SE538333C2

SE538333C2 - Fire stop

Info

Publication number: SE538333C2
Application number: SE1451473A
Authority: SE
Inventors: Pär Hammarström
Original assignee: Roxtec Ab
Priority date: 2014-12-03
Filing date: 2014-12-03
Publication date: 2016-05-17
Also published as: SE1451473A1; WO2016089290A1

Abstract

ABSTRACT The present invention concerns a fire stop (1) to form a transition for a cable, wire or pipe through an opening of a wall, ceiling or floor. The fire stop (1) comprises an outer body and intumescent material received inside the outer body. The intumescent material is to surround a cable (20), wire or pipe placed inside the fire stop (1). The outer body comprises a first portion (3), a second portion (4) and a third portion (5) connected to each other along two folding lines in form of hinge parts (7, 8). The first and third portions (3, 5) are connected to the second portion (4) at opposite ends of said second portion (4).

Description

The present invention concerns a fire stop (1) to form a transition for a cable, wire or pipe through an opening of a wall, ceiling or floor. The fire stop (1) comprises an outer body and intumescent material received inside the outer body. The intumescent material is to surround a cable (20), wire or pipe placed inside the fire stop (1). The outer body comprises a first portion (3), a second portion (4) and a third portion (5) connected to each other along two folding lines in form of hinge parts (7, 8). The first and third portions (3, 5) are connected to the second portion (4) at opposite ends of said second portion (4). 8 12 538 333 ABSTRACT The present invention concerns a fire stop (1) to form a transition for a cable, wire or pipe through an opening of a wall, ceiling or floor. The fire stop (1) comprises an outer body and intumescent material received inside the outer body. The intumescent material is to surround a cable (20), wire or pipe placed inside the fire stop (1). The outer body comprises a first portion (3), a second portion (4) and a third portion (5) connected to each other along two folding lines in form of hinge parts (7, 8). The first and third portions (3, 5) are connected to the second portion (4) at opposite ends of said second portion (4). 538 333 FIRE STOP Technical Field The present invention concerns a fire stop to be used as a transition of a single cable, wire, tube or pipe through a wall or the like.

Background Transitions for cables, wires or pipes are used for sealing in many different environments, such as for houses, cabinets, technical shelters, junction boxes and machines. They are used in different industrial environments, such as automotive, telecom, power generation and distribution, as well as marine and offshore.

One object for many transitions is to hinder or at least obstruct a possible fire to advance through a wall along a cable, wire, tube or pipe. For this purpose it is common to provide the transition with an intumescent material. An intumescent material is a material which swells when exposed to heat. Examples of intumescent material are "ZZBrandschutzschaum 2K NE" from ZAPP-ZIMMERMANN GmbH, and "ROKU® STRIP" from Rolf Kuhn GmbH.

Summary The fire stop of the present invention is developed for use indoors and with relatively low demands on sealing capacity. The main protective object is to obstruct that a possible fire protrudes through a transition of a wall, ceiling, floor etc. One object is that the fire stop shall be easy to install without the use of any tools. Furthermore, the fire stop should exert some force both inwards against a received cable, wire or pipe and outwards against the inner wall of the opening of a wall receiving the fire stop. Thus, it will have a sealing effect.

According to the present invention an outer body of the fire stop is made of three portions connected to each other along two folding lines. This is done to increase and provide a more even springy effect and partial holding capability. The outer body is produced in a position slightly opened and a certain force is required to close it around a cable or the like. The folding along two lines has two major advantages compared to a single folding line with otherwise identical dimensions. It increases the springy effect and it increases the contact surface area inside the hole, when it is only partly introduced 1 538 333 in said hole into which it is to be installed. This is a clear advantage if the product is inserted into a hole where you may need to change hand grip from partly inserted to fully inserted. An outer body having two folding lines allows itself to open more to receive the cable etc. compared to an outer body having a single folding line.

The fire stop of the present invention comprises blocks of intumescent mate- rial. To produce the material in form of blocks can be done relatively easy and at low cost, compared to solutions where the intumescent material is formed into parts connected to each other along a folding line or the like. The blocks of intumescent material are to be placed inside the outer body of the fire stop. The intumescent material of the blocks is soft, to yield and be formed around a cable, wire or pipe received inside the fire stop. The arrangement of two blocks of intumescent material also facilitates insertion of a cable etc., in that the blocks move apart from each other in an arc when opening the outer body due to the two folding lines. Thus, the fire stop of the present invention opens in a far more convenient way to receive a cable, wire, tube or pipe.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be obvious to a person skilled in the art when reading the detailed description below.

Brief Description of the Drawings The invention will be explained further below by way of examples and with reference to the enclosed drawings. In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a fire stop according to the present invention, Fig. 2 is a side view of the fire stop of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is an end view of the fire stop of Figs. 1 and 2, Fig. 4 is an end view of the fire stop corresponding with Fig. 3 but without blocks of intumescent material, Fig. 5 is a side view of the fire stop receiving a cable and in the position as installed in an opening, and Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line A-A in Fig. 5.

Detailed Description As used in this description the expressions "axial", "radial" and similar expressions are in view of a cable received inside the fire stop of the present invention. The example shown in the Figs. and as described below refer mainly to transit of a cable, for ease of description. However, a person skilled in the art realizes that the cable could be replaced by a wire, tube or pipe. 2 538 333 In Fig. 1 one example of a fire stop 1 according to the present invention is shown. The fire stop 1 has two blocks 2 of intumescent material placed inside an outer body. The outer body is formed of a first portion 3, a second portion 4 and a third portion 5. Said three portions 3, 4, 5 together form two separate inner spaces 6 for receiving the blocks 2 of intumescent material. One separate block 2 of intumescent material is received in each of the inner spaces 6. The outer body of the fire stop 1 is made of a rubber material. The intumescent material used is relatively soft to yield around a cable etc. received inside the fire stop 1.

The three portions 3, 4. 5 forming the outer body of the fire stop 1, are inte- grated and are connected to each other by means of two hinge parts 7, 8. By means of the hinge parts 7, 8 folding lines are formed between the portions 3, 4, 5 of the outer body. The hinge parts 7, 8 are preloaded in such a way that the portions 3. 4, 5 are urged away from each other. The hinge parts 7, 8 have a spring action and due to said spring action, the three portions 3, 4, 5 of the fire stop 1 are in the positions as shown in the Figs. 1-4 if not affected by any outer forces. As shown in the Figs. a slit is formed be- tween adjacent portions 3. 4, 5 of the outer body of the fire stop 1, by means of the spring action of the hinge parts 7, 8.

At one end of the fire stop 1 each of the three portions 3, 4, 5 of the outer body of the fire stop 1 has a projecting part 15, 16, 17 projecting radially inwards. Walls of the inner spaces are formed of said projecting parts 15, 16, 17 of the portions 3, 4. 5, which inner spaces 6 receive the blocks 2 of intumescent material. The projecting parts 15, 16, 17 form stops for the blocks 2, in one axial direction. The projections 15, 16, 17 have a thickness in axial direction. The radially inner side 9, 10. 11 of each projection 15, 16, 17 has a rounded form, as seen in cross section. The rounded inner sides 9, 10, 11 of the projections 15, 16, 17 will form a through opening when the fire stop 1 is pushed together, whereby the three portions 3, 4, 5 abut each other. The curvatures of the rounded inner sides 9, 10, 11 are such that the through opening formed will be cylindrical having an inner diameter adapted to the outer diameter of the cable to be received inside the fire stop 1.

The first and third portions 3, 5 of the fire stop 1 are placed at opposite sides of the second portion 4 of the fire stop 1. The first portion 3 has a radial surface 18 extending along the entire axial length of the first portion 3. Also the third portion 5 has a radial surface 19 extending along the entire length of the third portion 5. The radial surfaces 18, 19 of the first portion 3 and the third portion 5, respectively, are to abut each other when the fire stop 1 is pressed together. When pressed together the fire stop 1 will 3 538 333 have a cylindrical outer form, by means of the three portions 3, 4, 5. In the open condition of the fire stop 1 there is a gap between the radial surfaces 18, 19 between the first and third portions 3. 5 of the outer body of the fire stop 1. By means of the gap a cable, wire or pipe may be inserted in radial direction into the inside of the fire stop 1.

A number of flanges 12 are arranged on the radially outer surfaces of the three portions 3, 4, 5 of the fire stop 1. The flanges 12 are arranged at an equal axial distance from each other. The flanges 12 are arranged in corresponding positions on the three portions 3, 4, 5 of the fire stop 1, whereby the flanges 12 will form outer rings when the fire stop 1 is pressed together. The outer diameter of the rings formed by the flanges 12 is somewhat larger than the inner diameter of an opening to receive the fire stop 1. The flanges 12 are mainly intended to give a retaining force when the fire stop 1 is placed in an opening. Said retaining force is especially important for vertically placed fire stops 1.

The inner spaces 6 for receiving the blocks 2 of intumescent material are open at one axial end 26. At the other axial end the inner spaces 6 are restricted by the pro- truding parts 15, 16, 17 of the three portions 3, 4, 5 of the outer body of the fire stop 1.

The inner spaces 6 are defined by the protrusions 15, 16, 17 and the inner surfaces of the three portions 3, 4, 5 of the fire stop 1. The outlines of the inner surfaces of the three portions 3, 4, 5 are adapted to the shape of the blocks 2 of intumescent material. In the shown embodiment each of said blocks 2 of intumescent material have the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped. The first portion 3 of the outer body of the fire stop 1 has two inner walls 21, 22 extending in axial direction from the open axial end 26 of the inner space 6 to the projecting part 15. The inner walls 21, 22 are perpendicular to each other. The second portion 4 has one inner wall 23 extending in axial direction from the open axial end 26 of the inner spaces 6 to the projecting part 16. The third portion 5 has two inner walls 24, 25 extending in axial direction from the open axial end 26 of the inner space 6 to the projecting part 17. The inner walls 24, 25 of the third portion 5 are perpendicular to each other. One edge of the inner wall 23 of the second portion 4 of the outer body of the fire stop 1 is placed adjacent one edge of one of the inner walls 22 of the first portion 3. The opposite edge of the inner wall 23 of the second portion 4 is placed adjacent one edge of one of the inner walls 24 of the third portion 5. When the fire stop 1 is pressed together one of the inner walls 21 of the first portion will coincide with one of the inner walls 25 of the third portion 5. The inner spaces 6 will thereby be formed to receive the two blocks 2 of intumescent material having the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped. 4 538 333 At the open axial end 26 of the inner space 6 of the fire stop 1, the portions 3, 4, 5 forming the outer body are chamfered. Each chamfer 13 has a straight ring part 14 at the outer end. The ring parts 14 of the portions 3, 4. 5 will form a ring when the fire stop 1 is pressed together. Thus, the end is made with a smaller diameter, followed by a chamfer 13 to the outer full diameter of the outer body of the fire stop. This will sim- plify installation in places e.g. where light is bad or you cannot see the hole into which the product is inserted. It is a tactile function where you can actually feel your way to the insertion point more easily.

In use a cable 20 is to be received inside the fire stop 1, whereby the cable 20 is placed between the blocks 2 of intumescent material. The blocks 2 are placed in the inner spaces 6 of the outer body. The fire stop 1 is pre-tensioned to a slightly open position, whereby a gap is formed between the radial surfaces 18, 19 of the first and third portions 3, 5 of the outer body of the fire stop 1. The cable 20 is inserted through said gap formed between the radial surfaces 18, 19. As the blocks 2 are of a soft material, cables 20 of a range of different outer diameters may be received. The fire stop 1 is then pressed together and pushed into an opening of a wall etc., with the cable 20 in the centre. The fire stop 1 is pushed into the opening with the axial open end 26 of the inner space 6 first. Said insertion is facilitated by the chamfers 13 at the axial open end 26 of the inner spaces 6. The outer diameter of the fire stop 1, when pressed together is somewhat larger than the inner diameter of the opening receiving the fire stop 1.

Thereby, the blocks 2 of intumescent material will be pressed inwards towards the cable 20 when the fire stop 1 is placed in the opening. At the same time the outer surface, including the flange 12 will be pressed against the inner surface of the opening. The compression force in enhanced by the cable and the amount of enhancement depends on the outer diameter of the cable 20. No tool is needed for the mounting of the fire stop 1, with cable 20 received, inside an opening of a wall or the like.

Claims

538 333 CLAIMS

1. A fire stop (1) to form a transition for a cable, wire or pipe through an opening of a wall, ceiling or floor, which fire stop (1) comprises an outer body and intumescent material received inside the outer body, which intumescent material is to sur- round a cable, wire or pipe placed inside the fire stop (1), characterized in that the outer body comprises a first portion (3), a second portion (4) and a third portion (5) connected to each other along two folding lines in form of hinge parts (7, 8), and that the first and third portions (3, 5) are connected to the second portion (4) at opposite ends of said second portion (4).

2. The fire stop (1) of claim 1, wherein the fire stop (1) is preloaded by means of the hinge parts (7, 8) to an open position, in which a gap is formed between radial surfaces (18, 19) of the first portion (3) and the third portion (5), respectively.

3. The fire stop (1) of claim 1 or 2, wherein the intumescent material has the form of blocks (2) and wherein the intumesent material is made of a material soft enough to yield when a cable, wire or pipe is placed inside the fire stop (1).

4. The fire stop (1) of claim 3, wherein each block (2) of intumescent material has the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped.

5. The fire stop (1) of claim 4, wherein the blocks (2) of intumescent material are received in inner spaces (6) of the outer body of the fire stop (1), adapted to the shape of the blocks (2) of intumescent material, and wherein the inner spaces (6) are open at one axial end (26) of the fire stop (1).

6. The fire stop (1) of claim 5, wherein each portion (3, 4, 5) of the outer body has a projecting part (15, 16, 17) at the axial end opposite the open axial end (26) of the inner spaces (6), which projecting parts (15, 16, 17) projects radially inwards towards the centre of the fire stop (1) and which projecting parts will coincide when the fire stop (1) is pressed together.

7. The fire stop (1) of claim 6, wherein the inner spaces (6) are formed between the projecting parts (15, 16, 17) and the open axial end (26) by means of two perpendicular inner walls (21, 22) of the first portion (3) of the outer body, one inner wall (23) of the second portion (4) of the outer body and two perpendicular inner walls (24, 25) of the third portion (5) of the outer body, wherein one edge of one inner wall (22, 24) of the first and third portions (3, 5), respectively, coincides with opposite edges of the inner wall (23) of the second portion (4).

8. The fire stop (1) of claim 6 or 7, wherein the projecting parts (15, 16, 17) of the first, second and third portions (3, 4. 5) of the outer body have rounded inner sur- 6 538 333 faces (9, 10, 11), which rounded inner surfaces (9, 10, 11) are facing the centre of the fire stop (1).

9. The fire stop (1) of any of the previous claims, wherein the first, second and third portions (3, 4, 5) of the outer body have flanges (12) on an outer surface of each portion, forming circumferential flanges of the fire stop (1) when the fire stop (1) is pressed together.

10. The fire stop (1) of any of the claims 5 to 8, wherein the first, second and third portions (3, 4, 5) of the outer body each has an outer chamfer (13) at the open axial end (26) of the inner spaces (6), which chamfers (13) end in an outer ring part (14) at each portion (3, 4, 5).

11. Use of a fire stop (1) according to any of the previous claims, characterized in that a cable, wire or pipe is inserted through a gap along on side of the fire stop preloaded to an open position, that the cable is positioned between blocks of intumescent material inside the fire stop, that the fire stop is pressed together, closing said gap, and that the fire stop is inserted by hand, with the cable, into an opening of a wall, ceiling or floor. 7 538 333 I foljande bilaga finns en oversattning av patentkraven till svenska. Observera att det r patentkravens lydelse pa engelska som gaiter. A Swedish translation of the patent claims is enclosed. Please note that only the English claims have legal effect.