Patent Application
20090313941
The present application claims priority to European patent application number 08 011 031.5, filed Jun. 18, 2008, the contents of which are fully incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention relates to a composite profile for a window, door or façade element, which preferably have predetermined fire resistance properties, and to an apparatus for connecting profile or frame parts of such a composite profile.
Industrial buildings and office buildings are typically designed so as to be subdivided into ‘fire compartments’ in order to provide passive fire protection for limiting or retarding the spread of fire, smoke, poisonous gases and/or damaging heat in case of a fire. For this purpose, the doors and windows that are utilized in the building must have predetermined fire resistance properties, which are ascertained by performing a standard fire resistance test on the structural element. According to the results of the standard fire resistance test, the structural element is classified into a fire resistance class or rating, e.g., D30, D60, D90. Herein, the alphabetic letter indicates the usage (e.g., D=door) and the number indicates the length of time in minutes that the structural element has withstood the heat applied thereto during the standard fire resistance test.
The standard fire resistance test provides an indication of how long the structural element will enable the fire compartments to remain securely separated and air-tight under standard fire conditions, so that, e.g., gases generated during a fire are prevented from reaching the side of the structural element facing away from the fire. It is also important that the temperatures on the side facing away from the fire are not permitted to rise for the prescribed period time to a point that will cause the ignition of easily-ignited materials located there.
Aluminum composite profiles or frames are often utilized in window, door and façade elements installed in industrial and office buildings. Since the aluminum itself will start to melt at the temperatures associated with a fire, a cooling medium (e.g., intumescent materials and/or water-absorbent materials such as gypsum-alum, see e.g., DE 44 43 762 A1 or its English counterpart U.S. Pat. No. 5,694,731) is often disposed in the composite profile prior to installation in the building. The aluminum composite profile is normally comprised of at least two aluminum profile parts, the aluminum inner frame and the aluminum outer frame. One or more insulating strips connect the aluminum inner frame and the aluminum outer frame while also providing a thermal separation of the two frames, thereby reducing heat conduction from the inner frame to the outer frame and vice versa during normal usage and thus improving the insulating characteristics of the structural element as a whole. In composite profiles having increased fire resistance properties, the insulating strips connecting the aluminum inner frame and the aluminum outer frame are usually not exclusively manufactured from thermoplastic synthetic materials. Either the thermoplastic synthetic material is replaced with a non-melting, thermosetting synthetic material, or metal bridges, e.g., steel brackets, are utilized, at least sectionally.
However, thermosetting synthetic materials have the disadvantage of poor workability. Thermosetting synthetic materials, in particular, are difficult to cut properly when the composite profile must be sawed into segments of specific lengths during the finishing process. The use of steel brackets or other metal bridges has the disadvantage of requiring a large amount of manual labor.
Another known approach utilizes a plurality of aluminum bridges that conduct a defined amount of heat from the fire side to the side facing away from the fire. This approach is disadvantageous because heat is also continuously conducted across the aluminum bridges during normal usage. Thus, such an approach reduces the thermal separation of the aluminum inner frame from the aluminum outer frame and thus reduces the insulating properties of the structural element as a whole.
EP 1 024 243 A2 describes a composite profile having a fireproof, supplemental element in the form of a metal bracket that is adhered onto the insulating strip and in the normal state extends in receiving spaces of the outer profile parts.
EP 1 182 317 A2 describes a composite profile having fire resistance properties, in which the insulating strip is comprised, in sections, of metal instead of a thermoplastic synthetic material.
EP 0 785 334 B1 describes a composite profile, wherein the outer profile parts are not connected by fireproof insulating strips. A fireproof, shaped material is connected with the outer profile parts in a form-fitting manner.
A composite profile having fire resistance properties is known from DE 44 43 762 A1 and its English counterpart U.S. Pat. No. 5,694,731, wherein the insulating strips are either perforated metal rails or perforated synthetic material rails, in which the synthetic material is replaced, in sections, with bridge strips made of metal. A fire-resistant strip can be provided on an insulating strip.
Further composite profiles having fire resistance properties are known from EP 1 327 741 A2 and DE 44 04 565 C1/EP 667 439 B1.
It is an object of the invention to overcome one or more problems of the known art.
In one aspect of the present teachings, an improved composite profile for a window, door or façade element having predetermined fire resistance properties is provided.
In another aspect of the present teachings, an improved connector device for a composite profile is provided.
The present composite profile and connecting devices are preferably configured to provide a secure connection of outer profile parts or frames in case of a fire, as well as provide a good thermal separation of the outer profile parts or frames during normal usage.
In a first preferred aspect of the present teachings, a composite profile for a window, door or façade element having predetermined fire resistance properties is provided and preferably includes a first outer profile part or frame and a second outer profile part or frame. At least one insulating strip is connected with the first and second outer profile parts so that the first and second outer profile parts are spaced from one another with an intermediate space defined between them for thermal separation. In addition, at least one outer profile part connecting element is disposed in the intermediate space so that it is not in engagement with the first and second outer profile parts during normal usage and is spaced from them during normal usage for thermal separation. At least one heat-activated actuating element is preferably provided that, upon being activated by heat such as heat associated with a fire, causes the outer profile part connecting element to move into engagement with the first and second outer profile parts, wherein the outer profile part connecting element connects the first and second outer profile parts.
By providing the actuating element, which is activated by the heat generated in case of a fire, and by actively moving the outer profile part connecting element into engagement with the outer profile parts upon activation of the actuating element, a secure connection of the outer profile parts in the case of fire, as well as a defined conductivity of heat from the fire side to the side facing away from the fire, are ensured. Furthermore, the active movement of the outer profile part connecting element into the engagement position makes it possible to dispose the outer profile part connecting element so as to be spaced or separated from the outer profile parts during normal usage. This separation means that the outer profile part connecting element does not conduct heat across the intermediate space of the composite profile during normal usage, thereby improving the thermal separation of the outer profile parts during normal usage and thus improving the insulating characteristics of the composite profile as a whole.
The actuating element preferably comprises a fire-resistant element and/or material that swells, foams up, generates gases or otherwise moves when exposed to heat in case of fire. Optionally, the actuating element may also comprise a material that releases or disassociates water vapor (or another cooling gas) when exposed to high heat, e.g., through phase transition and/or vaporization of hydrates crystallized in the fire-resistant material. In this case, the actuating element can serve the dual purpose of moving the outer profile part connecting element into the engagement with the first and second outer profile parts in case of a fire and at the same time it can cool the composite profile, thereby contributing to the improved fire resistance properties of the composite profile as a whole.
Further objects, advantages, embodiments and uses of the present teachings will be apparent to the skilled person from the following description of the exemplary embodiments, the appended drawings and the claims.
Representative, non-limiting examples of the present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the attached drawings. This detailed description is merely intended to teach a person of skill in the art further details for practicing preferred aspects of the present teachings and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Furthermore, each of the additional features and teachings disclosed below may be utilized separately or in conjunction with other features and teachings to provide improved composite profiles and insulating strips, as well as methods for using the same.
Moreover, combinations of features and steps disclosed in the following detail description may not be necessary to practice the invention in the broadest sense, and are instead taught merely to particularly describe representative examples of the invention. Furthermore, various features of the above-described and below-described representative examples, as well as the various independent and dependent claims, may be combined in ways that are not specifically and explicitly enumerated in order to provide additional useful embodiments of the present teachings.
All features disclosed in the description and/or the claims are intended to be disclosed separately and independently from each other for the purpose of original written disclosure, as well as for the purpose of restricting the claimed subject matter, independent of the compositions of the features in the embodiments and/or the claims. In addition, all value ranges or indications of groups of entities are intended to disclose every possible intermediate value or intermediate entity for the purpose of original written disclosure, as well as for the purpose of restricting the claimed subject matter.
The door leaf frame 100 serves as a representative composite profile according to the present teachings and includes a first outer profile part or frame 1 and a second outer profile part or frame 2. The outer profile parts 1 and 2 are preferably aluminum profiles or frames. Herein, the term “outer profile part” denotes a profile or frame part that is disposed on an outer side of the composite profile, such as e.g., an inner frame or an outer frame. If the composite profile is built into an interior room, such as a door between inner rooms of a building, then it is understood that the outer profile parts are disposed on the respective outer sides of the composite profile. The two aluminum profiles 1, 2 are connected by one or more insulating strips 3, 30 such that an intermediate space 4 is formed between the outer profile parts 1, 2.
The outer profile parts 1, 2 may comprise one or more other metals, such as steel, and/or one or more fireproof synthetic materials, such as a suitable thermosetting plastic, or combinations thereof. The insulating strips 3, 30 preferably comprise a thermoplastic material having a low heat conductivity, such as e.g., PA6. Other materials, which are suitable for forming insulating strips that will contribute to the thermal separation of the outer profile parts, such as PA66, PA66 with glass fiber reinforcement (PA66 GF) or similar polyamides, can also be utilized. Such insulating strips preferably provide the composite profile with a relatively low heat conductivity in the traverse direction x. PA66 has a melting point of about 260° C.
In the embodiment of the door leaf frame 100 shown in
Because the insulating strips 3, 30 are preferably made from a plastic material in order to provide good insulating characteristics, the insulating strips 3, 30 could melt in the event of a fire and as a result, the outer profile parts 1, 2 would no longer be held together by the insulating strips 3, 30. Thus, the melting of the insulating strips 3, 30 could cause the door structure to fail, i.e. fall apart, too quickly in case of a fire, thereby diminishing the passive fire protection characteristics of the composite profile.
In order to provide increased fire-resistance properties to the composite profile, an outer profile part connecting element 5 is provided according to the present teachings. The outer profile part connecting element 5 is preferably designed to move or be moved when the composite profile is exposed to heat in case of fire. The movement of the outer profile part connecting element 5 is designed to be triggered in case of a fire such that it is brought into a fixed and durable engagement with the outer profile parts 1, 2. Thus, the outer profile part connecting element 5 will serve to fixedly and durably connect and hold together the outer profile parts 1, 2, in the event that the insulating strips 3, 30 melt and can thus no longer provide a connecting function.
The design and function of the connecting element 5, as well as a representative, non-limiting actuating element 6 configured to move the connecting element 5 in the event of a fire, will be described in more detail with reference to
The representative insulating strip 3 shown in
The insulating strip 3 further includes parallel-extending guide walls 3a, 3b, wherein the mutually-facing inner sides of the guide walls 3a, 3b are spaced a predetermined distance c from each other. The guide walls 3a, 3b extend at least in segments in the longitudinal direction z of the insulating strip 3, but may extend continuously along the longitudinal direction z of the insulating strip 3. The guide walls 3a, 3b project from the insulating strip body 3k in the height direction y.
The representative, non-limiting embodiment of the outer profile part connecting element 5 shown in
The metal bracket preferably has a U-shape in the cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction z, wherein the legs 5s, 5s of the U-shape extend in parallel and along the longitudinal direction z. The metal bracket may extend continuously along the longitudinal direction z or one or more metal brackets may be provided discontinuously along the longitudinal direction z.
A first engagement section 5a is formed on the free end of one leg 5s. In this representative embodiment, the first engagement section 5a has a rounded head and projections projecting towards the sides that serve as barbs and/or latching elements. A correspondingly-formed second engagement section 5b is formed on the other leg 5s. The first engagement section 5a and the second engagement section 5b are separated from each other in the transverse direction x.
The outer profile part 1 includes a projection comprising a third engagement section 1a that is complementary to the first engagement section 5a of the outer profile part connecting element 5. In this context, the term ‘complementary’ is understood as encompassing embodiments, in which that the first engagement section 5a engages in and/or with the third engagement section 1a for the fixed and durable connection of the two parts, e.g., by sliding the first engagement section 5a into the third engagement section 1a, wherein the two engagement sections 5a, 1a latch or otherwise catch. The term ‘fixed and durable connection’ is intended to encompass situations, in which the connecting element 5 can continue to durably maintain a connection of the outer profile parts 1, 2 for at least a predetermined period of time in the event that composite profile is exposed to high temperatures caused, e.g., by a fire.
A second projection having a fourth engagement section 2b, which is complementary to the second engagement section 5b, is formed in an analogous manner on the second outer profile part 2.
The outer sides of the leg 5s are spaced from each other by a distance that corresponds to the spacing c of the inner sides of the walls 3a and 3b of the insulating strip 3 plus a small tolerance necessary to permit the outer profile part connecting element 5 to slide or move between the guide walls 3a and 3b. The guide walls 3a and 3b extend, at least partially, along the longitudinal direction z and in parallel to each other and extend in the height direction y perpendicular to the transverse direction x. As a result, the guide walls 3a, 3b are configured to guide the outer profile part connecting element 5 when it moves in the height direction y, so that the respective engagement sections 5a, 5b will properly insert into and engage the corresponding engagement sections 1a, 2b, respectively.
The guide walls 3a and 3b, together with the insulating strip body 3k, are formed in the shape of a longitudinal trough. In the representative, non-limiting embodiment shown in
The epoxy-resin-bound intumescent material may comprise, e.g., one or more components that expand or swell up when exposed to temperatures associated with a fire, one or more flame resistant agents and one or more additives. Preferably, the intumescent material is designed to begin to expand or swell up or foam at a temperature of about 200° C. In addition or in the alternative, the intumescent material is preferably capable of achieving a volume increase of up to about 20-fold when exposed to temperatures associated with a fire. Preferably, the actuating element 6 comprises, e.g., a material that releases or disassociates water vapor or other cooling gases when exposed to high heat, e.g., through phase transition and/or vaporization of hydrates crystallized in the fire-resistant material. Such water vaporization provides a cooling effect that further serves to improve the fire-resistance properties of the composite profile as a whole.
The actuating element 6 preferably has a thickness (prior to activation) of, e.g., 3-7 mm, more preferably 5 mm. In this case, an actuating or moving distance of up to about 60-140 mm, more preferably about 100 mm, can theoretically be achieved with this embodiment of the actuating element 6, depending upon any counteracting force acting on the actuating element 6 during its expansion. Representative, but not-limiting, self-adhering intumescent tape products, which are advantageously combinable with the present teachings, are available from Armacell Switzerland AG of Pfaffnau, Switzerland under the product designations Protect-S/30-5 (30 mm tape width) and Protect-S/50-5 (50 mm tape width).
As can be readily recognized from
The actuating element 6 can be embodied in various ways in accordance with the present teachings and it is not limited to an adhesive tape having the intumescent material that swells up or foams when exposed to heat. Other types of actuating elements may also be advantageously utilized with the present teachings, such as bimetal strips and other bimetal elements that bend or otherwise move when exposed to heat and can thus generate an actuating force in the height direction y. In addition or in the alternative, other materials that emit or generate gases when exposed to temperatures associated with a fire can be embedded in or attached to the actuating member. The gases that are generated and escape can impart a pneumatic force that generates the actuating movement. Naturally, a variety of other actuating materials and devices that are triggered by exposure to heat also fall within the scope of the present teachings.
In alternative to a U-shaped outer profile part connecting element 5 that is moved between the guide walls 3a, 3b, other designs are also possible. For example, an arm can protrude from the insulating strip body 3a in the height direction Y and cantilever arms may be attached to the arm via a pivot axis. The cantilever arms may be configured to be rotated or pivoted by the actuating member about the pivot axis, so that corresponding engagement sections on the cantilever arms and the outer profile parts are brought into engagement. The actuating member or the outer profile part connecting elements preferably have a high heat conductivity in comparison to the insulating strips. For this purpose, the length of the outer profile part connecting elements 5 in the longitudinal direction z is selected so that defined heat energy contributions can be conducted from the fire side to the side of the composite profile facing away from the fire.
Of course, other measures for improving the fire resistance properties also can be provided for the composite profile, such as cooling fire resistance elements, etc.
It is particularly advantageous to utilize a cooling intumescent product that can simultaneously generate the actuating force from the volume increase it undergoes when heated.
By using an outer profile part connecting element 5 made of aluminum, together with an insulating strip made of a thermoplastic material, in an aluminum composite profile, it is possible to easily saw the composite profile in a known manner during the finishing process in spite of the improved fire-resistant properties provided by the present teachings.
In the present description, the term ‘normal usage of the composite profile’ is intended to encompass the state, in which the composite profile has been completely fabricated and, if applicable, has also been installed, e.g., in a building or other structure and the actuating member 6 has not yet been activated. Upon exposure to heat in the case of a fire, the actuating element 6 is activated to generate a movement and thus, the composite profile is no longer in the state of ‘normal usage’. In case the composite profile is heated relatively intensively during the manufacture thereof, for example, if the composite profile is powder coated, which takes place at temperatures of up to 200° C., then the activation temperature of the actuating element is selected so that it is preferably somewhat (e.g., 5 to 30° C., preferably about 15° C.) above the temperature of the powder-coating process. In this case, the actuating element 6 will not be activated during the manufacturing process, so that the outer profile part connecting element 5 remains out of engagement with the outer profile parts 1, 2 in the intermediate space 4 and is disposed so as to be thermally separated from the outer profile parts 1, 2 during normal usage of the composite profile.
In the alternative, the present heat-activated actuating members can be utilized in the manufacture of composite profiles that have a durable connection of the outer profile parts 1, 2 already when the composite profile is installed in the building. In this case, the activating temperature of the actuating member can be selected so that the actuating element is fully activated in a certain manufacturing step, e.g., at a powder coating temperature. For example, the outer profile part connecting element 5 may be initially disposed in the intermediate space 4 not in engagement with the outer profile parts 1, 2. Then, e.g., during the powder coating, which usually takes place at the facility of the window or door manufacturer, who has obtained the composite profile as an intermediate product, the actuating element 6 is activated during the powder coating step and the outer profile part connecting element 5 moves into engagement with the outer profile parts 1, 2 as described above, whereby the fixed and durable connection of the outer profile part connecting element 5 with the outer profile parts 1, 2 is produced. While that engagement may reduce the thermal separation or thermal insulation between the outer profile parts 1, 2, it provides an advantageous manufacturing method relative to conventional solutions. That is, the outer profile part connecting element 5 can already be fixedly connected during the fabrication of the composite profile in case the intermediate space 4 is not readily accessible due to the need to roll-in the connecting elements 3v into the recess 2c.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 08 011 031.5 | Jun 2008 | EP | regional |
