Abstract: A system and method for rapidly and reliably sealing off a selected opening from the passage of smoke, noxious fumes, or contaminated air includes a powered clutch and viscous governor that provides a fail-safe mode of operation. A curtain is positioned in a housing adjacent to an upper limit of an opening such as a hoist access-way. The curtain is wrapped around a spindle that is connected to a spool via two cords. The curtain is held in the housing in a stored configuration by a powered clutch so that upon removal of power, either via a controller or by power loss, the clutch releases the spool allowing the cord to unwind lowering and thus deploying the curtain. A capacitor can be included to prevent inadvertent deployments due to momentary power loss. The speed at which the spool rotates, and correspondingly the curtain deploys, is limited by a viscous governor coupled to the spool.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
September 24, 2004
Date of Patent:
April 18, 2006
Assignee:
Smoke Guard Corporation
Inventors:
John J. Sears, Tasche L. Strieb, Eric Holstine, Kevin Klocek, Thomas A. Allen
Abstract: A system and method for rapidly and reliably sealing off a selected opening from the passage of smoke, noxious fumes, or contaminated air includes a powered clutch and viscous governor that provides a fail-safe mode of operation. A curtain is positioned in a housing adjacent to an upper limit of an opening such as a hoist access-way. The curtain is wrapped around a spindle that is connected to a spool via two cords. The curtain is held in the housing in a stored configuration by a powered clutch so that upon removal of power, either via a controller or by power loss, the clutch releases the spool allowing the cord to unwind lowering and thus deploying the curtain. A capacitor can be included to prevent inadvertent deployments due to momentary power loss. The speed at which the spool rotates, and correspondingly the curtain deploys, is limited by a viscous governor coupled to the spool.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 13, 2002
Date of Patent:
February 21, 2006
Assignee:
Smoke Guard Corporation
Inventors:
John J. Sears, Tasche L. Strieb, Eric Holstine, Kevin Klocek, Thomas A. Allen
Abstract: A system and method for rapidly and reliably sealing off a selected opening from the passage of smoke, noxious fumes, or contaminated air includes a powered clutch and viscous governor that provides a fail-safe mode of operation. A curtain is positioned in a housing adjacent to an upper limit of an opening such as a hoist access-way. The curtain is wrapped around a spindle that is connected to a spool via two cords. The curtain is held in the housing in a stored configuration by a powered clutch so that upon removal of power, either via a controller or by power loss, the clutch releases the spool allowing the cord to unwind lowering and thus deploying the curtain. A capacitor can be included to prevent inadvertent deployments due to momentary power loss. The speed at which the spool rotates, and correspondingly the curtain deploys, is limited by a viscous governor coupled to the spool.
Type:
Application
Filed:
September 24, 2004
Publication date:
March 24, 2005
Applicant:
Smoke Guard Corporation
Inventors:
John Sears, Tasche Strieb, Eric Holstine, Kevin Klocek, Thomas Allen