Abstract:
An erectable shelter for indoor use, providing protection against threats associated with missiles. The shelter includes: one metal frame attached to at least one of the internal walls of an apartment; six protective walls attached to the frame for forming a shelter, wherein one wall covers the opening of the frame, four other walls are hinged on the frame, and another wall is hinged on a free edge of one side wall; and at least one strut connecting at least a ceiling wall with the frame.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention is in the field of civilian security, aiming to provide protection against threats of war. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The fact that most of the population in small and especially in large cities live in apartments and are confined to indoor living quarters, impart some limitations as regards the issue of war time protection. A missile or a projectile or a fragment of a projectile or fragments of torn masonry elements may be the cause of direct physical damage to humans or to property. Additional mechanical threat can be created as explosive charges are activated, causing blasts and fear. The aim of the present invention is to address such issues by providing protection to some degree to apartment dwellers. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    An erectable shelter for indoor use, providing protection against threats associated with missiles. The shelter includes: one metal frame attached to at least one of the internal walls of an apartment; six protective walls attached to the frame for forming a shelter, wherein one wall covers the opening of the frame, four other walls are hinged on the frame, and another wall is hinged on a free edge of one side wall; and at least one strut connecting at least a ceiling wall with the frame. 
         [0004]    Other features and advantages of the instant invention will become apparent from the following description of the invention which refers to the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]      FIG. 1A  is a schematic top side view of an erectable shelter of the invention showing a wall section and deployed shelter top. 
           [0006]      FIG. 1B  is a schematic top side view of an erectable shelter of the invention showing the roof wall deployed. 
           [0007]      FIG. 2A  is a schematic sectional side view of an erectable shelter of the invention showing a frame of the invention located between the ceiling and the floor of the apartment. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2B  is a schematic sectional side view of an erectable shelter of the invention showing a side wall vertically deployed. 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is a schematic sectional top side view of an erectable shelter of the invention showing two supporting walls arrangement. 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is a flow chart of order of wall shelter unfolding in the course of shelter deployment with a notation, per each swiveling action where the hinged locus is, of which is the hinging orientation. 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is a schematic isometric view of a frame of the invention with floor in the state of deployment and a strut supporting the floor. 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  is a schematic side view of a shelter in accordance with the invention showing a side wall and frame to which it connects via hinges. 
           [0013]      FIG. 7  is a schematic side view of a shelter as in  FIG. 6 , with internal wall skeleton exposed. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0014]    In accordance with the present invention, an unfoldable shelter is made available for inhabitants of houses or flats (apartments) inside multi-storied building or any other multi apartment living house. The basic embodiment of the invention is a packaged metal cube, or a prism having all adjacent faces at right angles to each other. The shelter can be unfolded or deployed within a room inside an apartment or a building, to form a secluded space surrounded on all six faces by a mechanically fortified wall. In another embodiment, the foldable construction is also equipped internally, with a gas and aerosol proof enclosure. 
         [0015]    In  FIG. 1A , s schematic presentation of a non deployed shelter is shown. In other words the shelter is folded, showing frame  22  attached to support wall  24 , the support wall. Looking from above, in  FIG. 1B , one of the walls is unfolded, forming a roof member  26 . In  FIGS. 2A and 2B  a side view of a shelter of the invention is shown, first in  FIG. 2A , frame  22  is backed by support wall  24 , bottom floor  32  and ceiling  34  are each a part of the building. In  FIG. 2B  a side wall  38  of the shelter has been pulled out, 
       The Frame and its Anchorage 
       [0016]    The frame is either supported by the wall with which the opening aligns (such as wall  24  in  FIGS. 1 and 2 ). Alternatively, the frame can be attached to two vertical walls such as walls  42  and  44  in  FIG. 3  Both supports are applicable separately or together. 
       Inside—Out Deployment 
       [0017]    Generally, the walls of the shelter, including the roof and the floor, are pulled out of the frame, except for the one wall which remains covering the frame. Five walls are therefore pulled out. The shelter side walls (SSWs) are pulled from the frame each to each own side until they face each other, parallel. Then roof wall is pulled upwards and floor wall is pulled downwards. This order is exemplary and is summarized in flow chart at  FIG. 4 . Erection starts typically by exposing the folded shelter as it is typically concealed behind a curtain or a wall carpet. In step  62 , the roof wall is lifted usually by a handle that helps pulling the part upwards, is hinged horizontally at the connection to the frame. In step  64  the floor wall is deflected, swiveling at the horizontal swivel. At step  66  a first vertical wall (right or left) is swiveled open sideways, hinged at one side of the frame. At step  68  the second vertical wall is swiveled open in the other direction, being hinged at the opposite side of the frame, as compared to the first vertical wall. At step  70 , the closing vertical wall is swiveled open, being hinged at the free edge of one of the side walls. 
       Top and Bottom Faces of the Shelter 
       [0018]    Reference is now made to  FIG. 5 , showing a floor wall of the shelter of the invention partially deflected. Floor  82  is deflected, shown in the image departed from frame  22  swiveled at hinge  84  (only rough zone shown). Frame  22  is supported by wall  24  as discussed above. Double headed arrow  86  shows the swiveling direction for opening or closing. A note is made that the drawing does not fully describe a realistic view in the sense that only one wall (the floor) is shown, whilst the others are not shown. 
         [0019]    To ease the unfolding of the top and bottom walls (ceiling and floor respectively), struts may inserted for one or both flanks of the wall. As can be seen in  FIG. 5 , strut  88  connects the frame with the floor wall  82 . The strut is typically a gas or vacuum strut that helps lifting the roof and prevents unintentional dropping. Struts can be applied at both sides or only at one side (as shown in the figure) of ceiling and floor. Typically, there are four struts, two for the floor and two for the ceiling. 
       Windows and Openings 
       [0020]    In the side walls, and in the closing vertical wall, hatches or larger windows may be provided, typically with shielding shutter that can be closed or opened at will typically from the inside and possibly strengthened by latches or bolts or catches that must be openable. A door is typically provided in the closing vertical wall or/and in any of the vertical walls and is also equipped with one or more latches to secure it to the wall and/or floor and/or ceiling. 
       The Walls 
       [0021]    The walls are connected via hinges to the frame. As can be seen in  FIG. 6 , frame  22  is connected by hinges  102  to wall  104 . A connecting leg  108  connects the frame to a side support wall, not shown. The walls are typically made forming an internal skeleton made of metal such as hard steel, and covered by metal plates, typically inside and outside. The metal plates are typically made of steel or aluminum. This can be seen in  FIG. 7 , in which one of the covering plates is removed, exposing metal skeleton  112 . 
         [0022]    The walls are preferably equipped with one or more latches to secure to the floor and/or ceiling. Fastening latches may also provide a way by which the walls may be drawn closer and make contact with the ceiling/floor to decrease or prevent gap formation therebetween. 
       Protection Provided 
       [0023]    The shelter of the invention is to provide protection against indirect missile hits. It is to protect against the pressure shock or blast, shrapnel, projectiles such as masonry debris, falling objects and to some extent bullet and hard sharp projectiles in general. 
       Nuclear, Biological and Chemical (Nbc) Threat Shelter 
       [0024]    As additional embodiment, a shelter for protecting against biological and chemical and even nuclear hazard or biological hazards (weapon or non weapon) is provided, to be installed with the shelter of the invention. This additional shelter is in the form of an erectable tent, air tight, with provisions for filtering air. The tent is connected mechanically to the shelter (from the inside) using hook and loop fasteners such as VELCRO® straps. Beth El Industries of 1 Avshalom Road Zikhron Yaakov, Israel provides filtration systems, such as purified air blower type LB 36 for providing purified air to such NBC shelters.