The present invention relates to a universal fire seal, hereafter referred to as UFS, and mole particularly a flat flexible universal fire seal that can be used for almost any penetration through walls, floors, ceilings, insulated and uninsulated partitioning Wi i lis.

In viewi of the different types of penetrations such as ventilation vents, recessed ligh fittings etc. and the different types of structures that the penetrations go through, a present there is a wide range of types of fire seals required for each type of penetration and structure.

Most fife seal designs at present have difficulty in fire sealing th uip walled plastic penetrfltio ns such as those with a 1.8mm wall thickness and below . The plastic penetrftio n softens and melts before the fire seal can expand to fill the void left by the me ed penetration.

Most fife 3 seal designs at present, as well as having difficulty in fife sealing thin walled plastic )enetrations of for example 1.8mm wall thickness and below also have difficulty on thicker wall sections when trying to achieve fire ratings and regulations to meet current •re test standards for testing uncapped penetrations.

In the £ Dove circumstances most fire seal designs at present ard individually designed for€ ach different type of penetration (vent, light fitting type) not only for size but shapi as well.

Clearly (a more universally applicable fire seal would have great advantageous in terms of applicability to a wider range of penetrations and so avoid inventory problems and Waste in terms of materials, energy usage in manufacture and transportation [ osts.

In accordance with aspects of the present invention there is prov ded a fire seal assembl for use in uninsulated (hollow) or insulated stud partitioning or solid walls, floors, eft ilings etc., the seal assembly comprising of an expansion

combination sttrip comprising of an intumescent layer bonded to a fire resistant flexible layer <|n at least one face for presentation in use away from a penetration whereby the r tumescent layer in use is between a surface of the penetration and the fire resistant flexible layer and contained by the fire resistant flexible layer to force the intuni escent to expand inwards to crush and seal the penetration along a user specified ength by presentation as a wrap around the penetration rrespective of any differing outside diameters of the penetration. Preferably the UFS may combine a fire resistant flexible layer or the intumescent f ice furthest away from the penetration which would be contained by the fire resist? nt flexible layer forcing the intumescent to expand inwards to crush and seal the penetration

Prefer, bly the UFS may also combine a fire resistant flexible layje r on the intumescent f ; ce facing the penetration allowing the fire resistant flexible layer to be forced inwa rd . from all directions across the aperture of the penetration reducing the opening and reducing the penetration of flames and hot gases to the inside of the penetration pi Meeting and slowing down the expansion thereby increasing the fire rating time.

Possib the UFS may also combine a fire resistant flexible layerj on the intumescent f ce fixed centrally down the length with a plurality of cuts/slits from the outer edge to he central fixing facing the penetration allowing the fire resistant flexible layer t ) drop across the aperture particularly with thin walled plastic reducing the opening a id reducing the penetration of flames and hot gases to the inside of the penetration, a lowing time for the Intumescent to expand, also slowing down the expansion ale ig the depth of the aperture once the Intumescent has expanded thereby increasing the fire rating time.

Possib y the UFS may combine a fire resistant flexible layer on

intumescent flee facing the penetration but not on the outer face furth

the penetratiojn when made for use in solid walls, floors, ceilings etc.

Prefer ply the UFS may be made to the width to fit flush with thej external faces of partition ing, walls, floors, ceilings etc.

Possib jy the UFS may be made wider than the width of the external faces of partitioning, wills floors, ceilings etc. , so that the UFS protrudes beyond the external faces of the p rtitioning, walls, floors, ceilings etc., allowing the UFS to 'eact quicker to the heat source sealing up externally first before sealing through the aperture.

Possibly the UFS could be encased in a free expandable sleeve/sock of fire resistant flexible material.

Prefera )ly the UFS may comprise an integral joining tab. Possibl ' the UFS could have a separate joining piece. More if an one expansion combination may be provided in the UFS assembly

or square plaitic ducting, or any shape that it can be formed or wound around, including metal electrical cable trays etc.

By use or f a fire seal in accordance with aspects of the present invention it will be understood as explained below that less of the fire sealing expanding

(intumescent)llproduct is needed thereby reducing the overall size of the apertures for penetratio s required thereby retaining more of the structures integrity and also increasing the fire rating time.

The fire leal can be pre formed or pre joined by use of the integrajl fixing tab or joining piece j hen required.

The fire seal is designed to work with un-insulated (hollow) stud partitioning or wall by traversing the void from one wall face to the opposite wall face, there is no longer any to form or make metal sleeves to traverse the void to act as a barrier p reversing the fire protection products previously used from expanding and falling into thai cavity, or to use fire collars fixed to the wall protruding in o the room.

The fire leal is also designed to be used in or with solid wall, ceiling and floor constructions so again there is no longer any need for the use of metal fire collars or fire sleeves, qr any metal at all. The fire seal reduces the need to use different products.

By using a fire seal in accordance with aspects of the present invention , the energy used il producing the metal for manufacturing a metal sleeve or metal collar is eliminated, Energy used to mine the ore, energy used to smelt and produce the steel, energy jised to roll and produce the metal, energy used in fabricating the sleeve or coll r are all eliminated. Further energy is saved by not having to mechanically ix the metal sleeve or collar. It will also be understood that these metal components tlnd to conduct heat so further savings may be made in terms of least heat losses t< and from a building by these heat conductive paths and ess prospect of condensation problems.

Fire sea & in accordance with aspects of the present invention are preferably supplied and packaged flat, thereby reducing packaging materials and storage space required as opposed to preformed products. As an example, in packaging two preformed f , approximately forty flat fire seals in accordance with aspects of the present indention will fit in the same packaging. This means that fuel used and emissions f transporting goods are reduced by 95% per equivalent cubic area, reducing Carflon dioxide (C02), Carbon monoxide (CO), Nitrogen oxides (NO and N02, togethe called NOx), Hydrocarbons or volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Penetr itions through building structures such as vents, ducts and fittings come in a ran je of sizes and shapes. The present universal fire seal (UFS) comprises a s leet or more normally a strip of material which can be formed around and in the perpetration and the aperture to accommodate that penetration . The UFS comprises a t ermally expansive layer and a fire resistant layer made a flexible material such fabric impregnated with a fire retardant or physically rendered flexible by scqpng or slitting or similar processes to provide local pivot a nr d flex to allow a relativ ly stiff material to be flexible. Similarly the thermal expansion or intumescent l yer will be flexible as a thin sheet of material and/or by scoring or slits in the materia forming the intumescent layer. By rendering the universal I seal so flexible it can |e wrapped around or moulded or adhered as necessary o the penetration in erms of the component forming the penetration such as i/ent or duct and/or the apirture formed in a structure to accommodate the component to form the penetration

The fig res provided illustrate various embodiments of a universal fire seal in accordance w|h aspects of the present invention in a number of forms. !

Figure illustrates a first prime embodiment of a fire seal in accordance with aspects of thej|present invention in which a fire resistant layer 1 is secured by an adhesive layef 2 to one side of a thermally expanding or intumescent material layer 4. In fabrication the layers 1.2,4 are held together by an adhesive release backing paper 3 which (is removed after fabrication by peeling away to be replaced with an edging if needed around the formed strip or sheet combination as a fire seal preform, In use the fire eal preform will be presented with the thermally expanding or intumescent 4 between the penetration (aperture or component) the fire resistant layer) 11 so that when heated it will expand between the two in order to close the aperture

Figure f illustrates a second prime embodiment of a fire seal in aiecordance with aspects o| the present invention in which two fire resistant layers 1 f a, 1 1 b are secured by reebective adhesive layers 12a, 12b either side of a thermal Sy expanding or intumescen : material layer 4. In fabrication the layers 1 1 , 12, 14 are field together by an adhesive release backing paper 13 which is removed after fabrication by peeling away t ) be replaced with an edging if needed around the formed strip or sheet combination as a fire seal preform. In use the fire seal preform always be presented with) the thermally expanding or intumescent layer 14 between the penetration (a erture or component) and the fire resistant layers 1 12 so that when heated it will expand between the two in order to close the penetration aperture.

It will b| understood that flexibility to allow close moulding and presentation of fire seals in accordance with aspects of the present invention to penetration structures, apeitures and components so that the penetration will be closed upon heating. How< ver, the seal has a number of sheets or layers of material of differing stiff ness/flexit ility, thickness, roughness and other properties so these layers will react differenl y in bending and flexing. In such circumstances as illustrated in figure 3 showing an 2nd view of the fire seal preform illustrated in figure 2 it wjill be noted that the therrr ally expanding or intumescent material layer 14 on one side is adhered by an adhesiv 5 layer 12b to the fire resistant layer 1 1 b across substantially its whole area as a bac cer layer whilst on the other side only some areas, which may be point, patches, sear is or stripes, have an adhesive layer 12a and/or stitching! 15 and/or staples to hoi- the other fire resistant layer 1 1 a to the thermally expanding or intumescent I, yer 14. Such an approach will give far greater flexibility but also may give a prefern d orientation for the preform fire seal, in that the fire resistant layer 1 1 b will typic ly be toward the aperture or component of the penetration whilst the less restrictec fire resistant layer 1 1 a will be toward the aperture or cavity of the penetration st that the action of the intumescent will not be hindered and as this will be the orienta ion which most needs flexibility for accommodation in the penetration.

Figure i shows an exploded fire seal preform in accordance mainly with regard to the first embodiment of aspects of the present invention depicted in figure 1 above. Thus, he fire resistant layer 1 is presented on one side of the thermally expanding or ntumescent layer 4 and secured by a stripe of the adhesive layer 2 and/or stitchei; 6 and/or staples 5. The layer 2, staples 5 and stitches are along a middle sectioi and will provide the greatest thickness of the fire seal preform but to provide additi onal flexibility in the 'wing' or 'flank' parts of the fire seal preform it will be noted that he fire resistant layer 1 is slit or scored to give more flexibility. The thermally exp inding or intumescent layer 4 could also be slit or scored to provide greater flex ar d so flexibility in the seal preform. j

The method of formation of the universal fire seal is generally consistent in that a release! backing paper is provided so that the fire resistant layer or layers can be combined jvith the thermal expansion or intumescent layer with an adhesive layer to secure at least one fire resistant layer to the thermal expansion or intumescent layer but with alternative to secure other fire resistant layer if used. Thus, with regard to the second embodiment primarily described with regard to figure 2 above further modifications iinclude:-

A) In figur ; 5 an intumescent layer 24 is between fire resistant layers 21 a, 21 b with ar adhesive layer 22a to fully secure the layer 24 to fire resistant layer 21 a on one side and an edge adhesive layer or stripe 22b to secure the other fire res stant layer 21 b along one edge so that the intumescent layer 24 can expand within the sandwich pocket provided. j

B) In figure 6 an intumescent layer 34 is between fire resistant layers 31 a, 31 b with ar adhesive layer 32 to fully secure the layer 34 to fire resistant layer 31 a on one) side and an edge staples 35 to secure the other fire resistant layer 31 b along |ne edge so that the intumescent layer 34 can expand within the sandwich pocket provided.

C) in figuie 7 an intumescent layer 44 is between fire resistant layers 41 a, 41 b with art adhesive layer 42 to fully secure the layer 44 to fire resistant layer 41 a on oni side and an edge stitching 48 to secure the other fire resistant layer 41 b al|ng one edge so that the intumescent layer 44 can expard within the sandW ch pocket provided.

D) In figu |e 8 an intumescent layer 54 is between fire resistant layers 51 a, 51 b with art adhesive layer 52a to fully secure the layer 54 to fire resistant layer 51 a oi one side and an edge adhesive 52b, staples 55 and stitching 56 to secure the other fire resistant layer 51 b along one edge so that the

intumiscent layer 34 can expand within the sandwich pocket provided

Figure) 8 and figure 9 provide end and side views respectively of a universal fire seal i n accordance with aspects of the present invention located around a penetratidh 68 such as a pipe, duct, cable tray etc. The seal is formed

substantially consistent to the second embodiment depicted in figu re 2 where the thermally expanding or intumescent layer 64 is between fire resistaht layers 61 with the a .sociation secured by adhesive layers 62. The seal wraps around the penetratio] 1 68 with ends of the seal abutting together at 12 to enve: ope the penetrati such that the penetration and aperture will close upon heating such as in a firt The seal being flexible it will be understood that the seal can be rendered I close fit.

I The penetration 8 is in a wail, floor, ceiling, partition wall or other structure a r panel 9 in a building, machine compartment, cabin or s ructure.

Aspects ol the present invention have particular utility with regard to penetration structures and components as well as panels which are thin or havf a low level of robustness at elevated temperatures such as in a fire. For a thermally expansive or intume:;cent component to be effective as indicated above there imust be a base for tl e intumescent to act against to close the penetration andj aperture. The seal can t 3 wrapped in a spiral around the penetration but as will be appreciated it is the op sning which is of concern so the seal will most normally be presented as a 'collar adjacent to the open end of the penetration or seal component.

Jigure 1 1 shows a section of activated intumescent 10 at] one open end of the tration 8 in the side configuration of a universal seal in accordance with aspects of the present invention. As can be seen the intumescent layer 4 as activated fj/ith heat to provide a closure 10 for the penetration 8 so path for air and so ox| gen along or through the penetration is closed. The presence of the fire resista!ht layers 61 means the softening and weakness in the penetration 8 or wall 9 doefc not prevent the intumescent deploying properly and witli sufficient speed to a practical fire inhibition arrangement. assembly in manufacture and/or during installation to allow the seal to be mouldeJ or wrapped or wound around a penetration in use.

The embodiment depicted in figure 22 is similar to that shown in figure 19 in the : an adhesive layer 1 72 between a first intumescent layetj 174a and a second ι ltumescent layer 1 74b is provided to secure the seal together with a fire resistanl layer 171 to one side. The adhesive layer 172 is folded with the fire resistant layer 171 around an edge or end of the intumescent layejrs 1 74a, 174b to secun them together. However, between the intumescent layers 74a, 174b beneath he fold there is provided stitches 176 for greater security: of assembly. A release f aper 173 secured by the adhesive layer 172 is provided fo facilitate assembl; in manufacture and/or during installation to allow the seal to be moulded or wrapped or wound around a penetration in use. !

Figure 23 schematically illustrates in perspective view in; figure 23a un l| If ire seal preform 180a comprising a fire resistant layer 1 Q1 , an adhesive layer 182 and a thermally expansive or intumescent layer 184 secured together. A release paper 183 is provide at one end to allow fabrication by keeping is end of the se|l 181 a together during that process as well as during moulding, winding, j rapping or other forming around a penetration in use. Orice provided around penetration as illustrated in figure 23b the release paper 183 end of the universal fire seal preform 180a is removed to leave a cut to size seal 180b suitable fir the actual penetration to which and in which it will be used .

Figures 24 to 29 show further embodiments of aspects of the present invention lased upon the primary first and the second embodiments respectively depicted i| figure 1 and figure 2 respectively above. j n figure 24 two thermally expansive or intumescent layers 194a, 194b are providfed with two fire resistant layers 191 a, 191 b secured such that a first fire resistant |yer 1 91 a is secured by an adhesive layer 192a as a backer and a second firl resistant layer 191 b is secured by an edge adhesive layer 192b above a fiftt intumescent layer 194a and by a top adhesive layer 1 2c to a second i ntfmescent layer 194b which in use would be towards the cavity or opening ofj the penetration. A release paper 193 secured by the adhesive layer 192a is provided to facilitate assembly in manufacture and/or during installation to allow the sia to be moulded or wrapped or wound around a penetration in use. l| figure 25 two thermally expansive or intumescent layers 204a, 204b are providejp with two fire resistant layers 201 a. 201 b secured such that a first fire resistant later ; 201 a is secured by an adhesive layer 202a as a backer and a second fire!!resistant layer 201 b is secured by an middle edge adhesive layer 202b abovl a first intumescent layer 204a and by a top edge adhesive layer 202c to a seconl intumescent layer 204b which in use would be towards the cavity or opening o the penetration. A release paper 203 secured by the adhesive layer 202a is pro vided to facilitate assembly in manufacture and/or during installation to allow the gpal to be moulded or wrapped or wound around a penetration in use.

In figure 26 two thermally expansive or intumescent layers 214a, 214b are provided with two fire resistant layers 21 1 a, 21 1 b secured such jthat a first fire resistant li yer 21 1 a is secured by an adhesive layer 212a as a backer and a second fin resistant layer 21 1 b is secured by an edge adhesive layer 2 2b above a fit ;t intumescent layer 214a and by a top adhesive layer 2li2c to a second int jmescent layer 214b which in use would be towards the cavity or opening o the penetration . A release paper 213 secured by the adhesive layer 212a is pr vided to facilitate assembly in manufacture and/or during installation to allow the ί sal to be moulded or wrapped or wound around a penetration in use. To provide extra security of assembly the backer comprising the first fire resistant layer 21 ε and the adhesive layer 212a are folded around an end or edge as with previous e nbodiments opposite the release paper 213.

In figure 27 two thermally expansive or intumescent layers 224a, 224b are provid |d with two fire resistant layers 221 a, 221 b secured such ithat a first fire resistant Ifyer r 221 a is secured by an adhesive layer 222a as a backer and a second firi resistant layer 221 b is secured by an middle edge adhesive layer 222b abo\ 3 a first intumescent layer 224a and by a top edge adhesive layer 222c to a secorjp intumescent layer 224b which in use would be towards the cavity or opening o the penetration. A release paper 223 secured by the adhesive layer 222a is provided to facilitate assembly in manufacture and/or during installation to allow the sea Il to be moulded or wrapped or wound around a penetration in use. To provid extra security of assembly the backer comprising the first fire resistant layer 221 and the adhesive layer 222a are folded around an end or edge as with previous ej [nbodiments opposite the release paper 223. As with earlier

embodiments provision of a middle and/or edge adhesive layer 222b, 222c will render the seal assembly more flexible in comparison with an adhesive layer which extends completely across the layers. ii figure 28 two thermally expansive or intumescent layers 234a, 234b are d with two fire resistant layers 231 a, 231 b secured by an adhesive layer 232 nd staples 235. A first fire resistant layer 231 a along with part of the adhesive yer 232 is folded around an edge or end of the seal with the staples 235 beneith the fold. A release paper 233 secured by the adhesive} layer 232a is provided tl facilitate assembly in manufacture and/or during installation to allow the seal tdj be moulded or wrapped or wound around a penetration in use. In figu rfc 29 two thermally expansive or intumescent layers 244a 244b are provided ith two fire resistant layers 241 a, 241 b secured by an adhesive layer 242 and staples 245. A first fire resistant layer 241 a along with part of the adhesive |yer 242 is folded around an edge or end of the seal with the stitches 246 bene h the fold. A release paper 243 secured by the adhesive layer 242a is provided facilitate assembly in manufacture and/or during installation to allow the sea! toj be moulded or wrapped or wound around a penetration in use.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that any number of combinations (of the aforementioned features and/or those shown in the appended drawings prof ide clear advantages over the prior art and are therefore within the scope of the i invention described herein. j