Abstract:
The present protective barrier is similar to those commonly installed beneath ceilings during construction work being performed on ceilings or roofs of buildings, wherein two or more sections are sewn together to construct the protective barrier. However, the present protective barrier also comprises a dustcover, which covers the seam entirely preventing dust from passing through holes created when the seam is sewn using a thread or similar means.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present device relates to an improvement to protective barriers that are commonly installed beneath ceilings and in place of walls in buildings that are under construction or being renovated to protect selected areas from dust and moisture created by or permitted to enter due to the work being performed. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Protective barriers, such as those described herein, are commonly used to prevent dust, debris and moisture from falling onto floors, people, merchandise and equipment located below ceilings or roofs being repaired or constructed. In this way, the protective barrier protects from added costs from damage or injury resulting from such falling material and encroaching moisture and can allow work to continue below the ceiling or roof under construction. Such barriers are commonly constructed from interconnected sections of polyethylene sheets or similar materials, which have proven to be durable, easy to work with, and relatively inexpensive. 
         [0003]    However, a problem can arise with this type or protective barrier, which can allow some dust to pass through the barrier. Specifically, a protective barrier can comprise sections of polyethylene sheets or similar materials connected by seams which are typically made by sewing two or more sections together. The sewing of these seams results in thousands of holes created when a needle, used to sew the sections together, pierces the sections to allow the string to be threaded through them to bind them together. These holes create passageways through which dust and other powdery substances can travel, thus circumventing the purpose of the protective barrier. 
         [0004]    What is needed is a protective barrier comprising sections connected by seams sewn together in a way that prevents dust from being able to pass through the holes created by the sewing. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    It is an aspect of the present inventive concept to provide a seam for connecting sections of material, which can be configured to prevent dust from being able to pass through the holes created by the sewing together of two or more sections of polyethylene sheets or similar materials. 
         [0006]    The above aspects can be obtained by a protective barrier comprising at least one first section and at least one second section connected by a seam where the first section and second section come into contact with each other, the seam also comprising a dustcover system comprising a first dustcover section and a second dustcover section, wherein each is connected to the first section and the second section, wherein the seam is at least partially covered by a part of the first dustcover section and a part of the second dustcover section; and a thread connecting the first dustcover section, the second dustcover section, the first section, and the second section, by passing through the first section, the second section, the first dustcover section and the second dustcover section. 
         [0007]    The above aspects can also be obtained by a method for constructing a protective barrier, the method comprising: providing a protective barrier, comprising at least one first section and at least one second section, a dustcover system comprising a first dustcover section and a second dustcover section, and a thread; placing the first section and second section into contact with each other creating a seam; placing the first dustcover section and a second dustcover section over the seam; and using the thread to connect the first dustcover section, the second dustcover section, the first section, and the second section, by passing the thread through the first section, the second section, the first dustcover section and the second dustcover section so that the thread is covered by part of the first dustcover section and part the second dustcover section. 
         [0008]    These together with other aspects and advantages which will be subsequently apparent, reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    Further features and advantages of the present device, as well as the structure and operation of various embodiments of the present device, will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the preferred embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which: 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  is a schematic drawing of a prior art seam connecting two sections of polyethylene sheets or similar materials to create a protective barrier; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a side, cutaway view of the schematic drawing of the prior art seam shown in  FIG. 1  connecting two sections of polyethylene sheets or similar materials comprising the protective barrier through which a dust or similar powder is shown passing through the seam; 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a schematic drawing of a seam connecting two sections of polyethylene sheets or similar materials comprising a protective barrier, wherein the seam comprises a dustcover system, according to an embodiment; 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is a side, cutaway view of the seam connecting two sections of polyethylene sheets or similar materials comprising a protective barrier, as shown in  FIG. 3 , wherein the seam comprises a dustcover system, according to an embodiment; 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is an exploded view of the seam connecting two sections of polyethylene sheets or similar materials comprising the protective barrier as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , wherein the seam comprises a dustcover system, according to an embodiment; 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  is a side, cutaway view of the seam connecting a first section and a second section comprising a protective barrier, each comprised of polyethylene sheets or similar materials, wherein the seam comprises a dustcover system, according to an alternative embodiment; and 
           [0016]      FIG. 7  is an exploded view of the seam shown in  FIG. 6  connecting the first section and second section comprising a protective barrier, wherein each is comprised of polyethylene or similar materials comprising a protective barrier, wherein the seam comprises a dustcover system, according to an alternative embodiment. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0017]    This description of the exemplary embodiments is intended to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings, which are to be considered part of the entire written description. In the description, relative terms such as “lower,” “upper,” “horizontal,” “vertical,”, “above,” “below,” “up,” “down,” “top” and “bottom” as well as derivative thereof (e.g., “horizontally,” “downwardly,” “upwardly,” etc.) should be construed to refer to the orientation as then described or as shown in the drawing under discussion. These relative terms are for convenience of description and do not require that the apparatus be constructed or operated in a particular orientation. Terms concerning attachments, coupling and the like, such as “connected” and “interconnected,” refer to a relationship wherein structures are secured or attached to one another either directly or indirectly through intervening structures, as well as both movable or rigid attachments or relationships, unless expressly described otherwise. 
         [0018]    Reference will now be made in detail to the presently preferred embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout. 
         [0019]    The present dustcover system can be used to solve the problem created when two or more sections of polyethylene, or similar materials, are sewn together creating holes through each. Polymers, such as polyethylene, have many attractive features when used as protective barriers including the fact that they are impermeable to almost all types of liquids, powders and small debris including dust and water, and they are relatively inexpensive per square foot. However, a disadvantage of polymers, such as polyethylene, is that, unlike fabrics, holes created when a needle and thread are placed through them do not close or even get smaller over time. Rather, such holes stay the same size as when they were created or get larger and create passageways sufficiently large for dust and water to travel through thus reducing the effectiveness of the protective barrier. The present dustcover system can prevent dust from passing through these holes by covering them with dustcover sections, which are attached to the seam and can interlock over the seam in some embodiments. In some embodiments, these dustcover systems can completely cover the seams further inhibiting the flow of dust and water through the seam. 
         [0020]      FIG. 1  is a schematic drawing of a protective barrier  100  comprising a seam  101 , which is part of the prior art, connecting a first section  102  of polyethylene sheet or similar material to a second section  103  of polyethylene sheet or similar material using a thread  104 , according to an embodiment. In this representational view of the prior art, holes  105  are created each time the thread  104  passes through the first section  102  and second section  103  to create the seam  101 . 
         [0021]      FIG. 2  is a side, cutaway view of the seam  101 , which is part of the prior art, comprising the protective barrier  100  shown in  FIG. 1 . In this view, the thread  104  comprising the seam  101  is shown connecting the first section  102  to the second section  103  and dust  106  is shown passing from an outer, unprotected side  107  of the protective barrier  100  to an inner, protected side  108  of the protective barrier  100 . This passage of dust can be prevented by the present apparatus, in its various embodiments, which are explained in detail below. 
         [0022]      FIG. 3  is a schematic drawing of a seam  301  connecting a first section  302  to a second section  303  of a protective barrier  300 , wherein the seam  301  comprises a dustcover system  310 , according to an embodiment. This dustcover system  310  can be comprised of a first dustcover section  311  and a section dustcover section  312 . According to an embodiment, both the first dustcover section  311  and the second dustcover section  312  can be configured to fold over the seam  310 , thus preventing dust (not pictured in  FIG. 3 ) from being allowed to pass through the holes  305  created by the thread  304 . Specifically, according to an embodiment, the dustcover sections  312  and  313  can be comprised of a polyethylene or similar material which can be made to retain a shape configured to bend over the seam  301  and stay in that position. In addition, the dustcover  310  can be configured so that it can be opened while the seam  301  is sewn and automatically close after the seam  301  has been sewn. 
         [0023]    The thread  304 , comprising a protective barrier  300 , can be made from any standard material used to create thread, including nylon, cotton, silk, polypropylene, polyester and any number of other natural or synthetic materials, which are commonly used to manufacture thread. However, in an embodiment the thread  304  can be comprised of a water soluble material such as polyvinyl alcohol, which can disintegrate when contacted by water allowing the seam  301  to come apart. The benefits of protective barriers comprising such seems have been described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/964,968, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. Similarly, in an alternative embodiment the thread  304  can be comprised of a heat sensitive material such as a copolyamide or polycprolacone, which can disintegrate when subjected to temperatures between 140 degrees and 180 degrees Celsius allowing the seam  301  to come apart at those temperatures. The benefits of protective barriers comprising such seems have been described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/965,137, which is also incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
         [0024]      FIG. 4  is a side, cutaway view of the protective barrier  300 , as shown in  FIG. 3 , comprising a seam  301  connecting a first section  302  to a second section  303 , wherein the seam comprises a dustcover system  310 , according to an embodiment. In this figure, the shape of the first dustcover section  311  and the shape of the second dustcover section  312  can each be seen clearly. Specifically, each dustcover section is shown to be a C-shape, wherein each is facing in an opposite direction, according to an embodiment, but this folded-over configuration could also be described as a V-shape or U-shape. As shown, the seam  301  comprises, in order from bottom to top, the thread  304 , having a bottom section  314 , the second section  303 , followed by the first end  322  of the second dustcover section  312 , the first section  302 , followed by the first end  321  of the first dustcover section  311 , and the top section  324  of the thread  304 . All of these components are bound together by the thread  304 . Above the top section  324  of the thread  304  of a polyethylene or similar material, can be the second end  331  of the first dustcover section  311 , which can be made to retain a C-shape configured to bend over the seam  301  and stay in that position. In an embodiment, the first dustcover section  311  can have a C-shape with an opening to the right and the second dustcover section  312  can have a C-shape with an opening to the left. Above the second end  331  of the first dustcover section  311  can be the second end  332  of the second dustcover section  312 , which can also bend over the top section  324  of the thread  304  and bend over the second end  331  of the first dustcover section  311 . As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the thread  304  and the holes  305 , shown in  FIG. 3 , can be covered by the two second ends of the dust cover sections,  331  and  332 , comprising the dustcover system  310 . The primary advantage of this system  310  is that the second end  331  of the first dustcover section  311  and the second end  332  of the second dustcover section  312  are not punctured by the thread  304 , but can still open sufficiently to allow the thread  304  to be installed beneath them. Once the second end  331  of the first dustcover section  311  and the second end  332  of the second dustcover section  312  are in place, as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , there are no holes available for dust to pass through the protective barrier  300 . 
         [0025]      FIG. 5  is an exploded view of the seam  301  connecting two sections,  302  and  303 , of polyethylene sheets or similar materials comprising a protective barrier  300 , previously shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , wherein the seam  301  comprises a first dustcover section  311  and a second dustcover section  312 , according to an embodiment. In this embodiment the first dustcover section  311  is adjacent to the first section  302  and the second dustcover section  312  is adjacent to the second section  303 . 
         [0026]      FIG. 6  is a side, cutaway view of the seam  601  connecting a first section  602  and a second section  603  comprising a protective barrier  600 . Each can be comprised of polyethylene sheets or similar materials comprising a protective barrier, wherein the seam  601  comprises a first dustcover section  611  and a second dustcover section  612 , according to an alternative embodiment. In this embodiment, the dustcover  605  can be comprised of the first dustcover section  611  and second dustcover section  612 , which are the same as in the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 3  thru  5 . However, in this embodiment, the first dustcover section  611  and second dustcover section  612 , are located above the point where the first section  602  and the second section  603  come into contact with each other. This alternative configuration can provide the same protection to the seam  601  as that provided by the dustcover system  310  to seam  301  in the embodiment described and shown in  FIGS. 3-5 . 
         [0027]      FIG. 7  is an exploded view of the seam  601  connecting a first section  602  and a second section  603 , each comprised of polyethylene sheets or similar materials, comprising a protective barrier  600 , wherein the seam  601  comprises a first dustcover section  611  and a second dustcover section  612 , according to an alternative embodiment. This view shows how the first section  602  is directly connected to the second section  603  according to this embodiment. Further, this view also shows how the first dustcover section  611  can be located partially within the second dustcover section  612 , thus protecting and covering the thread  624  wherein both are located above the first section  602  and the second section  603 . 
         [0028]    Although the invention has been described in terms of exemplary embodiments, it is not limited thereto. Rather, the appended claims should be construed broadly, to include other variants and embodiments of the invention, which may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and range of equivalents of the invention.