention.

FIG.2 illustrates perspective view of the pre-determined locations with the hollow tubulous member configured and disintegrating to release the fire extinguishing agent when pre-determined temperature is detected, according to the example of the invention.

The figures depict embodiments of the invention for purposes of illustration only.

One skilled in the art will readily recognize from the following description that alternative embodiments of the structures and methods illustrated herein may be employed without departing from the principles of the invention described herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The foregoing has broadly outlined the features and technical advantages of the present invention in order that the detailed description of the invention that follows may be better understood. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the conception and specific embodiment disclosed may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other arrangement for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. It should also be realized by those skilled in the art that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the scope of the invention. The novel features which are believed to be characteristic of the invention, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages will be better understood from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying figures. It is to be expressly understood, however, that each of the figures is provided for the purpose of illustration and description only and is not intended as a definition of the limits of the present invention.

To overcome one or more drawbacks mentioned in the background, the present invention discloses a novel automotive tubulous fire extinguishing system.

The system disclosed in the present invention is provided in pre-determined locations of the vehicle which is prone to increased risk of fire.

Further, the present invention utilizes a hollow tubulous member, which encloses the fire extinguishing agent and does not require any additional or separate apparatus to be configured in the vehicle unlike the conventional systems for extinguishing fire.

In addition, the invention does not pose issues of space or position constraint in the vehicle.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the fire extinguishing agent includes but is not limited to 1,1,1,2,2,4,5,5,5-nonafluoro-4-(trifluoromethyl)-3-pentanone or 1,1,1,3,3,3-Hexafluoropropane or 1,1,1,2,3,3,3-Heptafluoropropane.

Further, the preferred embodiment of the invention, the hollow tubulous member is made of a thermo-sensitive polymeric material, selected from the following polyamides like Nylon 6 - PA 6, Nylon 66 - PA 66, Nylon 12 - PA 12, Nylon 11 – PA 11, Nylon 63 - PA 63 or Cast Nylon 6 - PA 6 C or other Polyamide modifications and which has a melting point in the range of 110 to 140 degree Celsius.

At initial stages of accident/fire in the vehicle, the temperature would be around 110-130 degrees Celsius.

As the temperature rises with the fire spreading in the vehicle and encompassing the engine compartment, the tubulous member made of thermo-sensitive polymeric material starts to disintegrate and releases the fire extinguishing agent.

Therefore, when the fire is extinguished at the initial stage itself, further damage is prevented by system of the present invention.

The present invention is explained with the help of figures of a passenger vehicle. However, such exemplary embodiments should not be construed as limitations of the present invention, since the fire extinguisher system may be used in any type of automotive vehicle. A person skilled in the art can envisage various such embodiments without deviating from scope of the present disclosure.

FIG.1 is an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure which illustrates perspective view of a passenger vehicle (A) depicting the pre-determined locations at which fire extinguishing system is provided.

In the present invention, the fire extinguishing system is configured in one location which is prone to increased risk of fire accidents, i.e. the chances of occurrence or initiation of fire is high. This location of the vehicle has been identified as pre-determined locations -- the engine compartment or the bonnet (B).

With reference to FIG.2, this is an exemplary embodiment of the present invention illustrating perspective view of one of the pre-determined location (B) with the hollow tubulous member( C) configured and disintegrating to release the fire extinguishing agent (D) when pre-determined temperature is detected.

In the exemplary embodiment of the invention, the hollow tubulous member ( C) is configured to store fire extinguishing agent (D). The fire extinguishing agent (D) may be in any state, i.e. in the form of a solid as powder or it could be in the form of a fluid as liquid or gas.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the fire extinguishing agent (D) is at least one of the following agents : 1,1,1,2,2,4,5,5,5-nonafluoro-4-(trifluoromethyl)-3-pentanone or 1,1,1,3,3,3-Hexafluoropropane or 1,1,1,2,3,3,3-Heptafluoropropane.

These fire extinguishing agents may not be considered as limitation to the present invention, as any conventionally available fire extinguishing agents such as carbon dioxide, foam, halogenated agents etc. may be used.

In the exemplary embodiment of the invention, the hollow tubulous member ( C) is made of thermo-sensitive polymeric material such as selected from the following polyamides like Nylon 6 - PA 6, Nylon 66 - PA 66, Nylon 12 - PA 12, Nylon 11 – PA 11, Nylon 63 - PA 63 or Cast Nylon 6 - PA 6 C or other Polyamide modifications.

In the exemplary embodiment of the invention, the hollow tubulous member ( C) configured in the pre-determined location (B) by means of clamps and cable ties.

In the event of fire due to accident or impact of vehicle, the fire is initiated in the engine compartment (B) of the vehicle and the temperature steadily rises above 120 degrees Celsius.

As the temperature steadily rises, the hollow tubulous member (C ), made of thermo-sensitive polymeric material enclosing the fire extinguishing agent (D) begins to disintegrate.

As the thermo-sensitive polymeric material begins to disintegrate, tiny orifices are formed in the tubulous member to release the fire extinguishing agent (D).

The fire extinguishing agent (D) sprays with pressure rapidly on the location and extinguishes the fire.

The embodiment of the present invention thus provides a system to extinguish fire before the fire spreads to other locations of the vehicle and causes extensive damage to property or even life of passengers.

It will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art that varying substitutions and modifications may be made to the invention disclosed herein without departing from the spirit of the invention. Thus, it should be understood that although the present invention has been specifically disclosed by the preferred embodiments and optional features, modification and variation of the concepts herein disclosed may be resorted to by those skilled in the art, and such modifications and variations are considered to be falling within the scope of the invention.

It is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including,” “comprising,” or “having” and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items. It must be noted that, as used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms "a," "an" and "the" include plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

Reference Letters :

A: Automobile
B: Engine compartment
C: Hollow tubulous member (03)
D: Fire extinguishing agent (04)
E: Fire at source (05)