SMOKE BARRIER SYSTEM

Abstract

A smoke barrier system includes a bracket, a glass panel and a fastener. The glass panel defines a hole. The fastener is equipped to fasten the bracket to the hole of the glass panel. The bracket is fixed to a supporting construction on which the smoke barrier system is installed. The smoke barrier system also includes a first washer, wherein the washer is arranged between the fastener and the glass panel. The washer is an intumescent washer that expands under thermal influence of a fire, hot smoke and/or hot gas. Under thermal influence, the washer can form a thermally insulating layer. Furthermore, under thermal influence the intumescent washer can build up additional pressure between the fastener and the glass panel.

Claims

1. A smoke barrier system comprising at least two brackets, a glass panel and a fastener, wherein the glass panel comprises at least two holes and wherein the fastener is equipped to fasten a first bracket to a first hole of the glass panel and a second bracket to a second hole of the glass panel; wherein the brackets are equipped to be fixed to a supporting construction on which the smoke barrier system is to be installed, wherein the smoke barrier system further comprises at least two first washer, wherein the washer is arranged between the fastener and the glass panel; wherein the washer is an intumescent washer, wherein the intumescent washer expands under thermal influence of a fire, hot smoke and/or hot gas and forms a thermally insulating layer, wherein under thermal influence the intumescent washer build up additional pressure between the fastener and the glass panel.

2. The smoke barrier system according to claim 1, wherein the washer is arranged on the side of the glass panel facing the temperature influence.

3. The smoke barrier system according to claim 1, further comprising a second washer arranged between the fastener and the glass panel, wherein the second washer is arranged in relation to the first washer, wherein the second washer is an intumescent washer.

4. The smoke barrier system according to claim 1, further comprising a grommet, wherein the grommet is arranged in the hole.

5. The smoke barrier system according to claim 1, wherein the smoke barrier system is a static smoke barrier system.

6. The smoke barrier system according to claim 1, wherein the glass panel is a transparent and/or translucent glass panel.

7. The smoke barrier system according to claim 1, wherein the glass panel is a monolithic glass panel.

8. The smoke barrier system according to claim 1, wherein the glass panel is a temperature resistant glass panel and wherein the smoke barrier system is classified at least as a D600 30 and/or DH 30 smoke barrier according to EN 12101-1.

9. The smoke barrier system according to claim 1, wherein the bracket is designed for a point fixation of the glass panel.

10. The smoke barrier system according to claim 1, wherein the smoke barrier system comprises at least two panels, wherein each glass panel is fixed to the supporting construction by a bracket, and wherein the panels are arranged adjacent to each other to build a uniform smoke barrier system.

11. A method for fixing a smoke barrier system to a supporting construction, comprising the steps of: providing a bracket designed to be fixed to a supporting construction on which the smoke barrier system is installed, fixing the brackets to the supporting construction, providing a glass panel, wherein the glass panel comprises at least two holes, and providing a grommets, inserting the grommets into the holes, providing a fastener for fastening the bracket to the hole of the glass panel; providing a first, intumescent washer, wherein the intumescent washer expands under thermal influence of a fire, hot smoke and/or hot gas, fastening the glass panel to the brackets, wherein the washer is arranged between the fastener and the glass panel and the fastener is inserted into the hole and the washer, wherein the fastener clamps the glass panel against the brackets.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising the steps of providing an additional intumescent washer, said additional washer is arranged on the opposite side of the hole opposite to the first washer, wherein the fastener is inserted into the hole passing both washers arranged on opposing sides of the glass panel.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0061] The subject matter of the invention will be explained in more detail in the following text with reference to exemplary embodiments that are illustrated in the attached drawings, in which are schematically shown:

[0062] FIG. 1 exploded view of a smoke barrier system;

[0063] FIG. 2a sectional drawing of a smoke barrier system;

[0064] FIG. 2b sectional drawing of a smoke barrier system; and,

[0065] FIG. 3 plan view of the smoke barrier system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0066] The reference symbols used in the drawings, and their meanings, are listed in summary form in the list of reference symbols. In principle, identical parts are provided with the same reference symbols in the figures.

[0067] FIG. 1 shows an exploded view of a smoke barrier system 1. The smoke barrier system 1 includes a bracket 2, a glass panel 6 and fastener means 3. The glass panel 6 includes a hole 61. The bracket 2 is designed as elbow with an angle of approximately 90 between the two legs. The bracket 2 is designed such that a first leg can be fixed to the supporting construction and the other, second leg can be fastened to the hole 61 of the glass panel 6.

[0068] The smoke barrier system 1 further includes a grommet 5, wherein the outer cross section of the grommet 5 essentially corresponds to the inner cross section of the hole 61. The grommet 5 is placed inside the hole 61. The grommet 5 stabilizes the fastener means 3 in the hole 61.

[0069] The fastener means 3 include a bolt 31, a nut 32 and a clamping plate 33. The nut 32 can be designed to engage with the second leg of the bracket 2. The engagement can be provide a locked orientation of the nut 32 relative to the second leg of the bracket 2. Therefore, no wrench is needed to fasten the bolt 31 to the nut 32. In another embodiment the nut 32 has to be held by a wrench as the orientation relative to the second leg is not fixed (for example, see FIGS. 2a and 2b). The bolt 31 is placed onto the second leg of the bracket 2 and a first, intumescent washer 4 is placed on the bolt 31. The glass panel 6 with the grommet 5 in the hole 61 is arranged onto the bolt 31. Additionally, a second, intumescent washer 4 is arranged on the bolt 31 on top of the hole 61. The clamping plate 33 can be arranged on the washer 4 and the bolt 31 can be fastened to clamp the glass panel 6 between the fastener means 3 (bolt 31, nut 32 and/or clamping plate 33) and the second leg of the bracket 2. In another embodiment the bolt 31 and the clamping plate 33 can first be assembled together with the glass panel 6 and the washer 4 and afterwards be fastened to the bracket 2.

[0070] The intumescent washer 4 can expand upon exposure to elevated temperature, respectively, upon thermal influence. The thermal influence can originate form a fire and/or hot smoke. The term temperature influence, respectively, thermal influence means, that the temperature of the air respectively gas is at least 80 C. or higher. Under thermal influence, the washer 4 can form a thermally insulating layer. Furthermore, under thermal influence the intumescent washer 4 can build up additional pressure between the fastener means 4 and the glass panel 6. The swollen washer 4 can prevent and/or reduce the thermal load on the hole 61, the grommet 5 and/or the fastener means 3. The reduced thermal load can increase the stability of the smoke barrier system 1 in the event of a fire and/or the impact of hot gases.

[0071] In FIGS. 2a and 2b, assembled smoke barrier systems 1 are shown. FIG. 2a depicts an assembled smoke barrier system 1 similar to the one shown in FIG. 1 with a bent bracket 2.

[0072] The bracket 2 shown in FIG. 2b is designed as flat bar, wherein a first portion of the bar respectively first leg of the bar is fixed to the supporting construction. A second portion of the bar respectively second leg of the bar is fastened to the glass panel 6. FIG. 2a shows a flush arrangement of the fastener means 3, wherein in FIG. 2b a non-flush configuration of the fastener means 3 is shown. For fastening the fastener means 3 shown in FIG. 2b two tool are required to each in one side of the glass panel 6 to ensure secure fastening. For the fastening of the flash arrangement (FIG. 2a) only one tool is needed as the nut 32 can be locked in the bracket 2. Accordingly, only the bolt 31 has to be tightened.

[0073] FIG. 3 shows plan view of the smoke barrier system including at least two glass panels 6, wherein each glass panel 6 is fastened to two brackets 2. The brackets 2 are fixed to the supporting construction. The two panels 6 are arranged adjacent to each other. The adjacent panels 6 build a uniform smoke barrier system 1. The space between the adjacent panels 6 is minimized to allow minor thermal expansion of the panels 6 due to a temperature influence and to prevent the passage of fire and/or hot gas. The space can be maximum 7 mm, in particular maximum 5 mm.

[0074] While the invention has been described in present preferred embodiments of the invention, it is distinctly understood that the invention is not limited thereto, but may be otherwise variously embodied and practised within the scope of the claims.

[0075] Due to the improved stability of the smoke barrier system 1, in particular of the glass panel 6, in particular the protection of the glass panel 6 at the location of the hole 61, smoke barrier system 1 can include a glass panel with a size of 21.5 m respectively 11.6 m (wh) for DH classification and 2.51.8 m (wh) for D.sub.600 classification. This maximum size significantly exceeds the size of commercially glass panels 6 used in a smoke barrier system 1.