Means of providing safe haven within buildings during chemical or biological attack
AssigneeHoneywell Inc.
InventorRuth D. Kreichauf
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A room in a building serving as a safe haven for human inhabitants against harmful agent attack such as chemical or biological weapon attack. The room provides an environment sealed from air-carried harmful agents wherein the sealing can be accomplished by blocking air ducts and air leakage around doors. The room can be specially built, retrofitted, or rapidly adapted to serve as a safe haven. The room can include an oxygen source such as an oxygen generator. One oxygen generator utilizes a chemical process to generate gaseous oxygen. The room preferably includes a carbon dioxide scrubber. The invention includes kits and methods for rapidly converting a room to a safe haven.
Claims31
A building having air supply and return ducts comprising:
- at least one room for providing a human life sustaining atmosphere in the face a harmful airborne agent attack against said building, wherein said room includes
- an oxygen source,
- a carbon dioxide scrubber, and
- wherein said room is substantially sealed off from said air return and supply ducts, and wherein gaseous oxygen is added to said room atmosphere by said oxygen source and gaseous carbon dioxide is removed from said room atmosphere by said carbon dioxide scrubber.
A method for providing a human life sustaining atmosphere in a room during a harmful agent attack comprising the steps of:
- providing means for removing gaseous carbon dioxide from air;
- providing means for generating gaseous oxygen;
- providing means for sealing said room from any externally coupled ventilation sources;
- sealing said room from any externally coupled ventilation sources using said sealing means;
- removing some of said carbon dioxide from said room air using said carbon dioxide removing means;
- and
- generating oxygen using said oxygen generating means.
A method for providing a human life sustaining atmosphere in a room during a harmful agent attack comprising the steps of:
- providing a carbon dioxide scrubber;
- providing a gaseous oxygen source;
- providing sealing devices for sealing said room from any externally coupled ventilation sources;
- sealing said room from any externally coupled ventilation sources using said sealing devices;
- removing some of said carbon dioxide from said room air using said carbon dioxide scrubber;
- and
- supplying oxygen to said room using said oxygen source.
A kit for providing a breathable room atmosphere comprising:
- at least one portable sealing device for sealing said room from any coupled ventilation ducts;
- a portable carbon dioxide scrubber;
- and
- a portable gaseous oxygen source.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.