Fire-Rated Angle Piece With Intumescent Strip

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional methods for creating fire-rated head-of-wall joints in buildings are time-consuming and expensive, and they require additional steps such as installing fire-resistant mineral wool and then applying an elastomeric spray, which can be inefficient and costly.

Innovation Solution

A fire-rated angle piece with a heat-expandable intumescent strip is used, which can be installed during the framing process, separate from the header track, to create a fire-resistant barrier that expands to block fire, heat, and smoke, eliminating the need for additional fire block products and reducing installation complexity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional mineral wool and elastomeric spray method is used, then fire resistance is achieved, but installation time and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefire resistanceVSAvoidinstallation time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the fire blocking function and the joint sealing function into a single integrated angle piece component. The angle piece includes an intumescent material layer directly attached to its structure, eliminating the need for separate mineral wool insulation and elastomeric spray applications. This integration reduces the number of installation steps while maintaining fire resistance performance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The intumescent material is pre-applied to the angle piece during manufacturing, so that when the angle piece is installed during framing, the fire protective material is already in position. This eliminates the need for subsequent fire blocking installations after wall board placement, reducing overall installation time while ensuring fire resistance is achieved from the outset.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If conventional mineral wool and elastomeric spray method is used, then fire resistance is achieved, but installation complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefire resistanceVSAvoidinstallation complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple functional components (fire blocking material, joint seal, structural support) into a single angle piece assembly. The intumescent material is integrated directly into the angle piece structure, eliminating the need for separate mineral wool and spray applications, thereby reducing installation complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The angle piece serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides structural support at the wall-ceiling joint, creates the fire-rated barrier through its intumescent material, and seals the joint against smoke and heat. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate components and installation steps required.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Reliability

If separate fire block products are used, then fire resistance is improved, but material handling and installation difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefire resistanceVSAvoidmaterial handling

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the fire blocking function and the joint sealing function into a single integrated angle piece component. The angle piece includes an intumescent material layer directly attached to its structure, eliminating the need for separate mineral wool insulation and elastomeric spray applications. This integration reduces the number of installation steps while maintaining fire resistance performance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The intumescent material is pre-applied to the angle piece during manufacturing, so that when the angle piece is installed during framing, the fire protective material is already in position. This eliminates the need for subsequent fire blocking installations after wall board placement, reducing overall installation time while ensuring fire resistance is achieved from the outset.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

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 provides a cost-effective and efficient method for creating fire-rated wall joints by using a fire-rated angle piece with an intumescent strip that expands to fill gaps, effectively preventing the passage of fire, heat, and smoke, while simplifying the installation process and reducing material handling issues.

Implementation Method 1

A fire-rated angle piece with a heat-expandable intumescent strip is used, which can be installed during the framing process, separate from the header track, to create a fire-resistant barrier that expands to block fire, heat, and smoke

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal expansion: Thermal Expansion

Data Source

PatentUS9045899B2Fire-rated joint system

Publication Date: 2015.06.02 CEMCO LLC

AI summary

A fire-rated angle piece and wall assemblies or other assemblies that incorporate the fire-rated angle piece, in which the angle piece can include an intumescent or other fire-resistant material strip. The angle can be attached adjacent to a corner of a framing member, such as metal tracks, headers, header tracks, sill plates, bottom tracks, metal studs, wood studs or wall partitions, and placed between the framing member and a wall board member at a perimeter of a wall assembly to create a fire block arrangement. A fire spray material can be applied over a portion of the angle piece.