Foam Sleeve Insert Structure for Fire and Acoustic Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air, acoustic, and/or fire sealing devices and inserts are in need of improvement to enhance their sealing capabilities, particularly in preventing the spread of smoke, sound, and fire through openings in walls, floors, and ceilings, while allowing passage of pipes, fibers, and cables.
Innovation Solution
A molded foam material with a predetermined pattern, such as ribs, elevations, or slits, is used to create an air, acoustic, and/or fire sealing sleeve insert, which can be arranged in a hollow sleeve to accommodate pipes, cables, and fibers, with optional intumescent material for fire resistance, providing efficient sealing and sound insulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional sealing devices are used in openings with pipes and cables, then fire and smoke spread is prevented, but installation complexity increases and retrofitting becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing device is divided into a sleeve portion and an insert portion that can be separately installed. The insert is placed inside the sleeve, allowing modular installation and simplifying the overall installation process while maintaining sealing effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The insert is nested within the sleeve structure, with the insert portion fitting inside the hollow sleeve. This nested configuration allows the sealing functionality to be achieved through layered components that work together, simplifying installation while maintaining reliability.
2Reliability
If molded foam material with predetermined patterns is used, then sealing performance improves, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The predetermined patterns (ribs, elevations, slits) are pre-formed during the molding process of the foam insert. This preliminary formation of sealing features integrates the pattern creation into the basic manufacturing step, avoiding additional complex post-processing operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The foam material properties and pattern geometry are optimized through parameter adjustments in the molding process. By controlling foam density, expansion characteristics, and pattern dimensions during manufacturing, high sealing performance is achieved through parameter optimization rather than complex structural design.
3Reliability
If intumescent material is included for fire resistance, then fire sealing capability improves, but device weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The intumescent material in the foam insert undergoes phase transition when exposed to fire, expanding volumetrically to form a charred barrier. This phase change allows a small amount of material to provide significant fire sealing capability, minimizing the weight penalty while maximizing fire protection effectiveness.
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 allows for effective sealing of pipes, cables, and fibers, preventing the spread of smoke, sound, and fire, while allowing easy installation and retrofitting into existing structures, with cost-effective production and high cable load capacity.
Implementation Method 1
Air, acoustic, and/or fire sealing devices, typically located in openings in walls, floors, and/or ceilings, and having pipes, fibers, and/or cables passing therethrough, generally prevent the spread of smoke throughout an area
Implementation Method 2
If desired, the devices can be designed as fire stop devices, containing intumescent material that expands when exposed to extreme heat of the fire, sealing the openings to prevent the spread of flame and combustion through the openings
Data Source
AI summary
A fire-protection apparatus contains a housing with a passage, and an insert containing a plurality of sections made of a flexible material.