EP3733246B1

EP3733246B1 - Fireproof cover for extinguishing a vehicular fire

Info

Publication number: EP3733246B1
Application number: EP20305414.3A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Stephane Codron
Original assignee: Iveco France SAS
Current assignee: Iveco France SAS
Priority date: 2019-04-30
Filing date: 2020-04-29
Publication date: 2023-05-24
Anticipated expiration: 2040-04-29
Also published as: EP3733246A1

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to a fireproof cover, in particular a fireproof cover to extinguish a fire of a vehicle, in particular of a public passenger transport vehicle.

PRIOR ART

In the event of a vehicle fire, it is necessary to act quickly to prevent the spread of flames.
To this end, firefighters tend to spray fire extinguishing products, such as foams or liquids with a firefighting chemical composition, directly inside and/or on the burning vehicle and as soon as possible.
However, this manoeuvre is difficult due to the heat of the fire and, more particularly, in cases where the vehicle is in hard-to-reach areas, such as underground car parks or near walls. In such cases, it is very difficult for firefighters to act freely and in the most effective way.
This difficulty is all the clearer in the case of public passenger transport vehicles on wheels, such as buses, school buses, or coaches, the size of which is an obstacle for rescuers.
In addition, firefighting products such as foams and fluids tend to be disposed of through sewers, polluting the environment due to their chemical composition.
There is, therefore, a perceived need for fire prevention devices that extinguish burning vehicles that are also easy to use, economical, effective, and environmentally friendly.
Documents CN201098486 Y , EP3473301 A1 , CN2883057 Y , US2017274232 A1 or HRP20050901 A1 illustrate fireproof blankets of a known type that, however, cannot be conveniently used on vehicles of different shapes and sizes, such as public passenger transport vehicles.
The invention aims to solve the drawbacks mentioned above in an economical, improved, and ecological way.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The objectives mentioned above are achieved via a fireproof cover 1 according to the attached claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Additional characteristics and advantages of the invention will clearly emerge from the description that follows, by way of a non-limiting example only, with reference to the attached drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a schematic view of a cover according to the invention; and
Figures 2A and 2B are perspective views of different operational phases of use of the cover according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Figure 1 illustrates a fireproof cover 1 according to the invention essentially comprising a sheet 2 made of fireproof material, and large enough to entirely cover a road vehicle. In the embodiment described, the fireproof cover 1 has a rectangular shape and a surface area of approximately 100 m², i.e. a size that can be used to cover a vehicle intended for public transport.
The sheet 2 therefore comprises a pair of side edges 2a and a pair of transverse edges 2b.
The fireproof cover 1 can advantageously comprise hooking means 3 configured to enable the coupling of the cover 1 with handling means, described below, configured to move the cover 1.
The coupling means 3 may comprise a plurality of holes 4 that are made, at least close to the vertices of the shape defined by the sheet 2. In the case described, the coupling means 3 may, therefore, comprise at least four holes 4 made at the vertices of the rectangular shape and, as illustrated, comprise a pair of more holes 4 aligned and spaced apart along their respective axes A parallel to the side edges 2a of the sheet 2.
The fireproof cover 1 can advantageously comprise clamping means 5 configured to clamp the covering of the sheet 2 around the vehicle on which it is placed.
In particular, the clamping means 5 may comprise a cord 6 supported by at least one sheath on the sheet 2 and of sufficient length to define a path 7 of a predetermined shape. In the case described, the sheath is part of the sheet 2.
As a result, in a first operating state, the cord 6 is inserted inside its sheath of equal length to the length of the path 7; as a result, the sheet 2 is not deformed. In a second operating state, part of the cord 6 is removed from the sheath, i.e. the length of the cord 6 inside the sheath is less than the length of the path 7; as a result, the sheet 2 is deformed and blocked along the path 7.
In particular, the path 7 may be a path that is essentially rectangular in shape, so that it can be coupled to a vehicle during use.
The cover 1 can also comprise multiple clamping means 5 configured to define their respective paths 7 in order to be optimally coupled to vehicles of different sizes and shapes.
In the embodiment described, the cover 1 comprises a pair of clamping means 5 each defining a rectangular path 7, in particular a first rectangular path 7 entirely comprised in a second rectangular path 7 that is, obviously, larger in size.
The path 7 preferably has a shape similar to that defined by the sheet 2; in this case, the paths 7 have a rectangular shape similar to that of the sheet 2. By "similar", we mean geometrically similar, i.e. a shape with the same ratios between the distances defined by its sides.
The cover 1 may also comprise at least one fluidic coupling means 8 configured to enable a fluid, e.g. an inert gas (e.g. nitrogen) or a fire extinguisher liquid, to flow through the sheet 2.
In particular, the fluidic coupling means 8 may comprise a sleeve 9, which passes through the sheet 2 and is configured to be coupled to a dedicated pipe.
According to the embodiment described, the sleeve 9 is located in the centre of the sheet 2, i.e. at the intersection point of a pair of axes B and C, respectively longitudinal and transverse of the sheet 2.
The operation of the cover 1 according to the invention will now be described by referring to Figures 2A to 2B.
In the case of a burning vehicle 10, rescuers may unwind the cover 1 so as to place it close to and aligned with the vehicle 10 and with sufficient space for its movement, as illustrated in Figure 2A.
The handling of the cover 1 occurs via the hooking means 3; in this specific case, the rescuers use rods (or mechanical means of the rescue vehicles) the heads of which are inserted into the holes 4 that enable the cover 1 to be positioned above the vehicle 10 so as it is substantially aligned with the latter.
Once the cover 1 has been positioned above vehicle 10, the rescuers (or the rescue vehicles' mechanical means) can tension the clamping means 5, i.e. the cord 6, thus applying the cover 1 so that it adheres to the walls of the vehicle 10 as illustrated in Figure 2B.
When it is positioned and clamped on the vehicle 10, an inert gas under pressure, i.e. the pressure of which is higher than atmospheric pressure, is injected into a pipe 11 previously coupled to the sleeve 9 and then injected into a space delimited by the cover 1 and the vehicle 10. In this way, oxygen is pushed underneath the vehicle 10 and, as a result, the fire tends to go out.
From the above, the advantages of a fireproof cover 1 according to this invention are clearly evident.
The cover 1 enables a fire to be extinguished without approaching the vehicle 10 and in confined spaces.
In addition, the cover 1 can be used for vehicles of different sizes and shapes, such as large vehicles like public passenger transport vehicles.
Here, too, the use is immediate and enables the fire to be extinguished by oxygen asphyxiation in a safe manner without using firefighting agents.
In this way, the safety of firefighters is guaranteed and, in addition, the dispersion of chemical elements, which can pollute the water table, is avoided.
Finally, it is clear that the fireproof cover 1 according to this invention can be subject to modifications and variations that do not, however, deviate from the scope of protection defined by the claims.
For example, the coupling means 3 could comprise various elements such as hooks, sheaths, or any other element that can be coupled to movement means such as a rod or robotic arm.
Likewise, the clamping means 5 could be manufactured differently while retaining the same function or, again, the fluidic coupling means 8 may be absent or there may be more of them.

Claims

A protective cover against fire (1) comprising a sheet (2) made of fireproof material having dimensions sufficient to externally cover a vehicle (10) on wheels, said cover (1) being configured to smother a fire of said vehicle (10) when, during use, it is positioned and wrapped around the vehicle (10), said cover comprising hooking means (3) for handling said sheet (2) on said vehicle (10) and clamping means (5) configured to cover said vehicle with said sheet (2),
wherein said clamping means (5) comprise a cord (6), carried in a sheath of said sheet (2) in a slidable manner with respect to said sheet (2), and which defines, on the latter, a tightening path (7), said cord (6) being configured to wrap said sheet (2) in contact around said vehicle (10) and

wherein said hooking means (3) comprise a plurality of holes (4) made in said sheet (2), separate with respect to said sheath housing said cord (6) and realized at the vertices of the shape of said sheet (2).
The cover according to claim 1, comprising various clamping means (5), said clamping means (5), each defining a tightening path (7) having different shapes from one another, said tightening paths (7) being configured to allow the tightening of said sheet (2) onto vehicles having different dimensions.
The cover according to one of the previous claims, wherein said sheet (2) has dimensions of approximately 100 m².
The cover according to one of the previous claims, wherein said sheet comprises fluidic coupling means (8) configured to allow an inert fluid to be introduced through said sheet (2).
The cover according to claim 4, wherein said fluidic coupling means (8) comprise a sleeve (9) configured to be coupled to a pipe (11).