Flood defense barrier

Abstract

The present invention provides a flood defense barrier comprising a first plurality of individual compartments connected by a first, non-releasable fastening means, wherein the plurality of individual compartments comprises at least one second, releasable, fastening means effective for releasably fastening the first plurality of individual compartments to a second plurality of individual compartments. Also provided is a flood defense barrier comprising a first plurality of individual compartments connected together and provided with a continuous length of water impermeable material extending across the individual compartments along at least one side of the barrier, a second plurality of individual compartments connected together and provided with a continuous length of water impermeable material extending across the individual compartments along at least one side of the barrier, and fastening means for fastening the first plurality of individual compartments to the second plurality of individual compartments, as well as methods of deploying said flood defense barrier and uses thereof.

Claims

1. A flood defense barrier comprising: a) a first plurality of individual compartments non-releasably connected together and provided with a continuous length of water impermeable material connected to at least some of the individual compartments and extending across the individual compartments along at least one side of the barrier; b) a second plurality of individual compartments non-releasably connected together and provided with a continuous length of water impermeable material connected to at least some of the individual compartments and extending across the individual compartments along at least one side of the barrier; and c) releasable fastening means for fastening the first plurality of individual compartments to the second plurality of individual compartments, wherein the water impermeable material on the first plurality of individual compartments extends beyond the side of the first plurality of individual compartments such that it can cover the releasable fastening means.

2. A flood defense barrier comprising a first plurality of individual compartments connected by a first, non-releasable fastening means which comprises a water impermeable material extending along a side of the first plurality of individual compartments and which is connected to at least some of the individual compartments, wherein the plurality of individual compartments comprises at least one second, releasable, fastening means effective for releasably fastening the first plurality of individual compartments to a second plurality of individual compartments, and wherein the water impermeable material extends beyond the side of the first plurality of individual compartments such that it can cover the releasable fastening means.

3. The flood defense barrier according to claim 2, wherein the fastening means for fastening the first plurality of individual compartments to the second plurality of individual compartments is provided on an end compartment of the plurality of individual compartments, optionally wherein the complementary fastening means of a second plurality of individual compartments is on an end compartment; and/or wherein the individual compartments are bags; and/or wherein each individual compartment comprises side walls and a base; and/or wherein some or all of the individual compartments contain a fill material, optionally wherein the fill material is selected from sand, earth, soil, stones, rocks, rubble, concrete, debris and combinations of two or more thereof; and/or further comprising a means for preventing a fill material from falling between adjacent individual compartments, optionally wherein the means for preventing a fill material from falling between adjacent individual compartments comprises a material extending between the compartments and fastened to the inside of each of the side walls adjacent to the other individual compartment; and/or wherein the flood defense barrier is self-supporting; and/or wherein some or all of the individual compartments are made of a stiff fabric; and/or wherein some or all of the individual compartments are made of polypropylene.

4. The flood defense barrier according to claim 2, wherein some or all of the individual compartments comprise a stiffening material to provide or enhance rigidity; and/or further comprising panels of stiffening material, optionally wherein the panels are inserted into a pocket formed within a side wall of an individual compartment and/or optionally wherein two adjacent panels are used on each of two opposite side walls of an individual compartment.

5. The flood defense barrier according to claim 4, wherein a stiffening means is present on all sides of the individual compartment.

6. The flood defense barrier according to claim 2, wherein some or all of the individual compartments comprise an openable base; and/or comprising more than two pluralities of individual compartments; and/or wherein some or all of the individual compartments comprise a lifting means; and/or wherein the plurality of individual compartments consists of 10 individual compartments; and/or wherein the flood defense barrier is water impermeable along the entirety of one of its sides, optionally wherein the opposite side of the plurality of individual compartments to the water impermeable side is water permeable; and/or wherein the water impermeable side is differently colored to the side opposite said water impermeable side.

7. The flood defense barrier according to claim 2, wherein a water impermeable material extends along an external side of a plurality of individual compartments, optionally wherein the external side is a side perpendicular to a side of an individual compartment which is adjacent to another individual compartment; and/or wherein the material extends along a side of every individual compartment in the plurality.

8. The flood defense barrier according to claim 1, wherein the fastening means for fastening the first plurality of individual compartments to the second plurality of individual compartments is provided on an end compartment of the plurality of individual compartments, optionally wherein the complementary fastening means of a second plurality of individual compartments is on an end compartment; and/or wherein the individual compartments are bags; and/or wherein each individual compartment comprises side walls and a base; and/or wherein some or all of the individual compartments contain a fill material, optionally wherein the fill material is selected from sand, earth, soil, stones, rocks, rubble, concrete, debris and combinations of two or more thereof; and/or further comprising a means for preventing a fill material from falling between adjacent individual compartments, optionally wherein the means for preventing a fill material from falling between adjacent individual compartments comprises a material extending between the compartments and fastened to the inside of each of the side walls adjacent to the other individual compartment; and/or wherein the flood defense barrier is self-supporting; and/or wherein some or all of the individual compartments are made of a stiff fabric; and/or wherein some or all of the individual compartments are made of polypropylene.

9. The flood defense barrier according to claim 1, wherein some or all of the individual compartments comprise a stiffening material to provide or enhance rigidity; and/or further comprising panels of stiffening material, optionally wherein the panels are inserted into a pocket formed within a side wall of an individual compartment and/or optionally wherein two adjacent panels are used on each of two opposite side walls of an individual compartment.

10. The flood defense barrier according to claim 9, wherein a stiffening means is present on all sides of the individual compartment.

11. The flood defense barrier according to claim 1, wherein some or all of the individual compartments comprise an openable base; and/or comprising more than two pluralities of individual compartments; and/or wherein some or all of the individual compartments comprise a lifting means; and/or wherein the plurality of individual compartments consists of 10 individual compartments; and/or wherein the flood defense barrier is water impermeable along the entirety of one of its sides, optionally wherein the opposite side of the plurality of individual compartments to the water impermeable side is water permeable; and/or wherein the water impermeable side is differently colored to the side opposite said water impermeable side.

12. The flood defense barrier according to claim 1, wherein a water impermeable material extends along an external side of a plurality of individual compartments, optionally wherein the external side is a side perpendicular to a side of an individual compartment which is adjacent to another individual compartment; and/or wherein the material extends along a side of every individual compartment in the plurality.

13. The flood defense barrier according to claim 12, wherein the material comprises the fastening means for fastening the plurality of individual compartments to a second plurality of individual compartments.

14. The flood defense barrier according to claim 12, wherein the material extends underneath the plurality of individual compartments.

15. The flood defense barrier according to claim 1, wherein the fastening means for fastening the first plurality of individual compartments to the second plurality of individual compartments comprises a zip and/or buckles; and/or wherein the fastening means for fastening the first plurality of individual compartments to the second plurality of individual compartments are provided only on one side of the plurality of individual compartments or wherein the fastening means for fastening the first plurality of individual compartments to the second plurality of individual compartments are provided on opposite sides of the plurality of individual compartments.

16. The flood defense barrier according to claim 1, comprising fastening means between adjacent individual compartments within the or each plurality of individual compartments, optionally wherein the fastening means between adjacent individual compartments within the or each plurality of individual compartments are releasable fastening means, such as buckles or zips; and/or wherein the fastening means is provided on the compartments on the opposite side of the barrier from the continuous sheet of water impermeable material.

17. The flood defense barrier according to claim 1, further comprising a compressible member extending at least part of the distance from the top to the bottom of at least one side of the plurality of individual compartments; and/or further comprising a compressible member extending at least part of the distance along the base of at least one side of the plurality of individual compartments; optionally wherein the compressible member comprises foam; and/or wherein the compressible member is resiliently compressible; and/or wherein a compressible member extending at least part of the distance along one side of a plurality of individual compartments is offset from a compressible member extending at least part of the distance along an adjacent side of another group of one or more individual compartments when the two are attached by a fastening means for fastening the first plurality of individual compartments to the second plurality of individual compartments.

18. The flood defense barrier according to claim 1, further comprising a lid extending at least partially over the top of at least one of the individual compartments, optionally wherein the lid is at least partially formed by the water impermeable material extending from the side of the barrier at least partially over the top of the barrier.

19. A method for deploying a flood defense barrier according to claim 1, comprising: transporting the folded plurality of individual compartments to a deployment site; unfolding the plurality of individual compartments; and filling some or all of the individual compartments with a fill material, before or after which the plurality of individual compartments is attached to another group of one or more individual compartments by the fastening means for fastening the first plurality of individual compartments to the second plurality of individual compartments, optionally wherein an individual compartment at the end of the flood defense barrier is filled with a fill material and tension is subsequently applied to the opposite end of the flood defense barrier so as to unfold and erect the plurality of individual compartments.

20. A method for deploying a barrier, comprising: transporting the flood defense barrier of claim 1 to a deployment site in folded form; unfolding the plurality of individual compartments; and filling some or all of the individual compartments with a fill material.

21. The flood defense barrier according to claim 1, wherein the individual compartments in each of the first and second pluralities are connected by a non-releasable continuous length of water impermeable material, and wherein the non-releasable continuous length of water impermeable material connects at least some of the individual compartments in each of the first and second pluralities.

Description

(1) One or more embodiments of the invention are described further hereinafter, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

(2) FIG. 1 demonstrates the top view of a plurality of individual compartments;

(3) FIG. 2 demonstrates the front view of the plurality of individual compartments as shown in FIG. 1, adjacent to a second plurality of individual compartments;

(4) FIG. 3 demonstrates the back view of the plurality of individual compartments as shown in FIG. 1, adjacent to a second plurality of individual compartments;

(5) FIG. 4 demonstrates the top view of a plurality of individual compartments adjacent to another plurality of individual compartments and further comprising compressible members;

(6) FIG. 5 demonstrates the side view of a plurality of individual compartments adjacent to another plurality of individual compartments and further comprising compressible members;

(7) FIG. 6 shows the flood barrier of the present invention when deployed against floodwater;

(8) FIG. 7 demonstrates the plurality of individual compartments shown in FIG. 1, further comprising stiffening means;

(9) FIG. 8 demonstrates the front view of the plurality of individual compartments shown in FIG. 2, further comprising means for preventing a fill material from falling between adjacent individual compartments;

(10) FIG. 9 demonstrates a rear view of a further embodiment of the present invention, comprising a lid extending over the top of the individual compartments; and

(11) FIG. 10 demonstrates a side view of one of the individual compartments shown in FIG. 9.

(12) Looking at the drawings in more detail, FIG. 1 demonstrates the top view of a plurality of individual compartments 1, connected by a continuous length of water impermeable material 2. In this embodiment, the water impermeable material 2 comprises stitches 4 to attach the material to the individual compartments 1. Fastening means 3 are present on the end compartment of the plurality of individual compartments 1, in the form of buckles. An additional fastening means is shown as a zip 5 on the end of a section of material 6, which is an extension of the water impermeable material 2. Also illustrated are lifting means 7, in the form of handles at each corner of the individual compartments 1.

(13) FIG. 2 demonstrates the front view of the plurality of individual compartments 1 as shown in FIG. 1, adjacent to a second plurality of individual compartments 1. The individual compartments 1 in each plurality are connected by a water impermeable material 2. The fastening means 3 (in this case comprising three buckles) are present on both end compartments of each plurality of individual compartments 1. The section of material 6 will extend over the fastening means 3 and will be attached to the adjacent plurality of individual compartments 1 using the zip 5, thereby reducing leakage of floodwater between the pluralities of individual compartments 1.

(14) FIG. 3 demonstrates the back view of the plurality of individual compartments 1 as shown in FIG. 1, adjacent to a second plurality of individual compartments 1. The individual compartments 1 in each plurality are connected by a water impermeable material 2. The fastening means 3 (in this case comprising three buckles) are present on both end compartments of each plurality of individual compartments 1.

(15) FIG. 4 demonstrates the top view of a plurality of individual compartments 1 adjacent to another plurality of individual compartments 1, each of which are connected by a water impermeable material 2. Both individual compartments 1 comprise a fastening means 3. Each individual compartment 1 further comprises a compressible member 9 extending the distance from the top to the bottom of the side of the individual compartment 1. In this embodiment, the two compressible members 9 are offset from one another. One of the individual compartments 1 further comprises a compressible member 8 extending part of the distance along the base of the individual compartment 1.

(16) FIG. 5 demonstrates the side view of the plurality of individual compartments 1 as demonstrated in FIG. 4. Again, this figure shows a plurality of individual compartments 1 adjacent to another plurality of individual compartments 1, each of which are connected by a water impermeable material 2. Both individual compartments 1 comprise a fastening means 3. Each individual compartment 1 further comprises a compressible member 9 extending the distance from the top to the bottom of the side of the individual compartment 1. One of the individual compartments 1 further comprises a compressible member 8 extending part of the distance along the base of the individual compartment 1.

(17) FIG. 6 shows the flood barrier of the present invention when deployed against floodwater 11. The individual compartment 1 is placed on the ground 10, with the water impermeable material 2 facing the floodwater 11. An opposite length of material 16 extends along the side opposite the water impermeable material and is preferably water permeable. In this embodiment, a section of the water impermeable material 2 extends underneath the individual compartment 1 to further reduce leakages. The two compressible members 8, 9 are also illustrated.

(18) FIG. 7 demonstrates the plurality of individual compartments 1 shown in FIG. 1, further comprising stiffening means 12, 13. Stiffening means 13 extend along the side walls of the individual compartments adjacent to another individual compartment and comprise a single panel placed against the inside of the side wall. Stiffening means 12 extend along the side walls perpendicular to the side walls adjacent to another individual compartment. Two stiffening means 12 are placed adjacent one another to extend along the full length of the inside of the side wall. This allows the perpendicular side wall to fold in the middle, allowing the plurality of individual compartments 1 to collapse.

(19) FIG. 8 demonstrates the front view of the plurality of individual compartments 1 shown in FIG. 2, further comprising a means for preventing a fill material from falling between adjacent individual compartments 14. The means 14 comprises a material extending between adjacent individual compartments 1 and fastened to the inside of each of the adjacent side walls. The means 14 is fastened by fastening means 15, which may comprise stitches or staples.

(20) FIG. 9 demonstrates a rear view of a plurality of individual compartments 21 according to a further aspect of the present invention, which comprises a lid 22 extending over the top of each of the individual compartments 21. Lid 22 comprises a top portion 22a and a front portion 22b that extends along the front side of the individual compartments 21. The front portion 22b is a water impermeable material comprising polythene that extends along the front side of the individual compartments 21. The lid 22 then reaches over the top of the individual compartments 21 to form the top portion 22a, so that the front portion 22b and the top portion 22a are continuous. It is this top portion 22a that prevents the fill material from accidentally being removed from the individual compartment 21. The edge of the top portion 22a furthest away from the front portion 22b is then attached to the individual compartments 21 by Velcro.

(21) FIG. 10 demonstrates a side view of one of the plurality of individual compartments 21 shown in FIG. 9. Front portion 22b of the lid 22 is shown extending along the height of the individual compartment 21 and underneath it. This provides a means for anchoring the lid material, as well as providing a waterproof front to the individual compartment 21. Front portion 22b also extends over the top of the individual compartment 21 to form the top portion 22a of the lid 22. Also shown are lifting means 27 in the form of handles at either side of the individual compartment 21.

(22) FIG. 10 also demonstrates an enlarged view of the top corner of the individual compartment 21, in which the material of the lid 22 extends over the top of the individual compartment 21 and is stapled to the inside thereof using staples 23.