Fire-Retardant Hydrous Insert for Window Joinery

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional cabinetworks face a fire safety issue due to the inability to incorporate fire-retardant material in the links between struts, as the insert elements used for connecting struts can have elevated temperatures during a fire, compromising their integrity and the overall fire safety.

Innovation Solution

The cabinetwork employs an insert element made at least partly of a fire-retardant, hydrous material, with legs fixed in the hollow ends of the struts, which helps in controlling temperature through evaporation and maintaining mechanical strength by providing a large contact surface for the fire-retardant material.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional insert elements are used to connect struts, then the mechanical strength and serviceability of the cabinetwork are maintained, but the fire safety is compromised due to inability to provide fire-retardant material in the links between struts

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefire safetyVSAvoidability to provide fire-retardant material in links

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The insert element is made at least partly of a fire-retardant, hydrous material, creating local fire protection quality at the critical joint locations between struts. This allows fire-retardant material to be concentrated where it is most needed (at the links) without requiring treatment of the entire cabinetwork structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The insert element is constructed as a composite, being at least partly made of a fire-retardant, hydrous material while maintaining mechanical integrity. This composite approach combines the fire-protection function with the structural connection function in a single integrated element.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Reliability

If fire-retardant material is provided in the hollow struts, then the fire safety is improved, but the temperature at the insert elements increases too strongly compromising their serviceability

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefire safetyVSAvoidtemperature at insert elements

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The fire-retardant, hydrous material in the insert element utilizes phase transition (evaporation of water) to absorb heat and restrict temperature increase during fire conditions. This phase change mechanism protects the insert element from reaching temperatures that would compromise its serviceability and mechanical integrity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #36Phase transitions

Solution Approach 2:

The insert element converts the potentially harmful effect of fire heat into a beneficial cooling effect through the evaporation of water contained in the hydrous fire-retardant material. The heat that would normally damage the insert element is instead utilized to drive the evaporation process, which in turn cools and protects the element.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Reliability

If the insert element is entirely made of fire-retardant material, then the fire safety is maximized, but the mechanical strength and serviceability may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefire safetyVSAvoidmechanical strength of insert element

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The insert element is made at least partly of fire-retardant, hydrous material rather than being entirely so made. This partial application allows sufficient fire-protection material to be incorporated to achieve the desired fire safety level while maintaining the mechanical strength and serviceability required for structural connection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

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

This solution effectively reduces temperatures at the strut links during a fire, ensuring the serviceability and mechanical integrity of the insert elements, thereby enhancing the fire resistance and durability of the cabinetwork.

Implementation Method 1

the insert element is at least partly made of a fire-retardant, hydrous material which makes sure that, in case of fire, the temperature in the struts is restricted thanks to the evaporation of the water

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectEvaporation: Evaporation

Data Source

PatentEP1970522B1Joinery work for windows and doors or the like

Publication Date: 2010.07.14 REYNAERS ALUMINIUM NV

Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~6

AI summary

Cabinetwork for windows, doors or the like, which cabinetwork (1) is provided with a number of connecting, hollow struts (5 and 6, 7 and 8 respectively) that are joint by means of an insert element (9) which is fixed with at least one part in a hollow far end of an aforesaid strut (5 or 6), and which is also joint with the connecting strut (7 or 8) to be joint with the latter, characterised in that this insert element (9) is at least partly made of a fire-retardant, hydrous material (12) which makes sure that, in case of fire, the temperature in the struts (5 and 6, 7 and 8 respectively) is restricted thanks to the evaporation of the water.