Floor Drain Fire Insert with Melt-Triggered Closure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fire protection systems for floor drains react slowly to fires due to the location of spacers above the inlet opening, which delays the closure of the valve plate, allowing smoke, fire, and heat to rise through the drain.
Innovation Solution
A fire protection insert with a movable closure element and a securing element that deforms or melts upon heat exposure, allowing the closure element to quickly move into a closed position, and an insulating layer that foams to further seal the drain, positioned closer to the source of the fire for rapid reaction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If spacers are arranged above the inlet opening to hold the valve plate, then the valve plate can be held at a distance from the inlet opening, but the reaction to fire is delayed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional arrangement by placing the safety element at the lower end of the plunger (below the inlet opening) instead of above it. This inversion allows the safety element to be closer to the fire source, enabling earlier detection and faster response to fire conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The closure element is pre-tensioned into a closed position by a spring, ready to close immediately when the safety element yields. This preliminary preparation ensures that no time is lost in actuating the closure mechanism when fire is detected.
2Speed
If the closure element is pre-tensioned into the closed position, then the closure element can quickly close the inlet opening, but a force must act against the preload to hold it in the release position
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses the fire itself (heat) to trigger the safety element to yield, which automatically releases the pre-tensioned closure element to close the opening. The fire provides the energy needed to overcome the preload, eliminating the need for external power sources or complex control systems.
3Loss of time
If the safety element is arranged at the end of the plunger pointing away from the cover, then the safety element is closer to the fire source, but the plunger must extend deeper into the floor drain
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extends the plunger in the vertical dimension (downward into the floor drain) to position the safety element closer to the fire source below. This dimensional extension allows the safety element to be in optimal position for early fire detection while maintaining the functional integrity of the closure mechanism.
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 system effectively prevents the rise of smoke and heat from below the floor drain into upper areas by quickly closing the inlet opening and providing additional insulation, reacting faster than traditional systems and enhancing fire protection.
Implementation Method 1
the safety element can deform and/or melt
Implementation Method 2
the safety element can deform and/or melt
Implementation Method 3
intumescent materials are known which foam up due to heat in the event of a fire and thus close the inlet
Data Source
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AI summary
Fire protection insert (10) for a floor drain (40), comprising an insert element (12) designed such that, in a state of the fire protection insert being inserted into the floor drain, it is fixed in position in the floor drain, and a closure element (18) movable relative to the insert element, with a cover (20) and a plunger (22) extending from the cover into the insert element, wherein the closure element is adjustable between a release position in which the cover opens an inlet opening of the floor drain and a closed position in which the cover closes the inlet opening of the floor drain, wherein the closure element is biased into the closed position, but is held in the release position against the bias by a locking element (28) arranged at an end (22b) of the plunger projecting away from the cover, wherein the locking element is designed to yield in the event of a fire.so that the movement of the locking element into the locked position is released.