Refractory Mounting Unit for Ceiling Electric Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing solutions for mounting electric devices like loudspeakers in ceilings or walls fail to provide a reliable, fire-resistant sealing of openings, which is crucial for fire protection in public buildings, while also ensuring easy installation and secure electrical connectivity.
Innovation Solution
A refractory mounting unit with a ceramic-lined housing, integrated line-throughs for electrical connection, and a clamp system with strain reliefs to secure cables, allowing for easy installation and reliable sealing of openings in ceilings or walls.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a refractory housing is used to seal ceiling openings for fire protection, then fire resistance is improved, but installation complexity increases due to the need for integrated electrical connections through the refractory material
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting unit is divided into separate functional components: the refractory housing for fire sealing, the plug for electrical connection, and the clamp for mechanical securing. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and simplifies installation by enabling separate handling and assembly of the electrical connection elements from the fire sealing structure.
Solution Approach 2:
A non-refractory plug is introduced as an intermediary element between the refractory housing and the electrical cable. This plug contains the electrical contacts and provides a interface for cable connection without requiring electrical work to be performed directly within the refractory material, thus simplifying the installation process while maintaining fire resistance.
2Reliability
If electrical cables are routed through refractory material, then fire protection is maintained, but cable installation and strain relief become difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The plug serves as an intermediary that separates the cable installation process from the refractory material. Cables are connected to the plug's contacts and secured with the clamp's strain reliefs, all operations performed on non-refractory components. The completed assembly is then installed into the refractory housing, maintaining fire protection while enabling easy cable work.
Solution Approach 2:
The electrical connections and cable strain reliefs are prepared in advance on the plug and clamp components before final installation into the refractory housing. This preliminary preparation of electrical connections simplifies the overall installation process and avoids the difficulty of working with cables directly within the refractory material.
3Reliability
If a secure electrical connection is provided through integrated contacts in the refractory housing, then electrical reliability is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The electrical connection system is segmented into the plug containing the contacts and the housing containing the line-throughs. This separation allows the electrical components to be manufactured and tested independently from the refractory housing, reducing manufacturing complexity while ensuring reliable electrical connectivity through the standardized interface.
Solution Approach 2:
The plug is designed as a universal component that can be used with different refractory housing configurations. The standardized contacts and clamp interface allow the same plug design to work across multiple housing variants, simplifying manufacturing by reducing the number of unique parts that must be produced.
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a refractory mounting unit for ceiling mounted or wall mounted electric devices and comprises: a refractory housing (1) having at least one wall and an inner and an outer side; the at least one wall comprising one section (9), in which internal contacts (6) are directed to an inner side of the housing (1), external contacts (7) are directed to an outer side of the housing (1) and a line-through (8) is integrated as part of the at least one wall for electrically interconnecting the internal contacts and external contacts (7), a plug (2) having a side being form-closed to the one section (9) of the at least one wall at the outer side of the housing (1), the side comprising contacts (12) for contacting the external contacts (7) of the housing (1), and a clamp (3) for clamping the plug (2) against the one section of the at least one wall.