Abstract:
A deployable heat and smoke obstacle is disclosed. A screen is wound around a shaft over a passageway in a building or a vehicle. The shaft can rotate in response to an alarm signal to deploy the screen over the passageway to prevent smoke and heat from passing through the passageway. The screen includes magnetic sheets that engage a corresponding magnetic surface near the passageway to hold the screen in place over the passageway. The screen also includes heat-sensitive fasteners that deform when heated to engage corresponding holes in the passageway to hold the screen in place over the passageway.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
   This invention is concerned with the smoke-suppressant device of an opening, especially in providing a fire-resistant smoke-suppressant device whose sealing function of the opening is not lost even in fire or high temperature smoke, and can seal the opening of an elevator or hallway when necessary, along with shutting out flames and smoke, that is high in fire resistance, and is able to securely anchor the smoke or flame suppressant screen to the opening frame. 
   BACKGROUND 
   A device that shuts out smoke and harmful gases during fire by opening and closing a screen that is on the front side of an opening for an elevator has been known, such as referred to in the below stated Patent Literature 1 and 2. Here, the invention mentioned in Patent Literature 1 (Tokuhyo Hei 10-506158 Official Gazette) is directed to rolling down a reinforced curtain on the front side of an elevator opening when necessary. 
   In this invention, ferromagnetic side rails are located on both sides of the elevator opening and flexible magnetic strips are placed at both ends of both sides of the screen. Also, the reinforced curtain that makes up the screen has a structure that makes it possible for the screen to be rolled up or down by a pair of pulleys located at both ends of the space bar, situated at the ends of the curtain as a space bar to roll such curtain up. 
   Also, there is a motor-driven drive method that freely rotates forward and backward above the above stated opening; the shaft of this drive method is connected to Pulley #1 and by rolling in and rolling back the connection cord rolled up by the pair of pulleys on both sides of the above stated space bar, it is possible to move the above stated screen to these opening and closing positions. In this case, when rolling the screen down, it is possible to use the dead weight of the curtain rolled into the space bar to lower it. 
   Also, Patent Literature 2 (Tokukai 2005-113509 Official Gazette) mentions an invention as summarized below, which improves on the above stated Patent Literature 1 invention. This invention of Patent Literature 2 deals with a screen device that closes at least part of an opening with a flexible screen material whose top end is anchored at the top end of the opening, and is characterized by making it possible for the previously stated opening to open by placing a flexible adhesion method on both ends of the previously stated screen material, and rolling up the strip or line form flexible material attached to the screen material along with adhering in an attachable and removable manner both ends of the screen through such adhesion method. 
   In addition, those with a manual or electronic rotating drive winding shaft located on the upper part of the above stated opening, move the above stated screen material vertically by rolling up or back the above stated flexible material through such winding shaft, and also utilize silica cloth or glass cloth that is high in fire-resistance for the above stated screen material are mentioned as well.
         Patent Literature 1—Tokuhyo Hei 10-506158 Official Gazette   Patent Literature 2—Tokukai 2005-113509 Official Gazette       

   When setting a smoke-suppressant device with the above mentioned widely known screen material on the opening of an elevator, for example, it is structured in such a way that such screen material is adhered and anchored utilizing flexible magnetic strips to the ferromagnetic frame form on both sides of the opening or side rails. Due to this structure, there was a fault in that the flexible magnetic strips used for adhesion anchoring themselves would lose magnetism due to flames or high temperature and the screen material would separate from the opening, even if highly fire-resistant material was used for the screen material. In other words, the fault was that regular flexible magnetic strips can not be used as a smoke-suppressant device requiring fire-resistant capabilities, as there were problems with loss of magnetism at temperatures of over approximately 600° C. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a front view of a fire-resistant smoke-suppressant device installed in an elevator opening in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a side view of the device of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 3  is a horizontal section view of the device of  FIG. 1  including one side of the screen winding part. 
       FIG. 4  is a center horizontal section view of one side of the device of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 5  is a close-up view of the lower part of the device of  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 6  is a close-up view of the upper part of the device of  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 7  is an installation illustration of application of this embodiment to an elevator opening in an RC constructed building. 
       FIG. 8  is a horizontal section view of the device of  FIG. 7 . 
       FIG. 9  is an installation illustration of application of this embodiment to an elevator opening in a steel frame constructed building. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   A smoke-suppressant device in accordance with embodiments of the present invention that is highly fire-resistant and does not lose its sealing functions of the opening in response to flames or high temperature smoke, and to do this, improves upon the structure of anchoring to the smoke-suppressant screen opening frame. 
   A fire-resistant and smoke-suppressant device of at least one embodiment is provided that comprises a fire-resistant sheet screen rolled up and down in front of an opening, sheet type magnetic strips situated on both sides of such screen, and support rails made of ferromagnetic materials situated on both sides of the opening; a type of fire-resistant smoke-suppressant device in which such sheet type magnetic strips adhere to the support rails when deployed to protect the opening with the screen, has multiple other anchor means in such sheet type magnetic strips part, has a thermal expansion sheet that prevents temperature rise in all of these anchor means, and has a characteristic of preventing further temperature rise of all of these anchor means by expansion of the thermal expansion sheet in response to temperature rise due to fire or high temperature smoke. The fire-resistant and smoke suppressant device of an embodiment has a shape-memory alloy anchor mean as stated above that is in pole form, and is characterized by anchoring through connecting, by both its ends curving in respect to the rise in temperature, to the support rail connecting part. 
   The heat expansion sheet is located on the front side and both sides of all of the anchor means, and the other anchor means for shape-memory alloy as stated above are characterized by both ends of the pole form curving and connecting to the multiple connection holes located along the support rail or vertical groove located on the outside of the above stated support rail. 
   In addition, it is a fire-resistant smoke-suppressant device in which the above screen is rolled on to the lower shaft, is rolled down by its own weight, by releasing the roll-up wire that is anchored to both ends of such shaft, and has a characteristic of this release being signaled by a fire alarm, temperature detector, or smoke detector, or signal from a manual switch. 
   With this device, in accordance with embodiments of the invention, it is possible to shut out flames and high temperature smoke for long periods of time, through the use of sheet form magnetic strips as screen anchoring means for the smoke-suppressant device, surrounding this with a heat expansion sheet to protect it from heat, and furthermore, stopping the peeling of such sheet form magnetic strip from the support rail for adhesion anchoring through other anchoring means using shape-memory alloy. Through this, we are able to provide a high performance fire-resistant smoke-suppressant device that can be placed in elevator openings and hallway openings that require high fire resistance. 
   The implementing structure for this invention will be explained through  FIGS. 1 through 9 . 
     FIG. 1  shows the front side view of this invention&#39;s Smoke-Suppressant Device  20  placed at the opening for an elevator on a building; and  FIG. 2  shows a rough side view of the area in which this Smoke-Suppressant Device  20  was placed. 
   As can be seen through these Figures, Smoke-Suppressant Device  20  is shown in a position where Screen  21  is sealing off the elevator opening (see  FIG. 3 ), and shows the shaft for rolling up Screen  21  (see  FIG. 3 ), Shaft End  23 , having reached the Floor FL. 
   The characteristic structure of an embodiment of the present invention will be discussed later. Screen  21 , which is normally rolled up and stored in Storing Box  31  that is above the opening, is deployed by the movement of Winding Device  30  triggered by the signal from a smoke detector and such that are not shown, and seals the front side of such opening. At this point, the sheet form magnetic strips located on the back side of Screen  21  are adhered to the ferrous material Support Rails  12 , and the sealing of such opening is the same as the previous, well-known inventions. 
   Here, the structure of the screen sheet itself is made of, for example, long stainless fiber fabric or polyimide fiber fabric that is put together width-wise. Also, this sort of Screen  21  is wrapped around the lower shaft (only Shaft End  23  is shown), and it can be stored in Storing Box  31  after rolling Wire  35  up with the winding device above. 
   In  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the winding shaft is shown lowered by letting out Wire  35  from Winding System  30 , so Shaft End  23  is stopped on Floor FL and Storing Box  31  and Panel Door  312  are left open. 
     FIGS. 3 and 4  show one of the most characteristic structures of this invention. In  FIG. 3 , for the partial horizontal section view Building Structure Part  10  and the side frame structure of Elevator Opening part  11 , Support Rail Base Material  121  is anchored to such frame structure by anchors (see  FIG. 8 , etc.), and Support Rail  12  is anchored and placed by Support Rail Attachment Material  122 . 
   On the other hand, Screen  21  is wrapped around Shaft  22 A and  22 B like those that were previous publicly known, and Shaft End  23 , Screen Attachment Material  211 ,  211 , and such are shown. In the side end part (only one direction shown) of Screen  21 , this device&#39;s characteristic structure of the Sheet Form Magnetic Strip  24  part and Insulation Method  25  are shown. Here, the structure of Sheet Form Magnetic Strip  24  itself can utilize the same thing as the flexible magnetic strip released in Patent Literature 1 above and previously known. 
   In Insulation Method  25 , it will be explained in other Figures as well, Heat Expansion Sheets  25 A and  25 A are anchored on both sides of Sheet Form Magnetic Strip  24  that is anchored to both end parts of the above mentioned Screen  21 , and Heat Expansion Sheet  25 B is anchored to the opposite side of Screen  21  from such Magnetic Sheet. The function of this will be explained later. In the case that the temperature of the above Screen  21  and Heat Expansion Sheet rises due to flames or high temperature smoke, Heat Expansion Sheets  25 A and  25 B expand from the temperature, sealing off with Head Expansion Sheet  25 B the conducting of heat from the front side of Screen  21  to Sheet Form Magnetic Strip  24 , and at the same time sealing off the heat conducting from the side of Sheet Form Magnetic Strip  24  on the back side of Screen  21  with the expanded Heat Expansion Sheets  25 A and  25 A. 
   Now, to explain the application of Heat Expansion Sheets  25 A and  25 B used in Insulation Method  25 , Heat Expansion Sheets  25 A and  25 A are each approximately 20 mm wide, approximately 2.1 mm thick, made of butyl rubber sheet containing graphite, and the expansion rate is approximately 10 times. Heat Expansion Sheet  25 B is also made of the same material and is approximately 120 mm wide and approximately 2.1 mm thick. Number  27  on  FIG. 4  shows the stainless fiber that faces Heat Expansion Sheets  25 A and  25 B on the front and back of the above stated Screen  21 . 
     FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4  show Screen Anchoring Method  26  located on both sides of the above mentioned Screen  21  in its connected position. Although  FIGS. 7 through 9  will be explained later, many of these Screen Anchoring Methods  26  are fitted on the above mentioned Sheet Form Magnetic Strip  24  and  24  and, though each of these is in pole form normally, if the pole itself is heated to a temperature higher than the designated temperature, each pole form changes shape at both ends and is structured to fit and connect to Connection Holes H through H (see  FIGS. 7 ,  9 ) situated on both sides of the illustrated Support Rail  12 . 
   This sort of screen anchoring method is one of the most characteristic structures of this device; the above mentioned pole form screen anchoring method is made of a shape-memory alloy, and, for example, changes shape when such Screen Anchoring Method  26  reaches a temperature of 100° C., structured so both ends curve as illustrated. In this application, such shape-memory alloy is comprised of a nickel and titanium alloy, is approximately 70 mm long, 5 mm wide, 0.5 mm thick, and its reaction temperature is at approximately 100° C. Accordingly, even though it is in pole form (thin board form) as stated above at normal temperature, both of the ends curve when the designated reaction temperature of 100° C. is reached, and as will be explained later for each of the End Connection Hooks  261  and  261 , it anchors Screen  21  to Support Rail  12  by fitting into Connection Holes H through H that are situated on both sides of Support Rail  12 . 
     FIGS. 5 and 6  show the details of the Shaft End and Box areas as shown in the above mentioned  FIG. 2 . As  FIG. 5  shows, when the Smoke-Suppressant Device  20  that is involved in this invention is in operation, Shaft End  23  is lowered to Floor FL. At this time, Wire  35  is wrapped around Winding Shaft  22 A and according to the rotation of DC Gear Motor  32  ( FIG. 6 ), which will be explained later, is lowered with the weight of such screen, etc. Also, Sheet Form Magnetic Strip  24 , which is anchored to both ends of one side (back side) of Screen  21 , adheres to the front of Support Rail  12  from the top in order at the same time it is rolled back up with the above mentioned Screen  21 . Here, Number  211  in the Figure is screen attachment material; for example, it represents one of multiple anchoring screws for anchoring the edge of Screen  21  to the winding shaft. 
     FIG. 6  shows the details of the Box  31  part as shown in the above mentioned  FIG. 2 . The above mentioned Support Rail  12  is anchored from the bottom edge of Box Base  311 , which is for Box  31  and is the surface of Building Structure Part  10 , downward. Inside Box  31  that is anchored through such Box Base  311 , the top edge of Screen  21  is anchored along with the top edge of Sheet Form Magnetic Strip  24  in the same manner. 
   The top end of Wire  35 , which is wrapped around Winding Shaft  22 A at the bottom end, is anchored to Pulley P of DC Gear Motor  32  through multiple Pulleys P through P inside Box  31  of Winding Device  30  and hangs down to make winding up and back possible by a signal from a smoke detector, fire alarm and such, which are not shown. 
   Number  33  in the Figure is the drive control board for DC Gear Motor  32  of the above mentioned Winding Device  30 , and Number  34  is the down limit controlling the rotation of Pulleys P through P in the middle. Also, Panel Door  312  of Box  31  is in operation, and is therefore in an open position, but when not in operation, it can be in a closed position that stores the whole screen device mentioned above within Box  31 . 
     FIG. 7  is a side section view of a case in which the fire-resistant smoke-suppressant device involved in the above application of this invention is applied to an RC constructed structure. 
   Box Base Material  311  is anchored to Upper Frame Part  15  of this building structure body through Anchor Bolts  123  and Support Rail  12  is anchored to the side wall of the opening (no number). Screen  21  is lowered by the weight of the screen and winding shaft as Wire  35  is let out for Shaft End  23  to reach Floor FL and after reaching the floor, Gear Motor  32  stops rotation by action from Down Limit  34  and goes into operation. In this case, Panel Door  312  of Box  31  will obviously open to the illustrated open position from the Ceiling Material  17  position. Symbol H through H, showing connection holes in this Figure, will be explained in the following Figure. 
   FIG.  8 &#39;s (A) and (B) show the installation illustration in the case of RC construction that is shown in the above mentioned  FIG. 7 ; (A) shows a horizontal section view of  FIGS. 7  and (B) shows a close-up of one edge part. In these Figures, both sides of Elevator Opening  11  are bordered by Trim Material  13  and Cement Mortar  14  is added to Building Structure Part  10 . The ferrous metal Support Rail  12  is anchored to Support Rail Base  121  that is anchored to the above mentioned Cement Mortar  14  with Anchor Bolts  123  by Support Rail Attachment Material  122 . 
   As is made especially clear in  FIG. 8(B) , the position shown here is one in which Screen Anchoring Method  26  has responded to the heat of flames or smoke, the Connection Hooks  261  composed of shape-memory alloy have curved, and each of the tips have fitted and attached to Connection Holes H through H on the support rail shown in  FIG. 7 . However, the insulation method attached to both sides of Screen  21 , that is, Heat Expansion Sheets  25 A and  25 B are shown in a non-expanded position. Therefore, Sheet Form Magnetic Strip  24  is anchoring Sheet  21  by adhering to the surface of Support Rail  12 . 
   Afterward, each of the above mentioned Heat Expansion Sheets  25 A and  25 A and Heat Expansion Sheet  25 B react to the heat and begin expansion, then, as shown in the Figure with dotted lines, these heat expansion sheets ultimately expand to a thickness of 20 mm. Therefore, by expanding to the surface of Cement Mortar  14 , the above mentioned Heat Expansion Sheets  25 A and  25 A completely seal the space between Screen  21  and the surface of Elevator Opening  11 . 
   Also, in the same manner, the above mentioned Heat Expansion Sheet  25 B expands to a thickness of approximately 20 mm as shown by the dotted lines and, as a result of these, Sheet Form Magnetic Strip  24  becomes completely surrounded by each of the above mentioned expanded Heat Expansion Sheets  25 A,  25 A and  25 B, is sealed off heat-wise from flames or high temperature smoke, and the temperature rise of such Sheet Form Magnetic Strip  24  is prevented. 
     FIG. 9  shows a vertical section view of the Fire-Resistant Smoke-Suppressant Device  20  involved in this embodiment in the case of an installation on an elevator opening in a steel frame building. For Winding Device  30  for the screen, Box Base Material  311  is anchored by Anchor Bolts  123  going through Interior Finishing Material  18 , which is fixed to Crosspiece  16  of the building structure, and Storing Box  31  is anchored to such Box Base Material  311 . The rest of the structure is roughly the same as for the RC construction explained in  FIG. 7 . 
   In the above mentioned applications, the structure of Connection Hooks  261  of Screen Anchoring Method  26  for anchoring Screen  21  to the opening surface is described as utilizing the multiple Holes H through H located on the side of Support Rail  12  and the tips of Connection Hooks  261  curving and fitting each Hole H, but is not limited to this. There are no illustrations regarding other applications, but it is possible to create a vertical groove along the same positions as the holes on the side of Support Rail  12  in the above mentioned applications. 
   In this case, for example, by creating a vertical groove lengthwise on the outer side of the above mentioned Support Rail  12 , which would be enough to fit Connection Hooks  261  such as  FIG. 8(B)  shows, the multiple Connection Hooks  261  of Screen Anchoring Method  26  that are composed of a shape-memory alloy will fit in such vertical groove and it is possible to completely prevent such Anchoring Method  26 , that is, Screen  21  and Sheet Form Magnetic Strip  24 , from separating from the adhesive surface of Support Rail  12 . 
   As a result, due to the expansion of Insulation Expansion Method  25 , especially Heat Expansion Sheet  25 A and  25 A, it is possible to completely close off the space between Screen  21  and the surface of Cement Mortar  14 , which is an opening wall, seal off even the heat of flames and high temperature smoke from the sides, and there is no decrease in adhesion strength of Sheet Form Magnetic Strip  24  due to heat.