Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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RADIO FREQUENCY SHIELD FOR SLEEPING ENCLOSURE
FIELD
[0001] This invention relates to an assembly that provides
substantial shielding from
electromagnetic radiation, in particular radio frequency (RF) radiation, for
the interior of a
sleeping enclosure, such as an infant's crib.
BACKGROUND
[0002] There is an ongoing concern about the side effects of long term
exposure to
electromagnetic radiation and in particular such radiation in the RF range,
even at
minuscule power levels. These effects are constantly under study. While there
are mixed
conclusions as too how much exposure is necessary to cause negative effects,
one thing is
certain, less exposure to RF is better.
[0003] Body mass is a key variable in the calculation of one's
"specific absorption
rate" (SAR) for RF. For a given RF exposure, more harm is done to someone with
less
body mass. In today's 24/7 wireless environment, a person is constantly being
exposed to
RF right from birth. The effects of this constant, long term exposure to RF
will not be fully
known until today's infants become adults.
[0004] More than half of an infant's life is spent sleeping, usually
inside the same
sleeping enclosure, such as a crib structure. If it was possible to shield
and/or absorb most
of the RE before it enters the sleeping enclosure, thereby making the interior
of the sleeping
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enclosure an RF-free zone, we could eliminate or significantly reduce any
potential harm
that might be caused to a child from this RF radiation.
[0005] One solution to this problem is described in International
Published
Application No. WO 2009/091345, which discloses textile products such as
mattresses,
comforters and pillows made of fabric that has shielding properties to
decrease the
electromagnetic field effect emitted by devices such as cellular phones,
computers, radios,
televisions and the like. The problem with this solution is that it does not
provide an interior
space that is free from RF radiation. For infants, it is impossible to keep
them enclosed in
such covering materials, which are considered a suffocation hazard. Moreover,
in warm
conditions, it is impractical to keep anyone covered in blankets.
[0006] Another solution is provided in German published application
No.
DE202004018408, which describes a protective shield against electric fields
for a person
lying between a duvet and a base. The solution provides an upper electrically
conductive
fabric and a lower electrically conductive fabric and an electrical connection
between the
two fabrics. Similar problems are associated with this solution as are noted
above for
WO 2009/091345. There is no interior space provided that is free from RF
radiation. It is
impossible to keep infants enclosed in such covering materials, since the
blankets become
a suffocation hazard, and in warm conditions it is impractical to keep anyone
covered in
blankets at all times.
[0007] A further solution is provided by Japanese published
application No.
JP20022387009, which describes an electromagnetic protection sheet, somewhat
like
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mosquito netting, forming a ceiling and a floor section and two wall sections
to enclose a
sleeping structure. The ceiling section is formed into a barrel shape to
create a sleeping
space. However, two large openings along a front and side wall of the sleeping
enclosure
are left unprotected from electromagnetic radiation, thus requiring that the
sleeping structure
be strategically oriented with respect to sources of electromagnetic radiation
so as to
maximize protection. The design is also is not styled for an infant's sleeping
structure and
would look out of place in a child's room. Parents are more comfortable with a
child in a
sleeping enclosure having an open top for purposes of safety and easy removal
of the child
when necessary.
[0008] None of the above solutions to the problem of protecting
infants from
electromagnetic radiation, such as RF radiation, are suitably adapted for use
with an infant's
sleeping structure. Providing a design that is suited for an infant's sleeping
enclosure will
not only improve safety, it will provide better shielding and be more
aesthetically pleasing.
SUMMARY
[0009] The present radio frequency shield for a sleeping enclosure
addresses some
of the shortcomings of the prior art and provides a new way to safely and
economically
provide RF shielding for the interior space of a sleeping enclosure.
[0010] Accordingly then, in one aspect, there is provided, an
electromagnetic shield
for a sleeping enclosure, the sleeping enclosure comprising a frame having a
bottom and
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side walls extending upward from the bottom to a top rail creating an interior
space having
an open top, the shield comprising: a bottom protector, adapted for covering
the bottom of
the sleeping enclosure to shield the interior space from electromagnetic
radiation entering
the interior space through the bottom of the sleeping enclosure; a side
protector, adapted for
attachment to the sleeping enclosure so as to shield the interior space from
electromagnetic
radiation entering the interior space through the side walls of the sleeping
enclosure; and a
top protector, adapted for placement over the open top of the sleeping
enclosure to shield
the interior space from electromagnetic radiation entering the interior space
from above the
sleeping enclosure.
[0011] In further aspects, the electromagnetic shield includes at
least one top rail
protector for connection to the top rail of the sleeping enclosure for
shielding the interior
space from electromagnetic radiation entering the interior space through the
top rail of the
sleeping enclosure. The shield is generally constructed using a radio
frequency shielding
material having a minimum attenuation of 99% of radiated power at frequencies
below 1
GHz and a minimum attenuation of 90% of radiated power at frequencies below 5
GHz.
The shielding material is a cloth-like material that is conductive,
breathable, hypoallergenic
and inflammable and for the top and side protectors the shield material should
be
transparent to permit parents to observe children within the sleeping
enclosure. The bottom
protector may be constructed to include a top opening fitted with elastic so
that the bottom
protector may be securely attached to a mattress covering the bottom of the
sleeping
enclosure. The bottom protector may also include means for attaching the
bottom protector
to the side protector such as by a VELCROTM hook and loop system, zipper,
buttons, cloth
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ties, snaps, or the like. The side protector may be attached to the top rail
of the sleeping
enclosure using top ties and the side protector is then allowed to hang down
on all sides of
the sleeping enclosure so as to overlap with the bottom protector. The side
protector may
include means for attaching the side protector to the bottom protector, such
as by a
VELCROTM hook and loop system, zippers, buttons, cloth ties, snaps, or the
like. The side
protector may include means for attaching the side protector to the top rail
protector such as
by a VELCROTM hook and loop system, zippers, buttons, cloth ties, snaps, or
the like. The
side protector may include means for connecting a first end of the side
protector to a second
opposite end of the side protector to thereby permit the side protector to be
wrapped around
the sides of the sleeping enclosure and securely sealed to shield the interior
space from
electromagnetic radiation. These connecting means may also be used for
connecting an
end of the side protector to an end of another side protector to thereby
permit two or more
side protectors to be joined together for installation on the sleeping
enclosure. The
connecting means used to connect a side protector to itself or for connecting
one side
protector to another side protector may be a VELCROTM hook and loop system,
zippers,
buttons, cloth ties, snaps, or the like. The side protector may include a pass-
through
opening to allow access to the interior space without having to remove the
side protector
from the sleeping enclosure and the pass-through opening may have a closure
flap to cover
the opening when not in use. The top protector may include a hinged portion so
that it may
be opened to permit easy access to the interior space. Further, the top
protector is
advantageously constructed of multiple, interconnected, lightweight tubes that
are easy to
dismantle for convenient portable transportation.
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[0012] In another aspect, there is provided a sleeping enclosure
comprising: a frame
having a bottom and side walls extending upward from the bottom to a top rail
creating an
interior space having an open top; an electromagnetic shield for shielding the
interior space
from electromagnetic radiation, the shield comprising: a bottom protector
covering the
bottom of the sleeping enclosure to shield the interior space from
electromagnetic radiation
entering the interior space through the bottom of the sleeping enclosure; a
side protector
attached to the sleeping enclosure for shielding the interior space from
electromagnetic
radiation entering the interior space through the side walls of the sleeping
enclosure; and a
top protector for placement over the open top of the sleeping enclosure to
shield the interior
space from electromagnetic radiation entering the interior space from above
the sleeping
enclosure.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] Referring to the drawings wherein like reference numerals indicate
similar
parts throughout the several views, several aspects of the radio frequency
shield for a
sleeping enclosure are illustrated by way of example, and not by way of
limitation, in detail
in the figures, wherein:
[0014] Figure 1 shows one embodiment of the radio frequency shield for a
sleeping
enclosure as described herein;
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[0015] Figure 2 shows another embodiment of the radio frequency
shield for a
sleeping enclosure with a hinged top protector or cover in the raised-up
position to provide
access to the interior space;
[0016] Figure 3 shows the top protector or cover in isolation;
[0017] Figure 4 shows two side rail protector sheets for attachment
to the side walls
of the sleeping enclosure and for connection to the mattress underlay of
Figure 5;
[0018] Figure 5 shows a mattress underlay or bottom protector for placement
under
the mattress of the sleeping enclosure such as an infant's crib; and
[0019] Figure 6 shows two top rail protectors for the sleeping
enclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0020] Figures 1 and 2, illustrate one embodiment of the applicant's
RF shield 10
suitably installed on a sleeping enclosure 12. The sleeping enclosure 12
typically includes
a bottom frame 14 on which a mattress 17 may be located. Side walls 15 extend
upward
from the frame 14 to a top rail 16 and surround the mattress 17 on all sides
forming an
interior space 18. The side walls 15 are constructed in such a manner and are
of sufficient
height so as to keep an infant located within the interior space 18 from
falling or climbing out
of the sleeping enclosure 12. Side walls 15 may be solid or constructed from
individual slats
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or rails as shown in Figures 1 and 2. The sleeping enclosure 12 may be
supported on legs
19, which is typical for a standard crib used by infants for sleeping.
[0021] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the applicant's RF shield 10
includes a bottom
protector or underlay sheet 20 (also shown in Figure 5), side protector or
side rail
attachment sheets 30 (also shown in Figure 4), and may include a top protector
or top cover
40 (also shown in Figure 3). In addition, top rail protectors 50 (shown in
Figure 6) may be
used to cover any gap that might exist between top protector 40 and side
protectors 30. The
bottom, side, top and rail protectors 20, 30, 40 and 50, respectively, are
made from RF
shielding material 22 having a minimum attenuation of 99% of radiated power at
frequencies
below 1 GHz and a minimum attenuation of 90% of radiated power at frequencies
below 5
GHz. The RF shielding material 22 used to make the bottom, side, top, and rail
protectors
of the RF shield 10 may be made from a cloth-like material that is conductive,
breathable,
hypoallergenic and inflammable, woven from a combination of cotton and
extremely thin
silver coated copper wires. The RF shielding material 22 used to make side
protector 30
and top protector 40 may also be transparent to a degree sufficient to allow
infants or other
objects inside the sleeping enclosure 12 to be visible from the outside when
the RF shield
10 is attached to the sleeping enclosure 12. Advantageously, the RF shielding
material 22
is made to be washable in a standard residential automatic laundry machine.
[0022] Suitable RF shielding material 22 for construction of the
bottom, side, top,
and rail protectors 20, 30, 40 and 50 is available from Less EMF Inc., located
in Latham,
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New York, USA, and is sold under the trademarks SWISSSHIELDTM , DAYLITETm, and
OKEO-TEX 100Tm.
[0023] The bottom protector 20, as shown in Figure 5, may be a flat
sheet of RF
shielding material 22 that fits under the mattress 17 and is held in place by
the weight of the
mattress itself, or it may be made into a fitted sheet, with an elastic top
opening so that it
may be securely fitted around the top or bottom of the mattress 17 like a
typical fitted sheet.
The bottom protector 20 may include a narrow strip of VELCROTM hooks 24
affixed to the
outside edges to facilitate attachment to corresponding strips of VELCROTM
loops 34 affixed
to the bottom and top edges of the side protectors 30 (as shown in Figure 4).
The bottom
protector 20 is placed on or under the mattress 17 to shield the entire bottom
of the sleeping
enclosure 12 from electromagnetic radiation, in particular RF radiation,
entering the interior
space 18 of the sleeping enclosure 12 from the bottom.
[0024] The side protector sheets 30, as shown in Figure 4, are constructed
from
sheets of RF shielding material 22 and are configured for attachment the side
walls 15 of
the sleeping enclosure 12 in such a manner so as to completely surround the
sleeping
enclosure 12 and shield the interior space 18 of the sleeping enclosure 12
from
electromagnetic radiation, in particular RF radiation, entering the interior
space 18 of the
sleeping enclosure 12 through the side walls 15. The side protector sheets 30
may be
attached to the top of the railings 16 using top ties 32 and allowed to hang
down on all sides
of the sleeping enclosure 12 so as to overlap with the bottom protector sheet
20, providing
complete side and bottom protective RF shielding to the interior space 18 of
the sleeping
enclosure 12. The side protector sheets 30 may be attached to the bottom
protector 20
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using any known manner of attachment, such as buttons, zippers, snap
connectors, a
VELCROTM hook and loops system, or the like. Figure 4 shows the side
protectors 30
having narrow strips of VELCROTM loops 34 attached to both the top and bottom
edges to
facilitate connection to corresponding strips of VELCROTM hooks 24 on the
bottom protector
20, and to similar corresponding strips of VELCROTM hooks 54 on top rail
protectors 50 as
shown in Figure 6.
[0025] In another manner of attachment, as shown in Figures 1 and 2,
the side
protector sheets 30 may be weaved in and out through the side railings 15 of
the sleeping
enclosure 12 in such a manner that they are secured to the sleeping enclosure
12 and
completely surround the sleeping enclosure 12 from top to bottom, overlapping
the bottom
protector 20 to facilitate attachment thereto as described above. The top ties
32 may also
be secured to top rails 16 in this alternate manner of attachment to the
sleeping enclosure
12 to further secure the side protector sheets 30 to the sleeping enclosure
12.
[0026] The side protector sheets 30 may also include short strips of
VELCROTM
hooks 36 on the inside of the top and bottom edges on at least one end, to
permit a single
sheet to be wrapped around the sleeping enclosure 12 and secured to the loops
34 on the
opposite end to provide complete side coverage for the interior space 18 of
the sleeping
enclosure 12. Hooks 36 would also permit two or more side protector sheets 30
to be joined
together by connecting hooks 36 of one side protector sheet 30 to loops 34 of
a second side
protector sheet 30. Attaching together opposite ends of a single side
protector sheet 30 or
linking together multiple side protector sheets 30 may be accomplished by any
other
suitable manner of connection, such as by zippers, buttons, snap connectors,
or the like.
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[0027] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, a pass-through opening 38 may be
provided in
one of the side protector sheets 30 near the bottom, close to mattress 17, to
allow articles to
be passed through into and out of the interior space 18 of the sleeping
enclosure 12, or to
allow for the entry of electrical cords to run monitors or breathing
apparatus, if necessary.
The opening 38 may have a closure flap 39 to cover the opening 38 when not in
use. The
flap 39 may be secured to the side protector sheet 30 using a zipper, buttons,
snaps, a
VELCROTM hook and loop system, or the like.
[0028] As shown in Figure 6, rail protectors 50 are made from RF shielding
material
22 and are sized to wrap around the top rail of the sleeping enclosure 12 (not
shown) on
both the long and short sides for attachment to the side protectors 30. Strips
of VELCROTM
hooks 54 are attached to the inside edges of the rail protectors 50 to
facilitate secure
connection to the loops 34 of the side protectors 30. Other means of attaching
the rail
protectors 50 to the side protectors 30 and to the sleeping enclosure 12 are
contemplated
by the applicant, such as by buttons, snaps, zippers, ties, or the like.
[0029] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the top protector 40 is sized to
cover the top of
the sleeping enclosure 12 and be large enough so that it would be impossible
for it to fall
into the sleeping enclosure. The top protector 40 provides shielding against
electromagnetic radiation, in particular RF radiation, from entering the
interior space 18 of
the sleeping enclosure 12 from above. The top protector 40 is made of a
lightweight
conductive frame 42, covered with the conductive RF shielding material 22. The
conductive
RF shielding material 22 is preferably transparent, breathable, and fire
retardant. As shown
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in Figure 1, the top protector 40 should rest on the edges of the sleeping
enclosure 12 so
that there is an overlap with the side protector 30 and the bottom protector
20. As shown in
Figure 2, the frame 42 of the top cover 40 may be a two-piece construction
joined by hinges
46 so that a top portion 45 of the top protector 40 may be easily swung open
to permit
access to the sleeping enclosure 12. The top protector 40 may also be designed
for
attachment to one or more ends or sides of the sleeping enclosure 12 using
hinges or some
other convenient means of connection. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, top ties 32
of the side
protector sheets 30 may be used to secure the top protector 40 to the top rail
16 of the
sleeping enclosure 12. Advantageously, the frame 42 is made of lightweight,
inter-
connectable, tube segments that may be easily dismantled for convenient
portable
transportation and storage.
[0030] Applicant has found that even if top protector 40 is not used,
the combination
of bottom protector 20 and side protectors 30 provides a substantial reduction
in the amount
of electromagnetic radiation reaching the interior space 18 of the sleeping
enclosure 12.
Moreover, the applicant's RF shield 10 as described herein, does not require
that any of the
protector sheets 20, 30, 40 or 50 be grounded.
[0031] Another advantage of the applicant's RF shield 10 is that
since all of the
protector sheets 20, 30, 40 and 50, are made from lightweight conductive RF
shielding
material 22, and the frame 42 of the top cover 40 is lightweight and may be
disassembled,
the entire assembly may be folded up and packed into a small carrying bag for
travel and
attachment to another sleeping enclosure 12 at a remote location.
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[0032] The previous detailed description is provided to enable any
person skilled in
the art to make or use the applicant's RF shield for a sleeping enclosure.
Various
modifications to the embodiments described herein will be readily apparent to
those skilled
in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other
embodiments
without departing from the scope of the applicant's RF shield for a sleeping
enclosure
described herein. Thus, the present RF shield for a sleeping enclosure is not
intended to be
limited to the embodiments shown herein, but is to be accorded the full scope
consistent
with the claims, wherein reference to an element in the singular, such as by
use of the
article "a" or "an" is not intended to mean "one and only one" unless
specifically so stated,
but rather "one or more". All structural and functional equivalents to the
elements of the
various embodiments described throughout the disclosure that are known to
those of
ordinary skill in the art are intended to be encompassed by the elements of
the claims.
Moreover, nothing disclosed herein is intended to be dedicated to the public
regardless of
whether such disclosure is explicitly recited in the claims.
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