Fire-Stopping Thermal Break Balcony Bracket Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing balcony thermal break brackets for metal balconies fail to provide both effective thermal insulation and a continuous fire barrier, especially when thinner concrete and steel thicknesses are used, leading to suboptimal fire resistance and increased energy consumption.
Innovation Solution
A bracket system comprising a fixing plate and fire insulation material, made from ceramic or stone fibers with an acrylic adhesive and graphite filler, that provides both thermal break and continuous fire barrier, secured by stainless steel re-enforcement bars and fire barriers, ensuring a 120-minute fire integrity and smoke seal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If a thermal break bracket is used to provide thermal insulation, then thermal efficiency is improved, but fire barrier continuity is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the thermal break function and fire barrier function into a single integrated bracket assembly. The thermal break insulator is positioned within the bracket to provide thermal insulation, while fire-rated materials (such as fire-resistant boards or intumescent materials) are incorporated into the same bracket structure to maintain fire barrier continuity. This combination allows the bracket to simultaneously achieve thermal efficiency and fire safety without requiring separate components.
Solution Approach 2:
The bracket employs composite construction using multiple materials with different properties. The thermal break component uses insulating materials (such as polyurethane foam, polystyrene, or mineral wool) to reduce heat transfer, while fire-resistant materials (such as gypsum board, cement board, or intumescent coatings) are integrated to provide fire protection. This composite approach allows the single bracket to deliver both thermal insulation and fire barrier functionality.
2Ease of manufacture
If thinner concrete and steel thicknesses are used to meet cost and design restrictions, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but fire barrier space is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent moves the fire barrier functionality from the vertical dimension (concrete and steel thickness) to the horizontal dimension (bracket width and depth). By incorporating fire-rated materials within the bracket structure itself, the solution provides adequate fire protection space without requiring increased thickness of the concrete slab or steel frame. This dimensional shift allows thin-construction buildings to meet fire safety requirements through the bracket design rather than through increased structural member dimensions.
3Reliability
If fire barrier materials are added to the bracket, then fire resistance is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functions (thermal breaking, fire protection, and structural support) into a single integrated bracket assembly. Rather than adding separate fire barrier components that would increase complexity, the fire-resistant materials are incorporated directly into the bracket structure during manufacturing. This integration reduces the number of separate components and simplifies installation while maintaining fire resistance.
Solution Approach 2:
The bracket is designed as a multi-functional component that simultaneously provides thermal insulation, fire protection, and structural support. By making the bracket universal in its functionality, the design eliminates the need for multiple specialized components (separate thermal break, separate fire barrier, separate mounting bracket). This multi-functionality reduces material diversity and simplifies the overall system while achieving all required performance targets.
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
Ensures a continuous horizontal fire barrier and improved thermal insulation, reducing labor complexity and ensuring fire integrity and thermal efficiency by eliminating material discrepancies and gaps.
Implementation Method 1
a bracket system comprising a fixing plate and fire insulation material, made from ceramic or stone fibers
Implementation Method 2
made from ceramic or stone fibers with an acrylic adhesive and graphite filler
Data Source
Figure 1a~2b
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
A connection system has a fixing plate on a building structure to which balcony frame structure is bolted, and includes re-enforcing bars which are cast into the structure of a building and which extend into the building structure and terminate at the edge of the building structure in a fixing plate. The fixing plate including threaded bolt fixings which are used to attach the balcony frame structure, fire resistant insulation material in front of the fixing plate, the fixing plate supporting the weight of the metal balcony in a cantilevered manner, and a a fire barrier abuts the fixing plate and the insulation material, extending between rear edge of a facade and the edge of the building structure.