Portable Sever Weather Shelter

Abstract

A portable severe weather shelter for use in connecting to an existing housing structure supported by a ground surface is disclosed. The portable severe whether shelter comprises a shell, a connector and an anchor. The shell defines an interior cavity and an entrance opening in communication with the cavity, the cavity sized and oriented to temporarily accept at least one adult substantially surrounded by the shell. The connector has a release portion and is adapted to connect the shell to the housing structure wherein the release portion is configured to tear under a severe weather event to separate the shell from the housing structure. The anchor device adapted to removably secure the shell to the ground surface.

1 . A portable severe weather shelter for use in connecting to an existing housing structure supported by a ground surface, the shelter comprising:
 a shell defining an interior cavity and an entrance opening in communication with the cavity, the cavity sized and oriented to temporarily accept at least one adult substantially surrounded by the shell;   a connector having a release portion, the connector adapted to connect the shell to the housing structure wherein the release portion is configured to tear under a severe weather event to separate the shell from the housing structure; and   an anchor device adapted to removably secure the shell to the ground surface.   
     
     
         2 . The portable severe weather shelter of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 the connector defining a tunnel for communicatively coupling the cavity to the housing structure.   
     
     
         3 . The portable severe weather shelter of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a riser flange extending from the shell to define the entrance opening.   
     
     
         4 . The portable severe weather shelter of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 the connector having the release portion connected between a first and second rigid skirt, the tunnel defined through the first skirt, the release portion and the second skirt;   the first skirt having a perimeter sized for coupling to the housing structure to communicatively couple the tunnel to the housing structure; and   the second skirt having a perimeter sized for connection to the riser flange to communicatively couple the tunnel to the cavity.   
     
     
         5 . The portable severe weather shelter of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 the perimeter of the first skirt sized for connecting to a sleeve connected to and extending downward from one or more flooring joists of the housing structure.   
     
     
         6 . The portable severe weather shelter of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a riser flange extending from the shell to define the entrance opening and having a generally square periphery with dimensions of approximately 30 inches by 30 inches.   
     
     
         7 . The portable severe weather shelter of  claim 1 , wherein the connector is adjustable to permit longitudinal expansion and contraction. 
     
     
         8 . The portable severe weather shelter of  claim 7 , wherein the release portion is a bellows-type device. 
     
     
         9 . The portable severe weather shelter of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a shroud substantially circumscribing the shell, the shroud resting on the ground surface and having an outer surface extending at an angle from the ground surface toward the shell.   
     
     
         10 . The portable severe weather shelter of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 the shroud composed of a plurality of panels forming a square frustum having a chamber sized for receiving the shell.   
     
     
         11 . The portable severe weather shelter of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 the shell composed of an impact resistant and lightweight polymeric material.   
     
     
         12 . A method of using a portable severe weather shelter with a housing structure, the method comprising the steps of:
 positioning a severe weather shelter shell defining an interior cavity and having an entrance opening in communication with the cavity in proximity with a housing structure having an shelter entrance opening;   aligning the housing structure shelter entrance opening with the shell entrance opening; and   communicatively coupling the housing structure to the cavity by connecting a connector defining a tunnel between the housing structure shelter entrance opening and the shell entrance opening, the connector having a release portion capable of tearing away under severe weather conditions to disconnect the shell from the housing structure.   
     
     
         13 . The method of using a portable severe weather shelter according to  claim 12 , further comprising:
 adjusting a length of the connector by flexing the release portion to span a distance between the housing structure shelter entrance opening and the shell entrance opening.   
     
     
         14 . The method of using a portable severe weather shelter according to  claim 12 , further comprising:
 anchoring the shell to the ground surface.   
     
     
         15 . The method of using a portable severe weather shelter according to  claim 12 , wherein the release portion is connected between first and second rigid skirts, further comprising:
 securing the second skirt to a riser flange extending from the shell to define the entrance opening;   coupling the first skirt to the housing structure.   
     
     
         16 . The method of using a portable severe weather shelter according to  claim 15 , further comprising:
 securing the second skirt to a sleeve connected to and extending downward from one or more joists forming a floor of the housing structure.   
     
     
         17 . The method of using a portable severe weather shelter according to  claim 12 , further comprising:
 forming the shelter entrance opening through a floor of the housing structure; and   inserting the shell through shelter entrance opening.   
     
     
         18 . The method of using a portable severe weather shelter according to  claim 17 , further comprising:
 positioning the shell to rest on a ground surface in a space between the ground surface and the floor of the housing structure.   
     
     
         19 . The portable severe weather shelter of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 positioning a shroud having a chamber sized for receiving the shell on the ground surface about the shell such that the shroud substantially circumscribes the shell and an outer surface of the shroud extends at an angle from the ground surface toward the shell.   
     
     
         20 . A portable severe weather shelter for use in connecting to an existing housing structure supported by a ground surface, the shelter comprising:
 means for positioning a severe weather shelter shell defining an interior cavity and having an entrance opening in communication with the cavity in proximity with a housing structure having an shelter entrance opening;   means for aligning the housing structure shelter entrance opening with the shell entrance opening; and   means for communicatively coupling the housing structure to the cavity by connecting a connector defining a tunnel between the housing structure shelter entrance opening and the shell entrance opening, the connector having a release portion capable of tearing away under severe weather conditions to disconnect the shell from the housing structure.