Drainage blocks for dikes or urban settings

Abstract

A drainage block for dikes or urban settings and for use as a road pavement is provided with drainage and water buffering properties. The drainage blocks may be used in urban areas as pavement, or fundament or substructure underneath a street layer with porous/water passing pavement stones or clinkers with drainage and water buffering properties. The drainage blocks comprise four lateral faces, a base, and a single stem connecting the slab and the base, which stem has a cross-sectional area that is smaller than the cross-sectional areas of the slab and the base, thereby forming a water buffering space between the slab and the base; and wherein each of the four lateral faces of the slab comprises a single spacing projection.

Claims

1-26. (canceled)

27. A strip drainage block comprising a slab, a base, and a plurality of stems, connecting the slab and the base, wherein each stem has a cross-sectional area that is smaller than the smallest cross-sectional areas of the slab and the base, thereby forming a hollow space between the slab and the base; and wherein the slab and the base each comprise a first vertical longitudinal face, and a second longitudinal face, opposite to the first longitudinal face; and wherein the first longitudinal face comprises a plurality of spacing projections.

28. The strip drainage block according to claim 27, wherein the second longitudinal face is flat.

29. The strip drainage block according to claim 27, wherein the second longitudinal face comprises a plurality of spacing projections.

30. The strip drainage block according to claim 27, wherein the plurality of spacing projections are not aligned with the stems.

31. The strip drainage block according to claim 27, wherein each of the plurality of stems has a circular, oval or rectangular cross-section throughout its extension, the cross-section having a maximum length, and wherein said maximum length is greater towards the base and towards the slab, thereby defining a curved surface between the slab and the base.

32. The strip drainage block according to claim 27, wherein two of the plurality of stems are outer stems and define two flat, lateral ends of the block.

33. The strip drainage block according to claim 27, wherein the plurality of spacing projections define recesses along the slab and the base, and wherein each of the plurality of spacing projections has a length that is equal to, or smaller than, a maximum length of the smallest cross-section of each of the plurality of stems.

34. The strip drainage block according to claim 27, wherein the block comprises concrete.

35. The strip drainage block according to claim 27, wherein the plurality of stems comprises three stems.

36. A drainage block comprising: a slab having four lateral faces for connecting to other blocks; a base; and a stem connecting the slab and the base, the stem having a cross-sectional area that is smaller than the smallest cross-sectional areas of the slab and the base, thereby forming a hollow space between the slab and the base; wherein each of the four lateral faces of the slab comprises a spacing projection, so that when two blocks are arranged adjacent to each other, the spacing projection of one lateral face of the slab of the first block is in contact with the spacing projection of one lateral face of the slab of the second block; thereby forming a slab drainage opening between the two slabs on either side of the contacting spacing projections.

37. The drainage block according to claim 36, wherein the spacing projection on each lateral face of the slab defines two recesses on the lateral face, wherein a plane defined along the surface of the two recesses is parallel to a plane defined along the surface of the spacing projection, so that when four blocks are connected together in a substantially square arrangement, a slab drainage opening with a substantially cross-shaped cross-section is formed between said four blocks.

38. The drainage block according to claim 36, wherein the base has four lateral faces and each of the four lateral faces of the base comprises a spacing projection, so that when two blocks are arranged adjacent to each other, the spacing projection of one lateral face of the base of the first block is in contact with the spacing projection of one lateral face of the base of the second block; thereby forming a base drainage opening between the two bases of the two blocks on either side of the contacting spacing projections, and the spacing projection on each lateral face of the base defines two recesses on the lateral face, wherein a plane defined along the surface of the two recesses is parallel to a plane defined along the surface of the spacing projection, so that when four blocks are connected together in a substantially square arrangement, a drainage opening with a substantially cross-shaped cross-section is formed between said four blocks.

39. The drainage block according to claim 36, wherein the spacing projections of the slab are aligned with the spacing projections of the base.

40. The drainage block according to claim 36, wherein the stem has a circular, oval or rectangular cross-section throughout its extension, the cross-section having a maximum length, and wherein said maximum length is greater towards the base and towards the slab, thereby defining a curved surface between the slab and the base.

41. The drainage block according to claim 36, wherein the block is monolithical.

42. The drainage block according to claim 36, wherein the slab and base have the same height.

43. The drainage block according to claim 36, wherein the base has a peripheral groove which divides the base into an upper base section and a lower base section.

44. The drainage block according to claim 43, wherein the upper base section has four lateral faces and has a spacing projection on two of the four lateral faces.

45. A method for manufacturing a drainage block or strip drainage block, comprising: forming a drainage block or strip drainage block using a mold, wherein the drainage block or strip drainage block comprises a slab, a base, and a stem or a plurality of stems, connecting the slab and the base, wherein each stem has a cross-sectional area that is smaller than the smallest cross-sectional areas of the slab and the base, thereby forming a hollow space between the slab and the base; and wherein the slab and the stem each comprise a first vertical longitudinal face, and a second longitudinal face, opposite to the first longitudinal face; and wherein at least the first longitudinal face comprises a plurality of spacing projections.

46. The method according to claim 45, wherein the drainage block or strip drainage block is formed by adjoining two half blocks, the half blocks being formed by using molds.

Description

SHORT DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0034] The present invention will be discussed in more detail below, with reference to the attached drawings, in which

[0035] FIGS. 1A-1C show several views of a drainage block according to an aspect of the invention.

[0036] FIG. 2 shows an arrangement of a plurality of drainage blocks according to an aspect of the invention.

[0037] FIGS. 3A-3C show several views of a drainage block according to another aspect of the invention.

[0038] FIG. 4 shows an arrangement of a plurality of drainage blocks according to the invention.

[0039] FIGS. 5A-5B show several views of a strip drainage block according an aspect of the invention.

[0040] FIGS. 6A-6B show several views of a strip drainage block according to the invention.

[0041] FIGS. 7A-7B show several views of a strip drainage block according to another aspect of the invention.

[0042] FIGS. 8A-8B show several views of a strip drainage block according to another aspect of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0043] FIG. 1A shows an axonometric view of a drainage block 100 according to an embodiment of the invention, comprising a slab 102, a single stem 104, and a base 106. FIG. 1B shows a side view of the drainage block 100. FIG. 1C shows another side view with a cross-section II-II. A cross-section of the stem. The block 100 has a height H1. The slab 102 has a height H2, and the base 106 has a height H3. In the depicted embodiment, the slab and the base have the same height (that is, H2=H3). The stem 104 has a semi-oval cross section characterized by a length D and a width R, with D being greater than R. The semi-oval cross-section increases from a substantially central area towards both the base 106 and the slab 102, but the increase is greater towards the slab 102.

[0044] FIG. 2 shows an arrangement 200 of a plurality of blocks 100. As can be seen in the figure, adjoining four blocks 100 in a substantially square arrangement results in the creation of a substantially cross-shaped drainage gap or spacing 202. The blocks are adjoined such that the spacing projections of one block are adjacent to the spacing projections of a further block. In this case, the spacing projections of both the base and the slab of one block adjoin respective spacing projections of the base and the slab of a further block.

[0045] FIG. 3A shows an axonometric view of a block 300 for use in a dike. The block 300 comprises a slab 302, a single stem 304, and a base 306. The base 306 is divided into an upper base section 306a and a lower base section 306b by a peripheral groove 308. The upper base section 306a has a spacing projection 310 on two of its four faces.

[0046] FIG. 3B shows a side view of the block 300. FIG. 3C shows another side view with cross-section along a plane II-II. The block 300 has a spacing projection 310 on two faces of the four faces of the upper base section 306a. The block 300 has a height H5 and the slab has a height H6. The base has a height H7, the upper base section has a height H7a, and the lower base section has a height H7b. The stem has a height H8. The peripheral groove has a height H9 and a depth D. The stem 304 is symmetrical with respect to a central horizontal plane, increasing in size equally from a central area towards the slab 302 and towards the base 306.

[0047] FIG. 4 shows an arrangement of a plurality of blocks 300. As can be seen in the figure, adjoining four blocks 300 in a substantially square arrangement results in the creation of a substantially cross-shaped drainage gap or spacing 402 formed by the spacing projections of the slabs. The blocks are adjoined such that the spacing projections of one block are adjacent to the spacing projections of a further block. In this case, the base of each block only has two spacing projections 310, arranged on opposing faces of the upper base sections 306a.

[0048] FIG. 5A shows a strip drainage half block 500 according to an embodiment of the invention. The block 500 comprises four spaced stems 506 arranged between a slab 502 and a base 504. The base and the slab have spacing projections 510 and 512, respectively, which are aligned with the stems 506. The slab has two longitudinal faces 502 and the base has two longitudinal faces 504. FIG. 5B shows the other side of the block 500. The block 500 has a height HS1 and a length LS1.

[0049] FIG. 6A shows a strip drainage half block 600 with a slab 606 and a base 608, each with two longitudinal faces, 614 and 616, respectively. A plurality of stems 603 are arranged between the slab 606 and the base 608. In this embodiment, the strip block has two outer stems 604a, b, and has two flat, lateral ends 602. The slab 606 has spacing projections 612 and the base 608 has spacing projections 610, along one of their respective longitudinal faces. FIG. 6B shows the other side of the strip half block 600.

[0050] FIG. 7A shows a strip drainage block 700, with a base 706 and a slab 702. A plurality of stems 704 are arranged between the slab 702 and the base 706. The slab has two longitudinal faces 712 and the base has two longitudinal faces 714. A plurality of spacing projections 710 and 708 are arranged along said longitudinal faces. FIG. 7B shows the other side of the block 700.

[0051] FIG. 8A shows a strip drainage block 800, with a base 806 and a slab 802. A total of five stems 804 are arranged between the slab 802 and the base 806. The slab has two longitudinal faces 812 and the base has two longitudinal faces 814. A plurality of spacing projections 810 and 808 are arranged along said longitudinal faces. FIG. 8B shows the other side of the block 800.

[0052] The present invention has been described above with reference to a number of exemplary embodiments as shown in the drawings. Modifications and alternative implementations of some parts or elements are possible, and are included in the scope of protection as defined in the appended claims.