Patent Publication Number: US-2011067741-A1

Title: Portable containment unit

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/179,989 filed May 20, 2009, which is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     1. Field of the Disclosure 
     The subject disclosure relates to containment units, and more particularly to an improved containment unit that can be easily assembled, modified, and moved to a desired location. 
     2. Background of the Related Art 
     Shelters are used to contain debris. An example is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,682,448 entitled SHELTER and issued on Jul. 28, 1987 to Brian J. Healey, which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In a preferred embodiment, the subject technology is directed to a portable containment unit including an enclosure, a base supporting the enclosure, the base having wheels attached thereto for moving the containment unit, an extension platform selectively coupled to the base and having wheels attached thereto, and an air machine on the extension platform. The containment unit may also include an auxiliary portion selectively coupled to the base for providing support to additional items, wherein the auxiliary portion may be designed to be stored under the base. 
     The enclosure may include a frame, a resilient tarp attached to the frame, and a portion that can be selectively opened. A shroud surrounds the portion that can be opened. The shroud includes an edge connector for coupling the portable containment unit to another portable containment unit. The enclosure can include a transparent portion. 
     It should be appreciated that the present technology can be implemented and utilized in numerous ways, including without limitation as a process, an apparatus, a system, a device, a method for applications now known and later developed. These and other unique features of the system disclosed herein will become more readily apparent from the following and attached description and the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       So that those having ordinary skill in the art to which the disclosed system appertains will more readily understand how to make and use the same, reference may be had to the following drawings. 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a containment unit with side access panels open in accordance with the subject technology. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a containment unit with side access panels closed in accordance with the subject technology. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a containment unit in a collapsed condition in accordance with the subject technology. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of an extension platform of a base for a containment unit in accordance with the subject technology. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The present disclosure overcomes many of the prior art problems associated with containment units. The advantages, and other features of the system disclosed herein, will become more readily apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art from the attached description of certain preferred embodiments taken in conjunction with the drawings which set forth representative embodiments of the present invention. 
     Unless otherwise specified, the illustrated embodiments can be understood as providing exemplary features of varying detail of certain embodiments, and therefore, unless otherwise specified, features, components, modules, elements, and/or aspects of the illustrations can be otherwise combined, interconnected, sequenced, separated, interchanged, positioned, and/or rearranged without materially departing from the disclosed systems or methods. Additionally, the shapes and sizes of components are also exemplary and unless otherwise specified, can be altered without materially affecting or limiting the disclosed technology. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , perspective views of a containment unit  100  in an open and closed position are shown. The containment unit  100  is mobile and provides isolation from the surrounding environment. The isolation is created by establishing a pressure differential environment within an interior  102  of the containment unit. Although typically a negative pressure environment in the interior  102 , the environment may also be one of positive pressure to keep contamination out of the interior  102  depending upon the application. The containment unit  100  is easily assembled and disassembled. Typical uses, without limitation, of the containment unit  100  are in hospital for patient isolation to control airborne particulate and pathogens, to contain dust and debris during renovations, construction, and repair, for facilities maintenance, and as as anteroom for infection control or maintenance/facilities area. The containment unit  100  may also serve as an anteroom to a larger room or area. 
     The containment unit  100  has an enclosure  101  with access panels  104   a - c , each surrounded by a detachable shroud  106   a - c  as well as a ceiling access panel (not explicitly shown) surrounded by a detachable shroud. The shrouds  106   a - c  may attach to the enclosure  101  or the panels  104   a - c . Panel  104   b  opposes panel  104   c  so that even after assembly, a patient may be rolled through the containment unit  100 , when used, for example, as an anteroom. Preferably, the enclosure  101  is fabricated from a fire resistant material. The ceiling and side access panels  104   a,    104   b  allow using the containment unit  100  for ceiling work such as changing a light bulb, cabling and HVAC access as well as side wall work such as plumbing, power and communication equipment related work. 
     The panels  104   a - c  and shrouds  106   a - c  may zipper together or use hook/loop fabric strips and the like to create the necessary openings. As shown, the panels  104   a - c  include a zipper  122  for opening and closing. The shrouds  106   a - c  also include edge zippers  124  or hook/loop fabric so that multiple containment units  100  may be joined together rather than just sealingly fixed to a stationary wall or ceiling. In one embodiment, additional fabric is gathered at the upper portion of the enclosure  101  so that even upon deployment at less than maximum height, the panels  104   a - c  would still operate effectively. The gathering devices could be hook/loop fabric, snaps, ties, zippers and the like. 
     Preferably, the panel  104   a  is sized to match a standard door opening and the panel  104   b  is sized to match a standard double door opening. However, even if non-standard, the respective shrouds  106   a,    106   b  are configured to accommodate mismatched sizes. The height of the enclosure  101  is adjustable up to or beyond standard ceiling height to create an effective engagement with the ceiling. The enclosure  101  also has an integral window  116  and/or pass through portal with a screen (not shown explicitly). 
     To create the negative pressure environment, the containment unit  100  includes an air machine  108 . The air machine  108  couples to the interior  102  by a port  110  to pull air from or push air into the interior  102  as the case may be. Typically air is pulled so that the interior  102  becomes a negative pressure environment. Preferably, the air machine  108  is configured to filter the air as well such that undesirable contaminants such as airborn pathogens, asbestos dust and the like are collected for proper, safe disposal. A pressure relief panel  111  may be selectively opened to allow access to the air machine  108  from the interior  102  without exiting and/or to reduce the negative/positive pressure in the interior  102 . 
     A base  112  supports the enclosure  101  and air machine  108  with HEPA filtration. Hence, the enclosure  101  and air machine  108  can be moved together. The base  112  is preferably 30 inches wide in order to be easily moved through doorways. The base  112  is fabricated from aluminum or similar rigid material. The enclosure  101  also collapses as shown in  FIG. 3  to allow easy movement on locking wheels  114  attached to the base  112 . Alternatively, the enclosure  101  may be removed from the base  112 . Further, the wheels  114  may be removed from the base  112  and an edge of the base beveled so that other items may be easily rolled through or into the containment unit  100  such as when used as an anteroom. 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , the base  112  includes an extension base platform  118  with a locking mechanism  120  for supporting the air machine  108 . The removable extension platform  118  allows decoupling the air machine  108  and moving the air machine  108  separately. Additionally, the extension platform  118  can accommodate alternative air machines, other equipment, tools, supplies and the like. The locking mechanism  120  includes two forks  121  that slide within channels (not explicitly shown) on the underside of the base  112 . A plurality of holes (not shown explicitly) in the forks  121  and base  112  allow fixing the extension platform  118  at a plurality of positions with respect to the base  112  with a pin, screw or the like. 
     As can be seen, the containment unit  100  offers control of dust and airborne particles, reduces labor costs, reduces the risks of infection, eliminates the need for disposable barriers, improves job site aesthetics, suppresses noise, and reduces volatile organic compounds among other benefits. 
     While the invention has been described with respect to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that various changes and/or modifications can be made to the invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.