KR20150082586A - Fire containment case for portable battery operated electronic devices - Google Patents

Abstract

A case for portable laptop computers and the like, including removable batteries that suppress and control by-products of combustion associated with unconscious and unexpected burning of electronic component batteries that typically occur during thermal runaway of batteries. The fire protection case controls heat, flame and related toxic gases. The case has a hermetic seal with integrated filters that neutralize the smoke and gas released during combustion. A variety of thermal insulation portions, both active and passive, can be used along with condition-state features, and the fire suppression portion can also be provided in the core configuration and external remodeling input suppression inlets.

Description

FIRE CONTAINMENT CASE FOR PORTABLE BATTERY OPERATED ELECTRONIC DEVICES FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001]

This invention relates to heat and fire protection enclosures used to isolate fire incidents in electrical equipment that may experience rapid and intense combustion due to failure of the electrical system. These portable equipment fires may be difficult to control and extinguish due to the nature of burning batteries that are burned with their own oxidizing agent, which burns the bad smoke at high temperatures. These fires can not be easily digested, and generally they must burn themselves.

Prior art devices of this type generally relate to room or cabinet enclosures located in the vicinity of electronic equipment in the event of a fire. These enclosures are often used to protect equipment from fire rather than contain and control fire in equipment. An example of a nonflammable or refractory enclosure in a relevant venue should be a nonflammable or refractory filling cabinet that safely keeps the contents of the cabinet from fire during a period of time determined at a given maximum temperature. See, for example, U.S. Patent Nos. 4,685,402, 6,158,833, 7,232,197, 7,545,639 and U.S. Patent Publication No. 2009/0014188 A1.

No. 4,685,402 relates to a fireproof cabinet for storing electronic data storage material that is easily damaged, the fireproof cabinet being essentially of a safe like configuration with insulating inner sidewalls to withstand fire from the outside, ) to be.

Patent 6,158,833 claims a refractory computer storage device, which is a thermal insulation cabinet that protects the electronic data storage device from accident and environmental conditions. The cabinet has multiple layers of refractory and heat dissipating insulation to store data located within the electronic reading means.

Patent 7,232,197 illustrates a fire safety electronic data storage protection device, which is a cabinet that stores electronic data such as zip drives or CD ROM storage space, To keep the backup copies stored in it in a complete state.

Patent 7,545,639 relates to a non-combustible container having a thermally active closure panel wherein the heat-sensitive active panel is provided to automatically enclose the vent holes within the container to restrict air flow therein. The container is configured to store hard drives and the like, and to seal the incombustible container having contents therein when the external temperature reaches a predetermined condition.

Finally, U.S. Patent Publication No. 2009/0014188 discloses devices including ignition electrical equipment, specifically electronic devices having lithium ion batteries. An enclosure having a flap configuration for the openings of the enclosure to be closed when the article is located inside the flap to accommodate the device therein is heat resistant and is formed of a material having fabric properties. In addition, a pair of refractory and heat temperature gloves are provided for each individual to grip the device and insert into the flexible fabric pouch.

Accordingly, there is a need for a safe and secure sealing and retention system for small intense fires in portable electronic equipment such as laptop computers, cell phones, MP3 players or their primary power sources using batteries and secure sealing retainment retention system.

A fire protection case that selectively accepts and safeguards portable electronic devices and batteries of this portable electronic device in the event of a fire. This case provides a hermetic sealing closure that is easy to access for containment and containment of the device. This case has a heat resistant construction for suppressing and controlling the combustion products from the accompanying device. An integral filter canister and optional vacuum canister, which communicate with the interior of the case equipment housing, absorb and contain combustion fumes and gases. The case-enclosing insulating portion may be an active heat-insulating portion and / or a passive-type heat-insulating portion that integrally hold the case. External temperature gauges and fire suppression units may be provided with external access fittings, pressure gauges, and gas exhausts as needed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a graphical perspective view of a primary prevention case of the present invention. FIG.
2 is a front elevational view and partial cross-sectional view of the preventive case structure illustrating the alternate features associated with the preventive case structure with dotted lines.
3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 3-3 of Fig.
4 is a plan view of the prevention case.
Figure 5 is a perspective view of the equipment transport container.

Referring now to FIG. 1 of the drawings, there is shown a fire protection case 10 of the present invention for accommodating electronic equipment (not shown) in the event of a fire. The prevention case 10 has a main outer housing 12 defined by a base portion 13 and a hinge closure portion 14 having hinge assemblies 14A. The outer housing 12 is preferably a rectangular configuration of known size and dimensions for containing or accommodating various portable electronic equipment. The hermetic seal gasket arrangement 15 is provided and formed by the respective peripheral engagement flanges 13A, 13B of the base portion 13 and the hinge-closure portion 14, as is well understood by those skilled in the art.

The common latch system 16 will ensure the retention of the closure portion 14, secure the housing 12 with the sealing gasket assembly 15, and will be described in further detail below in other forms.

In the basic form of the present invention, the inner equipment housing case 17 is formed in the outer case housing 12 of the case 10, and between the inner equipment housing case 17 and the outer case housing 12, (Thermal flame retardant insulation 18). The equipment receiving and transporting container 19 generally includes a receiving base panel 20C having upstanding interconnected side walls 20A, 20B and end walls 20C, as best seen in FIG. 5 of the drawings 19A. The integral upper panel 21 defines an equipment carrying receiving area 22 therein. The sidewalls 20A, 20B essentially taper in the respective openings of these sidewalls defined by the enclosure forming a side edge scoop. A foldable wire handle assembly 23, which allows the user to grasp and lifting to engage and accommodate electronic equipment during a fire, is secured to the top panel 21. The transport container 19 is slidably received in and spaced apart taps 21A that are equally spaced relative to the interior of the receiving case as shown by the solid and dashed lines in Figure 2 of the Figures, And has a total dimension smaller than the total dimension of the housing case 17 in a state extending from the outside.

The flame retardant thermal insulation 18 described above may be a passive static material selected from a variety of currently available thermal insulation materials or alternatively an active thermal insulation material as illustrated in FIG. (18A). This active thermal insulation material has a charged phase change material based on inorganic salts that helps to maintain the outer case temperature of the protection case housing 12 as it absorbs heat. Such phase change insulating materials are described, for example, in PCM Energy Ltd. Lt; / RTI >

The prevention case 10 of the present invention has a gas and smoke collection filter and maintenance system 24 that communicates with the interior of the internal equipment housing case 17. The gas and smoke collection filter and retention system 24 of this embodiment is located in the hinged insulated closure portion 14 and can contain dangerous gases such as carbon monoxide and cyanide that may arise from burning of materials based on virgin synthetic resins For example, an initial particle filter 24A, a gas smoke filter 24B, and an optional chemical zone filter 24C. The gas and smoke collection filter and retention system 24 then discharges the treated gases to the atmosphere in a member indicated at 25.

The addition of the exhaust gas canister 26 is another gas collection system as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 2 of the drawings as burning electronic devices (not shown) sealed in the equipment containment case 17 in the preventive case 10 May be used as an alternative to the filter under negative pressure to collect the gases generated by the filter.

Optional valve fittings 27 are provided to be in direct communication with the equipment accommodation chamber 17 to provide fire extinguishing materials such as Halon, flame barriers < RTI ID = 0.0 > Fill the containment zone of the case 17 by providing an optional input of foam and character OS to move gas combustion products through the above-described exhaust filters.

An auxiliary fire suppression system 28 having a water injection fitting 29 extending through an insulated closing portion 14 of a case 10 in communication with an equipment receiving case 17 can be shown in Figure 2 of the drawings . Therefore, the water bottle WB shown with dotted lines can be attached to the water injection fitting 29 and can be manually released into the case 17 by manual compression.

As a further alternative fire suppression location, the other canister dispenser 30 of the heat-insulating fire protection foam will be activated if the case is closed during active use in the presence of the burning equipment located therein. This fire extinguishing foam is discharged into each equipment containment case 17 to effectively control the gases and temperature and to extinguish the fire, and is shown in the closed portion 14 as dotted lines do.

As mentioned, the other protection case 10 insulating portion 18A can be shown in a portion of FIG. 2 of the drawings, which, as mentioned, has a layer of conventional flame arrester insulation 18B The position of the phase change material thermal insulation material 18A relative to the inner surface S of the outer housing 12 having the heat exchange material 18A. In addition, the flameproof liner 31 surrounds the inner accommodating chamber defined by the case 17.

The sealing gasket assembly 15 comprises a plurality of continuous integral engagement flanges 13A and 14A of elongated contour extending about the open end edges of the base portion 13 and the closing portion 14, Lt; / RTI > In this embodiment, the O-ring gasket 32 is fitted into the channel and provides a hermetic seal between the O-ring gasket and the channel when engaged and secured by the latch assembly 16, as mentioned . It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that other sealing gasket materials, such as suitable graphite material gaskets, can be used within the principles of this field. The latch system 16 of the case 10 is identified as so-called butterfly twist catch latches that maintain a tight confinement seal between the closure portion 14 and the base portion 13, as disclosed. It is preferred that the configuration of the case housing 12 is defined as a heat resistant synthetic resin and that the inner wall of the retaining case 17 has internal and external dimensions of the basic dimensions formed as described above sufficient to receive and retain the electronic equipment in question It is preferable that the aluminum material has an increased inner and outer dimensions, respectively.

The addition of the digital temperature gauge 33, indicative of the internal temperature of the case 17 for confirmation of the condition and removal of the combustible, may be provided as indicated by the dashed lines in the closed portion 14.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that other fire protection and fire extinguishing systems may also be possible within the parameters of the prevention case configuration of the present invention.

In any such device fires, the possibility of a battery (not shown) in electronic equipment (not shown) can be eliminated within the scope of those skilled in the art and, as described above, Lt; / RTI > Regardless of the device, the isolation of the battery, if possible, provides a more direct fire protection parameter and, as mentioned, can be used to determine whether the battery condition events of the imminent combustion, which may cover a wide range of potential combustible events, Lt; / RTI >

It will thus be apparent to those skilled in the art that various new changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that a new and novel fire protection case for portable electronic equipment is illustrated and described.

Claims (11)

As a fire containment case for portable electronic devices,
An incombustible portable container including a closure portion, an interconnected base portion, a hermetic sealing gasket positioned between the incombustible portable container and the base portion, an insulating equipment enclosure in the base portion,
A multi-stage gas filter in communication with said insulating equipment containment case and atmosphere, an open portable equipment containment and transport container registerably housed within said insulation equipment containment case, said insulated equipment containment case and said open portable equipment containment and transport container A fire protection case for portable electronic devices, comprising a first fire suppression element in direct communication therewith. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the insulated equipment containment case has thermal insulation around the base portion of the fire protection case. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the portable equipment receiving and transporting container comprises a metal enclosure with a handle assembly. 5. The method of claim 4,
Wherein the thermal insulation is a thermal phase change type responsive to temperature. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein said multi-stage gas filter and said first fire suppression element together with the thermal insulation of said closed portion are in communication with both said insulated equipment containment case and said open equipment receiving and transporting container in said insulated equipment containment case A fire-proof case for portable electronic devices. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the multi-stage gas filter has multiple filter media chambers in the multi-stage gas filter in communication with each other and with the insulating equipment housing case and the atmosphere. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the first fire suppression element comprises an outer quick connect fluid receiving fitting for the portable fluid container in direct communication with the insulating equipment housing case and the open portable equipment receiving and transporting container in the base portion. ) For a portable electronic device. The method according to claim 1,
The second fire suppression element includes an external valve fitting for injection of fire extinguishing materials from a group including, but not limited to, halogen and flame resistant foam. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the third fire suppression element comprises a pressure canister dispenser of fire extinguishing materials in the fire protection case in communication with the open portable equipment accommodation and transport container responsive to the combustion in the insulated equipment containment case and the insulated equipment containment case, Fireproof case for electronic devices. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the fire protection case has an internal temperature probe that is visible outside the fire protection case when closed. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the gas exhaust canister is in direct communication with the interior of the open portable equipment receiving and transporting container and the insulated equipment receiving case under vacuum.

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