U.S. patent application number 10/413472 was filed with the patent office on 2004-10-21 for aboveground shelter.
Invention is credited to Greenboim, Zvika.
Application Number | 20040206015 10/413472 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 33158563 |
Filed Date | 2004-10-21 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040206015 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Greenboim, Zvika |
October 21, 2004 |
Aboveground shelter
Abstract
Apparatus comprising an aboveground shelter that comprises a
modular interface which includes a connecting element and a
passageway for connection and passage to another the aboveground
shelter.
Inventors: |
Greenboim, Zvika; (Herzelia
Pituah, IL) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Dekel Patent Ltd.
Beit HaRofim
18 Menuha VeNahala Street, Room 27
Rehovot
IL
|
Family ID: |
33158563 |
Appl. No.: |
10/413472 |
Filed: |
April 15, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
52/79.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04H 9/10 20130101; E04H
9/14 20130101; Y02A 50/00 20180101; Y02A 50/14 20180101 |
Class at
Publication: |
052/079.1 |
International
Class: |
E04H 014/00 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. Apparatus comprising: an aboveground shelter that comprises a
modular interface which includes a connecting element and a
passageway for connection and passage to another said aboveground
shelter.
2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said aboveground shelter
is substantially impervious to tornadoes, hurricanes, storms,
fires, power failures, nuclear power plant accidents, nuclear
terrorism, nuclear war, chemical war, biological war, nuclear
detonations, ballistic attack and terrorist attack.
3. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said aboveground shelter
comprises an add-on protection element, wherein in a first
configuration said add-on protection element is storable in said
aboveground shelter but is not installed in said aboveground
shelter, and in a second configuration said add-on protection
element is installed on a portion of said aboveground shelter.
4. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein in said second
configuration said add-on protection element is installed on at
least one of a door, a window, a wall and a ceiling of said
aboveground shelter.
5. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said add-on protection
element is substantially impervious to at least one of tornadoes,
hurricanes, storms, fires, power failures, nuclear power plant
accidents, nuclear terrorism, nuclear war, chemical war, biological
war, nuclear detonations, ballistic attack and terrorist
attack.
6. Apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality
of said aboveground shelters connected to one another by means of
said modular interface.
7. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said aboveground shelter
is adjacent to a domicile and together with said domicile comprises
living quarters for humans.
8. Apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a filter
adapted to filter contaminants from the inside of said aboveground
shelter.
9. Apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a sanitary
fixture installed in said aboveground shelter.
10. A method comprising: providing an aboveground shelter
substantially impervious to tornadoes, hurricanes, storms, fires,
power failures, nuclear power plant accidents, nuclear terrorism,
nuclear war, chemical war, biological war, nuclear detonations,
ballistic attack and terrorist attack; and placing said aboveground
shelter near a domicile, wherein said aboveground shelter and said
domicile comprise living quarters for humans.
11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising connecting
a plurality of said aboveground shelters to one another by means of
a modular interface which connects said aboveground shelters
together and provides a passageway therebetween.
12. The method according to claim 10, further comprising upgrading
said aboveground shelter by installing therein an add-on protection
element, said add-on protection element being substantially
impervious to at least one of tornadoes, hurricanes, storms, fires,
power failures, nuclear power plant accidents, nuclear terrorism,
nuclear war, chemical war, biological war, nuclear detonations,
ballistic attack and terrorist attack.
13. A method comprising: designing living quarters for humans,
wherein said living quarters comprise a domicile and an aboveground
shelter in juxtaposition thereto, said aboveground shelter
comprising a unit constructed separately from said domicile and
being substantially impervious to tornadoes, hurricanes, storms,
fires, power failures, nuclear power plant accidents, nuclear
terrorism, nuclear war, chemical war, biological war, nuclear
detonations, ballistic attack and terrorist attack.
14. The method according to claim 13, wherein said aboveground
shelter is placed on a building site during construction of said
domicile and before completing building said domicile.
15. The method according to claim 13, wherein said aboveground
shelter is placed on a building site after construction of said
domicile.
16. The method according to claim 13, wherein said aboveground
shelter is placed on a building site before commencing construction
of said domicile.
17. The method according to claim 13, further comprising upgrading
sail aboveground shelter by installing therein an add-on protection
element, said add-on protection element being substantially
impervious to at least one of tornadoes, hurricanes, storms, fires,
power failures, nuclear power plant accidents, nuclear terrorism,
nuclear war, chemical war, biological war, nuclear detonations,
ballistic attack and terrorist attack.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates generally to shelters and
particularly to an aboveground shelter that protects occupants from
environmental disasters and attacks from assailants, terrorists,
and the like.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] It is well known that hurricanes, sudden tornadoes, and
devastating earthquakes, can cause a significant loss of property
and, more importantly, human life. There are many ways to protect
oneself from such catastrophic events. For example, cellars that
are covered with concrete slabs or other sturdy rigid foundations
may remain intact when in a worst case scenario the upper housing
structure is destroyed or blown away. However, there is no
guarantee that the structures above these cellars will not crash
downward into the cellar. Further, modular or mobile homes are
built upon slabs and, accordingly, offer no protection against the
devastating forces of a hurricane, tornado or earthquake.
[0003] A number of underground shelters have been developed to
protect inhabitants in the event of a hurricane or tornado.
However, these shelters offer little or no protection against other
disasters, such as earthquakes, chemical or biological disasters,
nuclear blast or multiple detonations, and terrorist attacks.
Further, such shelters generally do not provide a life support
system to provide fresh air in the event the disaster lasts longer
than a few hours. Generally there are no communications devices in
the event of a medical emergency. Moreover, exit from the shelter
may be blocked by heavy debris, thus trapping inhabitants
inside.
[0004] Solutions have been proposed to solve the above problems.
For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,385,919 and 6,438,907 to Walton
McCarthy, describe disaster shelters for mounting under ground such
that shelterists are protected from natural disasters such as
tornadoes and hurricanes, and from human made disasters, such as
bombs, armed invasions or the like. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,385,919, the
underground disaster shelter includes an entranceway having at
least one air vent and a substantially hollow paraboloid shaped
shelter cell. The shelter cell includes a paraboloid focus portion
attached to the entranceway and paraboloid base portion disposed
opposite the entranceway. A gravity ring is attached to the
paraboloid base portion and is dimensioned such that the shelter is
constrained within the ground when the water table reaches ground
level. However, this shelter does not answer the problems of
nuclear blast or multiple detonations, or of terrorist attacks.
[0005] U.S. Pat. No. 6,438,907 describes an underground shelter
that supposedly protects shelterists during disasters such as
tornadoes, storms, forest fires, power failures, nuclear power
plant accidents, nuclear terrorism, and nuclear, chemical, and
biological war, that includes an entranceway that is claimed to be
impervious to intruders. The entranceway has a low profile and may
be easily concealed, is fully fire resistant, provides the
shelterists with an alternative means of egress in the event that
an intruder covers the entranceway with a heavy object, provides a
quick acting hatch or integral locking bar to allow shelterists to
quickly enter, close, and secure the hatch in the event that an
intruder is observed, and allows the air filtration and septic
systems to be accessed from within the shelter. This is achieved by
building the shelter with an entranceway that includes a
substantially hollow main manway. A hatch dome ring is disposed
about the manway, and extends outward from the open top of the main
manway. A hatch dome cover is removably attached to the hatch dome
ring such that the hatch dome cover forms a weather resistant seal
with the hatch dome ring.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The present invention, unlike the prior art, seeks to
provide an aboveground shelter that protects occupants from
disasters, such as but not limited to, tornadoes, hurricanes,
storms, fires, power failures, nuclear power plant accidents,
nuclear terrorism, nuclear war, chemical war, biological war,
nuclear detonations, ballistic attack and terrorist attack, as is
described more in detail hereinbelow.
[0007] There is thus provided in accordance with an embodiment of
the present invention apparatus comprising an aboveground shelter
that comprises a modular interface which includes a connecting
element and a passageway for connection and passage to another the
aboveground shelter.
[0008] In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention
the aboveground shelter may further comprise an add-on protection
element, wherein in a first configuration the add-on protection
element is storable in the aboveground shelter but is not installed
in the aboveground shelter, and in a second configuration the
add-on protection element is installed on a portion of the
aboveground shelter. The add-on protection element may be installed
on a door, a window, a wall and/or a ceiling of the aboveground
shelter, for example. The add-on protection element may be
substantially impervious to at least one of tornadoes, hurricanes,
storms, fires, power failures, nuclear power plant accidents,
nuclear terrorism, nuclear war, chemical war, biological war,
nuclear detonations, ballistic attack and terrorist attack.
[0009] Further in accordance with an embodiment of the present
invention a plurality of the aboveground shelters are connected to
one another by means of the modular interface. The aboveground
shelter(s) may be adjacent to a domicile and together with the
domicile comprise living quarters for humans.
[0010] Still further in accordance with an embodiment of the
present invention a filter is provided that is adapted to filter
contaminants from the inside of the aboveground shelter. A sanitary
fixture may be installed in the aboveground shelter.
[0011] There is also provided in accordance with an embodiment of
the present invention a method comprising providing the aboveground
shelter and placing it near a domicile, wherein the aboveground
shelter and the domicile comprise living quarters for humans. In
this method, a plurality of the aboveground shelters may be
connected to one another by means of the modular interface, and
they may be upgraded by installing therein the add-on protection
elements.
[0012] There is also provided in accordance with an embodiment of
the present invention a method comprising designing living quarters
for humans, wherein the living quarters comprise a domicile and the
aboveground shelter in juxtaposition thereto, the aboveground
shelter comprising a unit constructed separately from the domicile
and being substantially impervious to the abovementioned disasters.
The aboveground shelter may be placed on a building site before,
during or after construction of the domicile.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] The present invention will be understood and appreciated
more fully from the following detailed description, taken in
conjunction with the drawings in which:
[0014] FIG. 1 is a simplified pictorial illustration of aboveground
shelters, constructed and operative in accordance with an
embodiment of the present invention, wherein the aboveground
shelters may be connected to one another in a modular fashion;
[0015] FIG. 2 is a simplified top-view illustration of an exemplary
layout of the inside of the aboveground shelter of FIG. 1, in
accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;
[0016] FIG. 3 is a simplified pictorial illustration of add-on
protection element for attachment to a portion of the aboveground
shelter of FIG. 1, in accordance with an embodiment of the present
invention;
[0017] FIG. 4 is a simplified pictorial illustration of a method of
integrating the aboveground shelter of FIG. 1 with a domicile, in
accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the
aboveground shelter is placed in juxtaposition to the
already-completed domicile, wherein the aboveground shelter and the
domicile may together form living quarters; and
[0018] FIG. 5 is a simplified pictorial illustration of a method of
integrating the aboveground shelter of FIG. 1 with a domicile, in
accordance with another embodiment of the present invention,
wherein the aboveground shelter is placed on a building site during
construction of the domicile, before completion of the domicile,
wherein afterwards the aboveground shelter and the domicile may
together form living quarters.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0019] Reference is now made to FIG. 1, which illustrates an
aboveground shelter 10, constructed and operative in accordance
with an embodiment of the present invention.
[0020] Shelter 10 may comprise walls 12, ceiling 14 and flooring 16
constructed of a suitable material for withstanding natural
disasters (e.g., hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, volcano
eruptions, etc.), such as but not limited to, reinforced concrete.
The material properties of the construction material, such as but
not limited to, density, yield strength (e.g., compression,
buckling, etc.), porosity, thermal conductivity, weatherproof
ability, ability to withstand corrosive agents, and the like, as
well as dimensions (e.g., thickness) may be selected to meet or
exceed standards such that shelter 10 is substantially impervious
to one or more dangers, such as but not limited to, tornadoes,
hurricanes, storms, fires, power failures, nuclear power plant
accidents, nuclear terrorism, nuclear, chemical and/or biological
war, nuclear blast or multiple detonations, ballistic attack and
terrorist attack. Shelter 10 may comprise one or more reinforced
entry/exit/escape doors 18 and/or windows (or hatches) 20, which
may likewise be constructed of a suitable material for withstanding
the abovementioned disasters. For example, door 18 and/or window 20
may be constructed with ballistic-resistant steel plates on outer
sides thereof. The core of door 18 and/or window 20 may be
constructed of other materials, such as but not limited to,
polyurethane, reinforced glass or polycarbonate, etc.
[0021] Shelter 10 may comprise a modular interface such that a
plurality of shelters 10 may be modularly connected to one another.
For example, the modular interface may comprise a connecting
element 22, such as but not limited to, reinforced plates that may
be fastened to the roof or walls of adjoining shelters 10 by means
of any suitable fastener (e.g., bolts, screws, adhesive, etc.). The
modular interface may further comprise a passageway 24 for passage
between adjoining aboveground shelters 10. Accordingly, in the
present invention, a homeowner or other end user may modularly set
up one or more shelters 10 to suit his/her particular sheltering
needs. Lifting eyes 26 may be secured to the roof of shelter 10 for
lifting by a crane and the like (as seen further below in FIG.
4).
[0022] Reference is now made to FIG. 2, which illustrates an
exemplary layout of the inside of aboveground shelter 10, in
accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. It is
emphasized that the illustrated embodiment is just one example of
many other possibilities within the scope of the invention, and the
invention is not limited at all to this example.
[0023] In the illustrated embodiment, one or more beds 28 may be
placed in shelter 10, separated by other furniture, such as a table
30 and chair 32. Shelves 34 may be provided for storing objects.
Space may be provided for all sorts of appliances, such as but not
limited to, a refrigerator 36, a microwave oven 38 and a television
40. One or more sanitary fixtures 42 may be provided, such as but
not limited to, sinks, bathtubs, or toilets. Plumbing may be
provided for water flow, including a water tank for supplying
drinking water or washing water for an extended stay in shelter 10.
Chemical toilets may be employed instead. One or more filters 44
may be provided to filter contaminants from the inside of
aboveground shelter 10. For example, filters 44 may be placed above
an area near door 18 and may filter out biological or chemical
contaminants. Other devices or equipment for prolonged occupancy of
shelter 10 may be provided, such as but not limited to, emergency
telephones, emergency buttons/switches and/or lights, emergency
communications devices, generators, first aid kits and others.
[0024] Reference is now made to FIG. 3, which illustrates a
possibility of upgrading the capability of shelter 10 to withstand
stronger or harsher disasters. In accordance with an embodiment of
the invention, aboveground shelter 10 may comprise an add-on
protection element 50. In a first configuration, add-on protection
element 50 may be stored in shelter 10 (as seen in FIG. 2), and is
not yet installed in shelter 10. In a second configuration, add-on
protection element 50 may be installed on a portion of shelter 10
(such as but not limited to, the outside or inside of door 18,
window 20, wall 12, ceiling 14 and/or flooring 16), such as with
fasteners 48.
[0025] Add-on protection element 50 may comprise a plate, slab,
rod, bar of a strong material, such as but not limited to,
reinforced concrete, a steel alloy, boron nitride, KEVLAR and
others. Add-on protection element 50 is preferably substantially
impervious to at least one of tornadoes, hurricanes, storms, fires,
power failures, nuclear power plant accidents, nuclear terrorism,
nuclear, chemical and/or biological war, nuclear blast or multiple
detonations, ballistic attack and terrorist attack.
[0026] The present invention provides a method for planning,
designing and constructing living quarters with the aboveground
shelter 10 integrated therein.
[0027] For example, referring now to FIG. 4, it is seen that
aboveground shelter 10 may be placed adjacent to a domicile 60
(e.g., private home, apartment building, school building, hotel,
motel, office building, government building, etc.). There is no
need to construct a shelter on site and disrupt everyday life at
the domicile 60. Rather, in the present invention, the aboveground
shelter 10 comes completely built and may be simply installed in
place by a lifting crane 62, on some plot of ground adjacent to the
previously built domicile 60. Shelter 10 may be anchored in place
by anchors (not shown), but calculations have shown that anchors
may be unnecessary, even for withstanding 250 mph winds, if the
shelter has sufficient weight (e.g., 15 tons). Shelter 10 may form
convenient and comfortable living quarters for humans together with
domicile 60. Shelter 10 may be fully or partially integrated with
the plumbing, water supply lines, communication lines and
electricity lines of domicile 60. Alternatively, after
installation, shelter 10 may remain a standalone unit separate from
domicile 60. Again, the capability of shelter 10 to withstand
stronger or harsher disasters may be upgraded at will with add-on
protection elements 50. Other shelters 10 may be modularly added to
the first shelter 10, as described above.
[0028] Referring now to FIG. 5, it is seen that aboveground shelter
10 may alternatively be integrated with domicile 60, by placing
shelter 10 on a building site during construction of domicile 60
and before completing building domicile 60. Shelter 10 is a unit
constructed separately from domicile 60, and may be placed on the
building site before commencing construction of domicile 60 or
later during any construction stage thereof. The invention thus
provides flexibility to designers, architects, interior
decorators
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