An emergency refuge system relating to improved occupant access and air revitalization.
대표청구항▼
1. A system relating to reducing contamination in a first area adjacent to a second area, which is potentially contaminable, while permitting passage of at least one object from the second area to the first area, comprising: at least one passageway structured and arranged to permit passing the at le
1. A system relating to reducing contamination in a first area adjacent to a second area, which is potentially contaminable, while permitting passage of at least one object from the second area to the first area, comprising: at least one passageway structured and arranged to permit passing the at least one object from the second area to the first area, wherein the at least one passageway is defined by an upper surface, a lower surface, a first lateral surface, and a second lateral surface; anda first separator inside the at least one passageway to separate the first area from the second area, wherein the first separator extends laterally across the at least one passageway from the first lateral surface to the second lateral surface,wherein the first separator comprises at least one inflatable bladder, the at least one inflatable bladder capable of dynamically conforming to a shape of the at least one object when passing the at least one object through the first separator, wherein the first separator includes one or more discharge sources configured to actively discharge purge gas during the passage of the at least one object through the first separator to displace contaminants from the passageway,wherein the first separator provides a releasable seal between the first area and the second area and between the upper surface and the lower surface, while permitting passage of the at least one object from the second area to the first area, wherein the releasable seal extends laterally across the at least one passageway from the first lateral surface to the second lateral surface. 2. The system, according to claim 1, wherein the first separator comprises a non-porous polymer coating configured to resist damage from the passing through of the at least one object and from contaminants. 3. The system, according to claim 1, further comprising: a) at least one life-supporting enclosure structured and arranged to enclose such first area;b) wherein the at least one life-supporting enclosure comprises at least one enclosure wall structured and arranged to enclose, within the first area, at least one breathable atmosphere for one or more human occupants; andc) wherein the first separator is structured and arranged to permit passage of the one or more human occupants, through the at least one enclosure wall, from the second area to the first area within the at least one life-supporting enclosure. 4. The system, according to claim 3, wherein: a) said at least one life-supporting enclosure comprises at least one mine emergency refuge structured and arranged to provide refuge for miners during a period of mine contamination in a mine emergency. 5. The system, according to claim 4, further comprising: a) at least one life-support unit structured and arranged to maintain the at least one breathable atmosphere in a condition consistent with sustaining the health of the one or more human occupants;b) wherein said at least one life-support unit comprises at least one toxic-compound remover structured and arranged to remove at least one toxic compound from the at least one breathable atmosphere. 6. The system, according to claim 5, wherein said at least one toxic-compound remover comprises at least one carbon dioxide remover structured and arranged to remove carbon dioxide from the at least one breathable atmosphere. 7. The system, according to claim 5, wherein said at least one toxic-compound remover comprises at least one ammonia remover structured and arranged to remove ammonia from the at least one breathable atmosphere. 8. The system, according to claim 5, wherein said at least one toxic-compound remover comprises at least one carbon monoxide remover structured and arranged to remove carbon monoxide from the at least one breathable atmosphere. 9. The system, according to claim 8, wherein said at least one toxic-compound remover further comprises: a) at least one carbon dioxide remover structured and arranged to remove carbon dioxide from the at least one breathable atmosphere; andb) at least one ammonia remover structured and arranged to remove ammonia from the at least one breathable atmosphere. 10. The system, according to claim 5, wherein said at least one life-support unit comprises: a) at least one air conductor structured and arranged to conduct at least one airflow from the at least one breathable atmosphere;b) at least one inlet to receive the at least one airflow comprising at least one portion of the at least one breathable atmosphere;c) at least one outlet to release the at least one airflow from the at least one air conductor; andd) at least one air movement generator structured and arranged to generate movement of the at least one airflow between the at least one inlet and the at least one outlet;e) wherein the at least one air conductor comprises said at least one toxic-compound remover; andf) wherein the at least one toxic compound is removed from the at least one breathable atmosphere by interaction between the at least one airflow and the at least one toxic-compound remover. 11. The system, according to claim 5, further comprising at least one oxygen maintainer structured and arranged to maintain, within the at least one breathable atmosphere, at least one life-sustaining level of oxygen. 12. The system, according to claim 1, wherein the at least one passageway comprises: a) within at least one enclosure wall structured and arranged to enclose the first area, at least one entrance opening to provide entrance to the at least one passageway,b) the first separator, andc) a second separator structured and arranged to further separate the at least one passageway from the second area. 13. The system, according to claim 12, wherein said at least one passageway further comprises at least one third separator to further separate the first area from the second area. 14. The system, according to claim 13, wherein the at least one third separator comprises: a) a deformable separator region structured and arranged to deform under at least one force load applied to the third separator by the at least one object,b) the at least one passageway structured and arranged to permit passing the at least one object through the third separator from the second area to the first area, andc) a deformation corrector structured and arranged to restore a releasable seal of the third separator for separating the first area from the second area. 15. The system, according to claim 1, wherein the at least one inflatable bladder comprises: a) at least one continuous bladder wall structured and arranged to contain inflation fluid;b) wherein the at least one continuous bladder wall comprises at least one flexible material capable of deforming under at least one force load applied to the at least one continuous bladder wall by the at least one object. 16. The system, according to claim 1, further comprising: a) at least one cover hatch;b) wherein the at least one cover hatch is structured and arranged to be configurable between an open position and a closed position;c) wherein the at least one cover hatch, when configured in the open position, allows entry of the at least one object into the second area; andd) wherein the at least one cover hatch, when configured in the closed position, substantially prevents passage of contaminants into the second area. 17. The system, according to claim 16, further comprising: a) a bladder inflator to inflate the at least one inflatable bladder using the purge gas;b) wherein the bladder inflator comprises at least one controller configured to control delivery of the purge gas to each said at least one inflatable bladder of the first separator;c) wherein the at least one controller comprises at least one trigger configured to trigger inflation of the at least one inflatable bladder when the at least one cover hatch is opened. 18. The system, according to claim 17, a) wherein the bladder inflator is structured and arranged to utilize breathable air as the purge gas;b) wherein the at least one inflatable bladder comprises a flexible material that is at least partially permeable to the passage of the breathable air; andc) wherein at least a portion of the breathable air permeating from the at least one inflatable bladder displaces the contaminants within the at least one passageway. 19. The system, according to claim 1, wherein the first separator further comprises: a) at least two fluid-inflatable bladders comprising at least one upper fluid-inflatable bladder and at least one lower fluid-inflatable bladder;b) wherein said at least one upper fluid-inflatable bladder comprises at least one upper deformable separator region and said at least one lower fluid-inflatable bladder comprises at least one lower deformable separator region;c) wherein said at least one upper deformable separator region is arranged to be in separable contact with said at least one lower deformable separator region; andd) wherein the at least one passageway through the first separator is formed by sufficient deformation of either one of said at least one upper deformable separator region and said at least one lower deformable separator region. 20. The system, according to claim 19, wherein: a) contact between said at least one upper deformable separator region and said at least one lower deformable separator region forms at least one releasable passage seal structured and arranged to releasably seal the at least one passageway formed between said at least two fluid-inflatable bladders;b) wherein said at least one releasable passage seal prevents passage of the contaminants through the first separator. 21. The system, according to claim 20, wherein each one of said at least two fluid-inflatable bladders comprise a tubular shape having a lateral length extending between at least one first end closure and at least one second end closure. 22. The system, according to claim 20, further comprising: a) at least one bladder inflator to inflate said at least two fluid-inflatable bladders using the purge gas; andb) wherein the at least one bladder inflator comprises at least one controller to control delivery of the at least one purge gas to each said at least two fluid-inflatable bladders of the first separator. 23. The system, according to claim 21, wherein: a) said at least one releasable passage seal extends continuously along said lateral length; andb) said at least one releasable passage seal is oriented substantially horizontally. 24. The system, according to claim 1, wherein the one or more discharge sources are configured to provide uni-directional permeation of fluid from the first separator to the at least one passageway. 25. The system, according to claim 1, wherein the inflatable bladder includes a first section and a second section, wherein the first section is permeable to air and includes the one or more discharge sources distributed laterally across the first section from the first lateral surface to the second lateral surface, and wherein the second section is substantially impermeable to air. 26. A mine emergency refuge system, for providing at least one protective enclosure as a refuge for one or more persons during a period of mine contamination in a mine emergency, comprising: at least one separator structured and arranged to separate at least one contaminable mine area from at least one adjacent mine refuge area; andat least one passageway structured and arranged to permit passing the one or more persons through the at least one separator from the contaminable mine area to the mine refuge area, wherein the at least one passageway is defined by an upper surface, a lower surface, a first lateral surface, and a second lateral surface,wherein the at least one separator extends laterally across the at least one passageway from the first lateral surface to the second lateral surface,wherein the at least one separator comprises at least one inflatable bladder, the at least one inflatable bladder capable of dynamically conforming to a shape of the one or more persons when passing the one or more persons through the at least one separator, wherein the at least one separator includes one or more discharge sources configured to actively discharge purge gas during the passage of the one or more persons through the at least one separator to displace contaminants from the at least one passageway,wherein the at least one separator provides a releasable seal between the at least one mine refuge area and the at least one contaminable mine area and between the upper surface and the lower surface while permitting passage of the one or more persons from the at least one contaminated mine area to the at least one mine refuge area, wherein the releasable seal extends laterally across the at least one passageway from the first lateral surface to the second lateral surface. 27. The mine emergency refuge system, according to claim 26, further comprising: a) such at least one protective enclosure;b) wherein said at least one protective enclosure comprises at least one enclosure wall structured and arranged to enclose at least one breathable atmosphere for the one or more persons; andc) wherein said at least one separator is structured and arranged to permit passage of the one or more persons, through said at least one enclosure wall, from the at least one contaminable mine area to the at least one mine refuge area within said at least one protective enclosure. 28. The mine emergency refuge system, according to claim 27, wherein said at least one protective enclosure comprises: a) at least one life-support subsystem structured and arranged to provide life-support to the one or more persons during the period of mine contamination in the mine emergency;b) wherein said at least one life-support subsystem comprisesc) at least one oxygen maintainer structured and arranged to maintain, within said at least one protective enclosure, at least one breathable atmosphere comprising at least one life-sustaining level of oxygen; andd) at least one toxic-compound remover structured and arranged to remove at least one toxic compound from the at least one breathable atmosphere. 29. The mine emergency refuge system, according to claim 26, wherein: the at least one inflatable bladder includes a first section and a second section, wherein the first section is permeable to air and includes the one or more discharge sources distributed laterally across the first section from the first lateral surface to the second lateral surface, and wherein the second section is substantially impermeable to air. 30. A system, relating to reducing contamination potential in a first area adjacent to a contaminated second area while permitting passage of at least one object from the contaminated second area to the first area, comprising: separator means for separating the first area from the contaminated second area in a passageway connecting the first area to the contaminated second area, the passageway defined by an upper surface, a lower surface, a first lateral surface, and a second lateral surface, wherein the separator means extends laterally across the passageway from the first lateral surface to the second lateral surface;wherein said separator means comprises at least one inflatable means for dynamically conforming to a shape of the at least one object when passing the at least one object through the separator means, the separator means comprising one or more discharging means for actively discharging purge gas from the inflatable means during passage of the at least one object passing through the separator means to displace contaminants from the passageway;wherein the separator means provides a releasable seal between the first area and the contaminated second area and between the upper surface and the lower surface while permitting passage of the at least one object from the contaminated second area to the first area, wherein the releasable seal extends laterally across the passageway from the first lateral surface to the second lateral surface. 31. The system, according to claim 30, wherein the at least one inflatable means includes a first section and a second section, wherein the first section is permeable to air and includes the one or more discharging means distributed laterally across the first section from the first lateral surface to the second lateral surface, and wherein the second section is substantially impermeable to air. 32. A system relating to reducing cross contamination during passage of at least one person or object through a passageway extending between an enclosable life-supporting refuge and least one contaminated environment, said system comprising: at least one air-inflatable separator to separate the enclosable life-supporting refuge and the least one contaminated environment, the passageway defined by an upper surface, a lower surface, a first lateral surface, and a second lateral surface;wherein said at least one air-inflatable separator comprises at least one air-inflatable tube having at least one flexible outer wall, wherein the at least one air-inflatable separator extends laterally across the passageway from the first lateral surface to the second lateral surface;wherein said at least one air-inflatable tube is capable of dynamically conforming to a shape of the at least one person or object when passing the at least one person or object through the air-inflatable separator, the at least one air-inflatable separator including one or more discharge sources configured to actively discharge purge gas from the at least one air-inflatable tube during passage of the at least one person or object through the at least one air-inflatable separator to displace contaminants from the passageway;wherein the at least one air-inflatable separator provides a releasable seal between the enclosable life-supporting refuge and the at least one contaminated environment and between the upper surface and the lower surface while permitting passage of the at least one person or object from the least one contaminated environment to the enclosable life-supporting refuge, wherein the releasable seal extends laterally across the passageway from the first lateral surface to the second lateral surface. 33. The system, according to claim 32, further comprising a cover hatch configured to open to allow entry of the at least one person or object into the at least one contaminated environment and a controller, wherein the controller comprises a trigger configured to trigger delivery of the purge gas when the cover hatch is opened.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (5)
Murphy, John Kenneth; Ostroskie, Sylvia, Double entrance for use in an inflatable enclosure.
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