Monitoring box and fireproof closing device equipped with such a box

Abstract

A fire-resistant closure device comprising a fixed frame (501), a sash (502a, 502b), means (504a, 504b) for actuating said sash, and a monitoring unit (1). This unit includes: a motion detector, means for measuring the position of the sash relative to the frame, a clock, a wireless telecommunications interface, and a battery. The detection of movement of the sash triggers a monitoring operation that includes measuring the position of the sash at the end of the movement, counting the duration of the movement, and sending this data to a remote server. A status check operation can also be performed, automatically or on demand. The monitoring unit allows remote verification of the fire-resistant closure device's compliance with regulations; it also allows the status of the fire-resistant closure device to be monitored at any time and ensures that it is properly closed in the event of a fire.Figure for the abridged version: Fig. 6.

Description

Title of the invention: Monitoring box and fire-resistant closing device equipped with such a box technical field

[0001] The present application relates to a fire-resistant closing device, the expression "fire-resistant closing device" including swing fire doors, sliding fire doors, fire gates, fire curtains of the roller shutter type, fire curtains of the sectional door type, fire doors of elevator shafts, and generally any fire-resistant movable element used as one of the devices previously mentioned.

[0002] Throughout the following, for the sake of simplicity, the expression "fire door" refers more generally to a fire-resistant closing device regardless of its shape and closing mechanism (swing, sliding, rolling...); it can therefore refer to a door in the classical sense of the term, but also to a curtain, for example. State of the art

[0003] During a fire, the danger comes more from the smoke and gases than from the flames: risk of asphyxiation due to the rapid decrease in the concentration of oxygen in the air, risk of burning lung tissues from inhaling the smoke, toxicity of the products burned, hindrance caused by the smoke for the intervention of the rescue services, etc.

[0004] To reduce these risks, the law requires that certain buildings be equipped with fire doors designed to:

[0005] - when closed, compartmentalize the building in order to stop or delay the spread of flames and smoke within the building, and therefore containing the fire in a confined space,

[0006] - allow circulation and evacuation when they are open.

[0007] Fire doors are configured to resist fire for a given time, for example 30 min or 2 h, through the use of suitable materials and the provision of a peripheral seal specially designed to expand when temperatures exceed 200°C, the seal thus sealing the gaps between the opening and its frame.

[0008] Known fire doors usually include: - a fixed frame defining a passageway opening, - an opening, mounted movable relative to the fixed frame between a closed safety position in which the opening completely and hermetically seals the passage opening to prevent the spread of flames and smoke, and an open position in which the passage opening is unobstructed, - means of actuating the opening, which can be mechanical, pneumatic or electrical.

[0009] The actuation means generally include means for holding the door open, such as a magnetic catch, which hold the door open even when not closed, and closing means configured to move the panel to its safe closed position upon receiving a closing command. However, other operating modes are possible (for example, the fire door may not have any means for holding it open).

[0010] The fire doors of a building are usually associated with a control system capable of sending a closing command to said fire doors, activating the means of actuation of the opening leaf of each fire door in order to close it. The closing command for the fire doors can be manual or automatic. In the case of automatic control, it can be triggered by a thermal fuse or by a self-contained fire detector or a centralized system, called a Fire Safety Control Panel, which receives and processes information collected by a plurality of automatic detectors and manual call points.

[0011] A fire door must meet standards which require, in particular, that: - in the closed safety position, the door leaf is completely and hermetically sealed, - When its closing mechanism is triggered, the panel moves from its open position to its closed safety position in less than a minute. - the fire door should be inspected and maintained at least once a year, to avoid malfunctions that could seriously compromise its proper functioning.

[0012] Compliance checks are carried out by duly authorized operators. To do so, the operator triggers the closing of the fire door by activating its manual control and visually checks that the door closes correctly. In practice, due to time constraints, the operator rarely verifies precisely that the closure is complete. Similarly, the closing time is only checked approximately, or not at all, or only partially, particularly when several doors are associated with the same manual closing control (in this case, since the human operator cannot be in several locations at the same time, they cannot individually check the closing time of each door). There are therefore significant and obvious risks that a compliance check could lead to the validation of a defective fire-resistant closing device.

[0013] Some fire doors are equipped with a control indicator, which may be located on a control panel of the Fire Safety Control Panel, indicating that the door is in the closed position. The "closed position" information may be provided by a detection device (for example, a contact) of the closed position of the door, which is wired to the control indicator; in the case of fire doors equipped with means of holding the door open (magnetic catch, for example), the "closed position" information is sometimes simply deduced from the deactivation of said means of holding the door open.These devices are unreliable: if the connecting wire is cut, the information does not reach the control panel; moreover, deactivating the holding mechanisms does not necessarily mean that the door is closed, as an object in the door's path may prevent it from closing, for example. Description of the invention

[0014] There is currently no device that allows for the remote monitoring and assessment of the condition of a fire door or its proper functioning, nor for reliably establishing its conformity.

[0015] The invention aims to meet this need. In particular, it aims to provide a fire-resistant closure device whose proper functioning in the event of a fire can be reliably verified and whose conformity control is facilitated, in order to improve building safety.

[0016] To this end, the invention proposes a fire-resistant closing device equipped with a monitoring unit. The invention relates essentially to said monitoring unit. However, for the sake of clarity and simplicity, this unit is described as installed on a fire-resistant closing device, which is therefore referred to as the fire-resistant closing device according to the invention.

[0017] The fire-stopping closure device according to the invention comprises: - a fixed frame delimiting a passage opening, - an opening, movable relative to the fixed frame between a closed safety position in which the opening completely blocks the passage opening and an open position in which the passage opening is clear, - means for actuating the opening for the automatic closing of said opening.

[0018] The fire-resistant closing device according to the invention is characterized in that it comprises a monitoring unit, which monitoring unit comprises - a printed circuit board integrating a microprocessor, a timer, a motion detector capable of detecting any movement of the opening, and a monitoring software module, - a battery, - Position measurement means for measuring the position of the opening relative to the fixed frame,

[0019] - a telecommunications interface for sending data via the device monitoring to a remote server, and in that:

[0020] - the monitoring software module is configured to, in the event of detection of a movement of the opening by the motion detector, be automatically activated and perform a monitoring operation which includes a measurement of the position of the opening at the beginning of the movement, the establishment of a monitoring report including the previous data and the sending of this monitoring report to the remote server, - the monitoring software module is also configured to be able to be activated automatically on a regular basis and / or upon receipt of a corresponding request issued remotely, in order to perform a status report operation including a measurement of the position of the opening and the establishment and sending to the remote server of a status report including said measurement.

[0021] It should be noted that the function of detecting the movement of the opening associated with the motion detector can be fulfilled by the position measurement means. In other words, the motion detector can be integrated into the position measurement means or, more generally, the motion detector and the position measurement means can include common elements.

[0022] According to particular embodiments of the invention, the fire-stopping closure device further has the following characteristics, implemented individually or in any technically possible and operational combination.

[0023] In some embodiments, the monitoring operation further includes a measurement of the position of the opening at the start of movement and a countdown by the time counter of a duration of the movement, these additional data being included in the monitoring report transmitted to the remote server.

[0024] In certain embodiments, the monitoring operation further includes comparing the measured position at the end of the movement with a pre-recorded reference value corresponding to the safe closed position of the opening, and issuing an alert if the measured position of the opening at the end of the movement does not correspond to said reference value. Alternatively, and preferably, this comparison is not performed by the monitoring software module of the monitoring unit (in order to limit the latter's activity and increase its lifespan) but by an analysis module of the remote server upon receipt of the monitoring report. (see definition below of a remote monitoring system for fire-resistant closure devices).

[0025] In certain embodiments, the monitoring unit further includes an image sensor. In this case, advantageously:

[0026] - any monitoring operation further includes capturing an image at the end of the movement of the opening and the addition of the captured image to the monitoring report sent to the remote server, - and / or any condition assessment operation also includes capturing an image at the time of measuring the position of the opening and adding the captured image to the condition assessment report sent to the remote server, - and / or the monitoring software module is configured to trigger image capture upon receipt of a corresponding command issued remotely.

[0027] In some embodiments, any monitoring report also includes a battery charge status, and / or any status report also includes a battery charge status.

[0028] In some embodiments, the monitoring software module is configured to be automatically activated and to perform a status check operation every 6 or 7 hours or three times a day.

[0029] In certain embodiments, the battery is sized to ensure a life of the monitoring unit of between 3 and 6 years based on use including between three and five monitoring operations per year and between two and four status observation operations per day.

[0030] In certain embodiments, the fire-stopping device includes a hinged door, the previously described opening then corresponding to a leaf of the hinged door, said opening being mounted pivoting around an axis parallel to the plane of the passage opening and the position measurement means include an electronic gyroscope or an electronic three-axis accelerometer or an angular encoder, for example an optical encoder.

[0031] Alternatively, the fire-stopping closure device includes a sliding door or gate, the previously defined opening being then mounted to slide on horizontal rails parallel to the plane of the passage opening and the position measurement means include a linear position sensor or a linear encoder.

[0032] Alternatively, the fire-stopping closure device includes a roller shutter or curtain, the previously defined opening being configured to unroll and slide on vertical rails parallel to the plane of the passage opening and the position measurement means include a linear sensor or encoder, associated with a lower end of the roller shutter, or an angular encoder associated with a winding shaft of the roller shutter.

[0033] Regardless of the embodiment, a person skilled in the art is able to provide means of position measurement adapted to the type of opening of the fire-stopping closure device and enabling it to be determined precisely whether the opening is in the closed safety position.

[0034] In some embodiments, the monitoring unit incorporates a geolocation sensor.

[0035] In some embodiments, the telecommunications interface includes at least one of an antenna, a SIM card, a 3G or 4G or 5G transmitter / receiver and its management software module.

[0036] In some embodiments, the monitoring box includes a second telecommunications interface of the WiFi and / or Bluetooth type to allow communication of the box with a smart portable device such as a smartphone or tablet.

[0037] The invention extends to a fire-stopping device monitoring system, characterized in that it comprises: - a plurality of fire-resistant closing devices according to the invention, i.e., each equipped with a monitoring unit as described above, - at least one remote server configured to receive monitoring reports and status reports issued by the monitoring units of said firewall closure devices, -a human-machine interface, - an analysis module hosted by said remote server for analyzing received monitoring reports and status reports, which analysis module is configured to generate an alert for the human-machine interface in the event of: — receipt of a monitoring report indicating that the corresponding opening is not in the safe closed position, in other words a monitoring report in which the position measured at the end of the movement is not equal to a pre-recorded reference position corresponding to the safe closed position of the opening; this scenario corresponds to a deliberately triggered monitoring operation (for the purpose of verifying the conformity of the fire-stopping device or for another reason) which reveals that the fire-stopping device is not compliant; it also corresponds to the case where the activation of the actuation means was triggered by a fire detector following the occurrence of a fire and the opening did not close correctly, for example because it is obstructed by an object in the passageway.

[0038] — where applicable (i.e. in the case of a surveillance operation in (during which the duration of the movement is calculated), receipt of a monitoring report in which the calculated closure time is greater than a pre-recorded normative reference closure time.

[0039] In an advantageous embodiment, the monitoring system further comprises a plurality of smart portable personal devices, such as tablets and / or smartphones, as well as an application that can be loaded onto said smart portable personal devices, and a web API hosted on the remote server, said application being configured to interact with said web API, the monitoring boxes of the fire-stopping closure devices each comprising a second telecommunications interface of the WiFi and / or Bluetooth type for communication of said monitoring box with said smart portable devices via said application.

[0040] The invention also relates to a method for verifying the conformity of a fire-resistant closing device equipped with a monitoring box according to the invention, in which an operator causes the opening of the fire-resistant closing device to close by activating the actuation means of said opening and the conformity of the fire-resistant closing device is evaluated from the data contained in the monitoring report automatically issued by the monitoring software module of said box following this activation of the actuation means of the opening, it being specified that said monitoring operation includes not only the measurement of the position of the opening at the end of the movement, but also the measurement of the position of the opening at the beginning of the movement and the counting of the duration of the movement. Brief description of the drawings

[0041] The invention, according to an exemplary embodiment, will be better understood and its advantages will become more apparent upon reading the following detailed description, given by way of example and in no way limiting, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0042] [Fig-1] [Fig. 1] is a perspective view of a sliding fire door in the open position, the door being equipped with a monitoring box according to the invention.

[0043] [Fig.2] [Fig.2] is a perspective view of the fire door of [Fig.1] in safety closed position.

[0044] [Fig. 3] [Fig. 3] is a perspective view of a fire curtain in position open, the curtain being equipped with a monitoring box according to the invention.

[0045] [Fig.4] [Fig.4] is a perspective view of the fire curtain of [Fig.3] in safety closed position.

[0046] [Fig. 5] [Fig. 5] is an exploded perspective view of an embodiment of a monitoring unit according to the invention;

[0047] [Fig.6] [Fig.6] is a schematic representation of a monitoring system according to the invention. Detailed description

[0048] Identical elements represented in the aforementioned figures are identified by identical numerical references.

[0049] Figures 1 and 2 represent a sliding fire door 100 according to the invention, i.e., equipped with a monitoring unit 1 according to the invention. The door is shown in the open position in [Fig. 1] and in the closed safety position in [Fig. 2].

[0050] This sliding fire door 100 comprises a fixed frame 101 defining a passage opening 103, and a sash 102 mounted to slide on an upper horizontal rail 104 and a lower guide 105 between an open position ([Fig.1]) in which the opening is clear to allow passage of people for example, and a closed safety position ([Fig.2]) in which the sash 102 completely and hermetically seals the passage opening and in which an upstream lateral edge of the sash 102 fits into a post 106 forming an end stop and contributing to obtaining a hermetic closure of the door.

[0051] The monitoring box 1 according to the invention is fixed on one face of the opening 102, for example along the upstream lateral edge of the opening, for example in one of its corners, preferably in an upper corner (less exposed than a lower corner to possible kicks or impacts from trolleys and other objects).

[0052] When a fire is detected, the fire door must be closed to compartmentalize the building and contain the fire within a restricted area. The sliding fire door is equipped with a magnetic lock 107 that holds the door open in the absence of fire or, more generally, in the absence of a door closing command. This magnetic lock is connected to a manual closing control, such as a push button 108, which may be located near the door, as well as to a Fire Safety Control Panel, which may be located elsewhere in the building, or a standalone detector 109. Activation of the manual control by an operator, or transmission of a fire door closing command from the Fire Safety Control Panel or the standalone detector, deactivates the magnetic lock 107 and consequently closes the door 102 by means of (non-visible) actuation mechanisms.

[0053] Similarly, Figures 3 and 4 represent a fire curtain 200 according to the invention, i.e., equipped with a monitoring unit 1 according to the invention. The curtain comprises a frame 201 defining a passage opening 203, and a leaf 202 which is shown in the open position in [Fig. 3], a position in which the leaf is wound around a horizontal shaft above the passage opening. The lateral edges of the curtain slide in vertical rails 204 to allow the opening to move from the previous open position to the closed safety position illustrated in [Fig.4], a position in which the opening is unrolled and completely and hermetically seals the passage opening 203.

[0054] Like the fire door described above, the fire curtain 200 includes actuation means (not visible in the drawings) connected to a manual control and / or to an autonomous detector and / or to a Fire Safety Control Unit.

[0055] The monitoring box 1 according to the invention is fixed by any suitable means on one face of the opening 202, in the immediate vicinity of the lower edge of the opening.

[0056] The invention also applies to sectional fire doors which, like the illustrated roller shutter, slide along vertical rails in the lower part; the hinged panels of the sectional door then follow a curved path and then horizontal rails in the upper part.

[0057] Another embodiment of a fire-resistant closing device according to the invention can be seen in [Fig. 6], namely a double-leaf swing fire door 500. Each leaf 502a, 502b is here equipped with a monitoring unit 1 according to the invention. The monitoring unit 1 is fixed in an upper corner of the leaf opposite the axis of rotation of said leaf.

[0058] Each leaf 502a, 502b is associated with actuator means 504a, 504b of the cylinder type, configured to exert a force on the leaf in the direction of its closure when it is open but also when it has reached its closed safety position.

[0059] The monitoring unit 1 is illustrated in [Fig. 5]. It comprises a watertight and fire-resistant protective casing 2, preferably a watertight protective casing with an IP44 rating, in which the various components of the monitoring unit necessary for its operation are enclosed. This protective casing 2 comprises a lower housing 20 and an upper cover 21 that closes said housing. The cover 21 is fixed to the housing 20 by screws (not shown). A gasket is provided to ensure a watertight and fire-resistant connection between the housing and the cover.

[0060] The housing 20 receives a printed circuit board 3 on which are connected a microprocessor 30, a time counter (clock) 31, a motion detector 32 of the type gyroscope or accelerometer for example capable of detecting any movement of the housing and therefore any movement of the opening on which the monitoring housing is fixed, and one or more memories including a memory in which a monitoring software module 33 is stored (this software module can, alternatively, be stored directly in the microprocessor).

[0061] The monitoring unit 1 further integrates a telecommunications interface 34 connected to the printed circuit board 3 for sending data (operation reports) (monitoring or status report) to a remote 301 server in a 300 cloud (see [Fig. 6]). This telecommunications interface preferably includes a SIM card and a 4G or 5G transceiver managed by a corresponding module, for example, a 4G LTE-M / NB-IoT module, which has the advantage of being compatible with several operators, allowing the operator to be chosen based on network availability at the installation site. The 4G link is bidirectional, but the module is preferably switched off most of the time to limit power consumption. Information is preferably received from the 300 cloud only when the 4G LTE-M / NB-IoT module is activated for data transmission.

[0062] The printed circuit board 3 further advantageously integrates a low energy WiFi / Bluetooth 35 link to allow the connection of the monitoring box 1 with a smartphone 400 (see [Fig.6]).

[0063] The printed circuit board can also optionally integrate a GPS sensor 37.

[0064] The microprocessor 30 can be a low-power microcontroller to manage standby modes. The WiFi / Bluetooth and 4G connection management modules are switched off to minimize power consumption and switched on when it is necessary to send information to the Cloud 300 or a smartphone 400. If the WiFi / Bluetooth module 35 has a standby power consumption compatible with the requirement, the microprocessor can also be switched off. In this case, all the application code (in particular the monitoring software module 33 described later) can be integrated into the WiFi / Bluetooth module.

[0065] The various physical elements provided on the printed circuit board 3 are neither described nor represented in detail in the figure, the person skilled in the art being able to design the board necessary to fulfill the functions of the monitoring software module described later.

[0066] The monitoring unit 1 further includes position measurement means 4 (shown schematically) mounted on the printed circuit board 3. These position measurement means 4 are adapted to accurately measure, for example to the nearest centimeter, the position of the opening relative to the fixed frame. The monitoring unit according to the invention thus offers, for the first time, the possibility of remotely verifying that the opening of a fire-resistant device is indeed completely closed after receiving a closing command, for example in the event of a fire.

[0067] In the case of both the sliding door 100 of [Fig. 1] and 2, and the roller shutter 200 of [Fig. 3] and 4, these position measurement means 4 may include a 2D position sensor or a displacement sensor, inductive or capacitive or optical or ultrasonic, etc., or even a linear encoder. In the case of the swing door 500 of [Fig.6], the means of position measurement include for example an angular encoder capable of determining the opening angle of the leaf 502a, 502b on which the monitoring box is fixed.

[0068] In addition to the aforementioned sensor or encoder, the position measurement means 4 include a calculation module configured to calculate the position of the housing (i.e. of the opening) relative to the fixed frame of the fire door (or curtain), from the signal generated by the sensor.

[0069] The monitoring unit 1 may also include a camera comprising an image sensor 36 associated with a lens 5 fixed to the housing 20 opposite a transparent window 23 provided in the bottom of said housing. The lens 5 is preferably of the wide-angle or hypergonal type (known by the anglicism "fish eye") and the sensor 36 may have a limited resolution, for example on the order of 2 million pixels.

[0070] The monitoring unit 1 further includes a battery 6 connected to the printed circuit board by contacts 6a, 6b. The battery 6 is housed in a compartment formed in the cover 21 of the protective shell, which compartment is closed by a hatch 22 allowing access to the battery for replacement when necessary; this compartment is made watertight by the presence of a gasket (not shown) between the cover and the hatch.

[0071] The inventors have determined that a battery of the ER26500 type makes it possible to guarantee a period of 4 years of reasonable use of the monitoring unit, a "reasonable" use meeting the following assumptions: five monitoring operations (closing of the opening, whatever the cause) are carried out on average per year; three status observation operations are carried out per day, with taking pictures (and sending to the cloud); the rest of the time the monitoring unit is immersed in a standby mode.

[0072] Note that the monitoring unit 1 includes an installation button for activating a unit initialization procedure described later, as well as an indicator light 19, such as an RGB LED, indicating whether the unit's microprocessor 30 and monitoring software module 33 are activated (the LED is then programmed to emit, for example, a green light) or in standby mode (the LED emits, for example, an orange light). A third color, for example red, can be used to indicate that the battery 8 is almost empty.

[0073] The monitoring box 1 is identified by an identification reference which can be marked on the protective shell 2 of the box in the form of a barcode or a QR code.

[0074] The invention extends to a management system for a plurality of fire-resistant closing devices, all equipped with a monitoring unit 1 as previously described. This system comprises:

[0075] - the monitoring boxes 1 of said fire-resistant devices,

[0076] - a 301 server accessible via the cloud 300,

[0077] - a 302 web API of cloud 300,

[0078] - 400 smart personal devices such as mobile phones (smartphones) or tablets on which operators can download a 403 application.

[0079] The following description details the operation of the monitoring unit during installation and nominal operation.

[0080] When the operator installs a fire-resistant closure device according to the invention on a building or when equipping an existing fire-resistant closure device with a monitoring unit according to the invention, they must first perform an initialization procedure using the 403 application on their smartphone. This procedure includes:

[0081] - scanning the QR code or barcode present on the monitoring device allowing us to identify it,

[0082] - starting the unit by inserting the battery or by removing a tab temporarily isolating one of the battery contacts,

[0083] - where applicable, the fixing of the housing to the opening of the locking device fire,

[0084] - starting the installation by pressing the installation button on the box, this startup including waking up the microprocessor and the WiFi / Bluetooth module,

[0085] - registration in the application, with the previously entered device ID scanned, of a geolocation data of the device; if the monitoring device includes a GPS sensor, this geolocation is measured by this sensor and transmitted via Bluetooth to the application on the smartphone; otherwise, the operator is asked to bring the smartphone close to the device and the location is measured by the smartphone's GPS sensor;

[0086] - a calibration operation of the monitoring unit, in which the door is placed in the safety closed position, for example using the manual closing control of said door, and in which the position then measured by the position measuring means 4 is recorded in the monitoring software module as a reference position corresponding to the safety closed position and is transmitted via Bluetooth to the application on the smartphone and to the server 301 via the 4G or 5G module.

[0087] Once installed and calibrated, said monitoring unit operates as indicated below.

[0088] Under normal conditions, when the fire door is not moving, the monitoring unit is in a low-power standby mode. In standby mode, only the 4G module 34 remains awake; alternatively, only the 4G module 34 and the microprocessor 30 remain awake in standby mode.

[0089] As soon as movement of the housing, i.e., of the opening 102, 202, 502a, 502b, is detected, the motion detector 32 (gyroscope or accelerometer), the microprocessor 30, and the monitoring software module 33 wake up from their standby state and a monitoring operation is triggered. This monitoring operation includes at least measuring the position of the opening at the end of the movement and then, for example, 30 seconds after the start of the movement, sending this information to the remote server 301 in the form of a monitoring report that also includes the identification reference of the relevant monitoring housing.

[0090] Optionally, the monitoring operation may also include calculating the duration of the movement (using the timer 31), and possibly also taking a photograph at the end of the movement. This additional information is attached to the monitoring report sent to the remote server 301.

[0091] Alternatively, the photo is not taken automatically at the end of the movement but is taken only upon receipt of a corresponding request sent via the web API 302 after receipt and analysis (by an operator or by an automatic analysis module installed on the server) of the monitoring report, according to the data contained in this report.

[0092] Optionally, the monitoring report also includes a battery charge status 6.

[0093] Such a monitoring operation can be intentionally triggered by an operator from a certification body for the purpose of verifying the fire-stopping device's compliance with standards. In this case, the operator commands the fire-stopping device to close using the manual control of said device or via the building's Fire Safety Control Panel. The closing command automatically triggers the monitoring operation since it causes a movement of the opening that is detected by the gyroscope or accelerometer 32. The certification body can then retrieve the received data via the web API 302 by the administrator of the fire-stopping device management system according to the invention.

[0094] Alternatively, particularly in cases where monitoring operations do not inherently include calculating the duration of movement, the 302 web API can offer the possibility of triggering a certification operation that includes: the activation of means of actuation of the opening for its closing (or the deactivation of the means of holding the opening in the open position when this deactivation is indeed of such a nature as to automatically cause the opening to close); the measurement of the position of the opening at the beginning and end of the movement by the position measurement means 4; the calculation of the duration of the movement by the time counter 31; the taking of a photo at the end of the movement by the camera; and the sending of a certification report including all the previous information and also optionally including a state of charge of the battery 6.

[0095] In normal operation, without any movement of the opening, status check operations are triggered upon receipt, by the monitoring unit 1, of a corresponding command automatically issued by the remote server 301 or by the 4G module 34 or by the microprocessor 30, for example, every day at 7 a.m., 2 p.m., and 9 p.m. In addition to these pre-programmed operations, a status check operation command can also be issued in response to a corresponding request entered on an ad hoc basis by an operator of the fire-resistant closing device management system according to the invention via the web API 302 or the smartphone application 403.

[0096] The status observation operations include waking up the microprocessor (if it is off and only the 4G module remains in standby between two operations), measuring the position of the opening and sending to the remote server 301 a status observation report including the measured position of the opening, a battery charge status and the identification reference of the monitoring box.

[0097] Optionally, the condition assessment operation may include taking a photograph and sending this photograph in the condition assessment report. Alternatively, a command to take a photograph may be sent from the server 301 via the web API 302 after receipt of the condition assessment report, for example, if the measured position of the opening appears abnormal. This alternative is preferred because it consumes less energy, as the photograph is not taken systematically, which increases the "lifespan" of the unit (the time during which the unit is fully operational with its original battery, which has not been replaced or recharged).

[0098] As previously indicated, apart from monitoring and status reporting operations (and possibly certification operations), the monitoring unit is in a standby mode in which a maximum of its components are switched off.

[0099] It should be noted that the illustrated and previously described monitoring unit has small dimensions and weight so as not to interfere with the closing of the opening. It can therefore be installed on an existing fire-resistant closing device without modifying its structure or its automatic actuation means (actuators).

[0100] Furthermore, in the illustrated examples, the monitoring unit is fixed to the opening. Alternatively, it could be a fixed unit, fixed to the fixed frame of the fire-resistant closing device; a person skilled in the art could easily adapt the illustrated unit so that this fixed unit performs all the functions described above, in particular with regard to detecting the movement of the opening and accurately measuring its position.

Claims

1. Demands Fire-resistant closure device comprising: - a fixed frame (101; 201; 501) delimiting a passage opening (103; 203; 503), - an opening (102; 202; 502a, 502b), mounted movable relative to the fixed frame between a closed safety position in which the opening completely blocks the passageway and an open position in which the passageway is clear, - means for actuating the opening (504a, 504b) for the automatic closing of said opening, characterized in that it further comprises a monitoring unit (1) comprising: — a printed circuit board (3) incorporating a microprocessor (30), a timer (31), a motion detector (32) capable of detecting any movement of the opening, and a monitoring software module, — a battery (8), — position measurement means (4), for measuring the position of the opening (102; 202; 502a, 502b) relative to the fixed frame (101; 201; 501), — a telecommunications interface (34) for sending data from the monitoring unit (1) to a remote server (301), and in that: - the monitoring software module (33) is configured so that, in the event of detection of movement of the opening by the motion detector (32), it is automatically activated and performs a monitoring operation which includes a measurement of the position of the opening at the end of the movement by the position measurement means (4), the establishment of a monitoring report including said position measurement at the end of the movement and the sending of this monitoring report to the remote server, - the monitoring software module is also configured to be able to be activated automatically on a regular basis and / or upon receipt of a corresponding request issued remotely, in order to perform a status observation operation including a measurement of the position of the opening, and the establishment and sending to the remote server of a status observation report including said measurement.

2. Fire-resistant closing device according to claim 1, characterized in that the monitoring operation further includes a measurement of the position of the opening at the start of movement and a countdown by the time counter of a duration of the movement, these additional data being included in the monitoring report transmitted to the remote server.

3. Fire-resistant closing device according to any one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that the monitoring operation further includes a comparison of the measurement of the position of the opening at the end of movement with a pre-recorded reference value corresponding to the closed safety position of the opening, and the issuance of an alert if the measurement of the position of the opening at the end of movement does not correspond to said reference value.

4. Fire-resistant closing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the monitoring unit (1) includes an image sensor (36) and in that: - the monitoring operation includes capturing an image at the end of the movement of the opening and adding the captured image to the monitoring report sent to the remote server, - and / or the status observation operation includes capturing an image at the time of measuring the position of the opening and adding the captured image to the status observation report sent to the remote server, - and / or the monitoring software module is configured to trigger the capture of an image upon receipt of a corresponding command issued remotely.

5. Firestopping device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the monitoring report also includes a battery charge status (6), and / or the status finding report also includes a battery charge status.

6. Firestop closure device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the monitoring software module is configured to be automatically activated and to perform the status observation operation every 6 or 7 hours or three times a day.

7. A fire-resistant closure device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the battery is sized to guarantee a service life of the monitoring unit of between 3 and 6 years based on usage of between three and five monitoring operations per year and between two and four condition assessment operations per day.

8. Fire-stopping closure device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that it comprises a swing door (500), the opening corresponding to a leaf (502a, 502b) of the swing door, said opening being mounted pivoting about an axis parallel to the plane of the passage opening (503) and the position measurement means (4) comprise an electronic gyroscope or an electronic three-axis accelerometer or an angular encoder.

9. Fire-stopping closure device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that it comprises a sliding door or gate (100), the opening (102) being mounted to slide on horizontal rails parallel to the plane of the passage opening (103) and the position measurement means (4) comprise a linear position sensor or a linear encoder.

10. Fire-stopping closure device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that it comprises a roller shutter or curtain (200), the opening (202) being configured to unroll and slide on vertical rails parallel to the plane of the passage opening (203) and the position measurement means (4) comprise a linear sensor or encoder, associated with a lower end of the roller shutter, or an angular encoder associated with a winding shaft of the roller shutter.

11. Firestop closure device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the monitoring box (1) integrates a geolocation sensor (37).

12. Firestop closure device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the telecommunications interface (34) comprises at least one of an antenna, a 3G or 4G or 5G transmitter / receiver and its management software module, a SIM card.

13. Firestop closure device according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the monitoring box (1) includes a second telecommunications interface (35) of the WiFi and / or Bluetooth type for communication of the box with a smart portable device.

14. A remote monitoring system for fire-resistant closing devices, characterized in that it comprises: - a plurality of fire-stopping closure devices conforming to one of claims 1 to 13, - at least one remote server configured to receive monitoring reports and status reports issued by the monitoring units (1) of said fire-stopping closure devices, - a human-machine interface, - an analysis module hosted by said remote server for analyzing the received monitoring reports and status reports, which analysis module is configured to generate an alert for the human-machine interface in the event of: — receipt of a monitoring report indicating that the corresponding opening is not in the closed safety position, — receipt of a monitoring report in which the counted opening time is greater than a pre-recorded normative reference opening time.

15. A remote monitoring system for fire-stopping closure devices, according to claim 14, characterized in that it comprises a plurality of smart portable personal devices (400), as well as an application that can be loaded onto said smart portable personal devices, and a web API hosted on the remote server, said application being configured to interact with said web API, and in that the monitoring boxes (1) of the fire-stopping closure devices each comprise a second telecommunications interface (35) of the WiFi and / or Bluetooth type for communication of said monitoring box (1) with said smart portable devices (402) via said application.

16. A method for verifying the conformity of a fire-stopping closure device according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein an operator causes the opening of the fire-stopping closure device to close by activating the actuation means of said opening, and the conformity of the fire-stopping closure device is evaluated from the data contained in the monitoring report automatically issued by the monitoring software module of said housing following this activation of the actuation means of the opening.

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