BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Various types of covers, garments, and shelters are known to provide their user with protection from environments contaminated by various threats, such as hazardous chemical, biological, and nuclear agents.

US 2,683, 262 discloses a portable protective cover made from a single piece of cloth and having an opening with overlapping edges adapted to allow a person to enter the cover. The protective cover is designed so that in the event of a nuclear threat, a person may enter the cover and lie on the ground enclosed and thereby protected therein.

US 3, 132, 344 discloses a portable nuclear weapon flash protection garment adapted to completely enclose and protect an individual wearer from a flash of radiation emitted by a distant nuclear blast. This garment includes a highly reflective exterior surface and is of sufficient size to fully enclose the individual.

The garment further includes cords adapted to be tied about the waist and ankles of the individual.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention suggests a protective bag for enclosing and protecting a wearer from hazardous agents, the wearer being of a certain height and the bag being longer than said height along at least one dimension and being a barrier to

said agents, the bag comprising a bottom region adapted to envelop said wearer's legs and a top region adapted to envelop said wearer's upper body, at least a portion of said top region being transparent to permit the wearer to see through said bag, tightening means adapted to pull said bottom region of the bag up along said dimension and to secure it in a tightened position between said legs so as to form sleeves therefor and to thereby enable walking, the bag further comprising an opening adapted to serve as an entrance for the wearer to the bag, said opening having closing means adapted to seal the wearer within the bag and thereby enable protection from said agents.

The protective bag in accordance with the present invention is directed to protecting its wearer from hazardous agents, such as biological, chemical and radioactive threats. Such agents may be present in a wide variety of situations that contaminate the wearer's environment and pose a threat to the wearer's health and/or life. Example situations include terrorist attacks, military strikes by a hostile nation, and industrial accidents such as chemical spills and nuclear meltdowns.

The term'barrier'referred to in the present description and claims is used to reflect qualities of a barrier, which is something that blocks or is intended to block passage. The protective bag of the present invention acts as a barrier in that it is adapted to block the passage of said hazardous agents through the bag.

The protective bag according to the present invention may be made of any one or combination of a variety of materials so long as the bag is highly flexible, readily foldable, and preferably, thin. The material from which the bag is made may be chosen based on an expected threat from one or more particular such agents. For example, to protect from chemical and biological agents, the bag may be made of a plastic film made up of multiple layers. Possible materials from which these layers may be made include Ethylene Vinyl Alcohol copolymers (EVOH) and Polyethylene (PE). EVOH may be used to make at least one of the inner layers of the film, with PE being used to form one or more of the films outermost layers. To further protect from an expected nuclear flash, for example, the outermost layers of the film include a reflective material, such as Aluminum flakes. The material from

which the bag is made, while necessarily strong, may still be able to be torn apart by hand or preferably by using an instrument, such as a knife.

Though as mentioned above, for the wearer to see through the bag, at least a small portion of the top region of the bag directed to covering the wearer's eyes must be transparent, it may be advantageous is some respects for the entire upper region or even the entire bag to be transparent. For example, in a contaminated environment, a completely transparent bag allows persons, such as health care professionals, to inspect and advise a sick or injured wearer while still within the protected interior of the bag.

The bottom region of the bag serving to enclose the wearer's lower body, and specifically his legs, may be made of a toughened material or include an additional layer of material as it constitutes the portion of the bag on which the wearer walks and may therefore be more prone to damage. A bottom region with a different or added material in comparison to the top region may be particularly advantageous as it may reduce the likelihood of the bag's perforation and keep the bag intact, which is vital in the present context. The different or additional material may also serve to allow the wearer to easily distinguish the bottom region from the top. The latter may also be achieved by providing the bottom region with a different color from the top region.

It is an object of the bag according to the present invention to be large enough to allow its wearer to easily enclose himself therein, remaining protected from the hazardous agents, while enabling the wearer's mobility when in the confines of the bag. Hence, the bag is preferably substantially longer and wider than its wearer, so that it comfortably envelops the wearer with extra, sagging material to spare. The wearer, upon entering and sealing himself in the bag, uses the tightening means to pull and secure the drooping, excess material of the oversized bag up between his legs and under his arms, thereby creating makeshift sleeves in the bag and enabling the wearer's protected mobility. The latter preferable condition is typically met for a bag that at least extends longitudinally (i. e. in the direction connecting the top and bottom regions) to a length approximately equal to

the distance between the point of the wearer's highest vertical reach (with his hands upstretched) and his feet, and extending transversely to a width approximately equal to the wearer's arm span (i. e. the distance between the fingertips of one hand to the other when the arms are horizontally outstretched). It should be understood, however, that comfort is of subsidiary importance to the protection and mobility that the bag is designed to provide. Therefore, the bag must necessarily only be long enough to allow the wearer to enter therein and pull, with the aid of the tightening means, enough excess material between his legs so as to enable walking.

The protective bag according the present invention may be made of several sizes suited to various individuals or have one sufficiently large size for all wearers, resulting in wearers of different sizes pulling different amounts of excess material with the tightening means. The bag may be designed to be large enough to allow a wearer to carry a small child while enclosed therein.

The protective bag in accordance with the present invention provides within its confines, a shelter, which is not only protected from said hazardous agents but, as it is devoid of sleeves that must be worn to gain its protection, also allows freedom of movement therein. For example, the bag permits its wearer to use his hands to wipe sweat from his forehead, eat, drink, scratch an itch, take medication or sit down while in the bag. Hence, the protective bag may also be easily put on wounded or even dead persons to protect their bodies from exposure to said hazardous agents.

The tightening means of the bag in accordance with the present invention may include any mechanism capable of tightening and securing the excess material of the bag to the wearer's body in order to facilitate his movement. More specifically, the tightening means are adapted to pull the excess material into the crevices of the body defining its limbs, such as the space between the legs, under the arms, and between the neck and shoulders. Possible mechanisms may vary from a simple rope or belt attached to the bag, to a more complex network of straps, all tightened by a central pulley that is bound to the bag. The tightening means may

further serve as a location to hang or attach various items, such as a portable oxygen supply.

The opening in the bag in accordance with the present invention may have any shape or design permitting the wearer to enter the bag. The opening may also be located anywhere on the bag, including its bottom or top portions.

The opening in the bag of the present invention includes closing means, which may be any mechanism capable of sealing the opening in a way that renders it impermeable to the hazardous agents, such as a zipper. The closing means can preferably be opened from both the exterior and interior of the bag. To further improve the impermeability of the bag and of said closing means, the bag may also comprise means for maintaining a-higher air pressure inside the bag than outside it, such as an air compressor unit for creating positive air pressure in the bag relative to the environment outside the bag, which may further include a pressure activated one way valve adapted to permit excess air pressure to exit the bag.

The bag according to the present invention may further include additional known features, which may enhance the usefulness of the bag. For example, the bag may be provided with pockets on its exterior and/or interior to allow the wearer to stow and store various items. The bag may also include decontamination compartments with openings to the inside and outside of the bag, which would allow various items to be removed from or brought into the bag from an exterior environment contaminated by hazardous agents without compromising the protected interior of the bag. This may be achieved, in the case of bringing in an item from the outside, for example, by enclosing the item in the compartment and decontaminating it with a sanitizing liquid or gas before allowing it to enter the bag.

The bag according to the present invention may also have various mechanisms to enable and enhance the wearer's breathing while in the bag. For example, the bag may be further provided with a one-way valve on its periphery to allow air to exit the bag, but prevent the entrance of other gases, including the hazardous agents.

This valve may also have means for cooperation with, such as by attachment to, a

filter that will prevent hazardous agents from exiting the bag. This filter may be used in situations such as during an epidemic, when the wearer may be contaminated by hazardous agents before entering the bag. In such a case, the contaminated wearer is contained within the bag whose filter prevents the hazardous agents from exiting the bag's confines, thereby serving to isolate the contaminated wearer so as to prevent the spreading of the contamination to additional people. Also, the bag may have means on its periphery for attachment to an external breathable air source such as an oxygen tank, or to a filter, such as a mechanized air filter capable of extracting purified air from the surrounding contaminated environment and injecting it into the bag. Additionally, the bag may comprise means of connecting a mouthpiece or a mask, such as a gas mask or an oronasal mask, to the bag's external air source. These masks may serve as backup protection for the wearer in addition to the bag. In the latter case, the bag and the mouthpiece or the gas mask may be used in unison to protect the wearer from a plurality of threats, such as biological and chemical respectively. A connected mouthpiece or mask may also be used to facilitate easier breathing when breathing through a non-mechanized air filter, by increasing the suction force created by wearer's inhalation on the filter. The present invention further suggests a method for enclosing and protecting a wearer of a certain height from hazardous agents, including: - providing a bag, which is longer than said height along at least one dimension, the bag being a barrier to said agents, the bag comprising a bottom region adapted to envelop said wearer's legs and a top region adapted to envelop said wearer's upper body, at least a portion of said top region being transparent to permit the wearer to see through said bag, the bag further comprising an opening adapted to serve as an entrance for the wearer to the bag, said opening having closing means adapted to seal the wearer within the bag and thereby enable protection from said agents ; - providing said bag with tightening means ;

- pulling said bottom region of the bag up along said dimension to a tightened position between said legs ; and - securing said bottom region in said tightened position so as to enable walking.

In addition, the present invention suggests a security bag for enclosing and protecting a wearer from hazardous agents, the wearer being of a certain height and the bag being at least of said height along at least one dimension to enable the wearer to stand within it, the bag being a barrier to said agents, the bag comprising a bottom region adapted to envelop said wearer's legs, a top region adapted to envelop said wearer's upper body, at least a portion of said top region being transparent to permit the wearer to see through said bag, and an opening adapted to serve as an entrance for the wearer to the bag, said opening having closing means adapted to seal the wearer within the bag and thereby enable protection from said agents, the bag further comprising two preformed sleeves in said bottom region for separately receiving the legs of said wearer after said sealing.

The security bag according to the present invention is similar to the protective bag of the present invention in many respects but does not require although may further include tightening means adapted to tightly gather the security bag closely to the wearer's body to facilitate the wearer's mobility. Unlike the protective bag of the present invention, the security bag comprises sleeves for the wearer's limbs, but these do not have to be donned until after the wearer is standing and securely sealed within the rear region of the bag. These sleeves may also be pushed into the bag and used by an outside person, such as a health care professional, to gain access to interior of the bag in order to treat its wearer, for example.

The present invention further suggests a protective bag for enclosing and protecting a wearer from hazardous agents, the wearer being of a certain height and the bag being longer than said height along at least one dimension and being a barrier to said agents, the bag comprising at least one transparent portion to permit the wearer to see there through, and tightening means adapted to pull said the bag towards and about said wearer so as to form sleeves therefor and to secure the bag

in a tightened position, the bag further comprising closing means adapted to seal the wearer within the bag and thereby enable protection from said agents.

The simple form of the protective and security bags according to the present invention, in combination with their advantageous ability to procure complete protection and mobility for their wearer, render the bags preferable in many respects over protection-providing shelters and garments known in the art. The bags of the present invention are devoid of complex mechanisms and may be made in one integral piece as opposed to a plurality of sewed or otherwise attached sections making up protective suits known in the art. Therefore, the bags may be relatively easily, quickly, and inexpensively manufactured and mass-produced, ensuring that they do not become luxury items and almost anyone may purchase one. Being made of a single integral piece, the bag is also less likely to come apart or leak and thereby compromise its protected interior.

The instructions for wearing the bags in accordance with the present invention are brief, straightforward, and almost self-explanatory, resulting in a high likelihood that the bags will be used correctly and quickly. This cannot be underestimated for situations to which the bags of the present invention is directed, where achieving protection with high efficiency and in a short time is vital.

The bags of the present invention can be designed to simultaneously protect from a multitude of hazardous agents, obviating the need to have several protective garments for a plurality of possible threats. The material from which the bags are produced allow them to be quickly and easily folded and render the present invention compact, lightweight, and portable allowing individual wearers to carry and store the bags in readily accessible locations such as at home, in the workplace, in the car. The bag may even be carried in a purse or backpack, which may be especially useful in dangerous periods, such as times of war. In addition, mass quantities of the bags may be thus easily stored, transported, and distributed by public service institutions, for example.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In order to understand the invention and to see how it may be carried out in practice, a preferred embodiment will now be described, by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 shows a protective bag in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 1A shows another embodiment of the protective bag in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 1B shows yet another embodiment of the protective bag in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 1C shows yet another embodiment of the protective bag in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 1D shows yet another embodiment of the protective bag in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 2 shows the protective bag of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 shows the protective bag of Figs. 1 and 2; Fig. 4A shows yet another embodiment of the protective bag in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 4B shows yet another embodiment of the protective bag in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 4C shows yet another embodiment of the protective bag in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 5 shows yet another embodiment of the protective bag in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 6A shows yet another embodiment of the protective bag in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 6B shows an enlarged view of a portion of the protective bag of Fig.

6A; Fig. 6C shows an enlarged view of a portion of the protective bag of Fig 6A; Fig. 7 shows a security bag in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Fig. 1 shows a protective bag 2 in accordance with the present invention for enclosing and protecting a wearer 4 enclosed therein from hazardous agents, such as a lethal chemical gas G. The bag 2 is completely transparent, being made of a clear and flexible, multilayered plastic film, which is impermeable to the chemical gas G. The bag 2 is shown outstretched in Fig. 1 to illustrate its components and function, but in reality, the bag 2 would sag on the wearer 4 enclosed therein.

The bag comprises a bottom region 6, where the wearer's legs 7 are located, and a top region 8, where the wearer's upper body 9 is located. The bag 2 further comprises five adjustable straps 10 attached thereto and extending from a central buckle 12 in different directions along the bag's periphery. The straps 10 are adapted to pull and tighten the bag 2 around the wearer 4, as well to maintain the bag 2 in the tightened position.

The bag 2 also comprises an opening 14, which serves as an entrance as well as a possible exit to the wearer 4 from the bag 2. The opening 14 includes a zipper 16, which enables the opening and closing of the opening 14, both from inside and outside the bag 2. The zipper 16 is adapted to seal the opening 14, rendering it impermeable to the gas G. Figs. IA-ID show several possible alternative locations and configurations of openings for the bag of the present invention. Fig. 1A shows a bag 2a with its opening 14a intended to extend horizontally across a portion of the bag 2a covering the wearer's torso. Fig. 1B shows a bag 2b with its opening 14b intended to extend vertically along a portion of the bag extending from the wearer's torso to his head. Fig. 1C shows a bag 2c with its opening 14c intended to extend vertically in a U-shape along a portion of the bag covering the wearer's head. Fig. 1D shows a bag 2d with its opening 14d intended to extend horizontally across a portion of the bag covering the wearer's neck.

It is shown in Fig. 1 that the wearer 4 has a height h and the bag 2 is longer that this height h along its longitudinal direction. Fig. 2 illustrates that the preferable dimensions of the bag 2 are such that it extends longitudinally at least to

a length L approximately equal to the distance between the point 20 of the wearer's highest vertical reach and his feet 22. Preferably, the bag 2 also extends transversely at least to a width W approximately equal to the wearer's arm span, which is the distance between the fingertips of a first hand 24a to those of a second hand 24b when the arms are horizontally outstretched as shown. The bag 2 according to the present invention is large enough to both allow its wearer 4 to easily enclose himself therein, remaining protected from the gas G (shown in Fig. 1), and to enable the wearer's mobility while in the confines of the bag. Hence, the bag 2 is preferably substantially longer and wider than its wearer, so that it comfortably envelops the wearer 4 with extra sagging material to spare.

Reverting to Fig. 1, the wearer 4, in operation, enters the bag 2 via the opening 14 and seals himself therein using the zipper 16. The wearer 4 subsequently pulls on the ends of the straps 10 located at the buckle 12, gathering the drooping, excess material of the oversized bag 2 up between his legs 7 from the bottom region 6 as well as under his arms 25 and down to the space between his shoulders 26 and his neck 28 from the top region 8. As shown in Fig. 3, in this way, the wearer 4 creates makeshift sleeves 30 for his arms 25 and legs 7 in the bag 2 that enable him to move around while protected. The straps 10 are fixed in their tightened position at buckle 12 to maintain the excess material of the bag 2 close to the wearer 4.

In another embodiment, Fig. 4A shows a bag 40 according to the present invention enclosing a wearer 44 and having a single strap 46, which pulls the excess material of the bag 40 up between the legs 50 of the wearer 44 to his crotch 52, and is supported by one of his shoulders 54. The strap 46 is a simpler version of the straps 10 and buckle 12 of Fig. 1, but is directed to achieving the same purpose of enabling the wearer 44 to walk with the bag 40. The strap 46 has a single tightening element 48, via which the strap is adjusted and fixed in the desired position.

Fig. 4B shows the bag 40 of Fig. 4A in which a toughened layer 60 of a dark, translucent material has been added to its bottom region 66. Since this is the

portion of the bag 40 on which the wearer 44 walks, the layer 60 is added to reduce the risk that damage, especially of the kind that may allow a hazardous agent to enter the bag, such as a tear, will be caused to the bottom region 66. The layer 60 also serves to identify the bottom region 66 of the bag 40, and distinguish it from the top region 68, so that the wearer 44 may know where to position his legs.

Fig. 4C shows the bag 40 of Fig. 4A enclosing a wearer 44 and a child 70.

In this way, the wearer 44, such as a parent, may enter the bag 40 of the present invention and carry the child 70 into the bag 40 and hold him therein.

Fig. 5 shows a bag 72 in accordance with the present invention having an internal pocket 76 and an external compartment 78, in which the wearer 74 may store various items, such as food or a gas mask. The external compartment 78 includes an outer opening 79a adapted to open and hermetically close to the contaminated environment 80 outside the bag 72, and an inner opening 79b adapted to open and hermetically close to the bag's protected interior. The compartment 78 also includes a sanitizer 79c able to administrate a decontaminating gas contained therein. The compartment 78 additionally serves as a means to decontaminate items desired to be brought into the bag 72 from the environment 80 without contaminating the bag's interior. This is done by inserting an item (not shown) into the compartment 78 via the outer opening 79a and sealing it there. The compartment 78 with the item therein is then sprayed by the sanitizer 79c with a decontaminating gas to neutralize any hazardous agents that may have entered the compartment 78. The wearer 74 may then open the inner opening 79b and remove the item. In a similar manner, items, such as waste may be removed from the bag's interior, but in such a case, the compartment 78 is only sprayed by the sanitizer 79c after the item has been removed via the outer opening 79a and both openings 709a and 79b have been securely sealed, thereby ensuring that hazardous agents do not infiltrate the bag 72 and compromise its protected interior.

Fig. 6A shows the bag 2 of Figs. 1-3 further comprising various mechanisms to enable and enhance the wearer's breathing while in the bag 2. One such mechanism is a one-way valve 85 located on the bag's periphery and adapted to

permit air to exit the bag 2. However, the valve 85 does not allow the entrance of any gases into the bag 2, including gas forms of hazardous agents.

The bag 2 further comprises attachment means 86 on its periphery adapted to connect with a mechanized air filter 88, which is capable of extracting purified air from a surrounding contaminated environment and injecting the air into the bag 2 for breathing.

Fig. 6B shows that the attachment means 86 may serve to connect the filter 88 to a gas mask 90 worn by the wearer 4 inside the bag 2, thereby supplying the wearer 4 with breathable air. The gas mask 90 serves to protect from agents that are dangerous to inhale, such as lethal gases. In this way, the mask 90 may reinforce the protection provided by the bag 2, or serve to protect the wearer 4 from a specific agent that is dangerous to inhale, while the bag 2 protects the wearer 4 from any adverse effects this threat or any additional agents present in the vicinity may have upon contact with the wearer's skin.

Fig. 6C shows possible alternatives to the bag shown in Fig. 6B. It is shown that the attachment means 86 may permit a non-mechanized filter 93 to connect to the bag 2. Also, an oronasal mask 94 covering the mouth and nose may be worn by the wearer 4 in place of a gas mask. The oronasal mask 94 is also connected to the attachment means 86 and, thereby allowing the wearer 4 to be supplied with breathable air. The oronasal mask 94 enables easier breathing through the non-mechanized filter 93 by increasing the suction force created by wearer's inhalation on the filter 93.

Fig. 7 shows a security bag 100 according to the present invention for enclosing and protecting a wearer 104 from a hazardous agent (not shown). The security bag 100 is similar to the protective bags 2,40, and 72 of Figs. 1-6B but differs in that it does not require straps or other such tightening means. The security bag 100 further differs by including leg sleeves 106 adapted to receive the wearer's legs 107, and arm sleeves 108 adapted to receive the wearer's arms 109. The protective bag 100 further comprises an entrance region 110 into which the wearer

104 first enters via an opening 112 and stands therein. After having sealed himself within the protected confines of the entrance region 110 of the bag 100, the wearer 104 is capable of inserting his limbs into the sleeves 106 and 108, thereby enabling his movement through a contaminated environment while protected within the bag 100.

It should be understood that the above described embodiments are only examples of a protective and security bag, and method for its provision to enclose and protect a wearer from hazardous agents in accordance with the present invention, and that the scope of the present invention fully encompasses other embodiments which may become obvious to those skilled in the art.