Recessed Poke-Through Fitting Fire Seal Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
On-floor conduits used in buildings for electrical and communication lines are unsightly and pose safety hazards, particularly in the event of a fire, as they can act as chimneys or heat conduction paths, necessitating fire-safe solutions to prevent the spread of fire between floors.
Innovation Solution
A poke-through device with an intumescent insert and a barb ring made of deformable material is used, where the intumescent material expands to seal the opening in the concrete floor during a fire, and thermally insulating materials are employed to prevent heat conduction, ensuring the device does not function as a fire-advancing flue or heat conduction path.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If on-floor conduits are used to convey electrical and communication lines, then accessibility to floor locations is improved, but fire safety deteriorates as they can act as chimneys or heat conduction paths
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the harmful function of the hole by introducing a poke-through device that seals the opening, removing the chimney effect while preserving the utility function of conduit access. The device is installed in the hole and the sealable portion covers the opening to prevent fire spread.
Solution Approach 2:
The poke-through device acts as an intermediary element between the lower and upper floors, providing a controlled pathway for conduits while preventing uncontrolled fire spread. The device includes a sealable portion that actively mediates the fire protection function.
2Strength
If metallic portions are used in poke-through devices for structural strength, then strength is improved, but fire safety deteriorates as they can function as heat conduction paths
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs composite construction by combining metallic portions for structural strength with thermally insulating material portions that interrupt heat conduction paths. The thermally insulating material portion is positioned between the metallic portions to break the thermal bridge.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If intumescent material is used to seal the opening during fire, then fire safety is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies self-service by incorporating intumescent material that automatically expands in response to fire conditions, sealing the opening without requiring external activation or complex control systems. The material self-activates based on temperature exposure.
Solution Approach 2:
The intumescent material utilizes phase transition under fire conditions, expanding from a compact state to a voluminous sealed state when exposed to heat, thereby automatically providing fire protection without complex mechanisms.
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 the spread of fire between floors by allowing the intumescent material to expand and seal the opening, while maintaining accessibility for electrical and communication lines, thus addressing both safety and aesthetic concerns.
Implementation Method 1
a poke-through device includes an intumescent insert and a barb ring. The intumescent insert is initially mounted in a portion of the main body that projects below a level of the concrete floor
Implementation Method 2
thermally insulating materials have been interposed between metallic (and therefore heat conductive) portions of the poke-through devices
Data Source
AI summary
A poke-through device includes a tubular main body sized for insertion into a hole formed through a concrete floor. A device frame is mounted in the tubular main body for mounting one or more electrical devices. An intumescent insert is mounted in the tubular main body below the device frame. A junction box assembly is mounted to a bottom end of the tubular main body. A cover assembly is configured to enclose an opening in a top end of the tubular main body. The intumescent insert is mounted in the tubular main body so as to not contact the device frame to allow intumescent material to flow around the device frame in the event of a fire.