Fire Stop Clamp With Spring Seal For Pipe Penetrations
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fire stopping methods for pipe penetrations, such as caulk and backer systems, are prone to failure due to pipe movement and external forces, and are costly and labor-intensive, failing to effectively contain smoke and fire within rated fire barriers.
Innovation Solution
A fire stop clamp that includes a support collar and a fire stop disc to prevent pipe movement, with optional expandable elements like springs or carbon-filled cylinders to maintain a seal even under thermal expansion or seismic forces, and a removable fusible clip for enhanced heat-activated sealing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If caulk and backer systems are used to seal pipe penetrations, then the opening can be sealed, but the seal is corrupted by pipe movement and external forces
Solution Approach 1:
The fire stop clamp incorporates a spring mechanism that allows dynamic adjustment to accommodate pipe movement while maintaining seal integrity. The spring enables the clamp to adapt to horizontal and vertical pipe displacement, thermal expansion, and seismic forces, preventing seal corruption that occurs with rigid caulking systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The fire stop clamp divides the sealing function into separate components: the clamp body provides structural support, the spring provides adaptive tension, and the fire stop disc provides the actual seal. This segmentation allows each component to specialize in its function, with the clamp and spring handling movement accommodation while the disc maintains the seal.
2Reliability
If caulk and backer systems are used to seal pipe penetrations, then the opening can be sealed, but installation costs are high and labor intensive
Solution Approach 1:
The fire stop clamp merges multiple functions into a single integrated component: structural support, adaptive tensioning, and fire sealing. This consolidation eliminates the need for separate caulk application and backer installation steps, significantly reducing installation time and labor costs while maintaining or improving seal reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The fire stop clamp is pre-assembled with the spring mechanism and fire stop disc attached to the clamp body before installation. This preliminary assembly eliminates on-site fabrication steps and allows for quick installation by simply positioning the pre-assembled unit around the pipe, dramatically improving installation productivity.
3Reliability
If the fire stop disc diameter is increased to prevent pipe movement corruption, then seal integrity is maintained, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The fire stop disc concentrates its sealing function at the critical interface with the structural opening, using a precisely sized disc that contacts only where needed to maintain the seal. The clamp body and spring provide the necessary structural support and adaptive tension, allowing the disc itself to remain relatively simple in structure while maintaining high reliability.
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
The fire stop clamp effectively distributes pipe weight, prevents smoke and fire passage through penetrations, and maintains a seal under various stress conditions, reducing installation costs and improving reliability compared to traditional methods.
Implementation Method 1
The fire stop clamp includes a spring as an expandable element which is coupled to a support collar and the fire stop disc. The spring pushes the fire stop disc towards the opening, allowing the opening to remain sealed when a pipe moves away from the opening due to internal pressurization, thermal expansion, thermal elongation, or other external forces.
Implementation Method 2
The overlapping cylinders are coupled to the support collar and to the fire stop disk. When exposed to heat, the expandable material expands and pushes the fire stop disk towards the opening, allowing the opening to remain sealed when a pipe moves away from the opening.
Implementation Method 3
The removable clip may be constructed from a fusible element, so that when the removable clip is heated above a melting temperature associated with the fusible element, the spring engages the fire stop disc.
Data Source
AI summary
A fire stop clamp is presented. The fire stop clamp includes a support clamp and a fire stop disc. The support clamp supports a pipe by preventing movement of a pipe towards a structural member. The fire stop disc seals an opening associated with a pipe penetration. The sealed opening inhibits the passage of fire and smoke through the opening. The fire stop clamp includes an expansion element that pushes the fire stop disc towards the structural member. If a pipe moves away from the structural member, the expansion element will allow the fire stop disc to retain a seal over the opening.