Abstract
A protective device, in particular an erosion protection device and/or a drainage device configured as a geotextile, includes a mat element, which is at least intended to be spread flat over a surface to be protected and which is formed at least to a large extent from a three-dimensional, nonwoven-like, and tangled nonwoven-like, composite with a multiplicity of fibres.
Claims
1-32. (canceled)
33. A protective device for erosion protection and/or drainage comprising a mat element which is intended to be spread flat over a surface to be protected and which is formed at least to a large extent from a three-dimensional, nonwoven-like, and tangled nonwoven-like composite having a multiplicity of fibres, wherein the fibres are formed as biodegradable plastic fibres.
34. The protective device according to claim 33, wherein the fibres comprise a biodegradable polylactide plastic (PLA).
35. The protective device according to claim 33, wherein at least a substantial part of all fibres of the composite are stretched and/or pre-stretched.
36. The protective device according to claim 33, wherein at least a substantial part of all fibres of the composite are preformed and/or precorrugated.
37. The protective device according to claim 33, wherein the mat element has a weight per unit area of less than 400 g/m.sup.2.
38. The protective device according to claim 33, wherein at least a substantial part of all fibres has a specific gravity greater than the specific gravity of water.
39. The protective device according to claim 33, wherein the fibres have an average length of at most 20 cm.
40. The protective device according to claim 33, wherein at least a substantial part of the fibres of the composite has specifically admixed colour pigments which are biocompatible and/or biodegradable.
41. The protective device according to claim 33, wherein at least a substantial part of all fibres forming the composite have a diameter of less than 2 mm.
42. The protective device according to claim 33, wherein the fibres comprise at least a plurality of fibres of a first fibre type and at least a plurality of fibres of a second fibre type, said fibres of said first fibre type and said second fibre type being substantially different from each other.
43. The protective device according to claim 42, wherein the fibres of the first fibre type and the fibres of the second fibre type have substantially different finenesses.
44. The protective device according to claim 43, wherein the fibres of the fibre type with the higher fineness form friction fibres for increasing a tensile strength of the mat element.
45. The protective device according to claim 42, wherein the fibres of the first fibre type and the fibres of the second fibre type have substantially different average lengths.
46. The protective device according to claim 42, wherein the fibres of the first type of fibres comprise a first type and/or mixture of colour pigments which imparts a first colouring to the fibres of the first fibre type, and in that the fibres of the second fibre type comprise a second type and/or mixture of colour pigments which imparts to the fibres of the second fibre type a second colouring which is different from the first colouring.
47. The protective device according to claim 46, wherein the first colouring and the second colouring are intended to produce a camouflage effect in combination.
48. The protective device according to claim 33, wherein at most 10% of the mat element is biodegraded and/or disintegrated under controlled composting conditions after a period of one year.
49. The protective device according to claim 33, wherein a reinforcing element is connected to the mat element.
50. The protective device according to claim 49, wherein the reinforcing element is arranged above and/or below the mat element.
51. The protective device according to claim 49, wherein at least one connecting element is provided to connect the mat element and the reinforcing element together.
52. The protective device according to claim 49, wherein the connecting element is biodegradable or is adapted to disintegrate upon exposure to weather.
53. The protective device according to claim 49, wherein the reinforcing element is sewn to the mat element.
54. The protective device according to claim 49, wherein the reinforcing element is formed as a wire mesh.
55. The protective device according to claim 54, wherein the wire mesh comprises at least one wire which is at least partially formed from a high strength steel.
56. The protective device according to claim 49, wherein the reinforcing element has a three-dimensional, mattress-like structure.
57. A slope protection comprising the protective device according to claim 33.
58. The use of the protective device according to claim 33 in any of: a new greening and/or a re-greening of a surface; a sloping surface; a surface at risk of erosion; as a drainage mat in or on a floor or on a building roof; or for a protection of agricultural products directly at a cultivation site.
59. A method of manufacturing a protective device for erosion protection and/or drainage, wherein the method comprises the step of producing a three-dimensional, nonwoven-like, and tangled nonwoven-like composite from a plurality of biodegradable plastic fibres adapted to be spread out flat over a surface to be protected.
60. The method according to claim 58, further comprising the step of stretching the biodegradable plastic fibres prior to the production of the nonwoven-like composite or pre-corrrugating the biodegradable plastic fibres before the nonwoven-like composite is produced.
61. The method according to claim 58, further comprising the step of connecting the mat element to a reinforcing element.
62. A method for the installation of a protective device for erosion protection device and/or drainage, comprising the steps of: forming a mat element which is intended to be spread flat over a surface to be protected and which is formed at least to a large extent from a three-dimensional, nonwoven-like, and tangled nonwoven-like composite having a multiplicity of fibres, wherein the fibres are formed as biodegradable plastic fibres; connecting the mat element to a reinforcing element by a connecting element; and installing the mat element and reinforcing element on a surface to be protected such that the mat element is arranged between the surface to be protected and the reinforcing element; wherein the connecting element is dissolved by weathering after installation has taken place, so that the mat element is separated from the reinforcing element and lies over the surface to be protected.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0051] Further advantages can be seen in the following description of the drawings. Two embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings. The drawings, the description and the claims contain numerous features in combination. The skilled person will expediently also consider the features individually and combine them to form useful further combinations. They show:
[0052] FIG. 1a is a schematic lateral section through a slope protection with a protection device and a proposed use of the protection device;
[0053] FIG. 1b is a schematic representation of an alternative use of the protective device;
[0054] FIG. 2 is a schematic top view of a mat element of the protective device;
[0055] FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of the mat element;
[0056] FIG. 4 is an enlarged detailed view of a section of the mat element;
[0057] FIG. 5 is a schematic representation of fibres of different fibre types of the mat element;
[0058] FIG. 6 is a schematic flow diagram of a process for manufacturing the protective device;
[0059] FIG. 7 is a schematic illustration of a stretching effect on one of the fibres;
[0060] FIG. 8 is a schematic top view of an alternative protective device with a mat element and with a reinforcing element;
[0061] FIG. 9 is a schematic side view of the alternative protective device;
[0062] FIG. 10 is a flow diagram of a process for manufacturing the alternative protective device;
[0063] FIG. 11 is a schematic representation of a manufacturing device for producing the alternative protective device;
[0064] FIG. 12 is a schematic lateral section through an embankment protection with the alternative protection device immediately after installation of the embankment protection;
[0065] FIG. 13 is a flowchart of a method for assembling the alternative protective device; and
[0066] FIG. 14 is the schematic lateral section through the slope protection after weathering.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
[0067] FIG. 1a shows a lateral section through an embankment protection 32a and the underlying soil and/or rock. The slope protection 32a is intended to protect a slope against erosion. The slope protection 32a is provided for securing the slope against landslides and/or washing out of slope material. Alternatively or additionally, the slope protection 32a can also be provided for drainage. The slope protection 32a comprises a protection device 34a. The protection device 34a is configured as an erosion protection device. Alternatively or additionally, the protective device 34a may also be designed as a drainage device. The protective device 34a is formed as a geotextile. The protective device 34a comprises a mat element 10a. The protective device 34a, in particular at least the mat element 10a, is intended to be spread flat over a surface 12a to be protected. The protective device 34a, in particular at least the mat element 10a, is intended to cover a surface 12a of the slope in a planar manner. The protective device 34a, in particular at least the mat element 10a, is designed in the form of a web and can be rolled up for transport. To cover the surface 12a to be protected, strips of the protective device 34a, in particular at least the mat element 10a, are unrolled on the surface 12a, joined together at the side edges of individual strips and spread out and fastened on the surface 12a to be protected by means of tensioning ropes and anchoring elements 36a. FIG. 1a shows a use of the protective device 34a, in particular of the mat element 10a during a re-vegetation and/or a re-vegetation of the surface 12a. Use as an erosion control mat for ungreened sloping surfaces or as a drainage mat in or on a soil is also conceivable. FIG. 1B shows an alternative use of a protective device 34′a to protect agricultural products, in this case fruits 72a, in which the protective device 34′a is placed directly at a cultivation site between the fruits 72a and the soil, so that the fruits 72a do not rest directly on the moist and/or dirty soil.
[0068] FIG. 2 shows a schematic top view of the mat element 10a. The exemplary mat element 10a shown in FIG. 2 has a basis weight of less than 400 g/m.sup.2. The mat element 10a comprises a plurality of fibres 16a. The plurality of fibres 16a forms a composite 14a. The composite 14a with the plurality of fibres 16a is three-dimensionally extended (cf. FIG. 3). The composite 14a with the plurality of fibres 16a has a thickness 38a. The exemplary thickness 38a shown in FIG. 3 is about 4 cm. The composite 14a with the plurality of fibres 16a is fleece-like. The composite 14a with the plurality of fibres 16a forms a non-woven fabric. The composite 14a with the plurality of fibres 16a is tangled nonwoven. The composite 14a with the plurality of fibres 16a forms a random layer nonwoven fabric. The mat element 10a is formed from the non-woven composite 14a of the plurality of fibres 16a.
[0069] The fibres 16a of the composite 14a are formed as biodegradable fibres 16a. The fibres 16a of the composite 14a are formed as plastic fibres 16a. The fibres 16a of the composite 14a are formed as biodegradable plastic fibres 16a. The biodegradation of the biodegradable plastic fibres 16a proceeds more slowly than a biodegradation of natural fibres such as reed fibres, jute fibres or coconut fibres. At most 10% of the mat element 10a, in particular the fibres 16a, is/are biodegraded and/or disintegrated under controlled composting conditions (according to DIN EN ISO 14855:2004-10) within a period of one year. The fibres 16a of the composite 14a comprise a biodegradable polylactide plastic (PLA). The fibres 16a of the composite 14a comprise the biodegradable PLA plastic. The fibres 16a of the composite 14a have a specific gravity greater than the specific gravity of water. The fibres 16a of the composite 14a are stretched. The fibres 16a of the composite 14a are pre-stretched. The fibres 16a of the composite 14a have selectively admixed colour pigments (not shown). The colour pigments are biocompatible. The colour pigments are biodegradable.
[0070] FIG. 4 shows a detailed view of a section of the mat element 10a. The fibres 16a of the composite 14a forming the mat element 10a comprise a first fibre type 18a with a portion of all fibres 16a (cf. FIG. 5). The fibres 16a of the composite 14a forming the mat element 10a comprise a second fibre type 40a comprising a further portion of all the fibres 16a (cf. FIG. 5). The fibres 16a of the first fibre type 18a and the fibres 16a of the second fibre type 40a are substantially different. The fibres 16a of the first fibre type 18a and the fibres 16a of the second fibre type 40a have substantially different finenesses. The fibres 16a of the higher fineness fibre type 18a, 40a form friction fibres for increasing a tensile strength of the mat element 10a. The fibres 16a of the first fibre type 18a have a substantially higher fineness. In the case shown, the fibres 16a of the first fibre type 18a form the friction fibres.
[0071] In FIG. 5, one fibre 16a of the first fibre type 18a and one fibre 16a of the second fibre type 40a are shown as examples. The fibres 16a of the composite 14a are preformed. The fibres 16a of the composite 14a are pre-corrugated. The fibres 16a have an average length 20a, 42a of at most 20 cm. The fibres 16a of the first fibre type 18a and the fibres 16a of the second fibre type 40a have substantially different average lengths 20a, 42a. In the exemplary case shown in FIG. 5, the fibres 16a of the first fibre type 18a have an average length 20a of 15 cm. In the exemplary case shown in FIG. 5, the fibres 16a of the second fibre type 40a have an average length 42a of 7 cm. The fibres 16a of the composite 14a have an average diameter 22a, 44a of less than 2 mm. In the case exemplified in FIG. 5, the fibres 16a of the first fibre type 18a have an average diameter 22a of about 0.2 mm. The fibres 16a of the first fibre type 18a thus form the friction fibres. In the exemplary case shown in FIG. 5, the fibres 16a of the second fibre type 40a have an average diameter 44a of about 1 mm. The fibres 16a of the first fibre type 18a have a first type and/or mixture of colour pigments, which imparts a first colouration (indicated by a first hatching) to the fibres 16a of the first fibre type 18a. The fibres 16a of the second fibre type 40a comprise a second type and/or mixture of colour pigments which imparts a second colouration (indicated by a second hatching) to the fibres 16a of the second fibre type 40a. The first colouring is substantially different from the second colouring. The first colouring is exemplarily a shade of brown. The second colouring is exemplarily a shade of green. The different first and second colourings are intended to combine to create a camouflage effect.
[0072] FIG. 6 shows a flow diagram of a process for manufacturing the protective device 34a, in which the mat element 10a is manufactured as the non-woven composite 14a from the plurality of biodegradable plastic fibres 16a. In at least one process step 46a, the fibres 16a, in particular the fibres 16a of both fibre types 18a, 40a, are produced from the biodegradable plastic (e.g. PLA), preferably spun and/or extruded. In at least one further process step 48a, the biodegradable plastic fibres 16a are stretched. In the process step 48a, the fibres 16a are stretched prior to the production of the non-woven composite 14a. During the stretching of the fibres 16a, polymer chains in the interior of the fibres 16a partially align, resulting in a partial crystallisation of the fibre material, in particular an increase in a partially crystallised portion of the fibre material and thus in a reinforcement of the fibres 16a (cf. also the illustration of the stretching in FIG. 7). In at least one further optional process step 50a, the biodegradable plastic fibres 16a are deformed and/or corrugated. In the process step 50a, the fibres 16a are pre-deformed and/or pre-crimped prior to forming the non-woven composite 14a. In at least one further process step 52a, the biodegradable plastic fibres 16a are cut to defined lengths 20a, 42a. In at least one further process step 54a, the fibres 16a, in particular the fibres 16a of the two fibre types 18a, 40a, are used to produce the nonwoven-like composite 14a, in particular the nonwoven fabric. The nonwoven-like composite 14a, in particular the nonwoven fabric, is produced in the process step 54a, for example, by needling. Alternatively or additionally, other known (mechanical, chemical and thermal) processes for producing the nonwoven fabric from the fibres 16a are also conceivable (e.g. calendering, hydroentanglement, sewing knitting, etc.).
[0073] FIG. 7 illustrates the stretching effect. In the upper drawing of FIG. 7, an unstretched fibre 16a is shown, the polymer chains of which are substantially disordered and/or undirected. In the lower drawing of FIG. 7, a drawn fibre 16a is shown, the polymer chains of which are substantially straightened and/or directed. By straightening the polymer chains, an increase in a partially crystallised portion of the fibres 16a and thus a strengthening of the fibre 16a can be achieved.
[0074] FIGS. 8 to 14 show a further embodiment of the invention. The following descriptions and the drawings are essentially limited to the differences between the embodiment examples, whereby reference can in principle also be made to the drawings and/or the description of the other embodiment examples, in particular of FIGS. 1 to 7, with regard to components with the same designation, in particular with regard to components with the same reference signs. To distinguish the embodiment examples, the letter a is placed after the reference signs of the embodiment example in FIGS. 1 to 7. In the embodiments of FIGS. 8 to 14, the letter a is replaced by the letter b.
[0075] FIG. 8 shows a top view of an alternative guard 34b. The alternative protective device 34b comprises a mat member 10b. The mat member 10b is formed from a non-woven composite 14b having a plurality of fibres 16b, wherein the fibres 16b are formed as biodegradable plastic fibres 16b. The alternative protective device 34b includes a reinforcing member 24b. The reinforcing element 24b is formed in a net-like shape. The reinforcing element 24b is arranged above the mat element 10b. The reinforcing element 24b is formed as a wire mesh 28b. The wire mesh 28b comprises a wire 30b formed entirely of a high-strength steel. The wire mesh 28b has a three-dimensional mattress-like structure. The wire mesh 28b is formed of flat coils twisted into each other, which form diamond-shaped or square meshes.
[0076] FIG. 9 shows a side view of the alternative protective device 34b with the reinforcing element 24b. The reinforcement element 24b is connected to the mat element 10b. The reinforcing member 24b is sewn to the mat member 10b. The alternative protective device 34b comprises a connecting element 26b. The alternative protective device 34b comprises a plurality of at least substantially identical connecting elements 26b. The connecting element 26b is provided for connecting the mat element 10b and the reinforcing element 24b to each other. The reinforcing element 24b is sewn to the mat element 10b by means of the connecting element 26b. In a horizontal orientation, as exemplarily shown in FIG. 9, the mat element 10b hangs on the connecting elements 26b below the reinforcing element 24b. In this case, the mat element 10b and the reinforcing element 24b do not touch. In this case, the mat element 10b and the reinforcing element 24b are spaced apart from each other. The connecting element 26b is biodegradable. The connecting element 26b is formed to be biocompatible. The connecting element 26b is adapted to dissolve upon exposure to weather. The mat element 10b is adapted to disengage from the reinforcing element 24b after disintegration of the connecting element 26b. The mat member 10b is adapted to spread snugly over a surface 12b to be protected after disengagement from the reinforcing member 24b.
[0077] FIG. 10 shows a flow diagram of a method of manufacturing the alternative protective device 34b. In at least one process step 56b, the mat element 10b is manufactured as described in the process disclosed in connection with FIG. 6. In at least one further process step 58b, the mat element 10b is joined to the reinforcing element 24b. In the method step 58b, the mat element 10b is sewn to the reinforcing element 24b. In step 58b, the mat element 10b is sewn to the reinforcement element 24b.
[0078] FIG. 11 shows a substantially simplified schematic representation of a manufacturing device 60b for manufacturing the alternative protective device 34b. The manufacturing device 60b is designed as a kind of sewing machine. The manufacturing device 60b comprises an unrolling device 62b with a rolled-up mat element 10b and an unrolling device 64b with a rolled-up reinforcing element 24b. The mat member 10b and the reinforcing member 24b are unrolled in a synchronised manner from the unrolling devices 62b, 64b and fed to a sewing device 66b of the manufacturing device 60b. The sewing device 66b is provided for sewing the mat element 10b and the reinforcing element 24b together, in particular by means of the connecting element 26b.
[0079] FIG. 12 shows a lateral section through an alternative slope protection 32b with the alternative protection device 34b, comparable to FIG. 1a, immediately after mounting the alternative protection device 34b on the surface 12b. The mat element 10b is still connected to the reinforcing element 24b by means of the connecting element 26b.
[0080] FIG. 13 shows a flow diagram of a method for mounting the alternative protective device 34b. In at least one process step 68b, the mat element 10b connected to the reinforcing element 24b by the connecting element 26b is installed on the surface 12b to be protected by means of anchoring elements 36b. The alternative protection device 34b is installed in the process step 68b so that the mat element 10b is arranged between the surface 12b to be protected and the reinforcement element 24b. In at least one process step 70b, which may in particular be carried out autonomously by rainfall or the like or provoked, the connecting element 26b is dissolved by water and/or UV radiation after installation has been carried out. In the process step 70b, the mat element 10b is separated from the reinforcing element 24b and sinks downwards. In most common installation positions, this will cause the mat element 10b to self-fit as closely as possible over the surface 12b to be protected.
[0081] FIG. 14 shows the lateral section through an alternative slope protection 32b shown in FIG. 12 after the connecting elements 26b have been disconnected. The mat element 10b is no longer connected to the reinforcing element 24b. The mat element 10b rests on the surface 12b. The flexible mat element 10b nestles against the surface 12b. In the state shown in FIG. 14, the mat element 10b develops its maximum erosion protection effect, while the reinforcement element 24b mainly serves to protect against rockfall and/or major landslides.
