Fireproof damper with holes, created by the combination of two tubular elements, suiting the pins of the blade; and method for installing said fireproof damper

Abstract

 The invention is a fire damper (1) comprising a duct (3) in which two opposing holes (6, 7) are defined, said holes being suited to receive the insertion of pin means (5) belonging to a barrier blade (2) inserted within the duct (3) to define a rotation axis of the barrier blade (2). The duct (3) of the fire damper (1) comprises two tubular elements (31, 32), in each one of which it is possible to identify two opposing recesses (10, 11 and 12, 13) created at the level of the perimetral edges (14, 15 and 16, 17) suited to define the holes (6, 7) when the tubular elements (31, 32) face each other and are spaced through the interposition of spacer elements (22) in order to obtain the thermal break.

Description

[0001] The present invention concerns a fire damper particularly suited to be interposed between two ventilation ducts, in such a way as to stop the flow of fire, smoke and heat in case of fire.

[0002] The invention also concerns a canalization for ventilation systems consisting of ducts in which one or more of the above mentioned fire dampers of the invention is/are inserted.

[0003] Finally, the patent concerns a method for assembling said fire damper that is the subject of the invention.

[0004] It is known that public and private buildings of medium and large size are provided with central and automated ventilation systems for managing and transporting conditioned air and/or heated air from a single main source to a plurality of rooms by means of ducts that can be embedded in the walls or arranged outside them.

[0005] These types of systems are very efficient and economic compared to other independent ventilation systems provided in each individual room of a building. It is also known, however, that in case of danger, for example in case of fire in a building, the presence of ducts that place in communication said plurality of rooms favours the propagation of flames, heat and smoke from one room to the other, thus extending and aggravating a dangerous situation that developed in a single specific area.

[0006] In order to avoid this drawback, special devices that in technical jargon are called "fire dampers" have been used for years now, said devices being interposed in specific points of the ventilation ducts and having the function to stop the propagation of fire, heat and smoke from the area where the fire developed to the rest of the building.

[0007] In particular, these devices are arranged along the ventilation ducts, fitting them inside the internal walls of the buildings, which in most cases are already certified as fire resistant.

[0008] The above mentioned ventilation ducts, and consequently the fire dampers associated with them, can feature a rectangular or circular profile, according to design and aesthetical requirements.

[0009] It is also known that the fire dampers known up to now substantially comprise a barrier blade, inserted within a duct portion, in technical jargon called "case" and in most cases made of a metallic material, which makes up the body of the fire damper and has the same profile as the ventilation ducts in which said fire dampers are interposed.

[0010] The above mentioned barrier blade is provided with pin means, in such a way as to define a rotation axis of the barrier blade itself.

[0011] For this reason, the ends of the above mentioned pin means project at the level of two opposing points of the case.

[0012] In a first type of fire damper of the known art, the body of the latter is provided with two opposing holes with diameter at least as long as the diameter of the pin, said holes being made with special drilling equipment, in such a way as to constrain the two ends of the same pin and to allow exclusively the rotation of the barrier blade around said axis defined by the pin.

[0013] More precisely, once the holes have been made, during assembly the operator must insert the barrier blade inside the case, as already mentioned above, and must align the pin housing provided in the blade with the two holes defined in the body of the case.

[0014] Finally, the operator must insert said pin laterally, starting from one of the two holes and, once the pin has passed through the blade, he/she must lock it at the level of the opposite hole.

[0015] The fire dampers commonly used are also provided with a driving unit associated with the barrier blade, in such a way as to control its movement.

[0016] In fact, the fire dampers are operated so that in a normal situation the barrier blade is positioned so that its main surface is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the case, thus allowing the air to flow through the latter without being hindered by any obstacles.

[0017] On the other hand, in the case where the sensors detect a temperature increase and/or the presence of smoke, the driving unit operates the barrier blade, which rotates and assumes the closing position with its main surface arranged orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the duct, thus preventing the propagation of fire and smoke in the rooms adjacent to that in which the fire developed.

[0018] In order to better understand the function of the various elements that make up fire dampers, it is important to consider that, in order to prevent the propagation of fire and smoke, the action of the barrier blade and of special stop surfaces, placed at the level of the blade itself, are used. On the other hand, in order to prevent the propagation of heat from one end of the fire damper to the other and therefore from one room to another, two different techniques are employed.

[0019] According to a first technique of the known art, a plurality of through holes close to one another is made all around the body of the fire damper, in such a way as to reduce the metal surface between the two ends of the body itself and thus reduce the transmission of heat between the two parts.

[0020] However, disadvantageously, this technique does not allow a satisfying thermal break between the two ends to be obtained.

[0021] Furthermore, the creation of said plurality of through holes negatively affects insulation between the inner and outer part of the fire damper.

[0022] According to a second technique, special gaskets made of a refractory material and embedded along the body of the fire damper are used, said gaskets being embedded in a position that does not coincide with the rotation axis of the barrier blade.

[0023] In fact, said gasket is interposed between two tubular elements that are joined together to form said case of the fire damper.

[0024] In turn, the holes in which the pin of the barrier blade is constrained are made at the level of one of the two tubular elements described above.

[0025] For these reasons, the particular structures of the fire dampers of the known art described up to now pose a series of drawbacks that are explained here below.

[0026] A first recognized drawback lies in that the need to make the holes for inserting the pin, as described above, does not allow the entire fire damper to be assembled easily and quickly.

[0027] For this reason, disadvantageously, the assembly must necessarily be carried out by specialised operators.

[0028] This means that the correct assembly of the fire dampers of the known art involves a considerable waste of time.

[0029] To further disadvantage, the difficulty and the amount of time necessary for the assembly also involve considerably high costs.

[0030] A second type of fire damper of the known art is described in document EP 0 816 774 A, which concerns a fire damper comprising an outer frame and a barrier blade hinged onto it, wherein both said tubular elements are made of a refractory material.

[0031] Said frame, even if this is not expressly mentioned in the patent, is necessarily connected on both sides with two tubular elements, preferably made of a metallic material, which make up the case of the fire damper itself.

[0032] In this solution the housings provided in the frame, in which the blade pins are inserted, are obtained by placing two separate half-frames side by side.

[0033] At the same time, the thermal break necessary to avoid the transmission of heat from one side of the fire damper to the other is obtained thanks to the presence of said frame in refractory material.

[0034] Even if the above mentioned second solution makes it possible to obtain a thermal break better than that obtained with the first type of fire damper of the known art, disadvantageously the cost for carrying out this last solution is very high.

[0035] In fact, the manufacturing cost of said frame in refractory material considerably affects the cost of the entire fire damper.

[0036] Furthermore, disadvantageously, also the technique employed for making this second type of fire damper is complex.

[0037] The object of the present invention is to manufacture a fire damper that overcomes the drawbacks described above.

[0038] In particular, it is a first object of the invention to manufacture a fire damper whose assembly technique is simpler and quicker than the technique used for the fire dampers of the known art.

[0039] A further object of the present invention is to manufacture a fire damper that is easier to disassemble than the fire dampers of the known art when it is necessary to intervene to carry out repairs or maintenance.

[0040] The object of the present invention is also to manufacture a fire damper that makes it possible to obtain a thermal break comparable to, if not better than that achieved with the fire dampers of the known art.

[0041] It is a further, yet not the least object of the invention to manufacture a fire damper whose construction cost is much lower than that of the fire dampers of the known art.

[0042] The objects described above are achieved by a fire damper having the characteristics illustrated in the main claim.

[0043] The invention also includes the canalization for ventilation systems in which one or more fire dampers of the invention are inserted, as well as the method for assembling said fire damper.

[0044] Further characteristics of the fire damper, of the ventilation system provided with one or more fire dampers of the invention and of the method for assembling the fire damper of the invention are described in the dependent claims.

[0045] Advantageously, the structure of the fire damper of the invention makes it possible to save much time during assembly and consequently also to ensure considerable money savings.

[0046] The objects and advantages described above will be highlighted in greater detail in the description of a preferred embodiment of the invention that is supplied as an indicative, non-limiting example, with reference to the enclosed drawings, wherein:

• Figure 1 shows an axonometric view of a first embodiment of the fire damper that is the subject of the invention;
• Figure 2 shows an axonometric exploded view of a first embodiment of the fire damper that is the subject of the invention;
• Figure 3 shows a side cross section view of a first embodiment of the fire damper that is the subject of the invention;
• Figure 4 shows an axonometric view of a second embodiment of the fire damper that is the subject of the invention;
• Figure 5 shows a schematic view of a ventilation system comprising the canalizations of the invention;
• Figure 6 is a schematic representation of the steps of the method for assembling the fire damper of the invention;
• Figure 7 shows a detailed view of one of the two pins mentioned in the description of the preferred embodiment of the fire damper of the invention. The fire damper that is the subject of the invention is shown as a whole in Figures from 1 to 3, where it is indicated by 1.

[0047] It can be noticed that said fire damper 1 comprises a duct 3 (called also "case" in technical jargon), in which two opposing holes 6 and 7 are defined, said holes being suited to receive the insertion of pin means 5 belonging to a barrier blade 2 inserted within the duct 3 in order to define a rotation axis of the barrier blade 2.

[0048] In the preferred embodiment of the invention described herein and represented in Figure 1, the pin means 5 comprise two pins 51 and 52 arranged on opposite sides of the barrier blade 2, each one of which has a first end 53 and 54 inserted at the level of a recess 4 present in said barrier blade 2 and a second end 55 and 56 inserted in the housing holes 6 and 7 as explained above.

[0049] In different embodiments of the invention, not described herein, the pin means 5 comprise a single rotation pin passing over the entire length of the barrier blade 2 and passing with its ends through the housing holes 6 and 7. According to the invention, the duct 3 comprises two tubular elements 31 and 32, in each one of which it is possible to identify two opposing recesses 10, 11 and 12, 13 created at the level of the perimetral edges 14, 15 and 16, 17.

[0050] Said recesses 10, 11 and 12, 13 are suited to define said holes 6 and 7 when the tubular elements 31, 32 face each other, as shown in Figure 2.

[0051] In particular, said tubular elements 31, 32 are spaced from each other, and therefore not in contact, due to the interposition of spacer elements 22 between their perimetral edges 14, 15 and 16, 17, so as to obtain a thermal break effect between the two parts of the duct 3.

[0052] Due to the particular structure described above, it is clear that the above mentioned thermal break is obtained in a simple and economic manner, and at the same time with an effect that is comparable, if not even superior to that achieved with the fire dampers of the known art.

[0053] The above mentioned spacer elements 22, in the preferred embodiment described herein, as shown in Figure 2, belong to the tubular elements 31, 32 and project from their perimetral edges 14, 15 and 16, 17.

[0054] In different embodiments of the invention the same spacer elements 22 could be independent elements arranged between the perimetral edges 14, 15 and 16, 17 of the two tubular elements 31, 32.

[0055] As regards each pair of opposing recesses 10, 11 and 12, 13, they have the same shape and are symmetrical.

[0056] Finally, in the preferred embodiment of the invention described herein, always concerning the two pins 51 and 52, they are provided with a cavity 57 and 58, around their circumference, as shown in Figure 7, at the level of which the opposing pairs of recesses 10, 11 and 12, 13 are joined to create the above mentioned housing holes 6 and 7.

[0057] In particular, both cavities 57 and 58 have a diameter that is at least as long as the diameter of the two housing holes 6 and 7, which in turn have a diameter that is shorter than the outer diameter of the pin means 5.

[0058] This solution makes it possible to limit the movement of the barrier blade 2 only to the rotation around the axis defined by the above mentioned pin means 5. Furthermore, this solution can be adopted only if the housing holes 6 and 7 are made at the level of the perimetral edges 14, 15 and 16, 17 of the two tubular elements 31 and 32.

[0059] It cannot be excluded that in different embodiments of the invention the pin means 5 are not provided with said cavities 57 and 58 and in this case the diameter of the pin means 5 must be shorter than the diameter of the above mentioned holes 6 and 7, so that the pin means 5 can be inserted therein.

[0060] In the preferred embodiment of the invention described herein and illustrated in Figures 1 and 3, the tubular elements 31 and 32 that make up the duct 3 of the fire damper 1 of the invention and the barrier blade 2 have quadrangular cross section.

[0061] In the above mentioned embodiment of the invention, each one of the two housing holes 6 and 7 is preferably but not necessarily made in a central position in each one of the two opposing walls 8 and 9, at the level of the intersection point C1 and C2 of two axes X1, Y1 and X2, Y2 orthogonal to each other, as shown in Figure 1.

[0062] In different embodiments of the invention, not described and not represented herein, each one of the two housing holes 6 and 7 is decentered in relation to said central point C1 and C2 of each one of the opposing walls 8 and 9 and is arranged at the level of the perimetral edges 14, 15 and 16, 17.

[0063] This particular alternative construction form makes it possible to obtain a decentered rotation of the pin means 5, and consequently of the barrier blade 2, in relation to the width of the duct 3, and thus different from the rotation obtained in the main embodiment described above.

[0064] According to a second embodiment illustrated in Figure 4, the two tubular elements 131 and 132 and the barrier blade 102 have circular cross section. Also in this case the pin means 105 are positioned at the level of two diametrically opposite points D1 and D2 on the surface of the duct 103.

[0065] Going back to the preferred embodiment of the invention described herein, it includes the two perimetral edges 14, 15 and 16, 17, coupled to each other, with an insulating gasket 18, as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, having the function to prevent direct communication between the inner part of the duct 3 and the outside.

[0066] Said communication is due to the presence of the slot between the two tubular elements 31, 32 defined by the interposition of said spacer elements 22 between the perimetral edges 14, 15 and 16, 17.

[0067] Said insulating gasket 18 is preferably but not necessarily made of a ceramic fibre material, in such a way as to further contribute to the thermal break effect already obtained thanks to the presence of the spacer elements 22 that prevent any contact between the two tubular elements 31, 32.

[0068] It cannot be excluded that in different embodiments of the invention the insulating gasket 18 can be made of a different material without heat insulation properties.

[0069] According to further embodiments of the invention, not described and not illustrated herein, there may also be no insulating gasket 18 between the two perimetral edges 14, 15 and 16, 17 of the two tubular elements 31 and 32.

[0070] In the particular embodiment described herein, furthermore, the two coaxial tubular elements 31 and 32 have the same size and therefore are perfectly identical.

[0071] As already explained above, this characteristic advantageously makes it possible to optimize the manufacturing process of the tubular elements 31 and 32.

[0072] In fact, in this way, in the construction stage a single type of tubular element can be produced, which successively is used to make both parts of the fire damper 1 of the invention.

[0073] To further advantage this makes it possible to optimize the tubular element's manufacturing time, since there is no need to change production, which means saving time and money.

[0074] It cannot be excluded, however, that in different construction forms the fire damper 1 of the invention and in particular the duct 3 are made using two tubular elements with different dimensions, provided that they maintain the main feature of the invention, which lies in the presence of the two recesses at the level of the perimetral edges.

[0075] The fire damper 1 of the invention also comprises a driving unit 19, associated with the barrier blade 2, which allows it to rotate around the pin means 5.

[0076] In the embodiment described herein, the above mentioned driving unit 19 comprises a lever system 20, arranged inside one of the two tubular elements 31 and 32 mentioned above, which in turn is connected to a driving device 21 arranged outside the duct 3 and the wall in which part of the fire damper 1 is embedded.

[0077] This special feature advantageously makes it possible to intervene on the driving device 21 for service or replacement purposes, with no need to remove the fire damper 1 of the invention from the wall in which it is embedded.

[0078] In different construction forms, it cannot be excluded that the driving unit 19 is completely arranged inside the structure of the fire damper 1, which means renouncing the advantages described above.

[0079] As regards the driving device 21, in the particular construction form described herein it comprises a spring system.

[0080] In different construction forms the driving device can be an electric motor, a magnet system or any other type of system, provided that it belongs to the known art.

[0081] The fire damper 1 of the invention has the purpose of being inserted in a canalization 201 for ventilation systems 200 made up of several ducts connected to one another, as can be observed in Figure 5.

[0082] In particular, one or more of the above mentioned fire dampers 1 of the invention are interposed between an inlet mouth 203 and an outlet mouth 204 of a canalization, typically embedded inside wall elements M, also made with fire stop systems.

[0083] In practice, the particular structure of the fire damper 1 of the invention makes it also possible, as already explained, to use an assembly method 300 that is easier and quicker than those used for the assembly of the fire dampers of the known art, thus achieving the first object of the invention.

[0084] In fact, the method 300 for assembling the fire damper 1 of the invention, schematically illustrated in Figure 6, includes a first step a, in which the operator positions a first tubular element 31 so that both recesses 10 and 12 on its perimetral edges 14 and 16 can be accessed from the outside.

[0085] The operator preferably but not necessarily positions said tubular element 31 so that the recesses 10 and 12 face upwards.

[0086] The operator then provides for connecting the pin means 5 to the barrier blade 2, so that the same pin means 5 project from the above mentioned blade 2, as indicated in step b, Figure 6.

[0087] Once step b has been carried out, the operator provides for positioning the barrier blade 2, with the corresponding pin means 5, so that the same are inserted in and constrained to the recesses 10 and 12 present in the tubular element 31 previously positioned, thus completing step c of the method 300. Successively, with step d, the second of the two tubular elements 32 is positioned beside the first tubular element 31, so that the coupling of each one of the two pairs of recesses 10, 11 and 12, 13 makes it possible to obtain the housing holes 6 and 7, which allow the pin means 5, and consequently the barrier blade 2, to rotate around their own axis.

[0088] As already explained, the perimetral edges 14, 15 and 16, 17 of the two tubular elements 31 and 32 are not in contact owing to the interposition of the spacer elements 22, so as to obtain the desired thermal break.

[0089] Finally, in step e, all the perimetral edges of the two adjacent tubular elements 31 and 32 are sealed.

[0090] According to a further embodiment of the invention, before positioning the second tubular element 32 beside the first tubular element 31, the insulating gasket 18 is inserted between them, in such a way as ensure insulation between the inside of the fire damper 1 and the outside.

[0091] These steps of the assembly method 300 are preferably carried out in the factory where the fire dampers are manufactured, and successively the fire dampers are transported, completely assembled, to the place where they are going to be installed in the ventilation system.

[0092] However, said fire dampers may also be assembled directly on site before being installed in the ventilation system.

[0093] On the basis of the above, it is clear that the fire damper that is the subject of the invention achieves all the set objects.

[0094] In particular, the invention achieves the object to provide a fire damper whose assembly technique is simpler and quicker than that used for the fire dampers of the known art.

[0095] A further object achieved is to provide a fire damper that, when it is necessary to intervene to carry out repairs or maintenance operations, is easier to disassemble than the fire dampers of the known art.

[0096] The invention also achieves the object to manufacture a fire damper that makes it possible to obtain a thermal break comparable to, if not better than that achieved with the fire dampers of the known art.

[0097] Finally, the invention also achieves the object to manufacture a fire damper whose construction cost is much lower than that of the fire dampers of the known art.

[0098] Furthermore, the fire damper that is the subject of the invention also allows the advantages described above to be achieved.

[0099] During the construction stage the fire damper of the invention, the canalization for ventilation systems comprising one or more fire dampers of the invention, the method for assembling said fire damper can be subjected to modifications that, although not illustrated or described herein, shall all be considered protected by the present patent, provided that they fall within the scope of the following claims.

[0100] In the cases where the technical characteristics illustrated in the claims are followed by references, these have been added only with the aim to facilitate the comprehension of the claims themselves and therefore said references do not have any limiting effect on the degree of protection to be granted to each element they identify only by way of example.

Claims

1. Fire damper (1) of the type comprising a duct (3) in which two opposing holes (6, 7) are defined, said holes being suited to receive the insertion of pin means (5) belonging to a barrier blade (2) inserted within said duct (3) in order to define a rotation axis of said barrier blade (2), characterized in that said duct (3) comprises two tubular elements (31, 32) in each one of which it is possible to identify two opposing recesses (10, 11 and 12, 13), created at the level of the perimetral edges (14, 15 and 16, 17) and suited to define said holes (6, 7) when said tubular elements (31, 32) face each other and are spaced through the interposition of spacer elements (22) in order to obtain a thermal break.

2. Fire damper (1) according to claim 1), characterized in that said spacer elements (22) belong to said tubular elements (31, 32) and project from said perimetral edges (14, 15 and 16, 17).

3. Fire damper (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said pin means (5) are two pins (51, 52) arranged on opposite sides of said barrier blade (2), each one of which has one end (53, 54) inserted in a recess (4) present in said barrier blade (2) and a second end (55, 56) inserted in each one of said housing holes (6, 7).

4. Fire damper (1) according to any one of the preceding claims from 1) to 2), characterized in that said pin means (5) comprise a single rotation pin passing through the whole length of said barrier blade (2) and through said housing holes (6, 7).

5. Fire damper (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said tubular elements (31, 32) and said barrier blade (2) have a quadrangular cross section.

6. Fire damper (1) according to claim 5), characterized in that each one of said housing holes (6, 7) is drilled in the centre of each one of said opposing walls (8, 9) at the level of the intersection point (C1, C2) of two axes (X1, Y1 and X2, Y2) orthogonal to each other.

7. Fire damper (1) according to any one of the claims from 1) to 3), characterized in that said tubular elements (31, 32) and said barrier blade (2) have a circular cross section.

8. Fire damper (1) according to claim 7), characterized in that each one of said holes (6, 7) is provided at the level of two diametrically opposed points (D1, D2) of said duct (3).

9. Fire damper (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is provided with an insulating gasket (18) interposed at the level of said perimetral edges (14, 15 and 16, 17) of said two tubular elements (31, 32) arranged side by side and making up said duct (3).

10. Fire damper (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said two coaxial tubular elements (31, 32) are arranged side by side and have the same size.

11. Fire damper (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises driving means (19) associated with said barrier blade (2) in such a way as to make it rotate around said pin means (5).

12. Canalization for ventilation systems (200), characterized in that it includes the insertion of one or more fire dampers (1) carried out according to claim 1).

13. Method (300) for assembling a fire damper (1) carried out according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises the following steps:

a) positioning one of said two tubular elements (31, 32) in such a way as to access said recesses (10, 12) created at the level of said perimetral edges (14, 16);

b) connecting said pin means (5) to said barrier blade (2) so that said pin means (5) project from said barrier blade (2);

c) arranging said barrier blade (2) so that said pin means (5) are inserted in said recesses (10, 12);

d) positioning the second (32) of said two tubular elements beside the first one (31) of said two tubular elements, so that the coupling of said recesses (10, 11 and 12, 13) creates said housing holes (6, 7) for said pin means (5) and constrain them;

e) hermetically sealing said perimetral edges (14, 15 and 16, 17) of said two tubular elements (31, 32).

Drawing