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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing compactable archives with prismatic box-shaped containers fail to effectively prevent damage from high-temperature fires, as the seals used to prevent flame and heat ingress tend to disintegrate under prolonged exposure, allowing heat to reach valuable contents, and the internal temperatures exceed safety standards during fire tests.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a compactable archive with box-shaped containers featuring air gaps and labyrinth seal members, coated with fire-retardant materials that expand with temperature, creating a multi-layered thermal insulation system to maintain a fluid-tight seal and prevent heat transfer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If thermal expansion seals are used to provide passive fire protection, then sealing capability at high temperatures is improved, but the seals disintegrate after prolonged fire exposure and internal temperatures exceed safety standards
Solution Approach 1:
The wall structure is segmented into multiple layers including outer wall, inner wall, and intermediate insulation layer with air gaps. This segmentation creates thermal barriers that prevent heat transfer while maintaining structural integrity during fire exposure.
Solution Approach 2:
The archive employs composite construction combining metal walls with fire-retardant materials and air gaps. The intermediate layer uses composite materials that provide both structural support and thermal insulation, preventing internal temperature rise while maintaining seal reliability.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If fire-retardant materials are applied to seal members, then resistance to flame and heat ingress is improved, but the complexity of the seal structure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The fire-retardant coating is merged with the seal member structure, creating an integrated solution where the coating becomes an inherent part of the seal system. This combines the sealing function with fire protection in a unified component rather than separate elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The fire-retardant coating provides self-activating protection that expands automatically when exposed to heat, requiring no external control systems. The material self-regulates its protective function based on temperature conditions, simplifying the overall system control while maintaining effectiveness.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution effectively maintains a thermal barrier, preventing high-temperature heat from reaching the contents, thus ensuring the preservation of valuable items by maintaining lower internal temperatures during fires and adhering to stringent safety standards.
Implementation Method 1
the seal members (404, 404') are provided with a fire-retardant coating shaped for being adapted to expand with temperature increases so as to maintain a tight seal
Implementation Method 2
designed to be thermally insulated from the outside
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4~5
Figure 6~8B)
AI summary
An archive (1000) comprising at least one prismatic box- shaped container (1) movable on guides extending in a given direction (D) to create a compactable archive (1000); the container (D comprising a plurality of substantially rectangular walls (4) which are connected end to end in a fluid-tight manner to delimit a volume (VL) accessible according to the direction (D) through at least one opening (A)(A'); peripheral frame members (20) being carried frontally by the walls (4) adapted to determine, in use, a fluid-tight closing condition of the volume (VL).