Classifications

• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
  • E21F—SAFETY DEVICES, TRANSPORT, FILLING-UP, RESCUE, VENTILATION, OR DRAINING IN OR OF MINES OR TUNNELS
  • E21F11/00—Rescue devices or other safety devices, e.g. safety chambers or escape ways

Definitions

• the present invention concerns a device comprising a self-carrying corridor construction, said corridor construction may in an inactivated condition be present as a collapsed and compressed such as an optionally compressed and folded or rolled-up elongated device running at least partly along the internal length of a tunnel.
• Such devices may be assembled via their end edges or are beforehand connected via their end edges, said assembly in an activated and erected condition being inflated to form a corridor, passage or "tunnel-within-the-tunnel" running along mainly the entire length of said tunnel, alternatively from one of the openings of the tunnel to an escape exit in the tunnel or between at least two permanent escape exits in the tunnel.
• such a device is comprised of a number of sections that in a collapsed condition are connected to each other, and/or in an expanded and activated condition are inter-connected or being pre-assembled to each other via their end edges.
• Car and train tunnels may, if a train or one or more vehicles or e.g.
• maintenance or repair machines of equipment are subject to an accident or breaks down inside a tunnel and starts to burn or develop smoke or otherwise represent an obstacle or being harmful to persons being present inside the tunnel, and may develop to represent dangerous traps for those being inside the tunnel when such events or accidents occur.
• Such accidents may generate large amounts of health-hazardous and/or lethal gas/smoke (smoke from fires, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide (from cars where the engine is not stopped), fuel fumes, etc.) and optionally development of heat making it essential to evacuate the relevant tunnel as quickly as possible.
• tunnels may be equipped with communication pockets where it is possible to get in contact with the outside world, since it is little the outside world is able to do within so little time to penetrate into the tunnel being isolated from the outside world on account of said smoke, heat and/or gas development.
• there may of course be sent in some divers and fire personnel/medical personnel equipped with gas masks, but it takes time before such rescue personnel reaches the relevant tunnel, and this is frequently time that harms the ones that are trapped inside the tunnel.
• the length of the relevant tunnel may be of importance. In tunnels being shorter than about 50 m long, the above indicated situation is not quite as precarious as inside tunnels being longer, but inside tunnels with a length longer than 500 m, the above indicated situation may be particularly dangerous for the persons that might be present inside the tunnel at the time of the relevant accident.
• the travelled distance may be almost the entire length of the tunnel, the time that person then would be present in the gas and smoke-filled tunnel will consequently be about 6 minutes, and this time is more than ample to become smoke or gas-poisoned, and the person may in the worst case scenario lose consciousness and continue to breathe smoke and gas, which may lead to death.
• tunnel may encompass structures in the form of natural (grottos, caves, etc.) and constructed structures (car tunnels, train tunnels, pedestrian tunnels, mines, mine shafts, etc.) that may have treated (concrete, cement, plaster, panels, etc.) or untreated (natural rock, excavated walls, etc.) walls.
• the said smoke development may, in addition to act confusing on account of its biological effect on the brain and metabolism (inhibiting the uptake and transport of oxygen, affecting the balance, initiating a cough reflex, nausea, affecting the vision, etc.) also have a physical effect acting confusing and disorienting to persons that have left their vehicles and are walking on foot inside the tunnel in an attempt to escape, and potentially in a direction representing a longer exposure to the harmful environment (e.g. by the relevant person walking in the same direction as the drifting of the gas and smoke). In such cases there may also arise panic where the persons may come to harm each other in their attempts to escape.
• the device and system according to the present invention makes it possible to establish an escape route/corridor inside a tunnel where the establishment of the escape route/corridor is ensured by the inside of the corridor containing breathable air.
• escape routes should alternatively comprise information (for example in the form of posters or sowed-on/welded information about the direction and the route to the closest tunnel opening and/or escape opening (if such are previously established in the tunnel), the route to first aid equipment (if such are pre-located inside the tunnel), communication opportunities/devices such as an alarm, a telephone, etc. (if such devices are pre-located inside the tunnel), etc.
• the established escape route according to the invention may also comprise illumination such as illumination diodes, fluorescing signals or signs, such illuminating sources in one embodiment receiving energy from batteries, emergency aggregates and/or permanently mounted electrical current conducting wires.
• illumination such as illumination diodes, fluorescing signals or signs
• the first priority when establishing an escape corridor according to the invention is to establish a passage containing breathable air.
• the device/system according to the present invention is comprised of a device for establishing an escape route inside a tunnel, said device/system comprising a number of similar or different section, wherein one such section includes a gas-impenetrable and expandable sheath comprising mainly gas- impermeable walls that may exist in an upright or down-folded condition, said section(s) in a down-folded condition being present as a collapsed and optionally folded sheet.
• channels, hoses, pipes or similar structures across, crossing, diagonally on the entire or sections of the sheath or passing in a spiral around the lengthwise direction of the sheath, and being able to be supplied with a fluid such as air, gas or liquid under pressure so that the walls of the section(s) is/are extended for establishing a corridor running in the lengthwise direction of the tunnel to at least one of the openings of the tunnel or to a permanent escape shaft in the wall(s) of the tunnel or between at least two permanent escape shafts or openings in the tunnel.
• a fluid such as air, gas or liquid under pressure
• the sheath which may be an external sheath of the relevant corridor section, is comprised by an external wall of a mainly fluid impenetrable such as gas-impenetrable material being equipped with a number of gas-tight channels that may be expanded/folded out/inflated for expanding sad wall to a corridor section.
• a mainly fluid impenetrable such as gas-impenetrable material being equipped with a number of gas-tight channels that may be expanded/folded out/inflated for expanding sad wall to a corridor section.
• said external sheath is made out of a gas- tight fabric that may be inflated by the entire external fabric being a multiple such as a double wall that may be expanded or be made substantially rigid and/or self- supporting by blowing a fluid such as air/gas/liquid into at least one of the intermediate spaces between the walls of the external sheath.
• the external sheath of the relevant section comprises a single wall of a mainly gas-tight material being equipped with a number of gas-tight conduits that may be inflated for expending said wall into a corridor section.
• corridor sections may be assembled and connected to each other by their outer edges for in an inflated/expanded condition to form a longer corridor through which persons may escape.
• Such an assembly by the outer edges of the sections may in one embodiment be established by e.g. equipping corridor edges adjacent to each other with magnet locks comprising a number of magnets with opposite polarity so that these magnet, when extending the adjacent sections, will attract each other and become locked to each other for assembling the external edges of the adjacent sections.
• the adjacent corridor edges may e.g. comprise Velcro securing strips cooperating with reciprocating Velcro strips in the side edges of the adjacent section part.
• the corridor section edges may comprise locking elements such as buttons, loops, hooks, etc. or combinations thereof.
• said Velcro strips may comprise/consist of strips/bands/belts of reciprocating and overlapping Velcro sections cooperating with corresponding sections in the edge area of the relevant corridor section.
• the adjacent corridor section edges may be smooth so that the Velcro parts are those parts that lock the adjacent corridor section edges to each other.
• the cooperating locking parts are pre-connected to each other so that the locking action does not include finding where the start of the locking devices is located for connecting these to each other, even if the relevant corridor sections should have been inflated.
• the corridor section edges comprise cooperating zippers.
• the adjacent corridor section edges comprise magnet and/or Velcro locks.
• the adjacent section edges may in an alternative embodiment be structured so that they adhere to each other either based on the surface treatment of the section edges or by equipping at least one of the adjacent corridor section side edges with a glue substance. Since the relevant section may be stored or located in an unused condition over a time period while they are subjected to dust (e.g. hovering dust and/or asphalt dust and/or sand particles and/or soot particles) it is preferred that there is used locking devices that by their function is not affected significantly by such particles.
• dust e.g. hovering dust and/or asphalt dust and/or sand particles and/or soot particles
• magnet locks e.g. hovering dust and/or asphalt dust and/or sand particles and/or soot particles
• side edge comprises, in the meaning of an end edge, the edge area of a corridor element, the relevant corridor section area that is present surrounding the internal section of the corridor element opening towards the outer area of the corridor element.
• a corridor element thus has two side edges.
• side edge has this meaning even if two or more corridor elements are connected to each other so that the adjacent corridor elements are connected to each other through their side edges.
• permanent in the meaning of the present invention establishes a "permanent" escape route inside a tunnel, an escape route that substantially maintains its structure and function at least over a time span that it takes for people to exit the relevant tunnel. Such a time span may vary, and it is obvious that the phrase “permanent” must not be interpreted to be that the relevant corridor structure maintains its form and functionality over an indefinite time from the time it has been established.
• permanent must in this connection be considered in connection with a possible fluid leakage from channels and hoses as well as possible nozzles and valves and leakage of fluid through the material used in the walls, channels and hoses, and "permanent” relates to the time span of time that it is possible for the corridor structure to maintain its structure and function. Such a span of time may extend up to several days, even if this normally is not required, and the phrase “permanent” may in some cases also relate to a couple of hours or even less. "Permanent” is also related to the time that the channels or hoses in the corridor structure not conveniently are emptied for fluid.
• a "permanent" structure may also comprise a structure wherein the channels and/or hoses conducting the fluid may have a small leakage, but wherein addition of fluid is sufficient to keep the corridor structure mainly in its activated form during the time span that is required for persons to evacuate the escape corridor.
• Fig. 1 displays an embodiment of an escape corridor section being extended by the use of channels and/or hoses according to the invention
• Fig. 2 displays a second embodiment of a corridor section of an escape corridor with external and internal sheaths according to the invention
• Fig. 3 displays a third embodiment of a corridor section of an escape corridor according to the invention
• Fig. 4 displays an assembly of different corridor section that may form an escape corridor inside a tunnel.
• this embodiment is comprises by an escape tunnel according to the invention with a completely or substantially gas-tight external skin or external cloth 1, said external skin 1 being assembled with a channel or hoses 4 across the lengthwise direction of the corridor, also being made of a completely or substantially gas-impenetrable material.
• this channel or hose 4 In its compressed or collapsed condition there is little or no fluid inside this channel or hose 4 , and when fluid under pressure is filled into this channel or hose 4, the section with the channel or hose 4 will elevate and/or expand into an upright condition on account of the channel and/or hose will become erect as a consequence of t its internal fluid/gas pressure.
• the distance between the end sections of the channel is in one embodiment limited by the aid of the bottom 3 of the corridor.
• the channel(s)/hose(s) 4 function(s) as an expander expanding the walls/roof of the corridor.
• This embodiment of a corridor section may (but need not) include a bottom 3 that may be expanded by a corresponding external skin that will expand the corridor section at least in its crosswise direction, but optionally also in the lengthwise direction of the corridor section when the hose or channel 4 in the skin is/are filled with fluid/gas.
• the hose or channel 4 runs in mainly helix-formed coil across mainly the entire length of the corridor section.
• it in not necessary that there exists any bottom 3 since a sufficient gas-impenetrability may be established between the lower edge 7 of the corridor element and the ground based on the structure of the lower edge combined with the weight of the corridor section.
• fluid is in the present context interpreted to include a gas, a gas mixture, a liquid, a liquid mixture or combinations thereof, preferably air or other gas combination based on considerations such as the load that the relevant channels/hoses in the corridor element are subjected to at the entering of such a fluid. Since a liquid is a much more compact medium than gas, the use of a liquid will put a larger load on the channels/hoses than gas when such types of fluid are supplied to the channels/hoses under pressure. An additional consideration to be taken is the weight being exerted on the corridor section walls if there is used a liquid such as water, and also on account of this it is not preferred to use a liquid as an expansion medium. It is thus preferred to use gas as an expansion fluid, and particularly air on account of its general availability.
• the fluid filling the channel(s)/hose(s) may be something other than air such a carbon dioxide or some other compressible gas or gas composition. It is also possible to fill the
• the fluid inside such pressurized containers may be a liquid at the increased pressure inside the fluid container, but will convert to gas when the pressure sinks on account of the expansion inside the channel(s)/hose(s) 4.
• the pressure inside a gas container with gas to be filed into the relevant channel(s)/hose(s) 4 in a corridor element may be determined when the volume sum of the channel(s)/hose(s) is known while simultaneously knowing the pressure tolerance of the channel(s)/hose(s).
• the relevant corridor element is expanded as quickly as possible
• channel(s)/hose(s) that may blow the channel(s)/hose(s) in the vicinity of e.g. a pressurized air container if the air is released too quickly.
• a regulation valve in the pressurized air container releasing the pressurized air at a reduced pace so that the expansion of the relevant corridor element is kept within the time intervals mentioned supra.
• the gas, gas composition of liquid that is used for filling the relevant channel(s)/hose(s) 4 may, but need not, be of a breathable type, but is preferably air.
• the filling of the channel(s)/hose(s) 4 may in one embodiment be conducted via gas/pressurized air containers that may be secured at least at one location in the relevant corridor section. Additionally or alternatively it is possible to use air outside of the tunnel opening via pumps.
• the pressurized air may have as a purpose not only to fill the relevant channel(s)/hose(s) in the corridor wall with air, but also have as a purpose to drive out the smoke and gas-filled atmosphere inside the internal volume of the escape corridor and replace it with breathable air.
• the external skin 1 is secured to an internal skin 2, said internal skin 2 in this embodiment being made of a completely or substantially gas-tight material.
• a volume that may be filled with gas.
• This embodiment of a corridor section may also comprise a bottom 3, said bottom 3 also optionally being made of a corresponding external skin and internal skin that will expand the corridor section at least in the crosswise direction, but optionally also in the lengthwise direction of the corridor section when the volume in between the skins is filled with gas.
• the bottom 3 need, however, not be of a double-skinned type, but may also consist of a single- skinned cloth, or the bottom 3 may not be included, in which case a gas-tight relationship between the corridor element and the ground is determined by the relationship/adaptation between the lower edge 7 of the corridor element and the ground.
• this embodiment is comprised of a section of an escape tunnel according to the invention of a completely or mainly gas-impenetrable external skin 1, said external skin 1 being secured to an internal skin 2, said internal skin 2 in this embodiment being made of completely or mainly gas- impenetrable material. Between the external skin 1 and the internal skin 2 there exists a volume that may be filled with gas.
• a corridor section may also comprise a bottom 3, said bottom may also be made of a corresponding external skin and internal skin that will expand the corridor section at least in its crosswise direction and also optionally in the lengthwise direction of the corridor section when the volume between the skins is filled with fluid/gas.
• the escape corridor is comprised of a number of sections that optionally are mainly gas-tightly connected together, when the sections that stand in connection with the surrounding world are inflated, will draw in air from the surroundings outside of the tunnel through the external ends of the escape corridor to the inside of the corridor, and this in-drawn air will be
• the volume of the pressurized air will only be required to fill the channels or hoses expanding the corridor or the intermediate volume between the external skin 1 and the internal skin 2 or inflating channels in the skin (see the account infra).
• the corridor walls 1 and floor 3 in the corridor element may be made of a single-layer and mainly gas-tight material where this material is equipped with added and mainly or completely gas-tight channels 4.
• Such an embodiment is depicted in Figure 3.
• these channels 4 are filled with a gas or gas composition under pressure, they will expand and carry along the corridor skin or cloth 1 for thereby to establish the relevant escape route corridor section.
• it is only required to fill relevant channels 4 with fluid such as gas or gas composition under pressure, and thereby it not placed so great demands on the gas volume in the pressure containers that are to expand the relevant corridor section.
• connection points between the pressurized air/gas containers and the corridor wall/skin/gas channels there are preferably localized a one-way valve ensuring that gas does not escape through the connection point after the corridor section has been inflated.
• the corridor element may be equipped with
• a corridor element will have a length I, a width b and a height h.
• the element will, prior to its inflation, be compressed such as being rolled or folded, preferably in a accordion pattern, in its lengthwise direction b and its height direction h, whereas its lengthwise direction I will be kept in its full length. This will have as a consequence that the corridor element will in its collapsed and non- inflated condition, obtain a shape of an elongated sheet that may be placed along the road shoulder or be suspended in a suspension along the tunnel wall/roof inside the tunnel.
• the corridor elements may in advance be connected to each other via their end sections (see supra) and that they may also be equipped with lengthwise running equipment such as hoses and/or electrical wires and/or communication equipment or other equipment, wherein said equipment may be located in the bottom, walls and or roof of the corridor element.
• a corridor element may also be equipped with an entrance section 6 making access to the inside of the corridor element possible from its outside.
• Such an entrance section 6 may comprise a uni-layered and completely or substantially gas- tight cloth or skin covering the entrance in the relevant corridor element.
• the edges of such a cloth or skin may be equipped with corresponding connecting and tightening elements as explained supra in connection with the connecting elements between the corridor sections, i.e. together or alone magnet couplings, Velcro connections, zippers, tacky substances, etc.
• a form of device 8 e.g. in the form of a handle, a rope, a loop etc. to indicate that it is possible to enter the inside of the corridor through such an entrance section.
• Such a handle may in one embodiment be comprised of a loop for not affecting the possibility to be folded, preferably in is crosswise direction. It is also preferred that the entrance section is equipped with an associated light that may be connected to a battery and/or the electrical network of the tunnel (in those instances where the tunnel is equipped with access to electricity) or any other form of light source such as auto-illuminating, fluorescing or phosphorescing markings showing the entrance to the internal part of the escape corridor.
• the corridor elements according to the invention may in an alternative and preferred embodiment further be equipped with signs and indications that may registered by the persons using the corridor element.
• signs/indications may e.g. be present in the form of auto-illuminating/fluorescing arrows (that e.g . may indicate the closest tunnel opening or permanent escape hatch, the location of the entrance section 6 mentioned supra, possible light switches, etc).
• the corridor elements according to the invention may in an alternative and preferred embodiment further be equipped with at last one internal division or partition wall or curtain preventing possible smoke or gas from moving inside the length direction of the corridor.
• a partition wall may e.g. be strips of the same material as the external walls and hanging side-by-side with an overlap creating a partition making it possible for persons to pass through, but that will prevent or limit larger amounts of gas or smoke to move from one section to the next.
• corridor elements according to the invention have been disclosed supra to be compressed such as folded or crumpled in their lengthwise direction, it is nothing preventing the corridor elements to be compressed or folded in their crosswise direction. This is, however, not preferred since such a folding will require a larger gas volume to inflate the corridor elements since the corridor elements then must expand in their lengthwise direction as well and in addition their breadth and height direction.
• the corridor elements may in such an embodiment neither be pre-connected to each other and the corridor elements will in a collapsed condition not be present as a strip but rather as a bundle where such bundles then will be located at a distance from each other to expand towards in their lengthwise direction when activated.
• the material of the corridor elements are specified supra to be of a completely and mainly gas-impermeable material.
• examples of such materials are polymeric materials such as polyethylene (PE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC),
• the material of the corridor elements according to the invention may also be laminated structures such as aluminum foil laminated with a polymeric material on one or both sides.
• the corridor elements may in their walls and optionally in their floor and roof as well be braced with longitudinally running and optionally crosswise running braces. Such braces may be
• bracing/strengthening fibers bracing sheets, bracing sections, etc.
• the elements may at the control times for the elements be supplied gas for inflating the elements.
• the elements When supplying such gas there will be discovered possible gas leaks, and the damaged corridor element(s) may be replaced without any major problems.
• Possible dimensions for the corridor elements according to the invention may in an inflated and activated condition be: length : 1 - 200 m; breadth : 0.5 - 2 m; height: 2 - 3.5 m. It is obvious that the height and breadth of the corridor elements according to the invention have to fit inside the relevant tunnel in an inflated state.
• the breadth of the corridor elements should in one embodiment not exceed half of a driving file, i.e. 1.4 - 1.8 m since a halted vehicle may prevent the corridor elements from having a free passage to expand in the crosswise direction so that the distance between a halted vehicle and the tunnel wall is the effective breadth that the corridor elements may occupy.
• the corridor elements according to the present invention may in one embodiment also comprise adjustable valves for opening and closing the channels or hoses that lead the gas/air under pressure. This makes it possible to produce the corridor elements as articles for multi-use.
• the valves may be closed at the first placement of a corridor element inside a tunnel so that the corridor element(s) is/are ready for inflation/expansion. After ended inflation/expansion, and when the relevant danger (fire, gas leakage, etc.) has been removed, the valves in the corridor element(s) will be opened for compressing/deflating the corridor element(s) anew.
• a compression may e.g .
• the corridor elements may be conducted by a compression ring being passed along the lengthwise direction of the corridor element(s), preferably when these are in an inter-connected condition, for compressing the corridor elements to the diameter of the ring.
• the corridor elements may be coupled to a vacuum pump so that the elements collapse by the air/gas pressure in the channels/hoses being removed.
• Other compression methods may also be used.
• the corridor elements may in on embodiment between themselves comprise securing points 9 that secure the corridor elements to each other.
• securing points 9 are preferred in those embodiments wherein the corridor elements do not expand in their lengthwise direction when being inflated so that the corridor elements then will be interconnected in a continuous elongated strip before they become inflated at their activation.
• Such securing points 9 may include male and female securing elements. It is preferred that the male and female elements are located alternating to each other in the diagonal direction of the corridor elements.
• one corridor element that is to be replaced may thus be placed arbitrarily against each other since the securing points then will fit into each other independent on the rotation of the corridor element, i.e. the corridor element to be added and to replace an exchanged corridor element may be placed without any regard to which way it is to be placed since the securing devices then in any case will fit into each other.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mining & Mineral Resources (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Pulmonology (AREA)
• Emergency Management (AREA)
• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Business, Economics & Management (AREA)
• General Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Geochemistry & Mineralogy (AREA)
• Geology (AREA)
• Filling Or Discharging Of Gas Storage Vessels (AREA)
• Excavating Of Shafts Or Tunnels (AREA)
• Ultra Sonic Daignosis Equipment (AREA)
• Lining And Supports For Tunnels (AREA)
• Air Bags (AREA)

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• 2015
  • 2015-12-07 NO NO20151667A patent/NO342940B1/no unknown
• 2016
  • 2016-12-06 WO PCT/NO2016/050255 patent/WO2017099608A2/en active Application Filing
  • 2016-12-06 EP EP16867425.7A patent/EP3387222A2/en not_active Withdrawn

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