U.S. patent application number 10/741801 was filed with the patent office on 2004-07-08 for fluent material confinement system.
Invention is credited to Arellanes, Alvin M..
Application Number | 20040129339 10/741801 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46300555 |
Filed Date | 2004-07-08 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040129339 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Arellanes, Alvin M. |
July 8, 2004 |
Fluent material confinement system
Abstract
A fluent material confinement system configured to receive a
granular fluent solid to form a temporary barrier structure is
disclosed. The fluent material confinement system includes a
plurality of strips including a plurality of lengthwise strips and
a plurality of widthwise strips coupled with each other to define a
plurality of open cells, wherein each strip of the plurality of
strips has an end. At least one connecting structure is disposed
adjacent the end of a selected strip. The connecting structure
includes a tongue configured to fit within a slot on an adjacent
fluent material confinement system to couple the fluent material
confinement system to the adjacent fluent material confinement
system.
Inventors: |
Arellanes, Alvin M.;
(Mountain View, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
KOLISCH HARTWELL, P.C.
520 S.W. YAMHILL STREET
SUITE 200
PORTLAND
OR
97204
US
|
Family ID: |
46300555 |
Appl. No.: |
10/741801 |
Filed: |
December 18, 2003 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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10741801 |
Dec 18, 2003 |
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10633297 |
Jul 31, 2003 |
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10633297 |
Jul 31, 2003 |
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10086772 |
Feb 28, 2002 |
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60272128 |
Feb 28, 2001 |
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60274738 |
Mar 9, 2001 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
141/98 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E02D 29/02 20130101;
E02B 3/108 20130101; E02B 3/127 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
141/098 |
International
Class: |
B65B 001/04 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A fluent material confinement system configured to receive a
granular fluent solid to form a temporary barrier structure, the
fluent material confinement system comprising: a plurality of
strips including a plurality of lengthwise strips and a plurality
of widthwise strips coupled with each other to define a plurality
of open cells, wherein each strip of the plurality of strips has an
end; and at least one connecting structure disposed adjacent the
end of a selected strip, wherein the connecting structure includes
a tongue configured to fit within a slot on an adjacent fluent
material confinement system to couple the fluent material
confinement system to the adjacent fluent material confinement
system, and wherein the tongue extends at least partially along a
long dimension of the selected strip.
2. The fluent material confinement system of claim 1, wherein the
tongue extends generally parallel to the long dimension of the
selected strip.
3. The fluent material confinement system of claim 1, wherein the
tongue extends generally diagonally to the long dimension of the
selected strip.
4. The fluent material confinement system of claim 1, wherein the
tongue is located on the selected strip in such a position that the
end of the selected strip on which the tongue is disposed is spaced
a distance from a closest perpendicular strip on the adjacent
fluent material confinement system when the tongue is in the slot
such that the fluent material confinement system may articulate
relative to the adjacent fluent material confinement system.
5. The fluent material confinement system of claim 1, wherein the
tongue includes at least one projection configured to engage a
complementary projection associated with the slot to secure the
tongue in the slot.
6. The fluent material confinement system of claim 5, wherein the
tongue has opposed sides, wherein the projection is disposed on one
side of the tongue, and wherein a second projection is disposed on
the other side of the tongue.
7. The fluent material confinement system of claim 1, wherein the
tongue includes a connection indicator, and wherein the adjacent
fluent material confinement system includes a complementary
connection indicator associated with the slot such that the
connection indicator and the complementary connection indicator
combine to form a visual indication that the fluent material
confinement system and adjacent fluent material confinement system
are secured when the tongue is inserted sufficiently far in the
slot.
8. The fluent material confinement system of claim 7, wherein the
connection indicator has the appearance of a first portion of a
word and the complementary connection indicator has the appearance
of a second portion of the word such that the word is formed when
the tongue is inserted sufficiently far in the slot.
9. The fluent material confinement system of claim 7, wherein the
connection indicator and complementary connection indicator combine
to form at least one of a word, a symbol, an acronym and a
number.
10. The fluent material confinement system of claim 1, wherein the
tongue is formed from a "U"-shaped cut in the selected strip.
11. The fluent material confinement system of claim 1, wherein the
fluent material confinement system is movable between a deployed
configuration and at least one collapsed configuration, further
comprising a deployment indicator disposed on a selected strip,
wherein the deployment indicator is configured to be effective in
low visibility conditions to indicate to a user how to move the
fluent material confinement system from the collapsed configuration
to the open configuration.
12. The fluent material confinement system of claim 1, wherein the
strips are made of at least one of a translucent material and a
transparent material.
13. The fluent material confinement system of claim 1, wherein the
strips are made of a plastic material selected from the group
consisting of selected from the group consisting of PET
(poly(ethylene terephthalate)), PETG (a copolyester of
1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol-modified poly(ethylene terephthalate)),
PCTG (poly(1,4-cyclohexylene dimethylene terephthalate)), polyvinyl
chloride, polycarbonates, and bisphenol A polycarbonate.
14. The fluent material confinement system of claim 1, wherein the
fluent material confinement system has opposed sides, and wherein
two outermost strips of the plurality of strips on each opposed
side of the fluent material confinement system have a greater width
than the other strips of the plurality of strips.
15. A fluent material confinement system configured to receive a
granular fluent material to form a temporary barrier structure, the
fluent material confinement system comprising: a plurality of
strips including a plurality of lengthwise strips and a plurality
of widthwise strips coupled with each other to define a plurality
of open cells, wherein each strip of the plurality of strips has an
end; and at least one connecting structure disposed adjacent the
end of a selected strip, wherein the connecting structure is
configured to be coupled to a complementary connecting structure on
an adjacent fluent material confinement system to connect the
fluent material confinement system to the adjacent fluent material
confinement system, and wherein the connecting structure is located
on the selected strip in such a position that the end of the
selected strip is spaced a distance from a closest perpendicular
strip on the adjacent fluent material confinement system when the
connecting structure and complementary connecting structure are
connected such that the fluent material confinement system can
articulate relative to the adjacent fluent material confinement
system.
16. The fluent material confinement system of claim 15, wherein the
connecting structure is a tongue, and wherein the complementary
connecting structure is a slot formed in a strip of the adjacent
fluent material confinement system.
17. The fluent material confinement system of claim 15, wherein the
connecting structure is disposed closer to the end of the strip
than to a nearest perpendicular strip on the fluent material
confinement system.
18. The fluent material confinement system of claim 15, wherein the
connecting structure is formed on a lengthwise strip.
19. The fluent material confinement system of claim 15, wherein an
outermost two lengthwise strips on each side of the fluent material
confinement system have a greater width than a remainder of the
lengthwise strips.
20. The fluent material confinement system of claim 15, wherein the
connecting structure includes a connection indicator, and wherein
the complementary connecting structure includes a complementary
connection indicator such that the connection indicator and the
complementary connection indicator combine to form a visual
indication that the fluent material confinement system and adjacent
fluent material confinement system are secured when the tongue is
inserted sufficiently far in the slot.
21. A fluent material confinement system configured to receive a
granular fluent solid to form a temporary barrier structure, the
fluent material confinement system comprising: a plurality of
strips including a plurality of lengthwise strips and a plurality
of widthwise strips coupled with each other to define a plurality
of open cells, wherein the plurality of lengthwise strips includes
an outermost lengthwise strip, a second outermost lengthwise strip,
and a plurality of inner lengthwise strips, and wherein the
outermost lengthwise strip and the second outermost lengthwise
strip have a greater width than a remainder of the lengthwise
strips and widthwise strips.
22. The fluent material confinement system of claim 21, further
comprising a connecting structure formed on at least one lengthwise
strip configured to be coupled to a complementary connecting
structure on an adjacent fluent material confinement system.
23. The fluent material confinement system of claim 22, wherein the
connecting structure is a tongue, and wherein the complementary
connecting structure is a slot.
24. The fluent material confinement system of claim 23, wherein
each lengthwise strip includes a tongue.
25. The fluent material confinement system of claim 23, wherein the
tongue on a first selected strip has a different orientation than a
tongue on a second selected strip.
26. The fluent material confinement system of claim 25, wherein the
tongue has opposed sides, and wherein each opposed side includes a
projection.
27. The fluent material confinement system of claim 22, wherein the
tongue is located on the selected strip in such a position that the
end of the selected strip on which the tongue is disposed is spaced
a distance from a closest perpendicular strip on the adjacent
fluent material confinement system when the connecting structure is
coupled to the complementary connecting structure such that the
fluent material confinement system can articulate relative to the
adjacent fluent material confinement system.
28. A system for constructing a temporary barrier structure,
comprising: a plurality of fluent material confinement systems
configured to hold a volume of a granular fluent material, wherein
each fluent material confinement system includes a plurality of
lengthwise strips and a plurality of widthwise strips coupled with
each other to define a plurality of open cells, and wherein each
fluent material confinement system of the plurality of fluent
material confinement systems is connectable vertically to other
fluent material confinement systems to form an extended structure
having cell columns; and at least one blocking strip configured to
extend vertically through a selected cell column to prevent
granular fluent material from flowing out of the selected cell
column at the boundary between vertically adjacent fluent material
confinement systems.
29. The system of claim 28, wherein the blocking strip includes a
connector configured to connect to a strip on an uppermost fluent
material confinement system in the barrier structure.
30. The system of claim 29, wherein the connector is formed from a
hooked end portion of the blocking strip.
31. The system of claim 29, wherein the connector is formed from a
tongue formed in an end portion of the blocking strip.
32. A method of using a plurality of collapsible fluent material
confinement systems to form a temporary barrier structure, the
plurality of fluent material confinement systems including a first
fluent material confinement system and a second fluent material
confinement system, wherein each fluent material confinement system
includes a plurality of strips, the plurality of strips including a
plurality of lengthwise strips and a plurality of widthwise strips
coupled with each other to define a plurality of open cells,
wherein the first fluent material confinement system includes a
selected strip having tongue configured to fit within a slot on a
complementary strip on the second fluent material confinement
system to couple the first fluent material confinement system to
the second fluent material confinement system, the method
comprising: deploying the first fluent material confinement system;
deploying the second fluent material confinement system;
positioning the first fluent material confinement system adjacent
the second fluent material confinement system; coupling the first
fluent material confinement system to the second fluent material
confinement system by inserting the tongue through the slot; and
filling the first and second fluent material confinement systems
with a granular fluent material.
33. The method of claim 32, wherein the tongue is inserted in the
slot such that a connection indicator associated with the tongue
combines with a complementary connection indicator associated with
the slot such that the connection indicator and the complementary
connection indicator form a visual indication that the first and
second fluent material confinement system and adjacent fluent
material confinement system are properly connected.
34. The method of claim 32, wherein the tongue extends generally
parallel to a long dimension of the selected strip.
35. The method of claim 32, wherein the tongue extends diagonally
to a long dimension of the selected strip.
36. The method of claim 32, wherein the tongue extends in a
direction perpendicular to a long dimension of the selected
strip.
37. The method of claim 32, wherein the tongue is inserted into the
slot in such a manner that the end of the selected strip on which
the tongue is disposed is spaced a distance from a closest
perpendicular strip on the adjacent fluent material confinement
system when the tongue is in the slot such that the fluent material
confinement system can articulate relative to the adjacent fluent
material confinement system.
38. The method of claim 32, wherein the tongue is inserted into the
slot until a projection disposed on the tongue engages a
complementary projection associated with the slot to secure the
tongue in the slot.
39. The method of claim 32, further comprising deploying a third
fluent material confinement system and stacking the third fluent
material confinement system on at least one of the first fluent
material confinement system and second fluent material confinement
system before filling with the granular fluent material.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 10/633,297, filed Jul. 31, 2003, which is a
continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/086,772, filed
Feb. 28, 2002, which claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent
Applications Serial No. 60/272,128, filed on Feb. 28, 2001, and
Ser. No. 60/274,738, filed on Mar. 9, 2001. All of the above
applications are hereby incorporated by reference herein.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present invention relates to a fluent material
confinement system configured to be easily deployable in low
visibility conditions and/or rapidly joinable to adjacent fluent
material confinement systems to form an extended structure.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Flooding is one of the most common natural disasters. When a
danger of a flood arises, sometimes the only possible measure to
take to prevent loss of lives and/or damage to property is to
construct a temporary barrier to divert or contain the floodwaters.
These structures most commonly take the form of a wall constructed
of sand-filled bags.
[0004] While sandbag walls may provide a measure of protection
against the forces of floodwaters, they also have several
drawbacks. For example, the construction of a sandbag wall may
require a large number of people, and may take an excessive amount
of time to fill the bags and arrange them into a barrier structure.
Also, a sandbag wall may have points of weakness, as the individual
sandbags are generally merely stacked upon one another, rather than
being attached to one another. Furthermore, the sandbags are
generally not reusable. Thus, they may require an expensive and
time-consuming disposal process, and new ones may need to be
purchased after each emergency event in anticipation of future
emergency events.
[0005] Modular systems for forming temporary barrier structures are
also known. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,785,604 and 4,945,689 to
Johnson, Jr. disclose collapsible grid structures for forming
temporary barriers. The grids are formed from a plurality of
latitudinal and longitudinal strips connected in an interwoven
fashion. The grids are configured to be connected to adjacent grids
in both stacked and side-by-side manners, and then filled with a
material such as sand to form the temporary barrier. The grids may
allow a temporary barrier structure to be assembled more quickly
and with less manpower than a comparable sandbag structure.
[0006] The grids disclosed in Johnson are joined in a side-by-side
manner via connector slots formed in the ends of the latitudinal
and the longitudinal strips. The connector slots extend into the
strip from the either the top of the strip or from the bottom of
the strip. To connect a grid to an adjacent grid, the grids are
arranged side-by-side in such an orientation that the connector
slots that extend from the top of the strips on the grid are
aligned with complementary slots on the adjacent grid that extend
from the bottom of the strips, and vice versa. The connector slots
are then coupled with the complementary slots to join the
grids.
[0007] While the grids disclosed in Johnson offer improvements over
the use of traditional sandbags to form temporary barrier
structures, they also may suffer some shortcomings. For example,
the connector slots may be difficult to connect in inclement
conditions, as it may be difficult to determine the correct grid
orientation in which the connector slots line up with the correct
complementary slots. Likewise, it may be difficult to determine
whether complementary slot connectors are securely connected.
[0008] Additionally, the ends of the strips of the grids disclosed
in the Johnson, Jr. patents may tend to dog-ear when the cells
formed at the boundary between adjacent grids are filled with a
fluent material due to the connector slots. This may prevent these
cells from being entirely filled with fluent material, and thus may
introduce a structural weakness into the barrier wall that may
potentially cause catastrophic failure under extreme
conditions.
SUMMARY
[0009] One embodiment provides a fluent material confinement system
configured to receive a granular fluent solid to form a temporary
barrier structure. The fluent material confinement system includes
a plurality of strips including a plurality of lengthwise strips
and a plurality of widthwise strips coupled with each other to
define a plurality of open cells, wherein each strip of the
plurality of strips has an end. At least one connecting structure
is disposed adjacent the end of a selected strip. The connecting
structure includes a tongue configured to fit within a slot on an
adjacent fluent material confinement system to couple the fluent
material confinement system to the adjacent fluent material
confinement system. The tongue extends at least partially along a
long dimension of the selected strip.
[0010] Another embodiment provides a fluent material confinement
system configured to receive a granular fluent material to form a
temporary barrier structure, the fluent material confinement system
including a plurality of strips. The plurality of strips includes a
plurality of lengthwise strips and a plurality of widthwise strips
coupled with each other to define a plurality of open cells. Each
strip of the plurality of strips has an end, and at least one
connecting structure is disposed adjacent the end of a selected
strip, wherein the connecting structure is configured to be coupled
to a complementary connecting structure on an adjacent fluent
material confinement system to connect the fluent material
confinement system to the adjacent fluent material confinement
system. The connecting structure is located on the selected strip
in such a position that the end of the selected strip is spaced a
distance from a closest perpendicular strip on the adjacent fluent
material confinement system when the connecting structure and
complementary connecting structure are connected such that the
fluent material confinement system may articulate relative to the
adjacent fluent material confinement system.
[0011] Another embodiment provides a fluent material confinement
system configured to receive a granular fluent solid to form a
temporary barrier structure, the fluent material confinement system
including a plurality of strips including a plurality of lengthwise
strips and a plurality of widthwise strips coupled with each other
to define a plurality of open cells, wherein the plurality of
lengthwise strips includes an outermost lengthwise strip, a second
outermost lengthwise strip, and a plurality of inner lengthwise
strips, and wherein the outermost lengthwise strip and the second
outermost lengthwise strip have a greater width than a remainder of
the lengthwise strips and widthwise strips.
[0012] Yet another embodiment provides a method of using a
plurality of collapsible fluent material confinement systems to
form a temporary barrier structure. The plurality of fluent
material confinement systems include a first fluent material
confinement system and a second fluent material confinement system.
Each of the first and second fluent material confinement systems
includes a plurality of strips, the plurality of strips including a
plurality of lengthwise strips and a plurality of widthwise strips
coupled with each other to define a plurality of open cells. The
first fluent material confinement system includes a selected strip
having tongue configured to fit within a slot on a complementary
strip on the second fluent material confinement system to couple
the first fluent material confinement system to the second fluent
material confinement system. The method comprises deploying the
first fluent material confinement system; deploying the second
fluent material confinement system; positioning the first fluent
material confinement system adjacent the second fluent material
confinement system; coupling the first fluent material confinement
system to the second fluent material confinement system by
inserting the tongue through the slot; and filling the first and
second fluent material confinement systems with a granular fluent
material.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a fluent material confinement
system according to a first embodiment of the present
invention.
[0014] FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of a first wider
lengthwise strip of the embodiment of FIG. 1.
[0015] FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of a second wider
lengthwise strip of the embodiment of FIG. 1.
[0016] FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of a narrower lengthwise
strip of the embodiment of FIG. 1.
[0017] FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of a widthwise strip of
the embodiment of FIG. 1.
[0018] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 in
a first collapsed configuration.
[0019] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 in
a second collapsed configuration.
[0020] FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of an alternate embodiment
of a connecting structure suitable for connecting adjacent fluent
material confinement systems together.
[0021] FIG. 9 is a side elevational view of another alternative
embodiment of a connecting structure, along with a complementary
connecting structure from an adjacent fluent material confinement
system.
[0022] FIG. 10 is a side elevational view of the connecting
structure and corresponding connecting structure of FIG. 9
connected together, with an exemplary range of articulation shown
in dashed lines.
[0023] FIG. 11 is an isometric view of a fluent material
confinement system according to a second embodiment of the present
invention.
[0024] FIG. 12 is a side elevational view of a narrower lengthwise
strip of the embodiment of FIG. 11.
[0025] FIG. 13 is a side elevational view of an alternate
embodiment of a narrower lengthwise strip.
[0026] FIG. 14 is a view depicting the deployment of the embodiment
of FIG. 1.
[0027] FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a plurality of fluent
material confinement systems stacked, joined end-to-end, and filled
with a granular fluent material to form a flood-retaining wall.
[0028] FIG. 16 is an isometric view of the embodiment of FIG. 1,
wherein the ends of adjacent widthwise strips are connected to
reinforce the outermost cells.
[0029] FIG. 17 is a plan view of a corner fluent material
confinement system according to another embodiment of the present
invention.
[0030] FIG. 18 is a plan view of a plurality of fluent material
confinement systems arranged in a first exemplary extended
structure, showing an exemplary use of the embodiment of FIG.
17.
[0031] FIG. 19a is a side elevational view of a blocking strip
configured to prevent sand from flowing out of the ends of a
structure constructed of a plurality of fluent material confinement
systems.
[0032] FIG. 19b is a top view of an end portion of the blocking
strip of FIG. 19a.
[0033] FIG. 20 is a side elevational view of an alternate
embodiment of a blocking strip.
[0034] FIG. 21 is a plan view of a plurality of fluent material
confinement systems arranged in a second exemplary extended
structure, which shows an exemplary use of the embodiments of FIGS.
19 and 20.
[0035] FIG. 22 is a plan view of a plurality of fluent material
confinement systems arranged in a third exemplary extended
structure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DEPICTED EMBODIMENTS
[0036] FIG. 1 shows, generally at 10, a first embodiment of a
fluent material confinement system according to the present
invention. Fluent material confinement system 10 is formed from a
plurality of elongate, generally strip-shaped members coupled
together in such a manner as to define an array of open-ended cells
12. The plurality of strip-shaped members includes a plurality of
lengthwise strips 14, and a plurality of widthwise strips 16.
Lengthwise strips 14 may include strips of a first, greater width
14a, and strips of a second, lesser width 14b. Lengthwise strips 14
may also include strips with different types of connectors, as
described in more detail below. The depicted arrangement of
lengthwise strips 14 and widthwise strips 16 defines at least two
different types of cells, interior cells 12a and exterior border
cells 12b. Furthermore, the depicted arrangement of strips allows
fluent material confinement system 10 to be movable between an open
configuration (shown in FIG. 1) and at least one collapsed
configuration (described in more detail below), and may include one
or more deployment indicators 18 to assist in the movement of the
system from the collapsed configuration to the open
configuration.
[0037] Cells 12 are configured to receive a suitable granular
fluent material, typically sand, and to prevent the fluent material
from flowing or shifting a significant amount under horizontal or
vertical loading. This results in the formation of a mechanically
strong, sturdy structure. A plurality of fluent material
confinement systems 10 may be stacked and/or arranged side-by-side
(or end-to-end) and then filled with a granular fluent material to
construct any desired barrier structure. For example, as mentioned
above, a plurality of fluent material confinement systems 10 may be
arranged in a wall-shaped configuration and then filled with a
fluent material to form a flood or wave barrier. Additionally, a
plurality of fluent material confinement systems 10 may also be
used as an emergency mudflow barrier, a support inside the core of
an earthen levee structure or sand dune, or may be used to form
revetments for battlefields, and other such ballistic
structures.
[0038] Fluent material confinement system 10 meets several
important design criteria not met in full by any prior systems. For
example, fluent material confinement system 10 may be stacked to
hold fill material to a height of six feet, or even greater. Also,
the fluent material system may be fill either manually or
mechanically. Additionally, fluent material confinement system 10
keeps sand or other small-grained fluent material confined within
the stacked structure for the intended life of the structure, for
example, six months or greater. Fluent material confinement system
10 is easily and rapidly deployable by just two persons, and
requires little or no additional equipment to erect. System 10 also
provides cost advantages over the construction of a sandbag wall,
and provides a greater amount of protection at least equal to that
of a sandbag wall. Finally, system 10 is be able to conform to the
geography and geometry of the area in which it is placed, and is
readily transportable in a cost effective manner. The structural
features that give rise to these advantages are described in more
detail below.
[0039] Turning again to the basic structure of fluent material
confinement system 10, lengthwise strips 14 and widthwise strips 16
may have any suitable length. Typically, lengthwise strips 14 and
widthwise strips 16 have a length in the range from three to six
feet, and more typically approximately 4 feet, although they may
have a length outside of these ranges as well. In the embodiment of
FIG. 1, lengthwise strips 14 and widthwise strips 16 have
approximately the same length. However, it will be appreciated that
lengthwise strips of different lengths than the widthwise strips
may also be used.
[0040] Wider lengthwise strips 14a assist in the stacking of fluent
material confinement systems 10. When stacking fluent material
confinement systems 10, the bottommost fluent material confinement
system is placed on the ground with the wider lengthwise strips 14a
extending upwardly past the top edges of narrower lengthwise strips
14b. Then, each subsequent fluent material confinement system 10 is
staked in an upside-down configuration on top of the next-lower
fluent material confinement system. In this manner, the wider
lengthwise strips 14a of the bottommost fluent material confinement
system 10 extends upwardly into the cells of the next-highest
fluent material confinement system. This helps hold the
next-highest fluent material confinement system 10 in place
relative to the bottommost fluent material confinement system, and
helps to reinforce the cells into which the wider widthwise strips
14a extend. Likewise, the wider widthwise strips 14a of each
subsequent fluent material confinement system 10 extends downwardly
into the next-lower fluent material confinement system, again
reinforcing the cells and helping to hold the fluent material
confinement systems in place relative to one another.
[0041] The use of two wider lengthwise strips 14a as the outermost
strips on each side of the fluent material confinement system form
a network of barrier cells that help to prevent fluent material
from leaking out of barrier cells 12b, thus preventing failure
caused by sand leaking out from between the outermost strips of
adjacent grid layers, and thus prolonging the life of a temporary
barrier. Sand that is added to barrier cells 12b is not able to
escape either outside of the fluent material confinement system, or
to inner cells 12a of the fluent material confinement system,
helping to maintain the integrity of a structure built with the
fluent material confinement system. This is opposed to prior fluent
material confinement systems, which may allow sand to escape from
the outer cells and thus lead to a danger of catastrophic failure
of the barrier.
[0042] Sand in the interior cells, however, is free to shift
between cells at the boundaries between vertically stacked fluent
material confinement systems because the strips forming these cells
do not overlap with the strips of vertically adjacent cells.
Furthermore, because narrower lengthwise strips 14b and widthwise
strips 16 do not extend into the cells of vertically adjacent
grids, these strips are free to be pushed out of alignment compared
to the strips of the vertically adjacent grids. This also helps to
allow sand to flow laterally through the grids, rather than forming
distinct columns of sand that extend throughout the structure. The
lateral flow of sand through the structure helps to ensure that no
voids form in the structure due to loss of sand, and thus helps to
prevent catastrophic failure due to weak spots caused by sand loss
in isolated cells. As the sand flows into voids over time, more
sand can be added to the top of the structure to ensure that the
entire structure is filled to the top with sand.
[0043] Furthermore, the horizontal movement of sand through the
structure helps to ensure that all cells are filled evenly and
completely with sand during the initial filling of a barrier
structure built with a plurality of fluent material confinement
systems 10. Sand entering from the top of the barrier is able to
mover laterally into adjoining cells as the barrier is filled. Once
the sand reaches the base of the barrier, the weight of the sand
above causes the sand below to distribute evenly along the ground
and to compact into an efficient packing.
[0044] Fluent material confinement system 10 may also include an
orientation indicator 19 disposed on a selected strip. Orientation
indicator 19 may help a user to determine the orientation of fluent
material confinement system 10 in inclement weather or other low
visibility conditions. Furthermore, orientation indicator 19 of an
upper fluent material confinement system in a stacked arrangement
can be aligned with the orientation indicator of a next-lowest
fluent material confinement system to ensure the two fluent
material confinement systems are in a correct orientation relative
to one another.
[0045] As mentioned above, a fluent material confinement system
according to the present invention may configured to be attachable
to other fluent material confinement systems in a side-by-side
arrangement. Thus, a suitable connecting or supporting structure
(or structures) may be provided to enable a plurality of fluent
material confinement systems to be connected in this manner.
[0046] In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the wider lengthwise strips 14a
have two different types of connecting structures. These are shown
in more detail in FIGS. 2 and 3. FIG. 2 shows the
second-to-outermost lengthwise strips 14a' of fluent material
confinement system 10, and FIG. 3 shows the outermost lengthwise
strips 14a" of fluent material confinement system 10. In these
figures, the second-to-outermost lengthwise strips 14a' are
referred as strips 14a', and the outermost strips are referred to
as strips 14a".
[0047] Referring first to FIG. 2, wider lengthwise strip 14a'
includes a connecting structure in the form of a tongue 20. Wider
lengthwise strip 14a' has a tongue 20 on each end of the strip, but
it will be appreciated that the strip alternatively may have a
tongue on only one end where suitable.
[0048] Tongue 20 may be formed in any suitable manner. The depicted
tongue 20 is formed from a generally "U"-shaped cut, slot, or other
aperture 22 formed in each end of wider lengthwise strip 14a'.
However, tongue 20 may be formed from any other shape slot, for
example, a "V"-shaped slot or a substantially straight slot.
Furthermore, tongue 20 may be formed from a suitably shaped tab
that is joined to wider lengthwise strip 14a' by an adhesive, a
weld, etc. Where a substantially straight slot is used as a
connecting structure, the slot preferably does not extend to an
edge of the strip, but instead is wholly contained within the end
of the strip. This may help prevent the ends of the strip from
dog-earing when the cells are filled with a fluent material.
[0049] Likewise, tongue 20 may have any suitable orientation. The
depicted tongues 20 point inwardly, and extend generally parallel
to a long dimension of wider lengthwise strip 14a', which is the
dimension that extends from one tongue 20 to the other tongue 20'.
Wider lengthwise strip 14a' is joined to a complementary wider
lengthwise strip on an adjacent fluent material confinement system
by inserting tongue 20 into the slot 22' of the adjacent fluent
material confinement system, and then pulling the strips in such a
manner as to extend tongue 20 fully into slot 22'. Other examples
of suitable tongue orientations are discussed in more detail
below.
[0050] Referring next to FIG. 3, each wider lengthwise strip 14a"
includes a tongue 21 and associated slot 23 oriented generally
perpendicular to the long dimension of the strip disposed at one
end of the strip. Wider lengthwise strip 14a" also includes a
complementary tongue 21' and associated slot 23' located at the
other end of the strip. Wider lengthwise strip 14a" is joined to an
adjacent wider lengthwise strip 14a" by inserting tongue 21 into
slot 23' (or inserting tongue 21' into slot 23) on an adjacent
fluent material confinement system.
[0051] The use of the different orientations of tongue 21 and
tongue 20 on a single fluent material confinement system 10 may
help to hold adjacent fluent material confinement systems together
more securely than either would alone. For example, when both
tongues 20 and 21 are connected to complementary connecting
structures on an adjacent fluent material confinement system, the
orientation of tongue 20 may help to resist vertical displacement
of adjacent fluent material confinement systems that may disconnect
tongue 21 from an adjacent slot 23', while the orientation of
tongue 21 may help to prevent horizontal displacements that may
disconnect tongue 20 from the adjacent slot 22'. While the wider
lengthwise strips 14a' and 14a" are depicted as having different
connecting structures, it will be appreciated that all lengthwise
strips may also have the same connecting structure, or any other
combination of suitable connecting structures.
[0052] As with tongue 20, tongue 21 may be formed in any suitable
manner. The depicted tongue 21 is formed from a generally
"U"-shaped slot 23 in an end of wider lengthwise strip 14a", but
may be formed in any other suitable manner, including, but not
limited to, those listed above for tongue 20.
[0053] The use of tongues 20 and 21, as opposed to the slot
connectors of prior systems, also helps to avoid orientation
problems during assembly of a barrier, as adjacent fluent material
confinement systems 10 will connect and nest in a plurality of
different orientations when stacked.
[0054] Each wider lengthwise strip 14a also typically includes
other slots (or other like structures) of one or more different
types disposed along the length of the strip. Each type of slot
typically is provided for a particular purpose. For example, some
of the slots on wider lengthwise strip 14a are
widthwise-strip-receiving slots 24 configured to accommodate the
insertion of widthwise strips 16. Widthwise-strip-receivi- ng slots
24 allow lengthwise strips 14 and widthwise strips 16 to be coupled
together to form fluent material confinement system 10.
Widthwise-strip-receiving slots 24 are configured to nest within
complementary lengthwise strip-receiving slots on widthwise strips
16, as described in more detail below.
[0055] Widthwise-strip-receiving slots 24 may be oriented
perpendicular to the long dimension of wider lengthwise strip 14a,
or may have any other suitable orientation. Additionally,
widthwise-strip-receiving slots 24 may extend sufficiently far into
the width of wider lengthwise strip 14a so that the top edges of
all widthwise strips 16 coupled with a selected wider lengthwise
strip are approximately level with the top edges of narrower
lengthwise strips 14b. Thus, widthwise-strip-receiving slots 24
that extend downwardly from the top edge of wider lengthwise strip
14a may extend further into the width of the wider lengthwise strip
than the widthwise-strip-receiving slots that extend upwardly from
the bottom edge of the wider lengthwise strip.
[0056] Widthwise-strip-receiving slots 20 may have any desired
spacing, and the spacing of widthwise-strip-receiving slots 24 may
be selected based on any desired criteria. For example, spacing the
strips more closely together may form smaller cells 12, which may
provide a somewhat stronger structure. However, this also may
require the use of more materials to make fluent material
confinement system 10, and thus may increase manufacturing costs.
Likewise, spacing the strips further apart may decrease the cost
and weight of fluent material confinement system 10 per unit area,
but may be somewhat less strong than a fluent material confinement
system with smaller cells. Typically, widthwise-strip-receivi- ng
slots 20 are spaced between four and twelve inches apart, and more
typically approximately seven inches apart, but it will be
appreciated that the widthwise-strip-receiving slots may also be
spaced by a distance outside of these ranges.
[0057] Widthwise-strip-receiving slots may be evenly spaced along
the length of wider lengthwise strip 14a, or may be spaced in an
uneven manner. In the depicted embodiment,
widthwise-strip-receiving slots 20 are spaced evenly, and
alternately extend from the top edge and bottom edge of wider
lengthwise strip 14a. The even spacing of widthwise-strip-receiving
slots 20 creates cells of uniform dimensions, and may thus
contribute to the regularity of the structural properties of fluent
material confinement system 10. Furthermore, the alternating
arrangement of widthwise-strip-receiving slots 20 allows the wider
lengthwise strips and widthwise strips 16 to be interwoven, helping
to hold fluent material confinement system 10 together during
storage or transport. The interwoven structure of fluent material
confinement system 10 also may allow the fluent material
confinement system to be collapsed into at least two different
collapsed configurations, as described in more detail below.
[0058] Besides widthwise-strip-receiving slots 24, wider lengthwise
strip 14a also may include a plurality of stacking slots 26 to
accommodate the stacking of fluent material confinement systems 10.
Stacking slots 26 are configured to receive the widthwise strips of
a next-higher fluent material confinement system 10. This helps to
stabilize the upper fluent material confinement system, and also
allows both the widthwise strips 16 and the narrower lengthwise
strips 14b of the upper system to rest substantially fully against
the widthwise strips and narrower lengthwise strips of the lower
system when the systems are stacked. It will be appreciated that
widthwise-strip-receiving slots 24 that extend from the top edge of
wider lengthwise strips 14a may also function as stacking
slots.
[0059] Wider lengthwise strips 14a may have any suitable width
relative to narrower lengthwise strips 14b and widthwise strips 16.
For example, wider lengthwise strips 14a may have a width of
between ten and fourteen inches, and more typically approximately
12 inches, while narrower lengthwise strips 14b and widthwise
strips 16 may have a width of between six and ten inches, and more
typically approximately 8 inches. Furthermore, while fluent
material confinement system 10 is shown as including eight
lengthwise strips 14 and six widthwise strips 16, a fluent material
confinement system according to the present invention may include
any other suitable number of lengthwise strip and/or widthwise
strips.
[0060] During emergency operations, such as the construction of a
flood-retaining wall, time is generally of the essence, and any
time wasted trying to determine how to deploy an emergency system
such as the fluent material confinement system may jeopardize
property and/or lives. Thus, as mentioned above, fluent material
confinement system 10 may include one or more deployment indicators
18 configured to be effective in low light conditions (or other
adverse conditions) to instruct a user how to move the fluent
material confinement system from at least one of the collapsed
positions to the opened position.
[0061] A deployment indicator according to the present invention
may enhance the operability of a fluent material confinement system
in any desired manner. In the depicted embodiment, deployment
indicators 18 indicate how fluent material confinement system 10 is
to be moved from the closed position to the opened position via a
visually enhanced instructional indicia disposed on wider
lengthwise strips 14a. Deployment indicators 18 include a
visibility enhancing background portion 28, and an indicating
portion 30. Background portion 28 is typically formed from a
reflective or fluorescent material to visually enhance the portions
of fluent material confinement system 10 at which a user (or users)
should hold the fluent material confinement system when deploying
the system. Indicating portion 30 is typically contained at least
partially within background portion 28, and is configured to stand
out against the background portion so that the instructions
contained within the indicating portion may be easily read and
followed.
[0062] Indicating portion 30 may include any suitable indicia for
indicating how fluent material confinement system 10 is to be moved
to the open configuration. For example, in the depicted embodiment,
indicating portion 30 has a legend indicating where a user is to
grip fluent material confinement system 10, and also has an arrow
indicating which direction the user is to move the fluent material
confinement system to move the system to the opened position. While
deployment indicator 18 is configured to visually enhance the
portions of fluent material confinement system 10 that are to be
gripped by a user, it will be appreciated that deployment indicator
18 may function in any other suitable manner. For example, the
deployment indicator may include a series of raised bumps or ridges
to indicate where fluent material confinement system 10 is to be
grasped via tactile enhancement.
[0063] Narrower lengthwise strip 14b is shown in more detail in
FIG. 4. Like wider lengthwise strips 14a, narrower lengthwise
strips 14b may include a plurality of slots of different types. For
example, narrower lengthwise strips 14b may include a plurality of
widthwise-strip-receivin- g slots 32 that allow the narrower
lengthwise strips to be coupled with widthwise strips 16. In the
depicted embodiment, widthwise-strip-receivin- g slots 32
alternately extend from the top and bottom edges of narrower
lengthwise strips 14b, allowing narrower lengthwise strips 14b to
be interwoven with widthwise strips 16. Alternatively, all
widthwise-strip-receiving slots 32 may extend from the same edge of
narrower lengthwise strips 14b if desired. Narrower lengthwise
strips 14b also may include one or more connecting structures, such
as tongues 34, configured to be coupled to a complementary slot on
an adjacent fluent material confinement system. Tongues 34 may have
any suitable orientation. For example, in the depicted embodiment,
tongues 34 are oriented along a long axis of narrower lengthwise
strip 14b, as described above for wider lengthwise strip 14a'.
Other examples of suitable tongue orientations are described
below.
[0064] FIG. 5 shows an exemplary widthwise strip 16 in more detail.
Each widthwise strip 16 includes a plurality of
lengthwise-strip-receiving slots 36 disposed along the length of
the widthwise strip. Lengthwise-strip-receiving slots 36 are
configured to be joined with widthwise-strip-receiving slots 20 in
wider lengthwise strip 14a, and with widthwise-strip-receiving
slots 32 in narrower lengthwise strip 14b. In the depicted
embodiment, lengthwise-strip-receiving slots 36 extend alternately
from the top edge and bottom edge of each widthwise strip 16 so
that the widthwise strips may be interwoven with the lengthwise
strips. However, lengthwise-strip-receiving slots 36 may also
extend from only one edge of widthwise strips 16.
[0065] Besides lengthwise-strip-receiving slots 36, widthwise
strips 16 also may include border cell slots 38 formed in the ends
of each widthwise strip. Border cell slots 38 are configured to
receive an outer lengthwise strip 14 to create border cells 12b.
Border cell slots 38 may be spaced any desired distance from the
adjacent lengthwise-strip-receivi- ng slot 34. In the depicted
embodiment, each border cell slot 38 is spaced approximately half
the distance from the nearest lengthwise-strip-receivi- ng slot 36.
This creates border cells 12b of a smaller volume than interior
cells 12a, and thus may make border cells more rigid for improved
resistance to forces generated by static water pressures and wave
impacts. The end portions 39 of widthwise strip 16, extending from
each border cell slot 38 to each end of the widthwise strip, helps
to minimize any outward movement of the lengthwise strips during
filling with sand and under the stresses of ordinary use.
[0066] The various strips that form fluent material confinement
system 10 may be made from any suitable materials. Suitable
materials include strong, flexible plastics that are lightweight
and damage resistant. Such materials reduce the weight and increase
the durability of fluent material confinement grid system 10. The
materials should be able to resist wave impacts, static water
pressure and sand pressures, yet be sufficiently flexible to be
interwoven. Furthermore, the materials are preferably transparent
or translucent to allow the level of sand within the fluent
material confinement grid system to be easily monitored. Some
examples of suitable materials are PET (poly(ethylene
terephthalate)), PETG (a copolyester of
1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol-modified poly(ethylene terephthalate)),
PCTG (poly(1,4-cyclohexylene dimethylene terephthalate)), polyvinyl
chloride, and polycarbonates such as bisphenol A polycarbonate. In
contrast, softer, more flexible materials such as high-density
polyethylene may not have the necessary strength to withstand such
conditions.
[0067] Fluent material confinement system 10 may be subjected to
large stresses during some uses. For this reason, it may be
desirable to form fluent material confinement system 10 from a
material with relatively high resistance to stresses, relatively
high hardness, etc. For example, the material from which fluent
material confinement system 10 is formed may have a tensile stress
yield point of 45 MPa or higher, a tensile stress break point of 52
MPa or higher, a flexural modulus of 1800 MPa or higher, a flexural
strength of 66 MPa or higher, a Rockwell hardness of 103, and an
impact resistance (puncture) of 42 J (energy at maximum load) or
higher at room temperature. It will be appreciated that the
materials strength characteristics listed above are merely
exemplary, and that the material from which fluent material
confinement system 10 is constructed may have any other suitable
physical characteristics.
[0068] Many different additives may be used to modify the
properties of these materials as needed. For example, UV absorbers
may be added as either a starting material or as a coating on the
finished product to increase the resistance of the material to UV
degradation. Other possible additives include impact modifiers to
increase impact resistance, and flexural modifiers to adjust the
stiffness of the materials.
[0069] As mentioned above, fluent material confinement system 10 is
configured to be collapsible into at least one collapsed
configuration for ease of storage and transport. FIG. 6 shows a
first collapsed configuration of fluent material confinement system
10, in which the fluent material confinement system is collapsed
down to a substantially flat sheet-like shape. In the configuration
of FIG. 6, a large number of fluent material confinement systems 10
may be stacked in a relatively small amount of space for palletized
storage. Furthermore, in this configuration, deployment indicators
18 are disposed on the top surface of fluent material confinement
system 10, in plain view of users who are deploying the system.
Thus, the users can easily determine where to grip and how to open
fluent material confinement system 10 with only a quick glance at
the system.
[0070] FIG. 7 shows a second possible collapsed configuration for
fluent material confinement system 10. In this configuration,
fluent material confinement system 10 is collapsed into a narrow
structure of the same width as wider lengthwise strips 14a. Just as
with the collapsed configuration of FIG. 6, deployment indicators
18 may be configured to indicate where a user is to grip fluent
material confinement system 10 to deploy the system, as well as the
direction in which the system is to be moved for deployment.
[0071] Fluent material confinement system 10 occupies only a small
amount of space when in the collapsed configuration of FIG. 6.
Thus, a plurality of fluent material confinement systems 10 may be
easily stored in a side-by-side and stacked arrangement when in the
collapsed configuration of FIG. 6 for palletized storage.
[0072] FIG. 8 shows, generally at 50, an alternate embodiment of a
connecting structure suitable connecting adjacent fluent material
confinement systems together. Connecting structure 50 includes a
tongue 52 formed from a slot or cut 54 in the end of the strip, and
is configured to extend through a complementary slot on an adjacent
fluent material confinement system. Tongue 52 also includes at
least one projection 56 formed in an edge of the tongue. Projection
56 is configured to fit behind, and thus engage, a complementary
projection on a complementary connecting structure to secure tongue
52 in the complementary slot. The depicted connecting structure 50
includes two projections 56--one on each side of tongue 52.
However, it will be appreciated that connecting structure 50 may
also have either more or fewer projections.
[0073] A connecting structure according to the present invention
may also include a connection indicator to indicate to a user that
a fluent material confinement system and adjacent fluent material
confinement system are securely connected. Typically, the
connection indicator operates in combination with a complementary
connection indicator on the adjacent fluent material confinement
system to form an indication that a connection is secure only when
the connection indicator and the complementary connection indicator
are properly connected. Any suitable type of indication may be
formed by the connection indicator and complementary connection
indicator. Examples include, but are not limited to, visual and/or
tactile indications.
[0074] FIGS. 9 and 10 show one example of a suitable connection
indicator generally at 60, and a complementary connection indicator
generally at 60'. Connection indicator 60 and complementary
connection indicator 60 each includes one or more alphanumeric
characters. The alphanumeric characters are configured to combine
with the complementary alphanumeric characters to form a
recognizable word, phrase, acronym, etc. when connecting structure
50 and complementary connecting structure 50' are connected in a
correct manner. In the depicted embodiment, connection indicator 60
includes the letters "LO", and complementary connection indicator
60' includes the letters "AD." When connecting structured 50 and
50' are connected properly, tongue 52 extends far enough into the
complementary slot for these letters to spell out the word "LOAD,"
telling a user that the fluent material confinement systems are
correctly connected and ready to be loaded with a fluent material.
The use of a translucent or transparent material to form fluent
material confinement system 10 may facilitate the use of connection
indicator 60 and complementary connection indicator 60'.
[0075] FIG. 10 also illustrates the capability of fluent material
confinement system 10 to articulate relative to the adjacent fluent
material confinement system. Due to the configuration and placement
of connecting structure 50 and complementary connecting structure
50' on their respective strips (indicated in FIGS. 9 and 10 as 64
and 64', respectively), the end of strip 64 is spaced from a
closest perpendicular strip, indicated at 66', on the adjacent
fluent material confinement system. Likewise, the end of strip 64'
is also spaced from a closest widthwise strip, indicated at 66.
Because the ends of strips 64 and 64' are not close to or against
widthwise strips 66, strip 64' is able to articulate relative to
strip 64', as shown in FIG. 10. This allows a plurality of fluent
material confinement systems 10 to be used to cover uneven terrain
without significant distortion of any individual fluent material
confinement system.
[0076] Fluent material confinement system 10 may be configured to
have any suitable range of articulation. The range of articulation
permitted between adjacent fluent material confinement systems may
be tailored by varying the distance between the ends of strips 64
and 64' and the nearest widthwise strips 66 and 66', as the fluent
material confinement system typically can articulate until a corner
of the end of strip 64 contacts strip 66' (or a corner of strip 64'
contacts strip 66). Alternatively, the range of articulation may be
tailored by adjusting the width of the strips.
[0077] FIG. 11 shows, generally at 100, a second embodiment of a
fluent material confinement system according to the present
invention, with different connecting structures than fluent
material confinement system 10. Fluent material confinement system
100 has many of the same features as fluent material confinement
system 10. For example, fluent material confinement system 100
includes a plurality of interior cells 102a bordered by a plurality
of border cells 102b formed from an interconnected network of
lengthwise strips 104 and widthwise strips 106. Lengthwise strips
104 may include both wider lengthwise strips 104a and narrower
lengthwise strips 104b. Furthermore, fluent material confinement
system 100 may include a plurality of deployment indicators 108
configured to assist the deployment of the fluent material
confinement system in low visibility conditions. The depicted
fluent material confinement system 100 includes two wider
lengthwise strips 104a, each positioned in a second-to-outermost
position. However, either more or fewer wider lengthwise strips
104a may also be used.
[0078] As mentioned above, fluent material confinement system 100
also includes connecting structures 110 disposed adjacent each end.
Each connecting structure 110 includes a tongue 112 formed from a
slot or aperture 114 spaced from the edges of the ends of wider
lengthwise strips 104a and narrower lengthwise strip 104b. An
exemplary narrower lengthwise strip 314b is shown in more detail in
FIG. 12. Tongues 112 are oriented generally perpendicular to the
long dimension of strip 314b. Furthermore, tongue 112 on one end of
narrower lengthwise strip 314b is oriented approximately one
hundred and eighty degrees from the tongue 112' and slot 114' on
the other end of the narrower lengthwise strip. Thus, when two
fluent material confinement systems 100 are arranged in a
side-by-side manner, tongue 112 on one fluent material confinement
system is oriented for insertion into adjacent slot 114 on the
adjacent fluent material confinement system. Likewise, tongue 112'
is oriented for insertion into adjacent slot 114' on the adjacent
fluent material confinement system. In this matter, tongue 112 on
one fluent material confinement system can be inserted behind
tongue 112' and through aperture 114' on the other fluent material
confinement system to join the two systems together. Tongues 112
and 112' may be positioned closer to the end of lengthwise strips
104 than to the closest widthwise strip to facilitate articulation
of a fluent material confinement system relative to an adjacent,
connected fluent material confinement system.
[0079] While the depicted embodiment includes a connecting
structure 110 at each end of each lengthwise strip 104, it will be
appreciated that any other suitable arrangement of connecting
structures may be used. For example, where a fluent material
confinement system is configured to be located at the end of a
barrier structure, each lengthwise strip 104 may have a single
connecting structure. Additionally, each tongue 112, 112' in the
depicted embodiment has a generally "U"-shaped configuration, it
will be appreciated that the aperture may have any other suitable
configuration, such as a simple straight slot or a "V"-shaped
configuration.
[0080] FIG. 13 shows, generally at 120, another alternative
connecting structure suitable for use in connecting adjacent fluent
material confinement systems together. Connecting structure 120
includes a tongue 122 formed by a slot 124. Tongue 122 is oriented
generally diagonally to the long dimension of the strip. The
depicted tongue 122 is oriented approximately 45 degrees from the
long dimension of the strip, but it will be appreciated that the
tongue may have any other suitable generally diagonal orientation.
A complementary tongue 122' and slot 124' is disposed at the other
end of the strip. Complementary tongue 122' and slot 124' are
oriented approximately one hundred and eighty degrees from tongue
122 and slot 124. This orientation may facilitate the insertion of
tongue 122 into complementary slot 124' on an adjacent fluent
material confinement system. However, tongue 122 and complementary
tongue 122' may have any other suitable orientation relative to one
another.
[0081] A fluent material confinement system according to the
present invention may be quickly and easily deployed by two users,
as shown in FIG. 14 in the context of fluent confinement system
100. The users may stand face to face on opposite sides of the
collapsed fluent material confinement system 100, grip the fluent
material confinement system where indicated, and simply pull in the
direction indicated by deployment indicators 108. This causes
fluent material confinement system 100 to quickly and easily
convert to the open configuration. Then, fluent material
confinement system 100 may be placed in a desired location, and
another fluent material confinement system opened for placement on
top of or beside the first one to form an extended structure. The
structures may then simply be filled with sand or other fluent
material by a third person utilizing a suitable piece of equipment,
such as a front loader, to complete the barrier structure. A
completed barrier structure is shown generally at 200 in FIG. 15.
When correctly assembled, orientation indicators 19 form lines down
barrier structure 200 at regular intervals. The bottommost fluent
material confinement system, which is not visible in FIG. 15, would
have its orientation indicator offset from those of higher fluent
material confinement systems, as it is positioned right-side up on
the ground, whereas the others are positioned upside-down over the
bottommost system. Furthermore, connectors 21 and 23 of wider
lengthwise strips 14a" are covered by the overlapping portion of
the wider lengthwise strips of the next highest layer, helping to
further reinforce the barrier. It has been found that a barrier
structure such as that shown at 200 may be constructed with fluent
material confinement system 10 as much as one hundred times faster
(in total man-hours) than a sandbag barrier of similar proportions.
Furthermore, it has been found that a barrier may be constructed
five or more times faster with fluent material confinement system
10 than with prior fluent material confinement systems having
slot-type connectors and all strips of equal width.
[0082] When a temporary barrier structure is no longer needed, the
temporary barrier structure may be disassembled by simply pulling
the fluent material confinement systems off of one another,
allowing the fluent material to fall out of the cells, and
converting the fluent material confinement systems to a collapsed
configuration for storage.
[0083] In some circumstances, a barrier structure of suitable
strength may be constructed simply by filling an extended structure
made of a plurality of fluent material confinement systems with a
single granular material, such as sand or local soils. However, in
other circumstances, further reinforcement may be needed. In these
circumstances, a different material may be added to the border
cells to reinforce the outer portion of the extended structure.
Examples of materials that may be added to the outer border cells
to reinforce the extended structure include concrete or cement. The
concrete or cement may have any suitable proportion of components.
A cement mixture of approximately 20:1 has been proven to be
particularly advantageous in reinforcing the border cells, as a
cement of this mixture has good hardness properties, yet can be
broken down for removal without undue effort.
[0084] A barrier with cement or concrete-filled outer border cells
may be constructed in any suitable manner. One example of a
suitable method of construction is as follows. First, a plurality
of fluent material confinement systems are stacked to a desired
height and arranged to a desired length. As described above, the
bottommost fluent material confinement system is positioned right
side up, and other grid systems are positioned upside-down on top
of the bottommost grid system.
[0085] Next, the interior cells are covered with a suitable
structure to prevent cement from entering the interior cells during
the pouring process. The border cells are left exposed. Examples of
suitable structures for covering interior cells include sheets of
plywood or lightweight metal. Next, a cement mixture is poured into
the border cells. The covering structures are then removed, and the
fluent material is poured into interior cells, typically using a
front-loader or similar piece of heavy equipment. This method
allows a solid barrier structure of a significant height and length
to be rapidly constructed with the use of a small number of
workers. If extra strength is desired, a second fluent material
confinement system barrier may be build directly behind and against
the first barrier to double the thickness of the protective
barrier.
[0086] FIG. 15 also illustrates the use of a temporary protective
barrier in an environment where the barrier may need to be built
against another fixed object 202, such as a wall of a building or a
bridge piling. In this case, the region in which barrier structure
200 meets the fixed object 202 may need to be sealed or reinforced
with other materials to prevent water from seeping around the edges
of, or underneath the bottom of, the temporary barrier. One
suitable method of reinforcing these edge regions is to surround
the edge regions with material-filled bags 204. Bags 204 may
contain sand, or any other suitable material, such as a cement
mixture. Moreover, a cement mixture, typically a 20:1 mixture, may
be poured into the space between the fixed object and the barrier
to fill any space left between the barrier. Finally, a line of bags
204 may also be placed along the bottom of barrier structure 200 to
prevent water from seeping underneath the bottom of barrier
structure 200. The fluent material 206 contained within barrier
structure 200 provides the structural integrity for the wall, while
sandbags 204 seal the seams between the barrier structure and other
surrounding structures.
[0087] To provide further support to barrier cells 12b, the lower
ends of some widthwise strips may be coupled with the upper ends of
other widthwise strips, as shown in FIG. 16. This arrangement
creates a brace 210 that extends across every other barrier cell
12b, and thus stiffens the walls of the supported barrier cells.
The ends of widthwise strips may be connected together by a
suitable fastener, including but not limited to, wire ties, ring
connectors, cotter pins, bolts, etc., adhesive tape, glue or other
adhesives, or may simply be held in place via friction and pressure
the adjacent widthwise strip ends exert on each other.
[0088] The connector configurations shown in the embodiments
depicted in FIGS. 1 and 11 are suitable for connecting a plurality
of fluent material confinement systems together to form a straight
barrier structure. A barrier structure that extends in a non-linear
fashion may be formed by simply forming a barrier structure that
butts against a prior barrier structure at a desired angle.
However, the location at which the two barrier structures meet may
be a point of weakness. To provide for a stronger multi-directional
structure, a corner fluent material confinement system that has
connectors provided on the widthwise struts may be used to
introduce a directional change into a barrier structure. Such a
corner fluent material confinement system may facilitate the
construction of temporary barrier structures such as revetments,
dams or levees around curved points of land, etc.
[0089] FIG. 17 shows, generally at 300, a schematic plan view of a
suitable corner fluent material confinement system. Corner fluent
material confinement system 300 includes a plurality of narrow
lengthwise strips 14b running in both the lengthwise and widthwise
direction. The plurality of narrow lengthwise strips 14b are
enclosed on each side by a wider lengthwise strip 14a' (or 14a").
Thus, corner fluent material confinement system 300 includes
connecting structures on each end of each of its lengthwise and
widthwise strips, and may accept the attachment of any suitable
fluent material confinement system on any of its sides. The use of
wider strips around the perimeter of corner fluent material
confinement system 300 helps to reinforce the barrier cells 302 of
the corner fluent material confinement system, and to prevent sand
from escaping the barrier cells.
[0090] While the depicted corner fluent material confinement system
includes wider strips only as the outermost strips, it will be
appreciated that a corner fluent material confinement system
according to the present invention may have either more or fewer
wider strips, and may have either all wider strips, or all narrower
strips. Furthermore, while the depicted corner fluent material
confinement system is formed from a plurality of strips 14a' and
14b, it will be appreciated that a corner fluent material
confinement system according to the present invention may include
any other suitable combination of strips disclosed herein or in
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/086,772, incorporated by
reference herein.
[0091] FIG. 18 shows a schematic plan view of a multi-directional
extended barrier structure, indicated generally at 400, formed from
a plurality of fluent material confinement systems according to the
present invention. The depicted barrier structure includes a
plurality of fluent material confinement systems 10, and two corner
fluent material confinement systems 300. The corner fluent material
confinement systems 300 introduce directional changes in the
barrier. For example, barrier segment 402 and barrier segment 404
meet at roughly a right angle at one of corner pieces 300. The
angle at which barrier segments meet may be varied somewhat by
partially collapsing corner piece 300 toward the collapsed
configuration shown in FIG. 7. Furthermore, where the fluent
material confinement systems are constructed of a flexible
material, adjacent walls may be bent slightly out of a right-angle
configuration. To facilitate the construction of a
multi-directional extended structure, corner fluent material
confinement systems 300 may have different deployment indicators
(not shown) than fluent material confinement systems 10.
[0092] As described above, the use of wider lengthwise strips 14a
as the outermost two strips helps prevent sand from leaking out
from between the outermost strips of adjacent grid layers, and thus
helps to preserve the integrity of the grid structure. Furthermore,
a blocking strip may be used to seal the ends of a barrier
structure to keep sand from leaking out from between adjacent grid
layers at the ends of the barrier structure.
[0093] FIGS. 19a and 19b show, generally at 400, a first embodiment
of a blocking strip suitable for sealing the ends of a barrier
structure. Blocking strip 400 includes an elongate face portion
402, and a hooked end portion 404. Elongate face portion 402 has a
width 406 approximately equal to the width of interior cells 12a.
After assembling a barrier structure of a desired height, but
before filling the barrier structure with sand, blocking strip 400
may be inserted vertically into each cell column at each end of the
barrier structure, such that the blocking strip hangs from the
outermost widthwise strip 16 of the uppermost fluent material
confinement system at each end of the structure by hooked end
portion 404. This is shown schematically in FIG. 21. In this
manner, elongate face portion 402 of each blocking strip 400 helps
to block any gaps between vertically adjacent fluent material
confinement systems, and thus help to prevent sand from leaking out
of the ends of the barrier structure. While the depicted embodiment
includes a hooked end portion 404 at only one end of blocking strip
400, it will be appreciated that a hooked end portion 404 could be
provided at each end of the strip. This may allow blocking strip
400 to be inserted into the barrier structure with either end
first, and thus may contribute to the ease of constructing a
barrier structure in conditions having poor visibility.
[0094] FIG. 20 shows an alternate embodiment of a blocking strip,
generally at 500. Blocking strip 500 includes an elongate face
portion 502, and a tongue connector 504 formed in at least one end
of the strip. Like blocking strip 400, blocking strip 500 is
configured to be inserted vertically into an end cell of a fully
constructed barrier structure before the barrier structure is
filled with sand. In this manner, face portion 502 of blocking
strip 500 blocks gaps between vertically adjacent fluent material
confinement systems to help prevent sand from leaking out of the
ends of the barrier structure.
[0095] Tongue connector 504 is configured to connect over the
outermost widthwise strip 16 of the uppermost fluent material
confinement system such that blocking strip 504 hangs downwardly
into a column of cells, thus performing essentially the same
function as hooked end portion 404 of the embodiment of FIGS. 19a
and 19b. Tongue connector 504 may be provided at only one end of
blocking strip, or at each end, as shown in FIG. 20. Providing a
tongue connector 504 at each end of blocking strip may allow
blocking strip 500 to be inserted into the barrier structure with
either end first, and thus may contribute to the ease of
constructing a barrier structure in conditions having poor
visibility. Furthermore, tongue connector 504 may be hooked over a
strip of an uppermost fluent material confinement system in a
barrier structure no matter which face of blocking strip 500 is
oriented toward the outside of the barrier structure. Thus, the use
of a tongue connector 504 at each end of blocking strip 500 may
allow the blocking strip to be inserted into a barrier structure
with either end first, and facing either direction.
[0096] It will be appreciated that blocking strips 400 and 500 may
also be placed in cells other than cells at the ends of a barrier
structure. For example, one or more blocking strips 400 and 500 may
be placed in inner cells 12a to hold the cells open, and to hold a
plurality of vertically stacked fluent material confinement systems
in a correct alignment, upon completion of an extended structure
but before filling the extended structure with sand to form a
barrier structure. This is illustrated at 400' in FIG. 21.
[0097] FIG. 22 shows, generally at 600, another example of an
extended structure that may be constructed with a plurality of
fluent material confinement systems 10. Barrier structure 600
includes three separate linear wall segments 602 that meet each
other at an outer angle 604 of one hundred twenty degrees. The
walls are connected together by outermost wider lengthwise strips
14a". Where the strips are made of a flexible material, outermost
strips 14a" curve to form smooth corners with no significant gaps
through which sand may leak. While each linear wall segment 602 of
FIG. 22 meets the other linear wall segments at an outer angle of
approximately one hundred twenty degrees, it will be appreciated
that the flexible nature of outermost lengthwise strips 14a" allows
the linear wall segments to meet at a wide range of possible outer
angles.
[0098] Although the present disclosure includes specific
embodiments of fluent material confinement systems, specific
embodiments are not to be considered in a limiting sense, because
numerous variations on the various strips, grid configurations,
barrier structures and uses disclosed are possible. The subject
matter of the present disclosure includes all novel and nonobvious
combinations and subcombinations of the various elements, features,
functions, and/or properties disclosed herein. The following claims
particularly point out certain combinations and subcombinations
regarded as novel and nonobvious. These claims may refer to "an"
element or "a first" element or the equivalent thereof. Such claims
should be understood to include incorporation of one or more such
elements, neither requiring nor excluding two or more such
elements. Other combinations and subcombinations of features,
functions, elements, and/or properties may be claimed through
amendment of the present claims or through presentation of new
claims in this or a related application. Such claims, whether
broader, narrower, equal, or different in scope to the original
claims, also are regarded as included within the subject matter of
the present disclosure.
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