Quick setup decontamination stall

• US 20040071587A1
• Filed: 10/11/2002
• Published: 04/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Andax Environmental Corporation
• Original Assignee: Andax Environmental Corporation
• Inventors: McAtarian, Patrick F.
• Application Number:
  US10/269,547
• Publication Number:
  US 20040071587A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/18 Liquid substances or solutions comprising solids or dissolved gases
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/22 Phase substances, e.g. smokes, aerosols or sprayed or atomised substances
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/26 Accessories or devices or components used for biocidal treatment
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 1/1277 Shelters for decontamination

Abstract

A decontamination unit (10) is provided including an upright collapsible frame (12) and a one-piece integrated enclosure (14). The frame (12) includes extensible legs (16) interconnected by upper scissor linkages (20); it may be manually erected in the field in a very few minutes. The enclosure (14) is suspended on and supported by the frame (12) and preferably includes a lower basin floor (30) and upright wall structure (40). One or more ingress/egress passageways (70) are provided in the wall structure (40). The unit (10) may be used individually or a plurality thereof may be positioned in juxtaposition for staged decontamination purposes.

Claims

1. A decontamination unit comprising:

a unitary, one-piece, upright liquid-containing enclosure comprising a basin floor and upright wall structure extending upwardly from the basin floor and having a passageway therethrough,

said enclosure formed of a flexible material with the inner face thereof formed of synthetic resin material,

said enclosure of sufficient height to accommodate a standing adult therein; and

a frame supporting said enclosure.

2. The unit of claim 1, said basin floor and upright wall structure being permanently interconnected to form said enclosure.

3. The unit of claim 1, said basin floor formed of a fiber cord-reinforced synthetic resin material having a thickness of from about 15-50 mil.

4. The unit of claim 3, said material being fiber cord-reinforced extruded or blown polyethylene having a thickness of about 27 mil.

5. The unit of claim 3, said upright wall structure formed of synthetic resin film material having a thickness of from about 5-25 mil.

6. The unit of claim 5, said synthetic resin film material being blown polyethylene film having a thickness of about 10 mil.

7. The unit of claim 5, said basin floor material being heat sealed to said synthetic resin film material.

8. The unit of claim 1, said basin floor including a liquid drain opening.

9. The unit of claim 1, said enclosure having an open top.

10. The unit of claim 1, said passageway presenting a bottom margin spaced above the bottom of said basin floor.

11. The unit of claim 1, said frame disposed exteriorly of said enclosure, and comprising a plurality of upright, spaced apart, interconnected legs, there being connectors for releasably coupling said enclosure to said legs.

12. The unit of claim 11, said connectors comprising strap members secured to said enclosure.

13. The unit of claim 11, said legs interconnected by collapsible scissor linkages.

14. The unit of claim 1, said enclosure being generally quadrate in plan configuration.

15. The unit of claim 1, said wall structure presenting a pair of opposed passageways therethrough.

16. A decontamination assembly comprising:

a plurality of individual decontamination units positioned in juxtaposed, close proximity relationship, each of said units including—

a unitary, one-piece, upright liquid-containing enclosure comprising a basin floor and upright wall structure extending upwardly from the basin floor,

said enclosure formed of a flexible material with the inner face thereof formed of synthetic resin material,

said enclosure of sufficient height to accommodate a standing adult therein; and

a frame supporting said enclosure,

the adjacent wall structures of said units each having a passageway therethrough which are in general alignment, permitting a person to move from one unit to the next by a single step through the generally aligned passageways.

17. The assembly of claim 16, the basin floor and upright wall structure of each of said units being permanently interconnected to form said enclosure.

18. The assembly of claim 16, the basin floor of each of said units formed of a fiber cord-reinforced synthetic resin material having a thickness of from about 15-50 mil.

19. The assembly of claim 18, said material being fiber cord-reinforced extruded or blown polyethylene having a thickness of about 27 mil.

20. The assembly of claim 18, the upright wall structure of each of said units formed of synthetic resin film material having a thickness of from about 5-25 mil.

21. The assembly of claim 20, said synthetic resin film material being blown polyethylene film having a thickness of about 10 mil.

22. The assembly of claim 20, said basin floor material being heat sealed to said synthetic resin film material.

23. The assembly of claim 16, the basin floor of each of said units including a liquid drain opening.

24. The assembly of claim 16, the enclosures of each of said units having an open top.

25. The assembly of claim 16, the passageways of said units each presenting a bottom margin spaced above the bottom of the associated basin floor.

26. The assembly of claim 16, the frames of each of said units disposed exteriorly of the corresponding enclosures, each of said frames comprising a plurality of upright, spaced apart, interconnected legs, there being connectors for releasably coupling said corresponding enclosure to said legs.

27. The assembly of claim 26, said connectors comprising strap members secured to said corresponding enclosures.

28. The assembly of claim 26, said legs interconnected by collapsible scissor linkages.

29. The assembly of claim 16, the enclosures of each of said units being generally quadrate in plan configuration.

30. A decontamination method comprising the steps of:

providing a decontamination unit comprising—

a unitary, one-piece, upright liquid-containing enclosure comprising a basin floor and upright wall structure extending upwardly from the basin floor and having a passageway therethrough,

said enclosure formed of a flexible material with the inner face thereof formed of synthetic resin material,

said enclosure of sufficient height to accommodate a standing adult therein; and

a frame supporting said enclosure;

causing a person to be decontaminated to enter said enclosure through said passageway; and

applying a decontaminating substance onto said person within said enclosure.

31. The method of claim 30, said substance comprising a liquid, said method including the step of collecting said liquid within said basin floor during said decontamination, and thereafter draining the liquid through a drain opening provided in the basin floor.

32. The method of claim 30, including the step of spraying decontaminating liquid onto said person through said passageway.