Flood Protection Container Device

Abstract

A flood protection container device for protecting furniture or personal items from flood waters includes a shaped sack defining a storage area to receive an article of furniture or personal items. The shaped sack is comprised of a deformable material thereby facilitating the shaped sack to be folded for storage when the shaped sack is not being employed. The shaped sack is comprised of a fluid impermeable material to protect the article of furniture or personal items from flood waters. A plurality of adhesive strips is each applied to a respective one of the lid panels of the shaped sack. Each of the plurality of adhesive strips adheres to the shaped sack and a respective one of the plurality of strips to adhere to a respective one of the pair of lid panels thereby retaining the pair of lid panels in the closed position.

Claims

1. A flood protection container device for protecting furniture or personal items from flood waters, said device comprising: a shaped sack defining a storage area wherein said storage area is configured to receive an article of furniture or personal items, said shaped sack being comprised of a deformable material thereby facilitating said shaped sack to be folded for storage when said shaped sack is not being employed, said shaped sack being comprised of a fluid impermeable material wherein said shaped sack is configured to protect the article of furniture or personal items from flood waters, said shaped sack being comprised of a translucent material wherein said shaped sack is configured to pass light through said shaped sack thereby facilitating the article of furniture or personal items to be visually identifiable in said shaped sack; and a plurality of adhesive strips, each of said plurality of adhesive strips being applied to a respective one of said lid panels of said shaped sack, each of said plurality of adhesive strips being strategically positioned on said respective lid panel to facilitate respective ones of said plurality of adhesive strips to adhere to said shaped sack and to facilitate a respective one of said plurality of strips to adhere to a respective one of said pair of lid panels thereby retaining said pair of lid panels in said closed position.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein: said shaped sack has a bottom wall and an outer wall extending upwardly from said bottom wall such that said bottom wall and said outer wall define said storage area, said outer wall having a distal edge with respect to said bottom wall defining an opening into said storage area wherein said opening is configured to facilitate the article of furniture or personal items to be inserted into said shaped sack; said shaped sack has a pair of lid panels each being foldably disposed on a respective one of a front side and a back side of said distal edge of said outer wall, each of said pair of lid panels extending along a full length of said respective front side and back side, each of said lid panels being positionable in a closed position for closing said opening into said storage area, each of said lid panels having a lower surface, a front edge, a first lateral edge and a second lateral edge; and each of said plurality of adhesive strips is positioned on said lower surface of said respective lid panel.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein each of said plurality of adhesive strips extends along a respective one of said front edge and said first lateral edge and said second lateral edge of a respective lid panel.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein each of said plurality of adhesive strips which are aligned with said first lateral edge and said second lateral edge of each of said lid panels adheres to an outside surface of said outer wall of said shaped sack when each of said lid panels is folded downwardly along said adhesive strips aligned with said first lateral edge and said second lateral edge.

5. The device according to claim 3, wherein a respective one of said adhesive strips which is aligned with said front edge of a respective one of said lid panels adhering to a top surface of an opposing one of said lid panels when said pair of lid panels is in said closed position.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of adhesive strips comprises a fluid impermeable adhesive wherein each of said plurality of adhesive strips is configured to inhibit flood water from entering said shaped sack.

7. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of protective sheets, each of said plurality of protective sheets being removably applied to an exposed surface of a respective one of said plurality of adhesive strips thereby inhibiting said plurality of adhesive strips from being adhered, each of said plurality of protective sheets completely covering said exposed surface of said respective adhesive strip.

8. A flood protection container device for protecting furniture or personal items from flood waters, said device comprising: a shaped sack defining a storage area wherein said storage area is configured to receive an article of furniture or personal items, said shaped sack being comprised of a deformable material thereby facilitating said shaped sack to be folded for storage when said shaped sack is not being employed, said shaped sack being comprised of a fluid impermeable material wherein said shaped sack is configured to protect the article of furniture or personal items from flood waters, said shaped sack being comprised of a translucent material wherein said shaped sack is configured to pass light through said shaped sack thereby facilitating the article of furniture or personal items to be visually identifiable in said shaped sack, said shaped sack having a bottom wall and an outer wall extending upwardly from said bottom wall such that said bottom wall and said outer wall define said storage area, said outer wall having a distal edge with respect to said bottom wall defining an opening into said storage area wherein said opening is configured to facilitate the article of furniture or personal items to be inserted into said shaped sack, said shaped sack having a pair of lid panels each being foldably disposed on a respective one of a front side and a back side of said distal edge of said outer wall, each of said pair of lid panels extending along a full length of said respective front side and back side, each of said lid panels being positionable in a closed position for closing said opening into said storage area, each of said lid panels having a lower surface, a front edge, a first lateral edge and a second lateral edge; a plurality of adhesive strips, each of said plurality of adhesive strips being applied to a respective one of said lid panels of said shaped sack, each of said plurality of adhesive strips being strategically positioned on said respective lid panel to facilitate respective ones of said plurality of adhesive strips to adhere to said shaped sack and to facilitate a respective one of said plurality of strips to adhere to a respective one of said pair of lid panels thereby retaining said pair of lid panels in said closed position, each of said plurality of adhesive strips being positioned on said lower surface of said respective lid panel, each of said plurality of adhesive strips extending along a respective one of said front edge and said first lateral edge and said second lateral edge of a respective lid panel, each of said plurality of adhesive strips which are aligned with said first lateral edge and said second lateral edge of each of said lid panels adhering to an outside surface of said outer wall of said shaped sack when each of said lid panels is folded downwardly along said adhesive strips aligned with said first lateral edge and said second lateral edge, a respective one of said adhesive strips which is aligned with said front edge of a respective one of said lid panels adhering to a top surface of an opposing one of said lid panels when said pair of lid panels is in said closed position, each of said plurality of adhesive strips comprising a fluid impermeable adhesive wherein each of said plurality of adhesive strips is configured to inhibit flood water from entering said shaped sack; and a plurality of protective sheets, each of said plurality of protective sheets being removably applied to an exposed surface of a respective one of said plurality of adhesive strips thereby inhibiting said plurality of adhesive strips from being adhered, each of said plurality of protective sheets completely covering said exposed surface of said respective adhesive strip.

Description

(i) BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

[0011] The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:

[0012] FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a flood protection container device according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0013] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosure showing a pair of lid panels in an open position.

[0014] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosure showing protective sheets being removed from adhesive strips.

[0015] FIG. 4 is a perspective in-use view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0016] FIG. 5 is a top perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosure showing a shaped sack having been collapsed for folding.

[0017] FIG. 6 is a top perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosure showing a shaped sack being folded for storage after having been collapsed.

[0018] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the disclosure.

[0019] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the disclosure showing a shaped sack having been collapsed for storage.

[0020] FIG. 9 is a perspective in-use view of an alternative embodiment of the disclosure.

(j) DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021] With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 9 thereof, a new flood protection device embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral 10 will be described.

[0022] As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 9, the flood protection container device 10 generally comprises a shaped sack 12 which defines a storage area 14 to receive an article of furniture 16 or other personal items. As is shown in FIGS. 1 through 6, the shaped sack 12 may have a length of at least 2.0 meters and a width of at least 1.0 meter thereby facilitating the shaped sack 12 to accommodate a couch, for example. In an alternative embodiment 17 as is shown in FIGS. 7 through 9, the shaped sack 12 may have a length and a width of less than 1.0 meters thereby facilitating the shaped sack 12 to accommodate a chair, for example. The shaped sack 12 is comprised of a deformable material thereby facilitating the shaped sack 12 to be folded for storage when the shaped sack 12 is not being employed. Additionally, the shaped sack 12 is comprised of a fluid impermeable material to protect the article of furniture 16 or personal items from flood waters. The shaped sack 12 is comprised of a translucent material to pass light through the shaped sack 12 thereby facilitating the article of furniture 16 or personal items to be visually identifiable in the shaped sack 12. The material of which the shaped sack 12 is comprised may include, but not be limited to, polycarbonate plastic which has a thickness of at least 0.15 mm.

[0023] The shaped sack 12 has a bottom wall 18 and an outer wall 20 extending upwardly from the bottom wall 18 such that the bottom wall 18 and the outer wall 20 define the storage area 14. The outer wall 20 has a distal edge 22 with respect to the bottom wall 18 defining an opening 24 into the storage area 14 to facilitate the article of furniture 16 or personal items to be inserted into the shaped sack 12. The shaped sack 12 has a pair of lid panels 26 each foldably disposed on a respective one of a front side 28 and a back side 30 of the distal edge 22 of the outer wall 20. Each of the pair of lid panels 26 extends along a full length of the respective front side 28 and back side 30 and each of the lid panels 26 is positionable in a closed position for closing the opening 24 into the storage area 14. Additionally, each of the lid panels 26 has a lower surface 32, a front edge 34, a first lateral edge 36 and a second lateral edge 38.

[0024] A plurality of adhesive strips 40 is provided and each of the plurality of adhesive strips 40 is applied to a respective one of the lid panels 26 of the shaped sack 12. Each of the plurality of adhesive strips 40 is strategically positioned on the respective lid panel 26 to facilitate respective ones of the plurality of adhesive strips 40 to adhere to the shaped sack 12 and to facilitate a respective one of the plurality of adhesive strips 40 to adhere to a respective one of the pair of lid panels 26 thereby retaining the pair of lid panels 26 in the closed position. Furthermore, each of the plurality of adhesive strips 40 comprises a fluid impermeable adhesive to inhibit flood water from entering the shaped sack 12.

[0025] Each of the plurality of adhesive strips 40 is positioned on the lower surface 32 of the respective lid panel 26. Additionally, each of the plurality of adhesive strips 40 extends along a respective one of the front edge 34, the first lateral edge 36 and the second lateral edge 38 of a respective lid panel 26. Each of the plurality of adhesive strips 40 which are aligned with the first lateral edge 36 and the second lateral edge 38 of each of the lid panels 26 adheres to an outside surface 42 of the outer wall 20 of the shaped sack 12 when each of the lid panels 26 is folded downwardly along the adhesive strips 40 aligned with the first lateral edge 36 and the second lateral edge 38. Additionally, a respective one of the adhesive strips 40 which is aligned with the front edge 34 of a respective one of the lid panels 26 adheres to a top surface 44 of an opposing one of the lid panels 26 when the pair of lid panels 26 is in the closed position. A plurality of protective sheets 46 is each removably applied to an exposed surface 48 of a respective one of the plurality of adhesive strips 40 thereby inhibiting the plurality of adhesive strips 40 from being adhered. Each of the plurality of protective sheets 46 completely covers the exposed surface 48 of the respective adhesive strip 40.

[0026] In use, the article of furniture 16 or personal items is positioned in the shaped sack 12, either by lowering the article of furniture 16 or personal items into the shaped sack 12 or by placing the shaped sack 12 around the article of furniture 16 or personal items. Each of the protective sheets 46 is removed from the respective adhesive strip 40 and each of the lid panels 26 is positioned in the closed position to facilitate the pair of lid panels 26 to be folded downwardly along the outer wall 20 of the shaped sack 12. In this way the adhesive strips 40 that are aligned with the first lateral edge 36 and the second lateral edge 38 of the lid panels 26 can adhere to the outer wall 20 of the shaped sack 12. Additionally, a respective one of the adhesive strips 40 that is aligned with the front edge 34 of a respective lid panel 26 is adhered to the top surface 44 of an opposing lid panel 26. In this way the article of furniture 16 or personal items is sealed in the shaped sack 12 for protecting against flood waters when a flood is imminent. As is shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the shaped sack 12 is collapsed and the folded upon itself for storage.

[0027] With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, device and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0028] Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word comprising is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article a does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.