Smoke or fire barrier for a clean room

Abstract

A smoke or fire barrier (1), comprising a head box (2) which contains a roller (9). Extending from the head box are a pair of side guides (3) which guide a metallic foil curtain (5) from the roller, where it is stored, to the ground when deployed. At the bottom of the curtain (5), where it meets the ground when deployed is a bottom bar (4). The metallic foil curtain (5) is made up of individual foil panels (6). The curtain is made from a panel of stainless steel with dimples (8) across it. The dimples allow improved characteristics when rolling and being stored as it holds its shape better. The dimples also provide improved heat transfer characteristics.

Claims

1. A smoke or fire barrier for a clean room comprising: a head box; a metallic curtain, comprising: at least one panel of metallic foil, having a plurality of dimples arranged across a surface of the metallic foil, means for deployment of the curtain from the head box; wherein the metallic curtain is made up of a series of metallic foil panels connected at seams; and wherein the seams have folded in hems.

2. A smoke or fire barrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of dimples are arranged in a regular array, a random pattern or arranged to present an image or word.

3. A smoke or fire barrier as claimed in claim 2, wherein the plurality of dimples are arranged in an array substantially parallel to a deployment direction, or transverse thereto or at an intermediate angle.

4. A smoke or fire barrier as claimed in claim 2, wherein the plurality of dimples are arranged in an array having a number of internal orientations, such that one is parallel to a deployment direction, one transverse to it and a third diagonal to it.

5. A smoke or fire barrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of dimples are impressed in the metallic foil from one side only.

6. A smoke or fire barrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of dimples are impressed in the metallic foil from both sides.

7. A smoke or fire barrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of dimples are oriented in a predominant direction.

8. A smoke or fire barrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of dimples are symmetrical.

9. A smoke or fire barrier as claimed in claim 8, wherein the plurality of dimples are continuous.

10. A smoke or fire barrier as claimed in claim 8, wherein the dimples have impressed ends which impart a continuous curvature to the dimpled foil.

11. A smoke or fire barrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of dimples have a pitch between them in a two dimensional array between 4 mm and 25 mm.

12. A smoke or fire barrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein the each dimple has a peak to peak dimension between 0.5 mm to 2.5 mm.

13. A smoke or fire barrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein the metallic foil has a thickness of between 30 microns and 100 microns.

14. A smoke or fire barrier as claimed in claim 13, wherein the metallic foil is of stainless steel.

15. A smoke or fire barrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein the seams are welded, connected by a metallic hook and loop fastener or sewn together with a metallic thread.

16. A smoke or fire barrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein the seams are arranged in a direction of deployment and/or transverse to this direction.

17. A smoke or fire barrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein the metallic curtain has a further pigmented and/or fire retardant coating.

18. A smoke or fire barrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of dimples have a pitch between each dimple of between 5 mm and 15 mm.

19. A smoke or fire barrier as claimed in claim 18, wherein the pitch between the dimples in two dimensions in a two dimensional array, is between 5 mm and 15 mm.

20. A smoke or fire barrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein the metallic foil panels are welded at the seams.

21. A smoke or fire barrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hems are welded.

Description

(1) To help understanding of the invention, a specific embodiment thereof will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a front view of a smoke or fire barrier in accordance with the invention and suitable for use in a clean room,

(3) FIG. 2 is an end view of the barrier of FIG. 1,

(4) FIG. 3 is a scrap elevation of a dimpled foil of the curtain of FIG. 1,

(5) FIG. 4 is a cross-section on the line IV-IV in FIG. 3 of the dimpling of the foil,

(6) FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 3 of an alternative foil showing dimples arranged at 45 degrees,

(7) FIG. 6 is a cross-section of a seam of FIG. 1 with 4 layers of foil,

(8) FIG. 7 is a similar cross-section of another seam with 3 layers of foil,

(9) FIG. 8 is a further similar cross-section of a sewn seam.

(10) Referring to the Figures there is a smoke or fire barrier 1, comprising a head box 2 which contains a roller 9. Extending down from the head box are a pair of side guides 3 which guide a metallic foil curtain 5 from the roller, where it is stored, to a floor when deployed. At the bottom of the curtain 5, where it meets the floor when deployed is a bottom bar 4.

(11) The metallic foil curtain 5 is made up of individual foil panels 6 that are welded together with a continuous spot weld to create substantially vertical seams 7. Substantially vertical seams are preferable to horizontal seams as they provide an improved weight bearing ability of the curtain in the vertical direction. At the seams, folded edges 71 of the panels can be provided, as shown in FIGS. 6-8, with hems 72 turned in. The hems can be laid against each other to provide four thicknesses of the foil at the seams. Or as shown in FIG. 7, the hems can be narrower and not overlapping, to give the no more than three thicknesses.

(12) If there is a fire, the curtain is deployed from the head box 2 where it is stored in a roll. The curtain is unrolled, guided by the side guides and under the weight of the bottom bar 4, until this reaches the floor. It creates a barrier to fire and smoke.

(13) The curtain is secured in the head box at its top end by welding the top of the curtain directly to the roll.

(14) The curtain is made from a 0.04 mm thick, foil panel of stainless steel with dimples 8 arrayed across it. As shown in FIG. 4, they are arrayed at a pitch of 7 mm in both the X & Y direction of the panel and impressed from each side of the foil, as dimples 81 from one side and dimples 82 from the other side. The dimpling punches, not shown, have rounded ends imparting rounded shape to the dimples and continuous, substantially sinusoidal, curvature from one dimple to the next. The dimples 81,82 have a peak to peak dimension of 1.0 mm.

(15) An alternative dimple array is shown in FIG. 5, where the dimples 83 are oblong, impressed from one side only and arrayed in aligned lines 84, which are generally horizontal in use.

(16) The dimples facilitate smoother rolling and unrolling of the curtain compared to a plain stainless foil curtain. Further they give the curtain improved fire retardation characteristics.

(17) The invention is not intended to be restricted to the details of the above described embodiment. For instance, the curtain could be detachable from the head box. The curtain may also be attached in the head box by any number of previously mentioned connection methods for example but not limited to, sewing with a metallic thread, welding, metallic hook and loop fastener means or by a clamping arrangement.

(18) The dimples may be shaped differently to those described in the specific embodiment, dimples of many shapes can have the same characteristics of providing improved thermal characteristics.

(19) The metallic foil panels are connected to one another by welding. However they could also be connected by sewing with a metallic thread as shown in FIG. 8 or a metallic hook and loop fastener—not shown.

(20) The metallic curtain could have at least one further coating or layer, particularly but not exclusively with an added pigment to change the colour or some fire retardant properties.