Insulated Fire Panel Shutter with Stacked Panels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fire shutters fail to effectively prevent the spread of fire and heat transfer, and they do not provide adequate security, as they tend to become red hot during fires, potentially igniting materials on the other side and lacking robust security features.
Innovation Solution
An insulated fire panel shutter with retractable members, non-pivotally connected panels, and a biasing mechanism using torsion springs, which changes from a side-by-side to a stacked configuration during closure, incorporating intumescent materials and a thermally resistant design to minimize heat transfer and enhance security, with a chain and sprocket mechanism for actuation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional fire shutters are used to prevent fire spread, then fire resistance is provided, but heat transfer occurs over time causing the shutter to become red hot and potentially ignite materials on the other side
Solution Approach 1:
The shutter comprises a composite structure with an outer skin, inner skin, and thermal insulation material layer between them. This composite construction provides fire resistance while minimizing heat transfer, preventing the shutter from becoming red hot and igniting materials on the other side.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates intumescent material that reacts to heat by expanding and forming an insulating barrier. This converts the harmful heat exposure into a beneficial protective layer that actually reduces heat transfer to the other side of the shutter.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional fire shutters are designed for fire resistance, then fire safety is improved, but they do not provide adequate security features
Solution Approach 1:
The shutter is designed to serve multiple functions simultaneously: it provides fire resistance through its insulated construction, security through its robust composite structure and locking mechanism, and smoke containment through the sealed design with intumescent seals. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for separate fire and security shutters.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If fire shutters are made robust for fire resistance, then fire protection is improved, but the complexity of the shutter structure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The shutter is segmented into distinct functional layers: outer skin, thermal insulation material, and inner skin. This segmentation allows each layer to perform its specific function (protection, insulation, structural integrity) while keeping the overall design relatively simple and manageable.
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 effectively prevents fire spread by reducing heat transfer and providing enhanced security through a thermally resistant and non-pivotally connected panel design, ensuring the shutter can act as both a fire barrier and a security shutter.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of biasing members, each of which is compressed between the guide and the or each panel and stores a biasing force
Implementation Method 2
incorporating intumescent materials and a thermally resistant design to minimize heat transfer
Data Source
AI summary
Fire can spread extremely quickly within structures. To prevent this, fire doors or fire shutters are usually installed. However, security aspects of such doors or shutters are not renown. An attempt to alleviate this problem may be provided by an insulated fire panel shutter including a guide, adapted to receive a shutter and having one or more retractable members moveable between a retracted and extended position; a shutter, moveable between an open and closed position and formed from a plurality of panels each of which is moveable between a stowed and deployed position; their arrangement being such that as the guide receives the shutter during shutter closure, the panel arrangement alters from a stowed side by side relationship to a deployed stacked end to end relationship.