DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021] FIG. 1 illustrates a building 20 including a public atrium area 23 and having a conventional building heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) system 22 not having any duct isolation equipment in place. HVAC system 22 is illustrated transporting harmful agent 46 through return air ducts 34 and dispersing it as externally released cloud 44 . Air intake 24 is connected to a supply duct 28 . Intermediate ducts 30 split off into a series of smaller ducts 32 , which feed a series of room diffusers 38 . Return air vents 36 and return air ducts 34 return air to either be expelled outside the building or be mixed with fresh air intake. Heating, cooling, humidification, and dehumidification functions are often performed in large chambers such as chamber 28 , and in more local intermediate sized chambers 42 . Mixing and/or recirculation can be performed by a return air duct 48 .

[0022] FIG. 1 illustrates an internally released harmful agent cloud 46 dispersed in public atrium 23 near return air vents 36 . HVAC system 22 is illustrated transporting harmful agent 46 through return air ducts 34 and dispersing it as externally released cloud 44 . Return air ducts 34 are also connected through return air duct 48 , into intake chamber 28 , and may internally release harmful agent cloud 47 through diffusers 38 . As illustrated, the harmful agent is delivered from a public portion of the building to the private areas of the building by the HVAC system and to the exterior near the building as well.

[0023] Referring now to FIG. 2 , building 20 and HVAC system 22 have been outfitted with harmful agent detectors or chemical-biological detectors (CBDs) and a ductwork isolation system. In the example illustrated, a CBD 60 is disposed in large chamber 28 , a CBD 62 is disposed near air exhaust 26 , a CBD 64 is disposed in intermediate chamber 40 , and a room air CBD 66 is disposed in public atrium 23 . A horizon CBD 70 can be disposed external to the building, such as on the roof. Horizon CBD 70 can detect more distant harmful agents using spectroscopic techniques including those incorporating LIDAR and laser technologies. Horizon CBDs can be useful for detecting harmful agents released a distance from the building, such as those delivered by missiles. In the embodiment illustrated, the CBDs are in communication with a Contamination Prevention Controller (CPC) 72 , preferably using wires (omitted to simplify the drawing).

[0024] Disposed within the building are a series of inflatable occlusion devices such as inflatable bladders. Several inflatable occlusion devices 97 are disposed about the periphery of a room, for occlusion of the room to prevent contamination. Another inflatable occlusion device 50 is disposed within large duct 28 , inflatable occlusion devices 52 and 54 are disposed within the intermediate sized ducts, and yet another inflatable occlusion device 56 is disposed within a small, local circular duct. Another inflatable occlusion device 51 is disposed within return air duct 48 . It is contemplated that an inflatable occlusion device may also be disposed at selected locations in common returns situated between a true and a false ceilings to help apportion different return zones after a chemical or biological attack.

[0025] The inflatable occlusion devices shown in FIG. 2 are preferably in communication with central Contamination Prevention Controller 72 using hard wiring. In some embodiments, however, radio frequency links are used to link detectors, controllers, and inflatable occlusion devices. In other embodiments, the detector and controller are disposed in close proximity to the inflatable occlusion devices.

[0026] Referring now to FIG. 3, a wireless control system for building region occlusion is further illustrated. A duct 80 is shown having a CBD 82 , which is mounted external to the duct with a probe 83 extending into the duct. CBD 82 is linked to a transmitter 84 , which is in communication with a receiver 86 , which is coupled to the input of a controller 88 . The output of controller 88 is coupled to a transmitter 90 which is in communication with a receiver 92 disposed near an inflatable occlusion device 96 . Inflatable occlusion device 96 includes an inflator 94 coupled to receiver 92 . In use, when CBD 82 detects a harmful agent, the system can be run in automatic mode, using controller 88 to trigger inflator 94 automatically. The system can also be run in manual mode, with controller 88 using an annunciator to signal a human operator who is then required to operate controller 88 to signal inflator 94 . The annunciator may also include means for outputting information about said detector including harmful agent location and/or harmful agent identification.

[0027] FIG. 4A illustrates a building region, which is a room 100 having generally an internal volume 102 and an entryway or doorway 110 . Room 100 has a first wall 106 , a second wall 107 , a third wall 108 and a fourth wall 109 . A number of inflatable occlusion devices are disposed on the walls. First wall 106 includes an inflatable occlusion device 114 and an inflatable occlusion device 112 . The third wall 108 includes an inflatable occlusion device 116 and an inflatable occlusion device 118 . The inflatable occlusion devices can be mounted within the wall or on the wall surface. In other embodiments, the inflatable occlusion devices may, in addition, or instead, be disposed within the floor and/or wall and/or other objects within the room. In some embodiments, a room is entirely filled with a single inflatable occlusion device. The inflatable occlusion devices illustrated in FIG. 4A may be linked to a central controller via communication or data link. In one embodiment, inflatable occlusion devices are coupled to a central controller using a radio frequency communication link.

[0028] FIG. 5 illustrates one embodiment for providing an inflatable occlusion device within a wall, for example, a room wall. A wall-mounted inflatable occlusion device 120 is shown disposed between a front panel or wall section 124 and a back wall section 122 . Inflatable occlusion device 120 includes an inflatable bladder or envelope 130 and an inflator 132 , which can include an inflator initiator. In the embodiment shown, inflatable occlusion device 120 is disposed between a first stud 128 and a second stud 126 in the wall. In some embodiments, the inflatable occlusion device is disposed behind a weakened or perforated section of wall. In another embodiment, the inflatable occlusion device is disposed behind a decorative panel which takes the place of the normal wall surface. In yet another embodiment, the inflatable occlusion device is disposed behind a normal building wall material such as sheetrock or paneling. In these embodiments, the inflation and/or pre-inflation motion is sufficiently strong to break the wall panel material away from the wall, allowing the inflatable envelope 130 to expand into the room.

[0029] FIG. 4B illustrates room 100 after inflation of the inflatable occlusion devices of FIG. 4A . In the embodiment shown, room volume 102 is filled with multiple inflated bladders or envelopes. In FIG. 4 B, room 100 is shown subdivided into four occluded sub regions or cells 132 , 134 , 136 , and 138 . The room volume 102 is shown either totally or substantially filled with the inflated occlusion devices. When so provided, harmful agents such as chemical or biological agents will have difficulty contaminating the room as the room volume is already occupied by the inflated occlusion devices.

[0030] Referring now to FIG. 6, a hallway 180 is shown. Hallway 180 has generally a volume 181 and a length 184 . An entryway is also illustrated at 182 . Building hallway 180 shows inflatable occlusion devices 190 and 192 in the inflated configuration. Inflatable occlusion devices 190 and 192 may be considered in some embodiments to be two, discreet inflatable occlusion devices. In another embodiment, inflatable occlusion devices 190 and 192 may be considered to be part of a single inflatable occlusion device, having a non-contiguous configuration or a void or hollow interior. In either embodiment, the inflatable occlusion devices 190 and 192 are preferably positioned to prevent contamination of hallway 180 by harmful agents, and/or to help create protection zones or cells within a building to help isolate certain sections of a building from contaminated sections.

[0031] Entryway 182 may also have an inflatable occlusion device 194 disposed near or within the entryway. In the embodiment illustrated, entryway 182 is a doorway. However, it is contemplated that the entryway could be any opening or orifice in a building. Inflatable occlusion device 194 may be disposed along the entryway or hallway side, top or floor surfaces. As was previously illustrated in FIG. 4 B, inflatable occlusion device 190 may itself be formed of multiple sub occlusion devices, if desired.

[0032] FIG. 7 illustrates an inflatable occlusion device that is inflated within an air duct 200 . Duct 200 generally has a volume 204 , and a side wall 202 . An end, cross-sectional plane 206 has been removed to illustrate inflatable bladder or envelope 208 disposed within duct 200 . Inflated bladder or envelope 208 has been inflated by an inflator 210 , disposed on the duct side wall 202 . In some embodiments, the inflator, together with the inflated envelope, are disposed as a package on the interior wall of the duct. In another embodiment, the inflator and envelope package are disposed on the duct side wall, taking the place of a previous portion of duct side wall which has been removed to allow the package access to the vent or the duct interior.

[0033] FIG. 8A illustrates another building region, now on a desktop 250 having a desktop surface 254 and a piece of equipment 252 placed thereon. In FIG. 8 A, equipment piece 252 is a desktop computer. In general, however, any piece of building equipment may be protected using the present invention. An inflatable occlusion device 255 has been inflated to provide an envelope or bladder portion 256 over equipment piece 252 . The illustrative inflatable occlusion device 255 has an interior 258 which forms a cavity to receive equipment piece 252 .

[0034] FIG. 8B shows inflatable occlusion device 255 of FIG. 8A in a cutaway view showing inflatable occlusion device interior 258 . Inflatable occlusion device 255 has a wall thickness, indicated at 260 . Inflatable envelope 256 may be seen to have sprung from an inflatable occlusion device package 264 which can include the initiator, inflator, and un-inflated envelope or bladder. Upon inflation, inflatable occlusion device 255 may spring from inflatable occlusion device package 264 from out of the desktop or other surface. Upon expansion, inflatable occlusion device 255 may inflate until the pre-configured shape or configuration is achieved. In the embodiment illustrated, the predetermined shape is an elongated hemisphere for receiving the equipment piece. In some embodiments, the inflatable occlusion device is mounted within a wall and covers an equipment piece disposed on the wall. In other embodiments, the inflatable occlusion device is mounted in a floor, ceiling, or other surface.

[0035] In general, the inflatable occlusion devices previously described may be inflated by an inflator. The inflator can include, for example, gas generating compounds, foam generating compounds, compressed gas sources, etc. An initiator may be provided for initiating the inflation of the bladder or envelope. A controller may also be provided for generating commands to the initiator to initiate the inflation. Finally, a communication link may be provided for linking the commands generated by the controller to the inflatable occlusion devices. In one embodiment, the communication link includes radio frequency communication links. In another embodiment, the communication link may be hard wired electrical links.

[0036] In one example, the communication link is a direct wired 210-volt circuit from the controller to the inflatable occlusion devices. The controller may include microprocessors and/or a general purpose computer. The building protection system preferably includes harmful agent detectors as well. In one embodiment, the harmful agent detectors are coupled automatically through the controller to the inflatable occlusion device initiators. In this embodiment, detection of the harmful agent immediately triggers the inflatable occlusion devices. In some embodiments, the controller includes suitable filtering algorithms for reducing or eliminating false alarms. Furthermore, the controller may automatically determine which inflatable occlusion devices to inflate, based on the location and extent of the attack. This may be desirable to create artificial zones to, for example, seal off certain parts of a building and/or refine pressurization control of multiple zones within the building. Also, sensors that detect the presence of humans, such as motion sensors, IR sensors, or the like, may be used to prevent the controller from activating certain inflatable bladders that may potentially come into contact and harm humans.

[0037] In another embodiment, the building protection system requires a human being to be in the control loop. In this embodiment, a chemical/biological detector may detect a harmful agent, and signal a human operator via an enunciator that a harmful agent has been detected. The human operator may then decide whether or not to initiate inflation of the inflatable occlusion devices to the controller.

[0038] After inflation of the inflatable occlusion devices, the devices may be deflated or otherwise reduced in size or removed after the threat or perceived threat has passed. The building regions occupied by the inflatable occlusion devices may have substantially less contamination even after a successful harmful agent attack. The protected regions may be put to use relatively soon after an attack, as compared to regions which are contaminated by a harmful agent. In some embodiments, the inflators can include gas sources where the gas may be vented after the inflation. In some of these embodiments, the envelope may be used more than once.

[0039] Various methods for expanding inflatable devices are suitable for use with the present invention. One class of inflators includes compressed gas sources such as air cylinders. Another class of inflators includes chemical compositions that react to generate gas, such as those used in automobile air bags. Such inflators are rapid, relatively compact, and relatively stable when properly handled. Gas generating compositions and devices are well known to those skilled in the art. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,715,131 to Hurley et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,741,585 to Hendrickson et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,904,221 to Shiki et al, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,005,876 to Jorgensen et al., hereby incorporated by reference.

[0040] While inflators using gas can be rapidly acting, it may sometimes be desirable to occlude a building region with something even longer lasting. In such cases, the use of expandable, hardening foam may be desirable, as discussed above. In general, the foam may be less rapidly expanding than an inflator such as those used in automobile air bag technology. If the slower speed is acceptable, the foam itself may be used as the expansion media. If the slower speed is not acceptable, then a rapidly expanding gas may be used to expand the bladder outwardly, followed by an expanding foam material within the bladder. The rapidly expanding gas filled bladder will occlude the building region and the hardening foam will make the occlusion more permanent. Foamed plastics and foaming or foam blowing agents, well known to those skilled in the polymer art, are often used in foam-in-place packing applications. Polyurethane foams and phenolic foams are believed suitable for occlusion applications. The foam containing bladder or bladders may be difficult to remove, but it may be easier to remove them relative to the effort required to decontaminate the space occupied by the inflated occlusion device. In use, the building region occlusion devices can be installed with varying degrees of speed, coverage, and permanence.

[0041] Numerous advantages of the invention covered by this document have been set forth in the foregoing description. It will be understood, however, that this disclosure is, in many respects, only illustrative. Changes may be made in details, particularly in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts without exceeding the scope of the invention. The invention's scope is, of course, defined in the language in which the appended claims are expressed.