AU2008203248A1 - Fluid reservoir - Google Patents

Description

FLUID RESERVOIR Field of the Invention The present invention relates to fluid reservoirs. 5 The invention has been developed primarily for use in domestic storage of rainwater and will be described hereinafter with reference to this application. However, it will be appreciated that the invention is not limited to this particular field of use. Background of the Invention Various fluid reservoirs are known and in a domestic context may be used, for example, for 10 storage of water, rainwater, hot water, petroleum or oil. Fluid reservoirs are manufactured and sold in various forms including, bladder tanks, rotationally moulded plastic tanks and tanks that have been constructed from plastic, tin, steel, galvanized iron, fiberglass or from concrete. Bladder tanks typically comprise a large plastic bladder having a rainwater inlet and outlet 15 and are often located under houses. When viewed from above, bladder tanks are generally rectangular or rounded. Examples of suitable plastics for bladder tanks include polypropylene or polyvinyl chloride. The height of the bladder of a bladder tank, when full of water, is generally less than the length, width or diameter of the tank to ensure that the tank is stable on the ground. For this reason, bladder tanks are generally less than one metre high. Some 20 bladder tanks are designed to rest in cradles that raise the tank slightly above the ground such that the bladder is not damaged by the slight movements caused by filling and emptying of the tank. Another form of tank is a moulded or rotationally moulded plastic tank. Such tanks are typically made from polyethylene. 25 Typically, steel tanks include circumferential corrugations to help reduce Hoop stress. Most rainwater tanks are large, heavy and/or cumbersome. This is problematic since such tanks: 1. Are difficult to manufacture, distribute, deliver (e.g. difficult to load onto or into a truck or other vehicle) and locate at a property (e.g. in a backyard, or under a house), 30 2. Cannot or cannot efficiently be handled by a single person, 3. Are expensive to manufacture, and 1 4. Are expensive to transport. The present invention seeks to provide a fluid reservoir which will overcome or substantially ameliorate at least some of the deficiencies of the prior art, or to at least provide an alternative. 5 It is to be understood that, if any prior art information is referred to above, such reference does not constitute an admission that the information forms part of the common general knowledge in the art, in Australia or in any other country. Summary of the Invention According to a first aspect of the invention a fluid reservoir is provided comprising: 10 - a bladder made from substantially water impermeable material; and - a support structure arranged around at least a portion of the bladder and comprising spaced apart upright members, transverse members interconnecting adjacent upright members and side walls disposed adjacent respective transverse members and between adjacent upright members, such that at least a portion of the support 15 structure contacts the bladder. Advantageously, the fluid reservoir can be distributed and delivered in an unassembled state in which the overall volume and bulkiness of the reservoir is minimized. This can reduce distribution and delivery costs. Furthermore, the product components can be packaged separately or in subset groups so that each component or group of components can be 20 efficiently handed by a single person. For example, each component or group of components can be provided or packaged in such a way that they can be lifted and carried by a single person. For each of these reasons, the reservoir is easily located at a property (e.g. in a backyard, or under a house). Advantageously, the provision of a bladder means that the support structure does not have 25 to be watertight. This reduces cost and complexity for each of the following reasons: - Sizing and tolerances of the parts of the fluid reservoir do not have to be as exact; - Sealing of the parts is not required upon assembly (e.g. by silicone, welding etc.) - Any metal components are not subject to rust or any other type of deterioration due contact with the fluid. 30 - Once the bladder reaches the end of its working life it can be replaced without replacement of the entire reservoir. 2 In one form, the upright members are adapted to recess side edges of the side walls such that the bladder does not contact the side edges of the side walls in use. Advantageously, since the edges of panels are typically sharp (e.g. edges of steel sheeting) and could damage, wear or even puncture the bladder over a period of time, spacing of the 5 side edges of the side wall from the bladder ameliorates these problems. In one embodiment, adjacent upright members are connected at or near their top end by a top transverse member and are connected at or near their bottom end by a bottom transverse member. In one embodiment, the support structure further comprises a top wall for attachment to the 10 top transverse members. The top wall acts as a lid for the reservoir keeping debris off the bladder and improving aesthetics. A fluid inlet and outlet port can be incorporated into the top wall or side walls. In one embodiment, the bladder is attached to the top transverse members. This aids to further stabilize the bladder. 15 In one embodiment, the upright members are formed by an extrusion process. In one embodiment, the transverse members are formed by an extrusion process. In one form, at least one of the upright members is an elongate corner member having at least one angled connection portion for connecting at least a first and second transverse member, the angled connection portion having a cross-section defined by an angled outer 20 wall and a corresponding angled inner wall that is spaced from the outer wall and extends generally parallel to the outer wall, and at least one transverse wall interconnecting the outer wall and inner wall, wherein the outer wall, inner wall and transverse wall define a first recess for receiving one end of the first transverse member and a second recess for receiving one end of the second transverse member such that the elongate corner member maintains an 25 angle between the first and second transverse members. In one embodiment, the elongate corner extrusion maintains the first and second transverse members in substantially orthogonal relation. In one form, at least one of the upright members is an elongate interconnection member having at least one in-line connection portion for connecting at least a first and second 30 transverse member, the in-line connection portion having a cross-section defined by an outer wall and a corresponding inner wall that is spaced from the outer wall and extends generally parallel to the outer wall, and at least one transverse wall interconnecting the outer wall and inner wall, wherein the outer wall, inner wall and transverse wall define a first and second recess such that one end of the first transverse member can be fitted into the first recess and 3 one end of the second transverse member can be fitted into the second recess and the elongate interconnection member connects the first and second transverse members in generally in-line, end-to-end relation. In one embodiment, the support structure further comprises a bottom wall for location 5 underneath the bladder. This can help protect the bladder against being worn down by contact with or movement of the bladder on a rough surface (e.g. the ground or concrete slab). In one embodiment, the transverse members are oriented substantially orthogonally to the upright members. 10 The upright members may be formed from sections of extruded aluminium and the side walls may be formed from corrugated steel sheets. In one embodiment, the bladder is substantially enclosed apart from one or more inlet and/or outlet ports. In one embodiment, all parts of the fluid reservoir can be packaged in a flat pack. A flat pack 15 arrangement reduces the volume of the reservoir and thus can reduce distribution and delivery costs. Furthermore, a flat pack can be more easily manually handled (e.g. either manually carried or transported on a trolley to the desired location). A fluid reservoir as defined above is also provided in an unassembled state. The parts of the fluid reservoir may be packaged in a flat pack. 20 Preferably, each part of the fluid reservoir weighs less than about 5kg. Preferably, each part of the fluid reservoir weighs less than about 10kg. Preferably, each part of the fluid reservoir weighs less than about 20kg. A method of packaging a fluid reservoir as defined above is provided, comprising the following step: 25 - Arranging the parts of the fluid reservoir into a flat pack type arrangement. A method of assembling a fluid reservoir is provided, comprising the following steps: - locating at least one transverse member between each adjacent pair of upright members; - attaching each end of the at least one transverse member to the respective upright 30 members; - locating the side walls adjacent respective transverse members and between respective upright members; 4 - attaching the side walls to respective transverse members; - locating the bladder in a region that is surrounded or partially surrounded by the upright members and side walls; and - attaching the bladder to at least one transverse member. 5 Preferably, the following step is also provided: - forming at least one aperture in at least one of the side walls. Brief Description of the Drawings Notwithstanding any other forms which may fall within the scope of the present invention, a preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with 10 reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a basic support structure of a fluid reservoir in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a fluid reservoir in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 15 Fig. 3 is a front view of the fluid reservoir of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a side view of the fluid reservoir of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a top view of the fluid reservoir of Fig. 2; Fig. 6 is a bottom view of the fluid reservoir of Fig. 2; Fig. 7 is a perspective view of an upright corner member of the fluid reservoir of any of the 20 above embodiments but is depicted in a shorter form for clarity and indicates the location of Section A-A; Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view through Section A-A of the upright corner member of Fig. 7; Fig. 9 is a top view of the upright corner member of Fig. 7; Fig. 10 is a side view of the upright corner member of Fig. 7; 25 Fig. 11 is a perspective view of an upright interconnection member of the fluid reservoir of any of the above embodiments but is depicted in a shorter form for clarity and indicates the location of Section A-A; Fig. 12 is a cross-sectional view through Section A-A of the upright interconnection member of Fig. 11; 30 Fig. 13 is a top view of the upright interconnection member of Fig. 11; 5 Fig. 14 is a front side view of the upright interconnection member of Fig. 11; Fig. 15 is a right side view of the upright interconnection member of Fig. 11; Fig.16 is a perspective view of a portion of a fluid reservoir in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention wherein only a portion of the bladder is shown for 5 clarity; Fig. 17 is a perspective view of the portion of a fluid reservoir of Fig. 16; Fig. 18 is a perspective view of a top portion of the support structure of the portion of a fluid reservoir of Fig. 16; Fig. 19 is a schematic diagram showing an arrangement of the parts of a fluid reservoir in 10 accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention in a flat-pack configuration; Figs. 20-24 are plan views of the support structures of fluid reservoirs in accordance with preferred embodiments of the present invention; and Fig. 25 is a perspective view of a support structure of a fluid reservoir in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 15 Detailed Description of Embodiments of the Invention Referring to the drawings, various fluid reservoirs are provided in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. The reservoir may be used for the storage of fluids in many contexts, and particularly for domestic purposes, for example, for the storage of water, rainwater, hot water, petroleum or oil. 20 It should be noted that throughout the following description like or the same reference numerals in different embodiments denote the same or similar parts. Referring to Fig. 1, a basic form of a fluid reservoir 10 is shown and comprises a bladder 15 (not shown) made from substantially water impermeable material and a basic support structure 20 arranged around at least a portion of the bladder 15. The support structure 20 25 comprises four adjacent spaced apart upright members that take the form of corner members 25, and eight transverse members 30 interconnecting adjacent corner members 25, top and bottom. Four side panels 35 (not shown) are also provided by the support structure and are disposed adjacent respective transverse members 30 and between adjacent corner members 25, such that at least a portion of the support structure 20 contacts the bladder 15. 30 In this embodiment, the support structure 20 takes the form of an orthogonal unit. The corner members 25 form the vertical edges of the orthogonal unit. The transverse members 30 connect the corner members 25 at their respective top and bottom ends (that is, at the 6 vertices of the orthogonal unit) and form the horizontal edges of the orthogonal unit. The side panels 35 are attached to the inwardly facing surfaces 40 of the transverse members 30. In another embodiment, the basic support structure 20 comprises transverse members 30 and side panels 35 of different lengths, such that the basic support structure 20 takes the 5 form of a rectangular prism. According to further embodiments of the invention, many different fluid reservoirs 10 may be constructed by interconnecting a plurality of basic support structures 20. Interconnection of basic support structures 20 may be achieved by substituting two or more corner members 25 with interconnecting upright members 45. 10 Referring to Figs. 2 to 6, a fluid reservoir 10 is depicted and its expanded support structure 20 is formed from four basic support structures 20 joined together in a square-like configuration. The support structure 20 of this reservoir comprises four upright corner members 25, four upright interconnection members 45, sixteen transverse members 30, two bridge members 48, in this case an upper bridge member 49 and a lower bridge member 50, 15 and eight side panels 35. The sixteen transverse members 30 comprise eight upper transverse members 51 and eight lower transverse members 52. The upright corner members 25 form the corners of the reservoir 10. An upright interconnection member 45 is provided half-way along each wall of the reservoir 10 and is connected to an upright corner member 25 on each side by one of the upper 20 transverse members 51 and one of the lower transverse members 52. The upper transverse member 51 connects the top end 60 of the interconnection member 45 with the top ends 65 of the respective corner members 25 and the bottom transverse member 52 connects the bottom end 70 of the interconnection member 45 with the bottom ends 75 of the respective corner members 25. 25 An opposing two of the four interconnection members 45 are connected by bridging members 48, and more specifically, at their top ends 60 by the top bridge member 49 and at their bottom ends 70 by the lower bridge member 50. In an alternative embodiment, the lower bridge member 50 connects the other two of the four interconnection members 45 such that when the support structure 20 is viewed from its top the upper and lower bridge 30 members 49, 50 are seen to cross over each other at their mid points. The reservoir 10 further comprises a lid 41, having an inlet 42, and an outlet 43, in this case a tap 44 mounted at a lower end of one of the side panels 35. The side panels 35 take the form of corrugated steel sheets in this embodiment. The reservoir 10 also comprises a base 56 that extends underneath the support structure 20. 7 In this embodiment, the height of the reservoir 10 is 1630mm. Figs. 2 & 4 show an overflow outlet 76 in one of the side panels 35 for allowing water to escape once the fluid reservoir 10 is full. A hose or pipe may be connected to the outlet to divert the overflow water into a drain. 5 In other embodiments, the overflow outlet 76 can be provided in any of the side panels 35 or in the lid 41 (if the bladder 15 is a closed bladder). Referring to Figs. 7 to 10 and 16 to 18, an elongate corner member 25 is detailed. In this embodiment the corner member 25 is an extruded length of aluminium with cut-outs at a top and bottom region. The length of the corner member 25 substantially extends the height of 10 the reservoir 10. The corner member 25 comprises top and bottom angled connection portions 80 & 85, respectively, each connection portion 80, 85 connecting a first and second transverse member 30. The cross-section of the corner member 25 is shown in Fig. 8 and is defined by an angled outer wall 90 and a corresponding angled inner wall 95 that is spaced from the outer wall 90 15 and extends generally parallel to the outer wall 90 (albeit both walls 90, 95 extend around a bend along their length). Each of the outer wall 90 and inner wall 95 comprises two elongate flat sides joined along an elongate bend and oriented perpendicularly to each other. Two spaced apart transverse walls 100 & 101 are provided and extend between the outer wall 90 and inner wall 95. One of the transverse walls 100 extends between a first pair of 20 corresponding flat sides 105, 110 of the outer and inner walls 90, 95 respectively, and the other of the transverse walls 101 extends between the other pair of corresponding flat sides 115, 120 of the outer and inner walls 90, 95 respectively. Adjacent free ends of the corresponding sides 105, 100 are connected by a first end wall 125 while adjacent free ends of the corresponding sides 115, 120 are connected by a second end 25 wall 130. An angled bracing wall 135 is also provided between respective outer surfaces of sides 100, 120 of the inner wall 90 and strengthens the corner member 25. When edge regions 136 of the adjacent side panels 35 are fitted against the outer surfaces 137, 138 of the flat sides 110, 120, respectively, the bladder 15 is protected from the potentially sharp edge of the side 30 panel 35 by the angled bracing wall 135 which protrudes inwardly of the side panels 35. In this embodiment, the angled connection portions 80 and 85 have a similar cross-section (best seen in Figs. 7 & 9) to the cross-section of the corner member 25, the only difference being no end walls 125, 130 are provided. Instead, sides 105, 100 and transverse wall 100 define a first recess 140 adapted to receive one end of a first transverse member 30 while 8 sides 115, 120 and transverse wall 101 define a second recess 145 adapted to receive one end of a second transverse member 30. The arrangement is such that the corner member 25 maintains an angle (in this case, 90 degrees) between the first and second transverse members 30. The first and second recesses 140, 145 have a shape that is suitable for snugly 5 receiving the respective transverse member 30. In this embodiment, the transverse member 30 has a square cross-section and the first and second recesses 140 and 145 are square in shape. However, the recesses 140, 145 need not be the same shape as the cross-section of the transverse members 30. Referring once again to Fig. 8, the cross-section of the corner member 25 can be 10 geometrically defined as four adjacent squares (150, 155, 160, 165) and more specifically, one large square 150, two medium sized squares 155 and 160, and one small square 165 where the small square 165 impinges on the large square 150. The overall width of the cross-section of the corner member 25 is equal to its height and the cross-section has a diagonal plane of symmetry along line 166. The large square 150 has a wall length of 15 approximately 4/7 of the width of the cross-section and is located in one corner. The medium squares 150 & 155 are located above and to the side of the large square 150 and have wall lengths that are approximately 3/7 of the width of the cross-section. The medium square 160 that is next to the larger square 150 is located so that its lower edge is collinear with the lower edge of the large square 150. The medium square 155 that is 20 above the large square 150 is located so that its left side edge is collinear with the left side edge of the large square 150. The layout of the large square 150 and two medium squares 155 and 160 form an approximate L-shape. The small square 165 has side walls that are approximately 2/7 of the width of the cross section and is located such that its centre point is approximately half way along the width of the cross section and half way up the height of the 25 cross section. In other embodiments, the large square 150 may have a wall length of between 3/7 and 5/7 of the width of the cross-section, the medium squares 155 and 160 may have a wall length of between 2/7 and 4/7 of the width of the cross-section and/or may be different sizes. The small square 165 may have a wall length of between 1/7 and 3/7 of the width of the cross 30 section. In other embodiments, the relative width and height of each of the squares of the corner member 25 as detailed above may be varied by between 1% and 10%, 20% and 50% or up to 100% and the squares could be rectangular, trapezoidal or any other suitable shape. The recesses 140 and 145 are adapted to hold the transverse elements 30 and are located on respective outwardly facing walls of the medium squares 155, 160. 9 The thickness of the various walls of the cross-section is dependant on material choice. In this case, the corner member 25 is made from aluminium and has wall thickness of 2mm. In another embodiment where the corner member 25 is made from steel, the wall thickness is 1mm. The thickness of different walls of the corner member 25 may be different. In typical 5 embodiments, the wall thickness may be between 1mm and 5mm. The corner members 25 are manufactured from a material that is light, durable and strong enough to support the bladder 15 in use, such as, metals (e.g. aluminum or steel), plastics (e.g. fiber reinforced ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene)), PVC (polyvinyl chloride) or even wood. 10 A preferred method of manufacture of the corner members 25 involves the following steps: extrusion of the material, cutting the extrusion to length, and then cutting out the recesses 140, 145. Referring to Figs. 11 to 18, the elongate interconnection member 45 is detailed. In this embodiment the interconnection member 45 is an extruded length of aluminium with cut-outs 15 at its top and bottom ends. The length of the interconnection member 45 substantially extends the height of the reservoir 10. The interconnection member 45 comprises top and bottom in-line connection portions 170 & 175, respectively, each in-line connection portion 170, 175 connecting a first and second transverse member. The cross-section of the interconnection member 45 is shown in Fig. 12 and is defined by an 20 outer wall 180 and a corresponding inner wall 185 that is spaced from the outer wall 180 and extends generally parallel to the outer wall 180. In this case, the outer wall 180 and inner wall 185 are substantially flat and extend substantially parallel to each other. Two spaced apart transverse walls 190, 195 are provided and extend between the outer wall 180 and the inner wall 185. The transverse walls 190 and 195 are also parallel and spaced apart. 25 Adjacent free ends of the outer and inner walls 180, 185 are connected by a first end wall 200 and a second end wall 205, respectively. The interconnection member 45 further includes two inwardly extending walls 210 that extend inwardly (i.e. towards the centre of the reservoir 10) from the inner wall 185. The inwardly extending walls are parallel to each other, spaced apart and perpendicular to the 30 outer and inner walls 180, 185. The inwardly extending walls are joined at their free ends by a third end wall 215. Each inwardly extending wall includes a retaining wall 119. Each retaining wall 119 is configured with a flat inner edge 220, that together with a portion of the respective one of the inwardly extending walls 180, 185 and the respective portion of the inner wall 185 forms a slot 225 that is adapted to receive an edge region 136 of the adjacent 35 side panel 35. Thus, each slot 225 is adapted to recess one of the edge regions 136 of the 10 adjacent side panel 35 such that the bladder 15 does not contact the edge region 136 of the side panel 35 in use. In this embodiment, the in-line connection portions 170 and 175 have a similar cross-section (best seen in Figs. 11 & 13) to the cross-section of the interconnection member 45, the only 5 difference being no end walls 200, 205, 215 are provided. Instead, outer and inner walls 180, 185 and transverse wall 100 define a first recess 230 adapted to receive one end of a first transverse member 30 and a second recess 235 adapted to receive one end of a second transverse member 30. Further, the inwardly extending walls 210 and a middle portion of the inner wall 185 define a third recess 236 adapted to receive one end of one of the bridging 10 members 48. The arrangement is such that the interconnection member 45 indirectly connects the first and second transverse members 30 in generally in-line, end-to-end relation and maintains them in perpendicular relation to the interconnection member 45. The arrangement further indirectly connects the bridging member 48 to the first and second transverse members 30 and maintains it in perpendicular relation to the first and second 15 transverse members 30 and to the interconnection member 45. Each of the first, second and third recesses 230, 235, 236 has a shape that is suitable for snugly receiving the respective transverse member 30 or bridging member 48. In this embodiment, the transverse members 30 and bridging members 48 have a square cross section and the first, second and third recesses 230, 235, 236 are square in shape. However, 20 the recesses 230, 235, 236 need not be the same shape as the cross-section of the transverse members 30 or bridging members 48. Referring once again to Fig. 12, the interconnection member 45 has a vertical line of symmetry and a cross-section that may be geometrically defined as comprising six hollow sections. The entire cross-section is shaped like a marine anchor and is approximately T 25 shaped. A first hollow section takes the form of a large rectangle 240 and has a width that is approximately 3/8 the width of the entire cross section and a height that is approximately 6/9 of the entire height of the cross-section. The base of the large rectangle 240 is also the base of the entire cross section. 30 On one side of the large rectangle 240 a first hollow section 245 is provided and on the other side a second hollow section 250 is provided. Hollow sections 245 and 250 are medium sized rectangles, each having a rounded corner so as not to impinge on, damage or burst the bladder 15 in use. In this case, the rounded corners take the form of arcs of a circle and have a radius approximately equal to the width of the hollow sections 245, 250. The width of each 35 of the hollow sections 245 and 250 is approximately %/ the width of the entire cross-section 11 and the height of each of the hollow sections is approximately 4/9 the height of the entire cross section. The bottom edges of the hollow sections 245 and 250 curve around so that they are in-line with the base of the large rectangle 240. A hollow section taking the form of a small rectangle 255 is provided above the large 5 rectangle 240. The small rectangle has a height that is approximately 1/3 the height of the entire cross-section and a width that is approximately 1/12 the width of the entire cross section. A lower edge of the small rectangle 255 lies on an upper edge of the large rectangle 240. Both rectangles 240, 255 share a common vertical centre line. Further hollow sections, in this case taking the form of rectangles 260 and 261 are provided 10 on either side of and adjacent the small rectangle 255. The rectangles 260 and 261 have the same height as the small rectangle 255. The top and bottom edges of all three rectangles 255, 260, 261 are in-line. The rectangles 255, 260, 261 together span the width of the entire cross-section. In other embodiments, the relative width and height of each of the six hollow sections of the 15 interconnection member 45 as detailed above may be varied by between 1% and 10%, 20% and 50% or up to 100% and the rectangles could be rectangular, trapezoidal or any other suitable shape. The thickness of the various walls of the cross-section is dependant on material choice. In this case, the interconnection member 45 is made from aluminium and has a wall thickness 20 of 2mm. In another embodiment where the interconnection member 45 is made from steel, the wall thickness is 1 mm. The thickness of different walls of the interconnection member 45 may be different. In typical embodiments, the wall thickness may be between 1 mm and 5mm. The recesses 230 and 235 are adapted to hold ends of the transverse members 30 are located on respective outwardly facing walls of the rectangles 260, 261 and recess 236, that 25 is adapted to hold one of the bridging members 48, is located on an outwardly facing wall of the large rectangle 240. The interconnection members 45 are manufactured from a material that is light, durable and strong enough to support the bladder 15 in use, such as, metals (e.g. aluminum or steel), plastics (e.g. fiber reinforced ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene)), PVC (polyvinyl chloride) 30 or even wood. A preferred method of manufacture of the interconnection members 45 involves the following steps: extrusion of the material, cutting the extrusion to length, and then cutting out the recesses 230, 235 & 236. 12 Referring to Figs. 16 to 18, the ends of the transverse members 30 and bridging members 48 may be attached to the corner members 25 or interconnection members 45 by screws, rivets, welds, adhesives, bolts or any other suitable means. In this embodiment, the bridging members 48 have the same cross-section as the transverse members 30 and may be the 5 approximately the same length or approximate multiples of the length of the transverse members 30. The transverse members 30 and bridging members 48 are manufactured from a material that is light, durable and strong enough to support the bladder 15 such as, metals (e.g. aluminum or steel), plastics (e.g. fiber reinforced ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene), PVC (polyvinyl 10 chloride)) or even wood. The transverse members 30 and bridging members 48 are typically formed by an extrusion process. In this embodiment, the transverse members 30 are oriented substantially orthogonally to the corner members 25 and interconnection members 45. In this embodiment the transverse members 30 and bridging members 48 have a 25mm x 25mm square cross-section, are 15 made from aluminium and have a wall thickness of 2mm. Referring to Fig. 25, a support structure 20 of an alternative fluid reservoir 10 is shown in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, a number of lower bridging members 50 are provided and comprise a number of lateral bridging members 262 and a number of longitudinal bridging members 263 which, in this 20 embodiment, are attached to the lateral bridging members 262. Each lateral bridging member 262 is attached to a respective interconnection member 45 at each of its ends. The longitudinal bridging members 263 comprise two end members 264 and one or more intermediate members 265 located between the end members 264. The two end members 264 each have one end that is fixed to a block or short section (e.g. 25 by two screws) that is sized to be received in the recess 236 of the respective interconnection member 45 and attached thereto. The other ends of the two end members 264 extend inwardly and are attached (e.g. by two screws as depicted) to respective lateral bridging members 262. Each of the one or more intermediate members 265 is attached (e.g. by two screws as 30 depicted) to a pair of adjacent lateral bridging members 262 such that they are effectively, albeit indirectly, attached to the other ends of the end members 264. In the depicted embodiment, the intermediate members 265 are aligned with the end members 264 although in other embodiments they are not. 13 In one variation, the longitudinal bridging members 263 are not attached to the lateral bridging members 262 but pass over or under them and are located between and attached to two interconnection members 45 and to each other to form a long beam. In the depicted embodiment, the lateral bridging members 262 have a 25mm x 25mm square 5 cross-section, are made from aluminium, and have a wall thickness of about 2mm. Further, the longitudinal members 263 as depicted, run substantially orthogonally to the lateral bridging members 262, have a solid rectangular cross-section and are made from steel. The bridging members 262, 263 may be attached to the interconnection members 45 and to each other by screws, rivets, welds, adhesives, bolts or any other suitable means. 10 The bridging members 262, 263 are manufactured from a material that is light, durable and strong enough to support the bladder 15 such as, metals (e.g. aluminum or steel), plastics (e.g. fiber reinforced ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene), PVC (polyvinyl chloride)) or even wood. One function of the bridging members 262, 263 is to structurally brace the support structure 15 20. The side panels 35 may be attached to inner sides of the upper and lower transverse members 51, 52 and/or to the corner members 25 and/or to the interconnection members 45 by screws, rivets, welds, adhesives, bolts, mechanical lock or any other suitable means. Generally, the side panels 35 are manufactured from a material that is relatively light, durable 20 and strong enough to support the bladder 15. In the depicted embodiments the side panels 35 take the form of corrugated steel sheeting. In other embodiments, the side panels 35 may be made from corrugated iron or aluminium sheeting, fiberglass or other composite materials, or plastics such as fiber reinforced ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) or PVC (polyvinyl chloride). 25 In one embodiment, the top and bottom edges of the corrugated side panels 35 curve inwardly at their top and bottom edges so that they can be easily attached to the transverse members 30. In one embodiment, typical bolt assemblies for attaching corrugated sheeting to something else (in this case the transverse members 30) are provided. Each bolt assembly comprises a bolt and nut, each of which include a relatively large diameter flange, 30 and two cooperating sandwiching discs that have a cross-sectional profile having one side curved to receive the corrugation(s) and the other side flat to abut against the bolt flange or flat plate respectively. Two washers can also be provided on either side of the respective transverse member 30. Silicone can be applied around the attachment for sealing. 14 In another embodiment, each side panel 35 is provided as two or more panels that are attached during assembly. This can help reduce the size of a flat pack if that is how the reservoir 10 is to be packed. The bladder 15 is located inside the support structure 20 and is attached to the support 5 structure 20. However, the support structure 20 does not support the weight of the bladder 15 apart from the fact that the bladder 15 may rest on the base 56 and/or on the lower transverse members 52 and lower interconnection members. The bladder 15 may be open or closed at its top. In the case that the bladder 15 is open, a top edge region 266 of the bladder 15 is attached to the upper transverse members 51 by 10 means of a plurality of screws, rivets or bolts that extend through the bladder 15, transverse members 30 and side panels 35. In this case, the top edge region 266 of the bladder 15 is attached to the upper and lower transverse members 51, 51 respectively by a plurality of screws 268. In another embodiment, the top edge region 266 of the bladder 15 may be folded over onto itself to form a dual layer region through which the screws 268 pass. 15 The bladder 15 may be any shape that fits inside the support structure 20 (e.g. rectangular prism, cylindrical). The bladder 15 is manufactured from a flexible, durable material that is substantially impervious to water such as polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene or Gortex T M . The bladder 15 may be manufactured by one of the following methods: blow molding, rotational 20 molding, welding or stitching together flat sheets of material, or by any other suitable method. The wall thickness of the bladder 15 is dependant on material choice. In another embodiment a network of bladders may be used to hold the fluid. Each bladder 15 in the network may be dimensioned such that it fits within one basic support structure 20 (e.g. as depicted in Fig. 1) of the expanded support structure 20. Furthermore, each bladder 25 15 has at least one outlet located on its base or near its base on one of its side walls that is in fluid communication via a pipe or hose with at least one of the other bladders 15 such that the network of bladders are all in fluid communication. At least one bladder 15 in the network will have an inlet at its top and at least one bladder 15 will have an outlet so that fluid can be removed from the network of bladders. The interconnection of bladders 15 allows one 30 bladder to fill all the other bladders so that every bladder 15 in the network will have the same fluid level if all the bladders 15 are at the same level. One advantage of this particular embodiment is that each bladder 15 can be handled, moved, manipulated and/or stored separately and so more easily. In some embodiments the lid 41 (e.g. as shown in Fig. 5) is provided and is attached to the 35 upper transverse members 51 of the support structure 20 by screws, rivets, welds, 15 adhesives, bolts, mechanical interlock or any other suitable fastening means. For large reservoirs 10, multiple lids 41 may be used where the length and width of each lid 41 corresponds to the length and width of a basic support structure 20 (e.g. as shown in Fig. 1). The lid 41 keeps debris off the bladder 15 and improves aesthetics. 5 The inlet 42 may be manufactured/drilled into the lid 41 and allows filling of the bladder 15. For this reason the inlet is not necessarily located in the centre of the lid 41 but is located adjacent the inlet of the bladder 15 (in the case the bladder 15 is closed) or anywhere on the lid 41 (in the case the bladder 15 has an open top). The lid 41 is constructed from a material that is light and durable such as metals (e.g. aluminum or steel), plastics such as fiber 10 reinforced ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) or PVC (polyvinyl chloride). Preferably, the lid 41 is made from Aquaplate T M which is manufactured by BHP. The manufacturing method will be dependant on the material used, but in general the lids 41 will be cut to size from flat sheets of material. The inlet 42 may be prefabricated before installation of the reservoir 10, or drilled at the time of installation. In this embodiment, the inlet 42 has a diameter of 90mm. 15 In another embodiment, the inlet 42 is not mounted in the middle of the lid 41 but on one side of the lid 41 or on one of the side panels 35. In another embodiment, the lid 41 is generally concave, with a hole at its lowest point for use in the collection of additional rain water. A first flush diverter may be incorporated into the lid 41. First flush diverters capture or divert 20 an initial amount of rainwater so that only the subsequent cleaner rainwater is emptied into the fluid reservoir 10. The inlet of the first flush diverter may be connected to the rain collection conduit (usually running from a nearby roof or gutter) and the outlet of the first flush diverter may be connected to the inlet of the bladder 15. In another embodiment, a fluid level indicator may be incorporated into one of the side 25 panels 35 of the fluid reservoir 10. In a further embodiment, a filter may be attached to the inlet 42 of the bladder 15 for removing foreign bodies from the incoming rain water such as leaves and other organic matter. In some embodiments, a base 56 may be provided and is located underneath the support 30 structure 20. The base 56 may be attached to the lower transverse members 52 of the support structure 20 by screws, rivets, welds, adhesives, bolts, mechanical interlock or any other suitable fastening means. For large reservoirs 10, multiple bases 56 may be used where the length and width of each base 56 corresponds to the length and width of a basic support structure 20 (e.g. as shown in Fig. 1). The base 56 can help protect the bladder 15 16 against being worn down by contact with or movement of the bladder 15 on a rough surface (e.g. the ground or concrete slab). The base 56 is constructed from a material that is light and durable such as metals (e.g. aluminum or steel), plastics such as fiber reinforced ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) or 5 PVC (polyvinyl chloride). Preferably, the base 56 is made from Aquaplate T M which is manufactured by BHP. The manufacturing method will be dependant on the material used, but in general the base 56 will be cut to size from flat sheets of material. In another embodiment, the base 56 is formed from one or more layers of geotechnical fabric (also known as geotech fabric) that is laid down on top of the lower members of the support 10 structure 20 (e.g. over the lower bridging members 50). The geotechnical fabric helps protect the bladder 15 against any sharp edges of the lower members of the support structure 20 or attachments regions thereof (e.g. where bolt heads protrude). In one embodiment, each individual component of the fluid reservoir 10 is light enough to be moved, handled, and manipulated by a single person. In one embodiment each component 15 weighs less than about 5kg. In another embodiment each component weighs less than about 10kg. In yet another embodiment each component weighs less than about 20kg. Referring to Fig. 19, each component of the reservoir 10 is substantially flat, which allows the components to be arranged into a flat pack 276. This is advantageous as the reservoir 10 will take up less space in its unassembled state and so be cheaper to transport and distribute. It 20 should be noted that not every component of the reservoir 10 is shown in Fig. 19 for clarity (e.g. the tap 44 is not shown). A method of packaging a fluid reservoir 10 is provided and involves arranging the components of the fluid reservoir 10 into a flat pack type arrangement (for example, like flat pack 276). 25 A first advantage of at least some of the above embodiments is that the fluid reservoir 10 can be distributed and delivered in an unassembled state in which the overall volume and bulkiness of the reservoir 10 is minimized. This can reduce distribution and delivery costs. Furthermore, the components of the reservoir 10 can be packaged separately or in subset groups so that each component or group of components can be efficiently handed by a 30 single person. For example, each component or group of components can be provided or packaged in such a way that they can be lifted and carried by a single person. For each of these reasons, the reservoir is easily located at a property (e.g. in a backyard, or under a house). 17 A second advantage of at least some of the above embodiments is that the provision of a bladder 15 means that the support structure 20 does not have to be watertight. This reduces cost and complexity for each of the following reasons: 1. Sizing and tolerances of the parts of the fluid reservoir 10 do not have to be as exact; 5 2. Sealing of the parts is not required upon assembly (e.g. by silicone, welding etc.) 3. Any metal components are not subject to rust or any other type of deterioration due contact with the fluid. 4. Once the bladder 15 reaches the end of its working life it can be replaced without replacement of the entire reservoir 10. 10 A third advantage of at least some of the above embodiments is that spacing of the typically sharp edge regions 136 of the side panels 35 from the bladder 15 is provided. Thus, the bladder 15 is less likely to be damaged, worn or punctured by the edge regions 136 of side panels 35. A fourth advantage of at least some of the above embodiments is that the inlet 42, outlet 43 15 and overflow outlet 76 can be located at any position on the fluid reservoir 10 (e.g. on the side walls 35 or lid 41) where they can fulfill their function. Advantageously, the inlet 42, outlet 43 and overflow outlet 76 can be formed (e.g. by cutting or drilling a hole) on site while the fluid reservoir 10 is being assembled or afterwards. Alternatively, they can be formed in the side panels 35 and/or lid 41 before delivery of the fluid reservoir 10. Advantageously, 20 since each side panel 35 can be positioned at a number of different locations around the fluid reservoir 10 during assembly, any of the inlet 42, outlet 43 or overflow outlet 76 that is formed in a side panel 35 can be positioned in a number of different locations around the fluid reservoir 10. Irrespective of when the inlet 42, outlet 43 and overflow outlet 76 are formed, it is clear that embodiments of the invention offer significant flexibility in terms of their 25 positioning. Advantageously, the inlet 42 can be formed at a location on the fluid reservoir 10 nearest a roof gutter or downpipe and/or the outlet 43 can be positioned at a convenient location for ease of access and/or the overflow outlet 76 can be positioned near a drain. Configurations of fluid reservoirs 10 in accordance with embodiments of the present invention are not limited to square footprints as described above. Any configuration that is 30 based on the basic support structure 20 as shown in Fig. 1 or variations thereof is possible. Examples of some, but not all, possible configurations will now be described. A first configuration is shown in Fig. 20 and has a zigzag shape. A second configuration is shown in Fig. 21 and has a main rectangular section 280 and an upside-down L-shaped section 285 connected to one end of the main rectangular section 18 280. A number of bridging members 48 of various lengths connect the sides of the reservoir 10. A third configuration is shown in Fig. 22 and has two main end sections 290 connected by a bridging section 295. Two bridging members 48 bridge the main end sections 290. This 5 configuration is particularly useful for locating in a generally large rectangular area that has an obstruction that the perimeter of the reservoir 10 must locate around. A fourth configuration is shown in Fig. 23 and has a main square section 300 like in the reservoir of Fig. 2 but also includes an extension section 305. A fifth configuration is shown in Fig. 24 and is generally L-shaped and has a number of short 10 bridging members 48 connecting the sides of the reservoir 10. One method of assembling the fluid reservoir 10 of Fig.1 comprises the following steps: - Locating an upper and lower transverse member 51, 52 between each adjacent pair of corner members 25; - Attaching each end of the transverse members 51, 52 to the respective corner 15 members 25; - Locating each side panel 35 adjacent a respective upper and lower transverse member 51, 52 and between two corner members 25 and attaching the side panel 35 to the transverse members 51, 52; and - Locating the bladder 15 in a region that is surrounded or partially surrounded by the 20 corner members 25 and attaching the bladder 15 to the upper transverse members 51. - Forming an inlet 42, outlet 43 or overflow outlet 76 in one of the side panels 35 or in the lid 41. While the invention has been described with reference to a number of preferred 25 embodiments it should be appreciated that the invention can be embodied in many other forms. For example, the corner members 25 may define an angle other than 90 degrees between the transverse members 30 that connect to them (e.g. an angle between 60 degrees and 90 degrees or an angle between 90 degrees and 120 degrees). In the claims which follow and in the preceding description of the invention, except where the 30 context requires otherwise due to express language or necessary implication, the word "comprise" or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising" are used in an inclusive sense, i.e. to specify the presence of the stated features but not to preclude the presence or addition of further features in various embodiments of the invention. 19

Claims (26)

1. A fluid reservoir comprising: 5 - a bladder made from substantially water impermeable material; and - a support structure arranged around at least a portion of the bladder and comprising spaced apart upright members, transverse members interconnecting adjacent upright members and side walls disposed adjacent respective transverse members and between adjacent upright members, such 10 that at least a portion of the support structure contacts the bladder.

2. A fluid reservoir as defined in claim 1, wherein the upright members are adapted to recess side edges of the side walls such that the bladder does not contact the side edges of the side walls in use.

3. A fluid reservoir as defined in claim 1 or 2, wherein adjacent upright members are 15 connected at or near their top end by a top transverse member and are connected at or near their bottom end by a bottom transverse member.

4. A fluid reservoir as defined in claim 3, wherein the support structure further comprises a top wall for attachment to the top transverse members.

5. A fluid reservoir as defined in claim 3 or 4, wherein the bladder is attached to the top 20 transverse members.

6. A fluid reservoir as defined in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the upright members are formed by an extrusion process.

7. A fluid reservoir as defined in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the transverse members are formed by an extrusion process. 25

8. A fluid reservoir as defined in any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one of the upright members is an elongate corner member having at least one angled connection portion for connecting at least a first and second transverse member, the angled connection portion having a cross-section defined by an angled outer wall and a corresponding angled inner wall that is spaced from the outer wall and extends 30 generally parallel to the outer wall, and at least one transverse wall interconnecting the outer wall and inner wall, wherein the outer wall, inner wall and transverse wall define a first recess for receiving one end of the first transverse member and a second recess for receiving one end of the second transverse member such that the 20 elongate corner member maintains an angle between the first and second transverse members.

9. A fluid reservoir as defined in claim 8, wherein the elongate corner extrusion maintains the first and second transverse members in substantially orthogonal 5 relation.

10. A fluid reservoir as defined in any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one of the upright members is an elongate interconnection member having at least one in line connection portion for connecting at least a first and second transverse member, the in-line connection portion having a cross-section defined by an outer wall and a 10 corresponding inner wall that is spaced from the outer wall and extends generally parallel to the outer wall, and at least one transverse wall interconnecting the outer wall and inner wall, wherein the outer wall, inner wall and transverse wall define a first and second recess such that one end of the first transverse member can be fitted into the first recess and one end of the second transverse member can be fitted into the 15 second recess and the elongate interconnection member connects the first and second transverse members in generally in-line, end-to-end relation.

11. A fluid reservoir as defined in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the support structure further comprises a bottom wall for location underneath the bladder.

12. A fluid reservoir as defined in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the 20 transverse members are oriented substantially orthogonally to the upright members.

13. A fluid reservoir as defined in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the upright members are formed from sections of extruded aluminium and the side walls are formed from corrugated steel sheets.

14. A fluid reservoir as defined in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the bladder is 25 substantially enclosed apart from one or more inlet and/or outlet ports.

15. A fluid reservoir as defined in any one of the preceding claims, wherein all parts of the fluid reservoir can be packaged in a flat pack.

16. An unassembled fluid reservoir as defined in any one of the preceding claims.

17. An unassembled fluid reservoir as defined in claim 16, wherein the parts of the fluid 30 reservoir are packaged in a flat pack.

18. An unassembled fluid reservoir as defined in claim 16 or 17, wherein each part of the fluid reservoir weighs less than about 5kg. 21

19. An unassembled fluid reservoir as defined in claim 16 or 17, wherein each part of the fluid reservoir weighs less than about 10kg.

20. An unassembled fluid reservoir as defined in claim 16 or 17, wherein each part of the fluid reservoir weighs less than about 20kg. 5

21. A method of packaging a fluid reservoir as defined in any one of the preceding claims, comprising the following step: i. Arranging the parts of the fluid reservoir into a flat pack type arrangement.

22. A method of assembling a fluid reservoir as defined in any one of the preceding claims, comprising the following steps: 10 i. locating at least one transverse member between each adjacent pair of upright members; ii. attaching each end of the at least one transverse member to the respective upright members; iii. locating the side walls adjacent respective transverse members and between 15 respective upright members; iv. attaching the side walls to respective transverse members; v. locating the bladder in a region that is surrounded or partially surrounded by the upright members and side walls; and vi. attaching the bladder to at least one transverse member. 20

23. A method of assembling a fluid reservoir as defined in claim 22, comprising the following steps: i. forming at least one aperture in at least one of the side walls.

24. A corner extrusion substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 7 to 10.

25. A side extrusion substantially as herein described with reference to Figure 11 to 15. 25

26. A fluid reservoir substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying figures. 22