Fire-resistant foam, construction elements therefrom, system for fire-tight sealing of an opening, and method for sealing an opening in a wall

• US 8,006,447 B2
• Filed: 04/28/2004
• Issued: 08/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Beele Engineering BV (J.A. Beele Beheer BV)
• Original Assignee: Beele Engineering BV (J.A. Beele Beheer BV)
• Inventors: Beele, Johannes Alfred
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Khoi
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOLLOWAY, JASON R
• Application Number:
  US10/553,428
• Publication Number:
  US 20070066745A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,680 Days
• Field of Search: 52/98, 522/208, 522/32, 521/98, 527/411, 521/82, 521/99, 428/317.9, 428/314.4
• US Class Current: 52/232
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 2/065 having as the main closure device materials, whose characteristics undergo an irreversible change under high temperatures, e.g. intumescent
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 3/16 in electrical installations, e.g. cableways
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 5/04 to form a firebreak device
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/0412 Heat or fire protective means for fire in electric circuits A62C3/16
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/22 Installations of cables or lines through walls, floors or ceilings, e.g. into buildings
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249976 Voids specified as closed

Abstract

The invention relates to a fire resistant material based on an elastomeric foam. The invention further comprises a system for sealing off, at least during a fire taking place adjacent the wall, in an at least virtually entirely fire-tight manner, an open extending through that wall through which a transporting device comprising for instance a cable, duct or pipe has been fed, the system being provided with elements manufactured from a fire resistant material which expands under the influence of temperature increase. In addition, the invention extends to a wall in which such a system has been incorporated and a method for scaling off an opening extending through a wall through which at least one transporting device such as a cable, duct or pipe has been fed.

Claims

1. A fire-resistant material comprising an elastomeric foam of cross-linked ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) with a substantially closed cell structure, wherein the foam further comprises at least one crust-forming fire-retardant material and a pH neutralized graphite material, wherein the crust-forming fire-retardant material has been selected from poly ammonium phosphate and/or melamine phosphate, and wherein the crust-forming fire-retardant material is present in such an amount that a fire-retardant crust is formed on a side of the foam when directly exposed to high temperatures due to the presence of a fire, wherein the fire-retardant crust provides a shield against the effect of the fire.

2. A material according to claim 1, wherein the graphite material expands at a temperature higher than 200°

C.

3. A material according to claim 1, in the form of a plate-shaped or beam-shaped element.

4. A system for sealing off, at least during a fire taking place adjacent a wall, in at least one of a virtually entirely flame-tight manner and smoke-tight manner, an opening extending through this wall, through which a transporting device comprising at least one of a cable, duct and pipe has been fed, the system being provided with elements manufactured from a fire-resistant material which expands under the influence of temperature increase, wherein the elements are manufactured from a fire-resistant material comprising an elastomeric foam of cross-linked ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) with a substantially closed cell structure, wherein the foam further comprises at least one crust-forming fire-retardant material and a pH neutralized graphite material, wherein the crust-forming fire retardant material has been selected from poly ammonium phosphate and/or melamine phosphate, and wherein the crust-forming fire-retardant material is present in such an amount that a fire-retardant crust is formed on a side of the foam when directly exposed to high temperatures due to the presence of a fire, wherein the fire-retardant crust provides a shield against the effect of the fire.

5. A system according to claim 4, wherein the system is designed such that the elements can be fixed in a self-clamping manner in the opening or in a casing thereof through mutual contact, contact with an inner wall of the opening or contact with the transporting device.

6. A system according to claim 4, wherein the system can be substantially fixed within a volume which is bounded by a first outer surface of the wall and a second outer surface of the wall located opposite the first outer surface.

7. A system according to claim 4, wherein the system is designed such that after the system has been fixed in the opening, parts of the opening which are free from the transporting device are sealed off by the system.

8. A system according to claim 4, wherein the system is designed such that after fixation in the opening, the system is ready for use.

9. A system according to claim 4, wherein at least one of the elements is part of a plate-shaped material, which is provided with a line of weakening, the at least one element being detachable by breaking along the line of weakening in the plate-shaped material.

10. A system according to claim 4, wherein at least one of the elements is of tube-shaped design.

11. A system according to claim 4, wherein at least one of the elements is of plate-shaped design.

12. A wall with a feed-through, wherein the feed-through is at least temporarily sealed off with a system according to claim 4.