EP2858724B1

EP2858724B1 - Inflatable system for emergency evacuation from structures

Info

Publication number: EP2858724B1
Application number: EP13745730.5A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Matteo SPASIANO; Francesco GERI
Original assignee: Progetech Srl
Current assignee: Progetech Srl
Priority date: 2012-06-12
Filing date: 2013-06-11
Publication date: 2021-10-06
Anticipated expiration: 2033-06-11
Also published as: WO2013186797A1; ITRM20120272A1; EP2858724A1

Description

The present invention relates to an inflatable system for emergency evacuation from structures.
More specifically, the invention concerns a inflatable multifunctional system for emergency evacuation from high structures, in particular building structures such as buildings, hospitals, ships and the like, for the quick reaching of a safe place in case of fire, earthquake, explosion, flood, structural collapse, stability failure, sinking, and the like, but that can be used for any event that requires the implementation of a plan for the evacuation of a large number of people, even with disabilities or reduced mobility, in a short time, to preserve the safety of themselves, favoring the rapid evacuation in the event of serious and imminent danger.
In the following, the description will be directed to risk of fire, but it is clear that the same should not be considered limited to this specific use.
As it is well known, currently the common evacuation systems (e.g. evacuation routes, aerial ladders and the like), for example from a building, are protection measures for ensuring the safety of the occupants in the event of serious and imminent danger, such as a fire, an explosion, or fire or sinking of vessels, a flood, even in cases where prevention and protection works both active and passive were carried out.
At the regulatory level, in Italy it is necessary to ensure the certainty of the evacuation from all places that can be considered at risk for a hypothetical event of a building crisis, for example, according to the principle that the doors and stairs as number, size, position, construction material and installation, must allow a quick exit of people and can be easily openable during the evacuation phases. This principle is expressed in the Presidential Decree 27/04/55, n. 547, at art. 34, which states that "it must be ensured, in case of necessity, the easy and quick departure of workers from dangerous places", and art. 13, paragraph 3, in which it is stated that "in case of danger all the workplaces must be suitable to be evacuated quickly and safely by workers". This principle was recently taken and clarified by the Legislative Decree n. 626/94, where at art. 32, it is confirmed that "the employer shall ensure that inside or outside passageways, which lead to exits or emergency exits and emergency routes are kept clear in order to allow the use in any eventuality".
The characteristics of the evacuation systems currently commercially available, with reference to the exit routes, relate, in general, to their number, the distance from the environments of people permanence and construction requirements, such as to make them usable with respect to the effects to which they have been realized.
In case, for example, of a fire, already after a few minutes, it is assisted to the formation of a considerable amount of combustion gases, fumes and heat. This makes necessary the realization of an evacuation routes system suitable to secure the present people, in the first minutes after the time at which the incidental event occurred.
In case of a structure that risks an imminent collapse, for example due to an explosion, the evacuation of the occupants from the inside of the structure can be limited or prevented, due to, for example, the structural collapse of the stairs for the fire or for an earthquake, or for other events.
Depending on the degree of danger of a building, fire safety solutions for the stairs, to be considered as a suitable way of evacuation, are basically of four types.
In particular, smoke-proof stairs are known, which provide a space which constitutes a fireproof compartment having an access for every floor of the building, by means of fire resistant doors, equipped with self-closing device discovered, a space or a hallway open for at least one side toward an open space with a parapet.
Smoke-proof internal stairs are also known, which provide a fireproof compartment having as access to each floor, an anti-smoke filter.
External safety stairs are also known, which are placed outside the building and are fully equipped with parapets and other features prescribed by the regulations.
Finally, protected stairs are known, arranged in a compartment constituting a fireproof compartment, having a direct access to each floor, fire resistant doors and equipped with self-closing device.
However, not all stairs are to be considered safe places in case of emergency, as they have different technical limits. In particular, open stairs (i.e. not closed by any compartment) and the protected ones (although however offer a degree of security) cannot be considered safe places and therefore must be included in the length of evacuation routes, traveled by people during the available evacuation time.
Smoke-proof stairs, smoke-proof internal stairs and external stairs, however, are safe places but they are not included in the length of evacuation routes traveled by people during the available evacuation time.
Even at the design level, the efforts for fully adapting or configuring the safety of buildings for the distribution of space are several. In case of fire risk, for example, the above mentioned difficulty is evident especially in existing buildings, for which it is often necessary to prepare expensive fire protection systems installations , such as smoke detection systems, alarm or shutdown.
Among the many existing evacuation systems of the prior art, it is considered the Italian utility model n. 258451 , which relates to a system for emergency evacuation that can be installed in the compartment opening of a building, comprising an extensible frame supporting an automatically tipper cantilevered platform, which acts as launching platform, and an chute automatically inflatable by a special command.
The system described above, however, does not present appropriate safety features, being very complicated the opening of the same.
Other existing evacuation system of the prior art are shown in US 3 910 532 A and GB 2 375 089 .
In light of the above, it is, therefore, object of the present invention to overcome the limitations of the prior art and to propose an inflatable system for emergency evacuation from inflatable structures, that can be safely and protect the people while evacuating from a structure.
It is therefore a specific object of the present invention an inflatable system for emergency evacuation from structure comprising a rescue unit, having a supporting structure or support frame, at least one chute, fixed to said supporting structure, and a container, in which said supporting structure and said chutes are foldable, and a inflating pneumatic system connected with said supporting structure, said system being capable of assuming a closed position, wherein said supporting structure and said chutes are folded into said container, and an open position, wherein said inflation pneumatic system inflates said supporting structure, so that said supporting structure comes out from said container together with said chutes, and they are unfolded.
Always according to the invention, said supporting structure could comprise an inflatable central column, an inflatable pneumatic outer wall, preferably made by a plurality of cylindrical rings, provided with one or more access apertures and at least one lower exit aperture, and a plurality of inflatable tubular structures or bars, each connected with said central column and said outer pneumatic wall, suitable to tighten said inflatable supporting structure.
Still according to the invention, said access apertures could have a substantially ellipsoidal shape and have one or more handles in order to facilitate the user to arrange himself on said chute.
Advantageously according to the invention, said system could comprise a chute for each of said apertures.
Further according to the invention, said chutes could have a helical shape and are made of fabric.
Always according to the invention, said supporting structure could comprise a plurality of pneumatic chambers, having a tubular form, interconnected each other, which extend longitudinally along the sliding direction, and in that said chute is a substantially longitudinal plane contained within two side walls formed by said pneumatic chambers.
Still according to the invention, said container could include a ledge, provided with a protection or balustrade, and it is installable on a platform of a mobile means, as a fire truck, a crane, a telescopic arm aerial platform, a bridge crane, a ladder truck, a pantograph lift, vertical column lift, or the like.
Advantageously according to the invention, said supporting structure could be made of a material with high thermal resistance, so as to protect people who are evacuating from heat, from any flames and from fumes.
Further according to the invention, said container could comprise a fabric casing, adapted to contain said supporting structure and said chutes, capable of breaking or stripping, so as said supporting structure and said chutes come out from said container, so that said supporting structure and said chutes are unfolded, due to the inflation of said supporting structure.
Preferably according to the invention, said container could be fixable to a structure, such as a building structure.
Always according to the invention, said inflation pneumatic system could comprise one or more compressed air cylinders a collector pipe, to which said one or more cylinders are connected, a blower, connected with said collector pipe, and a quick coupling system for the connection of said rescue units and said collector pipe.
Still according to the invention, said system could comprise one or more fire detectors, a manual activation device, a control unit, connected with said one or more fire detectors and said manual activation device, said control unit being capable of automatically activating the inflatable system for emergency evacuation, by means of said one or more fire detectors, or by a manual operation of said manual activation device, and a generator or a set of emergency power supply batteries.
The present invention will be now described, for illustrative but not limitative purposes, according to its preferred embodiments, with particular reference to the figures of the enclosed drawings, wherein:

figure 1 shows a schematic view of a first embodiment of an inflatable emergency evacuation system according to the present invention;
figure 2 shows a perspective view of a structure or supporting frame of the system according to figure 1;
figure 3 shows a longitudinal section of the structure or support frame according to figure 2;
figure 4 shows a part of the structure or supporting frame of the system according to figure 2;
figure 5 shows details of the structure or supporting frame of figure 4;
figure 6 shows further details of the structure or supporting frame of figure 4;
figure 7 shows the system according to figure 1 in the closed position applied to a building;
figure 8 shows the system of figure 7 in the open position;
figure 9 shows a side view of a second embodiment of the inflatable emergency evacuation system which is not part of the present invention;
figure 10 shows the system of figure 9 applied to a building;
figure 11 shows the closure system of figure 9 applied to a crane of a mobile vehicle;
figure 12 shows a second perspective view of the system in the closed position according to figure 11; and
figure 13 shows a second perspective view of the system in the open position according to figure 11.

In the various figures, similar parts will be indicated by the same reference numbers.
Referring to figures 1-8, it is observed a first embodiment of the inflatable system for emergency evacuation 1, according to the present invention.
Said system 1 comprises mainly a rescue unit 10, comprising, in its turn, a supporting structure or frame 2 and helical-shaped slides 3, made of fabric, and a pneumatic inflation system 4. In particular, figure 1 shows the part of the rescue unit 10 which comes to abut to the wall of a building or a structure from which ensuring the emergency evacuation (not shown in the present figure).
Said supporting structure 2 of said rescue unit 10 comprises an inflatable central column 21 connected at regular intervals by means of suitable tubular structures or bars 22, which are also inflatable, adapted to ensure a proper stiffness to the inflatable supporting structure 2, and an inflatable outer pneumatic cylindrical wall 23, preferably made by a plurality of cylindrical rings connected each other, on which access apertures 24 are provided, in addition to a lower exit aperture 24a. On said access apertures 24 handles 25 are also arranged for facilitating the user to arrange on the chute 3. Said rescue unit 10 also comprises a container 26, in which the supporting structure 2 and the chutes 3 are contained and folded in closed position.
In particular, said system 1 comprises a fabric casing (not shown), contained in said container 26, in which said inflatable supporting structure 2 and said chutes 3 are folded, which can be unfolded for example, by breaking at a predetermined pressure value. Said container 26 is installed on the fixed structure of a building E, as an outer wall itself, or positionable within a ceiling. In case of the invention is installed on a fixed structure (e.g. a building) container 26 is fixed to the structure of the building itself. In this case, the access apertures 24 are positioned in correspondence of the exit points of the building (e.g. the windows) and entry (apertures 24) in the system 1, as it can be seen in figures 4 and 8.
Said supporting structure 2 is adapted to give appropriate stiffness to support the chutes 3, which have a helical form.
Said inflatable structure 2 has the function to protect from heat, from any flames and from fumes, people who are evacuating, as it is made by material with high thermal resistance, or provided with the appropriate requirements for reaction to fire. In particular, said inflatable support structure 2 is made of materials having appropriate classes of reaction to fire, referring to the Italian classification system, and with adequate correspondence with respect to European reaction classes or of other countries, suitable for the expected kind of employment.
Said chutes 3 have, as said, a helical shape and are made of fabric. They provide for an anti panic alert 31 of the emergency route/s.
The pneumatic inflation system 4 comprises a group of compressed air cylinders 41, suitably connected to the control for driver cylinders 41', a collector tube 42, the inflation system of the fabric inflatable supporting structure with blower 43, for the safety inflation of said supporting structure 2, provided with a further tube and a quick coupling system 44, for the connection between the rescue unit 10 and the inflation pneumatic system 4.
Said pneumatic inflation system 4 also includes a manual activation device 45 of the inflation system and an automatic activation system, provided with fire detectors 46, a control unit 47, connected with the command to driver cylinders 41' and/or with the blower 43, and with the manual activation device 45. Said control unit 47 is adapted to activate automatically or following a manual actuation, the inflatable system for emergency evacuation 1 according to the invention, in case of fire or danger in general.
In case of a cylinder 41, as described above, or equivalent pressurized container, is used in the pneumatic inflation system 4, in order to reduce the inflation time a suitable ejection system can be used. Furthermore, in case the invention is pre-installed on the fixed structure (e.g. wall E of a building), and the inflation system 4 provides said blower 43, it is possible to provide an auxiliary power supply in case of lack of mains electricity, by means of a generator or a set of batteries, in addition to a manual activation system.
System 1 may provide said rescue units 10 preinstalled in said fixed structure such as a building E, and can be activated by, as mentioned, a suitable connection of the inflation system with the detection system and alarm both automatic as well as manual.
The inflatable supporting structure 2 has the function to give appropriate stiffness to the invention and to support chutes 3. Furthermore, the inflatable supporting structure 2 has the function to protect from heat, from flames and from fumes, people who are evacuating, being it made of material with a high degree of thermal resistance. Said material of the inflatable supporting structure 2 and of the chutes 3 must be adequately resistant to traction, laceration, cold and heat, flame, solvents, foldings, waterproof, as well as it should have an appropriate adhesion for any welding.
In correspondence of the apertures of the structure to be evacuated, appropriate entrance points to the chute 3 can be realized, which have the interface function of the invention with the fixed structure and are constituted by approximately ellipsoidal shape pilot invitations, equipped with special gripping handles and positioned in correspondence of the exit points of the fixed structure to be evacuated.
The access apertures 24 preferably have an ellipsoidal shape and ensure safe access by persons evacuating from the main structure and a stable positioning of the system 1 with the function to provide a short entry corridor into the structure.
The sliding plane will be contained within two pneumatic side walls, in order to avoid the exit of evacuated personnel and to make possible a capacity of adjustment of their descent speed.
The fabric structure of the helical chutes 3 is also made of a material with a high degree of thermal resistance and low friction coefficient, in order to avoid epidermal burns to evacuated persons, caused by heat generated by friction.
Helical chutes 3 are preferably in number from one to four and have each a mean radius preferably of the order of 3 meters and appropriate tilt angle, preferably equal to about 23°.
In correspondence of each interface of the invention with the fixed structure, there is a dedicated helical chute 3, independent from those of the other outputs, enabling the non-interference between those who engage the system 1 coming from different points of access to the same.
Referring now to figures 9-13, it is seen an embodiment of the inflatable system 1' for emergency evacuation from structures in general, which is not part of the invention.
In this case, the inflatable supporting structure 2', is constituted by a set of tubular shaped pneumatic chambers 27', suitably interconnected, which extend longitudinally in the sliding direction. Pneumatic chambers 27' identify, of course, a single access aperture 24' and an exit aperture 24a'.
The sliding plane 3' is contained within two side walls, constituted by said pneumatic chambers 27', so as to prevent the escape of evacuated persons and to make possible the adjustment of the descent speed by the subject while slides.
The inflatable system 1' for evacuation according to said second embodiment, can also be installed on a mobile means C, such as a fire truck and the like, as shown in particular in figures 11, 12 and 13.
In particular, in case of use of the mobile means C, the container 26' of the chute and the pneumatic inflation system of the inflatable supporting structure 2' (not shown in the figures), is arranged directly on said mobile means C, and includes a ledge 28', equipped with a protection or balustrade, placed on the platform P, of the crane of the means C.
Rescue units 10' of the system 1', since it has a weight and a reduced dimension, by virtue of the materials of which it is made to confer stiffness through the inflation of a supporting structure 2', can be easily installed on different types of operating mobile means C, such as a crane, a telescopic arm aerial platform, a bridge crane, a ladder truck, a pantograph lift, vertical column lift and other types of means.
The operation of the system 1 and 1' described above is as follows.
In the case of system 1 according to the first embodiment installed on a fixed structure, such as a wall of a building and, following activation of the pneumatic inflation 4, by means of the compressed air cylinders 41 or 43 with a blower, operated automatically through connecting to the firefighting manual and automatic alarm system 46 or manually by means of the manual activation device of the inflation system 45, there is the liberation of the inflatable structure supporting 2 from the container 26 with low pressure values, causing the breakage of the fabric, with the following quick inflation of the supporting structure 2, and, in particular, of the central column 21, the tubular structures or bars 22 and the outer pneumatic cylindrical wall 23 as well as the access invitation handles 25 on the helical chutes 3.
Both in case of system 1, according to the first embodiment, as well as of system 1', according to the second embodiment, once inflated the supporting structure 2 or respectively 2', the latter confer shape and stiffness to the rescue unit 10, allowing the unfolding of said chutes 3 or 3'.
In system 1' according to the second embodiment, in case it is installed on a mobile vehicle C, such as cranes, telescopic arm aerial platforms, bridge cranes, ladder trucks, pantograph lifts, vertical column lifts and other types of means, said means C should be positioned so that platform B' is arranged in correspondence of the point and/or opening (e.g. a window) from which people evacuate.
At this point, inflating pneumatic system 4 is activated, even in this case by means of the compressed air cylinders 41 or blower 43, to allow the opening of the container 26', for obtaining the required stiffness of the inflatable supporting structure 2'.
In both described embodiments, lower exit apertures 24a and 24a' of the sliding plane will be such as to allow the sliding of the persons to be evacuated for few meters in the horizontal direction, parallel to the plane that will welcome the evacuated people, so as to make minimum the speed acquired in the descent phase, by compensating gravity acceleration.
An advantage of the present invention is that the inflatable system for emergency evacuation occupies, in resting conditions, a very reduced space, than when it is fully unfolded after activation, and also has a very low weight.
The system according to the invention has also high use versatility in different operating conditions, in addition, it is capable to cancel aesthetic-perceptive effects in case of installation on historic buildings and it does not affect the static conditions of the same structure, being configured, moreover, in this context, as an entirely reversible work.
A further advantage of the present invention is that of being easily installed both on a fixed preexisting structure, as well as on mobile operating means such as cranes, telescopic arm aerial platforms, even installed mounted on boats, bridge cranes, ladder trucks, pantograph lifts, vertical column lifts, aerial platforms truck and even other types of means.
Another advantage of the present invention is that of allowing, within a given structure, in consideration of the "panic" effect potentially generated by the presence therein of a large crowds of people, a high outflow capacity in addition to that potentially obtainable with the existing persisting escape system, being it able to evacuate several tens of people per minute, for each chute at a limited speed controllable by the person, thus allowing the evacuation at various heights, both in case of only one floor building, as well as in case of a building with several floors to be evacuated, without the need of assistance of the evacuation employees.
A further advantage of the present invention is also that of increasing the safety degree of a building in case of any particular constraints that prevent the realization of evacuation routes outside the building, thus realizing a suitable safety level equivalent compared to that required by mandatory regulations in the sector.
The present invention has been described for illustrative but not limitative purposes, according to its preferred embodiments, but it is to be understood that modifications and/or changes can be introduced by those skilled in the art without departing from the relevant scope as defined in the enclosed claims.

Claims

Inflatable system (1') for emergency evacuation from structure (S) comprising
a rescue unit (10), having a supporting structure or support frame (2), at least one chute (3), fixed to said supporting structure (2), and a container (26), in which said supporting structure (2) and said chutes (3) are foldable, and

an inflating pneumatic system (4) connected with said supporting structure (2),

said system (1) being capable of assuming a closed position, wherein said supporting structure (2) and said chutes (3, 3') are folded into said container (26, 26), and an open position, wherein said inflation pneumatic system (4) inflates said supporting structure (2), so that said supporting structure (2) comes out from said container (26) together with said chutes (3), and they are unfolded,

characterized in that said supporting structure (2) comprises

an inflatable central column (21),

an inflatable pneumatic outer wall (23), preferably made by a plurality of cylindrical rings, said outer wall (23) being provided with one or more access apertures (24) and at least one lower exit aperture (24a), and

a plurality of inflatable tubular structures or bars (22), each connected with said central column (21) and said outer pneumatic wall (23), suitable to tighten said inflatable supporting structure (2).
System (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that said access apertures (24) have a substantially ellipsoidal shape and have one or more handles (25) in order to facilitate the user to arrange himself on said chute (3).
System (1) according to anyone of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a chute (3) for each of said apertures (24).
System (1) according to anyone of the preceding claims, characterized in that said chutes (3) have a helical shape and are made of fabric.
System (1) according to anyone of the preceding claims, characterized in that said supporting structure (2) is made of a material with high thermal resistance, so as to protect people who are evacuating from heat, from any flames and from fumes.
System (1) according to anyone of the preceding claims, characterized in that said container (26) comprises a fabric casing, adapted to contain said supporting structure (2) and said chutes (3), capable of breaking or stripping, so as said supporting structure (2) and said chutes (3) come out from said container (26), so that said supporting structure (2) and said chutes (3) are unfolded, due to the inflation of said supporting structure (2).
System (1) according to anyone of the preceding claims, characterized in that said container (26) is fixable to a structure, such as a building structure (E).
System (1) according to anyone of the preceding claims, characterized in that said inflation pneumatic system (4) comprises
one or more compressed air cylinders (41)

a collector pipe (42), to which said one or more cylinders (41) are connected,

a blower (43), connected with said collector pipe (42), and

a quick coupling system (44) for the connection of said rescue units (10) and said collector pipe (42).
System (1) according to claim 8, characterized in that it comprises
one or more fire detectors (46),

a manual activation device (45),

a control unit (47), connected with said one or more fire detectors (46) and said manual activation device (45), said control unit (47) being capable of automatically activating the inflatable system for emergency evacuation (1), by means of said one or more fire detectors (46), or by a manual operation of said manual activation device (45), and

a generator or a set of emergency power supply batteries.