U.S. patent application number 16/533198 was filed with the patent office on 2020-01-02 for lightweight, weather-resistant, barriers, methods and structures using the same.
This patent application is currently assigned to RHINO BUILDING PRODUCTS. The applicant listed for this patent is RHINO BUILDING PRODUCTS. Invention is credited to Daniel L. Culwell, Elton D Cutwell, Scott W. Eichhorn, Evan Layne Long.
Application Number | 20200001583 16/533198 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 59360793 |
Filed Date | 2020-01-02 |
View All Diagrams
United States Patent
Application |
20200001583 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Eichhorn; Scott W. ; et
al. |
January 2, 2020 |
LIGHTWEIGHT, WEATHER-RESISTANT, BARRIERS, METHODS AND STRUCTURES
USING THE SAME
Abstract
Insulated building products, methods and structure using those
products are disclosed. The embodiments described include building
materials having a core of encapsulated polystyrene (EPS) which is
completely coated with a polymer. The polymer coating provides
protection and structural integrity to the foam such that virtually
indestructible structures can made of EPS foam that can form
barriers for use in crowd control, cordoning off areas, creating
corrals for lines at events, etc. Moreover, additional embodiments
are provided in which additional structural integrity is provided
by affixing one or more rigid materials to the EPS foam prior to
coating. The results, as disclosed, are light-weight, portable
building structures that can be made into lightweight, easily
deployable and easily storable barriers.
Inventors: |
Eichhorn; Scott W.; (Rose
Bud, AR) ; Cutwell; Elton D; (Rose Bud, AR) ;
Culwell; Daniel L.; (Rose Bud, AR) ; Long; Evan
Layne; (Little Rock, AR) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
RHINO BUILDING PRODUCTS |
Rose Bud |
AR |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
RHINO BUILDING PRODUCTS
Rose Bud
AR
|
Family ID: |
59360793 |
Appl. No.: |
16/533198 |
Filed: |
August 6, 2019 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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15413399 |
Jan 23, 2017 |
10414137 |
|
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16533198 |
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62286002 |
Jan 22, 2016 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B32B 2255/26 20130101;
B32B 2250/22 20130101; B32B 21/14 20130101; A01K 1/033 20130101;
B32B 2255/102 20130101; B32B 2307/304 20130101; B32B 2419/06
20130101; B32B 2250/40 20130101; B32B 2250/02 20130101; B32B
2250/03 20130101; B32B 3/10 20130101; E04C 2/243 20130101; E04C
2/246 20130101; B32B 2255/08 20130101; B32B 27/08 20130101; B32B
2255/10 20130101; B32B 2607/00 20130101; A01M 31/02 20130101; B62B
15/007 20130101; E04B 1/34321 20130101; B32B 5/18 20130101; B32B
2266/0228 20130101; B32B 2307/712 20130101; B32B 2307/718 20130101;
B32B 3/08 20130101; E04H 15/001 20130101; B32B 21/047 20130101;
B32B 2266/08 20130101; B32B 27/065 20130101; B32B 27/302 20130101;
B32B 7/12 20130101; B32B 5/32 20130101 |
International
Class: |
B32B 27/30 20060101
B32B027/30; B32B 27/08 20060101 B32B027/08; B32B 7/12 20060101
B32B007/12; B32B 21/04 20060101 B32B021/04; B32B 21/14 20060101
B32B021/14; B32B 27/06 20060101 B32B027/06; B32B 3/08 20060101
B32B003/08; B32B 3/10 20060101 B32B003/10; E04C 2/24 20060101
E04C002/24; E04B 1/343 20060101 E04B001/343; E04H 15/00 20060101
E04H015/00; B62B 15/00 20060101 B62B015/00; A01M 31/02 20060101
A01M031/02; A01K 1/03 20060101 A01K001/03; B32B 5/18 20060101
B32B005/18; B32B 5/32 20060101 B32B005/32 |
Claims
1. A lightweight barrier comprising: a core of at least one piece
of expanded polystyrene foam, the core comprising: first and second
vertical support portions having space therebetween; and an upper
barricade portion from which the first and second portions extend;
and a polymer coating that encapsulates the core.
2. The lightweight barrier of claim 1, wherein the first and second
vertical support portions are substantially parallel to each
other.
3. The lightweight barrier of claim 1, wherein: the first vertical
support portion is formed intrinsically with a first attachment
portion, and the first attachment portion is formed intrinsically
with the upper barricade portion; and the second vertical support
portion is formed intrinsically with a second attachment portion,
and the second attachment portion is formed intrinsically with the
upper barricade portion, the first and second attachment portions
being aligned on substantially the same, but opposing angle to each
other such that the space between the first and second attachment
portions narrows going from the vertical support portions to the
upper barricade portion.
4. The lightweight barrier of claim 3, wherein the region of the
upper barricade portion farthest from the vertical support portions
is contoured such that it is capable of fitting within the space
therebetween the first and second vertical portions of an
additional lightweight barrier.
5. The lightweight barrier of claim 4, wherein the lightweight
barrier and the additional lightweight barrier are substantially
identical to each other.
6. The lightweight barrier of claim 1, wherein the core is formed
from a unitary piece of expanded polystyrene foam.
7. The lightweight barrier of claim 1, wherein is formed from first
and second substantially identical pieces of expanded polystyrene
foam, each identical piece of expended polystyrene foam comprising
a vertical support portion, and attachment portion, and an upper
barricade portion, the first and second substantially identical
pieces being arranged such that the upper barrier portions can be
affixed to each other in a manner to create the space therebetween
the first and second vertical support portions.
8. The lightweight barrier of claim 7, wherein the first and second
substantially identical pieces are affixed to each other using a
permanent adhesive prior to the core being encapsulated with the
polymer coating.
9. The lightweight barrier of claim 8, wherein at least a portion
of the barricade portion is coated with reflective material.
10. The lightweight barrier of claim 9, wherein the reflective
material comprises a plurality of stripes that are affixed to the
upper barricade portion.
11. The lightweight barrier of claim 10, wherein the plurality of
stripes alternate between a first color and a second color.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED-APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Patent No.
______, which was filed as U.S. patent application Ser. No.
15/413,399, filed on Jan. 23, 2017, which claimed the benefit of
U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/286,002, filed on Jan.
22, 2016, the disclosures of which are all incorporated herein by
reference in their entirety.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This disclosure generally relates to lightweight, insulated,
weather-resistant, building materials, including methods of
manufacturing those materials, and building structures formed using
such materials.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Traditional building materials are designed for building
permanent, fixed structures, such as brick and mortar buildings in
which insulation may be placed between two-by-fours, bricks are
used to cover the exterior of the two-by-fours, and drywall is used
to cover the interior surface. In that manner, the bricks act to
protect the interior from the elements, which the insulation is
utilized to help maintain the temperature of the interior.
[0004] In other instances, where portable building structures may
be needed, such as for outdoor activities including hunting and
fishing, structures used to protect individuals from the elements
are often lacking in capability to do just that. For example,
sometime hunters use blinds that are simply tents that have been
designed or modified for hunting. In other instances, where a blind
may be built of wood or fabric and raised off the surface of the
ground on a metal support structure, the wood/fabric may improve
the wind-breaking capability, but does little in the way of
insulating the interior from changing temperatures. In addition,
such structures are difficult to install and/or move due, at least
in part, to the overall weight and size of the structure. Moreover,
such structures can be damaged by wildlife, such as rodents chewing
open holes in the structure, which can lead to rotting and worse.
And structures made of such conventional materials can be difficult
to clean and/or maintain, such as the negative effects of dirt,
moisture, oils, other adverse substances, etc., may get absorbed
within the structural material itself. This may require complete
replacement of the structures when maintenance fails over time.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] Accordingly, it is an objective of the present disclosure to
provide improved building materials that are lightweight,
structurally sound, insulating, and/or weather resistant.
[0006] It is also an object of the present disclosure to provide
lightweight, stable structures that are resistant to the elements,
can be heated or cooled to comfortable temperatures with relatively
little external heat or cooling.
[0007] In one exemplary embodiment, building materials are formed
into a structure using a core of expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam
(Styrofoam) that is completely coated with a polymer material such
as polyurethane. The polyurethane coating can be formed by
simultaneously applying a material such as an isocyanate with an
alcohol-based material, such as a resin. This application results
in a polymer film that is impervious to weather and which increases
the structural capacity of the EPS foam. In some embodiments,
anchoring material can be affixed to various locations on the
Styrofoam prior to coating. The anchoring material can then be used
to attach additional structural elements to the building structure,
such as a door and/or windows.
[0008] In another exemplary embodiment, building structures can be
completely assembled from EPS foam to form the core of the
structure. The complete structure can then be coated with a polymer
coating that completely seals the EPS foam, such that none of the
EPS foam is otherwise accessible without destroying at least a
portion of the polymer coating. The resultant combined structure
will be significantly stronger than the initial EPS structure, and
the combined structure can provide insulation with respect to the
cold or heat at varying levels depending on the number of openings
in the design. In addition, the completely coated structure will be
both weather resistant and easy to maintain and clean at least
because the coated polymer material can be water-resistant and/or
waterproof.
[0009] In some exemplary embodiments, building structures can be
completely assembled from EPS foam and additional materials can be
selectively applied prior to the application of the polymer coating
to provide further structural stability and resistance to damage
while enabling other structures to be attached to the building
structure and/or to provide additional stability to the building
structure. For example, a deer stand can be completely formed from
EPS foam. Then, prior to the application of polymer coating, a
rigid material such as plywood or a laminate such as Formica or
similar material can be applied to a portion of the structure, such
as the interior floor surface. Once the rigid material(s) have been
put in place and secured as necessary with, for example, an
adhesive, the polymer coating can be applied to cover the EPS foam
and the rigid material.
[0010] The rigid material can further reduce the potential of
damage to the structure, such as, for example, damage that might
otherwise be caused by chairs sliding across the floor of the
structure beyond the protection provided by the polymer material
alone. In such circumstances, it may be preferable for the rigid
material to be a plastic-based material to reduce the likelihood
that any moisture could be retained prior to polymer coating which
may have the potential to cause the building structure and rigid
material to separate. Moreover, the rigid floor structure could
also be used to provide a structurally sound material to attach the
deer stand to a supporting structure, such as a metal stand used to
elevate the deer stand. In some of these embodiments, it may be
preferred to utilize rigid material to the roof in addition to or
instead of the floor, to prevent falling objects from puncturing or
damaging the roof. In other embodiments, the polymer coating can be
applied in a sufficiently thick layer that the underlying EPS foam
is adequately protected from incidental damage. In those cases, the
thickness of the polymer coating on a given building structure can
vary depending on which part of the building structure it is being
applied to so that the appropriate level of rigidity and structural
integrity is maintained. For example, the floor surface may have a
polymer coating thickness of 40-60 mils while the walls and
exterior surfaces may only need a thickness of 30-50 mils.
[0011] In several different embodiments, the EPS foam can be formed
into a variety of different building structures prior to the
encapsulation coating being applied. For example, the EPS foam can
be formed into building structures such as a deer stand, a duck
blind, an ice fishing shack, animal houses such as a dog house or a
cat house, etc. In these embodiments, the EPS foam can be formed
into the appropriate building structures using multiple different
pieces of EPS foam that affixed to each other using adhesive, to
form a complete structure prior to the application of coating.
[0012] In other different embodiments, the EPS foam can be formed
into structures that can have a variety of applications that can
benefit from the improved structural integrity, light weight,
weather resistance, and/or insulating capabilities. For example,
such structures can include a layout boat for duck hunting that
protects the hunter from the water while providing a location on
the boat for a hunting dog; drum racks to hold one or more oil
drums; portable steps that can be used for entry to mobile homes;
RVs and campers, hazardous containment pads that can be used, for
example, for repairing vehicles such as cars, trains or trucks
which contain potentially hazardous or damaging liquid materials,
such as oils, gasoline and such; berm boarders that can be utilized
to maintain containment areas that function in a manner similar to
containment pads, but can be significantly larger--berm boarders
can be placed around the perimeter of the containment area and
covered with a single sheet of protective material which can be
secured to the berm boarders by inserting one or more rods in a
channel in the berm that secures the protective sheet to the berm;
security barricades that can function in the same manner as
traditional police saw horses, but that can be lighter, easier to
transport and employ, are weather resistant, and can be easily
cleaned and maintained; oil drum containment/securing lids that can
be used to secure individual oil drums to a pallet or transport
truck even though the oil drums have round/circular surfaces; dog
blinds that can be used to provide cover to the hunting dog during
duck hunting while also providing the dog with protection from the
elements; rescue sleds that can be used to help transport injured
or incapacitated individuals such as skiers, etc., as the
polymer-coated sled can be easily transported over snow or ice
while also being completely buoyant for use in rescues on water;
tables for use in the water, such as on a lake or in a swimming
pool, etc.
[0013] In additional embodiments, the insulating advantages of the
structures described above, including the EPS foam and the
encapsulating polymer material, can be utilized to provide heating
and cooling that is essentially magnified beyond that which would
ordinarily be expected from a given heat or cooling source. For
example, at least some of the exemplary deer blinds described above
can be modified to provide a substantial increase in temperature
within the deer blind from a heat source as small as a can of
Sterno (the traditional heat source utilized with chaffing dishes).
In such embodiments, a bench surface within the deer blind (or, for
example, the ice shack embodiment), can be provided with one or
more heat transfer conduits that are essentially holes within the
bench that enable the heat from the heat source to be transmitted
directly to the individual rather than being transmitted indirectly
to warm the entire interior of the deer stand.
[0014] In other additional embodiments, substantial cooling may be
provided from a cooling source such as a bag of ice that can be
utilized to significantly reduce temperature within a deer stand.
In this case, a separate "air conditioning" unit formed from the
same EPS core and encapsulating polymer coating, where the unit is
provided with an air input port and an air outlet port. The air
outlet port can be provided with an electrically driven fan to pull
air through the unit. Within the interior of the unit, ledge
portions are provided that can be used to secure a V-shaped piece
of thermally conductive material, such as metal. The V-shaped
material should be configured such that the lower portion of the V
extends close to, but does not touch the bottom interior surface,
such as being located within approximately 1-2 inches of the bottom
surface. A small portion of ice can be placed in the bottom section
prior to the V-shaped material being put in place (is may be
advantageous for the bottom of the V to be close to, but not touch
the ice in the bottom section). After placing the V-shaped material
in place, the inside of the V can be filled with ice that will act
to further cool the thermally conductive material. Once the lid is
closed and the fan is turned on, air will be pulled across the
exterior surfaces of the V-shaped material that will substantially
cool that air. The larger the V, the more cooling transfer that
will occur, as the air is placed in contact with the thermally
conductive material for an extended period of time.
[0015] In still other exemplary alternate embodiments of the
previously described structures, the EPS foam can be treated to
remove sharp edges to further reduce the possibility of damage
occurring. For example, one or more edges of the structure could be
formed from EPS foam that has been sanded or to which a router has
been applied to round off the edges to reduce the likelihood of
something catching a sharp edge and damaging either the polymer
coating or the underlying EPS foam structure.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] The above and other features of the present invention, its
nature and various advantages will be more apparent upon
consideration of the following detailed description, taken in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
[0017] FIG. 1 is sectional elevation view of an exemplary
embodiment of the present disclosure that illustrates basic
lightweight, insulating, weather-resistant, building materials of
at least some of the various embodiments disclosed herein;
[0018] FIG. 2A is three-dimensional illustrative schematic of a
lightweight, insulated, weather-resistant hunting deer blind
constructed in accordance with at least some of the embodiments
disclosed herein;
[0019] FIGS. 2B-2D are illustrated elevation views showing,
respectively, front, side, and back views of the hunting deer blind
of FIG. 2A constructed in accordance with at least some of the
embodiments disclosed herein;
[0020] FIG. 2E is an illustrated elevation view showing an
alternate embodiment of a side wall of the hunting deer blind of
FIG. 2A that includes additional structure that can be affixed to
the EPS foam core materials to provide anchoring points for
additional hardware, such as doors and/or windows in accordance
with at least some of the various embodiments disclosed herein;
[0021] FIGS. 3A-3C are illustrated elevation views showing,
respectively, top, side, and bottom views of a lightweight,
weather-resistant, duck hunting sled constructed in accordance with
at least some of the embodiments disclosed herein;
[0022] FIG. 4A is three-dimensional illustrative schematic of a
lightweight, insulated, weather-resistant duck hunting blind
constructed in accordance with at least some of the embodiments
disclosed herein;
[0023] FIGS. 4B-4C are illustrated elevation views showing,
respectively, side and front views of the duck hunting blind of
FIG. 4A constructed in accordance with at least some of the
embodiments disclosed herein;
[0024] FIG. 5A is three-dimensional illustrative schematic of a
lightweight, insulated, weather-resistant ice fishing shanty
constructed in accordance with at least some of the embodiments
disclosed herein;
[0025] FIG. 5B is an illustrated elevation view showing a front
view of the ice fishing shanty of FIG. 5A constructed in accordance
with at least some of the embodiments disclosed herein;
[0026] FIGS. 6A-6O are various different illustrative
three-dimensional prospective views and elevation views from
different perspectives showing, respectively, side and front views
of lightweight, weather-resistant, insulated beehives that have
reduced maintenance requirements constructed in accordance with at
least some of the embodiments disclosed herein;
[0027] FIG. 6P is three-dimensional illustrative schematic of a
lightweight, weather-resistant, insulated, beehive that has been
constructed in accordance with at least some of the embodiments
disclosed herein;
[0028] FIG. 7A is three-dimensional illustrative schematic of a
lightweight, insulated, weather-resistant individual duck hunting
layout boat that includes a separate station for a hunting dog
constructed in accordance with at least some of the embodiments
disclosed herein;
[0029] FIGS. 7B-7d are illustrated elevation views showing,
respectively, end, bottom and side views of the duck hunting layout
boat of FIG. 7A constructed in accordance with at least some of the
embodiments disclosed herein;
[0030] FIG. 8A is three-dimensional illustrative schematic of a
lightweight, insulated, weather-resistant individual duck hunting
dog blind that provides a hunting dog with cover from ducks flying
overhead, while also providing the dog with an insulated surface to
rest upon within a housing constructed in accordance with at least
some of the embodiments disclosed herein;
[0031] FIG. 8B is an illustrated elevation view showing a side view
of the duck hunting dog blind of FIG. 8A constructed in accordance
with at least some of the embodiments disclosed herein;
[0032] FIG. 9A is three-dimensional illustrative schematic of a
lightweight, weather-resistant drum containment and securing device
that enables a large round drum to be safely secured to a pallet or
transportation vehicle that is constructed in accordance with at
least some of the embodiments disclosed herein;
[0033] FIGS. 9B-9D are illustrated elevation views showing,
respectively, bottom, top, and side views of the drum containment
and securing device of FIG. 9A constructed in accordance with at
least some of the embodiments disclosed herein;
[0034] FIG. 10A is three-dimensional illustrative schematic of a
lightweight, weather-resistant, portable staircase that can be used
with, for example, mobile homes, RVs, portable camping units, etc.,
that is constructed in accordance with at least some of the
embodiments disclosed herein;
[0035] FIGS. 10B-10C are illustrated elevation views showing,
respectively, side and front views of the portable staircase of
FIG. 10A constructed in accordance with at least some of the
embodiments disclosed herein;
[0036] FIG. 11A is three-dimensional illustrative schematic of a
lightweight, weather-resistant, berm boarder device that can be
used to create large areas protected from potentially hazardous
materials, that is constructed in accordance with at least some of
the embodiments disclosed herein;
[0037] FIGS. 11B-11C are illustrated elevation views showing,
respectively, side and front views of the berm boarder device of
FIG. 11A constructed in accordance with at least some of the
embodiments disclosed herein;
[0038] FIGS. 12A and 12B are illustrated elevation views showing,
respectively, side and front views of a lightweight, portable,
weather-resistant, low maintenance, crowd barricade constructed in
accordance with at least some of the embodiments disclosed
herein;
[0039] FIG. 13A is three-dimensional illustrative schematic of a
lightweight, weather-resistant, durable, low maintenance, emergency
sled that can be used to transport injured or disabled persons
across ice, snow, or other surfaces, that is constructed in
accordance with at least some of the embodiments disclosed
herein;
[0040] FIGS. 13B-13C are illustrated elevation views showing,
respectively, top and side views of the emergency sled of FIG.13A
constructed in accordance with at least some of the embodiments
disclosed herein;
[0041] FIG. 14 is three-dimensional illustrative schematic of a
lightweight, weather-resistant, durable, low maintenance,
containment pad that can be used to protect the ground and
underlying surface while performing maintenance on vehicles that
may contain potentially hazardous materials, such as trains,
trucks, and cars, that is constructed in accordance with at least
some of the embodiments disclosed herein;
[0042] FIGS. 15A-15B are illustrated elevation views showing,
respectively, top and side views of lightweight, weather-resistant,
low maintenance, modular building materials constructed in
accordance with at least some the embodiments disclosed herein;
[0043] FIG. 16 is an illustrated elevation view showing a side view
of a lightweight, weather-resistant, insulated, low maintenance,
air conditioner constructed in accordance with at least some of the
embodiments disclosed herein; and
[0044] FIG. 17A is three-dimensional illustrative schematic of a
lightweight, weather-resistant, durable, low maintenance, floating
picnic table that can be used in swimming pools, lakes, ponds, or
other bodies of water to provide individuals in the water with a
stable surface, that is constructed in accordance with at least
some of the embodiments disclosed herein;
[0045] FIGS. 17B-17C are illustrated elevation views showing,
respectively, side and top views of the floating picnic table of
FIG. 17A constructed in accordance with at least some of the
embodiments disclosed herein;
[0046] FIG. 18A is three-dimensional illustrative schematic of a
lightweight, weather-resistant, durable, holder for automatic
mechanical fishing reels, such that they can be used free-floating
in water, that is constructed in accordance with at least some of
the embodiments disclosed herein;
[0047] FIG. 18B is an illustrated elevation view showing a top view
of the holder for automatic mechanical fishing reels of FIG. 18A
constructed in accordance with at least some of the embodiments
disclosed herein;
[0048] FIG. 19A is three-dimensional illustrative schematic of a
lightweight, weather-resistant, durable, holder for fishing tip up
devices that can be utilized for ice fishing and for fishing in
free-floating water, that is constructed in accordance with at
least some of the embodiments disclosed herein; and
[0049] FIGS. 19B-19C are illustrated elevation views showing,
respectively, top and side views of the holder for fishing tip up
devices of FIG. 19A constructed in accordance with at least some of
the embodiments disclosed herein.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0050] The present embodiments disclosed herein relate to improved
building materials and building structures made with those
materials. In particular, the present embodiments shown in the
figures and discussed below are directed to apparatus and methods
for manufacturing structures that have one or more advantageous
features, such as being lightweight, weather-resistant, temperature
insulating, acoustic absorbing, and/or require low maintenance
(which may include, for example, being easy to clean).
[0051] The building materials and structures built with those
materials generally include a core of expanded polystyrene (EPS),
which was produced by taking polystyrene beads and expanding them
with heat and pressure to form traditional white blocks of foam.
EPS foam provides a rigid structure having minimal water absorption
and low vapor permanence due to its "closed-cell" nature. The
closed-cell nature of EPS foam also enables the foam to withstand
load and back-fill forces applied to the foam. EPS foam can also
provide additional benefits acting as a temperature insulator, as
well as an acoustic insulator by absorbing sound created within the
completed structures. This may be compared to open-cell foams such
as polyurethane foam, which is quite porous in nature and thus
absorbs liquid water and water vapor, while maintaining a soft,
spongy consistency (which is not compatible with building
materials). It may be advantageous in building structure
applications to utilize EPS foam having a density of 2 pounds per
cubic foot or 3 pounds per cubic foot. The more dense the foam, the
more rigid the structure (such that it may be appropriate to use
higher density foam in specific circumstances where additional
structural integrity in needed.
[0052] One potential disadvantage of EPS foam as a building
material, however, is the generally fragile nature of the foam. For
example, rubbing again the surface of bare EPS foam blocks will
likely result in some of the expanded beads being pulled from the
blocks, thereby reducing the long-term usefulness of the EPS foam.
Anyone who has received a package or unpacked a piece of
electronics that was protected by EPS foam will likely remember
shaking their hands to try to remove the individual EPS polystyrene
beads that have become dislodged during unpacking and that now
stick to clothes or the skin due to static electricity. An
additional disadvantage of EPS foam is that, in general, it cannot
be painted because the paint will react with the foam and likely
dissolve the foam.
[0053] The embodiments shown and described herein have turned these
potential disadvantages on their head by providing a protective
coating to the EPS foam such that all of the benefits of EPS can be
utilized without concern for the disadvantages. In particular, one
or more pieces of EPS foam are used to produce a substantially
complete final structure. Once the building structure is complete,
an encapsulating coating of polymer material is applied to the
entire surface of the EPS material. The polymer material forms a
substantially impervious protective covering that provides a
combined structure having greater structural integrity than either
of the individual materials. In addition, the polymer coating
assists the EPS foam in resisting deformation due to pressure and
compression in normal use.
[0054] The polymer coating can be formed from polyurethane, pure
polyurea, or a hybrid coating of polyurethane and polyurea.
Polyurethane coatings can be extremely rigid, must be top coated
every 4-7 years, can be more dangerous to apply due to the strong
odor while curing, and can be somewhat difficult to manage due to
the longer time required for drying and curing (which can be as
much as four (4) days). In addition, polyurethane coatings can fade
over time from exposure to sunshine, and polyurethane coatings can
result in problems due to moisture making its way into and/or
through the coatings.
[0055] Polyurea coatings, on the other hand, are more flexible when
cured while still providing improved structural integrity, can be
completely UV protected so they will never fade, can be used to
completely seal the material being coated which prevents bacteria
growth in cavities and makes cleaning extremely easy. Polyurea
coatings that are completely UV protected are referred to as
aliphatic coatings, however, this class of polyurea coatings are
very expensive. Aormatic polyurea coatings, on the other hand, are
less than half the cost of aliphatic coatings, and can be easily
painted. It should be noted, however, that it may be preferable to
utilize water-based paints versus oil-based paints because if the
oil based paint manages to find a pinhole in the polyurea coating,
the paint can get under the coating and begin dissolving the EPS
foam. Accordingly, in many embodiments, it has been found to be
particularly advantageous to utilize closed-cell EPS foam as a core
material and to utilize pure polyurea coatings and an encapsulating
material. The principles of the present embodiments may,
nonetheless be accomplished, by utilizing other closed-cell foams
(such as polyurethane foam in injection molded applications), and
polyurethane and/or polyurethane/polyurea hybrid coats by
attempting to address the deficiencies of such combinations.
[0056] Some of the embodiments of structures shown in the figures
and described here can be formed from a core of EPS foam which can
be, for example, assembled from individual pieces of EPS foam glued
together (such as via a hot glue gun), or it can be formed from one
or more blocks of EPS foam that are milled, sanded or otherwise
processed. In other embodiments, multiple individual pieces of EPS
foam may be assembled together, and that assembly may then be
milled, sanded or otherwise processed to produce the final uncoated
EPS foam structure.
[0057] Some of the embodiments, such as the deer stands, duck
blinds, and ice shanties, for example, can be formed from EPS foam
and a polymer coating. Other assemblies can be formed from EPS foam
and a sheet of reinforcing material can be applied to the interior
flooring using an adhesive prior to the application of the
encapsulating polymer coating. In other embodiments, a reinforcing
material may be applied to the exterior of the roof prior to
coating with the polymer material to prevent accidental injuries
from occurring should, for example, a large branch fall from a tree
on to the roof.
[0058] In some of the assembled structures, a door and one or more
windows can be provided in order to further isolate the interior
from the weather. In these embodiments, one or more pieces of
reinforcing material, such as hardened plastic, can be adhered to
EPS foam prior to the application of encapsulating coating. Hinges
for the door and/or windows can be mounted to the reinforcing
material without damaging the underlying EPS core. In such
instances, it may also be preferable to utilize a sealant prior to
the application of screws such that the screw holes remain sealed
from exterior elements such as moisture. Similarly, reinforcing
material can be mounted about or near cutouts for windows that
provide a structurally sound material to mount interior-mounted
windows or other apparatus to open and close such windows. For
example, in some embodiments, a piece of reinforcing material may
be glued to the EPS foam above and below the opening for the window
prior to application of encapsulating polymer coating. After
coating, a track may be secured to reinforcing material such that a
piece of Plexiglas may be used to form the window, which can be
slide open and shut in the track.
[0059] In some of the completely assembled structures, such as the
deer stands and duck blinds, additional features maybe provided,
such as one or more racks to mount rifles, bows, or other hunting
devices, or racks to hold ducks that were obtained during the hunt.
In such circumstances, additional pieces of rigid material can be
applied to the EPS foam prior to the application of encapsulating
polymer coating to provide a firm and stable base to which to mount
the racks, etc., after the coating process is complete. Moreover, a
sealant can similarly be used during the process of screwing in any
mounts to that the EPS foam remains sealed from the environment
(including paint).
[0060] In some of the embodiments disclosed herein, it may be
advantageous to utilize different thicknesses of polymer
encapsulating material to different parts of the assembling,
depending on how much structural integrity is needed. For example,
in order to efficiently apply the polymer coating (which is
expensive), it may be advantageous to apply an encapsulating
polymer coating of only roughly 25 mils to the interior surfaces,
roughly 40 mils to the exterior surfaces, and roughly 60 mils to
the floor and/or roof to provide additional strength, durability
and protection.
[0061] It may also be advantageous to utilize EPS foam of different
compression within a single assembly depending on the application.
For example, it may be advantageous to utilize two pound EPS foam
in manufacturing most of the portions of a deer stand because the
structure needs to support one or more human beings, who might
weight an average of 200 hundred pounds each or more. On the other
hand, if the EPS foam was formed into a doghouse, it may only be
necessary to utilize only one pound EPS foam to provide the same
structural integrity for the dog using the doghouse.
[0062] Houses for animals are disclosed herein that can be formed
using the building materials and principles described and shown. In
these instances, the animal houses can be designed to support the
animal standing or lying on the roof. In such instances, the
coating of encapsulating polymer on the roof should be of a greater
thickness to prevent the nails of the animal from damaging the
roof, such as by applying a coating of polymer at least 60 mils
thick (depending on the size on the animal). It may be advantageous
to form these animal house structures as two separate parts, the
body of the house and the roof (each of which is completely
encapsulated in polymer material), which can be designed to fit
together securely. In this manner, it would be easier to access the
interior of the structure, such as for cleaning (the encapsulated
polymer coating enables a user to clean the animal house by simply
spraying the interior with a hose without concern of damaging the
EPS foam core) or replacing bedding therein. The insulating
features of the combination of EPS foam and encapsulating polymer
coating provide an environment where the animal's natural body
temperature could heat the interior to a comfortable temperature
even in relatively harsh conditions.
[0063] It should be noted that while the animal houses shown and
described herein are for a single structure that houses a single
animal, it may be advantageous to provide a single structure that
provides each animal with a separate entry and a semi-private,
walled-off area. The roof can still be designed such that one or
more openings exist between the roof and interior walls between
each area so that body heat from one animal may be used to heat the
entire structure instead of just the area where the animal is
located.
[0064] Testing was accomplished to measure the difference in
structural integrity of the building materials once the
encapsulating polymer coating is applied to the EPS foam. For
example, in some test, an eighteen-inch piece of one and a half
pound uncoated EPS foam was placed on blocks of EPS foam spaced
roughly seventeen inches apart (such that less than one inch of
each end of the test piece was located on the block). An individual
weighing between 150 and 200 pounds carefully stepped on and stood
in the middle of the test piece, which promptly fractured and broke
in two (the test piece was between 9 and 10 inches off of the
ground).
[0065] In another test, a similar piece of EPS foam was coated with
approximately 20-25 mils of encapsulating polymer, and then placed
in a similar configuration on the EPS blocks between 9 and 10
inches off of the ground. In that instance, when the same
individual stepped on the test piece in the same manner, the test
piece of coated EPS foam exhibited slight downward flex of less
than a half inch and did not break.
[0066] Other tests have been performed with regard to the
insulating properties of the completely constructed and coated
units. In these tests, a deer stand was the test unit. The deer
stand was configured with approximately nine square feet of floor
space (i.e., a three by three configuration), with a roof that
slopes from approximately seven feet high by the door down to four
feet high in the rear. The deer stand was placed outside for
several days and thus was acclimated to the outside temperature
prior to any testing. In one set of tests, a single can of sterno
placed on the floor in the center of the stand was used to provide
heating. In another set of tests, a single candle was used to
provide heating. All of the tests were done after dark so that no
heating from the sun would affect the tests.
[0067] In the first series of tests, the inside and outside
temperatures were measured to be 35 degrees. A single can of sterno
was placed on the floor and ignited and the door was closed. After
a period of fifteen minutes, temperature measurements were made.
The outside temperature had fallen to 32 degrees, but the inside
temperature had risen to 62 degrees. After a period of another
fifteen minutes (i.e., thirty minutes after the test began), the
outside temperature remained at 32 degrees, but the inside
temperature had risen to 68 degrees. After a third period of
fifteen minutes had passed (a total of forty-five minutes), the
outside temperature was remained 32 degrees and the interior
temperature rose slightly to 70 degrees. At that time, the lid was
placed back on the sterno extinguishing the heat source and the
door to the deer stand was closed. After a period of an additional
ninety minutes, another temperature measurement was made of the
interior of the stand, which resulted in a reading of degrees, thus
illustrating the significant insulating properties of the building
structures disclosed herein.
[0068] In the second series of tests, the deer stand was again
acclimated outside for a period of at least two days. The ambient
measured air temperature at the start of the test was 29 degrees. A
standard three-inch candle with a wick was placed in the center of
the deer stand on the floor and lit, and the door was closed shut.
After a period of thirty minutes, temperature measurements were
made which showed the outside temperature to be 26 degrees and the
interior temperature to be 52 degrees. The door was closed and
another sixty minutes passed before the next measurements were
made. Those measurements showed a further drop in the outside to 22
degrees, while the inside temperature rose to 62 degrees, at which
time the candle was extinguished. After an additional sixty
minutes, measurements were made which showed the outside
temperature to have dropped to 20 degrees, while the inside
temperature dropped to 47 degrees. The door to the deer stand was
closed for another twelve hours before a final measurement was
taken. The final measurement, taken thirteen hours after the candle
was extinguished showed that the outside temperature was down to 15
degrees, while the inside temperature was still 38 degrees.
[0069] Other embodiments show different structures, such as a sled
that, while it can be used for a variety of purposes, may be
particularly useful for duck hunting. The sled can be formed from a
core of EPS foam to which various pieces of rigid material can be
affixed as described in more detail below. The sled can be
configured to have a front end fashioned similar to the bow of a
boat so that it moves easily through water. The leading edge of the
sled can have a piece of rigid material mounted to the EPS foam
such that an attachment may be affixed thereto that enables the
hunter to pull the sled through the water without damaging it (such
as a rope, or eye bolts to which a tow rope can be attached). The
rear end of the sled can be configured in a somewhat opposite
configuration, in that it can be designed to have a cutout that is
intended to permit the sled to fit snugly against a tree or similar
structure.
[0070] The rear end of the sled may also include one or more pieces
of rigid material to which mounts may be attached that can be used
to attach a cord, cable, chain, or similar device to hold the sled
in place against the tree while hunting. In addition, the rigid
pieces on the rear end of the sled may enable drain pipes to be
located there as well which can function to help remove water that
may flow over the sides of the sled while it is being pull though
the water. Once all of the desired rigid pieces have been affixed
to the EPS foam core, the entire structure can be encapsulated with
a polymer coating that renders the sled virtually indestructible.
The polymer coating may be applied, for example, on the order of
20-25 mils thick, which will provide protection to the EPS core,
while not being an excessive amount of polymer (the sled itself
does not need to be as structurally sound as the previously
described structures, since it is unlikely to support any
individuals). It may be preferred, however, to apply a coating of
polymer on the order of 40 or 60 mils thick in the event it is
intended to support an animal, such as a hunting dog (which likely
has nails that might otherwise penetrate the polymer coating which
jumping on or off the sled).
[0071] Another illustration of the advantages of the building
materials disclosed herein can be accomplished by using individual
pieces to assemble things such as a portable, children's table and
benches. In some of these embodiments, the table and chairs can be
formed from five separate pieces of EPS foam that are each fully
encapsulated with polymer material. The pieces can be formed with
interlocking regions or keys, to help them remain together when
built. For example, one piece can be the flat tabletop, while two
other pieces can be the flat bench surfaces. The remaining two
pieces can form the support legs for both the benches and the
tabletop. One advantage of this configuration is that children can
assemble and disassemble it at will. The support pieces can be
configured such that a small protrusion or peg can extend from the
top surface of the support leg where it meets the lower surface of
either the benches or the tabletop. The encapsulated EPS core
material would be highly resistant to damage, as well as being
highly resistant to the weather, and thus, could remain outside
year round.
[0072] Other advantages of the building materials disclosed herein
include the fact the polymer-encapsulated materials can be easily
painted in whatever scheme is desired. For example, a deer stand
could be painted in a forest camouflage theme for one season, and a
grassy camouflage theme in another season. As described above, it
may be preferable to utilized a water-based paint for such a task
to avoid the risk of an oil-based paint finding a pin-hole in the
polymer coating and eating away at the EPS foam core.
[0073] There are a variety of other applications of the building
materials disclosed herein. For example, the lightweight, but
excellent structural integrity of the materials make them an
excellent candidate to be used to build sets for theater and film.
Walls formed of an EPS core encapsulated with a polymer exterior
coating could be painted over and over for each new show, while the
EPS core results in lightweight materials that can easily be moved
around the stage and re-configured at will. By including a rigid
reinforcing material on at least portions of one side of the
materials, the building materials can support the hanging of
objects, such as picture frames and the like.
[0074] Other applications for the building materials disclosed
herein can include the ability to provide temporary shelter to the
homeless. Portable, temporary housing units can be quickly and
easily assembled that could be large enough to provide a place to
sleep protected from the elements, while the insulating properties
of the building materials disclosed herein may enable the units to
be moderately heated with small, battery-powered devices.
[0075] Additional embodiments disclosed herein include, for
example, an air conditioner utilizing the insulating properties of
the polymer-encapsulated, EPS core, building materials disclosed
herein. The same structure could be modified slightly to be used as
a cold temperature smoker that can be used to cure meats and fish.
The insulated chamber in which ice is placed in the air conditioner
can be modified to support the hanging of meats and fish. The air
input can be coupled to a smoke producing device such that the
smoked air is pulled across the meats or fish. The smoker device
can be configured to pump curing smoke into the chamber (instead of
the passive air input of the air conditioner), while the
temperature of the chamber remains relatively constant (a goal in
smoking such as this is to prevent the smoke from heating up the
inside of the smoker, in which case the meat/fish would get
cooked). The temperature could be further prevented from rising by
placing a small glass or bowl of ice inside the chamber, which
would provide a cooling effect similar to that provided by the
candle or sterno described above.
[0076] The smoker device may be formed, for example, from a can in
which burning chips, such as mesquite chips. Hoses can be connected
to the air input of the smoker. The output could be provided as an
input top the smoker chamber. The input can be connected to a small
pump that would force the smoked air to leave the can through the
output hose and into the smoker or the air conditioner fan can be
used to slowly pull the smoked air through the structure.
[0077] Some of the particular examples referred to above are
described in more detail below. Persons of ordinary skill in the
art will appreciate that many of the embodiments described herein
may be combined with each other to form yet other embodiments that
are not explicitly shown in the figures (such as the smoker
described above).
[0078] FIG. 1 shows a basic illustration of the principles
described herein regarding many, if not all, of the embodiments
described and shown herein. In FIG. 1, sectional elevation view of
a basic structure 100 is shown. In the cutaway view, interior core
102 formed of EPS foam is shown as being completely encapsulated by
a polymer coating 104. The polymer coating 104 can be applied, for
example, using a spray gun that receives as inputs, two different
materials that are delivered to the gun through heated hoses. The
two materials, for a pure polyurea coating, can be a resin and an
isocyanate. The gun delivers both materials out of a heated nozzle
that effectively mixes them together as they are sprayed out of the
gun. One of the advantages of the application of pure polyurea is
that the combined material begins drying almost at the same instant
as it leaves the application gun, such that it begins drying at the
same time it is applied. This helps prevent dripping and helps to
maintain consistent levels of application of the encapsulating
materials.
[0079] FIGS. 2A-2D show a deer stand 200 that is constructed in
accordance with the embodiments disclosed herein. Individual pieces
of EPS foam are glued together to form the core structure of deer
stand 200, which includes front 220, back 260, sides 240, roof 202
and a floor. Deer stand 200 can also include doorway opening 204
and one or more window openings 242 and 262. It may be preferable
for roof 202 to be designed such that it slopes downward from front
220 toward back 260 to reduce the possibility of animals or other
objects from accumulating thereon. FIG. 2C shows one embodiment in
which roof 202 can extend down below the height of the walls to
region 244 to provide a more secure fit between roof 202 and the
walls. FIG. 2B shows an example in which a door 222 is mounted to
doorway 204 so that deer stand 200 can be secured while it is not
occupied (or to prevent the elements from entering the deer stand
while it is occupied). Similarly, the opening in rear wall 260
shows a window 262 that can also be used to help secure deer stand
200 when it is not occupied and to keep the elements out while it
is occupied.
[0080] FIG. 2E shows one way in which other structures may be
mounted to the polymer-encapsulated EPS core via reinforcing
members 250. Reinforcing members 250 may be, for example, strips of
stiff, non-porous, plastic material that can ready accept and
secure screws driving through it. While FIG. 2E shows reinforcing
members 250 being used to provide a mounting surface for a window
on deer stand 200, this particular technique may be applied to any
other embodiment disclosed herein to provide a secure way to mount
other devices to the encapsulated EPS core without damaging the
core. Accordingly, these same techniques can be applied to secure a
door, a lock, a window, a gun rack, etc., to the encapsulated EPS
core. Moreover, as previously described, it may be advantageous to
provide a sealant as part of the process of applying screws to the
reinforcing material to seal the holes that the screws produce as
they are secured to the structure.
[0081] FIGS. 3A-3C show different views of a hunting dog sled 300
that can be constructed in accordance with the principles described
herein. Sled 300 includes a front structure 302, a rear structure
304 and a top surface 306 on which the hunting dog remains until a
fallen duck needs to be obtained. As can be seen from FIG. 3B,
front section 302 includes a raised surface 308 that can operate to
reduce the amount of water that crosses over surface 306 while the
sled is pulled through the water. FIG. 3B also shows that front
portion 302 includes additional material 310 that provides further
buoyancy that can cause front portion 302 to be raised slightly
higher that rear portion 304.
[0082] Rear portion 304 can be configured as shown to make it
easier to secure the sled to a tree once the hunting location has
been arrived at (note the indentation at the rear of the sled).
FIG. 3C show optional eyehooks 312 that can be mounted to rear
portion 304 which can be used with rope (not shown) to tie sled 300
to a tree. Alternately eyehooks 312 can be applied to front portion
302 to provide a way to secure a towing rope to sled 300. As shown
in FIG. 3B, it may be advantageous to provide that approximately
two thirds of sled 300 is formed of EPS foam core (in height from
the bottom surface to the top of raised surface 308. This helps to
maintain the sled in a securely buoyant manner even if a relatively
heavy hunting dog and some of the hunter's gear occupy the
sled.
[0083] FIGS. 4A-4C show another embodiment of the principles
disclosed herein in duck blind 400. Duck blind 400 includes a side
portion 402 that includes an entryway 414 for humans and can
include an optional entryway 416 for hunting dogs (which can,
optionally, go to an internal doghouse (not shown, but can be
substantially similar to the animal house described herein). Duck
blind 400 can also include a rear surface 404, a front surface 408,
another side surface 408 and a roof 410. Roof 410 can be secured in
place permanently, or roof 410 can optionally be mounted to hinges
418 or similar mounting means (which themselves can be mounted to
the encapsulated EPS core are previously described with respect to
FIG. 2E), such that roof portion 410 can be opened to provide more
access to the sky for hunting. Similarly, front portion 406 also
includes a ridge portion 412 that can be secured in place or can
optionally be designed using hinges 420 (see FIG. 4B) that enable
ridge portion 412 to be rotated outward and down to form a shelf.
Duck blind 400 may also be configured with an integral seating
bench (not shown) mounted to the interior surface of rear wall 404.
Similarly, duck blind 400 can also optionally include one or more
racks across front surface 406, each of which may include locations
to hold one or more rifles, as well as locations to hold ducks that
have been acquired during the hunt.
[0084] In both deer stand 200 and duck blind 400, persons skilled
in the art will appreciate that the structure described herein
provide hunters with a highly insulated environment in which to
wait for their prey to show up. As described above, actual thermal
tests showed that the advantageous configurations of encapsulated
EPS foam provided such a barrier to the elements, while retaining
internal heat, such as body heat from the hunters. In addition, in
any structure such as deer stand 200 and duck blind 400, if a
built-in bench surface is provided, it may be desired to provide
thermal conduits, such as conduits 512 that are shown in ice shanty
500 of FIG. 5, to direct heat or cooling directly to the hunter(s).
Persons of ordinary skill in the art will also appreciate the
capacity of the encapsulated EPS foam to absorb and mute sounds
that are generated by the hunted that might otherwise scare away
the prey.
[0085] FIGS. 5A and 5B show another embodiment of the principles
disclosed herein in ice shanty 500. Ice shanty 500 includes side
surfaces 502 and 504, roof surface 506, and floor surface 508
(which keeps the feet of the person off of the cold ice. Floor
surface 508 includes a cutout through which ice fishing can be
accomplished. Bench 510 can include one or thermal conduits 512
(FIG. 5A shows one conduit 512, while FIG. 5B shows three conduits
512). Conduits 512 enable a small can of heat, such as a can of
sterno, to provide heat directly to the person fishing.
[0086] Ice shanty 500 can also optionally include connection points
514 to which a curtain or the such can be connected to further
block the person fishing from the harsh elements. Ice shanty 500 is
intended to be configured for a single person, such that the
lightweight, durable design enables a person who is ice fishing to
place the rear surface of ice shanty 500 on the ice before loading
up shanty 500 with the fishing gear. Sled rails can also be coupled
to ice shanty 500 to make it even easier to pull shanty 500 along
the ice to the ice fishing location. Then shanty 500 can be emptied
of the fishing gear and, due to the lightweight nature of shanty
500, an individual can simply raise shanty 500 from its
transportation configuration to fishing configuration.
[0087] FIGS. 6A-6P show various components of a beehive 600
constructed in accordance with the principles described herein.
Beehive 600 is structured in a similar manner to conventional
commercial beehives that are typically trucked around from location
to location during pollination season. Those commercial beehives,
however, are typically made of wood that frequently wears out and
has to be replaced due, at least in part, to the fact that the wood
absorbs some of the waste and moisture from the bees. Persons of
ordinary skill in the art will also appreciate the wooden hives are
far less capable of maintaining the hives at a relatively constant
temperature in both cold and hot conditions. This can result in the
worker bees having to work excessively hard to maintain the hive's
temperature, thereby reducing the production of honey.
[0088] Beehive 600, on the other hand, is formed of individual
pieces of encapsulated EPS foam that can operate to maintain the
temperature of the hive at more uniform temperatures both during
hot conditions and during cold conditions. In addition, the
encapsulated EPS foam will not absorb the moisture, honey or waste
products from the bees, and can be easily cleaned when cleaning is
required (versus the wooden hives that are difficult to clean and
can suffer a loss in life every time they are soaked as the wood
absorbs more water and degrades slightly). Accordingly, bees
maintained in encapsulated EPS foam hives should be more productive
than bees in wooden hives, while the lifespan of the encapsulated
EPS hives are essentially endless.
[0089] Beehive 600 includes a bottom shelf 602 that provides a way
for bees enter and exit the hive via openings 604. A bottom tray
may be slid in to the hive via indentation 608. A center opening
606 at the bottom is also provided. An lower extension 610 forms
indentation 608, which completes the bottom layer of beehive
600.
[0090] The second and fourth layers are shown in FIGS. 6I-6L, which
can be described as the beehive shallow. In the shallow, plates of
honeycomb (not shown) are provided for the bees to build their
homes. Each of the shallows are designed for a different purpose.
The lower shallow is designed as a home for the queen bee, which is
not permitted to travel to the shallow where harvestable honey is
produced. The queen is prevented from crossing from one shallow to
the other via inner cover 620 that is shown in FIGS. 6F-6H.
[0091] Inner cover 620 includes an opening 622 that is large enough
for worker bees to travel through, but small enough to prevent the
queen been from traveling through. Accordingly, the queen is
prevented from traveling to the upper shallow where harvestable
honey is produced. Each of the shallows 630 can be identical to
include sides 632, 634, 636, and 638, each of which has openings
for the worker bees 640, 642, 644, and 646. In other embodiments,
the lower shallow can be larger in height than the upper shallow,
such as is shown in completely assembled beehive 600 in FIG. 6P.
The upper shallow is then covered by lid 650, which can be
configured to be slightly larger than the perimeter of the upper
shallow such that lid 650 can fit securely over each of the sides
of the upper shallow 630. Lid 650 includes an inner surface 652, a
securing ridge 654 and an outer surface 656.
[0092] FIGS. 7A-7D show various views of still another embodiment
of the principles described herein in layout boat 700, which is
intended to be a single person boat that a duck hunter can use to
lay on the water in anticipation of the hunt. The hunter can lay
down in section 702, which has room for one or more hunting guns.
Layout boat 700 also includes a region 704 that is separate and
distinct from the hunter region for the hunting dog. Region 704 is
configured such that any water that might be brought aboard the
boat by the dog is prevented from getting to the hunter's area to
help maintain the hunter in a dry condition. Boat 700 can also
include a region 706 to store materials, such as shotgun shells.
The front of boat 700 can be configured with angled surface 708 to
further insure that the hunter remains dry. The encapsulated EPS
foam material utilized in constructing boat 700 provides boat 700
with a high degree of buoyancy that enables the hunter to remain
dry even as the hunting dog jumps on and off region 704 during the
hunt.
[0093] FIGS. 8A and 8B show various views of yet another embodiment
of the principles disclosed herein in hunting dog blind 800, which
provides the hunting dog with a place to rest and stay warm or cool
off out of the eye of the ducks. Dog blind 800 includes side
surfaces 802 and 810, top surface 804, interior portion 806 where
the dog rests, and lower surface 808. Dog blind 800 is formed from
EPS foam and then encapsulated in polymer coating to form an
insulated, lightweight housing for the dog. As is apparent from
FIGS. 8A and 8B, the upper surface extends further out than the
lower surface to help keep the hunting dog out of eyesight of the
ducks.
[0094] FIGS. 9A-9D show a different unitary structure in drum
containment lid 900 that can be utilized to secure individual,
large, heavy oil drums to a pallet or vehicle for transportation.
Containment lid resolves a problem that currently exists in that
all surfaces of a conventional oil drum are round, such that
conventional binding straps will simply slide off the drums. Some
attempts to solve that problem have included binding multiple oil
drums together to form a bigger, more square unit that can be more
easily secured.
[0095] Containment lid 900 includes two very different surfaces
that enable individual oil drums to be safely secured. Interior
surface 902 is a substantially round surface that is configured to
be slightly larger that a conventional oil drum lid. Accordingly,
containment lid 900 can be placed on top of an oil drum and it will
be held in place by the rounded interior edge of surface 902. The
exterior surface, however, is configured as a square with valleys
904 that are adapted to accept conventional binding straps (not
shown) that can be used to secure the drum to a pallet or vehicle
for transportation. By forming containment lid of encapsulated EPS
material, containment lid 900 is able to have two completely
different shapes that accomplish both needs. In addition, the
containment lid should be able to withstand virtually material that
might leak from the drums with causing harm to containment lid
900.
[0096] FIGS. 10A-10C show another embodiment of the principles
disclosed herein in step assembly 1000, which, while shown as a
simple two step device, can be formed into any number of steps.
Step assembly 1000 includes side surface 1002, lower step surface
1004, upper step surface 1006 and front surface 1008. Step assembly
1000 can be formed from one or more pieces of EPS foam and
encapsulated in polymer coating to provide a lightweight, portable,
durable device that can be utilized to for safe ingress and egress
to mobile homes, RVs, campers and the like, all of which are
essentially non-fixed residences that typically cannot include
permanent steps for entry. Moreover, the encapsulated coating can
be easily cleaned with worrying about causing damage to the
steps.
[0097] FIGS. 11A-11C show still another embodiment of the
principles disclosed herein in berm boarder 1100 that can be used
to form a large containment pad. For example, a series of berm
boarders 1000 can be arranged in a wide circle large enough, for
example, for an eighteen-wheeler to drive into. A containment sheet
that is basically impervious to the materials being dealt with can
then be applied over the berm boarders. Individual securing
members, such as rods (not shown) can be pressed against the
containment sheet to cause the containment sheet to be pressed into
valley 1106 and secured therein. Additional cross valley 1108 can
be used to secure the berm boarders to each other. Surface 1102 and
1004 are configured such that a vehicle can drive over the berm
board without damaging it or the containment sheet.
[0098] FIGS. 12A and 12B show an embodiment of the principles
disclosed herein in lightweight, durable, barricade 1200. Barricade
1200 can be formed from one or more pieces of EPS that can be
encapsulated in polymer coating to form basically indestructible
barriers that are easy to transport, set up, and store. Barrier
1200 includes upper surface 1202, lower surface 1204 and end
surface 1206. Barrier 1200 can be formed in two pieces of
identically carved EPS foam that can be adhered to each other using
an adhesive such as a hot glue gun. The nature of the polyurea
encapsulating material is that it can be painted any color and
thus, can be painted bright reflective orange and white, for
example.
[0099] FIGS. 13A-13C show various views of another embodiment of
the principles disclosed herein in rescue sled 1300 that can be
formed of EPS foam and encapsulated in polymer coating. Sled 1300
will then be an extremely lightweight, virtually indestructible
device that can be used to transport the injured and ill across
virtually any surface including, ice, snow, water (because sled
1300 is naturally buoyant). Sled 1300 can include a lower surface
1302 that can glide along any surface, connection points 1304 that
can be used to tied the injured party to sled 1300, or to secure
ropes of other apparatus to assist in moving the sled.
[0100] FIG. 14 shows a three dimensional perspective view of a
railroad containment pad 1400 that is similar to the containment
pad described above with respect to berm boarders 1100, except that
containment pad is a single, self-sufficient unit that includes a
containment surface 1402 and a containment ridge 1404. The nature
of the polymer-encapsulated EPS foam is that it can be placed under
a portion of a train that might, for example, be leaking oil, while
that train is being repaired.
[0101] FIGS. 15A and 15B show views of individual building
components 1500 that each are individually polymer-encapsulated EPS
foam cores that can be utilized to assemble virtually anything that
requires substantial strength and durability. Each of components
1500 includes interlocking regions 1502 that interlock with each
other.
[0102] FIG. 16 shows a side schematic view of an embodiment that
utilizes various principles described herein in air conditioner
1600. Air conditioner 16 includes a basic box-like structure that
includes a backside 1602, a front side 1608, and a bottom 1606.
Backside 1602 includes an air input port that permits the ingress
of air into air conditioner 1600 during normal operation. Front
side 108 includes an air outlet port that also includes itself an
electrically power fan 1610 that when activated, pulls air through
air conditioner 1600. Each of the surfaces of air conditioner 1600
is formed of EPS foam that is then encapsulated in a polymer
coating to provide extremely high water/moisture resistance, as
well as very strong insulating capabilities. Extended from front
side 1608 is upper front extension 1620, while upper back extension
1618 extends from rear wall 1602.
[0103] Air conditioner 1600 also includes a thermally conductive
sheet that may, for example, be formed of metal such as thermally
conductive V-shaped sheet 1612. In order to utilize air conditioner
1600, V-shaped sheet 1612 is temporarily removed, and a small
portion of ice is place at the bottom of the air conditioner, such
that the ice does not exceed the height of limit 1614. The lowest
portion of V-shaped sheet 1612 is designed such that it will not be
in in physical contact with the ice at the bottom of the air
conditioner. Once the ice has been put in place, V-shaped sheet
1612 is placed back inside air conditioner 16, such that it makes
contact with upper front surface 1620 and upper rear surface 1618.
Ice is then used to fill up the interior surface 1616 of the
v-shaped sheet and a lid (not shown) is placed on top on the unit
to close and seal it. When electrical power is applied to the fan,
the fan pulls air through the unit such that it travels as long a
path as possible across the metal sheet, which is being cooled by
the ice. The cooled metal sheet transfers the "coolness" from the
sheet to the moving air, which is then exhausted through the air
outlet port. Similar to the tests described above, air conditioner
1600, using ice, can cause a great reduction in the interior
temperature of, for example, the deer stand or duck blind, due at
least in part to the strong insulating effects of all of the
polymer-encapsulated EPS foam components.
[0104] FIGS. 17A-17C show still another embodiment that utilizes
the principles described herein in floating picnic table 1700,
which can be used on any free-flowing body of water, such as a
swimming pool, lake or pond. Table 1700 includes a flat surface
1702 that floats on the water and can be used to support one or
more objects, such as a bowl of chips or plate of food. Table 1700
also includes sides 1704 and 1714 that support an upper surface
1708, which can be configured with openings appropriate to function
as cupholders. Table 1700 also includes an opening 1706 that helps
to maintain the floating table at a relatively constant location.
As previously described, table 1700 is formed from EPS foam that is
then encapsulated in a polymer coating that renders table 1700 and
essentially water-proof. In addition, the interior EPS core enables
table 1700 to have a very high buoyancy factors, such that the
table will remain "sea-worthy" to the benefit of all using it.
[0105] FISG. 18A and 18B show yet another embodiment that utilizes
the principles described herein in an automatic mechanical fishing
device holder 1800, which can be used with automatic fishing
devices such as a Yo-Yo fishing device. A Yo-Yo fishing device is
typically connected to a tree above water to be fished. A line is
dropped from the Yo-Yo, which is essentially a spring-loaded
fishing reel. When a fish bites, the spring is released and the
device automatically reels in the catch. Holder 1800 includes
parallel pairs of sides 1802 and 1804, support surface 1806, and
rod 1806 that can be secured to surface 1806. Holder 1800 is formed
of EPS foam that the encapsulated in polymer coating that renders
holder 1800 essentially impervious to water and moisture. The
structure of parallel sides 1802 and 1804 permits holder 1800 to be
used in free-flowing water, thereby freeing the person fishing from
having to tie to the Yo-Yo device to a tree. For example, a person
can take a half a dozen holders 1800 equipped with Yo-Yos out on a
boat to the middle of a lake and set the holders 1800 off in the
water. Each time a fish bites, the Yo-Yo will be triggered to reel
in the catch.
[0106] FIGS. 19A-19C show various views of another embodiment that
utilizes the principles disclosed herein in fishing tip up device
1900. Similar to holder 1800, tip up device 1900 enables people
fishing to utilize a product that was originally intended for one
type of fishing, in this case ice fishing, to another type of
fishing--free-flowing water fishing. Tip up devices are
conventionally used by people ice fishing, in part because the fish
are slower moving and slower reacting. Tip up devices have not been
used in traditional fishing because there is not way to secure the
device so that it remains parallel to the water.
[0107] Tip up device 1900, which includes out ring surface 1902,
upper support ring 1904, cross-bar 1906 which is supported by lower
support ring 1912, tip up release channel 1908 and pass through
channel 1910, can be used in water because device 1900 is formed of
EPS foam that has been encapsulated in polymer coating rendering
device 1900 extremely buoyant and water-resistant. The ring-link
structure of device 1900 enables it to remain stable on moving
water, such that when a fish grabs the line, the structure of
device 1900 supports the tip up and the tip up and be raised out of
channel 1908 to stand straight up, thereby informing the person
fishing that they need to reel in the catch.
[0108] The various embodiments described herein may be implemented
using a variety of means, without limitation. Furthermore, the
above-described embodiments are presented for the purposes of
illustration are not to be construed as limitations.
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