U.S. patent application number 10/751925 was filed with the patent office on 2005-08-04 for flood protection apparatus for articles.
Invention is credited to Chen, Chin-Yu, Swei, Woan-Jiun.
Application Number | 20050166478 10/751925 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34921225 |
Filed Date | 2005-08-04 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050166478 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Chen, Chin-Yu ; et
al. |
August 4, 2005 |
Flood protection apparatus for articles
Abstract
The present invention relates to a flood protection apparatus
for articles, such as motor vehicle, furniture, and electronic
goods. The flood protection apparatus comprises a lower bag and an
upper bag, which are made of impervious, and flexible materials. A
portable sealing device can be applied to the lower and upper bags
to seal the articles completely in the bags. Inside of the bags and
around the junction of the two bags, there are provided with a
plurality of attachment devices for attaching the bags onto the
smooth surfaces of the articles to be enclosed in the bags. With
the attachment devices, the bags can be easily and quickly
installed. In addition, the bags can be free from the affliction of
the fierce wind and wave of floodwater, and the articles contained
therein can be protected from damage as well.
Inventors: |
Chen, Chin-Yu; (ChungHo
City, TW) ; Swei, Woan-Jiun; (ChungHo City,
TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BRUCE H. TROXELL
SUITE 1404
5205 LEESBURG PIKE
FALLS CHURCH
VA
22041
US
|
Family ID: |
34921225 |
Appl. No.: |
10/751925 |
Filed: |
January 7, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
52/79.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 11/1866 20130101;
B65D 85/68 20130101; B65D 81/05 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
052/079.1 |
International
Class: |
E04H 001/00 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A flood protection apparatus for articles comprising: a lower
bag including a horizontal base and a continuous sidewall extending
vertically from the base, each of the side walls having an upper
peripheral edge with a smooth margin formed on four of the side
walls of the lower bag; an upper bag including a flat base with a
top surface and underside surface, an upper bag having a lower
peripheral edge with a smooth margin formed thereon for junction
with the corresponding smooth margin formed on the four side walls
of the lower bag; the plurality of attachment devices are
positioned in the inside of the bags and around the junction of the
two bags for attaching the bags onto the smooth surfaces of the
articles to be enclosed in the bags; a sealing device for sealing
completely the smooth margins of the lower and upper bags.
2. A flood protection apparatus for articles in claim 1, wherein
the bag is made of impervious and flexible materials.
3. A flood protection apparatus for articles in claim 2, wherein
the materials are rubber members.
4. A flood protection apparatus for articles in claim 2, wherein
the materials are plastic members.
5. A flood protection apparatus for articles in claim 1, wherein
the attachment devices are suckers
6 A flood protection apparatus for articles in claim 1, wherein the
attachment devices are hook-loop fastening types
7. A flood protection apparatus for articles in claim 1, wherein
the attachment devices are double-sided types
8. A flood protection apparatus for articles in claim 1, wherein
the sealing device is a portable sealer machine.
9. A flood protection apparatus for articles in claim 1, wherein
the sealing device is an electric heat sealer.
10. A flood protection apparatus for articles in claim 1, wherein
the sealing device is an apparatus that contains the instant
adhesive compositions.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] This invention relates to a flood protection apparatus for
the protection of motor vehicle, furniture and electronic goods
during the flood.
[0003] 2. Description of Related Art
[0004] There are many extreme flood events happen every year in the
globe.
[0005] It always causes a huge property lose during the heavy rain,
typhoon, hurricane or flood. Most of the vehicle, furniture and
electronic goods will be damaged while immerse in the water. It
will take much time and money to repair the vehicle. General, the
function of immersed car can't be repaired completely. The
furniture and electronic goods, such as sofa, bed cushion, TV and
computer will be discarded after immersion. Needless to say, how to
combat the problems caused by flooding is very important and
pressing lesson.
[0006] The use of the flood protection systems is known in the
arts. U.S. Pat. No. 4,315,535 issued to Battle et al. and entitled
"Flood protection container for vehicles" would teach the use of an
upper orifice and cord housed within a continuous channel for
constricting the orifice.
[0007] U.S. Pat. No. 3,929,178 to C. D. Hicky disclosed the use of
a flexible container for the storage of a vehicle, with the use of
a flexible impermeable cover with a sealing means adapted to
cooperate with the channel to provide a fluid type seal.
[0008] U.S. Pat. No. 3,474,803 issued to E. F. Davis and entitled
"Automobile Enclosure" provides an enclosure for an automotive
vehicle fabricated of imperious flexible sheet material in a
generally baglike from into which the vehicle may be moved, and the
enclosure then closed to effectively seal the contained vehicle
until the closure is opened and the vehicle removed.
[0009] U.S. Pat. No. 4,773,456 issued to Rodgers disclosed a motor
vehicle flood protecting apparatus. The apparatus includes a
flexible cover of water impervious material and a flexible vent
tube.
[0010] U.S. Pat. No. 4,930,557 issued to Lohse et al. and entitled
"Covering for large, heavy objects in particular military
equipment." Would teach the use of a tube made of flexible
tarpaulins or sheeting as a covering for relatively large objects
for the purpose of long-term storage.
[0011] U.S. Pat. No. 5,497,819 issued to Chiang demonstrated a
modular car cover has a cab covering portion and a shirt. The
car-covering potion connects to the skirt by hook and loop
fastener, and has individual pouches for covering the exterior
mirror of an automobile.
[0012] U.S. Pat. No. 6,273,113 issued to Streyckmans disclosed a
vehicle flood protection system that includes a vehicle housing to
which a cover is hinged. The peripheries of the cover and housing
each include locking mechanism for creating a water tight seal.
[0013] U.S. Pat. No. 5,954,200 issued to Allain et al. and titled
"Motor Vehicle Protection Apparatus and Method" provide a vehicle
protection enclosure comprises a flexible plastic envelope having a
side portion containing a sealed side opening. For protection in
flood conditions, the envelope is anchored or tethered to
stationary objects, and preferably two or more ends are anchored or
tethered.
[0014] U.S. Pat. No. 6,059,105 issued to Allain et al. and titled
"Motor Vehicle and Valuable Possession Flood Protection Apparatus
and Method" demonstrated a motor vehicle flood protection apparatus
and method includes a lower plastic container or cover member
having a rectangular bottom panel and integrally joined end, and
side panels that have lateral edges joined to form a leak proof
vehicle container.
[0015] U.S. Pat. No. 6,405,862 issued to Allain et al. and titled
"Automobile flood protection system and method" provided a motor
vehicle flood protection apparatus includes a plastic container
member having a bottom panel and integrally joined end, and side
panels that have edges joined to form a vehicle container. A pair
of reinforcement strips joined to the bottom panel resists puncture
of the plastic container member.
[0016] F.R. Pat. No. 2,808,828 issued to Georges and titled
"Individual shelter comprises floor integral with furniture and is
covered by shell" which comprises a floor, integral with the
furniture, constituting the bottom part of the waterproof shelter.
A shell covers the bottom part.
[0017] W.O. Pat. No. 0,005,999 demonstrated the waterproof
furniture system mainly for outdoor use. It comprising two pieces
of furniture, characterized in that each of said pieces of
furniture comprises a shell whose shape is essentially convex and
can be paired with another piece of furniture of the same type
placed upside down to form a waterproof structure.
[0018] None of these apparatuses, however, are adapted to enclose
articles as they are completely exposed in typhoon, hurricane or
flooding waters. The vehicle flood protection systems described
above are complicated and time consuming to operate. Some
apparatuses are even designed to install with many people.
Furthermore, the female and male zip lock elements, pull string and
waterproof zipper seal method can be not completely create a water
tight seal in the affliction of the fierce wind, wave of floodwater
or submerged in flooding waters.
[0019] Therefore, it is necessary to establish a flood protection
apparatus which can really create a completely water tight seal,
and also very simple and easy to operate for woman driver or single
user while in the typhoon, hurricane and flood.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0020] The present invention relates to a device for the protection
of motor vehicle, furniture and electronic goods during the flood.
Its purpose is to provide an effect and easy way to protect the
motor vehicle, furniture and electronic goods from submergence
damage in flooding waters. The flood protection system is
economical as well as simple, and can be reusable.
[0021] Concurrently, the present invention also provides a means to
establish an efficient and effective seal device to protect
articles against flooding based on our device.
[0022] To attain this, the present invention comprises a flood
protection system comprising an upper impervious flexible bag and a
lower impervious flexible bag having some suckers inside and
sidewalls integral thereto. Each of the sidewall has a peripheral
edge with a smooth margin formed thereon. The portable mini-type
electric heat sealer is applied to seal completely the smooth
margins of the upper and the lower bags. Many suckers are linked
within the each bag for stabilizing the sealing and supporting the
weight of bags. With the sucker devices, the flood protection bags
can be easily and quickly installed for a woman driver or single
user. In addition, the sucker devices are beneficial to the bag
free from the affliction of the fierce wind and wave of floodwater.
The articles contained therein can be protected from floodwater
damage.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0023] The invention will be better understood and objects other
than those set forth above will become more apparent when
considered with the following specification and accompanying
drawings wherein:
[0024] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an example of the flood
protection apparatus of the present invention.
[0025] FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing the attachment device and
the smooth margins of the upper and lower bags.
[0026] FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing the portable sealer
machine to seal the bags.
[0027] FIG. 4 is a side elevation view of the vehicle that be
enclosed by the flood protection apparatus of the present
invention.
[0028] FIG. 5 is a side elevation view of the refrigerator that be
enclosed by the flood protection apparatus of the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0029] Please review FIGS. 1,2 and 3. They consist of an exterior
perspective view as well as a sectional view of our flood
protection device. The present invention consists of an upper bag
(10), a lower bag (20), a plurality of suckers (50) and a portable
handy sealer (60). A lower bag (20) has a horizontal base and a
continuous sidewall extending vertically from the base, each of the
sidewalls having an upper peripheral edge with a smooth margin (40)
formed on four of the sidewalls of the lower bag which will connect
with the smooth margin (30) located at a corresponding position on
the lower peripheral edge of upper bag (10). There are some suckers
(50) located at inside of the bags and around the junction of the
two bags for attaching the bags onto the smooth surfaces of the
vehicle to be enclosed in the bags (see FIG. 4). When the vehicle
is moved in the lower bag, pull up the suckers to an optimal height
and adhere onto the smooth surfaces of the vehicle one by one. And
then, cover the top of vehicle with the upper bag and pull down the
suckers to an optimal height and also adhere onto the smooth
surfaces of vehicle. Finally, a mini-type handy heat sealer (60) is
applied to seal the both smooth margins of the upper and the lower
bags completely along by the peripheral edge (see FIG. 3). The
mini-type handy heat sealer can be connected to a set of batteries
to provide DC or can be connected to a source of AC exterior of the
sealer by means of an adapter. Therefore, it is very easy and
simple to operate in the inside or outside house. The sizes of
these bags are corresponding to the sizes of the articles that we
wish to enclose (see FIG. 5). After using, one can use a knife to
separate the upper and lower bags along by the original junction,
and put them away for next use again.
[0030] One can understand from above that our invention has the
advantages of being easy and simple to operate, effect way to
create a completely water tight seal, making it a practice solution
to the flooding problem and a valuable invention for commercial
use.
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