Patent Number: 058833943
Section: claims

1. A layered radiation shield, said layered radiation shield comprising: (a) an inner layer comprising at least one flexible sheet of solid radiation shielding material; and  (b) an outer layer comprising a flexible, cohesive elastomeric coating, said elastomeric coating flexibly coating said inner layer, and resistant to discoloration and coating degradation when said layer is exposed to sunlight.  (a) a sequence of layers of radiation shield portions, said sequence of layers of said radiation shield portions comprising a first shield layer S.sub.1 through an Nth shield layer S.sub.N, wherein N is a positive integral number corresponding to the number of radiation shield layers provided; and wherein in each of said layers S.sub.1, through S.sub.N, one or more shield portions is provided and wherein the number of shield portions in each of said sequence of layers may be described, in sequence, as shield portions S.sub.N (1) through S.sub.N (X), wherein X is a positive integer corresponding to the number of radiation shield portions in any layer N; and  (b) an elastomeric outer coating layer, said elastomeric coating outer layer comprising a flexible, elastomeric coating, said elastomeric coating being resistant to discoloration and coating degradation when said layer is exposed to sunlight.  (a) an inner layer comprising at least one sheet of solid radiation shielding material;  (b) an outer stainless steel casing;  (c) a sealant, said sealant sealing located between at least portions of said at least one sheet of solid radiation shielding material and said outer stainless steel casing;  (d) said sealant and said stainless steel casing cooperating to effectively seal said solid radiation shielding material against leakage outward through said outer stainless steel casing.  an obverse side comprising  a reverse side comprising  wherein said left flange of said obverse side, and said left flange of said reverse side each are sized to extend outward from said at least one sheet of solid radiation shielding material by a clearance distance sufficient to allow said left flange of said obverse side and said left flange of said reverse side to be joined by an internally protruding mechanical fastening device, without said internally protruding mechanical fastening device intruding into said at least one sheet of radiation shielding material.  (a) a right flange on said obverse side, and  (b) a right flange on said reverse side,  (c) and wherein said right flange of said obverse side and said right flange of said reverse side each are sized to extend outward from said at least one sheet of solid radiation shielding material by a clearance distance sufficient to allow said right flange of said obverse side and said left flange of said reverse side to be joined by an internally protruding mechanical fastening device, without said internally protruding mechanical fastening device intruding into said at least one sheet of radiation shielding material.  (a) a bottom flange on said obverse side, and  (b) a bottom flange on said reverse side,  (c) and wherein said bottom flange of said obverse side and said bottom flange of said reverse side each are sized to extend downward below the bottom of said at least one sheet of radiation shielding material by a clearance distance sufficient to allow said bottom flange of said obverse side and said bottom flange of said reverse side to be joined by an internally protruding mechanical fastening device, without said internally protruding mechanical fastening device intruding into said at least one sheet of radiation shielding material.  (a) a top flange on said obverse side, and  (b) a top flange on said reverse side,  (c) and wherein said top flange of said obverse side and said top flange of said reverse side each are sized to extend upward above the top of said at least one sheet of radiation shielding material by a clearance distance sufficient to allow said top flange of said obverse side and said top flange of said reverse side to be joined by an internally protruding mechanical fastening device, without said internally protruding mechanical fastening device intruding into said at least one sheet of radiation shielding material.  (a) a radiation shield, said shield comprising a body with opposing substantially planar surface portions, and, through said body, at least one through passageway having edge portions, said at least one through passageway in said radiation shield structurally adapted to allow said radiation shield to be held by a supporting structure protruding at least partially into said through passageway; and  (b) a hanger, said hanger comprising  (a) supporting radiation shields between an ionizing radiation source, and  (b) an area in which exposure to said ionizing radiation is be attenuated, wherein said radiation shields comprise 2. The radiation shield as set forth in claim 1, wherein said elastomeric coating has a minimum percent elongation, as measured by ASTM Method D-838, of sixty percent. 3. The radiation shield as set forth in claim 1, wherein said elastomeric coating has a Shore D hardness, as measured by ASTM Method D-2240, of 37. 4. The radiation shield as set forth in claim 1, wherein said elastomeric coating has a tensile shear strength, as measured by ASTM Method D-1002, of approximately 347 pounds per square inch. 5. The radiation shield as set forth in claim 1, wherein said elastomeric coating comprises a Bisphenol A epoxy coating. 6. The radiation shield as set forth in claim 5, wherein said elastomeric coating is cross-linked with a modified cycloaliphatic amine curing agent. 7. The radiation shield as set forth in claim 1, wherein said radiation shield is of the type designed to be held up by a supporting structure, and wherein said radiation shield further comprises at least one grommet, said at least one grommet defining through passageways in said radiation shield, whereby said radiation shield may be upheld by a supporting structure protruding through said grommet. 8. The radiation shield as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of said at least one flexible solid sheets of radiation shielding material is provided in substantially planar form. 9. The radiation shield as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of said at least one solid sheets of radiation shielding material is provided in the shape of a segmented annulus. 10. A method for radiation shielding, said method comprising supporting the radiation shields as set forth in claim 1 between (a) a radiation source, and (b) an area in which a radiation exposure is to be attenuated. 11. The method as set forth in claim 10, wherein said radiation shields are supported by S-hook type fasteners. 12. The method as set forth in claim 10, wherein said radiation shields are supported by J-hook type fasteners. 13. A radiation shield, said radiation shield comprising: 14. The radiation shield as set forth in claim 13, wherein the number of radiation shield portions X in any one of said sequence of layers N equals the number of radiation shield portions X in an adjacent layer N-1 therebelow. 15. The radiation shield as set forth in claim 14, wherein the number of layers N is equal to two. 16. The radiation shield as set forth in claim 14, wherein said radiation shield further comprises a plurality of mechanical fasteners, and wherein said plurality of mechanical fasteners are adapted to fasten radiation shield portions in said layer S.sub.N to said radiation shield portions in layer S.sub.N-1. 17. The radiation shield as set forth in claim 16, wherein said mechanical fasteners comprise deck screws. 18. A lightweight, portable radiation shield, said lightweight, portable radiation shield comprising: 19. The radiation shield as set forth in claim 18, wherein said outer stainless steel casing comprises 20. The radiation shield as set forth in claim 19, wherein said stainless steel casing further comprises 21. The radiation shield as set forth in claim 19, wherein said stainless steel casing further comprises 22. The radiation shield as set forth in claim 19, wherein said stainless steel casing further comprises 23. The radiation shield as set forth in claim 22, further comprising a stainless steel cap, said stainless steel cap comprising an elongate, generally U-shaped channel having a reverse side leg and an obverse side leg, said cap fitted downward over said top flange of said reverse side and said top flange of said obverse side in a manner where said reverse side leg is placed in an abutting relationship with said reverse side, and wherein said obverse side leg is placed in an abutting relationship with said obverse side leg, and wherein a first mechanical fastening device is used to join said reverse side leg of said cap to said reverse side, and a second mechanical fastening device is used to join said obverse side leg of said cap to said obverse side, and wherein each of said first and said second mechanical fastening devices do not intrude into said at least one sheet of radiation shielding material. 24. The radiation shield as set forth in claim 23, wherein each of said first and said second mechanical fastening devices comprises pop-type rivets. 25. The radiation shield as set forth in claim 23, wherein said radiation shield is of the type designed to be held up by a supporting structure, and wherein said radiation shield further comprises at least one grommet, said at least one grommet defining through passageways in said radiation shield, whereby said radiation shield may be upheld by a supporting structure protruding through said grommet. 26. The radiation shield as set forth in claim 18, wherein said sealant comprises a silicon caulking compound. 27. The radiation shield as set forth in claim 18, wherein said sealant comprises polyvinyl chloride filler. 28. The combination of a radiation shield and a hanger, said combination comprising: 29. The combination as set forth in claim 28, further comprising a J-shaped hook, said J-shaped hook located at the lower reaches of said elongate, flat bar, said J-shaped hook adapted to cradle therein said edge portion of said through passageway of said radiation shield. 30. A method for radiation shielding, said method comprising: