Abstract
The disclosure relates to an intumescent fire sleeve for a conduit, such as a pipe, a cable or a device penetrating a wall, a ceiling or a floor in a building, said fire sleeve comprising at least one layer of intumescent material and one carrier being connected to the layer of intumescent material, and said fire sleeve having a length (L) that at least corresponds to a circumference of the conduit for which it is intended, with the characteristics that at least the carrier has spring-loaded characteristics and that the carrier, in a non-applied position has the ability to coil onto itself in a spiral manner. The disclosure also relates to a coil of such intumescent fire sleeves and to a method for installation of such an intumescent fire sleeve.
Claims
1. An intumescent fire sleeve for a conduit penetrating a wall, a ceiling or a floor in a building, said fire sleeve comprising at least one layer of intumescent material and one carrier being connected to the layer of intumescent material, and said fire sleeve having a length (L) that at least corresponds to a circumference of the conduit for which it is intended, wherein at least the carrier has spring-loaded characteristics and that the carrier, in a non-applied position, has the ability to coil onto itself, wherein the carrier is fixable in an extended position and wherein the carrier can be caused to coil onto itself by applying a force to the carrier and/or the layer in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the layer and/or the carrier, wherein the carrier is made of a bi-stable metal sheet, which in a first condition is spring-loaded to coil onto itself and in a second condition is bent into a U-form with respect to its longitudinal axis, so that it has a stable straight shape, wherein the layer is connected to the carrier in a way that the carrier and the layer are relatively movable to each other in the longitudinal direction of the layer or the carrier, the carrier being formed as a sheet positioned on one side of the intumescent material.
2. The fire sleeve according to claim 1, wherein the carrier has the ability to coil itself in a spiral manner with an inner diameter (D) that is less than the length (L) divided by π (D<L/π).
3. The fire sleeve according to claim 1, wherein the layer has a shorter length in longitudinal direction than the carrier.
4. The fire sleeve according to claim 1, wherein the layer has a length in longitudinal direction of the carrier which is equal to the outer circumference of the conduit for which it is intended.
5. The fire sleeve according to claim 1, wherein the layer and the carrier are connected to each other in an area of a longitudinal end of layer and carrier.
Description
DRAWINGS
(1) The drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only of selected embodiments and not all possible implementations, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.
(2) FIG. 1a-c show a first embodiment of an intumescent fire sleeve in a perspective view in three different positions;
(3) FIG. 2 shows the fire sleeve according to FIG. 1 used around a pipe in a hole in a wall;
(4) FIG. 3 shows the fire sleeve according to FIGS. 1 and 2 wrapped around a pipe;
(5) FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment of an intumescent fire sleeve in a perspective view;
(6) FIG. 5 shows the fire sleeve according to FIG. 4 in a longitudinal section along the intersection line V-V in FIG. 4
(7) FIG. 6 shows a third embodiment of an intumescent fire sleeve in an end view;
(8) FIG. 7 shows the fire sleeve according to FIG. 6 wrapped around a pipe;
(9) FIG. 8 shows a coil of several fire sleeves in a perspective view;
(10) FIG. 9 shows a fourth embodiment of an intumescent fire sleeve in a plan view;
(11) FIG. 10 shows a fifth embodiment of an intumescent fire sleeve in a side view;
(12) FIG. 11 shows the fire sleeve according to FIG. 9 wrapped around a pipe and fixed to a wall;
(13) FIG. 12 shows a sixth embodiment of an intumescent fire sleeve in a perspective view;
(14) FIG. 13 shows a seventh embodiment of an intumescent fire sleeve in an end view;
(15) FIG. 14 shows the fire sleeve according to FIG. 13 in a plan view along the intersection line XIV-XIV in FIG. 13;
(16) FIG. 15 shows a further embodiment of an intumescent fire sleeve in a perspective view and
(17) FIG. 16 shows a further embodiment of an intumescent fire sleeve in a side view.
(18) Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
(19) Example embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings.
(20) FIG. 1a-c shows a first embodiment of an intumescent fire sleeve 1 in an elongated position. The fire sleeve 1 is provided for a pipe 2 (FIGS. 2 and 3) penetrating a wall 3 (or a ceiling or a floor) in a building. Said fire sleeve 1 comprises a layer 4 of intumescent material and a carrier 5 made of a metal sheet and having a thickness being smaller than the thickness of the layer 4.
(21) Layer 4 and carrier 5 are connected by two rivets 6 being positioned at one end of the fire sleeve 1 and which allow a relative movement of the layer 4 to the carrier 5 when the fire sleeve 1 is used as it will be described afterwards.
(22) Of course, other possibilities of connecting the layer 4 and the carrier 5 are possible. Layer 4 and carrier 5 may be connected by gluing for example, whereby a glue is only applied at one end of the layer 4 and/or carrier 5, so that only a part of the surface of these elements are in contact with the glue.
(23) Additionally the fire sleeve 1 can comprise a further layer made of intumescent material and/or a layer made of mineral fibres.
(24) FIGS. 2 and 3 show the intended use of the fire sleeve 1 and especially in FIG. 3 it can be seen that said fire sleeve 1 has a length L that at least corresponds to a circumference of the pipe 2 for which it is intended. At least the carrier 5 has spring-loaded characteristics and said carrier 5 which is shown in an elongated position in FIG. 1 has the ability to coil onto itself in a spiral manner. In use the fire sleeve 1 according to FIG. 1 is coiled around the pipe 2 and in FIG. 3 it can be seen that two end surfaces 7 are in contact with each other. These end surfaces 7 connect two parallel running side surfaces 8 of the layer 4 and run perpendicular to these side surfaces 8.
(25) In FIG. 2 mortar or a fire stop compound 24 is inserted into the hole in the wall 3. The mortar or fire stop compound 24 is in contact with the fire sleeve 1 and surrounds the pipe 2.
(26) To keep the fire sleeve 1 in an elongated form as shown in FIG. 1c the carrier 5 can be made of a bi-stable metal sheet which in a first condition is spring-loaded to coil onto itself as shown in FIG. 1a and in a second condition is slightly bent into a U-form with respect to its longitudinal axis, so that it has a stable straight shape (see FIG. 1c). A fire sleeve 1 according to this embodiment having such a bi-stable carrier 5 is easily applied to a pipe 2 or the like by first straighten it to the condition shown in FIG. 1c and then arranging it with the layer 4 against the pipe 2. Finally a force is applied to the sleeve 1 in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the sleeve 1 which will cause the sleeve 1 to coil itself around the pipe 2. It can then easily be moved along the pipe 2 to a desired position.
(27) FIGS. 4 and 5 show a second embodiment of the fire sleeve 1. FIG. 4 shows the second embodiment of the fire sleeve 1 in a perspective view and the fire sleeve 1 according to FIG. 4 comprises the layer 4 of intumescent material. One side surface 8 is provided with measuring means in the form of V-shaped notches 9 which are arranged in regularly distances to each other. These notches 9 can be used to measure and cut the fire sleeve 1 into a desired length which is intended to use with respect to a pipe 2 having a certain diameter. Furthermore, the notches 9 increase the flexibility of the layer 4 to simplify the fitting of the fire sleeve 1 to the pipe 2.
(28) The carrier 5 is represented in the embodiment according to FIGS. 4 and 5 by two spring-loaded wires 10 being incorporated into two canals 11 running in lengthwise direction of the layer 4. The canals 11 are closed by plugs 12 being inserted into the canals 11 and fixed for example by gluing.
(29) As can be seen from FIG. 5 the wires 10 forming the carrier 5 have a length being shorter than the length of the layer 4 so that the wires 10 are free to move within the canals 11. The movement of the wires 10 in the canals 11 is limited by the plugs 12.
(30) Both wires 10 have spring-loaded characteristics and have the ability to coil the whole sleeve onto itself in a spiral manner.
(31) A further embodiment of an intumescent fire sleeve 1 is shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. FIG. 6 shows the fire sleeve 1 having two layers 4 of intumescent material. The carrier 5 is sandwiched between the two layers 4 and consists of two strips of metal sheet which are spaced apart from each other and from the side surfaces 8 of the layers 4. Both strips are connected to the layer 4.
(32) FIG. 8 shows a coil 13 of several intumescent fire sleeves 1. The fire sleeves 1 are arranged in lines 14 and in FIG. 8 three lines 14 are shown whereby the fire sleeves 1 of each line 14 are connected via their end surfaces 7 to each other. Furthermore, the lines 14 of several fire sleeves 1 are connected to each other via the side surfaces 8 of the fire sleeves 1 being arranged neighboring to each other.
(33) The coil 13 according to FIG. 8 simplifies the production and the use of the fire sleeves 1 as a package of several fire sleeves 1 and each fire sleeve 1 can be separated from the coil 13 by cutting or by breaking if pre-determined breaking points are provided between the lines 14 and/or the fire sleeves 1 in the coil 13.
(34) A further embodiment of the fire sleeve 1 is shown in FIGS. 9 to 11. The fire sleeve 1 according to FIG. 9 comprises the layer 4 of intumescent material and the carrier 5 having the spring-loaded characteristics as described with respect to FIGS. 1 to 3.
(35) The carrier 5 of the embodiment according to FIG. 9 has four latches 15 erecting from one side surface 8 perpendicular to the lengthwise direction of the carrier 5. Each latch 15 is provided with a hole 16 in which screws 17 (FIG. 11) can be inserted to fix the carrier 5 to the wall 3 (FIG. 11). The latches 15 are bendable fixed to the carrier 5 so that the latches 15 can be bend to extend in a direction parallel to the surface of the wall and perpendicular to the carrier 5.
(36) The use of the fire sleeve 1 according to FIG. 9 is shown in FIG. 11.
(37) The fire sleeve 1 according to FIG. 9 is furthermore provided with shorter latches 18 being arranged at the second side surface 8 of the carrier 5 and erecting in the opposite direction of the latches 15. The function of these latches 18 is to keep the layer 4 of intumescent material in place after fixing the fire sleeve 1 around the pipe 2 as it is shown in FIG. 11. The advantage of this embodiment is that in the case of a fire the layer 4 of intumescent material can only expand in the direction towards the pipe 2.
(38) FIG. 10 shows a further embodiment of an intumescent fire sleeve 1 having a carrier 5 with the above-mentioned characteristics and a layer 4 of intumescent material. The layer 4 is divided into several blocks 19 of intumescent material. The blocks 19 are of equal dimensions and prismatic. Furthermore, the blocks 19 are fixed spaced apart to each other to the carrier 5 and the distances between the blocks 19 are equal over the length of the carrier 5. This embodiment according to FIG. 10 has the advantage that the fire sleeve 1 is more flexible even if the intumescent material used for the blocks 19 is of higher density.
(39) A further embodiment of an intumescent fire sleeve 1 is shown in FIGS. 12 to 14. This embodiment comprises the layer 4 and according to FIG. 12 the carrier consists of a wire 10 having spring-loaded characteristics as already described and being connected to a surface of the layer 4. The wire 10 runs lengthwise of the layer 4 and is arranged approximately in the middle of the layer 4 between the two side surfaces 8. On top of the surface carrying the wire 10 a coverage 20, for example a foil, is fixed to the layer 4. The coverage 20 covers the wire 10. Furthermore, the coverage has a surface 21 being used to present product information, brands or the like.
(40) FIGS. 13 and 14 shows embodiments of the fire sleeve 1 according to FIG. 12 wherein the carrier comprises two wires 10 being arranged on top of the layer 4 and covered by the coverage 20. The wires 10 are provided in pocket-like cavities 22 being provided between the surface of the layer 4 and the coverage 20. The wires 10 are freely moveable in the cavities 22. A further embodiment of a fire sleeve 1 is shown in FIG. 15. This embodiment of the intumescent fire sleeve 1 comprises the layer 4 and two wires 10 forming the carrier 5 and being fixed to parallel side surfaces 8 of the layer 4.
(41) Finally FIG. 16 shows an embodiment of an intumescent fire sleeve 1 comprising the layer 4 and the carrier 5, wherein the layer 4 is divided in sections by V-shaped notches which allow to cut the fire sleeve 1 into parts of desired length and which on the other hand allow to wrap the fire sleeve 1 more easily around a pipe 2 especially if the pipe 2 has a small diameter.
(42) The foregoing description of the embodiments has been provided for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure. Individual elements or features of a particular embodiment are generally not limited to that particular embodiment, but, where applicable, are interchangeable and can be used in a selected embodiment, even if not specifically shown or described. The same may also be varied in many ways. Such variations are to be regarded as a departure from the disclosure, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the disclosure.
