Inflatable protective home barrier
View Patent ↗A fire protection system for homes and other structures including a pliable multi-layered shroud of fire-resistant material having an inflatable support structure embedded therein. The inflatable support structure includes a web of inflatable channels for rapid deployment from a folded configuration to an inflated configuration in which the fire-resistant material partially envelops a structure. The shroud is packed in an enclosure having a bi-fold top panel for ease of access. The enclosure also has one or more air hose couplings to which the inflatable support structure is connected for rapid inflation and deployment out of the enclosure. A plurality of tethers are also provided as tie-downs, which anchor the heat resistant shroud. The system affords ample rapid deployment protection from neighboring fires and heat exposure therefrom.
1. A fire protection system for homes and other structures, comprising:
a plurality of enclosures, each housing a fire-resistant inflatable structure, wherein each said enclosure further comprises a bi-fold top panel having a centrally disposed pivoting hinge allowing for unfolding of said top panel, two side panels, a front panel, a plurality of centrally disposed handles attached to said enclosure, a plurality of wheels mounted to said enclosure, and
a plurality of couplings mounted to said enclosure;
an air source;
a plurality of air hoses in fluid communication with said couplings and air source for administering pressurized air directly to said enclosure for deployment of said inflatable structure;
attaching means for connecting said fire-resistant inflatable structure; and a
a plurality of tethers for securing said enclosures.
2. A fire protection system for homes and other structures according to claim 1 ,
wherein said inflatable structure comprises a fire-resistant multi-layered shroud further comprising a plurality of rectangular panel shaped inflatable bladders having vertically oriented air baffles attached between said multiple layers of said bladders to form air channels therein, and
wherein said shroud fixedly attaches to said front panel of said enclosure, further wherein said air baffles are in fluid communication with said couplings of said enclosure.
3. A fire protection system for homes and other structures according to claim 2 , further comprising a fire-resistant sheet, wherein said sheet attaches to top of said shroud thereby providing a protective shield.
4. A method of utilizing a fire protection system for homes and other structures comprising the steps of:
providing an enclosure containing a fire-resistant inflatable fabric structure having a multi-layered protective shroud;
positioning said enclosure proximal to said home or other structure to be protected and between said home or other structure and a fire danger;
providing a source of pressurized air;
inflating the fabric structure of said fire-resistant shroud with said pressurized air thereby pushing said fire-resistant shroud out through a top panel of said enclosure;
attaching tethers when shroud is deployed so as to maintain proximity to said home or other structure to be protected;
evacuating said pressurized air from said inflatable fabric structure, thereby removing the protective shroud structural support and causing said shroud to settle on and envelop said home or other structure to be protected under the influence of gravity and said tethers;
reinflating the inflatable fabric structure so as to lift the shroud from said home or other structure to be protected after said fire danger has passed;
removing tethers;
evacuating said pressurized air in said inflatable fabric structure and causing said shroud to settle on the ground;
folding fabric shroud; and
repacking fabric shroud in enclosure for reuse during next fire danger, and removing said enclosure from the proximal position.
5. The method of utilizing a fire protection system for homes and other structures of claim 4 wherein:
the step of providing an enclosure containing a fire-resistant inflatable fabric structure further comprises providing a plurality of enclosures each containing a fire-resistant inflatable fabric structure; and
the step of positioning said enclosure further comprises positioning said plurality of enclosures in relative proximity to each other; and
the method further comprises the step of tethering each fire-resistant inflatable fabric structure to an adjacent fire-resistant inflatable fabric structure.