INFLATABLE BARRIER

• US 20070113486A1
• Filed: 11/20/2006
• Published: 05/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Warwick & York Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Warwick & York Incorporated
• Inventors: Howland, Charles
• Granted Patent: US 7,963,075 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 52/1
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 2/10 Fire-proof curtains
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 3/02 for area conflagrations, e.g. forest fires, subterranean fires
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 3/0257 Fire curtains, blankets, walls, fences
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 9/04 against air-raid or other war-like actions
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 7/2318 by applying over- or under-pressure, e.g. inflatable gasproof doors or windows E06B5/12; for vehicles B60J10/244
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/00 Screening or protective devices for wall or similar openings, with or without operating or securing mechanisms; Closures of similar construction E06B5/10 takes precedence; wings for doors or windows, connected at their edges, E06B3/48; additional indoor equipment of doors or windows, not forming part of the proper finishing work of a building, e.g. curtains, A47H; gratings as building elements E04C2/24; fastening means E05; operating-mechanisms for wings in general E05F
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 11/00 Defence installations; Defence devices constructional aspects see Section E, e.g. air-raid shelters E04H9/04; protective arrangements for buildings E04B1/92; extinguishing or preventing the spread of fire from, incendiary bombs A62C3/06; dynamic armour F41H5/007; ballistically deployed systems for restraining persons or animals F41H13/0006; electronic countermeasures G01S
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 13/00 Means of attack or defence not otherwise provided for details of radar or sonar systems G01S7/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 52/12 Temporary protective expedient

Abstract

An inflatable barrier system for a doorway or other opening comprising a front side envelope of rectangular front elevation and dog bone shaped horizontal plane cross section, inflatable with gas and fillable with a hardening foam, combined with an inflatable back side array of tubular air beams configured with self sealant, both connected to a source of gas for inflating the fabric envelope and the back side array of tubular air beams. The front side envelope is configured for frontal resistance to predetermined levels of push, cut, puncture, flame, chemical and ballistic attack. The system is used as a method for closing a doorway to such attacks by erecting and inflating the system within the opening such that the edges on either side of the opening are gripped between the lobes of the respective ends of the dog bone profile of the front side envelope.

Claims

1. An inflatable barrier system for closing an opening to frontal attacks comprising:

a front side envelope of rectangular front elevation and dog bone shaped horizontal plane cross section profile with vertically oriented edge gripping channels defined by the lobes of the respective ends of the dog bone shaped profile, the envelope being inflatable with gas and fillable with a hardening foam;

a source of gas for inflating the envelope; and

a source of hardening foam for filling and hardening the envelope, the front face of the envelope configured for resistance to predetermined levels of push, cut, puncture, flame, chemical and ballistic attack.

2. The inflatable barrier system of claim 1, said envelope comprising a drop thread woven fabric envelope whereby the length of the drop threads defines at least in part the horizontal plane cross section profile of the envelope.

3. The inflatable barrier system of claim 1, the front face of the envelope being configured with a protective coating system comprising carbon, glass and silicone.

4. The inflatable barrier system of claim 1, the front face of the envelope being configured with a ceramic loaded coating.

5. The inflatable barrier system of claim 1, the front face of the envelope being configured with a glass mat and a base metalized layer.

6. The inflatable barrier system of claim 1, the envelope configured with bladders containing CS power.

7. The inflatable barrier system of claim 1, the source of gas and the source of hardening foam comprising a source of halogenated fire resistant urethane foam.

8. The inflatable barrier system of claim 1, further comprising:

an inflatable back side array of tubular gas beams configured with self sealant and combined with the front side envelope, the backside array being connected to the source of gas for inflating the array.

9. The inflatable barrier system of claim 8, said backside array of tubular gas beams comprising a vertical stack of horizontally disposed gas beams.

10. The inflatable barrier system of claim 8, the source of gas comprising a dual redundant source of gas including dual manifold gas delivery system connected at separate points to the backside array of gas beams.

11. The inflatable barrier system of claim 8, said tubular gas beams configured with pre-compressed, molded-foam, self-sealing neoprene.

12. The inflatable barrier system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of reinforcing edge members configured with engagement means for being secured proximate selected edges of the opening.

13. The inflatable barrier system of claim 12, said reinforcing edge members comprising telescoping edge members configured with explosive means for telescopic extension.

14. The inflatable barrier system of claim 1, comprising integral means for releasing the barrier from the opening, operable from the back side of the barrier.

15. An inflatable barrier kit for closing an opening to frontal attacks comprising:

a front side envelope of rectangular front elevation and dog bone shape horizontal plane cross section profile with vertically oriented edge gripping channels defined by the lobes at the respective ends of the dog bone shape profile, said envelope comprising a drop thread woven fabric envelope whereby the length of the drop threads defines at least in part the horizontal plane cross section profile of the envelope, the envelope being inflatable with gas and fillable with a hardening foam, the front face of the envelope configured for resistance to predetermined levels of push, cut, puncture, flame, chemical and ballistic attack;

a source of gas and hardening foam for inflating and hardening the envelope;

an inflatable back side array of tubular gas beams attached to the back of the front side envelope and configured with self sealant;

a source of gas for inflating the back side array; and

a plurality of reinforcing edge members configured with engagement means for being secured proximate selected edges of the opening.

16. The inflatable barrier kit of claim 15, the source of gas and hardening foam comprising a source of halogenated fire resistant urethane foam.

17. The inflatable barrier kit of claim 16, said tubular gas beams configured with pre-compressed, molded-foam, self-sealing neoprene.

18. A method for closing an opening to frontal attacks, comprising:

unpacking an inflatable barrier kit comprising reinforcing edge members and an inflatable barrier configured with edge gripping channels that are actuated for gripping by inflation of the barrier;

installing the reinforcing edge members proximate selected edges of the opening;

positioning the inflatable barrier within the opening such that said edge gripping channels are exposed to the reinforcing edge members and edges of the opening; and

inflating and filling the barrier with a hardening foam.

19. The method for closing an opening of claim 18;

said inflatable barrier comprising a front side envelope of rectangular front elevation and dog bone shaped profile horizontal plane cross section wherein the edge gripping channels are formed by the two lobes at each end of the dog bone shaped profile, the front face the envelope being configured for resistance to predetermined levels of push, cut, puncture, flame, chemical and ballistic attack.

20. The method for closing an opening of claim 19;

said inflatable barrier further comprising a vertically stacked back side array of horizontally disposed tubular gas beams, said method further comprising inflating the backside array with a gas.