Fire Stop Sleeve With Self-Actuating Retaining Members
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Fire stop sleeves in partitions tend to move axially during fires due to pressure differences and heat-induced elongations, compromising the sealing effectiveness, and existing retention methods like mortars are laborious and not fire-resistant.
Innovation Solution
A fire stop sleeve with a tubular casing and intumescent material, featuring movable retaining members that radially engage the passage wall upon swelling, providing mechanical retention without hindering installation, and can be made of metal or fireproof plastic with various shapes and configurations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If movable retaining members are integrated into the casing, then the sleeve is retained during fire without hampering installation, but the structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The retaining members are integrated directly into the casing as integral components rather than separate parts. The cutouts are formed in the casing itself, creating lips that bend outward to engage the passage wall. This merging eliminates the need for separate retention mechanisms while providing both installation ease and fire-condition retention.
Solution Approach 2:
The retaining members are designed to be movable rather than fixed. The lips can bend outward radially when actuated by swelling intumescent material during fire, transitioning from a non-intrusive state during installation to an engaging state during fire. This dynamic behavior provides retention only when needed without hampering installation.
2Reliability
If retaining members engage the passage wall during installation, then the sleeve is retained, but the installation becomes difficult and the sleeve gets stuck
Solution Approach 1:
The retaining members are designed to prevent engagement with the passage wall during installation by being positioned inward of the outer contour. This preliminary configuration avoids the harmful effect of engagement during installation while maintaining the capability to engage during fire when actuated by swelling material.
Solution Approach 2:
The retaining members transition from a retracted state during installation to an extended state during fire. The lips are initially bent inward or positioned flush with the casing outer surface, allowing easy installation. During fire, swelling intumescent material pushes them outward to engage the passage wall for retention.
3Reliability
If mortar or kit is used to retain the sleeve, then the sleeve is retained in the passage, but the installation becomes laborious and requires special tools
Solution Approach 1:
The retaining members are self-actuating components that automatically engage the passage wall when pushed by swelling intumescent material during fire. No external tools, mortars, or kits are needed for installation or activation. The system serves itself by using the fire-induced swelling to trigger the retention mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The chemical/mortar-based retention system is replaced with a mechanical self-actuating system. Instead of using mortar or kit that requires application tools and surface preparation, the patent uses mechanically actuated lips that bend outward to engage the passage wall, eliminating the need for special installation tools and procedures.
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 solution ensures effective retention of the sleeve during fires without interfering with installation, maintaining the sealing integrity and using cost-effective, fire-resistant materials.
Implementation Method 1
In case of a fire the intumescent material swells up due to the heat and its pressure makes that the pipe collapses and is closed off for fire and smoke
Implementation Method 2
the heat causes elongations and tensions in the pipe material
Data Source
AI summary
A partition is penetrated by a duct. The partition has a passage through which the duct passes. A fire stop sleeve is positioned in the passage and arranged around the duct. The fire stop sleeve includes a casing having a tubular form and one or more elements of intumescent material arranged on a side of the casing facing the duct. The casing is provided with at least one movable retaining member which lies within an outer contour of the casing. The movable retaining member is actuable by intumescent material such that, in the occasion that swelling of the intumescent material occurs, the retaining member is moved radially outward towards engagement with a passage wall in the partition so as to retain the sleeve in the passage.