JP7763593B2 - Adapter case and fire alarm system installation method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an adapter case and a method for installing fire alarm equipment.

Conventionally, fire detectors have been known that are installed on the ceiling or other areas of a monitored area to detect fires in that area (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2020-126700

In the past, for example, an adapter device with the function of relaying signal communication between a fire detector in a fire alarm system and another device (such as a fire receiver) was sometimes installed and used together with the fire detector. There was a demand for technology to prevent the adapter device from being damaged in a fire and causing malfunctions, etc.

The present invention was made in consideration of the above problems, and aims to provide an adapter case for housing an adapter device, which can improve disaster prevention capabilities, and a method for installing fire alarm equipment using the same.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems and achieve the object, the adapter case described in claim 1 is an adapter case that is installed via a base on an installation surface facing a monitored area, and is embedded on the back side of the installation surface on the opposite side of the monitored area in correspondence with a fire detector that is exposed from the installation surface to the monitored area side together with the base and detects fires in the monitored area, and that houses and protects the exterior of an adapter device that is connected to the fire detector so as to roughly cover it, wherein the adapter case is sized to pass through an opening that penetrates from the installation surface to the back side of the installation surface and has an outer diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the base and the fire detector, and the adapter case is non-flammable .
In addition, an adapter case according to a second aspect of the present invention is the adapter case according to the first aspect, wherein the adapter device is a repeater that repeats signal communication between the fire detector and the fire receiver.

The method for installing a fire alarm system according to claim 3 is a method for installing a fire alarm system including a fire detector that is installed on an installation surface facing a monitored area and that detects fires in the monitored area, and includes the steps of: attaching a sensor base to an adapter case that substantially covers and protects the exterior of an adapter device that is embedded on the back side of the installation surface in correspondence with the fire detector, the adapter case being sized to penetrate from the installation surface to the back side of the installation surface and to allow an opening having an outer diameter smaller than that of the fire detector to be inserted; attaching the adapter case with the sensor base attached to the back side of the installation surface from the monitored area side; and attaching the fire detector to the sensor base, wherein the fire detector is installed so that both the sensor base and the fire detector are exposed from the installation surface to the monitored area side , and the adapter case is non-flammable .
Furthermore, a method for installing a fire alarm system according to claim 4 is the method for installing a fire alarm system according to claim 3 , wherein the adapter device is a repeater that relays signal communication between the fire detector and the fire receiver.

According to the adapter case of claim 1 and the fire detector installation method of claim 3 , the problem of the present application can be solved.

FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the installation state of the detector. FIG. FIG. FIG. FIG. FIG. FIG. FIG. FIG. FIG. FIG. FIG. FIG. FIG. FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a state in which a relay is attached to a lower member of an adapter case. 10 is a perspective view showing a state in which an upper member is attached to a lower member of the adapter case. FIG.

Below, embodiments of the adapter case and fire detector installation method according to the present invention are described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to these embodiments.

[Basic Concept of the Embodiment]
First, the basic concept of the embodiment will be described. The embodiment generally relates to an adapter case and a method for installing a fire detector.

An "adapter case" is a non-flammable case that houses and protects an adapter device. An "adapter device" is a device that corresponds to a fire detector and is buried behind the installation surface facing the monitored area, and is a concept that includes, for example, repeaters and any other devices.

A "fire detector" is a device for detecting fires in a monitored area. A "monitored area" is an area monitored by a fire detector, and is a concept that includes any area, such as a room, hallway, or staircase. An "installation surface" is the surface on which the fire detector is installed, and is a concept that includes, for example, the ceiling or the surface of a wall that faces the monitored area.

"Non-flammable" is a concept that indicates something is difficult to burn, for example, heat-resistant or fire-resistant.

In the following embodiments, the "adapter device" will be a repeater, and the "installation surface" will be the surface of the ceiling. Note that the "adapter device" is not limited to a repeater, but includes various devices that are placed in correspondence with the fire detectors of a fire alarm system to provide the fire alarm system with specific auxiliary or additional functions. It may also be a device that provides interface functions for linking with external devices or systems.

[Specific Contents of the Embodiment]
Next, specific details of the embodiment will be described.

(composition)
First, the configuration of the adapter case etc. of this embodiment will be described. Fig. 1 is a diagram for explaining the installation state of the sensor, Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the adapter case etc., Fig. 3 is a front view of the adapter case etc., Fig. 4 is a side view of the adapter case etc., Fig. 5 is a plan view of the adapter case etc., Fig. 6 is a bottom view of the adapter case etc., and Fig. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the adapter case etc.

Note that Figure 1 shows a cross-sectional view of the installed state of the sensor 1, but for ease of explanation, some hatching has been omitted. Also, Figures 2 to 6 show the adapter case 4 with the base 2 attached. Furthermore, in all figures except Figure 1, the wiring 33 extending from the repeater 3 in Figure 7 has been omitted.

In addition, in Figures 1 to 6, the X-Y-Z axes are assumed to be mutually orthogonal, with the Z axis indicating the vertical direction and the X- and Y-axes indicating the horizontal direction.

Here, for example, the detector 1 in Figure 1, the base 2, repeater 3, adapter case 4, and engagement hook 5 in Figure 7 will be described in that order. Note that, except for configurations where otherwise noted, publicly known configurations can be applied to the detector 1, base 2, and repeater 3, so only an overview will be described.

(Configuration-sensor)
1 is a fire detector that is installed on an installation surface 901 of a ceiling facing a monitored area and detects fires in the monitored area. The detector 1 is, for example, circular in plan view and has the same diameter as the base 2 and a larger diameter than the ceiling opening 902. Note that "plan view" refers to the state when viewed from the +Z direction toward the -Z direction in FIG. 1.

The "ceiling-side opening" 902 is an opening provided in the ceiling that penetrates from the monitored area to the area in the ceiling behind the monitored area (hereinafter also referred to as the "ceiling area"). The ceiling-side opening 902 may have any shape, but the example in Figure 1 describes a case where it is a circular opening with a predetermined diameter.

(Configuration-based)
8 is a perspective view of the base. The base 2 is used to install the sensor 1 on an installation surface 901. The base 2 is made of, for example, resin, is circular in plan view, and has a larger diameter than the ceiling-side opening 902. As shown in FIG. 8 , the base 2 has, for example, a base-side engagement hole 21 and a base-side opening 22.

(Configuration - Base - Base-side engagement hole)
The base-side engagement hole 21 is used to attach the base 2 to the adapter case 4. The base-side engagement hole 21 has an internal structure that allows, for example, an engagement hook 5 (see FIGS. 13 and 14 described below) provided on the adapter case 4 to be inserted therein and engage with the engagement hook 5.

(Configuration - Base - Base Side Opening)
The base-side opening 22 is a through opening provided in the bottom surface of the base 2, and is an opening through which the wiring 331 (FIG. 1) extending from the relay 3 is inserted.

(Configuration - Repeater)
9 and 10 are perspective views of the repeater. The repeater 3 is an adapter device that is embedded on the back side of the installation surface 901 (FIG. 1) corresponding to the detector 1. The repeater 3 is, for example, a device that relays signal communication between the detector 1 and a fire receiver (not shown), and is a device (a so-called short-circuit disconnecting repeater) that has a switch or the like for disconnecting a shorted portion in the event of a short circuit in the communication line. Note that the signal communication here is a concept that includes various types of communication, such as two-way communication or transmission communication.

The repeater 3 of this embodiment has an outer shape made of, for example, resin, and more specifically, flame-retardant resin. As shown in Figures 9 and 10, it has a rectangular shape in plan view. As shown in Figures 9 and 10, the repeater 3 has, for example, a repeater-side engagement portion 31, a repeater-side abutment portion 32, wiring 33 (Figure 1), and a wiring hole 34.

(Configuration - Relay - Relay side engagement part)
The repeater-side engaging portion 31 is used to attach the repeater 3 to the lower member 42 (FIG. 7) of the adapter case 4. The repeater-side engaging portion 31 is, for example, an engaging claw protruding from the bottom surface of the repeater 3 (the lower surface in FIGS. 9 and 10) and is configured to engage with a part of the lower member 42 of the adapter case 4 from the inside of a case-side opening 423 (FIGS. 13 and 14, which will be described later) in the lower member 42.

(Configuration - Repeater - Repeater side contact part)
The repeater-side contact portion 32 is used to position the repeater 3 relative to the lower member 42 (FIG. 7) of the adapter case 4. The repeater-side contact portion 32 is, for example, a portion that protrudes from the bottom surface of the repeater 3, and is shorter in length than the repeater-side engagement portion 31. The repeater-side contact portion 32 is configured to come into contact with a case-side contact portion 422 (FIG. 13, described later) of the lower member 42 of the adapter case 4.

(Configuration - Repeater - Wiring and Wiring Hole)
The wiring 33 (FIG. 1) is a communication line for electrically connecting the repeater 3 to other devices. One end of the wiring 33 is electrically connected to the internal circuit side of the repeater 3 through a wiring hole 34 shown in FIG. 10, and the other end of the wiring 33 is electrically connected to the other device side.

The number and connections of wires 33 can be determined arbitrarily depending on the signal communication or wiring method used, but for example, wires 331 to 333 are shown in the example in Figure 1. Each of wires 331 to 333 is, for example, a pair of wires, with wire 331 electrically connected to the detector 1 side, wire 332 electrically connected to a fire receiver (not shown), and wire 333 electrically connected to another repeater (not shown).

Note that while the example in Figure 1 shows wiring 331 to 333, it is also possible to provide, for example, four sets of wiring, including spare wiring.

(Configuration - Adapter case)
11 and 12 are perspective views of the upper member, and FIGS. 13 and 14 are perspective views of the lower member. The adapter case 4 in FIGS. 1 to 6 is generally a non-flammable case, made of metal for example, that covers the exterior of the repeater 3 to house and protect the repeater 3. The adapter case 4 has a shape or size that allows it to be inserted into the ceiling opening 902 (FIG. 1), for example. As shown in FIG. 7, the adapter case 4 has, for example, an upper member 41 and a lower member 42.

(Configuration - Adapter case - Upper member)
11 and 12 , the upper member 41 is a member that forms a hollow portion for accommodating the relay 3, and is made of metal. The upper member 41 has, for example, a case-side first engagement portion 411, a case-side slit portion 412, and a case-side notch portion 413.

(Configuration—adapter case—upper member—case-side first engagement portion, etc.)
The case-side first engagement portion 411 is used to attach the upper member 41 to the lower member 42 of the adapter case 4. The case-side first engagement portion 411 is provided, for example, between the case-side slit portion 412 and the case-side notch portion 413, and is a protruding piece that protrudes toward the side opposite to the top surface of the upper member 41 (the surface on the upper side in FIG. 11 ), and has a hole at its tip that engages with the case-side second engagement portion 421 ( FIG. 14 ) of the lower member 42.

The case-side slit 412 is a gap provided along the case-side first engagement portion 411. The case-side slit 412 separates the case-side first engagement portion 411 from other portions of the upper member 41. Because this separates the case-side first engagement portion 411 from other portions of the upper member 41, when attaching the upper member 41 to the lower member 42, the case-side first engagement portion 411 can be elastically deformed, facilitating easy attachment.

The case-side notch 413 is a U-shaped cutout portion to form a through-hole 43 (see Figure 16, described below) through which the wiring 33 (wires 332 and 333 in the example of Figure 1) from the repeater 3 housed in the adapter case 4 is inserted.

(Configuration - Adapter case - Lower member)
13 and 14 , the lower member 42 is, for example, a member that forms the bottom of the hollow portion in the upper member 41, and is a flat metal member. The lower member 42 has, for example, a case-side second engagement portion 421, a case-side abutment portion 422, and a case-side opening 423.

(Configuration—adapter case—lower member—case-side second engagement portion, etc.)
The case-side second engagement portion 421 is used to attach the upper member 41 of the adapter case 4 to the lower member 42. The case-side second engagement portion 421 is, for example, a protrusion provided on the outer periphery of the lower member 42, and engages with a hole provided on the tip side of the case-side first engagement portion 411 in the upper member 41.

The case-side abutment portion 422 is used to position the repeater 3 relative to the lower member 42 (Figure 7) of the adapter case 4. As shown in Figure 13, the case-side abutment portion 422 is bent downward and protrudes in the opposite direction (upper side of Figure 13) to the direction in which the engagement hook 5 protrudes (lower side of Figure 13), and is designed to abut against the repeater-side abutment portion 32 (Figure 9) on the repeater 3.

The case-side opening 423 is a through opening provided in the lower member 42, and is an opening through which the wiring 331 (Figure 1) extending from the repeater 3 is inserted.

(Configuration - Engagement Hook)
13 and 14 are used to attach the adapter case 4 to the base 2. The engagement hook 5 is, for example, a resin hook that is detachably attached to a through-hole provided at a predetermined position in the lower member 42 of the adapter case 4, and as shown in Fig. 7, it protrudes in the direction opposite to the upper member 41 (toward the bottom of the drawing in Fig. 7). The engagement hook 5 is configured to be inserted into the base-side engagement hole 21 shown in Fig. 8, for example, and engage with a part of the base 2 inside the base-side engagement hole 21.

The configuration of the engagement hook 5 is arbitrary as long as it allows the adapter case 4 to be attached to the base 2. For example, as described here, it may be configured as a separate part from the lower member 42 of the adapter case 4, or it may be configured as an integrated part of the lower member 42. Furthermore, the adapter case 4 may be attached to the base 2 using other components (for example, a die-cast mounting member or a wire spring mounting member) in place of or together with the engagement hook 5.

(Construction method)
Next, a method for installing the detector 1 using the thus configured adapter case 4 will be described. Fig. 15 is a perspective view showing the state in which the repeater is attached to the lower member of the adapter case, and Fig. 16 is a perspective view showing the state in which the upper member is attached to the lower member of the adapter case. Note that (a) and (b) in these figures show the state as viewed from different directions.

Here, we will explain a construction method for attaching a sensor 1 to a position corresponding to a ceiling-side opening 902 on an installation surface 901, as shown in Figure 1, when one end of a wiring 33 of a predetermined length (e.g., 20 cm to 30 cm) is pre-connected to the repeater 3 shown in Figures 9 and 10. Note that only procedures related to the features of this application will be explained here.

(Installation method - wiring connection steps)
First, the wiring 33 extending from the repeater 3 is electrically connected to wiring (not shown) provided in the ceiling space. Specifically, the wiring 332 is connected to wiring electrically connected to a fire control panel (not shown), and the wiring 333 is connected to wiring electrically connected to another repeater (not shown).

(Installation method - wiring arrangement steps)
Next, in the repeater 3 of Fig. 10, the arrangement of the wires 331 to 333 extending from the wiring hole 34 is adjusted. Specifically, the wire 331 is adjusted so that it extends downward (toward the bottom of the drawing in Fig. 10) of the repeater 3, and the wires 332 and 333 are adjusted so that they extend toward the side of the repeater 3 (the left-right direction of the drawing in Fig. 10, which is perpendicular to the direction in which the wire 331 extends). The wires 332 and 333 are adjusted so that they pass adjacent to each of the two repeater-side contact portions 32 and extend in opposite directions.

(Installation method - Engagement hook installation steps)
Next, the engaging hooks 5 are attached to the lower member 42 of the adapter case 4 shown in Fig. 13. Specifically, the engaging hooks 5 are attached by inserting them into the attachment holes of the lower member 42.

(Installation method - Repeater installation steps)
Next, the repeater 3 is attached to the lower member 42 of the adapter case 4 of Fig. 13. Specifically, as shown in Fig. 15(a) and (b), the repeater-side engaging portion 31 is engaged with the inner edge of the case-side opening 423, thereby attaching the repeater 3 to the lower member 42. In this case, as shown in Fig. 15(a), the repeater-side abutting portion 32 and the case-side abutting portion 422 abut against each other, thereby positioning the repeater 3 with respect to the lower member 42.

In this case, the wiring 331 arranged to extend below the repeater 3 is inserted through the case side opening 423.

(Installation method - upper member installation step)
Next, the upper member 41 of Fig. 11 is attached to the lower member 42 of Fig. 15(a) and (b). Specifically, the case-side second engaging portion 421 (Fig. 14) is fitted into and engaged with a hole provided on the tip side of the case-side first engaging portion 411 (Fig. 12), thereby attaching the upper member 41 to the lower member 42 as shown in Fig. 16(a) and (b).

In this case, through-holes 43 (see (b) in Figure 16) are formed at positions corresponding to the case-side notches 413 (see Figure 12). Wiring 332 and wiring 333, which are arranged to extend to the sides of the repeater 3, are then inserted into the two through-holes 43.

(Installation method - Steps for attaching the base to the adapter case)
Next, the base 2 of Fig. 8 is attached to the adapter case 4 of Fig. 16(a) and (b). Specifically, the engagement hooks 5 attached to the lower member 42 of the adapter case 4 are inserted into the base-side engagement holes 21 and engaged with parts of the base 2 inside the base-side engagement holes 21, thereby attaching the base 2 to the adapter case 4 as shown in Figs. 2 to 6.

In this case, the wiring 331 arranged to extend below the repeater 3 is inserted through the base-side opening 22 (Figure 8) in addition to the case-side opening 423 (Figure 16(b)).

(Installation method - Steps for attaching the base to the installation surface)
Next, the base 2 to which the adapter case 4 is attached is attached to the ceiling installation surface 901. Specifically, the adapter case 4 shown in Figures 2 to 6 is embedded into the ceiling space from the monitored area side through the ceiling opening 902 as shown in Figure 1, and the base 2 is attached to the ceiling installation surface 901 using a predetermined installation method (for example, a method using installation screws, etc.).

(Installation method - detector installation steps)
Next, as shown in Figure 1, the wiring 331 inserted through the case-side opening 423 (Figure 16(b)) and the base-side opening 22 (Figure 8) is electrically connected to the sensor 1, and the sensor 1 is then attached to the base 2 using a predetermined attachment method (for example, an attachment method that utilizes engagement structures provided on the mutually opposing surfaces of the sensor 1 and the base 2). This completes the installation of the sensor 1.

(Effects of the embodiment)
As described above, according to this embodiment, since the adapter case 4 that houses the repeater 3 is non-flammable, it is possible to prevent the repeater 3 itself from causing a fire, for example, thereby improving disaster prevention capabilities. Furthermore, since the adapter case 4 is sized to be able to be inserted through the ceiling-side opening 902 that penetrates to the back side of the installation surface 901, it is possible to install the adapter case 4 from the side of the monitored area, for example, thereby improving workability.

[Modifications to the embodiment]
Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the specific configurations and means of the present invention can be modified and improved as desired within the scope of the technical ideas of the inventions set forth in the claims. Such modifications will be described below.

(About the problem to be solved and the effects of the invention)
First, the problems that the invention aims to solve and the effects of the invention are not limited to those described above, and may vary depending on the implementation environment of the invention and the details of the configuration, and may solve only some of the problems described above or achieve only some of the effects described above.

(Regarding decentralization and integration)
Furthermore, the above-described configuration is a functional concept, and does not necessarily have to be physically configured as shown in the drawings. In other words, the specific form of distribution or integration of each part is not limited to that shown in the drawings, and all or part of it can be functionally or physically distributed or integrated in any unit.

(About the adapter case (part 1))
Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the adapter case 4 is made of metal, but this is not limiting and the adapter case 4 may be made of a non-combustible material other than metal.

(About the adapter case (part 2))
Furthermore, a waterproof or drip-proof structure may be adopted for the adapter case 4 of the above embodiment. Specifically, for example, a sealant having waterproof or drip-proof properties may be provided at the portion where the upper member 41 and the lower member 42 abut against each other, or the case-side opening 423 and the through-hole 43 in Fig. 16(b) may be sealed with a sealant while the wires 331 to 333 are inserted therethrough.

(About the bass)
In the above embodiment, the sensor 1 is attached using the base 2 as shown in Fig. 1, but this is not limiting. For example, the sensor 1 may be configured to be directly attached to the installation surface 901 without the base 2. In this configuration, for example, the adapter case 4 shown in Fig. 16(a) and (b) may be configured to be directly attached to the sensor 1.

(Features)
Furthermore, the configurations of the above-described embodiments and the features of the modifications may be combined in any manner.

(Additional Note)
The adapter case of Appendix 1 is a non-flammable adapter case that houses and protects the exterior of an adapter device that is installed on an installation surface facing a monitored area and is buried on the back side of the installation surface in response to a fire detector that detects fires in the monitored area, so as to cover the exterior of the adapter device, and the adapter case is sized to be able to pass through an opening that penetrates from the installation surface to the back side of the installation surface and has an outer diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the fire detector.

The installation method for a fire alarm system including a fire detector according to Appendix 2 is a method for installing a fire alarm system including a fire detector that is installed on an installation surface facing a monitored area and detects fires in the monitored area, and includes the steps of: attaching a detector base to a non-flammable adapter case that substantially covers and protects the exterior of an adapter device that is embedded on the back side of the installation surface in correspondence with the fire detector, the adapter case being sized to penetrate from the installation surface to the back side of the installation surface and have an outer diameter smaller than that of the fire detector; attaching the adapter case with the detector base attached to the back side of the installation surface from the monitored area side; and attaching the fire detector to the detector base.

(Effect of supplementary notes)
According to the adapter case described in Appendix 1 and the installation method of the fire detector described in Appendix 2, the adapter case that houses the adapter device is non-flammable, which, for example, improves the fire resistance of the adapter device and protects the adapter device from the heat associated with a fire, allowing the adapter device to function reliably even in the event of a fire and improving disaster prevention capabilities. Furthermore, because the adapter case is large enough to fit through an opening that penetrates to the back side of the installation surface, the adapter case can be installed from the side of the monitored area, for example, improving installation ease.

1 Detector 2 Base 3 Repeater 4 Adapter case 5 Engagement hook 21 Base-side engagement hole 22 Base-side opening 31 Repeater-side engagement portion 32 Repeater-side abutment portion 33 Wiring 34 Wiring hole 41 Upper member 42 Lower member 43 Through hole 331 Wiring 332 Wiring 333 Wiring 411 Case-side first engagement portion 412 Case-side slit portion 413 Case-side notch portion 421 Case-side second engagement portion 422 Case-side abutment portion 423 Case-side opening 901 Installation surface 902 Ceiling-side opening

Claims (4)

an adapter case that accommodates and protects an exterior of an adapter device that is installed via a base on an installation surface facing a monitored area, and that is embedded on the back side of the installation surface on the opposite side to the monitored area, corresponding to a fire detector that is installed via a base on an installation surface facing a monitored area and that is exposed together with the base from the installation surface toward the monitored area to detect fires in the monitored area, and that is connected to the fire detector,
the adapter case has a size that allows it to be inserted through an opening that penetrates from the installation surface to the back side of the installation surface and has an outer diameter smaller than outer diameters of the base and the fire detector,
The adapter case is non-flammable.
Adapter case. The adapter device is a repeater that relays signal communication between the fire detector and the fire receiver.
The adapter case according to claim 1 . 1. A method for installing a fire alarm system including a fire detector that is installed on an installation surface facing a monitored area and detects a fire in the monitored area, comprising:
a step of attaching a detector base to an adapter case that accommodates and protects an exterior of an adapter device that is embedded in the back side of the installation surface in correspondence with the fire detector, so as to substantially cover the exterior of the adapter case, the adapter case being sized to be able to pass through an opening that penetrates from the installation surface to the back side of the installation surface and has an outer diameter smaller than an outer diameter of the fire detector;
attaching the adapter case with the sensor base attached to the rear side of the installation surface from the monitored area side;
and mounting the fire detector to the detector base;
the fire detector is attached so as to be exposed from the installation surface to the monitored area together with the detector base ,
The adapter case is non-flammable.
How to install fire alarm systems. The adapter device is a repeater that relays signal communication between the fire detector and the fire receiver.
A method for installing a fire alarm system according to claim 3 .