Patent Grant
10221561
The invention relates to a fire or smoke protection curtain with (a) a textile fire protection element which has a first side in the form of a front side and a second side in the form of a reverse side, which can be put in a compact bearing arrangement and a protection arrangement, in which it counteracts the spread of a fire and/or smoke, and which extends along a closing surface, and (b) at least one guide track that guides the fire protection element when the fire protection element is in the protection arrangement and that is designed to exert a holding force which counteracts a bulging of the fire protection element.
Fire or smoke protection curtains are used to delay the spread of smoke and/or a fire. Fire or smoke protection curtains are often used to seal an opening in a wall in the event of a fire. Should a compressed air difference emerge between the front side and the reverse side of the fire protection element, the at least one guide track must exert a holding force. The reverse side is, for example, the wall side of the fire protection element. Hence the holding force counteracts an excessive bulging of the fire protection element.
It is known to guide the fire protection element in a slot in the guide track and to arrange piping on the edges of the fire protection element, which prevents the fire protection element from slipping out of the slot and which leads to the fire protection element bracing itself on the edges of the slot, thereby resulting in the exertion of the holding force. Crimped metal objects may also be used in place of piping.
The disadvantage of solutions of the prior art is that the guide tracks must be built to be comparatively large. This is particularly disadvantageous if the guide track must be fixed to the soffit as, in this case, the guide track must either be inserted into the soffit, which is labour-intensive, or the clear width of the opening is reduced.
FR 3 004 117 describes a fire or smoke protection curtain that is arranged in front of a door and that utilises a ballast strip on the footer of the fire protection element in order to pull the fire protection element down in front of the door in the event of a fire. The bottom bar and the fire protection element run in an S-shaped moulded guide track. A disadvantage of this type of fire or smoke protection curtain is that it can only be used with a structure that absorbs normal forces, such as a door, and it is not smoke-proof.
US 2014/0190097 describes a curtain for wind-tight closure which is designed in such a way that the curtain element slips out of the guide rails if a critical wind load is exceeded. A reaction such as this is unacceptable with a fire or smoke protection curtain as it contradicts its protective function.
The invention aims to reduce the disadvantages of the prior art.
The invention solves the problem by means of a fire or smoke protection curtain with a guide track designed to exert the holding force on the fire protection element from only one of the sides.
An advantage of the invention is that the guide track can be designed to be very compact, i.e. space-saving. If one looks along the closing surface with guide tracks according to the prior art, the guide track extends across both the first side and the second side of the fire protection element. However, a guide track of the fire or smoke protection curtain according to the invention need only extend over one side of the fire protection element. In other words, if one looks along the fire protection element, with guide tracks that comply with the prior art, a part of the guide track must be visible on both sides of the fire protection element at all times; with a guide track according to the invention, a part of the guide track must only be visible on one side of the fire resistant material. However, it should also be noted that it is possible for the fire or smoke protection curtain to have more than one guide track. In particular, it is advantageous that the guide track can be built to be flat. The holding force is preferably exerted on the fire protection element from the side facing the wall.
In addition, it is advantageous that a guide track according to the invention is particularly simple to produce. It is indeed advantageous and represents a preferred embodiment that the guide track comprises a piping bar, however this not necessary. A fire or smoke protection curtain according to the invention is thus also easy to install.
It is especially beneficial that the special guide track design allows for the closing to be easily monitored by means of a light grid. Light grids are made up of a number of light beams located at a distance from one another. An interruption of at least one of the light beams is recorded by an interruption recording device that, according to an embodiment of the invention, is part of the fire or smoke protection curtain and comprises a light grid generation device for generating the light grid. This ensures that the fire protection element can be brought to a stop by moving it into the protection arrangement if a foreign object, such as a person, is situated in the area of the closing surfaces. In order to securely record this foreign object on the one hand and, on the other hand, to avoid a false alarm, the distance between the closing surface and the light grid must be as small as possible. With known guide tracks this is only possible at considerable expense. Due to the fact that the guide track according to the invention only has to exert the holding force on the fire protection element from one side, the light grid generation device can be mounted very close to the closing surface.
In particular, the textile fire protection element is diverted onto the guide track from out of the closing plane. The resulting change in direction and the associated change in load direction allow for constructively smaller holding elements and/or thinner piping bars. In addition, the guide track can be created with smaller dimensions than those of current models. In comparison with current guide tracks, a guide track with smaller dimensions is more rigid and less susceptible to distortion in the event of a fire, as well as saving on material and space. The change in direction also results in a consistent and reliable sealing on at least one (generally two) of the edges of the guide track, rendering the construction smoke-proof without requiring an additional sealing system.
Within the scope of the present description, a fire or smoke protection curtain should be especially understood to mean any device that is designed to prevent or reduce the spread of fires and/or smoke, or to obstruct it for a long period of time, or to prevent the spread of smoke produced by a fire. In particular, the fire or smoke protection curtain is designed to withstand a fire for at least 30 minutes, in particular at least 60 minutes, preferably for at least 90 minutes. This test is conducted especially according to EN 1634-3. A fire or smoke protection curtain is therefore fundamentally different from devices that are only suitable for sealing openings.
In the event of a fire, fire or smoke protection curtains are exposed to high temperatures. This causes the components, especially the guide track or the guide tracks, to warp. In addition, the pressure difference acts on the fire protection element. It must be ensured that the guide track still holds the fire protection element securely, despite the high temperature and large acting force. With guide tracks according to the prior art, this is achieved by means of a large material thickness; however, this results in bulky guide tracks. The guide track illustrated in this description fulfils this requirement for fire resistance and is still flatter than known guide tracks.
The term textile fire protection element should be particularly understood to mean a fire protection element that comprises a fire resistant material. It is possible, but not necessary, that the fire resistant material also contains non-textile components, such as a lamination and/or a coating made of a cooling material.
The term fire resistant material should be especially understood to mean a fabric, scrim or knitted fabric that is not flammable and withstands thermal loads for a sufficiently long time to withstand an entrance of flames and/or smoke, especially for at least 30 minutes according to DIN EN 13501-2 and 3. The advantage of using fire resistant materials is the little effort required to produce them. This means it is possible to make the fire protection element out of one, two, three or more flat pieces of fire resistant material by connecting them, especially by sewing them together.
The term bearing arrangement should be particularly understood to mean the arrangement of the fire protection element in which the fire protection element leaves an opening, such as in a wall, unsealed. For example, when in the bearing arrangement, the fire protection element is rolled or gathered up on a winding shaft.
The term guide track should be especially understood to mean a device that counteracts a movement of the fire protection element in a direction perpendicular to the closing surface. It is possible and represents a preferred embodiment that the fire protection element is guided in every lateral edge. It is possible, but not necessary, that the fire or smoke protection curtain comprises two or more separate textile fire protection elements, which are each guided in their own guide tracks. The fire or smoke protection curtain preferably has guide tracks that are arranged on both sides of the fire protection element. In this way, the fire or smoke protection curtain can have a guide track on both the left side and the right side of the fire protection element.
In particular, the at least one guide track absorbs the total force that is necessary to counteract a bulging. In other words, the fire or smoke protection curtain is designed to seal an opening, for example in a building, and only the fire protection element seals the opening.
The feature that the guide track is designed to exert the holding force should be especially understood to mean that the holding force has a tightening effect on the fire protection element. This is particularly true if the fire protection element bulges. The holding force therefore acts on the fire protection element in the tangential direction, at least primarily, and not in the normal direction; the feature that the holding force primarily acts on the fire protection element in the tangential direction should be particularly understood to mean that a potential present normal force component of the holding force has a maximum value of 0.9 times that of the tangential component of the holding force. In other words, the holding force is a pulling force on the fire protection element.
In particular, the guide track is designed in such a way that, regardless of the direction in which the fire protection element bulges, it always exerts the holding force on the fire protection element from the same of the two sides.
The feature that the guide track is designed to exert the holding force on the fire protection element from only one side should be especially understood to mean that the holding force is exerted at least predominantly, in particular at least 80%, preferably at least 90%, by a part of the guide track that is either arranged only in the half-space to which the reverse side belongs, or only in the half-space to which the reverse side of the fire protection element belongs. In other words, the fire protection element splits the space into two separate half-spaces that are separated from one another by the fire protection element.
In particular, all force application points of forces that are exerted on the guide track by the fire protection element, when a tractive force is acting on the fire protection element, are located in only one of these half-spaces. In other words, a tractive force that is acting on the fire protection element and thereby acts on the closing surface causes only those parts of the guide track situated in one of the half-spaces to move in the direction of the tractive force. Other parts of the guide track can indeed move, but this movement does not go in the direction of the tractive force.
The closing surface should be understood to mean the mathematical surface that runs through the fire protection element when in the protection arrangement if there is no pressure difference acting on the fire protection element. According to a preferred embodiment, the closing surface refers to a simply curved surface, preferably one plane, which is then referred to as the closing plane. A simply curved surface can be described as comprising a multitude of parallel straight lines.
The term holding force should be understood to mean a force that acts in the closing surface. It is possible and, according to a preferred embodiment, intended that, alongside the holding force, the guide track exerts one or several other forces on the fire protection element. For example, the guide track is preferably constructed in such a way that it prevents a flapping motion of the outer edge of the fire protection element so that the edge of the fire protection element cannot slip out of the guide track.
According to a preferred embodiment, the guide track comprises a slot in which the fire protection element is guided when the fire protection element is in the protection arrangement, the slot being restricted on one side by a support edge and arranged in relation to the fire protection element such that the holding force is at least predominantly absorbed by the support edge. The advantage of this is that the force that counteracts the holding force—this counteracting force being exerted on the support edge by the fire protection element—can be easily absorbed. The support edge is preferably arranged on a support plate. The reaction force to the holding force then acts on the narrow side of the support plate. This renders the support plate very stable.
It is particularly beneficial if the fire protection element has a coupling section that is held in the slot. The slot is preferably restricted by one of the first support structures opposite the first support edge, especially a second support edge, by means of which a swivelling of the coupling section can be prevented when a tractive force is acting on the fire protection element. A tractive force refers in particular to a force that runs in the closing surface and horizontally.
In other words, the slot is preferably surrounded by two support edges, one support edge of which does not absorb any holding force.
The first support edge is preferably arranged on a first support section of the guide track, especially a support plate, which extends along the closing surface. The second support edge is preferably arranged on a second support section. This second support section extends preferably at least partially along a guide surface, which forms an angle of at least 15° with the closing surface.
According to a preferred embodiment, the opening direction of the slot points away from the closing surface. The opening direction should be understood to mean the direction in which the fire protection element must be pulled in order to move the fire protection element out of the slot with the lowest possible expenditure of energy. It should be noted that it is possible and, according to a preferred embodiment, intended that the slot is covered by a cover plate. This cover plate can be designed in such a way that it guides the fire protection element in the area of the slot so that the fire protection element moves slightly towards the support edge. In this case the opening direction is of course determined without the cover plate.
It is especially beneficial if the fire protection element has a projection that lies on the support edge when a tractive force acting in the closing plane acts on the fire protection element. The tractive force counteracts the holding force. In other words, the holding force is the reaction force to the tractive force. For example, the projection may be composed of a part of the fire protection element. The coupling section is in particular the section of the fire protection element between the projection and the edge of the fire protection element.
It is beneficial if, for every side of the fire resistant material, the holding force is only transferred to the fire resistant material from the support edge. In other words, the holding force is exerted on the left side of the fire protection element from the support edge of the left guide track, and on the right side of the fire protection element the holding force is exerted from the support edge of the right guide track. In terms of the preferred embodiment it is significant that, for each side of the fire protection element, the holding force is only exerted from the support edge of the respective guide track. If the guide tracks become deformed in the event of a fire, the fire protection element can follow this deformation and the sealing effect between the support edge and fire protection element remains intact. If however, as is the case with the prior art, two edges per side exert the holding force, the two edges may warp differently, thereby losing the sealing effect.
According to a preferred embodiment, the guide track is designed to exert the holding force across at least 80% of a height of the guide track. This allows for a secure sealing of the fire protection element to the guide track. In particular, the guide track has a support edge, with the fire protection element lying on the support edge up to at least 70%, in particular at least 80%, preferably 90%, especially preferably to at least 95% of the clearance height of the opening that is sealed by the fire protection element. Alternatively or additionally, the fire protection element lies on the support edge up to at least 90% of its length, this length referring to the length along which the guide track extends. The guide track and the fire resistant material preferably form a smoke-proof connection, thereby fulfilling DIN EN 13501-2 and 3 (as of Aug. 28, 2015).
Alternatively or additionally, the projection is arranged on a holding element, such as a rivet or a button. The projection preferably extends along one lateral edge of the fire protection element. Alternatively it can also be planned for the fire protection element to have a number of projections that are arranged along the lateral edge of the fire protection element.
It is possible and represents a preferred embodiment that the holding element is asymmetrical in relation to the plane along which the fire protection element extends. In particular, the holding element is situated further above one side (front or reverse side) of the fire protection element than above the other side.
It is beneficial if the fire protection element has a lower flexibility in the vicinity of this projection than outside of this vicinity. In this case, the support structure, especially the second support edge, renders it possible to effectively prevent the lateral edge of the fire protection element from making a swivel movement when a tractive force is acting on the fire protection element. This means that the projection remains in contact with the first support edge, which exerts the holding force.
According to a preferred embodiment, the fire or smoke curtain has a light grid generation device for monitoring foreign objects on the closing surface by means of a light grid. As stated above, this light grid generation device can be arranged close to the closing surface because the guide track only needs to exert the holding force on the fire protection element from one side. As is the intention of a preferred embodiment, the light grid generation device can be arranged on the opposite side.
It is beneficial if there is a maximum difference of 4 cm, especially a maximum of 2.5 cm, between the light grid and the closing surface.
It is beneficial if the guide track is made of precisely one, two or three component sheets, as this facilitates production.
According to a preferred embodiment, the fire protection element comprises a cooling material, in particular a layer of cooling material. This cooling material should be particularly understood to mean a material that releases water and/or carbon dioxide above an activation temperature by means of an endothermic reaction. The cooling material may be pure or a mix. For example, the cooling material is at least partially made up of water of crystallisation. The cooling material may contain metal hydrates and/or carbonate and/or a hydroxy compound.
The activation temperature should be particularly understood to mean the lowest temperature at which it occurs that, after one hour at this temperature, over 90% by mass of the cooling material has reacted under heat absorption. It is beneficial if the cooling material reacts above the activation temperature, for example by the emission of water of crystallisation and/or the separation of water. Water has a high evaporation heat, meaning that a lot of heat is absorbed during evaporation. The activation temperature is preferably at least 90° C. and/or a maximum of 250° C.
According to a preferred embodiment, the fire or smoke protection curtain has a piping bar that is arranged to hold the lateral edge of the fire protection element in the guide track. The fire protection element preferably encompasses the piping bar. Alternatively the fire protection element may be fixed to and/or in the piping bar.
It is beneficial if the piping bar has a maximum diameter of 12 millimeters. This diameter should be understood to mean the diameter of a circle that has the same cross-sectional area as the cross-section of the piping bar. The piping bar preferably has an elliptical, especially a circular, cross-section. Alternatively, the cross-section is polygonal, especially in the form of a regular n-angle where n=3, 4, 5, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 or greater. It has thus far not been possible to use piping bars with such a small diameter as they are not able to exert the necessary holding force in the event of a fire due to warping. Only the special form of the guide track enables the use of such a thin piping bar. Piping bars of guide tracks that comply with the prior art have a diameter of at least 16 millimeters.
The piping bar is preferably arranged in the guide track in such a way that the cross-sectional area of the piping bar lies at least 75%, in particular to at least 85%, preferably completely, on one side of the closing surface. This side of the closing surface is preferably the wall side. The guide track is then preferably designed to be mounted on a wall of a building and the wall side faces the wall. Due to the fact that the piping bar largely lies on one side of the closing surface, the guide rail can be built to be especially flat. The fire protection element must then change its direction so that the holding force is effectively exerted from only one of the sides.
It is beneficial to fix the piping bar at the bottom, i.e. at ground level. It is possible, but not necessary, to fix the piping bar so as to render it rigid. Rather, it is also possible to fix the piping bar with some play.
According to the invention, there is also a building with a wall in which an opening is situated and with a fire or smoke protection curtain according to the invention, which is connected to the building for the sealing of the opening. It is especially beneficial if the guide track is arranged in front of the soffit. This makes the assembly easier and prevents the clear width of the opening from being reduced.
The holding force is preferably exerted on the fire protection element from the wall side.
In the following, the invention will be explained in more detail in the attached drawings.
For the guiding of the fire protection element 14, the fire or smoke protection curtain 10 has a first guide track 20.1 and a second guide track 20.2, which guide the fire protection element 14 on opposite lateral edges 22.1, 22.2. The first guide track 20.1 has a height h, in the present case the second guide track 20.2 has the same height h. In the present case, the height h corresponds to a clearance height of the opening 16. However, it is also possible that the height h is smaller than the clearance height of the opening 16, for example the height h is at least 0.8 times, preferably at least 0.9 times, as high as the clearance height of the opening 16.
If a force FD acts centrally on the fire protection element 14 it results in a tractive force FS that acts on the guide tracks 20.1, 20.2. The guide tracks exert a holding force FH in the opposite direction on the fire protection element 14.
It should be noted that the fire or smoke protection curtain 10 has a winding shaft 24 onto which the fire protection element 14 is rolled up. For the motorised rolling up, a winding shaft motor 26 is arranged in the winding shaft 24, which is supplied with electricity by a control unit 28.
The guide track 20 is, which represents a preferred embodiment, made of at least one, in the present case exactly one, plate 42.
If the tractive force FS acts on the fire protection element 14, the coupling section 36 moves towards to the support edge 38 until the coupling section 36 is caught by the support edge 38. This situation is shown in
It should be noted that the fire protection element 14 has a front side 44 and a reverse side 46. The nomenclature with regards to the front side and reverse side is generally arbitrary, but within the scope of the present description the side that is perceived as the reverse side 46 is the one on which the support edge 38 is arranged. If, when in the protection arrangement, the fire protection element 14 extends along a closing surface S in the form of a plane, as intended according to a preferred embodiment, this closing surface S divides the space into two half-spaces 39, 41, wherein the support edge 38 is arranged in the half space 39 that belongs to the reverse side.
It should be noted that the guide track 20 exerts the holding force FH on the fire protection element 14 from one side only, namely the reverse side 46. In the embodiment according to
The support structure 40 prevents the coupling section 36 from making a swivelling movement, which is indicated by the arrow B. Due to the fact that this swivel movement B is prevented, the coupling section 36 cannot detach itself from the support edge 38 and remains caught in the guide track 20.
The second support edge 40 is arranged on a second support section 54 of the plate 42; in the present case on the component plate 50.2. The second support section 54 extends along a guide surface E54, which forms a return angle α of at least 15° with the closing surface S. In the present case the return angle is α=30°. This enables the coupling section 36 to be held securely on the support edge 38.
In the case shown in
It should be noted that the plate 42 has an expansion 68 on its top side so that, when the winding shaft 24 is rolling it up (see
In the upper part of the picture it can be recognised that the rivets 71 have a projection height h46 in the direction of the reverse side 46. This preferably has a value of between 0.5 mm and 7 mm. It is possible and represents a preferred embodiment that the projection height h44 corresponds to the projection height h46 in the direction of the front side 44. Alternatively, for example, the projection height h44 in the direction of the front side 44 may be smaller than the projection height h46. The sum h44+h46 of both projection heights preferably has a maximum value of 8 mm, especially 7 mm.
In the lower part of the picture it should be recognised that the turnovers 67.1, 67.2 comprise recesses 74.1, 74.2, . . . . These recesses, which represent a preferred embodiment, result in the fire protection element 14 being easier to wind up on a winding shaft 24 (see
It should be noted that the closing surface S runs through the front surface 76 in the outermost lying surface tercile 77.3 of the front surface 76. In the present case, the closing surface S also runs through the front surface 76 in the outermost lying surface quartile 78.4. In other words, the guide track 20 according to the invention functions without the space that would extend beyond the last surface tercile 77.3 with guide tracks according to the prior art. Looking from the wall 12, the guide track is thus considerably thinner behind the closing surface or closing plane S than in front of it.
In the present case, the second support section 54 of the guide track 20 has a first section 80.1 that extends along the guide surface E54, and a second section 80.2. The support edge 40 separates the two sections 80.1, 80.2 from one another. The second section 80.2 runs at an angle to the guide surface E54. In the present case, an angle β between the guide surface E54 and the direction of extension of the second section 80.2 has a value of 15° to 45°, in the present case it is approximately 30°.
Due to the fact that the sections 80.1, 80.2 run at an angle to one another, the second support section 54 yields by an especially small amount. The projection 72 is therefore securely held to the support edge 38.
|{right arrow over (F)}36|·{right arrow over (S)}≥k|{right arrow over (F)}H|·{right arrow over (S)} (1)
where k≥ 0.8, k preferably ≥ equals 0.8. In addition, it is preferable if
{right arrow over (F)}36·{right arrow over (S)}≥0. (2)
Here, {right arrow over (S)} is the vector that lies in the closing surface S and runs towards the guide track. As a general rule, the vector {right arrow over (S)} stands perpendicular on the front surface 76.
The piping bar 83 holds the lateral edge of the fire protection element 14 in the guide track 20 and is arranged in the guide track 14 in such a way that the cross-sectional area A of the piping bar 83 lies completely on the side of the reverse side 46, i.e. the wall side in this case, of the fire protection element 14. In the present case, the cross-sectional area A also lies entirely on the wall side of the closing surface S, which is a closing plane here.
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| Number | Date | Country | |
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| 20170058513 A1 | Mar 2017 | US |
