Patent ID: 8661746

Claim:
A shelter, comprising: an enclosure configured to accommodate one or more persons during a severe weather event, the enclosure having a first at least partially elliptical-shaped portion and a second elliptical-shaped portion, the first at least partially elliptical-shaped portion configured to be buried underground and the second elliptical-shaped portion configured to rest above ground; one or more anchors coupled to the enclosure, the one or more anchors configured to attach the first at least partially elliptical-shaped portion to the ground while maintaining the second elliptical-shaped portion above the ground during the severe weather event; and an at least partially spherical-lune-shaped roll-top hatch coupled to the enclosure via one or more hinges, the one or more hinges configured to allow the one or more persons to slide the at least partially spherical-lune-shaped roll-top hatch against a surface of the enclosure to allow the one or more persons to open or close the enclosure, the at least partially spherical-lune-shaped roll-top hatch configured to allow the one or more persons to enter the enclosure and to shut the enclosure's interior from the enclosure's exterior during the severe weather event, and the one or more hinges further configured to decouple the at least partially spherical-lune-shaped roll-top hatch from the enclosure from within the enclosure in response to the at least partially spherical-lune-shaped roll-top hatch being blocked or damaged by debris resulting from the severe weather event.