Emergency shelter kit

Abstract

A kit comprising the items needed to build an emergency shelter in the flexible-form rammed earth style, and a method of packing the items for shipment. The kit, designed for easy shipment to persons requiring emergency shelter, also includes the items needed to add a waterproof exterior layer to the outside of the shelter, along with items to construct a canvas awning, a water catchment system, lockable doors and lockable window shutters, and a composting toilet. The kit also includes mosquito netting to cover the doorway and windows of the shelter.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]The present invention relates to an emergency shelter kit comprising the items needed to build a flexible-form rammed earth emergency shelter, and a packing process by which the items are packed into the kit for shipment. The items needed for the shelter's construction are packaged in the kit for easy shipment to persons requiring emergency shelter. The kit also includes the items needed to add a waterproof exterior layer to the outside of the shelter, along with items to construct a canvas awning, a water catchment system, lockable doors and lockable window shutters, and a composting toilet. The kit also includes mosquito netting to cover the doorway and windows. The kit materials are extremely adaptable to a wide range of terrain conditions and building styles, but the preferred embodiment of the kit contains the materials to construct a 12 foot diameter lancet dome with arched doorway and windows. These single, round rooms are modular and can be combin...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0011]The basic building blocks of the shelter are earthbags that are filled with earthen material and laid in rows, or courses, with a strand of barbed wire placed between each course. The earthbags are cut from a roll of polytube material, and are superior to conventional sandbags for three major reasons. First, they are better adapted to dome construction because their greater length adds to the tensile strength of each course. Second, they are quicker to fill than individual sandbags, which could prove to be very important when people struggle to erect shelters in the face of an oncoming disaster. Third, earthbags allow the insertion of an arched doorway and windows into a dome shaped building far more readily than do individual sandbags. As an arch widens, the earthbags for each layer of the arch can be cut to length and laid as a single piece, making the arch simpler and easier to construct.

[0013]All the items together in the kit represent a complete system that will provide disaster victims with shelter, water, basic sanitation and security. For example, a toilet seat lid that is included in the kit combines with a 5-gallon bucket to create a rudimentary composting toilet. This is an important feature because disaster victims routinely face sanitation problems that can lead to serious illness. In addition, the barrel that contains the kit can be converted to a key part of a rain water catchment system. This is important because disaster victims without a sufficient supply of fresh water risk dehydration and illness. Furthermore, the canvas awning that offers shade from the sun, and increases the living space available for cooking, cleaning and washing, is also the means by which rain water is directed to the empty barrel for the water catchment system. Finally, because malaria is a major killer in developing countries, the present invention includes mosquito netting to cover the doorway and windows, thus allowing users a measure of protection against this disease vector.

Problems solved by technology

This is important because disaster victims without a sufficient supply of fresh water risk dehydration and illness.

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