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Protected Sleeping Place in Case of Earthquakes (Quake Shell)Most casualties in catastrophic earthquakes are due to the collapse of buildings. Particularly high numbers of victims are claimed when earthquakes hit at night. In areas of high earthquake risk, where buildings are not adequately reinforced, there is a need for a simple protective device. As people spend almost one third of their lifetime in bed, an effective protection of sleeping places could reduce the number of victims considerably. Such a device is a stable frame that provides both shelter against collapsing walls and ceilings, and sufficient space for survival until rescue. At the same time, a person should be able to easily enter or leave the protective device, which also should allow for integration in a room's interior without lowering ordinary comfort. The patented protective device presented here fulfills these requirements. Normally, the whole construction is arranged underneath the bed (1). In case of a strong earthquake, an earthquake sensor (red) triggers a release that brings up telescopic bars, so that a cylindrical protective cage is formed around the sleeping place (2). In addition, air bags automatically inflate in the upper part of the device to provide shelter against falling debris (3). When there is danger of fire, the protective device can be supplied with a fire-resistant cover (not shown). German Patent DE 199 01 059 C 1 |
