Containment Curtains As Well As Systems And Apparatuses Including Same

Abstract

Room dividers are provided having an edge at least four feet from a room floor and at least twenty inches from a ceiling, an open or perforated space above and adjacent the edge along at least a majority portion of the room divider, and a moveable shield configured such that fluid from one side of the room divider is substantially blocked from passing through the open/perforated space when the shield is aligned with the space. Curtains are provided which include fastener/s arranged along a screen and strut/s coupled to the fastener/s, wherein the screen extends at least 3 inches above the fastener/s and the strut/s extend at least 24 inches below the fastener/s. Other curtains include struts extending along less than an entire length of the screen but at least between a point approximately level with at least one of the fastener/s to at least 24 inches below the fastener/s.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A room divider, comprising:
 a base portion having an edge disposed at least four feet from a floor of a room and at least twenty inches from a ceiling of the room;   an open or perforated space above and adjacent the edge along at least a majority portion of the room divider; and   a moveable shield that is repositionable relative to the open or perforated space, wherein the moveable shield is configured such that fluid from one side of the room divider is substantially blocked from passing through the open or perforated space when the moveable shield is positioned in alignment with the open or perforated space.   
     
     
         2 . The room divider of  claim 1 , wherein the moveable shield is configured to attenuate a majority amount of the visible light spectrum and/or a majority amount of the ultraviolet electromagnetic radiation subtype C light spectrum. 
     
     
         3 . The room divider of  claim 1 , wherein a height of the open or perforated space is at least 20 inches. 
     
     
         4 . The room divider of  claim 1 , wherein the moveable shield is coupled to the base portion. 
     
     
         5 . The room divider of  claim 4 , wherein the moveable shield is configured to move upward to block the open or perforated space. 
     
     
         6 . The room divider of  claim 1 , wherein the base portion is a floor-based partition. 
     
     
         7 . The room divider of  claim 1 , wherein the base portion is a suspended curtain. 
     
     
         8 . The room divider of  claim 1 , wherein the moveable shield comprises a material with sufficient stiffness to uphold the moveable shield to block the open or perforated space. 
     
     
         9 . The room divider of  claim 1 , wherein the moveable shield comprises a substantially pliable material. 
     
     
         10 . The room divider of  claim 1 , wherein the moveable shield is a rigid plate. 
     
     
         11 . The room divider of  claim 1 , wherein the moveable shield is a curtain. 
     
     
         12 . A curtain, comprising:
 a pliable screen;   one or more fasteners arranged along the pliable screen, wherein the one or more fasteners are configured for attaching the curtain to an object, and wherein a section of the pliable screen extends to an elevation at least 3 inches above the one or more fasteners; and   one or more struts coupled to the one or more fasteners, wherein each of the one or more struts extends to an elevation at least 24 inches below the one or more fasteners.   
     
     
         13 . The curtain of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more struts further extend to one or more elevations above the one or more fasteners. 
     
     
         14 . The curtain of  claim 12 , further comprising one or more additional struts arranged along the pliable screen that are distinct from the one or more struts, wherein the one or more additional struts extend to one or more elevations above the one or more fasteners. 
     
     
         15 . The curtain of  claim 12 , wherein the section of the pliable screen extending above the one or more fasteners comprises a material with a sufficient degree of stiffness to extend upward from the one or more fasteners. 
     
     
         16 . The curtain of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more struts are directly coupled to the one or more fasteners. 
     
     
         17 . The curtain of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more struts are indirectly coupled to the one or more fasteners. 
     
     
         18 . The curtain of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more struts are arranged within the pliable screen. 
     
     
         19 . The curtain of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more struts are arranged exterior to the pliable screen. 
     
     
         20 . The curtain of  claim 12 , wherein a different section of the pliable screen extends below the one or more fasteners and comprises a different material than the section of the pliable screen extending above the one or more fasteners. 
     
     
         21 . The curtain of  claim 12 , wherein at least one of the one or more struts comprises a handle. 
     
     
         22 . The curtain of  claim 12 , wherein the section of the pliable screen extends to an elevation at least 12 inches above the one or more fasteners. 
     
     
         23 . A curtain, comprising:
 a pliable screen;   one or more fasteners arranged along the pliable screen, wherein the one or more fasteners are configured for attaching the curtain to an object; and   multiple longitudinal struts arranged along the pliable screen, wherein each of the multiple longitudinal struts extends along less than an entire length of the pliable screen but at least between a point approximately level with at least one of the one or more fasteners to an elevation at least 24 inches below the one or more fasteners.   
     
     
         24 . The curtain of  claim 23 , wherein at least two neighboring struts of the multiple longitudinal struts are spaced apart by a distance between approximately 1 foot and approximately 3 feet. 
     
     
         25 . The curtain of  claim 23 , wherein the one or more fasteners are spaced evenly across the pliable screen. 
     
     
         26 . The curtain of  claim 23 , wherein the one or more fasteners are spaced non-evenly across along the pliable screen. 
     
     
         27 . The curtain of  claim 23 , wherein at least one of the multiple longitudinal struts extends to an elevation above the one or more fasteners. 
     
     
         28 . The curtain of  claim 23 , further comprising one or more additional struts arranged along the pliable screen that are distinct from the multiple longitudinal struts, wherein the one or more additional struts extend to one or more elevations above the one or more fasteners. 
     
     
         29 . The curtain of  claim 23 , wherein the multiple longitudinal struts are directly coupled to the one or more fasteners. 
     
     
         30 . The curtain of  claim 23 , wherein the multiple longitudinal struts are indirectly coupled to the one or more fasteners. 
     
     
         31 . The curtain of  claim 23 , wherein the multiple longitudinal struts are arranged within the pliable screen. 
     
     
         32 . The curtain of  claim 23 , wherein the multiple longitudinal struts are arranged exterior to the pliable screen. 
     
     
         33 . The curtain of  claim 23 , wherein the multiple longitudinal struts are respectively disposed between different neighboring fasteners of the one or more fasteners. 
     
     
         34 . The curtain of  claim 23 , wherein at least one of the multiple longitudinal struts comprises a handle.