Breathable air safety system and method having at least one fill site

• US 7,621,269 B2
• Filed: 08/16/2006
• Issued: 11/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rescue Air Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Rescue Air Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Turiello, Anthony J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yu; Justine R
• Assistant Examiner(s): DIXON, ANNETTE FREDRICKA
• Application Number:
  US11/505,708
• Publication Number:
  US 20080041379A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,196 Days
• Field of Search: 128/200.24, 128/201.24, 128/203.27, 128/204.18, 128/204.21, 128/205.26, 128/897, 128/898, 52/21, 521/696, 523/021, 521/733, 454169-172
• US Class Current: 128/204.21
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 13/00 Special devices for ventilating gasproof shelters ventilating in general F24F
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 15/00 Installations affording protection against poisonous or injurious substances, e.g. with separate breathing apparatus preventing escape of dirt or fumes from the area where they are produced B08B15/00; building aspects E04H9/00 ; use of air currents for screening F24F9/00
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass

Abstract

A breathable air safety system and method having at least one fill site is disclosed. In one aspect, a method of safety of a structure is disclosed. A prescribed pressure of an emergency support system is ensured to be within a threshold range of the prescribed pressure by including a valve of the emergency support system to prevent leakage of breathable air from the emergency support system. The prescribed pressure of the emergency support system is designated based on a municipality code that specifies a pressure rating of the breathable air apparatus that is used in an authority agency of a particular geographic location. An air extraction process is expedited from the emergency support system by including a RIC (rapid interventions company/crew) /UAC (universal air connection) fitting to a fill panel to fill a breathable air apparatus.

Claims

1. A method of safety of a structure, comprising:

ensuring that a prescribed pressure of an emergency support system maintains within a threshold range of the prescribed pressure by including a valve of the emergency support system to prevent leakage of breathable air from the emergency support system;

wherein the prescribed pressure of the emergency support system is designated based on a municipality code that specifies a pressure rating of the breathable air apparatus that is used in an authority agency of a particular geographic location; and

expediting an air extraction process from the emergency support system by including a RIC (rapid interventions company/crew)/UAC (universal air connection) fitting to a fill panel to fill a breathable air apparatus.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing protection against any of fire and physical damage to a distribution structure that couples the supply unit and a fill site to transfer breathable air from the source of compressed air to the fill site.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising ensuring that the distribution structure withstands elevated temperatures for a period of time through any of an enclosing the distribution structure in any of the fire rated material and assembly that embeds the distribution structure in a fire rated assembly of the building structure that is fire rated.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising automatically adjusting the system pressure when it exceeds the prescribed pressure of the emergency support system by a prescribed amount through automatically triggering a safety relief valve of any of a supply unit and a fill panel.

5. The method of claim 3 further comprising automatically monitoring any of the system pressure of the emergency support system and the fill pressure of the source of compressed air with at least one pressure gauge of the supply unit enclosure.

6. The method of claim 3 further comprising enhancing visibility of the supply unit enclosure and the fill panel enclosure to provide luminescence in a reduced light environment.

7. The method of claim 2 further comprising providing any of a tamper resistant shielding and a corrosion preventive shielding for the distribution structure such that unauthorized access and natural wear to the distribution structure is prevented through an enclosure of the distribution structure in a robust material.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising adjusting a fill pressure of the supply unit to ensure that the fill pressure of the source of compressed air does not exceed the prescribed pressure of the emergency support system to maintain reliability of the emergency support system.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising preventing corrosion and physical damage of weather through a weather resistant feature of a supply unit enclosure.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising providing a locking mechanism of the supply unit enclosure and a fill panel enclosure to prevent an intrusion potentially compromising safety and reliability of the emergency support system.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising minimizing physical damage of various external hazards to protect the fill panel and the supply unit from any of an intrusion and damage through utilizing at least substantially 18 gauge carbon steel of the fill panel enclosure and the supply unit enclosure.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising adjusting a fill pressure of the fill panel and ensuring that the fill pressure of the fill panel does not exceed the pressure rating for the RIC (rapid interventions company/crew)/UAC (universal air connection) fitting.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising suspending transfer of breathable air from the source of compressed air to the emergency support system through utilizing a valve of the supply unit when necessary.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising preventing leakage of air from the emergency support system potentially leading to pressure loss of the emergency support system through utilizing a valve of the fill panel.

15. The method of claim 1 further comprising isolating a fill panel from a remaining portion of the emergency support system by incorporating an isolation valve to the fill panel such that the remaining portion of the emergency support system is utilizable in an emergency situation.