Fire resistant glazing with a safety device

Abstract

The invention relates to a fire resistant glazing (100), comprising at least one first glass pane (101) and a second glass pane (102), which are parallel to one another and mutually spaced, and a fire resistant layer (103) provided between the two glass panes (101, 102). A safety device (1) having an impact element (13) for impacting against the glass pane (101) is provided on at least one glass pane (101) of the two glass panes (101, 102), and the safety device (1) is provided with a temperature-controlled triggering mechanism (6) for the impact element (13), said triggering mechanism being designed to cause the impact element (13) to impact against the glass pane (101) in case of fire in such a way that a local damaged region is produced in the glass pane (101), said damaged region causing the glass pane (101) to shatter.

Description

[0001] Fire-resistant glazing with a safety device

[0002] The present invention lies in the technical field of fire-resistant glazing and relates to fire-resistant glazing with at least one safety device arranged on a glass pane, which can cause the glass pane to shatter in the event of a fire.

[0003] Fire-resistant glazing ("fire-resistant glazing") is sold in large quantities and widely used, so its basic structure is familiar to those skilled in the art. It has also been described numerous times in patent literature, with reference to WO 2023 / 186506 A1 being cited as an example.

[0004] Generally, fire-resistant glazing serves as a barrier against the spread of smoke and fire, protecting people and objects located on one side of the fire-resistant glazing from a fire breaking out on the other side. In this case, not only is smoke isolation desirable, but also a temporary heat barrier is also required. During normal operation, however, the fire-resistant glazing is intended to function like a normal transparent glazing element. Many countries have legal regulations regarding how long fire-resistant glazing must function as a barrier in a specific location (fire resistance duration).

[0005] Various types of fire-resistant glazing are known in the art. Typically, fire-resistant glazing comprises at least two transparent panes with a fire-resistant interlayer or fire protection layer sandwiched between them. The panes are generally glass, although other materials such as polycarbonate can also be used. Toughened or tempered glass, such as soda-lime glass, can be used for the glass panes. Toughened glass gives the glass increased flexural strength; if it breaks, the glass shatters into many small pieces without sharp edges, thus increasing the safety of the fire-resistant glazing.

[0006] An intumescent, opacifying, or intumescent material is typically used for the fire protection layer. The intumescent material expands significantly when exposed to heat, releasing gases and causing the material to expand. This increase in volume creates a heat-insulating foam layer that prevents the spread of fire and smoke, at least for a certain period of time. Many fire protection layers also contain water, which evaporates in the event of a fire, further providing a cooling effect to reduce heat conduction through the fire-resistant glazing. Fire protection layers begin to expand as soon as the intumescent material is heated to a material-dependent activation temperature.

[0007] The material of the fire-resistant layer, for example, is an alkali polysilicate with the highest possible water content. Water-containing, organic, gel-like polymer hydrogels are also known as materials for fire-resistant layers. These fire-resistant compounds are flowable and, during the manufacture of the fire-resistant glazing, are filled into one or more chambers enclosed by a circumferential sealant between the two panes.

[0008] In a typical fire situation, only one side of the fire-resistant glazing, the fire-side glass pane, is directly exposed to the heat of the fire. The non-fire-side glass pane is shielded from direct heat exposure by the fire by the fire-resistant layer. To act as a barrier against fire and smoke, maintaining the structural integrity of the fire-resistant glazing is important, with the non-fire-side glass pane being designed to withstand fire for as long as possible.

[0009] Practice has shown that the fire-side glass pane can withstand intense heat exposure from fire for a relatively long time without bursting. Apart from a potentially delayed activation of the intumescent material, a particular disadvantage has been found to be the fact that the fire-side glass pane can bend towards the non-fire-side glass pane due to the heating. This can subsequently lead to the non-fire-side glass pane breaking. As a result, the fire-resistant glazing loses its structural integrity, which can have a detrimental effect on the fire resistance period. This undesirable bending of the fire-side glass pane can occur particularly in toughened glass panes with increased flexural strength, since toughened glass panes burst less quickly under the influence of heat.

[0010] In contrast, the object of the present invention is to provide improved fire-resistant glazing that avoids the aforementioned problems while maintaining the fire-resistant glazing's function as a barrier against fire and smoke for as long as possible. Thus, the fire-resistant glazing should have a particularly high fire resistance duration. Furthermore, the fire-resistant glazing should be cost- and time-efficiently manufactured in industrial series production. Existing and installed fire-resistant glazing should be easily retrofittable.

[0011] CN 213953408 U, CN 213980518 U, and KR 20120004479 U each show a glazing in which both panes can be broken by a mechanism. These mechanisms are not suitable for use in fire-resistant glazing with two panes of glass and a fire-resistant layer between them.

[0012] These and other objects are achieved according to the invention by a fire-resistant glazing according to the independent patent claim. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are set out in the subclaims.

[0013] According to the invention, fire-resistant glazing (fire-resistant glazing) is shown. Conventionally, fire-resistant glazing comprises at least two parallel and spaced-apart glass panes and a fire-resistant layer (fire-resistant interlayer) arranged in the space between the two glass panes. The fire-resistant layer consists of an intumescent material. Thus, fire-resistant glazing comprises at least a first glass pane and a second glass pane, and a fire-resistant layer arranged between the two glass panes.

[0014] Although fire-resistant glazing is described here and below with reference to two glass panes with a fire-resistant layer between them, it is understood that the fire-resistant glazing may comprise more than two glass panes and more than one fire-resistant layer in the space between adjacent glass panes. The use of more than two glass panes and multiple fire-resistant layers in the same fire-resistant glazing is well known to those skilled in the art, so this need not be further explained in the context of the present description of the invention.

[0015] The fire-resistant glazing comprises a safety device on at least one of the two glass panes, with an impact body designed to impact the glass pane. The safety device is equipped with a temperature-controlled trigger mechanism for the impact body. The temperature-controlled trigger mechanism is designed to cause the impact body to impact the glass pane in the event of a fire in such a way that local damage is generated in the glass pane, and the glass pane shatters as a result of the local damage. Therefore, the impact of the impact body must be so strong or occur with such force that the glass pane is sufficiently damaged, resulting in the glass pane bursting or shattering.

[0016] Advantageously, the safety device is provided with a temperature-controlled triggering mechanism for the impact body, which is designed to cause the impact body to impact the glass pane in the event of a fire in such a way that local damage is generated exclusively in the glass pane equipped with the triggered safety device, causing the glass pane to shatter. In other words, the other glass pane, which is not equipped with a safety device or has a non-triggered safety device, is not subjected to local damage that would cause the glass pane to shatter.

[0017] The temperature-controlled trigger mechanism is operatively coupled to the impact body and triggers a movement of the impact body toward the glass pane, thus causing the impact body to strike the glass pane. In the event of a fire, the trigger mechanism is triggered depending on the temperature acting on the safety device. The trigger mechanism is designed so that the impact body is triggered at a desired (adjustable or preset) trigger temperature. The trigger temperature is selected so that the glass pane shatters before the fire-side glass pane deflects so severely that there is a risk of the non-fire-side glass pane shattering. If the trigger temperature can be physically assigned to a temperature range, the term "trigger temperature" can also be understood as a temperature range or a value within this temperature range.In particular, this can also be understood as the lowest or highest temperature within the temperature range. This applies to all temperature specifications in this description of the invention.

[0018] In the fire-resistant glazing according to the invention, at least one glass pane is provided with a temperature-controlled safety device. It is understood that this should be the glass pane directly exposed to the heat of the fire in the event of a fire. In the event of a fire, the safety device should be located on the fire-side, or hotter, glass pane. In many fire-resistant glazing applications, it can be determined in advance on which side of the fire-resistant glazing a fire may occur. In the following, reference will be made to the glass pane on which the safety device is located by means of a specific article.

[0019] The fire-resistant glazing according to the invention particularly advantageously enables a targeted or intentional shattering of the glass pane provided with the safety device in the event of a fire. A delayed bursting of the fire-side glass pane can thus be advantageously avoided, so that the fire protection layer can be activated quickly. Furthermore, a bending of the fire-side, or hotter, glass pane towards the non-fire-side, or cooler, glass pane can be particularly advantageously avoided. Destruction of the non-fire-side glass pane due to bending of the fire-side glass pane can be avoided. These are significant advantages of the fire-resistant glazing according to the invention, which further improve the reliability and safety of the fire-resistant glazing in the event of a fire. The fire resistance period can therefore be increased. This applies in particular to toughened or tempered glass.tempered glass panes that have high bending strength.

[0020] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the safety device comprises an impact body in the form of a projectile. A projectile can be used to simply and reliably induce local damage that penetrates deep into the glass pane, subsequently leading to the shattering of the entire glass pane.

[0021] For the purposes of the invention and in accordance with the common understanding of the term, the term "projectile" refers to a component of the safety device that is not permanently connected to other components. The projectile can also be referred to as a missile, whereby the projectile can be brought to impact against the glass pane in a missile-like manner.

[0022] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the trigger mechanism comprises a plunger that can be brought into impact against the impact body. Particularly advantageously, the plunger can be spring-loaded by the spring force of a tension spring. A spring-loaded plunger allows the impact body to be set into sudden, rapid motion in the event of a fire, causing it to impact the glass pane, particularly easily and reliably. A tension spring, particularly in the form of a coil spring, which can be pushed onto the plunger, allows the force acting on the impact body to be precisely adjusted. In particular, the impact body can be subjected to a very high force.

[0023] For the purposes of the invention, the term "ram" refers to a rod-shaped component. The axis of the ram extends in the direction of the rod, so that movement in the direction of the rod can also be referred to as axial movement.

[0024] The plunger has a (front) plunger head region and an opposite (rear) plunger end region, whereby the terms front and rear refer to the orientation of the plunger to the impact body, i.e. the plunger head region is arranged closer to the impact body than the plunger end region. The plunger head region and the plunger end region are connected to one another by a plunger intermediate region. The plunger head region is intended to impact the impact body. The impact body accordingly has a (front) impact body head region and an opposite (rear) impact body end region, whereby the terms front and rear refer to the orientation of the impact body to the glass pane, i.e. the impact body head region is arranged closer to the glass pane than the impact body end region.The impact body head section and the impact body end section are connected by an impact body intermediate section. The impact body head section is designed to impact the glass pane.

[0025] The plunger head region has a plunger impact surface as its outer surface, and the impact body end region has an impact body impact surface as its outer surface. The plunger impact surface is designed to impact the impact body impact surface in order to transfer its energy to the impact body and set the impact body in motion. For example, the plunger head region has a conically tapered region, for example, which forms the plunger impact surface. The impact body end region is designed, for example, in the shape of a spherical shell.

[0026] Particularly advantageous is the impact body head region intended for impact with the glass pane, which is provided with a tip through which the impact body makes initial contact with the glass pane when the impact body strikes the glass pane. This has the advantage that a very high level of energy can be transferred locally to the glass pane, particularly to cause damage that penetrates deeply into the glass pane. In toughened glass panes, a minimum depth of damage can be advantageous in order to reliably and safely shatter the glass pane. The term "tip" refers to a reduced diameter of the impact body compared to an adjacent area of ​​the impact body, with the diameter being measured transversely to the direction of movement of the impact body.

[0027] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the plunger can be fixed by a spring-loaded fixing means, wherein the fixing means consists of a fusible material whose melting temperature corresponds to a triggering temperature of the temperature-controlled triggering mechanism. Thus, the spring-loaded plunger is released by melting of the fixing means, wherein the released plunger, acted upon by the spring force of the tension spring, is moved axially in the direction of the impact body and strikes the impact body. Thus, the fixing means acts as a fuse, wherein the plunger is released when the fusible material of the fixing means preferably melts completely due to the heat in the event of a fire. The fixing means made of a fusible material allows reliable temperature control of the triggering mechanism in the event of a fire to be achieved in a simple and cost-effective manner.It is understood that the melting temperature of the fusible material of the fixation device is lower than the melting temperatures of the other components of the safety device, with the exception of the impact body guide bearing cover (see below). Melting the fixation device can change the safety device from an activated (non-triggered) state to a triggered state.

[0028] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the safety device is accommodated in a housing cavity, particularly in a multi-part housing. By accommodating the safety device in the housing, it becomes a modular, independent assembly, which advantageously allows for the safety device to be freely positioned on the glass pane, for example, in the edge area of ​​the glass pane. Furthermore, existing fire-resistant glazing, even when already installed, can be retrofitted with the safety device in a simple and cost-effective manner. The housing has a housing opening, hereinafter referred to as the "impact body housing opening" for ease of reference, for the passage of the impact body.

[0029] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the impact body housing opening has a cover (towards the outside or the external environment), wherein the cover consists of a fusible material, and wherein a melting temperature of the fusible material is equal to or lower than a triggering temperature of the triggering mechanism.

[0030] Thus, the cover is made of a fusible material that, in the event of a fire, melts at a temperature equal to or lower than the trigger temperature of the trigger mechanism, i.e., the melting temperature of the fixing agent. Thus, the cover melts and clears the path for the impact body when the fixing agent melts and the trigger mechanism triggers the plunger. Particularly preferably, the melting temperature of the cover is lower than the melting temperature of the fixing agent, so that the cover is already melted when, with further temperature increase, the melting temperature of the fixing agent is reached.

[0031] The cover advantageously prevents accidental damage to the glass pane caused by the impact body. The impact body, which is mounted in the impact body guide bearing and secured, for example, by friction, could accidentally contact the glass pane in the event of significant movement of the fire-resistant glazing. The cover advantageously prevents this.

[0032] The housing defines the housing cavity. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the housing cavity can be divided, at least conceptually, into a first cavity zone, a second cavity zone, a third cavity zone, and a fourth cavity zone adjacent to the impact body housing opening. The cavity zones are not separate from one another, but can be differentiated by the arrangement of the components of the safety device in the activated state. The plunger is arranged in the first to third cavity zones, with the plunger head region being arranged in the first cavity zone, a plunger intermediate region advantageously being arranged in the first cavity zone and at least partially in the second cavity zone, and a plunger end region being arranged in the third cavity zone. The plunger end region is preferably wider than the plunger intermediate region.The first cavity zone and the second cavity zone are separated by an inner collar. The fixing means is arranged in the second cavity zone and engages behind the plunger end region to fix the spring-loaded plunger, with the fixing means being supported on the inner collar. It is particularly advantageous if the tension spring is supported on the plunger head region and the inner collar. This design allows the plunger to be fixed in a very simple manner by the fixing means, spring-loaded. The aforementioned cover is arranged between the fourth cavity zone and the glass pane.

[0033] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the fourth cavity zone is provided with a bearing bush for the impact body. The bearing of the impact body can thus advantageously be provided with the desired tribological properties.

[0034] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the housing has one or more openings, each of which opens into the housing cavity. In the embodiment described above, the openings particularly advantageously open into the second cavity zone, in which the fixing means is located. This measure has the advantage that, in the event of a fire, the heat can act particularly effectively on the fixing means, which is designed in the form of a fuse, to quickly melt it and trigger the triggering mechanism.

[0035] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, an insulating plate is arranged between the housing of the safety device and the glass pane in order to further reduce undesirable heat transfer between the hotter side of the fire-resistant glazing and the colder side of the fire-resistant glazing.

[0036] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the safety device is mounted on a surrounding mounting frame of the fire-resistant glazing in the edge area of ​​the fire-resistant glazing. For this purpose, the mounting frame is advantageously provided with mounting flanges to which the safety device can be very easily mounted. Preferably, the mounting flanges are each accommodated in recesses in the housing. It is particularly advantageous if mounting brackets made of a poorly heat-conducting material, such as phenol formaldehyde resin, are arranged between the mounting flanges and the housing in order to further reduce undesirable heat transfer between the hotter side of the fire-resistant glazing and the cooler side of the fire-resistant glazing.

[0037] The at least two glass panes are preferably made of quartz glass, borosilicate glass, soda-lime glass, and / or mixtures thereof. Each glass pane advantageously has a thickness of 1 mm to 50 mm, preferably 1 mm to 10 mm, particularly preferably 3 mm to 8 mm, whereby the at least two glass panes can also have different thicknesses. According to one embodiment, the glass panes are made of thermally or chemically tempered glass. The glass panes can have any desired additional components or coatings, for example, low-E coatings or other solar protection coatings.

[0038] The fire protection layer consists of an intumescent fire protection compound, which is well known in the art. For example, water-containing alkali silicates or water-containing hydrogels are advantageously used. Such fire protection compounds, after curing, produce a fire protection layer that foams, becomes cloudy, heat-insulates, and / or cools under the influence of heat. The flowable fire protection compound preferably comprises at least alkali silicates and at least one hardener. After the fire protection compound has cured, a polysilicate fire protection layer is formed. Such polysilicate fire protection layers exhibit good transparency under normal conditions, while in the event of a fire, a heat protection effect is achieved through clouding and / or foaming of the fire protection layer.

[0039] As already explained, it is advantageous if the safety device is housed in a housing composed, in particular, of two or more housing parts, so that the safety device is a modular, independent assembly. The two or more housing parts allow the safety device to be easily integrated into the housing.

[0040] The housing is advantageously made of a metallic material. Metals typically have high thermal conductivity, ensuring good heat conduction through the housing to the fuse used as a fuse in the event of a fire. It is particularly advantageous for the housing components to be made of a metallic material with a relatively low coefficient of thermal expansion. This has the advantage that, in the event of a fire, jamming of moving components of the safety device due to thermal expansion can be avoided. High wear resistance of the metallic material is also advantageous. For example, the housing components are made of an aluminum alloy, such as an aluminum alloy of type EN AW-4032.

[0041] The impact body serves to create local damage, such as a hole, break, or crack, in the glass pane. With tempered glass, it is advantageous if the impact body penetrates the glass to a depth of more than 1 / 5 of its total thickness, causing the glass to shatter. The impact body should be made of a material that is harder than the glass. For this purpose, the impact body is particularly preferably made of a ceramic material, for example, aluminum oxide with a purity of more than 99.3%.

[0042] Advantageously, the impact body is mounted in a bearing bush, which should have suitable tribological properties so that the bearing bush is not damaged when the impact body is struck by the tappet. In particular, the material of the bearing bush must be sufficiently hard. For example, the bearing bush is made of a metal alloy, especially a copper alloy such as phosphor bronze.

[0043] The fixing means for securing the spring-loaded plunger is designed as a fuse. The fusible material of the fixing means is selected such that, in the event of a fire, it is completely melted on the hotter side of the fire-resistant glazing, but is not melted on the colder side of the fire-resistant glazing, not even partially, if a safety device is also arranged on the non-fire-side glass pane. The melting point of the fusible material of the fixing means is preferably below 500°C, below 400°C, below 300°C, below 200°C, or even below 100°C. For example, the fixing means consists of a metal alloy, in particular a low-melting metal alloy, such as bismuth (99.99% purity), which has a melting point of 271.3°C.

[0044] The melting point of the fuse-type fixing agent is preferably between 50°C and 70°C, more preferably between 55°C and 65°C. The fixing agent preferably contains or consists of one or more elements selected from the group consisting of bismuth (Bi), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), tin (Sn), and indium (In). The fixing agent preferably does not contain cadmium or lead, as these substances are harmful to health.

[0045] The fixing agent is preferably a Field's metal. As is known in the art, Field's metal is an alloy that melts at approximately 62°C. Field's metal contains indium (In), bismuth (Bi), and tin (Sn) with the following mass proportions: indium 51%, bismuth 32.5%, tin 16.5%. The fixing agent can also be a Rose's metal. As is known in the art, Rose's metal is an alloy that melts at approximately 94°C. Rose's metal contains bismuth (Bi), lead (Pb), and tin (Sn) with the following mass proportions: bismuth 50%, lead 25%, tin 25%.

[0046] The cover is also designed like a fuse. The fusible material of the cover is selected such that, in the event of a fire, it is completely melted on the hotter side of the fire-resistant glazing, but is not melted on the colder side of the fire-resistant glazing, not even partially, if a safety device is also arranged on the non-fire-side glass pane. Preferably, the melting temperature of the fusible material of the cover is below 500°C, below 400°C, below 300°C, below 200°C, or even below 100°C. The melting temperature of the fusible material of the cover is particularly advantageously lower than the melting temperature of the fusible material of the fixing agent.Advantageously, the cover consists of a metal alloy, in particular a low-melting metal alloy, such as a Field metal or a Rose metal.

[0047] In the fire-resistant glazing according to the invention, a safety device is provided on at least one glass pane, which in the event of a fire is the fire-side glass pane. It can be advantageous if a safety device is arranged on each of the two glass panes of the fire-resistant glazing. This can be particularly advantageous if it is not predictable on which side of the fire-resistant glazing a fire will occur or if a fire is conceivable on both sides of the fire-resistant glazing, for example, if the fire-resistant glazing is used as a transparent glazing element in the interior of a building, in particular as a fire door.

[0048] The glass panes of the fire-resistant glazing can also be thermally or chemically toughened or tempered glass panes. The toughening of glass panes is well known to those skilled in the art, for example, from the industrial series production of glass panes, so it need not be discussed in detail here. Local damage to the glass pane due to the impact of the impacting body can be sufficient to cause the hot glass pane to burst in the event of a fire. In toughened panes, local damage in the hot glass pane can spread across the entire glass pane and cause it to shatter. The fire-resistant glazing according to the invention is preferably used as a transparent glazing element, for example, as a window or door of a building.

[0049] The various embodiments of the invention can be implemented individually or in any combination. In particular, the features mentioned above and explained below can be used not only in the specified combinations, but also in other combinations or on their own, without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[0050] The invention is explained in more detail below using exemplary embodiments, with reference to the accompanying figures. They show, in simplified, not-to-scale, schematic representations:

[0051] Fig. 1 is an exploded view of an embodiment of the safety device,

[0052] Fig. 2 a perspective view of a fire protection glazing with the mounted

[0053] Safety device of Figure 1 without housing cover,

[0054] Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the fire-resistant glazing of Figure 2 with the safety device in the triggered state,

[0055] Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the safety device of Figure 1 in the assembled state,

[0056] Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the fire-resistant glazing of Figure 2 with safety devices mounted on both sides,

[0057] Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the impact body of the safety device of Figure 1.

[0058] With reference to Figures 1 to 6, a fire-resistant glazing (see Figure 2) with a safety device, designated overall by the reference number 100, is explained by way of example. Consider first Figure 1, which illustrates, by way of example, a safety device, designated overall by the reference number 1, using a schematic exploded view. The safety device 1 comprises a multi-part housing 2 consisting of a base 3 and a cover 4. The cover 4 is composed of a first cover part 4-1 and a second cover part 4-2, whereby the cover 4 could equally well be formed in one piece. The housing 2 consists of a metallic material with very good thermal conductivity and a low coefficient of thermal expansion, here, for example, an aluminum alloy of the type EN AW-4032.By integrating the various other components of the safety device 1 into the housing 2, the safety device 1 can be installed as an independent assembly (module), which enables a particularly simple, optional positioning of the safety device 1 on the fire-resistant glazing 100.

[0059] The safety device 1 comprises an impact body 13 designed as a projectile. The safety device 1 further comprises a temperature-controlled trigger mechanism 6 with a plunger 7, which can be fixed in the housing 2 by the spring force of a tension spring 18 under spring preload. The plunger 7 serves to impact the impact body 13 in order to set it in rapid motion and cause it to impact the glass pane of the fire-resistant glazing 100 on which the safety device 1 is mounted.

[0060] The rod-shaped plunger 7 has a plunger head region 8 and a plunger end region 9, which are connected to one another by a plunger intermediate region 10. The plunger 7 is rotationally symmetrical with respect to a central plunger axis (in the rod direction). The plunger intermediate region 10 is designed as a (rod-shaped) cylinder. The plunger head region 8 comprises a cylindrical base section 11, which is adjoined by a front section 12 that tapers, for example, conically. The outer surface of the plunger head region 8 serves as a plunger impact surface 19, which comes into contact with the impact body 13 when the plunger 7 impacts the impact body 13. The diameter of the base section 11 of the plunger head region 8 is larger than the diameter of the plunger intermediate region 10. The plunger end region 9 is cylindrical, wherein the diameter of the plunger end region 9 is larger than the diameter of the plunger intermediate region 10.The plunger 7 can be fixed in the housing 2 by a fixing means 21, which is intended to encompass the plunger intermediate region 10, adjacent to the plunger end region 9, and thus to engage behind the plunger end region 9. The plunger end region 9 thus forms a fixing collar for fixing the spring-loaded plunger 7 in the housing 2. For this purpose, the fixing means 21 is designed as a U-shaped plug-on part with a slot-shaped or U-shaped opening 22, wherein the fixing means with the opening 22 can be precisely fitted onto the plunger intermediate region 10 (e.g., using frictional engagement) and partially encloses the plunger intermediate region 10. The U-shaped opening 22 of the fixing means 21 is smaller than the diameter of the plunger end region 9, so that the plunger 7 can be fixed in the rod direction by the fixing means 21.At the attachment point of the fixing means 21, the diameter of the plunger intermediate region 10 is reduced, whereby the fixing means 21 can be fixed in position in both directions along the central plunger axis.

[0061] Let us now consider Fig. 6 in addition, in which the impact body 13 of the safety device 1 of Fig. 1, designed as a projectile, is shown in an enlarged perspective view. The impact body 13 is here, for example, elongated and comprises an impact body head region 14 and an impact body end region 15, which are connected to one another by an impact body intermediate region 16. The impact body intermediate region 16 is cylindrical. The impact body head region 14 has an impact body tip 17. The impact body end region 15 is here, for example, spherical shell-shaped (dome-shaped). The outer surface of the impact body end region 15 serves as an impact body impact surface 20, which comes into contact with the plunger impact surface 19 upon impact of the plunger 7.The impact body 13 is rotationally symmetrical with respect to a central axis of rotation (in the longitudinal direction from the impact body head region 14 to the impact body end region 15).

[0062] The impact body 13 can be accommodated in the bearing bush 23 shown in Figure 1. The bearing bush 23 serves as an impact body bearing 27 (see Figure 2) for supporting and guiding the impact body 13.

[0063] Reference is now made again to Figure 1. The housing 2 has a housing cavity 5 in which the various components of the safety device 1 are accommodated. As can be clearly seen in Figure 1, the housing cavity 5 can be divided, at least conceptually, into different zones which are interconnected and together form the housing cavity 5. The plunger 7 can be accommodated in a first cavity zone 5-1, a second cavity zone 5-2 and a third cavity zone 5-3. The plunger head region 8 can be precisely accommodated in the first cavity zone 5-1. The second cavity zone 5-2 also serves to accommodate the fixing means 21. The plunger end region 9 can be precisely accommodated in the third cavity zone 5-3. The first cavity zone 5-1, the second cavity zone 5-2 and the third cavity zone 5-3 together form a tappet bearing 26 (see figure) for the tappet 7, in which the tappet 7 is also guided.To ensure a precise fit of the plunger 7 in the housing cavity 5, the thermal expansion of the materials involved must be taken into account through appropriate tolerances. It is understood that in the event of a fire, jamming of the plunger 7 due to thermal expansion must be avoided. Therefore, a certain amount of clearance or play must be provided for the mounting of the plunger 7.

[0064] The first cavity zone 5-1 and the second cavity zone 5-2 are separated from each other by an inner collar 24 projecting into the housing cavity 5. A passage 25 defined by the inner collar 24 is dimensioned such that the plunger end region 9 can pass through when the plunger 7 is triggered. The bearing bush 23 for the impact body 13 can be inserted into a fourth cavity zone 5-4, which borders an impact body housing opening 35 penetrating the base 3. The impact body 13 can be inserted into the bearing bush 23 and secured by frictional engagement. The impact body housing opening 35 is dimensioned such that the impact body head region 14 or the impact body 13 can be moved through the impact body housing opening 35.

[0065] The housing 2 further comprises mounting brackets 28 and mounting pins 29, e.g., plug-in bolts or screws, which can be inserted into corresponding holes 30 for the secure connection of the base 3 and cover 4 and for mounting on the fire-resistant glazing 100. Due to the multi-part design of the housing 2, the other components of the safety device 1 can be easily integrated into the housing 2.

[0066] Fig. 2 shows the safety device 1 in the installed state on a fire-resistant glazing 100. The housing 2 is shown without the cover 4 in order to illustrate the standby state of the safety device 1 with a spring-loaded plunger 7. The fire-resistant glazing 100 comprises at least two toughened glass panes, namely a first glass pane 101 and a second glass pane 102, in the intermediate region of which there is a fire protection layer 103 made of an intumescent material. The structure of such a fire-resistant glazing 100 is well known to the person skilled in the art, e.g., from the industrial series production of fire-resistant glazing, so it need not be discussed in more detail here. For the sake of simplicity, the aforementioned components of the fire-resistant glazing 100 are not shown in detail in the figures.

[0067] The fire-resistant glazing 100 serves here, for example, as a fire door, e.g. for the interior of a building, whereby the fire door serves as a transparent glass component in normal use. The safety device 1 is arranged here, for example, in the upper edge region of the fire-resistant glazing 100, whereby folded mounting flanges 105 on a surrounding metal frame 104 of the fire-resistant glazing 100 serve for easy installation of the safety device 1. The metal frame 104 serves to install the fire-resistant glazing 100 as a fire door. In the present example, a safety device 1 is mounted on each side of the fire-resistant glazing 100, for which purpose mounting flanges 105 are provided on each side. Fig. 2 shows the safety device 1, which is arranged on the first glass pane 101. The safety device 1 on the second glass pane 102 is constructed in a similar way.

[0068] The first glass pane 101 and the second glass pane 102 are made of thermally toughened glass, for example, soda-lime glass with a thickness in the range of, for example, 2 mm to 6 mm. The fire protection layer 103 consists of an intumescent fire protection compound, for example, a water-containing alkali silicate or a water-containing hydrogel.

[0069] The safety device 1 is mounted as a separate assembly on the mounting flanges 105, wherein the mounting flanges 105 are received in recesses 31 of the base 3, into which the mounting brackets 28 are inserted. The mounting brackets 28 are made of a material with very low thermal conductivity, e.g., a polymer plastic. This advantageously prevents direct contact between the mounting flanges 105 and the housing 2. This reduces undesired heat conduction from the hotter side to the colder side of the fire-resistant glazing 100 via the metal frame 104. As can be clearly seen in Fig. 2, in the ready-to-use safety device 1, the plunger 7 is received in the housing cavity 5 in a spring-loaded state, wherein the plunger 7 is spring-loaded by the spring tension of the tension spring 18. The tension spring 18 is clamped between the cylindrical base section 11 of the plunger head area 8 and the inner collar 24.The fixing means 21 surrounds the intermediate region 10 of the plunger, directly adjacent to the plunger end region 9. The second cavity zone 5-2 is shaped to fit the fixing means 21. Actuated by the spring force of the tension spring 18, the thickened plunger end region 9 is pressed against the fixing means 21, which in turn is supported on the inner collar 24. The fixing means 21 prevents the plunger 7, which is pre-tensioned by the tension spring 18 in the direction of the rod and the direction of the plunger head region 8, from loosening.

[0070] The bearing bush 23 is inserted into the fourth cavity zone 5-4. The impact body 13 is inserted into the bearing bush 23 and secured by frictional engagement. The impact body 13 is positioned such that the plunger head region 8 can impact the impact body end region 15 when the plunger 7, acted upon by the spring force of the tension spring 18, is released. Upon impact, the plunger impact surface 19 slides along the impact body impact surface 20, and the plunger 7 transfers its kinetic energy to the impact body 13, causing the impact body 13 to move suddenly and rapidly. The impact body 13 can be brought into impact with the first glass pane 101 in a direction perpendicular to the direction of movement of the plunger 7, whereby a breakage or crack in the first glass pane 101 is generated by the impact body 13.The sliding impact surfaces of the plunger 7 and the impact body 13 enable different directions of movement of the plunger 7 and the impact body 13.

[0071] Fig. 3 illustrates the triggered (deactivated) state of the safety device 1. The fixing means 21, designed in the form of a fuse, has completely melted and has released the plunger end region 9 of the plunger 7, so that the plunger 7, acted upon by the spring force of the tension spring 18, has struck the impact body 13, thereby causing the impact body 13 to impact the first glass pane 101.

[0072] The impact body 13 serves to cause a local break or crack in the first glass pane 101 in the event of a fire, as a result of which the entire glass pane 101 shatters. The impact body 13 is made of a material that is harder than the first glass pane 101, for example, a ceramic material such as aluminum oxide with a purity of more than 99.3%. The impact body bearing 27 is formed by the bearing bush 23. The bearing bush 23 should not be damaged when the tappet 7 strikes the impact body 13. The bearing bush 23 is made of a metal alloy, in particular a copper alloy such as phosphor bronze.

[0073] The fixing agent 21 is intended to melt completely in the event of a fire and release the spring-loaded plunger 7. For this purpose, the fixing agent 21 consists of a suitable material with a relatively low melting temperature, preferably between 50°C and 70°C, more preferably between 55°C and 65°C. The fixing agent preferably contains or consists of bismuth (Bi) and / or cadmium (Cd) and / or lead (Pb) and / or tin (Sn) and / or indium (In). The fixing agent 21 is preferably a Field metal, which melts at approximately 62°C.

[0074] As clearly visible in Fig. 3 and Fig. 4, the housing 2, here, for example, both the base 3 and the cover 4, has slot-shaped openings 34 that open into the housing cavity 5. Specifically, the slot-shaped openings 34 open into the second cavity zone 5-2, in which the fixing means 21 is located. Thus, the slot-shaped openings 34 are arranged adjacent to the fixing means 21. This advantageously ensures that the fixing means, designed in the form of a fuse, is particularly easily accessible to the effects of external heat in the event of a fire.

[0075] Fig. 4 shows the safety device 1 of Fig. 1 with the assembled housing 2 in a perspective view, looking toward the rear of the housing 2. Clearly visible are the recesses 31 with the inserted mounting brackets 28 for mounting the safety device 1 on the mounting flanges 105. Also clearly visible is an external cover 32 of the impact body housing opening 35, which prevents the impact body 13, which is frictionally held in the bearing bush 23, from accidentally striking the first glass pane 101 and potentially damaging it if the fire-resistant glazing 100 is moved so sharply that the impact body 13 is released from the frictional engagement. The cover 32 is made of a fusible material that melts in the event of a fire at a temperature lower than the melting temperature of the fixing agent 21.The cover 32 here consists, for example, of a low-melting metal alloy, such as Fields metal (melting point 62 °C) or Rose metal (melting point 94 °C). As clearly visible in Fig. 4, a channel 33 is incorporated into the base 3 in the area of ​​the cover 32, through which the molten material of the cover 32 can easily drain.

[0076] Figure 5 shows a further perspective view of the fire-resistant glazing 100 of Fig. 2. It can be seen that an identical safety device 1 is arranged on both sides of the fire-resistant glazing 100. The two safety devices are constructed and mounted in the same way, so that the above statements apply to the first glass pane.

[0077] 101 mounted safety device 1 in an analogous manner for the second glass pane

[0078] 102. Since the fire-resistant glazing is intended for use in a fire door, particularly for the interior of a building, it may not be possible to rule out the possibility of a fire occurring on one side or the other of the fire-resistant glazing 100. Safety devices 1 on both sides of the fire-resistant glazing 100 take this into account, improving safety in the event of a fire.

[0079] From the above, it can be seen that the invention provides improved fire-resistant glazing that allows for the intentional shattering of the glass pane equipped with a safety device in the event of a fire. This advantageously prevents delayed bursting of the fire-side glass pane, so that the fire-protection layer is activated quickly. Furthermore, a relatively strong bending of the hotter glass pane toward the cooler glass pane can be avoided, so that there is no risk of the cooler glass pane shattering as a result. This advantageously further increases the fire resistance duration. Existing and, in particular, already installed fire-resistant glazing can be easily and inexpensively retrofitted with a safety device.

[0080] List of reference symbols

[0081] 1 safety device

[0082] 2 housings

[0083] 3 Floor

[0084] 4 lids

[0085] 4-1 first lid part

[0086] 4-2 second lid part

[0087] 5 Housing cavity

[0088] 5-1 first cavity zone

[0089] 5-2 second cavity zone

[0090] 5-3 third cavity zone

[0091] 5-4 fourth cavity zone

[0092] 6 Trigger mechanism

[0093] 7 plungers

[0094] 8 Tappet head area

[0095] 9 Tappet end area

[0096] 10 Tappet intermediate area

[0097] 11 Base section

[0098] 12 front section

[0099] 13 impact bodies

[0100] 14 Impact body head area

[0101] 15 Impact body end area

[0102] 16 Impact body intermediate area

[0103] 17 Impact body tip

[0104] 18 tension spring

[0105] 19 Tappet contact surface

[0106] 20 Impact body impact surface

[0107] 21 Fixatives

[0108] 22 U-shaped depression

[0109] 23 Bearing bush

[0110] 24 inner collar

[0111] 25 passage

[0112] 26 tappet bearings

[0113] 27 Impact body bearing 28 Mounting bracket

[0114] 29 Mounting pin

[0115] 30 holes

[0116] 31 Recess 32 Cover

[0117] 33 Drain channel

[0118] 34 Breakthrough

[0119] 35 Impact body housing opening 100 Fire-resistant glazing

[0120] 101 first glass pane

[0121] 102 second glass pane

[0122] 103 Fire protection layer

[0123] 104 Metal frame 105 Mounting flange

Claims

Patent claims 1. Fire-resistant glazing (100), comprising at least a first glass pane (101) and a second glass pane (102), which are arranged parallel and at a distance from one another, and a fire-resistant layer (103) arranged between the two glass panes (101, 102), wherein a safety device (1) with an impact body (13) for impacting the glass pane (101) is arranged on at least one glass pane (101) of the two glass panes (101, 102), wherein the safety device (1) is provided with a temperature-controlled triggering mechanism (6) for the impact body (13), which is designed to cause the impact body (13) to impact the glass pane (101) in the event of a fire in such a way that local damage is generated in the glass pane (101), which causes the glass pane (101) to shatter.

2. Fire-resistant glazing (100) according to claim 1, wherein the impact body (13) is in the form of a projectile.

3. Fire-resistant glazing (100) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the triggering mechanism (6) comprises a plunger (7) which can be brought into impact against the impact body (13).

4. Fire-resistant glazing (100) according to claim 3, wherein the plunger (7) can be spring-loaded by the spring force of a tension spring (18).

5. Fire-resistant glazing (100) according to claim 4, in which the plunger (7) can be fixed in a spring-biased manner by a fixing means (21), the fixing means (21) consisting of a fusible material whose melting temperature corresponds to a triggering temperature of the triggering mechanism.

6. Fire-resistant glazing (100) according to claim 5, wherein the melting temperature of the fusible material of the fixing means (21) is between 50 °C and 70 °C, preferably between 55 °C and 65 °C.

7. Fire-resistant glazing (100) according to claim 6, wherein the fusible material of the fixing means (21) contains or consists of one or more elements selected from the group consisting of bismuth (Bi), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), tin (Sn) and indium (In), and in particular contains or consists of a Field metal or a Rose metal.

8. Fire-resistant glazing (100) according to one of claims 1 to 7, in which the safety device (1) is accommodated in a housing cavity (5) of a housing (2), in particular a multi-part housing, wherein the housing (5) has an impact body housing opening (35) for the passage of the impact body (13).

9. Fire-resistant glazing (100) according to claim 8, wherein the impact body housing opening (35) has a cover (32), the cover (32) being made of a fusible material, a melting temperature of the fusible material being equal to or less than a triggering temperature of the triggering mechanism (6).

10. Fire-resistant glazing (100) according to claim 9, wherein the housing (5) has a drainage channel (33) opening into the cover (32) for draining molten material from the cover (32).

11. Fire-resistant glazing (100) according to one of claims 8 to 10, in which the housing (2) has one or more openings (34) which each open into the housing cavity (5).

12. Fire-resistant glazing (100) according to claims 3 to 5 and according to one of claims 8 to 11, in which the housing cavity (5) can be divided into a first cavity zone (5-1), a second cavity zone (5-2), a third cavity zone (5-3) and a fourth cavity zone (5-4) adjacent to the impact body housing opening (35), wherein the plunger (7) is arranged in the first to third cavity zones, wherein a plunger head region (8) is arranged in the first cavity zone (5-1) and a plunger intermediate region (10) is arranged at least in sections in the second cavity zone (5-2), and a plunger end region (9) is arranged in the third cavity zone (5-3), wherein the first cavity zone (5-1) and second cavity zone (5-2) are divided by an inner collar (24), wherein the fixing means (21) is arranged in the second cavity zone (5-2) and engages behind the plunger end region (9) for fixing the spring-loaded plunger (7),wherein the fixing means (21) is supported on the inner collar (24).

13. Fire-resistant glazing (100) according to claim 12, in which the tension spring (18) is supported on the plunger head region (8) and on the inner collar (24).

14. Fire-resistant glazing (100) according to one of claims 1 to 13, wherein local damage is generated exclusively in the glass pane (101) provided with the triggered safety device, causing this one glass pane (101) to shatter.

15. Fire-resistant glazing (100) according to one of claims 1 to 14, in which a safety device (1) is arranged on each of the two glass panes (101, 102).

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