Fire and smoke protection system

Abstract

The present disclosure describes a fire and smoke protection system for limiting the spread of fire and smoke through an opening, including those in building structures. The system includes a flexible protection member configurable in a storage configuration for subsequent deployment into a protection configuration when fire occurs. The flexible protection member is configurable in single and/or multi-layer arrangements with one or more materials, alone or in combination, and using a variety of construction methods. Generally, the flexible protection member is manufacturable using fire resistant woven and knitted fabric elements, metal foil elements, intumescent elements, and/or wire mesh elements arranged to increase the resistance to forces encountered during a fire. The various elements may be seamed using different stitching patterns and gathered using non-fire resistant thread in order to increase flexibility and resistance to forces. The flexible protection member may also be formed in segments coupled together by clamping members.

1 - 2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . A fire and smoke protection system for limiting the spread of fire and smoke through an opening, comprising:
 a flexible protection member comprising one or more self-supporting metal foil elements sandwiched by fabric elements so as to form a multi-layer structure,   wherein the flexible protection member extends substantially between lateral and longitudinal edges of the opening in a fully-deployed configuration.   
     
     
         4 . The fire and smoke protection system of  claim 3 , wherein the fabric elements each comprise glass threads and at least one stainless steel wire. 
     
     
         5 . The fire and smoke protection system of  claim 3 , further comprising a plurality of elongate clamping members, wherein the flexible protection member includes a plurality of elongate segments, and wherein the plurality of elongate clamping members couple adjacent ones of the plurality of elongate segments. 
     
     
         6 . The fire and smoke protection system of  claim 3 , wherein the one or more metal foil elements are manufactured from stainless steel. 
     
     
         7 . The fire and smoke protection system of  claim 6 , wherein the one or more metal foil elements each have a thickness between twenty micrometers and two hundred micrometers. 
     
     
         8 . The fire and smoke protection system of  claim 7 , wherein the thickness is greater than one hundred micrometers. 
     
     
         9 . The fire and smoke protection system of  claim 3 , wherein the one or more metal foil elements have a thickness between twenty micrometers and two hundred micrometers. 
     
     
         10 . The fire and smoke protection system of  claim 9 , wherein the thickness is greater than one hundred micrometers. 
     
     
         11 . The fire and smoke protection system of  claim 3 , wherein the one or more metal foil elements extend substantially between a first lateral edge and a second lateral edge of the opening in the fully-deployed configuration. 
     
     
         12 . The fire and smoke protection system of  claim 3 , wherein the fabric elements are woven fabrics. 
     
     
         13 . The fire and smoke protection system of  claim 3 , wherein the fabric elements are knitted fabrics.