Flute plug

Abstract

A pre-formed flute plug including compressed fire-resistant material (e.g., mineral wool) for fireblocking a head-of-wall assembly. The plugs can be pre-formed to shape and include an outer coating that contains the compressed fire-resistant material inside. Once installed within a flute void, the outer coating can be ruptured to allow expansion of the fire-resistant material to fill the flute void.

1 . A head-of-wall assembly for providing fire, smoke and/or sound protection across a building joint, comprising:
 a fluted pan deck including at least one flute void extending in a first direction;   a header track attached with a lower surface of the fluted pan deck and extending in a second direction across the flute void, the second direction being transverse to the first direction;   wherein the flute void defines a width in the second direction and a height perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction;   at least one stud attached with the header track;   a wallboard attach with the stud and including an upper end that overlaps the header track;   a pre-formed plug disposed within the flute void and supported by the header track, the pre-formed plug comprising:
 a fire-resistant material; and 
 an outer coating encasing the fire-resistant material; 
   wherein in a first configuration, the outer coating compresses the fire-resistant material along a first dimension;   wherein in a second configuration, the outer coating is released to allow expansion of the fire-resistant material along the first dimension.   
     
     
         2 . The head-of-wall assembly of  claim 1 , wherein in the first configuration, the outer coating compresses the fire-resistant material along a second direction and the outer coating is released to allow expansion of the fire-resistant material along the second dimension in the second configuration. 
     
     
         3 . The head-of-wall assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the first dimension is parallel with the width of the flute void. 
     
     
         4 . The head-of-wall assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the second dimension is parallel with the height of the flute void. 
     
     
         5 . The head-of-wall assembly of  claim 4 , wherein in the first configuration, the first dimension is less than the width of the flute void and the second dimension is less than the height of the flute void, and in the second configuration, the first dimension is expanded to the width of the flute void and the second dimension is expanded to the height of the flute void, and the fire-resistant material remains compressed within the flute void. 
     
     
         6 . The head-of-wall assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the first dimension is within 95-105% of the width of the flute void and the second dimension is within 95-105% of the height of the flute void. 
     
     
         7 . The head-of-wall assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the outer coating is shrink-wrapped about the fire-resistant material in the first configuration. 
     
     
         8 . The head-of-wall assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the outer coating is vacuum-sealed about the fire-resistant material in the first configuration. 
     
     
         9 . The head-of-wall assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the outer coating comprises a latex material about the fire-resistant material in the first configuration. 
     
     
         10 . The head-of-wall assembly of  claim 1 , wherein releasing the outer coating to allow expansion of the fire-resistant material includes rupturing the outer coating. 
     
     
         11 . The head-of-wall assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a release mechanism attached with the outer coating and configured to rupture the outer coating. 
     
     
         12 . The head-of-wall assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the pre-formed plug includes an indicator that shows whether the outer coating has been released. 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A pre-formed flute plug configured to be installed within a flute void, comprising:
 an outer coating encasing a compressed fire-resistant material.   
     
     
         17 . The flute plug of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 a length extending from a first end to a second end;   a height extending from an upper surface to a lower surface; and   a width extending from a left surface to a right surface;   wherein in a first configuration, the outer coating compresses the fire-resistant material along a first dimension;   wherein in a second configuration, the outer coating is released to allow expansion of the fire-resistant material along the first dimension.   
     
     
         18 . The flute plug of  claim 17 , wherein in the first configuration, the outer coating compresses the fire-resistant material along a second direction and the outer coating is released to allow expansion of the fire-resistant material along the second dimension in the second configuration. 
     
     
         19 . The flute plug of  claim 18 , wherein the first dimension is the width and the second dimension is the height. 
     
     
         20 . The flute plug of  claim 17 , wherein the outer coating is shrink-wrapped about the fire-resistant material in the first configuration. 
     
     
         21 . The flute plug of  claim 17 , wherein the outer coating is vacuum-sealed about the fire-resistant material in the first configuration. 
     
     
         22 . The flute plug of  claim 17 , wherein the outer coating comprises a latex material about the fire-resistant material in the first configuration. 
     
     
         23 . The flute plug of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 an outer perimeter extending about a transverse section of the of the flute plug;   wherein in a first configuration, the outer perimeter has a first length;   wherein in a second configuration, the outer perimeter has a second length, greater than the first length.   
     
     
         24 . The flute plug of  claim 16 , further comprising a release mechanism attached with the outer coating and configured to rupture the outer coating. 
     
     
         25 . The flute plug of  claim 23 , wherein the release mechanism includes a material strip and a pull tab. 
     
     
         26 . (canceled)