Smoke detector having variable level sensitivity

Abstract

A smoke detector having variable sensitivity to smoke levels and using one button both to test the smoke detector and actuate a mode of diminished sensitivity to smoke levels. The smoke detector is operable in a normal sensitivity mode and a diminished sensitivity mode with rapid switching between the modes. The sensitivity to smoke levels is substantially constant when in either the normal or diminished sensitivity mode.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A smoke detector comprising: means for sensing smoke levels and generating a signal .[.charcteristic.]. .Iadd.characteristic .Iaddend.of said smoke levels;   means for generating an alarm signal responsive to said sensing means detecting a predetermined smoke level;   means for user testing the operability of said smoke detector, said testing means comprising a single user .[.actuaed.]. .Iadd.actuated .Iaddend.element adapted to cause generation of said alarm signal; and   means for temporarily diminishing the sensitivity of said smoke detector by increasing in said sensing means the magnitude of said predetermined smoke level causing generation of said alarm signal, said single user element further adapted to actuate said diminishing means.   
     
     
       2. The smoke detector as defined in claim 1 wherein said sensing means comprises at least one of an ionization chamber/radioactive source and a photoelectric sensor system. 
     
     
       3. A smoke detector comprising: means for sensing smoke levels and generating a signal characteristic of said smoke levels;   means for generating an alarm signal responsive to said sensing means detecting a predetermined smoke level;   means for testing the operability of said smoke detector, said testing means comprising a user actuated element adapted to cause generation of said alarm signal; and   means for temporarily diminishing the sensitivity of said smoke detector by increasing in said sensing means said predetermined smoke level causing generation of said alarm signal, said user actuated element further adapted to actuate said diminishing means and said user testing means overriding the operation of said diminishing means during the operation of said testing means.   
     
     
       4. A smoke detector comprising: means for sensing smoke levels and generating a signal .[.charcteristic.]. .Iadd.characteristic .Iaddend.of said smoke levels;   means for generating an alarm signal responsive to said sensing means detecting a predetermined smoke level;   means for user testing the operability of said smoke detector, said testing means operable by the user for generating an alarm signal output to said alarm signal means; and   means for diminishing for a temporary time period the sensitivity of said smoke detector by increasing in said sensing means the magnitude of said predetermined smoke level causing generation of said alarm signal, said diminishing means generating a control signal for establishing the increased magnitude of said predetermined smoke level, and said control signal having a substantially constant magnitude during said temporary time period.   
     
     
       5. A smoke detector comprising: means for sensing smoke levels and generating a signal .[.charcteristic.]. .Iadd.characteristic .Iaddend.of said smoke levels;   means for generating an alarm signal responsive to said sensing means detecting a predetermined smoke level;   means for user testing the operability of said smoke detector, said testing means operably by the user for generating an alarm signal output to said alarm signal means; and   means for diminishing for a temporary time period the sensitivity of said smoke detector by increasing in said sensing means the magnitude of said predetermined smoke level causing generation of said alarm signal, said diminishing means generating a control signal over said temporary time period and said control signal having a slowly changing level until the end of said temporary time period whereupon said control signal decays rapidly causing deactivation of said diminishing means.   
     
     
       6. The smoke detector as defined in claim 5 wherein said diminishing means comprises at least means for amplifying a small current input and having a large gain and small current output. 
     
     
       7. The smoke detector as defined in claim 5 wherein said increased predetermined smoke sensitivity level comprises a moderate smoke level associated with user generated conditions. 
     
     
       8. The smoke detector as defined in claim 7 wherein said user generated conditions comprise at least one of cooking smoke, fireplace smoke, excessive water vapor and persons smoking cigarettes, cigars or pipes. 
     
     
       9. A smoke detector comprising: means for sensing smoke levels and generating a signal .[.charcteristic.]. .Iadd.characteristic .Iaddend.of said smoke levels; means for generating an alarm signal responsive to said sensing means detecting a predetermined smoke level;   means for user testing the operability of said smoke detector, said testing means comprising a user actuated element adapted to cause generation of said alarm signal;   means for diminishing for a temporary time period the sensitivity of said smoke detector by increasing in said sensing means said predetermined smoke sensitivity level causing generation of said alarm signal, said user element being a single element and adapted to both actuate said diminishing means and operate said testing means; and   sensitivity control means for user selection of said increased predetermined smoke level.   
     
     
       10. The smoke detector as defined in claim 9 wherein said alarm signal means comprises a voltage comparator. 
     
     
       11. The smoke detector as defined in claim 10 further including alarm generating means. 
     
     
       12. The smoke detector as defined in claim 11 wherein said alarm generating means comprises a horn and light emitting diode. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said alarm signal means remains quiet unless user tested or said smoke levels exceed said increased predetermined smoke level during operation of said diminishing means or said smoke levels exceed said predetermined smoke level during the normal operation of said smoke detector. 
     
     
       14. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 further including means for inhibiting operation of said diminishing means for a user selected time period. 
     
     
       15. A smoke detector comprising: means for sensing smoke levels;   means for generating an alarm signal responsive to said sensing means detecting a predetermined smoke level;   means for user testing the operability of said smoke detector, said testing means comprising a user actuated element adapted to cause generation of said alarm signal; and   means for temporarily diminishing the sensitivity of said smoke detector by increasing in said sensing means said predetermined smoke level causing generation of said alarm signal, said user testing means overriding the operation of said diminishing means during the operation of said testing means.   
     
     
       16. A smoke detector having a normal sensitivity level and a moderate sensitivity level, comprising: means for sensing smoke levels and generating a signal characteristic of said smoke levels;   means for generating an alarm signal responsive to said sensing means detecting a predetermined smoke level;   means for user testing the operability of said smoke detector, said testing means operably by the user for generating an alarm signal output to said alarm signal means; and   means for diminishing for a temporary time period the sensitivity of said smoke detector to said moderate sensitivity level for activating said alarm signal, and said .[.dminishing.]. .Iadd.diminishing .Iaddend.means generating a control signal having a slowly changing magnitude during said temporary time period and a rapidly changing magnitude at the end of said temporary time period, whereupon the sensitivity of said smoke detector returns to said normal level.   
     
     
       17. A smoke detector comprising: means for sensing smoke levels and generating a signal characteristic of said smoke levels;   means for generating an alarm signal responsive to said sensing means detecting a predetermined smoke level;   means for user testing the operability of said smoke detector, said testing means comprising a user actuated element adapted to cause generation of said alarm signal;   means for diminishing for a temporary time period the sensitivity of said smoke detector by increasing in said sensing means said predetermined smoke sensitivity level causing generation of said alarm signal, said user element being a single element and adapted to both actuate said diminishing means and operate said testing means; and   sensitivity control means for user selection of said increased predetermined smoke level.   
     
     
       18. .Iadd.A smoke detector comprising: means for sensing smoke levels and generating a signal characteristic of said smoke levels;   means for generating an alarm signal responsive to said sensing means detecting a predetermined smoke level; and   means for diminishing for a temporary time period the sensitivity of said smoke detector by increasing in said sensing means the magnitude of said predetermined smoke level required for generation of said alarm signal, said smoke detector remaining reliably operative throughout substantially the entire duration of said temporary time period. .Iaddend. .Iadd.   
     
     
       19.  The smoke detector of claim 18 wherein said predetermined smoke level is about 1.5% smoke obscuration. .Iaddend. .Iadd.20. The smoke detector of claim 18 wherein said increased smoke level is about 3.0% smoke obscuration. .Iaddend. .Iadd.21. The smoke detector of claim 18 wherein said increased smoke level is about twice said predetermined smoke level. .Iaddend. .Iadd.22. The smoke detector of claim 18 wherein said increased smoke level is higher than that typically resulting from cooking, fireplace use, excessive water vapor from bath facilities or use of 
     
     
        tobacco products. .Iaddend. .Iadd.23.  The smoke detector of claim 18 wherein said diminishing means generates a control signal to establish said increased smoke level, said control signal being substantially constant throughout generally the entire duration of said temporary diminished sensitivity time period. .Iaddend. .Iadd.24. The smoke detector of claim 18 wherein said diminishing means generates a control signal to establish said increased smoke level, said control signal being substantially constant throughout an initial portion of said temporary 
     
     
        diminished sensitivity time period. .Iaddend. .Iadd.25.  A smoke detector comprising: means for sensing smoke levels and generating a signal characteristic of said smoke levels;   means for generating an alarm signal responsive to said sensing means detecting a first predetermined smoke level; and   means for diminishing for a temporary time period the sensitivity of said smoke detector by increasing in said sensing means the magnitude of said smoke level required for generation of said alarm signal to a second predetermined smoke level, said second predetermined smoke level being a moderate smoke level which is higher than said first predetermined smoke level whereby said smoke detector remains reliably operative throughout substantially the entire duration of said temporary diminished sensitivity   
     
     
        time period. .Iaddend. .Iadd.26.  The smoke detector of claim 25 wherein said first predetermined smoke level is about 1.5% smoke obscuration. .Iaddend. .Iadd.27. The smoke detector of claim 25 wherein said second predetermined smoke level is about 3.0% smoke obscuration. .Iaddend. .Iadd.28. The smoke detector of claim 25 wherein said first predetermined smoke level is about one-half said second predetermined smoke level. .Iaddend. .Iadd.29. The smoke detector of claim 25 wherein said first predetermined smoke level is about 1.5% smoke obscuration and said second predetermined smoke level is about 3.0% smoke obscuration. .Iaddend. .Iadd.30. The smoke detector of claim 25 wherein said moderate smoke level is a higher smoke level than that typically resulting from cooking, fireplace use, excessive water vapor from bath facilities or use of tobacco products. .Iaddend. .Iadd.31. The smoke detector of claim 25 wherein said diminishing means generates a control signal to establish said second predetermined smoke level, said control signal being substantially constant throughout generally the entire duration of said 
     
     
        temporary diminished sensitivity time period. .Iaddend. .Iadd.32.  The smoke detector of claim 25 wherein said diminishing means generates a control signal to establish said second predetermined smoke level, said control signal being substantially constant throughout an initial portion of said temporary diminished sensitivity time period. .Iaddend. .Iadd.33. The smoke detector of claim 32 further including means for user testing the operability of said smoke detector, both said user testing means and said diminishing means being operable by a single user actuated element. 
     
     
        .Iaddend. .Iadd.34.  A smoke detector comprising: means for sensing smoke levels and generating a signal characteristic of said smoke levels;   means for generating an alarm signal responsive to said sensing means detecting a first predetermined smoke level;   means for diminishing for a temporary time period the sensitivity of said smoke detector by increasing the magnitude of said smoke level required for generation of said alarm signal from said first predetermined smoke level to a second predetermined smoke level that is higher than said first predetermined smoke level; and   means for user testing the operability of said smoke detector, said user testing means being operative throughout substantially the entire duration of said time period while said diminishing means is operative. .Iaddend.   
     
     
        .Iadd.35.  The smoke detector of claim 34 wherein said second predetermined smoke level is a moderate smoke level higher than that typically resulting from cooking, fireplace use, excessive water vapor from bath facilities or use of tobacco products. .Iaddend. .Iadd.36. The smoke detector of claim 34 wherein both said diminishing means and said user testing means are operable by a single user actuated element. 
     
     
        .Iaddend. .Iadd.37.  The smoke detector of claim 34 wherein the sensitivity of said smoke detector remains reliable throughout substantially the entire duration of said diminished sensitivity time period. .Iaddend. .Iadd.38. The smoke detector of claim 34 wherein said diminishing means generates a control signal, said control signal having a substantially constant magnitude throughout the entire duration of said diminished sensitivity time period, whereby, responsive to said control signal, the sensitivity of said smoke detector remains substantially constant during said diminished sensitivity time period. .Iaddend.