# US 9,038,328 B2 · Aboveground safety shelter > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,038,328 B2 - Document ID: US9038328B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/482,151 - Filed: 2014-09-10 - Published: 2014-12-25 - Granted: 2015-05-26 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-25 - Applicants: Keith Thompson; Clint Algood - Inventors: Keith Thompson; Clint Algood - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9038328B2 ## CPC - E04H 9/14: against other dangerous influences, e.g. tornadoes, floods - E02D 27/01: Flat foundations - E04B 2/00: Walls, e.g. partitions, for buildings; Wall construction with regard to insulation; Connections specially adapted to walls (connections for building structures in general E04B1/38; insulation for buildings in general E04B1/62; building elements of relatively thin form for parts of buildings E04C2/00) - E04H 9/00: Buildings, groups of buildings or shelters adapted to withstand or provide protection against abnormal external influences, e.g. war-like action, earthquake or extreme climate (foundation aspects E02D) - Y02A 50/00: in human health protection, e.g. against extreme weather - E04H: BUILDINGS OR LIKE STRUCTURES FOR PARTICULAR PURPOSES; SWIMMING OR SPLASH BATHS OR POOLS; MASTS; FENCING; TENTS OR CANOPIES, IN GENERAL (foundations E02D) - E02D: FOUNDATIONS; EXCAVATIONS; EMBANKMENTS (specially adapted for hydraulic engineering E02B); UNDERGROUND OR UNDERWATER STRUCTURES {(tunnels, tunnelling, mining E21)} - E04B: GENERAL BUILDING CONSTRUCTIONS; WALLS, e.g. PARTITIONS; ROOFS; FLOORS; CEILINGS; INSULATION OR OTHER PROTECTION OF BUILDINGS (border constructions of opening in walls, floors or ceilings E06B1/00; {electromagnetic shielding H05K9/0001}) - Y02A: TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE ## Abstract A mobile aboveground safety shelter to provide protection from dangerous events such as storms, tornadoes and similar occurrences is provided. The shelter includes a pallet and a room connected to the pallet. The pallet has a generally planar base and a wall extending upward from the base. The wall and base form a cavity suitable for containing a weighting material. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An aboveground safety shelter having a weight comprising: a pallet having a length and a width, said pallet comprising: a generally planar base having a periphery and comprising a bottom planar surface and a top planar surface; and a sidewall extending upward from said base and around at least a portion of the periphery of said base; and a room connected to said pallet, said room comprising: a room wall attached to said top planar surface such that said top planar surface serves as a floor for said room; and a roof; wherein said room extends across said width of said pallet such that a first cavity and a second cavity are formed by said top planar surface, said room wall and said sidewall and wherein said pallet and said room are configured such that, when a weighting material is added to said first and second cavities, the weight of said shelter and said weighting material provides a primary resistance against movement of said shelter in storms without reliance on belowground components. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The aboveground safety shelter of claim 1, wherein, when said safety shelter is installed at an installation site having a ground surface, said bottom planar surface fits flush on said ground surface of said installation site without any voids which might allow wind to get underneath said base. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The aboveground safety shelter of claim 1, wherein said sidewall comprises a first side wall, a second side wall, a first end wall and a second end wall and wherein said first cavity is defined by said first and second side walls, said first end wall, said room wall and said top planar surface and said second cavity is defined by said first and second side walls, said second end wall, said room wall and said top planar surface. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The aboveground safety shelter of claim 3, wherein said first and second side walls have outer surfaces opposing said first and second cavities and said outer surfaces are inclined so as to form an acute angle with said base. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The aboveground safety shelter of claim 1, wherein said room wall has a simple-curved cross-sectional shape. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The aboveground safety shelter of claim 5, wherein said room wall has a cylindrical shape and said roof is in a form of a spherical cap. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The aboveground safety shelter of claim 6, wherein said width of said pallet is at least equal to the diameter of said room and wherein said length of said pallet is more than 150% of the diameter of said room. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The aboveground safety shelter of claim 1, wherein the height of said pallet is from 15% to 35% of the height of said shelter. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The aboveground safety shelter of claim 1, wherein, when said weighting material is disposed in said first and second cavities, said pallet and said weighting material comprise at least 60% of the weight of said safety shelter. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The aboveground safety shelter of claim 1, wherein: said sidewall comprises a first side wall, a second side wall, a first end wall and a second end wall and wherein said first cavity is defined by said first and second side walls, said first end wall, said room wall and said top planar surface and said second cavity is defined by said first and second side walls, said second end wall, said room wall and said top planar surface; said first and second side walls have outer surfaces opposing said first and second cavities and said outer surfaces are inclined so as to form an acute angle with said base; said room wall has a cylindrical shape and said roof is in a form of a spherical cap; when said safety shelter is installed at an installation site having a ground surface, said bottom planar surface fits flush on said ground surface of said installation site without any voids which might allow wind to get underneath said base; said height of said pallet is from 15% to 35% of the height of said shelter; said width of said pallet is at least equal to the diameter of said room; said length of said pallet is more than 150% of the diameter of said room, and when said weighting material is disposed in said first and second cavities, said pallet and said weighting material comprise at least 60% of the weight of said safety shelter. ### Claim 11 An aboveground safety shelter comprising: a pallet having a weight and a generally planar base with a periphery and a side wall extending upward from said base and around at least a portion of the periphery of said base, said planar base having length and a width, said length being greater than said width; and a room having a weight and comprising a room wall and a roof, said room wall connected to said pallet; a first cavity defined by said base, said side wall and said room wall, said first cavity extending from a first side of said room along said length of said base; a weighting material disposed within said first cavity; wherein said shelter is configured such that the weight of said weighting material along with the weight of said pallet and said room provide a primary resistance against movement of said shelter in storms without reliance on belowground components. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The aboveground safety shelter of claim 11, wherein said base comprises a bottom planar surface and a top planar surface and said room wall is attached to said top planer surface such that said top planar surface serves as a floor for said room. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The aboveground safety shelter of claim 12, wherein, when said safety shelter is installed at an installation site having a ground surface, said bottom planar surface fits flush on said ground surface of said installation site without any voids which might allow wind to get underneath said base. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The aboveground safety shelter of claim 11, further comprising: a second cavity defined by said base, said side wall and said room wall, said second cavity extending from a second side of said room along said length of said base; wherein said weighting material is disposed in said first and second cavities. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The aboveground safety shelter of claim 11, wherein said side wall has an outer surface opposing said first cavity and said outer surface is inclined so as to form an acute angle with said base. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The aboveground safety shelter of claim 1, wherein said room wall has a simple curved cross-sectional shape. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The aboveground safety shelter of claim 16, wherein said room wall has a cylindrical shape and said roof is in a form of a spherical cap. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The aboveground safety shelter of claim 17, wherein said width of said pallet is at least equal to the diameter of said room and wherein said length of said pallet is more than 150% of the diameter of said room. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The aboveground safety shelter of claim 1, wherein said pallet with said weighting material comprise at least 60% of the weight of said safety shelter. ### Claim 20 An aboveground safety shelter having a weight comprising: a pallet having a weight and a generally planar base with a periphery and a side wall extending upward from said base and around at least a portion of the periphery of said base, said planar base having length, a width, a top planar surface and a bottom planar surface, said length being greater than said width; and a room comprising a cylindrical room wall and a roof, wherein said roof has a form of a cylindrical cap and said room wall is connected to said top planar surface such that said top planar surface serves as a floor for said room; a first cavity defined by said top planar surface, said side wall and said room wall, said first cavity extending from a first side of said room along said length of said base; a second cavity defined by said top planar surface, said side wall and said room wall, said second cavity extending from a second side of said room along said length of said base; a weighting material disposed within said first and second cavities such that the weight of said weighting material and the weight of said pallet comprise at least 60% of the weight of said shelter; wherein said shelter is configured such that the weight of said weighting material along with the weight of said pallet and said room provide a primary resistance against movement of said shelter in storms without reliance on belowground components and the weight of said pallet and said weighting material comprise at least 60% of the weight of said shelter; wherein said side wall has an outer surface opposing said first and second cavities and said outer surface is inclined so as to form an acute angle with said base; wherein said width of said pallet is at least equal to the diameter of said room and wherein said length of said pallet is more than 150% of the diameter of said room; and wherein, when said safety shelter is installed at an installation site having a ground surface, said bottom planar surface fits flush on said ground surface of said installation site without any voids which might allow wind to get underneath said base.