GB2536675A

GB2536675A - A fireproof cover for protecting a consumer unit from fire

Info

Publication number: GB2536675A
Application number: GB1505055.2A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Michael Foti Demitrios; Allen Graham
Original assignee: CHRIS BURROWS LIGHTING Ltd
Current assignee: CHRIS BURROWS LIGHTING Ltd
Priority date: 2015-03-25
Filing date: 2015-03-25
Publication date: 2016-09-28
Also published as: GB201505055D0

Abstract

A fireproof enclosure 100 for covering a consumer unit or distribution board so as to contain and prevent the spread of fire originating from electrical components. The box has a lid 102 with handle 104, and a rear portion of walls with a cavity 106 to fit over a wall-mounted consumer unit. The lid is attached to the enclosure via hinges 108. The periphery of the lid, the interior of the enclosure walls, and the edges of the cavity have an intumescent sealant. The sealant will expand in the presence of heat and create an airtight seal, preventing spread of fire. The sealant may be an intumescent strip, a liner, or an intumescent sponge. The enclosure is preferably metal, and is preferably coated with fireproof paint. The fireproof cover box has means to be attached to a surface such as a wall, the attachment means being a hole and screw arrangement, for example.

Description

A FIREPROOF COVER FOR PROTECTING A CONSUMER UNIT FROM FIRE

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0001] The present invention relates generally to cover boxes for covering consumer units and particularly to a cover box for suppression of fires in consumer units by means of intumescent material.

BACKGROUND

[0002] The subject matter discussed in the background section should not be assumed to be prior art merely as a result of its mention in the background section Similarly, a problem mentioned in the background section or associated with the subject matter of the background section should not be assumed to have been previously recognized in the prior art. The subject matter in the background section merely represents different approaches, which in and of themselves may also correspond to implementations of the claimed technology.

[0003] A consumer unit or distribution board is an electrical circuit component that receives power supply from a main supply line and distributes the power into various circuits and devices. The consumer units are widely present in homes and other premises and are mandatory in a number of jurisdictions. A typical consumer unit is a box made of plastic which may be rectangular or round and includes openings in the sides or back of the box for insertion of electrical cables. The consumer unit is often installed in an opening in a wall. A plastic or metal cover plate may then be attached to the consumer unit to cover the box.

[0004] It is well known that electrical fires are one of the most common sources of fires in homes and elsewhere. Electrical cables which pass through fire walls or ceilings present potential fire hazards should PVC sleeved electrical cables be subjected to excessive heat caused by, for example, a fire occurring in a room or ceiling area through which the electrical services pass. Electrical fires may also occur within consumer units or distribution boards which may house electrical connections such as cable splices and other elements made of combustible material due to faulty wiring. Moreover, overheating of metal conduits through which electric cables pass can cause self ignition of the cables; also conduit fittings subjected to excessive heat can rapidly deform thereby enabling high temperature gases and flames to reach the cables to cause fire.

[0005] Fires within consumer units and distribution boards present particular hazards for the home or other buildings in which they are present. If a fire starts in a consumer unit, it may spread to the surrounding wood frame or plastic casing and quickly travel throughout the structure. Electrical fires also can be hard to detect because they begin within an enclosed box or conduit. Further, electrical devices are often placed within the vicinity of plastic or synthetic materials, and thus such fires can produce toxic or hazardous fumes and smoke.

[0006] There are many fire proof consumer units made of metal but such a fire proof unit requires replacing a pre-existing consumer unit. This needs a fully qualified electrical to install such units and hence a far more expensive solution. Also, such metal consumer units work well but are expensive and time consuming to install. A protection box does not exist that allows continuing use of pre-existing plastic consumer units and eliminating the danger of such units catching fire.

[0007] Hence, there exists a need for a fire protection box that can be quickly installed to cover a consumer unit and does not need for the consumer unit to be replaced by a fire proof version.

SUMMARY

[0008] It will be understood that this disclosure in not limited to the particular systems, and methodologies described, as there can be multiple possible embodiments of the present disclosure which are not expressly illustrated in the present disclosure. It is also to be understood that the terminology used in the description is for the purpose of describing the particular versions or embodiments only, and is not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

[0009] In an embodiment, a fireproof cover for protecting a consumer unit from fire is provided. The fireproof cover comprises of a box having a cavity and a lid to cover the cavity; and an intumescent sealant present on the periphery of the lid, such that the cavity is adapted to surround a pre-existing consumer unit and the lid along with the intumescent sealant present on the periphery is adapted to cover the cavity surrounding the consumer unit to create an airtight seal.

[OHM The fireproof cover provided by the present disclosure protects the consumer unit with a fire proof metal box. The fireproof box alleviates the need to replace a plastic consumer unit as it accepts the consumer unit fixed on a surface such as a wall. The cover allows for normal inspection of the unit, turning switches on and off and changing MCBs and RCBs etc. When the lid of the cover is closed it forms an airtight seal with the help of the fireproof intumescent strip. One or more gaps between the fireproof cover box and the wall having the consumer unit can be covered by means of fireproof intumescent sponge. The fireproof cover as described in the present disclosure eliminates the need to replace plastic consumer units and allows continuing the use of plastic consumer units and if such units catch fire the fire proof metal box is designed to contain it.

[0011] It is an object of the present disclosure to provide a fireproof cover for covering any device that may be prone to catch fire.

[0012] It is an object of the present disclosure to provide a fireproof cover that can be quickly installed and does not need for the consumer unit to be replaced by a fire proof version.

[0013] It is an object of the present disclosure to provide a fireproof cover for covering plastic consumer units which are flammable if wired incorrectly.

[0014] The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features and technical advantages of the present disclosure in order that the detailed description of the disclosure that follows may be better understood. Additional features and advantages of the disclosure will be described hereinafter which form the subject of the claims of the disclosure. It should be appreciated that the conception and specific embodiment disclosed may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present disclosure. It should also be realized that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the disclosure as set forth in the appended claims. The novel features which are believed to be characteristic of the disclosure, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages will be better understood from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying figures. It is to be expressly understood, however, that each of the figures is provided for the purpose of illustration and description only and is not intended as a definition of the limits of the present disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] For a more complete understanding of the present disclosure, reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which: [0916] Figure I illustrates a fireproof cover box according to an embodiment.

[0017] Figure 2 illustrates a fireproof cover box with a closed lid having a consumer unit enclosed in the box.

[0018] Figure 3 illustrates a fireproof cover box with an open lid having a consumer unit enclosed in the box.

[0919] Figure 4 shows an isometric view of a fireproof cover box with an open lid.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0920] Embodiments of the present disclosure will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings in which like numerals represent like elements throughout the several figures, and in which example embodiments are shown. Embodiments of the claims may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. The examples set forth herein are non-limiting examples and are merely examples among other possible examples.

[0021] Some embodiments of this disclosure, illustrating all its features, will now be discussed in detail. The words "comprising," "having," "containing," and "including," and other forms thereof, are intended to be equivalent in meaning and be open ended in that an item or items following any one of these words is not meant to be an exhaustive listing of such item or items, or meant to be limited to only the listed item or items.

I00221 It must also be noted that as used herein and in the appended claims, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" include plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Although any systems and methods similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of embodiments of the present disclosure, the preferred, systems and methods are now described.

[0023] Figure I illustrates a fireproof cover box 100 according to an embodiment. The fireproof cover box 100 comprises of a front portion which is a lid 102 and a rear portion 106 which is configured to be attached to a surface. The fireproof cover box 100 can be of varying sizes and heights in order to accommodate consumer units of differing dimensions. In an aspect, the fireproof cover box 100 can be painted with fire proof paint of various colors. The lid 102 and the rear portion 106 comprise of a cavity in between where the consumer unit may be placed. The lid 102 includes a handle 104 such as a quarter turn handle for enabling the lid 102 to open and close and thereby covering or providing an access to the consumer unit positioned in the cavity. The lid 102 may be attached to the rear portion 106 by means of a mechanism such as hinges 108. In an aspect, the lid 102 has two hinges at the top and thereby attached to the upper region of the rear portion 106. In another aspect, the lid 102 has two hinges at the side and thereby attached to the side region of the rear portion 106.

[0024] Figure 2 illustrates a fireproof cover box 202 with a lid 206 in the closed position having a consumer unit 204 enclosed in the box 202. In an example embodiment, the rear portion 208 of the fireproof cover box 202 includes a hole and screw arrangement enabling the fireproof cover box 202 to be attached to a surface such as a wall on which the consumer unit 204 is positioned. The fireproof cover box 202 snuggly encloses the consumer unit 204. For example, the distance between the interior surface of the rear portion 208 and the consumer unit 204 is in the range of 15mm to 40mm. The rear portion 208 includes a rim and a cavity the cavity of the rear portion 208 is covered by means of the lid 206. The inner surface of the rear portion 208 may he covered with an intumescent strip. In an aspect, the base of the rear portion 208 is covered with an intumescent strip. The lid 206 may be attached to the rim of the rear portion 208 by means of hinges. The lid 206 in closed position lies over the cavity of the rear portion 208 and thereby closing the cavity of the rear portion 208. The lid 206 in open position allows the consumer unit 204 to be accessed within the cavity of the rear portion 208. The lid 206 also includes a periphery 210 that comes in direct contact with the rim of the rear portion 208. The lid 206 includes a base portion which is the thickness of the periphery 210. The periphery 210 may he provided with intumescent material for providing an airtight seal to the cavity of the rear portion. The intumescent material may be an intumescent strip. The intumescent material on the periphery 210 expands in volume as the material is heated over a certain temperature. In an aspect, the intumescent material may expand above certain temperature even without coming directly in contact with flame. In an aspect, the intumescent material may expand up to thrice its original volume. In another aspect, if any exposed cables are present in or around the consumer unit then the same may be covered by an intumescent sponge.

[9925] Figure 3 illustrates a fireproof cover box 302 with an open lid 308 having a consumer unit enclosed in the box. The consumer unit 304 may be positioned on a surface such as a wall. The fireproof cover box 302 comprises of a lid 308 and a rear portion. The rear portion includes a rim 310 and a cavity 306. The rim 310 has a back portion that is configured to come in contact with the surface on which the consumer unit 304 is positioned. The cavity 306 is configured for accepting the consumer unit 304 such that the fireproof cover box 302 may be positioned on the wall and surround the consumer unit 304 by the rim 310. The back portion of the rim 310 may include a hole and screw arrangement for surrounding the consumer unit 304. Each corner of the back portion of the rim 3 I 0 may have a hole to allow for the rear portion of the box to be 304 attached to the wall on which the consumer unit is placed. The lid 308 may be made as large as possible to allow for easy inspection and servicing of the consumer unit 304. The lid 308 may be coupled with the rim 310 of the rear portion by means of metallic hinges which are well known in the art. In an aspect, the lid 308 may be hinged from the top of the rim so that gravity automatically brings the lid 308 down over the cavity 306.

[9926] In an example embodiment, the back portion of the rim 310 which is contact with the wall having the consumer unit may also allow one or more cables to enter the consumer unit, in such a case the rim 310 may press the one or more cables. In such cases a few gaps may be present between the back part of the rear portion that comes in direct contact with the wall on which the consumer unit is positioned. Such gaps or any other holes that may allow air to enter the cavity 306 and may be closed by means of an intumescent sponge. The rim 310 of the back portion may also include an intumescent strip. In another embodiment, an intumescent strip may be provided on the base of the periphery 312 of the lid. In yet another embodiment, an intumescent liner may he provided on the base of the periphery 312 of the lid.

[0027] The fireproof cover box 302 is fitted as an airtight unit over the consumer unit 304 but a hinged lid 308 can be opened to allow for access and closed with the quarter turn handle 314. In case of fire, the intumescent material creates an airtight seal between the lid 308 and the cavity 306 by expanding in volume. The intumescent material may be placed on the periphery of the lid by means of fireproof glue.

[0028] Figure 4 shows an isometric view of a fireproof cover box with an open lid. The lid 402 includes a quarter turn handle 410 having fireproof washers that enable the lid 402 to open and close. The lid 402 also includes a periphery 408 that comes directly in contact with a front rim of the rear portion 406. The rear portion 406 includes a cavity 404 that may not be covered from the back portion thereby being configured to cover a consumer unit which is fixed on a wall. The periphery 408 in the present embodiment is equivalent to the thickness of the edge of the lid 402. The periphery 408 may be a groove in the width part of the lid 402. An intumescent liner may be attached to the inner surface of the lid 402 and the liner may also be attached to the interior surface of the rear portion 406 by means of a fireproof glue such that the intumescent liner surrounds the consumer unit enclosed by the fireproof cover box. Such an intumescent liner may expand when the temperature rises above a certain threshold temperature or when the intumescent liner is in contact with a flame in order to smother any fire that may exist inside the fireproof cover box.

[0029] In a first embodiment, the periphery 408 may include an intumescent strip that may he attached to the periphery by means of fireproof glue. The intumescent strip may expand in volume when it is subjected to flames or to a high temperature. For an example, the intumescent strip may expand as much as thrice its volume when it is subjected to flames or to a high temperature. Once, the intumescent strip expands in size all the gaps that allow air to enter the cavity containing the consumer unit may be filled up thereby providing an airtight seal.

[0030] In a second embodiment, the rear portion 406 of the fireproof cover box may include an intumescent sponge that may be attached by means of fireproof glue. The intumescent sponge expands in volume when it is subjected to temperatures over a certain threshold thereby providing an airtight seal. In an example aspect, if there are any exposed cables entering the consumer unit then the intumescent sponge may be provided for covering the exposed cables thereby inhibiting the cables from catching fire.

[0031] The fireproof cover box as described herein can be install quickly and does not need for the consumer unit to be replaced by a fire proof version.

[0032] Further, the fireproof cover box can cover any other devise that may be prone to catch fire.

[0033] It will finally be understood that the disclosed embodiments are presently preferred examples of how to make and use the claimed disclosure, and are intended to be explanatory rather than limiting of the scope of the disclosure as defined by the claims below. Reasonable variations and modifications of the illustrated examples in the foregoing written specification and drawings are possible without departing from the scope of the disclosure as defined in the claim below. It should further be understood that to the extent the term "disclosure" is used in the written specification, it is not to be construed as a limited term as to number of claimed or disclosed disclosures or the scope of any such disclosure, but as a term which has long been conveniently and widely used to describe new and useful improvements in technology The scope of the disclosure supported by the above disclosure should accordingly be construed within the scope of what it teaches and suggests to those skilled in the art, and within the scope of any claims that the above disclosure supports. The scope of the disclosure is accordingly defined by the following claims.

Claims

Claims: 1. A fireproof cover for protecting a consumer unit from fire, comprising: a box having a rear portion and a lid, wherein the rear portion includes a cavity that is covered by the lid in the close position; and an intumescent sealant present on the periphery of the lid, such that the cavity is adapted to surround a pre-existing consumer unit and the lid along with the intumescent sealant present on the periphery is adapted to cover the cavity surrounding the consumer unit to create an airtight seal.
2. The fireproof cover as claimed in claim I, wherein the box is made of metal.
3. The fireproof cover as claimed in claim 2, wherein the box is coated with a fireproof paint.
4. The fireproof cover as claimed in claim 1, wherein the intumescent sealant is an intumescent strip.
5. The fireproof cover as claimed in claim I, wherein the back portion of the box includes an intumescent sponge for closing any gaps or holes.
6. The fireproof cover as claimed in claim 1, wherein the interior surface of the rear portion includes an intumescent liner.
7. The fireproof cover as claimed in claim I, wherein the intumescent liner is present on the base of the periphery of the lid.
8. The fireproof cover as claimed in claim I, further comprising an intumescent sponge for covering one or more electrical cables entering the consumer unit and for closing one or more opening present between the box and the wall having the consumer unit.
9. The fireproof cover as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rear portion is configured to be attached over a surface having the consumer unit.
10. The fireproof cover as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lid is attached to the rear portion by means of hinges.