fire blanket

Abstract

Fire blanket (1) with a multi-layered structure, wherein the fire blanket (1) has a three-layered structure (10, 11, 12) with a first and third outer layer (10, 12) made of a glass fabric and an intermediate second layer (11) comprising bentonite, characterized in that the fire blanket (1) is quilted with quilted seams (2) to form chambers (3) and the quilted seams (2) consist of a yarn with a steel core covered with cotton.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a fire blanket with a multi-layered structure, wherein the fire blanket has a three-layered structure with a first and third outer layer made of a glass fabric and an intermediate second layer comprising bentonite.

[0002] A fire blanket, also called a fire extinguishing blanket or fire protection blanket, can be used to cover or smother existing open fires that produce gas, smoke, and flames. The fire blanket prevents the flames from spreading to surrounding objects. It also significantly reduces the oxygen supply to the fire, thus containing or even extinguishing it through oxygen deprivation. These fire blankets are made of materials such as glass, Nomex, or aramid fabrics and are available in various sizes, ranging from those suitable for use in private homes to those large enough to cover an entire vehicle.

[0003] Furthermore, there are fire blankets specifically designed to contain fires or spontaneous combustion of lithium-ion batteries. When a lithium-ion battery is damaged, the chemical composition of its components leads to the release of gaseous hydrofluoric acid (HF) and significant thermal energy. Moreover, a damaged lithium-ion battery undergoes thermal runaway without an external oxygen supply, meaning that simply cutting off the oxygen supply is ineffective. For example, ADL Insulflex, Cobourg, Ontario, Canada, offers fire blankets specifically designed for laptops, smartphones, electric vehicles, and other devices with lithium-ion batteries. These blankets consist of fiberglass fabric and several layers of aluminized Mylar film.The company LithiumSafe, Oosterhout, Netherlands, is known to produce bags made of a multi-layered or multi-layered material into which, for example, a laptop whose lithium-ion batteries are starting to burn out can be placed.

[0004] DE 40 41 470 A1 describes a fire-resistant fabric in which a granular intumescent material is sandwiched between two textile fabrics that are needled or sewn together. The textile fabrics may contain glass fibers, and the entire fabric may serve as a fire blanket.

[0005] German patent DE10 2006 062 248 A1 discloses a polymer film for surface coating. This film is used to coat rigid components in the aerospace industry.

[0006] DE 60 2005 003 667 T2 shows a multi-layered mat for use as protection for an environmental protection element.

[0007] EP 2 501 780 B1 shows a surface coating that swells in the event of a fire and serves as a "seal" for example on doors, pipes, wall penetrations and the like.

[0008] Furthermore, US patent 2015 / 0136431A1 discloses a fire blanket with a three-layer structure, comprising a first and third outer layer of glass fabric and an intermediate second layer containing bentonite in the form of fine granules.

[0009] Furthermore, sealing mats are known from DE 198 27 909 A1 in which a bentonite layer is incorporated between two fully needled layers.

[0010] The invention is based on the objective of providing a fire blanket that is easy to manufacture, versatile in its use, and effectively protects the surroundings from the consequences of a lithium-ion battery burning out.

[0011] According to the invention, these problems are solved by quilting the fire blanket with quilted seams to form chambers, and the quilted seams consist of a yarn with a steel core that is covered with cotton.

[0012] The fire blanket has a three-layered structure. The two outer layers are each made of fire-resistant glass fabric, which is fire-resistant according to the industry standard EN 13501-1, or exhibits corresponding burning behavior. This glass fabric can also be described as glass filament fabric. Bentonite, for example in the form of fine granules, is arranged or embedded between the two outer fabric layers as a middle layer. Bentonite is a rock consisting of 60 to 80% montmorillonite and also includes quartz, mica, feldspar, pyrite, and calcite.

[0013] This design of the fire blanket provides it with sufficient fire resistance; that is, it can withstand the high temperatures generated during fires for a sufficient period without significant damage, enabling it to extinguish a conventional fire by cutting off the oxygen supply. Furthermore, the fire blanket, due to its outer fabric layers and the bentonite layer between them, is also permeable to a certain degree of gas, allowing the gas produced during the combustion of a lithium-ion battery to dissipate through the blanket. The bentonite incorporated into the fire blanket acts as a filter, filtering out or adsorbing the hydrofluoric acid produced during combustion.This effectively prevents gas poisoning of bystanders while simultaneously protecting them from open flames. In addition to hydrofluoric acid (HF), toxic dusts containing heavy metals, graphite, or nanocarbon compounds, as well as carcinogenic electrolyte vapors, are also filtered.

[0014] Furthermore, the gas permeability of the fire blanket prevents the blanket from being lifted away from the burning object it is covering due to the gas pressure generated during a fire, i.e., from being thrown off, or from being lifted off the surface if there is no weight on the edges, especially in the event of a pressure wave.

[0015] Within the scope of the invention, the glass fabrics and the bentonite arranged between them can be selected in any way imaginable, but preferably as described below.

[0016] Furthermore, the fire blanket can be manufactured in virtually any format. For example, it can be made in such a size that, for instance, a sufficiently large fire blanket, perhaps in a container, is provided at a parking space for an electric vehicle with at least one lithium-ion battery, in order to cover the entire vehicle in the event of a fire, thus preventing damage to neighboring parked vehicles and ensuring that escaping gas does not cause poisoning in parking garage users.

[0017] Similarly, the fire blanket can be dimensioned in such a way that, for example, a handheld mobile communication device, a laptop, a bicycle battery or the like can be wrapped in the fire blanket to provide sufficient fire protection or protection against escaping poison gas.

[0018] Due to the absorber material of fire class A1 it contains, the fire blanket has such thermal-mechanical stability that it can withstand even an extremely sharp flame of a marine rescue flare, which is also known as a "Bengalo".

[0019] Due to the symmetrical design of the fire blanket without a preferred direction or side, its use is relatively easy even in stressful situations and misuse is virtually impossible.

[0020] The fire blanket is constructed with quilted seams to create chambers. This quilting creates numerous chambers between the two outer layers of fiberglass fabric, in which the bentonite is already incorporated during manufacturing. These individual chambers ensure an even distribution of the bentonite across the surface of the fire blanket, preventing it from shifting during handling. For example, chambers measuring approximately 6 x 6 cm are formed, each preferably filled with 10 g of bentonite, resulting in a middle layer thickness of 3 to 4 mm. It is understood that the edges of the fire blanket, or rather its quilted chambers, are sewn and closed with a binding tape or webbing.

[0021] In principle, the edge of the fire blanket could also be reinforced to increase its tear resistance. Similarly, the edge of the fire blanket could be weighted, for example by sewing in lead weights, to ensure that the edge or the area of ​​the fire blanket lies flat against a surface. This flatness can increase the gas tightness and thus the desired filtering effect of the fire blanket.

[0022] To increase the stability of the fire blanket, it can also be reinforced with a stainless steel mesh, preferably positioned on the inside between the outer fiberglass layers and the middle bentonite layer. This gives the fire blanket a five-layer structure. While this structure makes the fire blanket more robust, it also makes it heavier and potentially more difficult to handle. The stainless steel mesh can be incorporated in one or more layers between the outer fiberglass layers and the middle bentonite layer.

[0023] According to further training, the glass fabric used is a material from Planex Technik in Textil GmbH, Ludwigshafen, Germany, or from Valmira Glass UK Ltd, designated TG-430-G-SH, which specifically meets the aforementioned standard for flammability. This is a coated glass fabric that is UV-stable, tear- and abrasion-resistant, oil-resistant, and crease-resistant.

[0024] To create the quilted seams and join the two outer layers, a thread with a steel core encased in cotton is used. Such a thread is sold, for example, by Coats Thread Germany GmbH, Breunlingen, Germany, under the name "Helios." This thread has a steel core consisting of eight to ten wires of steel grade 1.4301 or ASI 304, encased in flame-retardant cotton. While the cotton carbonizes at higher temperatures, the steel core ensures sufficient strength even at these elevated temperatures to guarantee the operational safety of the fire blanket.

[0025] Finally, it is proposed that the bentonite for the middle layer have a grain size of 0.5 to 2 mm. For example, Montonit N natural bentonite fine granules from Herbst GmbH, Telgte, Germany, with a mean grain size of 0.5–2 mm, containing 0.3% potassium oxide and 1.2% magnesium oxide, could be used. This material is sufficiently free-flowing to be poured into the quilted chambers in the required quantity. Furthermore, this bentonite offers a suitable compromise in terms of weight, stiffness, fire resistance, and gas tightness / filtering effect.

[0026] To facilitate handling the fire blanket, it is suggested that it be equipped with handling devices along its edges. These devices could be, for example, loop-shaped handles made of webbing or edge tape, sewn onto the edge, and / or straps, ropes, or similar materials to allow the fire blanket to be quickly pulled from a storage container and handled relatively easily.

[0027] It is further proposed that the fire blanket be equipped with detachable fasteners, particularly hook-and-loop fasteners, especially along its edges. With these fasteners, the fire blanket can be folded into a pouch, provided they are appropriately positioned along the edges, and this pouch can then be closed. If the fire blanket is appropriately sized, a laptop, smartphone, bicycle battery, or similar item can then be placed inside the folded pouch. Of course, it is also possible to close the pouch with a flap.

[0028] Especially on trains, airplanes, or other means of transport, many passengers carry an electronic device with a lithium-ion battery. Therefore, it is a purely statistical occurrence that such a lithium-ion battery will burn out. In such cases, a fire blanket carried in the vehicle, or a bag already folded from one, can serve as a means of protection. For example, on an airplane, a laptop that is heating up is placed in such a bag, which is then closed with a removable fastener or a flap. The heating of such an electronic device above a certain temperature usually indicates a lithium-ion battery burning out, or is the precursor to such a battery burning out.The bag not only provides protection from the resulting flames, but also filters out the toxic gases produced, thus significantly reducing the immediate danger, for example to people in an airplane who cannot escape.

[0029] It is understood that the features mentioned above and those to be explained below can be used not only in the combinations specified, but also in other combinations. The scope of the invention is defined solely by the claims.

[0030] The invention will be explained in more detail below using an exemplary embodiment with reference to the associated drawing.

[0031] It shows: Fig. 1. A representation of a fire blanket with edge fastenings and Fig. 2 a cross-sectional view of the fire blanket.

[0032] In the purely schematic and not to scale drawings Fig. 1 and Fig. The two components are designated with the same reference symbols.

[0033] In Fig. Figure 2 shows a fire blanket 1 in cross-section. The fire blanket 1 has a three-layer structure, namely layers 10, 11, and 12. The two outer layers 10 and 12, or the first layer 10 and the third layer 12, or, viewed in cross-section, the lower layer 10 and the upper layer 12, are each formed by a glass fabric, as indicated by dots. Between these two outer layers 10 and 12, a second layer 11 made of a bentonite filler material, for example, with a grain size of 0.5 to 2 mm, is arranged, as indicated by wavy lines. The fire blanket 1 is divided into individual compartments 3 by quilted seams 2, shown with dashed lines. Each compartment 3 has a size of, for example, 6 by 6 cm. Each compartment 3 contains, for example, 10 g of bentonite. It goes without saying that the fire blanket 1 is closed and sewn at the edges, for example with a webbing or edge tape.For the quilting seams 2, a yarn with a cotton-covered steel core is preferably used.

[0034] In Fig. Figure 1 shows the fire blanket 1 in various partially folded states in a top view.

[0035] To fold the fire blanket 1, with its chambers 3 formed by the quilted seams 2, into a bag 13, fastening means are arranged at the edge. These fastening means are, for example, sewn onto the edge of the fire blanket 1 and are designed, in this case, as a first hook and loop fastener 4, a second hook and loop fastener 5, and a third hook and loop fastener 6, or corresponding hook and loop and / or loop strips forming the hook and loop fasteners 4, 5, 6.

[0036] To fold the fire blanket 1 into a bag, it is folded as follows: Fig. 1a is evident first folded along the fold line F1-F1 in the direction of the two curved arrows in such a way that the first hook and loop fastener 4 and the third hook and loop fastener 6 lie on top of each other, the hook and loop fasteners 4, 6 being arranged and aligned with each other with their hooks and loops to form a releasable closure.

[0037] In Fig. Figure 1b shows the fire blanket 1 folded once. The second hook-and-loop fastener 5 and a fourth hook-and-loop fastener 7, located on the back of the third hook-and-loop fastener 6, are still visible on the left. The fire blanket 1 is now folded along the second fold line F2-F2 in the direction of the two curved arrows, reducing the original surface area of ​​the fire blanket 1 to one quarter. Several layers of the fire blanket 1 are thus placed on top of each other, and due to the double folding of the fire blanket 1, the right and lower edges R1 and R2 are partially closed by the material of the fire blanket 1, as shown in the diagram. Fig. As can be seen in 1c. In this case, several unconnected layers of the fire blanket 1 lie on top of each other in the area of ​​the lower edges R2 in such a way that an object can be placed between the layers, whereby the object is covered on one side by three layers and on the opposite side by one layer of the fire blanket 2.

[0038] To create pocket 13, the second hook-and-loop fastener 5 on the left edge R3 is connected to a fifth hook-and-loop fastener 8, and the fourth hook-and-loop fastener 7 on the top edge R4 is connected to a sixth hook-and-loop fastener 9. The fifth and sixth hook-and-loop fasteners 8 and 9 are located in the Fig. 1a are arranged on the underside of the fire blanket 1 which is fully spread out there and do not protrude beyond the edges.

[0039] To close the bag 13 folded from the fire blanket 1 at the top edge R4, the first Velcro fastener 4 is connected to the third Velcro fastener 6 located on the back of the fourth Velcro fastener 7.

[0040] Before closing the bag 13 folded from the fire blanket 1, a laptop with a burning lithium-ion battery, for example, can be placed inside. This effectively prevents the spread of flames, and the bentonite in the fire blanket 1 filters out the resulting toxic gases, dust, and fumes to a sufficient degree.

[0041] It is understood that the fire blanket 1, or the bag 13 folded from it, may be printed with company logos, advertising, or the like. Furthermore, to simplify its handling, the fire blanket 1 may also be equipped with handling devices such as loops or straps along the edges, or handles, or the like. Reference symbol list 1 fire blanket 2. Quilting 3 chamber 4 first Velcro fastener 5 second Velcro fastener 6 third Velcro fastener 7 fourth Velcro fastener 8 fifth Velcro fastener 9 sixth Velcro fastener 10 first layer 11 second layer 12 third layer 13 bags F1 first fold line F2 second fold line R1 right edge R2 bottom edge R3 left edge R4 upper edge

Claims

Fire blanket (1) with a multi-layered structure, wherein the fire blanket (1) has a three-layered structure (10, 11, 12) with a first and third outer layer (10, 12) made of a glass fabric and an intermediate second layer (11) comprising bentonite, characterized in that the fire blanket (1) is quilted with quilted seams (2) to form chambers (3) and the quilted seams (2) consist of a yarn with a steel core covered with cotton. Fire blanket (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the bentonite has a grain size of 0.5 to 2 mm. Fire blanket (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the fire blanket (1) is equipped with handling devices, in particular edge loops and / or straps. Fire blanket (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the fire blanket (1) can be folded into a bag (13) with releasable fastening means. Fire blanket (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that the releasable fastening means are designed as hook and loop fasteners (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9) attached to the edge of the fire blanket (1).

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