FLOODBAG SANDLESS SANDBAG

Abstract

The invention includes a defense against flooding, with a flexible, outer shell, with absorption holes, and, inside the outer shell, one or more water-absorbing components that expand when absorbing water. The outer shell can be hydrophobic. The water-absorbing components can be compressed wood pellets. Also inside the outer shell can be a hydrophobic, but oleophilic, inner component that absorbs hydrocarbon molecules penetrating through the absorption holes. The water-absorbing components do not absorb hydrocarbons in some embodiments, In other embodiments other components mat be added that target and absorb other substances. In the first embodiment, the compressed wood pellets can be discarded easily after they have absorbed water and been expanded. In the first embodiment, the hydrophobic outer shell and oleophilic inner component are both made of polypropylene. Several specialized versions of the sandless sandbag, called hereafter a FLOODBAG, and also methods of using the FLOODBAG, a replacement for sand bags are also included in the invention, as is a method for making specialized FLOODBAGs.

Claims

1. An apparatus for absorbing water, said apparatus comprising an outer covering (1) and, water-absorbing pellets (2), wherein said outer covering is flexible, and hollow, creating a hollow interior space inside said outer covering, and where said outer covering is sealed with said interior space inside said outer covering; wherein said outer covering further comprises absorption holes (3) which are holes in said outer covering; and where said water-absorbing pellets (2) are inside the hollow interior of said outer covering; and where said water-absorbing pellets (2), when dry, are too large to fit through said absorption holes (3); and where said water-absorbing pellets (2) are comprised of compressed wood, that expands when placed in contact with water.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising that inside said interior space, along with said water-absorbing pellets (2) are solid chunks of one or more types of water-absorbing polymer, when said chunks of one or more types of water-absorbing polymer are too large to fit through said absorption holes (3).

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an oleophilic interior component, which is capable of absorbing hydrocarbon molecules, and which is located inside the hollow interior of said outer covering, and which is of sufficient size that said oleophilic interior component is too large to fit through said absorption holes.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising that said oleophilic interior component is comprised of polypropylene.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising that said outer covering is comprised of polypropylene.

6. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising that said compressed wood chips are compressed sufficiently that the volume of said compressed wood chips, after said compressed wood chips were compressed, is less than 25% of the volume of said compressed wood chips before said compressed wood chips were compressed.

7. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising that said compressed wood chips are comprised of pine wood.

8. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising that said apparatus includes a non-flexible stiffener in the interior of said outer covering.

9. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising that said apparatus includes a glow-in the-dark marking on the outer surface of said outer covering.

10. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising that said apparatus includes a chip which is capable of broadcasting a signal, wherein said signal can be either directly or indirectly relayed to a monitoring station, and said monitoring station can determine the location of said chip from data pertaining to said signal.

11. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising that said apparatus includes, on the outer surface of said outer covering, a means of connecting to other examples of said apparatus.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising that said means of connecting is a grommet and a fastener, wherein said fastener can be placed through the grommet of another example of said apparatus, and the fastener of another example of said apparatus can be placed into said grommet.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising that said means of connecting is a zip-tie feature, which can be tied to the zip-tie feature of another example of the apparatus of claim 10, and additionally comprising that said means of connecting does not open said outer covering.

14. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising one or more remediation pouches, located inside said outer covering, wherein each said remediation pouch comprises a remediation pouch wall, which surrounds a sample of an agent; said remediation pouch further comprising that exposure to water causes the wall of said remediation pouch to disintegrate, releasing said agent.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising that said agent is a chemical which is capable of binding to one or more metals when said chemical and said metal are dissolved in water.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising that said agent is a sample of a species of organism capable of binding to, absorbing, or removing a specific impurity from water.

17. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising, inside the interior space created by said outer covering, a mat for cleaning a liquid spill on a surface, said mat comprising; a flexible, liquid-permeable outer shell having a top side, a bottom side, and a peripheral edge, top side and bottom side defining an interior space therebetween, the top and bottom sides mutually fastened at fastening areas so that the interior space is segregated into a plurality of compartments, a plurality of inner sections each formed of a flexible liquid permeable material, wherein each said compartment contains only one of said inner sections, and wherein each inner section retains an absorbent material therein, the outer shell having a generally flat configuration; whereby when the mat comes in contact with liquid spill such that the liquid permeates the outer shell and is absorbed by the absorbent material.

18. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising that said water-absorbing pellets inside the interior space include some water-absorbing pellets that are deliberately compacted to a different degree from other water-absorbing pellets in said interior space.

19. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising that said apparatus includes a stiffener, and further comprising that said apparatus serves as a mouse pad.

20. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising that said apparatus includes a medallion, said medallion further comprising a QR Code, said QR code further comprising information about one or more of the following; a. the types of water-absorbing pellets and other items inside said interior space, b. the existence and content of any remediation pouches that are part of said apparatus, c. the identity of any specific intrusion of water that said apparatus was created to absorb.

21. A process for creating an apparatus that is capable of fully or partially absorbing intrusions of water, said process comprising; determining the contents of the water which will be part of a threatened or actual intrusion, placing specially designed apparatus with needed contents in a place where said apparatus can fully or partially absorb said intrusion, having previously determined the needed contents for said apparatus, to ensure that said apparatus is designed to absorb the contents of the water that will be part of said threatened or actual intrusion, based on the following criteria; a. the degree to which the wood pellets that are water-absorbing pellets, inside the interior space in said apparatus are compacted; b. the nature and contents of the remediation pouches included in said apparatus; c. whether the user needs to monitor the exact location of the apparatus to determine whether a breach in a barrier has happened; d. the types of wood comp g the water-absorbing pellets, inside the apparatus; e. whether or not said apparatus includes an oleophilic interior component, and, if so, what type of oleophilic interior component said apparatus includes; said apparatus comprising an outer covering (1) and, water-absorbing pellets (2), wherein said outer covering is flexible, and hollow, creating a hollow interior space inside said outer covering, and where said outer covering is sealed with said interior space inside said outer covering; wherein said outer covering further comprises absorption holes (3) which are holes in said outer covering; and where said water-absorbing pellets (2) are inside the hollow interior of said outer covering; and where said water-absorbing pellets (2), when dry, are too large to fit through said absorption holes (3); and where said water-absorbing pellets (2) are comprised of compressed wood, that expands when placed in contact with water;

21. The process of claim 21, further comprising that the water-absorbing pellets include wood pellets that are deliberately compacted to different degrees, which are mixed together before being placed inside said apparatus, or wood pellet of different types of wood, which are mixed together before being placed inside said apparatus.

22. A process for fully or partially absorbing a threatened or actual intrusion of water, said process comprising; providing one or more examples of an apparatus for absorbing water, said apparatus comprising an outer covering (1) and, water-absorbing pellets (2), wherein said outer covering is flexible, and hollow, creating a hollow interior space inside said outer covering, and where said outer covering is sealed with said interior space inside said outer covering; wherein said outer covering further comprises absorption holes (3) which are holes in said outer covering; and where said water-absorbing pellets (2) are inside the hollow interior of said outer covering; and where said water-absorbing pellets (2), when dry, are too large to fit through said absorption holes (3); and where said water-absorbing pellets (2) are comprised of compressed wood, that expands when placed in contact with water; deploying said apparatus in the expected path of said threatened or actual inundation.

23. The process of claim 22, said process further comprising providing one or more examples of said apparatus; and further providing a means for said one or more examples of said apparatus to be fastened together.

24. A process for creating an apparatus for fully or partially absorbing a threatened or actual intrusion of water; said process comprising; providing a flexible, and hollow outer covering (1) with a hollow interior space inside said outer covering; wherein said outer covering further comprises absorption holes (3) which are holes in said outer covering; said method further comprising; compressing wood pellets to create, water-absorbing pellets (2), where said water-absorbing pellets (2), when dry, are too large to fit through said absorption holes (3); placing said water-absorbing pellets inside said interior space; closing any opening in said outer covering except for said absorption holes; placing said outer covering in a place where said outer covering, including said water-absorbing pellets, will be in the path of said actual or threatened inundation of water.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising placing an oleophilic interior component inside said outer covering before closing any opening in said outer covering except for said absorption holes.

26. The method of claim 24, further comprising providing a method for multiple said outer coverings to be fastened to each other.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0231] FIG. 1 shows one of the FLOODBAGs of the first embodiment of the present invention, while in the dry state, and laid flat. The absorption holes (3) are visible in the outer casing.

[0232] FIG. 2 shows one of the FLOODBAGs of the first embodiment of the present invention, with water having been absorbed into the compressed wood pellets in the FLOODBAG. Oil is not absorbed into the wood pellets, because they are smooth and, because they are highly compacted, the hydrocarbons cannot penetrate the wood pellets.

[0233] FIG. 3 is a cut-away view of one of the FLOODBAGs of the present invention.

[0234] FIG. 4 is a stack of the FLOODBAGs of the first embodiment of the invention, on a truck ready for transport;

[0235] FIG. 5 is a group of FLOODBAGs of the invention, in a wall formation, in position to stop an ongoing spill of water.

[0236] FIG. 6 is a group of FLOODBAGs of the present invention, with tracking chips, stacked in a vertical wall and broadcasting. The broadcast is relayed to a tracking station. One of the FLOODBAGs has been moved by the force of the water that just hit the wall of FLOODBAGs. The tracking station has concluded that this particular FLOODBAG is out of the wall, by comparing the location of this FLOODBAG to the locations of others that are within the wall. The tracking station is broadcasting a warning that the wall has been breached.

[0237] FIG. 7 is a FLOODBAG of the present invention, with a remediation pouch, being filled with wood chips in a factory. The remediation pouch contains a type of bacteria that is useful for absorbing hydrocarbons.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0238] Illustrative embodiments of the invention are described below. The following explanation provides specific details for a thorough understanding of and enabling description for these embodiments. One skilled in the art will understand that the invention may be practiced without such details. In other instances, well-known structures and functions have not been shown or described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the description of the embodiments.

[0239] FIG. 1 shows one of the FLOODBAGs of an embodiment of the present invention, while in the dry state. The absorption holes (3) are visible in the outer casing. Parts of compressed wood pellets can be seen through the absorption holes. The FLOODBAG is sealed and does not take up as much volume as it would take up if it was immersed in water. A cord by which the FLOODBAG was tied can be seen on the top of the FLOODBAG. The FLOODBAG is laid flat and viewed from above.

[0240] FIG. 2 shows one of the FLOODBAGs of the first embodiment of the present invention, on its side, with water having been absorbed into the water-absorbing pellets. Oil is not absorbed into the water-absorbing pellets, because the oil molecules are too large to penetrate the extremely hard, compacted surface of the pellets. The absorption holes in this version of the first embodiment of the invention are too small to be visible. A cord by which the FLOODBAG was tied can be seen on the top of the FLOODBAG (which is lying on its side).

[0241] FIG. 3 is a cut-away view of one of the FLOODBAG of the first embodiment of the present invention after it has absorbed water. The viewer can see a large number of water-absorbing pellets inside the FLOODBAG. The viewer can also see a small oleophilic interior component inside the FLOODBAG (Note that oleophilic interior components can be bigger than this, and shaped differently from this).

[0242] FIG. 4 shows several stacks of the FLOODBAGs, covered by a plastic covering, on a truck ready for transport. The FLOODBAGs are easier to transport than sandbags.

[0243] FIG. 5 is a group of FLOODBAGs of the invention, in position to stop an ongoing spill of water. The FLOODBAGs are stacked in a wall, and will absorb water when the spill hits them. The viewer can see the absorption holes of each FLOODBAG.

[0244] FIG. 6 shows a stack of the FLOODBAGs of the present invention, and shows the direction of information the tracking chips broadcast, so that the base station can determine the location of the tracking chips relative to each other, and whether each tracking chip (And the attached FLOODBAG) is in its desired position.

[0245] FIG. 7 shows a FLOODBAG being assembled, and in this case the FLOODBAG also has a remediation pouch. The FLOODBAG is open through one opening and wood pellets are being poured in. The FLOODBAG will next be closed, and sealed. The remediation pouch can be seen inside the FLOODBAG.