Method and apparatus for toxic substance encapsulation

• US 8,721,818 B2
• Filed: 07/14/2011
• Issued: 05/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Scot Lavelle
• Original Assignee: Scot Lavelle
• Inventors: LaVelle, Scot
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan, Sing P
• Application Number:
  US13/183,408
• Publication Number:
  US 20120027975A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,034 Days
• Field of Search: 156/71, 156/247, 156/249, 156/250, 156/252, 156/289, 156/314
• US Class Current: 156/71
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 17/00 Methods preventing fouling preventing accumulation of deposits in pneumatic conveyors B65G53/521
• CPC Class Codes: B09B 3/0066 Disposal of asbestos
• CPC Class Codes: B09B 3/21 using organic binders or matrix
• CPC Class Codes: B09B 5/00 Operations not covered by a single other subclass or by a single other group in this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 63/0017 characterised by the choice of the material
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 63/024 the sheet or web-like material being supported by a moving carriage
• CPC Class Codes: C09J 7/22 Plastics; Metallised plastics
• CPC Class Codes: C09J 7/30 characterised by the adhesive composition
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1056 Perforating lamina
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/14 Layer or component removable to expose adhesive
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/15 Sheet, web, or layer weakened to permit separation through thickness
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/269 including synthetic resin or polymer layer or component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2848 Three or more layers

Abstract

A method of encapsulating a toxin on a contaminated surface includes providing a plastic air-tight substrate having first and second opposing surfaces. An adhesive substance is disposed on the first surface. The first surface of the plastic substrate is applied to the contaminated surface such that the plastic substrate is adhered to the contaminated surface, and such that the toxin is completely covered by the plastic substrate.

Claims

1. A method of encapsulating a toxin on a contaminated surface, comprising the steps of:

providing a plastic air-tight substrate having first and second opposing surfaces, an adhesive substance being disposed on the first surface, the substrate being transparent and tinted, the substrate being included in a group of said substrates, each of the substrates having a different color of tinting;

selecting one of the substrates that has a tint color that is visible against a color of the contaminated surface; and

applying the first surface of the plastic substrate to the contaminated surface such that the plastic substrate is adhered to the contaminated surface, and such that the toxin is completely covered by the plastic substrate.

2. A method of encapsulating a toxin on a contaminated surface, comprising the steps of:

impregnating an adhesive substance with a fungicide;

providing a plastic air-tight substrate having first and second opposing surfaces, the adhesive substance being disposed on the first surface; and

applying the first surface of the plastic substrate to the contaminated surface such that the plastic substrate is adhered to the contaminated surface, and such that the toxin is completely covered by the plastic substrate.

3. A method of encapsulating a toxin on a contaminated planar surface, comprising the steps of:

attaching a frame to the planar surface such that the frame substantially surrounds the toxin;

providing a plastic air-tight substrate having first and second opposing surfaces, an adhesive substance being disposed on the first surface; and

applying opposite ends of the first surface of the plastic substrate to respective opposing portions of the frame such that the toxin is encapsulated between the planar surface, the frame, and the plastic substrate.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the planar surface is a surface of a piece of drywall, the method comprising the further steps of:

cutting through the drywall around an entire perimeter of the frame to thereby disconnect the contaminated portion of the piece of drywall from a remainder of the piece of drywall; and

removing and disposing of the contaminated portion of the piece of drywall with the frame and plastic substrate attached thereto.

5. The method of claim 3, comprising the further step of adhering the first surface of the plastic substrate to the contaminated planar surface that is surrounded by the frame.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the plastic substrate is provided in a plurality of elongate strips, the applying step comprising applying the elongate strips to the frame in a side-by-side relationship such that adjacent side edges of adjacent said strips overlap each other.

7. A method of encapsulating a toxin on a piece of drywall, comprising the steps of:

attaching a frame to the piece of drywall such that the frame substantially surrounds the toxin;

providing a flexible substrate having first and second opposing surfaces, an adhesive substance being disposed on the first surface;

applying opposite ends of the first surface of the flexible substrate to respective opposing portions of the frame such that the toxin is encapsulated between the piece of drywall, the frame, and the flexible substrate;

cutting through the piece of drywall around an entire perimeter of the frame to thereby disconnect a portion of the piece of drywall from a remainder of the piece of drywall, the toxin being on the portion of the piece of drywall; and

removing and disposing of the portion of the piece of drywall with the frame and flexible substrate attached thereto.

8. The method of claim 7, comprising the further step of adhering the first surface of the flexible substrate to the portion of the piece of drywall that is surrounded by the frame.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the flexible substrate is provided in a plurality of elongate strips, the applying step comprising applying the elongate strips to the frame in a side-by-side relationship such that adjacent side edges of adjacent said strips overlap each other.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the flexible substrate comprises a plastic flexible substrate.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the flexible substrate comprises an airtight flexible substrate.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the substrate is wound up on a roll, the applying step comprising dispensing the substrate from the roll.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the roll is perforated in directions perpendicular to a length of the substrate, the perforations being substantially equally-spaced at locations along the length of the substrate, the applying step comprising breaking the perforations at a selected one of the locations such that the broken off section of the substrate has a length slightly larger than a distance between the respective opposing portions of the frame.

14. The method of claim 13, comprising the further steps of:

breaking the perforations at a second selected one of the locations to thereby form a second broken off section; and

applying the second broken off section adjacent to, and partially overlapping, the first broken off section on the frame.

15. The method of claim 7, wherein the substrate is transparent and tinted, the substrate being included in a group of said substrates, each of the substrates having a different color of tinting, the method comprising the further step of selecting one of the substrates that has a tint color that is visible against a color of the contaminated surface.