U.S. patent application number 15/690479 was filed with the patent office on 2018-01-18 for containment curtains as well as systems and apparatuses including same.
The applicant listed for this patent is Xenex Disinfection Services, LLC.. Invention is credited to Joel G. Delman, Daniel F.S. English, Ricardo Flores-Clar, Paul P. Froutan, Morris Miller, Timothy J. Morton, Sarah E. Simmons, Rachael A. Sparks, Julie A. Stachowiak, Mark A. Stibich.
Application Number | 20180014681 15/690479 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 51842853 |
Filed Date | 2018-01-18 |
United States Patent
Application |
20180014681 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Stibich; Mark A. ; et
al. |
January 18, 2018 |
Containment Curtains As Well As Systems And Apparatuses Including
Same
Abstract
Room dividers are provided having an edge at least four feet
from a room floor and at least twenty inches from a ceiling, an
open or perforated space above and adjacent the edge along at least
a majority portion of the room divider, and a moveable shield
configured such that fluid from one side of the room divider is
substantially blocked from passing through the open/perforated
space when the shield is aligned with the space. Curtains are
provided which include fastener/s arranged along a screen and
strut/s coupled to the fastener/s, wherein the screen extends at
least 3 inches above the fastener/s and the strut/s extend at least
24 inches below the fastener/s. Other curtains include struts
extending along less than an entire length of the screen but at
least between a point approximately level with at least one of the
fastener/s to at least 24 inches below the fastener/s.
Inventors: |
Stibich; Mark A.; (Santa Fe,
NM) ; Miller; Morris; (Austin, TX) ;
Flores-Clar; Ricardo; (San Antonio, TX) ; Simmons;
Sarah E.; (San Antonio, TX) ; Sparks; Rachael A.;
(San Antonio, TX) ; Froutan; Paul P.; (Katy,
TX) ; Stachowiak; Julie A.; (Houston, TX) ;
English; Daniel F.S.; (Holyoke, MA) ; Morton; Timothy
J.; (Austin, TX) ; Delman; Joel G.; (Los
Angeles, CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Xenex Disinfection Services, LLC. |
San Antonio |
TX |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
51842853 |
Appl. No.: |
15/690479 |
Filed: |
August 30, 2017 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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15092802 |
Apr 7, 2016 |
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15690479 |
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PCT/US2014/059698 |
Oct 8, 2014 |
|
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15092802 |
|
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61888354 |
Oct 8, 2013 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61L 2202/25 20130101;
A47H 2201/01 20130101; A61L 2/10 20130101; A47H 23/00 20130101;
A47H 1/19 20130101; A61L 2/26 20130101; A61G 12/00 20130101; A47H
21/00 20130101; A61L 2/084 20130101; A47H 13/00 20130101; A47H
2201/00 20130101; A47H 23/08 20130101; E04B 2/00 20130101; A47H
2201/02 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A47H 13/00 20060101
A47H013/00; A47H 23/00 20060101 A47H023/00; A47H 23/08 20060101
A47H023/08; A61L 2/10 20060101 A61L002/10; A61G 12/00 20060101
A61G012/00; A47H 1/19 20060101 A47H001/19; A61L 2/26 20060101
A61L002/26; A47H 21/00 20060101 A47H021/00; A61L 2/08 20060101
A61L002/08 |
Claims
1. A room divider, comprising: a base portion having an edge
disposed at least four feet from a floor of a room and at least
twenty inches from a ceiling of the room; an open or perforated
space above and adjacent the edge along at least a majority portion
of the room divider; and a moveable shield that is repositionable
relative to the open or perforated space, wherein the moveable
shield is configured such that fluid from one side of the room
divider is substantially blocked from passing through the open or
perforated space when the moveable shield is positioned in
alignment with the open or perforated space.
2. The room divider of claim 1, wherein the moveable shield is
configured to attenuate a majority amount of the visible light
spectrum and/or a majority amount of the ultraviolet
electromagnetic radiation subtype C light spectrum.
3. The room divider of claim 1, wherein a height of the open or
perforated space is at least 20 inches.
4. The room divider of claim 1, wherein the moveable shield is
coupled to the base portion.
5. The room divider of claim 4, wherein the moveable shield is
configured to move upward to block the open or perforated
space.
6. The room divider of claim 1, wherein the base portion is a
floor-based partition.
7. The room divider of claim 1, wherein the base portion is a
suspended curtain.
8. The room divider of claim 1, wherein the moveable shield
comprises a material with sufficient stiffness to uphold the
moveable shield to block the open or perforated space.
9. The room divider of claim 1, wherein the moveable shield
comprises a substantially pliable material.
10. The room divider of claim 1, wherein the moveable shield is a
rigid plate.
11. The room divider of claim 1, wherein the moveable shield is a
curtain.
12. A curtain, comprising: a pliable screen; one or more fasteners
arranged along the pliable screen, wherein the one or more
fasteners are configured for attaching the curtain to an object,
and wherein a section of the pliable screen extends to an elevation
at least 3 inches above the one or more fasteners; and one or more
struts coupled to the one or more fasteners, wherein each of the
one or more struts extends to an elevation at least 24 inches below
the one or more fasteners.
13. The curtain of claim 12, wherein the one or more struts further
extend to one or more elevations above the one or more
fasteners.
14. The curtain of claim 12, further comprising one or more
additional struts arranged along the pliable screen that are
distinct from the one or more struts, wherein the one or more
additional struts extend to one or more elevations above the one or
more fasteners.
15. The curtain of claim 12, wherein the section of the pliable
screen extending above the one or more fasteners comprises a
material with a sufficient degree of stiffness to extend upward
from the one or more fasteners.
16. The curtain of claim 12, wherein the one or more struts are
directly coupled to the one or more fasteners.
17. The curtain of claim 12, wherein the one or more struts are
indirectly coupled to the one or more fasteners.
18. The curtain of claim 12, wherein the one or more struts are
arranged within the pliable screen.
19. The curtain of claim 12, wherein the one or more struts are
arranged exterior to the pliable screen.
20. The curtain of claim 12, wherein a different section of the
pliable screen extends below the one or more fasteners and
comprises a different material than the section of the pliable
screen extending above the one or more fasteners.
21. The curtain of claim 12, wherein at least one of the one or
more struts comprises a handle.
22. The curtain of claim 12, wherein the section of the pliable
screen extends to an elevation at least 12 inches above the one or
more fasteners.
23. A curtain, comprising: a pliable screen; one or more fasteners
arranged along the pliable screen, wherein the one or more
fasteners are configured for attaching the curtain to an object;
and multiple longitudinal struts arranged along the pliable screen,
wherein each of the multiple longitudinal struts extends along less
than an entire length of the pliable screen but at least between a
point approximately level with at least one of the one or more
fasteners to an elevation at least 24 inches below the one or more
fasteners.
24. The curtain of claim 23, wherein at least two neighboring
struts of the multiple longitudinal struts are spaced apart by a
distance between approximately 1 foot and approximately 3 feet.
25. The curtain of claim 23, wherein the one or more fasteners are
spaced evenly across the pliable screen.
26. The curtain of claim 23, wherein the one or more fasteners are
spaced non-evenly across along the pliable screen.
27. The curtain of claim 23, wherein at least one of the multiple
longitudinal struts extends to an elevation above the one or more
fasteners.
28. The curtain of claim 23, further comprising one or more
additional struts arranged along the pliable screen that are
distinct from the multiple longitudinal struts, wherein the one or
more additional struts extend to one or more elevations above the
one or more fasteners.
29. The curtain of claim 23, wherein the multiple longitudinal
struts are directly coupled to the one or more fasteners.
30. The curtain of claim 23, wherein the multiple longitudinal
struts are indirectly coupled to the one or more fasteners.
31. The curtain of claim 23, wherein the multiple longitudinal
struts are arranged within the pliable screen.
32. The curtain of claim 23, wherein the multiple longitudinal
struts are arranged exterior to the pliable screen.
33. The curtain of claim 23, wherein the multiple longitudinal
struts are respectively disposed between different neighboring
fasteners of the one or more fasteners.
34. The curtain of claim 23, wherein at least one of the multiple
longitudinal struts comprises a handle.
Description
PRIORITY CLAIM
[0001] This application is a continuation of pending U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 15/092,802 filed Apr. 7, 2016, which is a
continuation application of International Application No.
PCT/US2014/059698 filed Oct. 8, 2014, which designates the United
States and claims priority to U.S. Application No. 61/888,354,
filed Oct. 8, 2013.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
[0002] This invention generally relates to containment curtains and
room dividers with shields and, more specifically but not limited
to, containment curtains and room dividers for rooms which
typically have multiple occupancy as well as systems and
apparatuses including such containment curtains and room
dividers.
2. Description of the Related Art
[0003] The following descriptions and examples are not admitted to
be prior art by virtue of their inclusion within this section.
[0004] Area/room disinfection is becoming increasingly important as
pathogenic microorganisms have been shown to cause infections when
present in occupied rooms or areas. This is especially important as
antimicrobial resistant organisms are becoming more prevalent and
increasingly difficult to treat. Examples of area/room disinfection
applications are those used in hospitals and those used in
agricultural operations, such as for breeding and/or farming
animals. In general, the objective of area/room disinfection is to
reduce the number of pathogenic microorganisms in an area/room to a
level which is much less harmful to human health. In order to limit
or prevent exposure of germicides and/or distractions to occupants
of a room or area, area/room disinfection is typically performed by
trained cleaning personnel or by an automated device after a room
has been vacated by the previous occupants. Complete evacuation of
some areas/rooms, however, is sometimes difficult to attain due to
the use of the area/room. For example, multiple occupancy rooms,
such as but not limited to multiple occupancy patient rooms in
hospitals, and/or relatively large high traffic areas with
ambiguous boundaries, such as but not limited to nurses' stations
in hospitals, can sometimes be difficult to evacuate for
disinfection of the entire area/room.
[0005] In some embodiments, portions of multiple occupancy rooms
and/or relatively large high traffic areas can be sectioned off
using a room divider to establish a vacated area for area/room
disinfection procedures. For example, a cubicle curtain in a
multiple occupancy patient room may be drawn around a single
patient bed after the patient has left or a floor based paneled
screen may be used to section off a portion of an area/room. In
many of such cases, however, the room divider does not provide a
barricade from floor to ceiling and, in some embodiments, the body
portion of the room divider may be partially transparent and/or
have open areas. Consequently, in many of such cases, persons
occupying an area/room outside a region sectioned off by the room
divider are undesirably exposed to the germicide and/or
distractions of a disinfection process performed in the sectioned
off region. For some disinfection processes, such as but not
limited to those which utilize ultraviolet electromagnetic
radiation subtype C (UVC) light, human exposure to the germicide is
prohibited or needs to be minimized to undetectable levels and,
thus, such disinfection processes typically cannot be used for
regions of an area/room sectioned off by a room divider which is
transparent and/or does not completely barricade a region.
[0006] Accordingly, it would be beneficial to develop screens which
serve to better barricade regions of a room, particularly in
conjunction with but not limited to existing room dividers. In
addition, it would be advantageous to develop systems and
apparatuses including such screens. It would be further beneficial
to configure the screens, systems, and apparatuses to be easily set
up, handled and stored.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The following description of various embodiments of
apparatuses is not to be construed in any way as limiting the
subject matter of the appended claims.
[0008] Embodiments of room dividers include a base portion having
an edge disposed at least four feet from a floor of a room and at
least twenty inches from a ceiling of the room. In addition, the
room dividers include an open or perforated space above and
adjacent the edge along at least a majority portion of the room
divider and a moveable shield that is repositionable relative to
the open or perforated space. The moveable shield is configured
such that fluid from one side of the room divider is substantially
blocked from passing through the open or perforated space when the
moveable shield is positioned in alignment with the open or
perforated space.
[0009] Embodiments of curtains include a pliable screen, one or
more fasteners arranged along the pliable screen and one or more
struts coupled to the one or more fasteners. The one or more
fasteners are configured for attaching the curtain to an object. A
section of the pliable screen extends to an elevation at least 3
inches above the one or more fasteners and each of the one or more
struts extends to an elevation at least 24 inches below the one or
more fasteners.
[0010] Other embodiments of curtains include a pliable screen, one
or more fasteners arranged along the pliable screen and multiple
longitudinal struts arranged along the pliable screen. The one or
more fasteners are configured for attaching the curtain to an
object. Each of the multiple longitudinal struts extends along less
than an entire length of the pliable screen but at least between a
point approximately level with at least one of the one or more
fasteners to an elevation at least 24 inches below the one or more
fasteners.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] Other objects and advantages of the invention will become
apparent upon reading the following detailed description and upon
reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
[0012] FIG. 1 illustrates a curtain having fasteners affixed to a
sheet of material and struts of different materials extending above
and below the fasteners;
[0013] FIGS. 2a-2c illustrate alternative configurations for the
composite fastener/strut components illustrated in FIG. 1;
[0014] FIG. 2d illustrates a curtain having an upper strut spaced
apart from a lower strut and fastener of the curtain;
[0015] FIGS. 2e and 2f illustrate curtains having an alternative
placement of upper struts and alternative configurations of screens
relative to FIG. 1;
[0016] FIGS. 2g and 2h illustrate curtains absent upper struts and
having alternative configurations of screens relative to FIG.
1;
[0017] FIG. 2i illustrates an alternative configuration for the
composite fastener/strut components illustrated in FIG. 1;
[0018] FIG. 2j illustrates a curtain having a lower strut with a
handle and a fastener disposed on an opposite side of a screen than
the handle;
[0019] FIGS. 3a-3c illustrate examples of curtains having fasteners
and lower struts attached to various room dividers;
[0020] FIG. 4 illustrates a system including a disinfection
apparatus and a curtain with fasteners and struts;
[0021] FIGS. 5a-5c illustrate example uses of auxiliary curtains
attached to cubicle curtains of multiple occupancy patient
rooms;
[0022] FIG. 6 illustrates a disinfection apparatus with a shield
partially surrounding a germicidal source;
[0023] FIG. 7 illustrates an example of a room divider that is
easily assembled and dissembled;
[0024] FIGS. 8-11 illustrate auxiliary curtains and devices for
blocking open or perforated areas of cubicle curtains; and
[0025] FIG. 12 illustrates opposing cubicle curtains each having a
moveable flap arranged below their open and/or perforated section
and attached to each other.
[0026] While the invention is susceptible to various modifications
and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof are shown by
way of example in the drawings and will herein be described in
detail. It should be understood, however, that the drawings and
detailed description thereto are not intended to limit the
invention to the particular form disclosed, but on the contrary,
the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents and
alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the present
invention as defined by the appended claims.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0027] Turning to the drawings, examples of curtains as well as
different configurations of components comprising such curtains are
shown in FIGS. 1-2j. Furthermore, FIGS. 3a-3c illustrate example
uses of such curtains and FIGS. 4-5c depict example systems and
uses of curtains with disinfection sources. It is noted that
although the curtains described herein are emphasized for use in
conjunction existing room dividers, particularly room dividers
commonly used in patient settings (such as cubicle curtains), the
use of the curtains described herein is not necessarily so limited.
In particular, the curtains described herein may be used in any
environment and for any use in which it may be desirable to conceal
an area, block light, decorate an area, divide a room and/or
increase privacy. Moreover, the curtains described herein need not
be hung on a room divider, but rather may be hung on any structure.
Furthermore, although the curtains described herein are emphasized
for use in conjunction with disinfection apparatuses, particularly
those which include germicidal lamps, the use of the curtains
described herein is not necessarily so limited. In particular, the
curtains described herein may be used without employing a
disinfection apparatus. As will be set forth in more detail below,
the curtains and systems described herein are not limited to the
depictions in the drawings. Furthermore, it is noted that the
drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale in that particular
features may be drawn to a larger scale than other features to
emphasize their characteristics.
[0028] Turning to FIG. 1, curtain 30 is shown having fasteners 32
affixed to one side of screen 34 and disposed between lower struts
36 and upper struts 38. In general, fasteners 32 may include any
means by which to attach screen 34 to an object. Although hooks are
emphasized herein, other types of fasteners may be considered for
fasteners 32, including but not limited to clips, ties, snaps,
pins, clasps, buckles, magnets, and loops engageable with a hook
(e.g., the eye component of a hook and eye complementary fastener).
Furthermore, screen 34 and fasteners 32 may include any combination
of any materials and any fasteners which yield curtain 30 to be
hung. More specifically, fastener/s and material/s may be selected
such that the fastener/s are sufficient to couple and hold the
material/s to an object, taking into consideration the weight and
configuration of the material. In any case, curtain 30 may include
any number of fasteners, including a single fastener or a plurality
of fasteners greater or less than the four fasteners depicted in
the example of FIG. 1.
[0029] It is noted that the reference of curtain 30 as a piece of
material to be hung refers to the curtain being capable for
suspension, but does not infer the curtain does not come into
contact with other objects or surfaces. In particular, the curtains
described herein may, in some embodiments, be configured to touch
the floor, the ceiling or other objects or surfaces of a room in
which they are hung. The term room as used herein refers to a space
in which an adult human being of average size may comfortably
occupy for at least a period of time to eat, sleep, work, lounge,
partake in an activity, or complete a task therein. Examples of
rooms include but are not limited to single patient rooms, multiple
occupancy patient rooms, bathrooms, walk-in closets, hallways,
bedrooms, offices, operating rooms, patient examination rooms,
waiting and/or lounging areas and nursing stations. In some cases,
rooms may be bounded and include a door for entering and exiting
the room. In other cases, a room may be an area with indeterminate
boundaries. In view of the latter, it is noted that the room
dividers described herein may be alternatively referred to as area
dividers.
[0030] As shown in FIG. 1, fasteners 32 may, in some cases, be
disposed on the same side of screen 34 as lower struts 36 and upper
struts 38. In other embodiments, however, fasteners 32 may be
disposed on the other side of screen 34 (i.e., the side of screen
34 opposing the side on which lower struts 36 and upper struts 38
are disposed). In yet other cases, lower struts 36 and upper struts
38 may be disposed on opposing sides of screen and fasteners 32 may
be affixed to either side of screen 34. As an alternative to any of
such cases, fasteners 32 may, in some embodiments, be disposed to
both sides of screen 34. In some cases, any or all of lower struts
36 and upper struts 38 may be disposed within screen 34. Further
yet, regardless of whether lower struts 36 and/or upper struts are
disposed exterior or interior to screen 34, one or more of
fasteners 32 may be disposed within interior portions of screen 34
and then extend out to one or both sides of screen 34.
[0031] In some cases, it may be advantageous to have fasteners 32
disposed on an opposing side of screen 34 as lower struts 36. In
particular, such a configuration may allow an individual grasping
lower struts 36 on one side of curtain 30 to more easily mount the
curtain in a forward motion away from the individual's body or at
least make mounting the curtain in such a manner more intuitive. It
is conceivable, however, that mounting curtain 30 in a forward
motion away from a individual's body may be achieved by an
individual grasping screen 34 around lower struts 36 when lower
struts 36 are disposed interior to screen 34 or are disposed on the
same side of screen 34 as fasteners 32. In yet other cases, curtain
30 may be mounted in a backward motion toward the body of the
individual mounting the curtain. In such embodiments, it may be
advantageous for fasteners 32 to be disposed on the same side of
screen 34 as lower struts 36, although lower struts 36 could
alternatively be disposed interior to screen 34 or on the other
side of screen 34.
[0032] In any case, fasteners 32 may be disposed at or near the
upper edge of screen 34 in some embodiments (i.e., fasteners 32
may, in some cases, be disposed at different locations of screen 34
each of which is no more than approximately three inches from a
respective upper edge of screen 34 as measured along a phantom
reference line along the screen perpendicular to the upper edge).
Alternatively, fasteners 32 may be disposed at different locations
of screen 34 each of which is greater than approximately three
inches from a respective upper edge of screen 34 as measured along
a phantom reference line along the screen perpendicular to the
upper edge. In some embodiments, fasteners 32 may be disposed at
different locations of screen 34 each of which is greater than
approximately 12 inches from an upper edge of screen 34 as measured
along a phantom reference line along the screen perpendicular to
the upper edge. As described in more detail below, particularly in
reference to cubicle curtains, fasteners 32 may, in some cases, be
disposed at different locations of screen 34 each of which is at
least approximately 20 inches from an upper edge of screen 34 as
measured along a phantom reference line along the screen
perpendicular to the upper edge.
[0033] Regardless of the positions of fasteners 32 from an upper
edge of screen 34, fasteners 32 may be spaced any distance from
each other along screen 34. In particular, although it may be
advantageous for fasteners 32 to be evenly spaced across screen 34
such that screen 34 may be uniformly hung, fasteners 32 may be
spaced non-evenly in some cases. In yet other embodiments, curtain
30 may include a single fastener which extends across a majority or
entire width of screen 34. In some cases, fasteners 32 may be
adjustable along the length and/or the width of screen 34. In
particular, curtain 30 may, in some embodiments, include one or
more means by which to allow fasteners 32 to be moved in the
vertical and/or horizontal direction. In this way, the arrangement
of fasteners 32 along screen 30 may be changed for a desired effect
of curtain 30, particularly whether there is more or less of screen
30 above or below the fasteners and/or in regard to optimizing the
spacings of fasteners 32 to allow curtain to hang in a desired
fashion. In any case, fasteners 32 may, in some embodiments, be
affixed to exterior surfaces of screen 34. Alternatively, fasteners
32 may be affixed to interior surfaces of screen 34 and extend
through openings within screen 34. In yet other cases, fasteners 32
may be coupled to supports within screen 34 or supports affixed to
exterior surfaces of screen 34 and, thus, fasteners 32 may not be
directly affixed to screen 34 in some cases.
[0034] Regardless of the arrangement of fasteners 32 along screen
34, screen 34 may extend any distance below fasteners 32, depending
on the design specifications for the curtain. As set forth in more
detail below, the curtains described herein may, in some
embodiments, be used to block light emitted from germicidal lamp/s
of a disinfection apparatus. Similarly, in cases which the curtains
described herein are used in conjunction with a disinfection
apparatus having a germicidal source other than a lamp, the
curtains may, in some embodiments, be used to block the germicide
emitted from the germicidal source. In any of such cases, it may be
advantageous for screen 34 to extend at least to an elevation below
the germicidal source/s of the apparatus. Depending on the
configuration of the disinfection apparatus and the height at which
curtain 30 is hung, a lower edge of screen 34 may, in some
embodiments, be at least approximately 1.5 feet away from fasteners
32 and, in some cases, at least approximately 3.0 feet away from
fasteners 32. In yet other embodiments, screen 34 may extend to an
elevation within approximately 18 inches from the floor of a room
in which curtain 30 is hung, including coming into contact with the
floor. Alternatively, screen 34 may not substantially extend below
fasteners 32 (i.e., not more than approximately 3 inches). In
particular, the object to which curtain 30 may be attached may be
sufficient to block enough visible and/or UVC light generated from
germicidal lamp/s of a disinfection apparatus or block enough
germicide generated from non-lamp source/s of a disinfection
apparatus in a region which extends below fasteners 32 and, thus,
screen 34 may not need a lower section of great length (i.e., the
section extending below fasteners 32) in some cases.
[0035] As noted above, the curtains described herein may be used in
conjunction with cubicle curtains. As used herein, the term
"cubicle curtain" refers to a hanging cloth used in a medical
treatment facility that provides a private enclosure in a room. In
general, cubicle curtains and/or cubicle curtain tracks are
configured such that there is open and/or perforated (e.g., mesh)
space extending at least approximately 20 inches from the ceiling
of the room, and more specifically, between approximately 20 inches
and approximately 25 inches. In particular, cubicle curtain tracks
may be hung a spaced distance (i.e., at least approximately 20
inches) from a ceiling and/or cubicle curtains may include a
perforated upper section of at least approximately 20 inches from
an upper edge of the curtain. Additionally or alternatively, a
cubicle curtain may include hooks of substantial length (e.g.,
between approximately 5 inches and approximately 25 inches)
attached to an upper edge of the curtain. In any case, an open or
perforated space near the ceiling may allow sprinkler heads
exterior to an area encased by a cubicle curtain to disperse water
to that area and/or allow sprinkler heads in the encased area to
disperse water exterior to the area. In addition or alternatively,
curtain racks suspended approximately 20 inches or more from a
ceiling may allow cubicle curtains to be generally hung without a
ladder.
[0036] In some cases, it may be advantageous to block an open
and/or perforated space provided by a cubicle curtain or a
suspended cubicle curtain rack to prevent transmission of a
germicide generated on the other side of the cubicle curtain. Thus,
in some embodiments, fasteners 32 may be arranged at different
locations of screen 34 each of which is at least approximately 20
inches and, in some cases at least 25 inches, from a respective
upper edge of screen 34 as measured along a phantom reference line
along the screen perpendicular to the upper edge. In other cases,
however, an open and/or perforated space provided by a cubicle
curtain or a suspended cubicle curtain rack may not need to be
completely blocked or blocked at all and, thus, in some
embodiments, fasteners 32 may be arranged at different locations of
screen 34 each of which is less than approximately 20 inches from a
respective upper edge of screen 34 as measured along a phantom
reference line along the screen perpendicular to the upper edge. In
any case, the idea of arranging fasteners 32 at different locations
of screen 34 each of which is at least approximately 20 inches from
a respective upper edge of screen 34 need not be specific to use of
curtain 30 as an addendum to a cubicle curtain. In particular, the
placement of fasteners 32 at least 20 inches from upper edges of
screen 34 may be applicable when curtain 30 is used as an addendum
to other types of room dividers or when curtain 30 is to be hung
independent of a room divider.
[0037] In some cases, screen 34 may be pliable such that curtain 30
may be readily bent and/or compacted. In such embodiments, it is
noted that even though the term curtain is often used in reference
to fabrics (i.e., woven, knitted or felted textiles), the curtains
described herein are not so limited. In particular, screen 34 may
include any pliable non-textile material/s and/or any pliable
textile material/s. Examples of pliable materials for screen 34
include but are not limited to nylon, rayon and polyester. In yet
other embodiments, screen 34 may be non-pliable or screen 34 may
include a combination of pliable and non-pliable sections. Examples
of non-pliable materials for screen 34 include but are not limited
to metals, relatively stiff plastic materials, and wood. As
discussed in more detail below, the amount of space above a room
divider may vary among dividers. In order to insure the ability of
the section of screen 34 above fasteners 32 to block such spaces,
it may be conducive for at least the section of screen 34 above
fasteners 32 to include a pliable material such that it may bend
when placed in an area of lesser height than its length (i.e., when
it is abutted against a ceiling of a room). As further explained
below, in order to allow such suppleness, but yet have upper
section of screen 34 prop up to cover the space, curtain 30
includes upper struts 38 in and/or along the upper section of
screen 34. In addition to upper struts 38, the pliable material
comprising the section of screen 34 above fasteners 32 may, in some
cases, have a sufficient degree of stiffness to aid in preventing
the portion of the screen above fastener 32 from flopping or
slumping over.
[0038] In some cases, a portion or all of screen 34 may include an
absorbent pliable material. More specifically, it may be
advantageous for at least an upper section of screen 34,
particularly the portion of screen 34 above fasteners 32, to be
sufficiently water absorbent such that if sprinklers on a ceiling
are activated when the curtain is being utilized, the upper section
of screen 34 will move downward (e.g., fold down, collapse, etc.)
by the weight of the absorbed water. Such action will open a space
by which water from the sprinklers (on either side of curtain 30)
may pass, possibly allowing use of the curtain to meet fire
building codes and/or fire building standards. In general, screen
34 may include any absorbent pliable material. Examples of
absorbent materials which may be included in screen 34 include but
are not limited to sponges and hydrogel crystals incorporated into
a pliable material. In any case, screen 34 may include any number
of sheets of material/s, including a single sheet of material or
multiple sheets layered upon each other. Each sheet may include a
single type of material or multiple types of materials. In
embodiments in which multiple sheets of materials are used, some or
all of the sheets may include the same material/s as each other or
they may include different materials.
[0039] As described in more detail below, in cases in which a
disinfection apparatus having germicidal lamps is used in
conjunction with curtain 30, it may be advantageous for screen 34
to include a material to attenuate a majority amount of the visible
light spectrum and/or a majority amount of the ultraviolet
electromagnetic radiation subtype C (UVC) light spectrum.
Furthermore, in some cases, it may be advantageous for at least one
side of screen 34 to be highly reflective, particularly to UVC
light. In particular, it may be advantageous for at least one side
of screen 34 to include a material which exhibits greater than 50%
reflectance, or more specifically, greater than 85% reflectance.
Examples of reflective materials which may be employed include but
are not limited to metalized nylon, biaxially-oriented polyethylene
terephthalate (boPET) (e.g., Mylar), and GORE.RTM. DRP.RTM. Diffuse
Reflector Material available from W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.
In addition or alternative to being highly reflective, screen 34
may include a variety of other material characteristics, such as
but not limited to being antimicrobial and/or fire resistant. In
some cases, screen 34 may include a material which is resistant to
degradation by exposure to chemical agents, particularly those
which may be used for liquid, gas, vapor or plasma germicides. Such
a material may be particularly suitable in embodiments in which
curtain 30 is used in conjunction with a disinfection apparatus
having germicidal sources other than lamps, light emitting diode
(LED) solid state devices, or lasers.
[0040] As discussed above, curtain 30 may include lower struts 36
coupled to fasteners 32 and extending to an elevation below
fasteners 32. In general, lower struts 36 provide a manner by which
to manipulate curtain 30 such that fasteners 32 may be joined to an
object for hanging curtain 30 as well as disconnecting fasteners 32
from an object when curtain 30 is taken down. In particular, lower
struts 36 are compositionally and/or structurally configured such
that curtain 30 may be lifted or lowered via lower struts 36 and,
correspondingly, mounted or dismounted from an object, particularly
to and from a surface of an object which is higher than the person
manipulating curtain 30. In view thereof, each of lower struts 36
include a material composition and a structural configuration
(e.g., length, width and density) which can support each of
corresponding fasteners 32 and adjacent portions of screen 34 when
lower struts 36 are grasped and lifted or lowered. More
specifically, each of lower struts 36 may include a material
composition and a structural configuration which does not yield
lower struts 36 to substantially bend or compress upon application
of an amount of force needed to lift or lower curtain 30. Example
materials for lower struts 36 include but are not limited to
metals, relatively stiff plastic materials, and wood. Examples of
structural configurations may include a rod of sufficient length,
width and density to prevent bending or compression of the rod when
lifting or lowering curtain 30. In some cases, lower struts 36 may
include mechanisms by which to manipulate fasteners to couple to an
object. For example, lower struts 36 may, in some embodiments,
include latches by which to open and close clasps serving as
fasteners 32. Other mechanisms for other types of fasteners may be
considered.
[0041] In addition to their configuration to resist deformation
upon lifting and lowering curtain 30, lower struts 36 may have a
length which allows a user to lift and lower curtain 30 without the
need of a ladder. In particular, as noted above, curtain 30 may be
used as an addendum to existing room dividers and many room
dividers extend to heights greater than six feet from a floor of a
room. Given height variability among people, it may be advantageous
for lower struts 36 to extend to elevations at least 24 inches
below fasteners 32 to ensure the suitability of curtain 30 to be
easily mounted and dismounted for a variety of users. In some
cases, however, lower struts 36 may extend to elevations less than
24 inches below fasteners 32. Regardless of their length, lower
struts 36 may be spaced any distance along screen 34 which enables
each of lower struts 36 to sufficiently support its adjoining
fastener and adjacent amounts of screen 34 such that the
corresponding portion of curtain 30 can be mounted and dismounted
to an object. Although a spacing of approximately 1 foot to
approximately 3 feet between lower struts 36 may be conducive for a
user to manipulate two of the lower struts at once, narrower and
wider spacings may be considered. In particular, it is noted that
lower struts 36 may be manipulated individually for mounting and
dismounting curtain 30. Furthermore, curtain 30 may include any
number of lower struts 36, including a single lower strut or any
plurality of lower struts and, thus, curtain 30 should not be
restricted to the depiction in FIG. 1.
[0042] It is further noted that lower struts 36 can be coupled to
screen 34, but they need not be nor do lower struts 36 need to be
arranged on the same side of screen 34 as fasteners 32. In
particular, in some cases, lower struts 36 may be partially or
fully arranged on the opposite side of screen 34 as fasteners 32.
In other embodiments, lower struts 36 may be partially or fully
arranged internal to multiple sheets of screen 34 or may be
arranged within pleats of screen 34. In any case, lower struts 36
may be directly coupled to fasteners 32 or they may be indirectly
coupled to fasteners 32, such as via an extension rod. Furthermore,
although lower struts 36 are shown in FIG. 1 extending down to the
same elevation, lower struts 36 need not be so limited. In
particular, one or more of lower struts 36 may extend down to
different elevations than the other lower struts. In addition,
although lower struts 36 may include the same material composition
and structural configuration as each other, lower struts 36 are not
necessarily so restricted. In particular, one or more of lower
struts 36 may have different material compositions and/or
structural configurations than the other lower struts. Moreover,
lower struts 36 may include the same or different material
composition as fasteners 32. Furthermore, the number of lower
struts 36 need not equal the number of fasteners 32 as shown in
FIG. 1. In particular, curtain 30 may include fewer or more lower
struts 36 than fasteners 32 in some cases.
[0043] As further shown in FIG. 1, curtain 30 may include upper
struts 38 coupled to screen 34 and extending to an elevation above
fasteners 32. In general, upper struts 38 prop up the section of
curtain 30 above fasteners 32. In particular, upper struts 38 are
compositionally and/or structurally configured such that the
section of curtain 30 above fasteners 32 does not flop or slump
over. In some embodiments, upper struts 38 may include a
substantially rigid material and/or structural configuration. In
some of such cases, upper struts 38 may include the same material
composition and structural configuration as lower struts 36. In
other such cases, upper struts 38 may include different material
compositions and/or structural configurations than lower struts 36.
In yet other embodiments, upper struts 38 may be materially and
structurally configured such that upper struts 38 may bend or bow,
but not break if a force is applied to them, such as shown in FIG.
1. More specifically, upper struts 38 may be materially and
structurally configured such that upper struts 38 may bend or bow,
but not break if they are introduced into an area of lesser height
than their lengths. In some of such cases, upper struts 38 may be
inherently curved without having any pressure applied to them
(i.e., upper struts 38 may be intrinsically convex relative to
fasteners 32 as shown in FIG. 1 or, alternatively, upper struts 38
may be intrinsically concave relative to fasteners 32). In yet
other embodiments, upper struts 38 may be inherently straight
unless pressure is applied to them.
[0044] As mentioned above, in some embodiments, it may be
advantageous to block an open or perforated space above or along an
upper section of a room divider, such as commonly afforded by
cubicle curtains, suspended cubicle curtain racks and other room
dividers. Given the height variability of open and/or perforated
spaces among different cubicle curtain configurations, it may be
advantageous for upper struts 38 to have length of at least 20
inches or, in some cases, at least 22 inches to ensure the
suitability of curtain 30 to block open and/or perforated spaces in
a variety of scenarios. In such cases, it would be particularly
advantageous for upper struts 38 to be materially and structurally
configured such that they may bend, but not break upon contact with
a ceiling. Example materials for upper struts 38 in such cases may
be substantially pliable materials as similarly used for bike flag
poles or the peripheral cord used for twisting windshield sun
shades. Other materials may be considered as well. Example
structural configurations for upper struts 38 which may aid in
inducing a relatively low degree of stiffness is to have a
relatively thin, narrow or hollow construction. Other structural
configurations may be considered as well. It is noted that, in some
cases, upper struts 38 may have a length less than 22 inches, more
specifically less than 20 inches and, in some cases, less than 12
inches, but such relatively short lengths need not exclude the
possibility of upper struts 38 to be of a pliable material and/or
structural construction to make upper struts 38 supple.
[0045] In some embodiments, upper struts 38 may include a lower
degree of stiffness than lower struts 36. More specifically, upper
struts 38 may include different material compositions and/or
structural configurations to affect a lower degree of stiffness
relative to lower struts 36. In particular, a variability of
stiffness among lower struts 36 and upper struts 38 may
beneficially allow curtain 30 to be mounted and dismounted from an
object particularly close to a ceiling. More specifically, a
variability of stiffness among lower struts 36 and upper struts 38
may advantageously allow curtain 30 to be lifted and lowered
without the need of a ladder by a user and yet block an entirety of
a space extending up to the ceiling. Any combination of materials
of differing stiffness may be used for upper struts 38 and lower
struts 36, depending on the design specifications of curtain 30. In
some embodiments, however, upper struts 38 and lower struts 36 may
be of the same material composition but vary in stiffness. In such
cases, the structural configurations of the struts may solely
affect their differences in stiffness. Example structural
configurations which may aid in inducing a lower degree of
stiffness relative to lower struts 36 is for upper struts 38 to
have a thinner, narrower, or hollow construction as compared to
lower struts 36. Other structural configurations may be considered
as well. In general, any degree of stiffness variability to affect
the respective objectives for struts 36 and 38 may be employed
(i.e., to support fasteners 32 and screen 34 such that curtain 30
may be lifted and lowered via lower struts 36 and to allow upper
struts 38 to bend or bow, but not break, upon application of force
thereto). Examples of variability differences may be lower struts
36 being at least 20% more stiff than upper struts 38 and, in some
cases, lower struts 36 being at least 50% more stiff than upper
struts 38.
[0046] Regardless of their relative stiffness, lower struts 36 and
upper struts 38 may, in some embodiments, be coupled to each other,
either directly or via fasteners 32. In some cases, lower struts 36
and upper struts 38 may be integral portions of a single strut. In
such embodiments, fasteners 32 may be directly coupled to upper
struts 38 and/or lower struts 36. Alternatively, fasteners 32 may
be coupled to them via an extension rod. In yet other embodiments,
lower struts 36 and upper struts 38 may be distinct components. In
some of such cases, the struts may be directly coupled to each
other or indirectly coupled to each other via fastener 32 and/or a
connecting rod. In yet other embodiments, lower struts 36 and upper
struts 38 may not be connected to each other. In any case, curtain
30 may include any number of upper struts 38, including a single
upper strut or a plurality of upper struts greater or less than the
four upper struts depicted in the example of FIG. 1. In some
embodiments, the number of lower and upper struts in curtain 30
need not be the same. In particular, curtain 30 may include a
greater quantity of lower struts 36 than upper struts 38 or vice
versa. Furthermore, the spacing of upper struts 38 need not be the
same as the spacing of lower struts 36. In particular, upper struts
38 may be spaced any distance along screen 34 which enable the
upper section of the screen to be sufficiently upheld.
[0047] Furthermore, upper struts 38 need not be coupled to the same
side of screen 34 as fasteners 32 such as shown in FIG. 1. In
particular, upper struts 38 may be partially or fully arranged the
opposite side of screen 34 as fasteners 32. In other embodiments,
upper struts 38 may be partially or fully arranged internal to
multiple sheets of screen 34 or may be arranged within pleats of
screen 34. Furthermore, upper struts 38 can be coupled to screen
34, but they need not be nor do upper struts 38 need to be arranged
on the same side of screen 34 as lower struts 36. In any case,
although upper struts 38 are shown in FIG. 1 extending to the same
elevation, upper struts 38 need not be so limited. In particular,
one or more of upper struts 38 may extend to different elevations
than the other upper struts. In addition, although upper struts 38
may include the same material composition and structural
configuration, upper struts 38 are not necessarily so restricted.
In particular, one or more of upper struts 38 may have different
material compositions and/or structural configurations than the
other upper struts. Moreover, upper struts 38 may include the same
or different material composition as fasteners 32.
[0048] As set forth above, the components of curtain 30 may include
multiple variations from what is depicted in FIG. 1. Some of such
variations are depicted in FIGS. 2a-2i to further highlight the
scope of the different configurations possible for curtain 30. It
is noted that not all variations to curtain 30 are included in the
drawings for the sake of brevity. It is further noted that the
entirety of curtain 30 is not depicted in each of FIGS. 2a-2i for
the sake of brevity and further to emphasize the features varied
from FIG. 1. Elements of FIG. 1 that are similarly configured have
been indicated using the same reference numerals in FIGS. 2a-2i. It
is noted that none of the features or variations emphasized in
FIGS. 2a-2i are mutually exclusive of each other and, thus, any
combination of the configurations described herein for fasteners,
screens, lower struts, and upper struts may be considered for a
curtain.
[0049] Turning to FIG. 2a, an alternative embodiment of an upper
strut is shown. In particular, upper strut 40 is show in FIG. 2a
having a narrower configuration than upper strut 38 shown in FIG. 1
and, more specifically narrower than lower strut 36. Such a
structural variation between upper strut 40 and lower strut 36 may
affect a variation of stiffness between the struts, particularly if
they are of the same material composition, but they may have
different material compositions. In general, the degree by which
upper strut 40 is narrower than lower strut 36 may depend on the
material composition of strut 40 as well as the design
specifications of curtain 30. FIG. 2b illustrates an alternative
embodiment in which lower strut 42 is solid and upper strut 44 is
hollow as respectively depicted by the cross-sectional views along
lines A-A and B-B. As with FIG. 2a, such a structural variation
between upper strut 44 and lower strut 42 may affect a variation of
stiffness between the struts, particularly if they are of the same
material composition. In yet other cases, both struts 42 and 44 may
be hollow and the degree of hollowness may be varied between them.
For instance, the upper strut may have a larger interior cavity
than the lower strut. FIG. 2c illustrates yet other alternative
embodiment in which upper strut 46 has a shorter length than the
upper struts shown and described in reference to FIGS. 1, 2a and
2b.
[0050] It is noted that struts described in reference to FIG. 2b as
well as in reference to FIGS. 1, 2a, and 2c-2i are not restricted
to the lower and upper struts being cylindrical, such as depicted
in FIG. 2b. In particular, the struts described herein may have any
cross-sectional shape. Furthermore, the lower struts and the upper
struts of a given curtain may have the same cross-sectional shape
or different cross-sectional shapes. For example, the lower struts
may be rods having a circular cross section and the upper struts
may be substantially flat panels. Other combinations of
cross-sectional shapes may be considered for the lower and upper
struts as well.
[0051] As noted above, upper strut 38 and lower strut 36 of FIG. 1
need not be connected to each other. Example embodiments having an
upper strut separate (i.e., not connected) to a lower strut are
depicted in FIGS. 2d-2f. In addition, FIGS. 2d-2f illustrate
further variations to the components of curtain 30 of FIG. 1 as set
forth below. It is noted that the further variations are not
mutually exclusive to having an upper strut not connected to a
lower strut of the curtain. Turning to FIG. 2d, upper strut 48 is
shown separate from lower strut 36 and fastener 32. In addition,
upper strut 48 is shown disposed within multiple sheets of screen
34 or disposed on the opposing exterior side of screen 34, as is
denoted by the outline of dotted lines for upper strut 48.
[0052] Yet another alternative embodiment is shown in FIG. 2e with
upper strut 50 separate from lower strut 36 and fastener 32 but
coupled to the same side of the screen, albeit different materials
of the screen. In particular, FIG. 2e illustrates a screen having
lower section 52 and upper section 54 of different materials to
which lower strut 36 and upper strut 38 are respectively coupled.
As mentioned above in reference to FIG. 1, it may be conducive for
at least the section of screen 34 above fasteners 32 to include a
pliable material such that it may bend when placed in an area of
lesser height than its length (i.e., when it is abutted against a
ceiling of a room). As such, for the embodiments of FIG. 2e, it may
be generally prudent to have section 54 comprise pliable
material/s. Section 52, on the other hand, may include pliable
and/or non-pliable material/s. In cases in which both sections of
the screen comprise pliable materials, upper section 54 may have a
higher degree of stiffness than lower section 52 or vice versa.
[0053] Another embodiment in which upper strut 50 is shown separate
from lower strut 36 and fastener 32 is shown in FIG. 2f. In
particular, FIG. 2f illustrates upper strut 50 coupled to screen
56, which does not extend substantially below fastener 32. As noted
above, such a curtain configuration may be suitable in cases in
which a room divider to which the curtain is attached may be
sufficient to block enough visible and/or UVC light generated from
germicidal lamps of a disinfection apparatus or block enough
germicide generated from non-lamp source/s of a disinfection
apparatus. Thus, in such cases, a lower section of a screen below
fasteners 32 may not be needed.
[0054] In some embodiments, a curtain having one or more of the
features described herein may not include an upper strut. Examples
of such embodiments are shown in FIGS. 2g and 2h. In particular,
FIG. 2g illustrates a curtain with fastener 32 affixed to lower
section 52 of a screen and having lower strut 36 extending to an
elevation below fastener 32. The curtain further includes upper
section 58 extending to an elevation above fastener 32, but the
curtain is absent of an upper strut. In general, upper section 58
may include a material of sufficient stiffness such that portion of
the screen above fastener 32 may be propped up without use of an
upper strut. In some cases, upper section 58 may be a substantially
rigid material, but in other cases upper section 58 may include a
pliable material. Similar to the example embodiment discussed in
reference to FIG. 2e, upper section 58 may include a different
material composition than lower section 52 in some cases. In some
embodiments, upper section 58 may have a higher degree of stiffness
than lower section 52, but in other cases, upper section 58 may
have a lower degree of stiffness than lower section 52. Another
example of a curtain without an upper strut is shown in FIG. 2h
with fastener 62 affixed near or at the upper edge of screen 60 and
lower strut 64 extending to an elevation below fastener 62. In
addition, fastener 62 and lower strut 64 are shown in FIG. 2h to
illustrate that the material composition and/or the delineation
between a fastener and lower strut may be varied among the
different embodiments of curtains described herein, depending on
the design of the components selected.
[0055] As noted above, lower struts 36 of FIG. 1 may be coupled to
fasteners 32 such that the lower struts may aid in mounting and
dismounting curtain 30 on an object. Although lower struts 36 may
be directly coupled to fasteners 32 as shown in FIG. 1, the
curtains described herein are not necessarily so limited. In
particular, a curtain may have lower struts indirectly coupled to
fasteners. An example configuration of lower struts indirectly
coupled to fasteners is illustrated in FIG. 2i. In particular, FIG.
2i depicts lower struts 68 indirectly coupled to fasteners 62 via
rod 66. It is noted that the number of lower struts 68 and
fasteners 62 need not be equal but they can be and the spacings
between the plurality of each component need not be the same but
they can be. Other indirect coupling configurations may be
considered as well. It is further noted that lower struts 68,
fasteners 62 and rode 66 are not shown with a screen or upper
struts to simplify the drawing, but such components may be compiled
together to comprises a curtain.
[0056] Lastly, an alternative configuration for curtain 30 of FIG.
1 is depicted in FIG. 2j. In particular, FIG. 2j illustrates an
embodiment with handle 72 extending from lower strut 70, which is
coupled to fastener 62. It is noted that any handle configuration
known in the art may be considered for the curtains described
herein and, thus, the idea a lower strut including a handle should
not be restricted to the depiction of FIG. 2j. As denoted by the
dotted lines outlining fastener 62, fastener 62 is coupled to one
side of screen 60 and lower strut 70 and handle 72 are arranged on
an opposing side of screen 60. In any alternative configuration,
lower strut 70 may be arranged on the same side of screen 60 as
fastener 62 and handle 72 may alone extend into an opposing side of
screen 60. In yet other configurations, lower strut 70 may be
arranged internal to screen 60. As similarly described for lower
struts 36 in reference to FIG. 1, it may be advantageous to have
handle 72 disposed on an opposing side of screen 34 as fasteners
62. In particular, such a configuration may allow an individual
grasping handle 72 on one side of curtain 60 to more easily mount
the curtain in a forward motion away from the individual's body or
at least make mounting the curtain in such a manner more intuitive.
In yet other cases, curtain 60 may be mounted in a backward motion
toward the body of the individual mounting the curtain. In such
embodiments, it may be advantageous for handle 72 to be disposed on
the same side of screen 34 as fasteners 62. In any case, as noted
above, the features described in reference to FIGS. 1-2j are not
mutually exclusive. As such, any of the configurations described in
reference to FIGS. 1-2i may include handle 72 or some variation
thereof.
[0057] As noted above, curtain 30 may be used as an addendum to
existing room dividers. More specifically, the curtains described
herein are particularly directed to facilitating attachment to
edges of room dividers which are disposed at least four feet from a
floor of a room and, in some embodiments, facilitating attachment
to edges of room dividers which are disposed at least four feet
from a floor of a room. In some cases, the room divider may be a
cubicle curtain 73 hung from a curtain track 74 suspended from a
ceiling 75 of the room as shown in FIG. 3a. In some of such
embodiments, as illustrated in FIG. 3a, the edge to which one of
the curtains described herein may be attached may be the edge of
curtain track 74. Alternatively, the edge to which one of the
curtains described herein may be attached may be an edge of cubicle
curtain 73.
[0058] In some cases, a room divider which may be used to hang one
of the curtains described herein may be a cubicle curtain 76 hung
from a curtain track 77 directly mounted to a ceiling 75 of the
room. In such cases, the edge to which one of the curtains
described herein may be attached may be an edge of cubicle curtain
76 as shown in FIG. 3b, including any edges of the perforations of
a mesh area comprising a top section of cubicle curtain 76 or an
upper edge of the solid portion of the cubicle curtain. In yet
other embodiments, a room divider which may be used to hang one of
the curtains described herein may be a floor-based partition 78
having an uppermost surface 79 spaced from a ceiling of the room.
In such cases, the edge to which one of the curtains described
herein may be attached may be upper edge 79 of floor based
partition 78 as shown in FIG. 3c. Alternatively, an edge of an
opening within a floor based partition may be used to hang one of
the curtains described herein.
[0059] As further noted above, the curtains described herein may,
in some embodiments, be used to block light emitted from germicidal
lamp/s of a disinfection apparatus or block germicide generated
from non-lamp source's of a disinfection apparatus. In particular,
the curtains described herein may include screens configured to
block visible light and/or ultraviolet light and, more
specifically, to attenuate a majority amount of the visible light
spectrum and/or a majority amount of the UVC light spectrum. In
addition or alternatively, the curtains described herein may
include screens configured to block non-light germicide. In
particular, the curtains described herein may include a material to
withstand repeated exposure to a germicide without disintegrating
or losing its ability to substantially block transmission of the
germicide therethrough.
[0060] In view of being used together with a disinfection
apparatus, any of the curtains described herein may comprise a
system having a disinfection apparatus with a germicidal source. An
example of such a system is illustrated in FIG. 4. In particular,
FIG. 4 depicts system 80 including disinfection apparatus 82 and
curtain 84. Curtain 84 may include any of the curtains described
herein or, more specifically, may include a curtain having any of
the features described in reference to FIGS. 1-2i. In some cases,
disinfection apparatus 82 may include a storage compartment for
curtain 84. In general, disinfection apparatus 82 may be configured
for room disinfection. More specifically, disinfection apparatus 82
may be configured to expose areas and rooms as well as objects as a
whole to a germicide and, thus, is specifically configured to
distribute a germicide in a spacious manner to an ambient of a room
in which the disinfection apparatus is arranged. Disinfection
apparatus 82 may be of any shape, size, or configuration in which
to achieve such objectives. In any case, optional features for the
disinfection apparatuses considered herein include wheels and/or a
handle to affect portability for the apparatus. In addition or
alternatively, a disinfection apparatus may be configured to
determine whether people are present in the area enclosed by the
accompanying curtain, such as by motion detection or photo
recognition. In addition or alternatively, a disinfection apparatus
may include a central processing unit to execute program
instructions associated with operations of the apparatus. Any of
such optional features (i.e., wheels, a handle, a room occupancy
sensor and a central processing unit) may be disposed within or on
a support structure of the ultraviolet disinfection apparatus which
supports the discharge lamp of the apparatus.
[0061] Disinfection apparatus 82 may include one or more germicidal
sources, depending on the design specifications of the apparatus.
The term "germicidal source" as used herein refers to a collection
of one or more components used to generate and disperse a
germicidal agent, and, if applicable, is inclusive to any
additional components used to effect the generation or dispersal of
the germicidal agent. In some embodiments, a device or an apparatus
may include a single set of components for generating a germicide.
In such cases, the components associated with generating the
germicide may be referred to as the germicidal source or,
alternatively, the device or apparatus as a whole may be referenced
as a germicidal source. In other embodiments, a device or apparatus
may include multiple germicidal sources (i.e., multiple sets of
components for generating multiple sources of one or more
germicides). In any case, the germicidal sources considered for
disinfection apparatus 82 may be of any size and shape, depending
on the design specifications of the apparatuses. The term
"germicide" as used herein refers to an agent for deactivating or
killing microorganisms, particularly disease carrying and/or
disease producing microorganisms (a.k.a., germs). The term "kill,"
as used herein, means to cause the death of an organism. The term
"deactivate," as used herein, means to render an organism unable to
reproduce without killing. As such, a germicide which is configured
to deactivate a microorganism refers to an agent which renders a
microorganism unable to reproduce but leaves the organism
alive.
[0062] In general, the germicidal source/s of disinfection
apparatus 82 may be configured to generate and/or disperse a
germicide in form of a liquid, a vapor, a gas, a plasma,
ultraviolet light, and/or high-intensity narrow-spectrum (HINS)
light. Examples of disinfection sources which may be configured to
disperse liquid, vapor, gaseous, or plasma germicides include but
are not necessarily limited to liquid sprayers, foggers, plasmas
torchers and misting systems including wet and dry mist systems. As
used herein, the term "mist" refers to a suspension of minute
globules of a liquid in a gas. For use herein, a germicidal mist is
categorized as a liquid germicide. Examples of disinfection sources
which may be configured to generate ultraviolet light and/or
high-intensity narrow-spectrum (HINS) light include discharge
lamps, light emitting diode (LED) solid state devices, and excimer
lasers. In some embodiments, a germicidal light source may generate
ranges of light which are not germicidal such as but not limited to
visible light, but such capability will not deter from the
reference of the light sources being germicidal.
[0063] A discharge lamp as used herein refers to a lamp that
generates light by means of an internal electrical discharge
between electrodes in a gas. The term encompasses gas-discharge
lamps, which generate light by sending an electrical discharge
through an ionized gas (i.e., a plasma). The term also encompasses
surface-discharge lamps, which generate light by sending an
electrical discharge along a surface of a dielectric substrate in
the presence of a gas, producing a plasma along the substrate's
surface. As such, germicidal light sources which may be considered
for disinfection apparatus 82 include gas-discharge lamps as well
as surface-discharge lamps. Discharge lamps may be further
characterized by the type of gas (or gases) employed and the
pressure at which they are operated. The discharge lamps which may
be considered for disinfection apparatus 82 include those of low
pressure, medium pressure and high intensity. In addition, the gas
(or gases) employed may include helium, neon, argon, krypton,
xenon, nitrogen, oxygen, hydrogen, water vapor, carbon dioxide,
mercury vapor, sodium vapor and any combination thereof. In
addition, discharge lamps considered for disinfection apparatus 82
may include those which generate continuous light and/or those
which generate light in short durations, the latter of which are
referred to herein as flashtubes or flashlamps. Flashtubes or
flashlamps that are used to supply recurrent pulses of light are
referred to herein as pulsed light sources.
[0064] A commonly used gas-discharge lamp used to produce
continuous light is a mercury-vapor lamp, which may be considered
for disinfection apparatus 82. It emits a strong peak of light at
253.7 nm, which is considered particularly applicable for
germicidal disinfection and, thus, is commonly referenced for
ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI). A commonly used
flashlamp which may be considered for disinfection apparatus 82 is
a xenon flashtube. In contrast to a mercury-vapor lamp, a xenon
flashtube generates a broad spectrum of light from ultraviolet to
infrared and, thus, provides ultraviolet light in the entire
spectrum known to the germicidal (i.e., between approximately 200
nm and approximately 320 nm) as well as visible light. In addition,
a xenon flashtube can provide relatively sufficient intensity in
the spectrum which is known to be optimally germicidal (i.e.,
between approximately 260 nm and approximately 265 nm). Moreover, a
xenon flashtube generates an extreme amount of heat, which can
further contribute to the deactivation and killing of
microorganisms.
[0065] Furthermore, a surface-discharge lamp may be considered for
disinfection apparatus 82 as noted above. Similar to a xenon
flashtube, a surface-discharge lamp produces ultraviolet light in
the entire spectrum known to the germicidal (i.e., between
approximately 200 nm and approximately 320 nm) as well as visible
light. In contrast, however, surface-discharge lamps operate at
higher energy levels per pulse and, thus, greater UV efficiency, as
well as offer longer lamp life as compared to xenon flashtubes. It
is noted that the aforementioned descriptions and comparisons of a
mercury-vapor lamp, a xenon flashlamp, and a surface discharge lamp
in no way restrict disinfection apparatus 82 to include such lamps.
Rather, the aforementioned descriptions and comparisons are merely
provided to offer factors which one skilled in the art may
contemplate when selecting a discharge lamp for a disinfection
apparatus, particularly depending on the objective and application
of the apparatus.
[0066] As noted above, the germicidal source/s of disinfection
apparatus 82 may be configured to generate and/or disperse a
germicide in form of a liquid, vapor, gas, or plasma. In some
embodiments, a liquid, vapor, gaseous, or plasma germicide may
impart its deactivation or killing functionality by the manner in
which it is used. For example, boiling water, steam and heated air
are often effective sterilizing agents due to the temperature at
which they are employed. Furthermore, the germicidal effectiveness
of some plasma germicides is primarily due to the presence and
activity of charged particles making up the plasma rather than the
molecular composition of the charged particles. As used herein, the
phrase "molecularly configured" refers to the elemental composition
of a substance (i.e., the number and type of atoms making up a
substance) to impart the function stated after the phrase. In some
cases, the functionality of a liquid, vapor, gaseous or plasma
germicide to deactivate and/or kill a microorganism may be
attributed to the elements constituting the germicide and, thus,
such germicides may be referenced as being molecularly configured
to deactivate and/or kill microorganisms.
[0067] An example of a gaseous germicide that is molecularly
configured to kill microorganisms is ozone. Examples of plasmas
germicides that are molecularly configured to deactivate or kill
microorganisms are those that employ or generate reactive oxygen
species. Examples of liquid and vapor germicides that are
molecularly configured to deactivate or kill microorganisms include
liquid and vapor disinfection solutions having a principle
disinfection agent such as but not limited to bleach, hydrogen
peroxide, chlorine, alcohol, quaternary ammonium compounds or
ozone. In any of such cases, the liquid and vapor germicides may be
aqueous or non-aqueous. It is noted that the disinfection source/s
considered disinfection apparatus 82 may include those which are
configured to impart deactivation or killing functionality by the
manner in which the germicide is used as well as by a germicide's
molecularly configuration.
[0068] Examples of using one of the curtains described herein in
conjunction with a germicidal disinfection apparatus are shown in
FIGS. 5a-5c. In particular, FIG. 5a illustrates a top view of a
multiple occupancy patient room with curtain 90 hanging on an
interior side of cubicle curtain 92 which is drawn around a single
patient bed. Disinfection apparatus 94 is also disposed within the
space enclosed by the cubicle curtain. Disinfection apparatus 94
may include any of the germicidal sources and features described
above for disinfection apparatus 82. Due to the containment
provided by curtain 90 and cubicle curtain 92, disinfection
apparatus 94 may be operated in the space without exposing
occupants of the room exterior to the space to high levels and/or
intensity of a germicide and/or, in the case disinfection apparatus
94 include a germicidal light source, high levels or intensity of
visible light. In some cases, disinfection apparatus 94 may be
operated at multiple locations within the space enclosed by the
curtains in order to insure all side of the bed are disinfected.
However, in cases in which disinfection apparatus includes a
germicidal light source, multiple operations of disinfection
apparatus 94 may be advantageously avoided when the side of curtain
90 interior to the enclosed space comprises a material of
relatively high reflectance (e.g., 50% or more). In an alternative
embodiment, curtain 90 may be hung on the exterior side of cubicle
curtain 92 as shown in FIG. 5b. In particular, FIG. 5b illustrates
a top view of a multiple occupancy patient room with curtain 90
hanging on an exterior side of cubicle curtain 92 drawn around a
single patient bed. As shown in FIG. 5b, disinfection apparatus 94
is disposed within the space enclosed by the cubicle curtain.
[0069] It is noted that the curtains described herein need not
cover an entirety of a room divider. In particular, in some cases,
partial coverage may only be needed. An example of an embodiment in
which one of the curtains described herein is attached to only a
portion of a cubicle curtain is shown in FIG. 5c. In particular,
FIG. 5c illustrates a top view of a multiple occupancy patient room
with curtain 96 hanging on an interior side of cubicle curtain 92
drawn around a single patient bed. As shown, curtain 96 is hung in
the vicinity of disinfection apparatus 92, which is also disposed
within the space enclosed by cubicle curtain 92. In some cases, the
intensity of germicide and/or visible light emitted from
disinfection apparatus 94 may dissipate enough in a short distance
from the disinfection apparatus such that much of cubicle curtain
92 may be sufficient to block the germicide and/or visible light to
a tolerable level for occupants exterior to the space enclosed by
the cubicle curtain. In such cases, it may only be necessary or
desirable to block the portion of cubicle curtain 92 adjacent to
disinfection apparatus 94, such as shown by curtain 96 in FIG. 5c.
It is noted that curtain 96 may be hung on the interior or exterior
of cubicle curtain 92 and is not restricted to corners of enclosed
spaces. In addition, the idea of partially covering a room divider
need not be restricted to cubicle curtains, but may extend to any
room divider. Thus, the scope of using a curtain to partially cover
a room divider should not be restricted to the depiction of FIG.
5c.
[0070] In yet other cases, a disinfection apparatus may be
configured to block emitted germicide or visible light in a given
direction or region adjacent the apparatus. An example of such a
disinfection apparatus is depicted in FIG. 6. In particular, FIG. 6
illustrates disinfection apparatus 100 including support structure
102 supporting germicidal source 104 and shield 106 attached to the
support structure and arranged to block germicide and/or light
emitted from germicidal source 104 from an area adjacent to
disinfection apparatus 100. In general, germicidal source 104 may
be configured to generate and/or disperse a germicide in form of a
liquid, a vapor, a gas, a plasma, ultraviolet light, and/or
high-intensity narrow-spectrum (HINS) light as similarly described
for the germicidal source/s of disinfection apparatus 82. In
addition, shield 106 may generally be configured to block germicide
and/or light projected from germicidal source 104 from an area
adjacent disinfection apparatus 100. For example, in cases in which
germicidal source 104 is a germicidal light source, shield 106 may
be configured to block a majority amount of the visible light
spectrum and/or a majority amount of the ultraviolet
electromagnetic radiation subtype C light spectrum. In some of such
cases, side 108 of shield 106 facing germicidal source 104 may
include a material which exhibits greater than 50% reflectance, or
more specifically, greater than 85% reflectance.
[0071] Regardless of the type of germicide germicidal source 104 is
configured to generate and/or disperse, germicidal source 104 may
generally be arranged within disinfection apparatus 100 to emit a
germicide and/or light into an ambient of a room in which the
disinfection apparatus is arranged and, more specifically, may be
arranged such that the germicide and/or light is propagated to a
region which encircles the apparatus. For example, one manner of
achieving such an objective when germicidal source 104 is a
discharge lamp is to have the germicidal lamp arranged lengthwise
and perpendicular to a horizontal plane of disinfection apparatus
100, such as shown for germicidal source 104 in FIG. 6. The
discharge lamp, however, may be arranged in other manners to
achieve such an objective and/or disinfection apparatus 100 may
include multiple germicidal light sources, including but not
limited to discharge lamps to achieve such an objective. Similar
configurations may be considered for other type of germicidal
sources as well.
[0072] As shown in FIG. 6, shield 106 may extend to a first
elevation 110 above germicidal source 104 and may border at least
one third of a continuous ring region 112 surrounding the
germicidal source. Although the height of the first elevation may
vary depending on the design of disinfection apparatus 100, an
exemplary elevation, particularly for the disinfection apparatus
shown in FIG. 6 may be at least two feet above germicidal source
104. In some cases, side 108 of shield 106 facing germicidal source
104 may be concave. In other embodiments, side 108 may be slanted
or substantially upright. As shown in FIG. 6, portion 114 of shield
106 above support structure 102 may arc away from support structure
102 and may extend up to a second elevation 116 above germicidal
source 104 but below the first elevation 110. Although the height
of the second elevation 116 may vary depending on the design of
disinfection apparatus 100, an exemplary elevation, particularly
for the disinfection apparatus shown in FIG. 6 may be at least one
foot above germicidal source 104. As further shown in FIG. 6, at
least a portion of shield 106 above the second elevation 116 may
arc back in the opposite direction. It is noted that other shield
configurations may be considered for a disinfection apparatus,
particularly to block emitted light in a given direction or region
adjacent the apparatus.
[0073] The aforementioned discussions of curtains and systems
employing such curtains have been emphasized to be used in
conjunction with existing room dividers, e.g., cubicle curtains or
floor-based partitions. Some areas, however, may not be conducive
to having room dividers that are installed and/or are bulky
occupying space. For example, relatively large high traffic areas
with ambiguous boundaries, such as to nurses' stations in
hospitals, may not be conducive to having room dividers that are
installed and/or bulky. Due to their high traffic and/or occupancy,
however, it may be desirable to disinfect at least portions of such
areas occasionally. FIG. 7 illustrates an example of a room divider
which may be particularly suitable for such areas. In particular,
FIG. 7 shows room divider 120 including one or more cords 122 and a
plurality of devices 124 for supporting the one or more cords.
[0074] In general, each of devices 124 either has one of the cords
attached thereto or is configured to receive attachment of one of
the cords. Although it is not necessary, it may be advantageous in
some cases for at least one of devices 124 to have a cord wrap or a
cord reel. In some embodiments, one or more of devices 124 may be
configured to retract a cord attached thereto. Alternative to cord
122 and cord bearing devices 124, room divider 120 may, in some
cases, include one or more poles and a plurality of devices for
supporting the one or more poles. In such cases, each of devices
may either have one of the poles attached thereto or may be
configured to receive attachment of one of the poles.
[0075] Regardless of whether room divider 120 includes cord/s or
poles, the devices supporting the cord/s or poles may be
free-standing units (e.g., poles or columns) in some embodiments.
In addition or alternatively, the devices supporting the cord/s or
pole/s may be configured to be mounted to a wall, a door or some
other set location of a room (e.g., a cabinet). In some of such
cases, the devices may be secured to a location (e.g., nailed,
screwed or adhered) such that it is not removed without an
intervening tool. For instance, an example of a device mounted to a
wall via screws is a retractable single line cord reel often used
for a clothes line. In other cases, the device may be suctioned to
a location and the device may include a suction release valve for
decoupling the device without having to necessarily use an
intervening tool. In yet other cases, the device may include two
portions, specifically a base portion which is anchored to a set
location in a room (e.g., nailed, screwed or adhered) such that it
is not removed without an intervening tool and a secondary portion
which has a quick-release feature for connection and disconnection
from the base portion. In such cases, the secondary portion has one
of the cords or poles attached thereto or is configured to receive
attachment of one of the cords or poles. Any quick release feature
known in the art may be used for the secondary portion. Examples of
quick release features includes but art not limited to mating
magnets respectively within the base and secondary portion, a clamp
with a quick release lever, and notches or rods configured to
receive or engage and secure rods or notches of the base
portion.
[0076] Regardless of the configuration of the devices used to hold
the cords or poles of room divider 120, room divider 120 includes
curtain 126 and a means for attaching the curtain to a cord or pole
suspended between two supporting devices. In general, curtain 126
and the means for attaching the curtain to the suspended cord or
pole may include any of the curtains described herein.
Alternatively curtain 126 and the means for attaching the curtain
to the suspended cord or pole may include any combination of a
screen and a fastener by which to hang the screen, including
embodiments in which the screen and fastener are coupled together
or are independent of each other. Lastly, room divider 120 may
include a means for affecting mobility of the devices 124 together,
particularly when the devices are configured for relatively quick
release from a mounting location. Examples of such a means include
but is not limited to a cart configured to hold devices 124, a
means for detachably adjoining devices 124 together, an any
combination thereof. In some cases, devices 124 may be disposed on
rollers to affect mobility. In other embodiments, devices 124 may
be easily lifted into a cart or storage container. In yet other
cases, devices 124 may be small enough to be transported by hand,
such as when they are a quick release wall mountable retractable
single line cord reel.
[0077] Alternative curtain containment devices are shown in FIGS.
8-12 and described in more detail below. It is noted that any of
these devices may be used in conjunction with a disinfection
apparatus for the disinfection of a region in a room. Turning to
FIG. 8, cubicle curtain 130 is shown with mesh section 132 and
moveable flap 134 configured to block mesh section 132. In
particular, moveable flap 134 is secured to a base of mesh section
132 and includes fasteners 136 at or near its upper edge such that
moveable flap 134 may be secured at the top of mesh section 132
and/or the top of cubicle curtain 130. Moveable flap 134 include a
flaccid material such that it hangs below mesh section 132 when it
is not fastened above the mesh section. It is noted that moveable
flap 134 may be used for cubicle curtains without a mesh section,
but rather just provide an open space to the ceiling.
[0078] An alternative device for blocking an open and/or perforated
area of a cubicle curtain is depicted in FIG. 9. In particular,
FIG. 9 illustrates flip shield 140 arranged adjacent to an upper
edge of cubicle curtain 130. Flip shield 140 may be coupled to the
ceiling track from which cubicle curtain 130 hangs or may be
coupled to a separate mounting device on the ceiling adjacent to
the cubicle curtain track. In either case, the place flip shield
140 is coupled serves as a pivot point to move the shield down to
block mesh section 132 (or a corresponding open area above cubicle
curtain 130) or move the shield up to allow fluid passage through
mesh section 132. As shown in FIG. 9, flip shield 140 includes pull
cord 142 to affect the aforementioned movement of the flip shield.
Flip shield 140 includes a material of sufficient stiffness such
that the shield may be upheld (such that it is does not slump or
flop over to cover mesh section 132). The stiff material may be
confined to the ridge of the shield, may be confined to the body of
the shield surrounded by its ridge, or both.
[0079] Yet another alternative device for blocking an open and/or
perforated area of a cubicle curtain is depicted in FIG. 10. In
particular, FIG. 10 illustrates auxiliary curtain 150 adjacent to
cubicle curtain 130. In general, auxiliary curtain 150 may be
disposed in the curtain track of cubicle curtain 130 or in a
separate curtain track adjacent to the cubicle curtain track. As
shown in FIG. 10, the material of auxiliary curtain 150 may have
the same or slightly larger height than mesh section 132. In
addition, auxiliary curtain 150 may include pull rod 152 to affect
movement of the curtain along its curtain track by a user. In this
manner, auxiliary curtain 150 may be selectively drawn to block
mesh section 132 (or a corresponding open area above cubicle
curtain 130). FIG. 11 illustrates yet another system for blocking
an open and/or perforated area of a cubicle curtain. In particular,
FIG. 11 shows a system which includes plurality of attachable
sheets 160, which may be affixed to a curtain track of a cubicle
curtain. The attachment means of sheet 160 may be adhesive
(possibly re-adherable adhesive, such as low tack,
pressure-sensitive adhesive) or magnets. As shown in FIG. 11, the
system may include mounting pole 162 for a user to grasp individual
sheets and attach them to a cubicle curtain track. Similar to
auxiliary curtain 150 of FIG. 10, sheets 160 may have the same or
slightly larger height than mesh section 132 such that mesh section
132 (or a corresponding open area above cubicle curtain 130) may be
blocked by sheets 160.
[0080] FIG. 12 illustrates yet other system for containing light in
a confined area. In particular, FIG. 12 shows opposing cubicle
curtains 170 each having a moveable flap 172 attached along a
portion of the cubicle curtains below their open and/or perforated
section 174. Although FIG. 12 shows moveable flaps 172 attached at
approximately the mid-portion of cubicle curtain 170, the position
of moveable flaps is not so limited. As shown in FIG. 12, moveable
flaps 172 are attached widthwise relative to cubicle curtains 170
and are configured to join together when moved to be perpendicular
with cubicle curtains 170. In particular, moveable flaps 172
includes fasteners 176 at or near their distal ends such that
moveable flaps 172 may be secured together and, effectively block
light from propagating above the flaps. Moveable flaps 172
generally include a flaccid material such that they hang along the
side of cubicle curtains 170 when they are not fastened
together.
[0081] It will be appreciated to those skilled in the art having
the benefit of this disclosure that this invention is believed to
provide containment curtains and, more specifically but not limited
to, containment curtains for rooms which typically have multiple
occupancy as well as systems and apparatuses including such
containment curtains. Further modifications and alternative
embodiments of various aspects of the invention will be apparent to
those skilled in the art in view of this description. Accordingly,
this description is to be construed as illustrative only and is for
the purpose of teaching those skilled in the art the general manner
of carrying out the invention. It is to be understood that the
forms of the invention shown and described herein are to be taken
as the presently preferred embodiments. Elements and materials may
be substituted for those illustrated and described herein, parts
and processes may be reversed, and certain features of the
invention may be utilized independently, all as would be apparent
to one skilled in the art after having the benefit of this
description of the invention. Changes may be made in the elements
described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the
invention as described in the following claims. The term
"approximately" as used herein refers to variations of up to +/-5%
of the stated number.
* * * * *