EP2456944B1

EP2456944B1 - Deflector barrier for smoke and heat vents and a smoke and heat vent provided with said deflector barrier

Info

Publication number: EP2456944B1
Application number: EP10752159.3A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Paolo Caoduro; Carlo Caoduro
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2009-07-24
Filing date: 2010-07-23
Publication date: 2015-12-02
Anticipated expiration: 2030-07-23
Also published as: WO2011009930A3; ITVI20090189A1; EP2456944A2; IT1395432B1; WO2011010217A2; WO2011009930A2; WO2011010217A3

Description

The invention concerns a deflector barrier for smoke and heat vents suited to let smoke and heat out of the rooms of a building in case of fire.
The invention also concerns a smoke and heat vent using said deflector barrier.
The deflector barrier that is the subject of the invention is particularly suited to be applied to natural smoke and heat vents of the type that can be installed on walls.
It is known document US 2 311 413 describing a window screen for windows which is extended and pulled back at the opening and closing movement of the window sash, respectively.
The window screen is not provided with protective surfaces preventing, when it is open and in case of wind, the entry of external air flow. In case of fire, the absence of said protective surfaces hinders the exit of the smoke through the window.
As is known, the Italian standard UNI 9494 of 2007 requires that buildings are provided with automatic opening vents that in case of fire ensure the quick extraction of smoke and heat from the rooms.
Said smoke and heat vents substantially comprise a cover that is connected by means of hinges to a fixed frame or to a base that delimits an opening made in a building or in the vertical wall of a shed, which is in communication with one or more rooms.
In case of fire, operating means automatically open the cover towards the outside in order to let out the smoke and heat produced by combustion.
Smoke and heat vents are preferably installed on the roofs of buildings, but smoke and heat vents are also known that are installed on walls, for example on the vertical walls that delimit buildings or on the vertical walls of sheds, in all the cases where installation on the roof isn't possible or when, even in the presence of vents on the roof, the extraction effect must be enhanced. According to a known embodiment of the invention, the wall-mounted vents available on the market substantially comprise a fixed frame that delimits an opening made in a wall or in the vertical wall of a shed, and a flap that can be opened towards the outside and is provided with a movable sash that cooperates with the fixed frame.
The lower side of the movable sash is hinged to the fixed frame and therefore the flap can be opened towards the outside like a hopper window to define an opening at the level of the upper side.
Furthermore, on each side of the flap of the vent there is a side wall connected to both the fixed frame and the movable sash, whose surface varies following the flap during the opening and closing manoeuvres.
The side walls can be constituted by flexible lamina-shaped elements that are recessed in the wall of the building and therefore not visible when the flap is closed, or by rigid thin surfaces that open like a fan and are permanently projecting from the wall, or again by walls of a different type, whose presence prevents the inlet of external air through the sides of the flap when this is completely open.
The presence of said side walls avoids the formation of a transversal flow of air from the outside towards the inside of the room, which would hinder the extraction of smoke through the upper opening.
The smoke and heat vents described above, even if provided with the side walls, however don't guarantee the optimal extraction of smoke and heat always and in all conditions.
There is still the recognized and unresolved drawback represented by the non optimal extraction of smoke and heat when the flap is open if this is hit frontally by an air flow.
In fact, when the flap is open its upper edge is lower than the upper edge of the fixed frame to which it is hinged and the air flow that hits it frontally can easily get in through the upper opening defined between the upper and lower edges, creating an antagonist flow that hinders or even prevents the extraction of smoke and heat from the room.
For this purpose, embodiments are known in which the upper edge of the flap is associated with a fixed deflector barrier that when the flap is open makes it possible to deviate upwards any air flow hitting the flap frontally.
It can be easily understood that the presence of a fixed deflector barrier determines an aesthetic result that sometimes is unacceptable, especially in the case of prestigious buildings.
Furthermore, said permanently projecting deflector barrier is subjected to damage and therefore requires maintenance interventions.
The present invention aims to overcome also this recognized drawback.
In particular, it is the object of the invention to provide a deflector barrier for smoke and heat vents suited to be installed on walls which projects from the upper edge of the flap only when the flap is open.
It is a further object of the invention to ensure that the deflector barrier automatically projects from the flap when the flap is opened.
The objects described above are achieved by a deflector barrier for smoke and heat vents to be installed on walls, having the characteristics described in the main claim, to which the reader should refer for the sake of brevity.
Other details of the invention are described in the dependent claims.
According to the construction variant described here below, the deflector barrier comprises a foil-shaped body suited to be applied to the upper part of the movable sash of the flap and connected to operating means constituted by rotation actuators.
When the flap is closed, the foil-shaped body that makes up the deflector barrier is arranged against the flap and completely contained within the perimeter defined by the movable sash of the flap itself.
When the operating means open the flap, the rotation actuators arrange the foil-shaped body so that it projects from the upper side of the movable sash of the flap and faces upwards.
In this way, when the flap is open, the foil-shaped body deviates upwards any air flow hitting it frontally from the outside and prevents the formation of an air flow getting in through the upper opening of the vent and preventing the extraction of smoke and heat from the room.
When the flap is closed again, the foil-shaped body is placed back within the upper edge of the flap with a manual rotation.
In the embodiment described herein, the foil-shaped body is positioned on the inner side of the flap.
According to a construction variant, the foil-shaped body is positioned on the outer side of the flap.
According to another embodiment of the invention, the foil-shaped body is moved by means of a sliding motion via linear translation actuators.
Also according to said construction variant, the foil-shaped body is positioned either on the inside or on the outside of the flap.
The deflector barrier that is the subject of the invention can in any case be applied to wall-mounted vents of any type, even without side walls.
The deflector barrier that is the subject of the invention is described here below with reference to its different embodiments illustrated by way of example without limitation in the attached drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 shows a front view of the deflector barrier that is the subject of the invention in the rest position, applied to a smoke and heat vent arranged in the closed position;
Figure 2 shows the deflector barrier of Figure 1 in the operating position, with the smoke and heat vent arranged in the open position;
Figure 3 shows a cross section of Figure 1 according to the vertical plane III-III;
Figure 4 shows the cross section of Figure 3 with the vent in the open position;
Figure 5 shows the deflector barrier of Figure 1 in the rest position, seen from the inside of the vent;
Figures 6 and 7 show some details of Figure 5;
Figure 8 shows the deflector barrier of Figure 5 in the operating position, seen from the inside of the vent when the vent is open;
Figure 9 shows a detail of Figure 8;
Figure 10 shows the deflector barrier of Figure 8 during its return to the rest position with the vent open, seen from the inside of the vent;
Figures 11 and 12 show some details of Figure 10;
Figures 13 and 14 show some details of the deflector barrier that is the subject of the invention at the end of its return movement to the rest position;
Figures 15 and 16 show a construction variant of the deflector barrier of the invention arranged respectively in the operating position with open vent and in the rest position before the vent is closed, seen from the inside of the vent;
Figures 17 and 18 show a further construction variant of the deflector barrier of the invention arranged respectively in the operating position with open vent and in the rest position with closed vent, seen from the inside of the vent.

The deflector barrier of the invention, indicated as a whole by 1, is shown in Figures 1 and 2 respectively in the rest and in the operating position, and is applied to a smoke and heat vent of the type to be installed on walls, indicated as a whole by 2.
Regarding the smoke and heat vent 2, it can be observed that it comprises a fixed frame 3 applied to the perimeter of an opening A made in a wall P of a building and communicating with the inside of one or more rooms, and a flap 4 provided with a movable sash 5 associated with the fixed frame 3 via hinges 6 that define a rotation axis X for opening and closing the flap itself.
It should be noted that the wall where the vent is applied can be any wall of the building or a vertical wall of the sheds.
The smoke and heat vent 2 also comprises operating means 7 suited to rotate the flap 4 around the rotation axis X and means 8 for coupling and releasing the movable sash 5 with/from the fixed frame 3 that can be observed in Figures 2, 6, 7, 13 and 14.
It is also possible to observe the presence of side walls 9 that prevent the inlet of air through the sides of the vent, each side wall being connected to both the fixed frame 3 and the movable sash 5.
Each side wall 9 consists of a flexible lamina-shaped element that follows the flap 4 during the opening and closing operation and then fits completely into an apposite housing when the flap is closed.
It should be noted that the smoke and heat vent of the type just described above, whose different operating stages are illustrated in the attached drawings, is described herein only for the purpose of describing the technical characteristics of the deflector barrier of the invention applied thereto and of explaining how it works.
In fact, the deflector barrier of the invention can be applied to wall-mounted smoke and heat vents of any type and size, provided or not with side walls for preventing the inlet of air through the sides.
In particular, the side walls can be provided in different construction variants, and therefore can be made up of flexible lamina-shaped elements completely recessed with respect to the wall of the building, and even of rigid thin surfaces that open like a fan and project permanently from the walls.
According to the invention and with reference also to Figures from 5 to 7, the deflector barrier 1 comprises:

a foil-shaped body 10 that can be associated with the movable sash 5 on the opposite side of the rotation axis X;
actuator means 11 that can be associated with the movable sash 5 and are suited to arrange the foil-shaped body 10 so that it projects from the movable sash 5 when the flap 4 is open;
constraining means 12 that can be associated with the movable sash 5 and interact with the actuator means 11 when the flap 4 is closed, in order to retain the foil-shaped body 10 in a recessed position with respect to the movable sash 5.

As regards the actuator means 11, it can be observed with particular reference to Figures 6 and 7 that they comprise at least one linear actuator 13 having the rod 14 associated with a connecting rod 15, which in turn is connected to a stem 16 supporting the foil-shaped body 10.
The stem 16 can be associated with the movable sash 5 at the level of the opening upper edge 5a and defines a rotation axis X' for the foil-shaped body 10 that is substantially parallel to the rotation axis X of the flap 4.
As regards the constraining means 12, it can be observed, always in Figures 6 and 7, that they comprise a spring lock 17 provided with a latch 18 that can be connected with the operating means 7 of the flap 4 and cooperates with counteracting means 22 that lock the stem 16 and prevent it from rotating when the flap 4 is closed.
In particular, it can be noted that the latch 18 can be connected to the operating means 7 through a first tie element 19, preferably but not necessarily consisting of a chain or a metal cable, while the counteracting means 22 comprise a threaded bar 20 screwed into the stem 16 and having the head 20a that cooperates with the free end 18a of the latch 18.
The latch 18, in particular, is elastically yielding, being housed inside a case 21 in which a spring, not illustrated, makes its movement elastic when it is moved by the first tie element 19, as will be described below.
As regards the operating means 7 that serve to rotate the flap 4 around the rotation axis X defined by the hinges 6, they comprise an actuator 25 having the body 26 hinged to the fixed frame 3 and the end of the rod 27 constrained to the movable sash 5 by means of a lever 28.
The latter, visible also in Figures 8 and 9, is provided with a centre pin 28a hinged to the movable sash 5 and with a first end 28b hinged to the end of the rod 27.
The second end 28c of the lever 28, instead, is connected to the first tie element 19 and also to a second tie element 30, the latter being connected to the coupling and release means 8.
Preferably but not necessarily both the tie elements 19 and 30 consist of a chain or a mechanical cable.
Regarding the coupling and release means 8, they comprise, as shown in the already mentioned Figures 2, 6, 7, 13 and 14, a manoeuvring rod 40 applied to the opening upper edge 5a of the movable sash 5, to which one or more springs 41 are associated, which make the rotation of the manoeuvring rod 40 elastic.
Two beak-like elements 42 are fixed in the manoeuvring rod 40 and are suited to interact with corresponding coupling elements 43 attached to the fixed frame 3 and visible in particular in Figures 2, 5, 8 and 10.
It is also possible to observe the presence of means for fixing the second tie element 30 to the manoeuvring rod 40 that, as shown in particular in Figures 7 and 12, preferably but not necessarily comprise a screw 35 screwed into a sleeve 36 externally coaxial with the manoeuvring rod 40.
It is finally possible to observe the presence of a damper 50 interposed between the fixed frame 3 and the movable sash 5 at the level of the operating means 7 and in particular of the actuator 25.
Operatively, when the smoke and heat vent 2 is arranged in the closed position, the deflector barrier 1 is arranged as shown in Figures 1, 3 and 5, with the foil-shaped body 10 substantially parallel to the flap 4 and completely recessed with respect to the upper edge 5a of the movable sash 5.
In this position the spring lock 17 belonging to the constraining means 12 keeps the foil-shaped body 10 in position, as the elastically yielding latch 18, as shown in Figure 3, constrains the head 20a of the threaded bar 20 and prevents the rotation of the rod 16.
In fact, the linear actuator 13 that makes up the actuator means 11 is a compressed-gas cylinder and the force that it exerts against the connecting rod 15 is counteracted by the interference of the latch 18 against the head 20a of the threaded counteracting bar 20.
Therefore, when the flap 4 is closed, the deflector barrier 1 is kept in the rest position with the foil-shaped body 10 contained within the perimeter of the flap itself.
In case of emergency, the actuator 25 that makes up the operating means 7 thrusts the lever 28 and, from the position shown in Figures 5 and 6, through a rotation around the centre pin 28a with which it is hinged to the movable sash 5, arranges it in the position visible in Figures 8 and 9.
The rotation of the lever 28 tightens the first tie element 19 and also the second tie element 30, both fixed to the second end 28c, which respectively cause:

the release of the constraining means 12 due to the shift of the latch 18 that frees the threaded bar 20 and arranges the foil-shaped body 10 in the operating position shown in Figures 8 and 9 through the rotation of the rod 16 due to the thrusting action of the linear actuator 13;
the rotation of the manoeuvring rod 40 that releases the beak-like elements 42 from the corresponding coupling elements 43.

At the same time as these actions deriving from the tightening of the tie elements occur, the actuator 25 exerts a thrusting action on the flap 4 that opens with a rotation around the rotation axis X until reaching the configuration shown in the already mentioned Figures 8 and 9.
The objects of the invention are thus achieved, as the deflector barrier 1, and in particular the foil-shaped body 10 that belongs to it, projects from the flap 4 only when the flap 4 is open and this takes place automatically when the flap is opened.
Furthermore, the deflector barrier that is the subject of the invention carries out its natural function of deviating the air flow upwards, preventing it from getting into the room and thus avoiding a dangerous counter current that would negatively affect the extraction of smoke and heat from the room.
The flap 4 is closed again manually by an operator, once the deflector barrier 1 has been placed back in the rest position with the foil-shaped body 10 adhering to the flap 4.
This operation is carried out manually by applying a manual rotation to the foil-shaped body 10 in the direction indicated by the arrows, as shown in Figures 10 and 11, until restoring the condition in which the threaded bar 20 has its head 20a constrained to the latch 18 in the position shown in Figure 7.
For this purpose, as shown in Figure 14, the free end 18a of the latch 18 has a curved surface that, coming into contact with the head 20a of the threaded bar 20, generates an axial component that pushes the latch 18 downwards in the direction indicated by the arrow, until it is overtaken by the head 20a of the threaded bar 20.
At the end of the rotation and when the head 20a of the threaded bar 20 returns to be positioned under the latch, as shown in Figures 3, 6 and 7, the deflector bar 1 returns to the rest condition shown in fact in Figures 13 and 14 . At this point the flap 4 can be closed again through the manual intervention of the operator who rotates it until engaging the beak-like elements 42 with the coupling elements 43.
The presence of a damper 50 interposed between the fixed frame 3 and the movable sash 5 serves as a braking element during the opening of the flap 4.
A construction variant of the deflector barrier of the invention indicated by 60 is visible in Figures 15 and 16, where it can be observed that it differs from the embodiment just described only due to the fact that the actuator means, indicated as a whole by 61, comprise a linear actuator 62 having the rod 63 associated with the foil-shaped body 64, which is constrained to guide means 65 that define a sliding plane substantially parallel to the surface of the flap 66 of the vent 67.
In particular, the guide means 65 are constituted by two U-shaped elements 65a fixed at the sides of the movable sash 68 of the flap 66 and arranged on its internal part.
According to a further construction variant of the deflector barrier of the invention, indicated by 70 and illustrated in Figures 17 and 18, the actuator means 71 also in this case comprise at least one linear actuator 72 having the rod 73 associated with the foil-shaped body 74, which is still constrained to guide means 75 fixed at the sides of the movable sash 78 and suited to define a sliding plane substantially parallel to the surface of the flap 76 of the vent 77, but are arranged outside the flap itself and therefore face towards the outside. In this case, as can be observed, the linear actuator 72 is arranged outside the flap 76 and is housed inside a seat 79 specifically created therein.
A further construction variant, not illustrated herein, is also possible, in which the deflector barrier comprises a foil-shaped body, even in this case associated with a bar that sets it rotating, which in the rest position is arranged opposite the surface of the flap that faces towards the outside.
The above clearly shows that the deflector barrier that is the subject of the invention achieves all the set objects.
In particular, the invention achieves the object to provide a deflector barrier that projects from the flap of the vent only when the flap is open.
Vice versa, when the flap is closed, the deflector barrier is in the rest position, completely contained within the perimeter of the flap.
Furthermore, the deflector barrier automatically moves to the operating position, projecting from the upper edge of the flap, only when the flap is opened.
Advantageously, the deflector barrier that is the subject of the invention can be applied to the flap of any type of smoke and heat vent available on the market. Finally, the deflector barrier of the invention, in addition to the advantages connected to the achievement of the set objects, also serves its natural function of allowing the optimal extraction of smoke and heat in case of emergency, preventing an air flow that hits the skylight frontally when this is open from creating an antagonist flow that hinders or even prevents the extraction of smoke and heat.
In the construction stage the deflector barrier of the invention can be subjected to modifications intended to improve its functionality or to make its construction and/or assembly more economical.
Said modifications and variants, even if they are neither described herein nor illustrated in the drawings, must all be considered protected by the present patent, provided that they fall within the scope of the following claims.
In the cases where the technical characteristics illustrated in the claims are followed by references, these have been added only with the aim to facilitate the comprehension of the claims themselves, and therefore said references do not have any limiting effect on the degree of protection to be granted to each element they identify only by way of example.

Claims

Deflector barrier (1; 60; 70) for smoke and heat vents (2; 67; 77), said smoke and heat vents comprising:
- a fixed frame (3) applied to the perimeter of an opening (A) made in a wall (P) of a building and communicating with the inside of one or more rooms;

- a flap (4; 66; 76) provided with a movable sash (5; 68; 78) associated with said fixed frame (3) via hinge means (6) that define a rotation axis (X) for opening and closing the flap (4; 66; 76);

- operating means (7) for the rotation of said flap (4; 66; 76) around said rotation axis (X);

- means (8) for coupling and releasing said movable sash (5; 68; 78) with/from said fixed frame (3),
characterized in that said deflector barrier comprises:
- a foil-shaped body (10; 64; 74) that can be associated with said movable sash (5; 68; 78) on the opposite side of said rotation axis (X);

- actuator means (11; 61; 71) that can be associated with said movable sash (5; 68; 78) and are suited to arrange said foil-shaped body (10; 64; 74) in a position projecting from said movable sash (5; 68; 78) when said flap (4; 66; 76) is open;

- constraining means (12) that can be associated with said movable sash (5; 68; 78) and interact with said actuator means (11; 61; 71) when said flap (4; 66; 76) is closed, in order to retain said foil-shaped body (10; 64; 74) in a recessed position with respect to said movable sash (5; 68; 78).
Deflector barrier (1) according to claim 1,
characterized in that said actuator means (11) comprise at least one linear actuator (13) having a rod (14) associated with a connecting rod (15) connected to a stem (16) that supports said foil-shaped body (10), said stem (16) being suited to define for said foil-shaped body (10) a rotation axis (X') substantially parallel to the rotation axis (X) of said flap (4).
Deflector barrier (60; 70) according to claim 1,
characterized in that
said actuator means (61; 71) comprise at least one linear actuator (62; 72) having a rod (63; 73) associated with said foil-shaped body (64; 74), said foil-shaped body being constrained to guide means (65; 75) suited to define a sliding plane substantially parallel to the surface of said flap (66; 76).
Deflector barrier (1) according to claim 2,
characterized in that said constraining means (12) comprise a spring lock (17) having an elastically yielding latch (18) that can be connected to said operating means (7) and is suited to cooperate with counteracting means (22) in order to lock the rotation of said stem (16) when said flap (4) is closed.
Deflector barrier (1) according to claim 4,
characterized in that said latch (18) can be connected to said operating means (7) via a first tie element (19).
Deflector barrier (1) according to claim 4,
characterized in that said counteracting means (22) comprise a threaded bar (20) screwed in said stem (16) and having a head (20a) that cooperates with the free end (18a) of said latch (18).
Deflector barrier (1; 60; 70) according to any of the claims 2 to 6, characterized in that said linear actuator (13; 62; 72) is of the type with compressed gas.
Smoke and heat vent (2; 67; 77) comprising:
- a fixed frame (3) applied to the perimeter of an opening (A) made in a wall (P) of a building and communicating with the inside of one or more rooms;

- a flap (4; 66; 76) provided with a movable sash (5; 68; 78) associated with said fixed frame (3) via hinge means (6) that define a rotation axis (X) for opening and closing the flap (4; 66; 76);

- operating means (7) for the rotation of said flap (4; 66; 76) around said rotation axis (X);

- means (8) for coupling and releasing said movable sash (5; 68; 78) with/from said fixed frame (3),
characterized in that it comprises a deflector barrier (10; 60; 70) according to any of the preceding claims.
Smoke and heat vent (2; 67; 77) according to claims 8 and 5, characterized in that said operating means (7) comprise an actuator (25) having a body (26) hinged to said fixed frame (3) and the end of a rod (27) constrained to said movable sash (5; 68; 78) through a lever (28) having a centre pin (28a) hinged to said movable sash (5; 68; 78), a first end (28b) hinged to said end of said rod (27) and a second opposite end (28c) connected to said first tie element (19) and to a second tie element (30) connected to said coupling and release means (8).
Smoke and heat vent (2; 67; 77) according to claim 9,
characterized in that said coupling and release means (8) comprise:
- a manoeuvring rod (40) rotatingly applied to the upper edge (5a) of said movable sash (5; 68; 78) on the opposite side of said rotation axis (X) of said flap (4; 66; 76);

- one or more springs (41) associated with said manoeuvring rod (40);

- at least two beak-like elements (42) fixed to said manoeuvring rod (40) and suited to interact with corresponding coupling elements (43) attached to said fixed frame (3);

- means (35) for fixing said second tie element (30) to said manoeuvring rod (40).
Smoke and heat vent (2; 67; 77) according to any of claims 8 to 10, characterized in that it comprises at least one damper (50) interposed between said fixed frame (3) and said movable sash (5; 68; 78).