Fire-Rated Floor Box Assembly with Intumescent Stem and Insulation Kit
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing floor box assemblies in concrete floors compromise thermal insulation and fire safety due to reduced concrete thickness and openings for electrical conduits, allowing heat and fire to transfer between floors, and existing insulation methods are inefficient or require additional construction.
Innovation Solution
A floor box assembly with an intumescent stem for through-floor wiring and a below-floor insulation kit that includes a tray, flute closures, and an insulative spacer, providing comprehensive insulation and sealing to prevent heat transfer, while allowing for adjustments in floor depth and easy installation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If an electrical outlet box is embedded in a concrete floor, then electrical services can be distributed, but the floor's insulation capacity is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an insulation assembly as an intermediary component between the concrete floor and the electrical outlet box. This assembly includes insulation material that fits around the outlet box, effectively mediating between the electrical service requirement and the thermal insulation requirement, thereby preventing direct heat transfer paths while allowing electrical conduit installation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by providing insulation specifically around the outlet box area rather than requiring insulation throughout the entire floor. The insulation assembly is tailored to fit the specific geometry of the outlet box, providing targeted thermal protection at the critical heat transfer location without compromising the overall floor structure.
2Ease of manufacture
If the concrete floor thickness is reduced for functional purposes, then installation of fixtures becomes easier, but fire safety and thermal insulation are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent addresses the fire safety issue by extending the insulation solution into the vertical dimension below the floor level. The insulation assembly includes components that extend downward to compensate for reduced concrete thickness, effectively creating a thermal barrier in the vertical dimension rather than relying solely on horizontal concrete thickness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates fire-resistant materials and insulation components into the outlet box assembly during manufacturing, before installation. This preliminary action ensures that fire safety requirements are met without requiring additional construction steps or reducing concrete thickness, as the fire protection is already integrated into the assembly.
3Loss of energy
If a conduit is routed through the concrete for below-floor wiring, then thermal performance is maintained, but a passageway for heat and flame transfer is created
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses flexible fire-resistant sealing material that can conform to the conduit shape and seal around it. This flexible sealing approach allows the conduit to pass through the floor while maintaining thermal and fire protection, as the sealing material adapts to the conduit's geometry and prevents heat and flame transfer through the passageway.
4Loss of energy
If conventional insulation methods are used below the floor, then insulation capacity is restored, but alignment with the outlet box is critical for effectiveness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the insulation assembly with the electrical outlet box into a single integrated unit. The insulation material is pre-positioned and secured within the outlet box assembly, eliminating the need for separate installation and alignment steps. This integration ensures that the insulation is automatically aligned with the outlet box, removing the critical alignment requirement of conventional methods.
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 enhances thermal resistance and fire safety by reducing radiative, conductive, and convective heat transfer, and prevents the upward spread of fire through the intumescent stem's sealing mechanism, offering superior performance and cost-effectiveness compared to previous solutions.
Implementation Method 1
an intumescent stem enclosing a central passage for through-floor routing of wires to the floor box
Implementation Method 2
an insulation kit for providing insulation for the floor box assembly wherein the insulation kit is disposed below the floor box
Data Source
AI summary
A floor box assembly includes a floor box, a mounting plate, a below-floor insulation kit, and an intumescent stem. When the floor box is installed on a floor deck having flutes and valleys, the mounting plate straddles one or more valleys and supports the floor box. The below-floor insulation kit closes off the flutes adjacent to the valley straddled by the mounting plate, and the intumescent stem penetrates the floor deck at the bottom of the valley. When installed, the floor box assembly is held together by attachment fasteners extending from the mounting plate through the floor deck and the below-floor insulation kit.