CN112411667A

CN112411667A - Pit lining

Info

Publication number: CN112411667A
Application number: CN201911111682.2A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 石山大悟
Original assignee: Lixil Corp
Current assignee: Lishu Group Co.,Ltd.
Priority date: 2019-08-23
Filing date: 2019-11-14
Publication date: 2021-02-26
Also published as: PH12019000440A1; ZA201907539B

Abstract

The present invention provides a pit lining system comprising a plurality of curved interlocking panels. Each curved interlocking panel of the pit lining system comprises an inner curved surface and an outer curved surface, the plurality of curved interlocking panels being identical and configured to be coupled together to form a cylindrical pit lining for lining a pit.

Description

Pit lining

Cross Reference to Related Applications

This application claims priority to U.S. provisional application No.62/890,993 filed on 23/8/2019, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a pit lining system, and more particularly to a pit lining system including a plurality of curved interlocking panels.

Background

The pit lining is used as a lining on the inside of the pit to prevent soil collapse. For example, the pit lining may be used as a lining for pit toilets or pit pits for the purpose of rain water collection devices. In both cases, a pit liner may be used to stabilize the sides of the pit to prevent the sides from sagging and filling the pit. Pit liners are typically constructed of brick, preserved wood, concrete, stone, and/or mortar, which can be a labor intensive and time consuming process.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention provides a pit lining system for lining a pit, such as a pit for collecting rain water or toileting. As noted above, pit liners are typically assembled using labor intensive and time consuming materials and processes. However, the pit lining system provided herein can be easily assembled, thereby saving a significant amount of time and labor for installing the pit lining. In particular, the pit lining system disclosed herein may be made of a lighter weight material than the bricks, wood, concrete, stone or mortar used in conventional pit linings. For example, the provided pit lining system may be made of a polymer, such as polypropylene or polyethylene, which may enable the pit lining to be assembled and/or installed with far less labor intensity and process time than is currently required for conventional pit linings.

In some embodiments, the provided pit lining system may comprise a plurality of panels. The pit lining may be assembled by joining two or more panels to line the pit. Additionally, multiple panels may be stacked in a compact, layered (layered, by layer) configuration such that the inner curved surface of one interlocking panel is adjacent to the outer curved surface of another interlocking panel. This compact configuration may be used to allow the panel to be easily transported to the consumer and/or easily stored when not in use. During assembly, multiple panels of the pit lining may be coupled (e.g., interlocked) together to form a cylindrical (barrel-shaped) pit lining to line the pit.

A pit lining system is provided herein that is easier to assemble than conventional pit linings, thereby saving time and labor. The pit lining systems provided herein and described in more detail below may also be configured to be compactly stacked during storage and/or transportation.

In some embodiments, a pit lining system is provided that includes a plurality of curved interlocking panels, each curved interlocking panel comprising an inner curved surface and an outer curved surface, wherein the plurality of curved interlocking panels are identical and are configured to be coupled together to form a cylindrical pit lining for lining a pit.

In some embodiments of the system, the plurality of curved interlocking panels can be stacked in a layered arrangement for shipping and storage such that an inner curved surface of a first curved interlocking panel of the plurality of curved interlocking panels is adjacent to an outer curved surface of a second curved interlocking panel of the plurality of curved interlocking panels.

In some embodiments of the system, each curved interlocking panel of the plurality of curved interlocking panels comprises a plurality of apertures, and each aperture of the plurality of apertures extends from an inner curved surface to an outer curved surface of the each curved interlocking panel.

In some embodiments of the system, the plurality of apertures constitutes 2% to 10% of a total inner surface area of each of the plurality of curved interlocking panels, wherein the total inner surface area comprises a surface area of the inner curved surface and a two-dimensional area of each of the plurality of apertures.

In some embodiments of the system, each curved interlocking panel of the plurality of curved interlocking panels comprises a first interlocking edge and a second interlocking edge, and the first interlocking edge of the first curved interlocking panel is configured to interlock with the second interlocking edge of the second curved interlocking panel.

In some embodiments of the system, the first interlocking edge and the second interlocking edge of each curved interlocking panel are symmetric by rotating 180 ° (rotational symmetry over 180 °).

In some embodiments of the system, each curved interlocking panel has a thickness of 20mm to 30 mm.

In some embodiments of the system, each curved interlocking panel has a height of 0.3 meters to 1 meter.

In some embodiments of the system, each curved interlocking panel has a width of 0.4 meters to 0.8 meters.

In some embodiments of the system, each curved interlocking panel has a radius of curvature of 0.25 meters to 1 meter.

In some embodiments of the system, the plurality of curved interlocking panels are configured to be vertically (uprightly) stacked to form a pit lining comprising a layer of two or more vertically curved interlocking panels.

In some embodiments, each curved interlocking panel of the plurality of curved interlocking panels comprises one or more openings on an upper or lower edge face and one or more protrusions on an upper or lower edge face configured to lock into the one or more openings when the plurality of curved interlocking panels are vertically stacked to form a crater liner comprising a layer of two or more vertical curved interlocking panels.

In some embodiments, the one or more openings each comprise a ring of material that extends at least partially away from the upper or lower edge surface.

In some embodiments, each curved interlocking panel comprises one or more support ribs, and at least one support rib comprises a notch (indentation) at the location of at least one of the one or more openings.

In some embodiments of the system, the plurality of curved interlocking panels comprises 4 to 8 curved interlocking panels.

In some embodiments of the system, each curved interlocking panel of the plurality of curved interlocking panels comprises polypropylene or polyethylene.

In some embodiments, the crater liner system includes a plurality of curved interlocking panels. Each curved interlocking panel can include: an inner curve and an outer curve, one or more openings on the upper or lower edge surface, and one or more protrusions on the upper or lower edge surface. The one or more protrusions are configured to lock into the one or more openings when the plurality of curved interlocking panels are vertically stacked to form a crater liner comprising a layer of two or more vertically curved interlocking panels. The one or more openings may each include a ring of material that extends at least partially away from the upper or lower edge surface. Each curved interlocking panel may also include one or more support ribs, at least one support rib including a notch in the area of at least one of the one or more openings. The plurality of curved interlocking panels are identical, are configured to be coupled together to form a cylindrical pit liner to line a pit cellar, and are configured to be vertically stacked to form a pit liner comprising two or more layers of vertical curved interlocking panels.

Drawings

Various embodiments are described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 provides a rainwater collection process according to some embodiments;

FIG. 2 illustrates an assembled pit lining according to some embodiments;

FIG. 3 illustrates a curved interlocking panel for a pit lining according to some embodiments;

FIG. 4 illustrates a layered stack for a transportation or storage pit lining according to some embodiments;

5A-5G illustrate aspects of a curved interlocking panel for a pothole lining, according to some embodiments;

FIG. 6A illustrates an embodiment of a panel having a loop or band of material extending at least partially away from an upper lip of the panel;

FIG. 6B shows a multi-layer columnar pit liner;

FIG. 7 illustrates a front perspective view of a panel according to some embodiments;

FIG. 8 illustrates a rear perspective view of a panel according to some embodiments;

FIG. 9 illustrates a front view of a panel according to some embodiments;

FIG. 10 illustrates a rear view of a panel according to some embodiments;

FIG. 11 illustrates a side view of a panel according to some embodiments;

FIG. 12 illustrates an opposite side view of the panel of FIG. 11 in accordance with some embodiments;

FIG. 13 illustrates a top view of a panel according to some embodiments; and

fig. 14 illustrates a bottom view of a face plate according to some embodiments.

Detailed Description

Described herein is a pit lining system for lining the sides of a pit, such as for a rain water collection device or a pit toilet. In particular, the pit lining system described herein may comprise a plurality of panels configured to be stacked together in a layered arrangement for shipping or storage such that an inner curved surface of a first curved interlocking panel of the plurality of curved interlocking panels is adjacent to an outer curved surface of a second curved interlocking panel of the plurality of curved interlocking panels. The multiple panels can also be easily coupled together by a user and stacked vertically to assemble and install the pit lining into the pit.

One example of a pit cellar in which the pit lining system may be used is a rainwater collection pit cellar. Rainwater collection pit cellar can be used to collect rainwater and store it underground by allowing water to penetrate into the soil through the open bottom of the pit lining and the perforations on the surface of the pit lining. The collected rainwater may replenish groundwater, which may be pumped up from the ground elsewhere to be used for various purposes.

Fig. 1 shows a simple schematic of a rainwater collection system 100. As shown, the system 100 includes a collector 102, pipes 104a and 104b, a well 106, a pit 108, and a ground water level 110. The pit lining provided herein may be used to line the sides of pit shaft 108, thereby preventing soil from collapsing into the pit shaft.

The collector 102 is a container configured to collect rain water or other water runoff. Once the water in the collector 102 reaches a critical volume, the overflow flows into either conduit 104a or conduit 104 b. As shown, the collector 102 may be a ceiling of a structure. A conduit 104a may convey water from the collector 102 to a pit 108. Conduit 104b may convey water from collector 102 to well 106.

The rain water may be used immediately or, as described above, the rain water may be filtered and stored underground for later use. The overflow water flowing from the collector 102 into the conduit 104b can be used without being stored underground.

Pit 108 may be configured to filter water as it seeps through pit 108 and into a ground water level 110. For example, the pit 108 may contain layers of stones, sand, and/or gravel in a particular configuration designed to filter rain water as it passes through the pit 108. Once the water passes the height of pit 108, it flows into the ground water level 110. The water may be stored in the groundwater table 110 for days, weeks, months or even years. When desired, the well 106 may draw filtered and stored rainwater up from the surface 110 for use.

In some embodiments, the pit-liner system provided herein can include two or more curved panels configured to interlock to form a cylindrical pit-liner. For example, fig. 2 illustrates a single-layer pit liner 200 comprising six panels according to some embodiments.

In particular, fig. 2 shows a pit lining 200 comprising a plurality of panels 212. Each panel 212 includes a plurality of stacking tabs 214A, a plurality of stacking recesses 214B, a plurality of apertures 216, a plurality of conduit cutout profiles 218, and at least two interlocking edges 220. The stacking projections 214A and stacking recesses 214B allow the panels to be stacked vertically in use.

Pit lining 200 includes six panels 212 in a single layer. However, pit lining 200 may include any reasonable number of equally sized panels 212. For example, the crater liner 200 may include 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10 equal sized curved interlocking panels per layer.

As shown, each panel 212 of pit lining 200 includes a plurality of protrusions for stacking 214A and a plurality of recesses for stacking 214B. Each protrusion 214A of the first panel 212 corresponds to a recess 214B on the second panel 212. Specifically, protrusions 214A and recesses 214B may be used to assemble multi-layer column (row, tier) pit liner 200. For example, if the height of each panel 212 is 0.5 meters, the height of single-layer pit lining 200 would be 0.5 meters. However, the height of two-layer pit lining 200 would be 1 meter and the height of three-layer pit lining 200 would be 1.5 meters. Thus, the panels 212 may be stacked vertically by aligning the first panel 212 with the second panel 212 such that the protrusion 214A slides into the recess 214B. This vertical stacking feature allows pit lining 200 to line pit pits of different heights.

In some embodiments, the panel 212 may include a plurality of apertures 216. The apertures 216 may be configured to allow fluid to be transferred from inside the pit to outside the pit. As shown, each panel 212 includes 12 apertures 216. However, the panel 212 may include any number of apertures 216 between 4 and 24. Each aperture 216 may extend from an inner surface of the face plate 212 to an outer surface of the face plate 212. If panel 212 has too many holes 216 or holes 216 are too large, this may allow too much fluid to be transferred from the pit cellar. If there are not enough holes 216 or if the holes 216 are not large enough, there will be insufficient fluid that can be transferred from the pit cellar, which may impair the filtration process. In some embodiments, the total number of holes 216 on the panel 212 may account for 2% -20% or 5% -10% of the surface (e.g., outer or inner surface) of the panel 212. In some embodiments, the total number of apertures 216 may comprise less than 20%, less than 15%, less than 10%, or less than 5% of the surface of the panel. In some embodiments, the total number of holes 216 may account for more than 2%, more than 5%, more than 10%, or more than 15% of the surface of the panel 212. As used in this paragraph, the term "surface" refers to the surface area of the inner surface of the panel 212 plus the two-dimensional surface of the aperture 216, wherein the surface area of the inner surface and the two-dimensional surface of the aperture 216 are in the same plane. In some embodiments, the holes may be symmetrical with a rotation of 180 °.

Holes 216 may be configured to help alleviate some of the load pressure on the pit lining caused by the weight (e.g., soil) on the sides of the pit. In some embodiments, the aperture 216 may be configured to prevent the passage of animals and/or insects. For example, the apertures 216 may be of a particular size and shape to prevent rodents such as mice and rats, other underground mammals such as moles, and large insects such as cockroaches from passing through (e.g., into a pit cellar). The aperture 216 may take any of a variety of shapes including, but not limited to, circular, oval, elliptical, stadium, rectangular, or triangular. If the holes 216 are too large, they may structurally damage the pit lining and/or allow rodents and insects to enter the pit cellar. If the holes 216 are too small, they may not allow enough water to seep through the sides of the pit lining 200. In some embodiments, the aperture 216 may have an opening with a length of 10mm-200mm, 20mm-100mm, or 30mm-60mm at the widest point. In some embodiments, the aperture 216 may have an opening at the widest point that is less than 200mm, less than 150mm, less than 100mm, less than 60mm, or less than 30mm in length. In some embodiments, the aperture 216 may have an opening at the widest point with a length greater than 10mm, greater than 20mm, greater than 30mm, or greater than 60 mm. In some embodiments, the aperture 216 may have an opening with a length of 5mm-100mm, 10mm-60mm, or 20mm-40mm at the narrowest point. In some embodiments, the aperture 216 may have an opening of less than 100mm, less than 60mm, less than 40mm, or less than 20mm at the narrowest point. In some embodiments, the aperture 216 may have an opening of greater than 5mm, greater than 10mm, greater than 20mm, or greater than 40mm at the narrowest point.

In some embodiments, each panel 212 may include a plurality of duct cutout profiles 218. Pipe cut outline 218 may be in the shape of a perforation, allowing a user who is assembling pit lining 200 to easily punch out the perforation shape. In some embodiments, duct cut outline 218 may be a visual indicia, indicating to a user where a hole may be cut or drilled without structurally damaging panel 212 or assembled pit lining 200. Panel 212 may be constructed such that duct cutout profile 218 and/or the area within duct cutout profile 218 is thinner than the rest of panel 212, thereby enabling a user to easily remove portions of duct cutout profile 218 to insert a duct. A conduit, such as conduit 104A or conduit 104B of fig. 1, may be inserted into the hole created using conduit cut-out profile 218. In some embodiments, a heated rod or tube may be used to melt away the tube cut profile 218 to form an opening for the tube. For example, a heated rod or pipe may be pushed into the pipe cut 218 until the plastic of the pipe cut profile 218 melts away, thereby forming an opening for the pipe.

In some embodiments, each panel 212 may have two interlocking edges 220. In particular, each interlocking edge 220 may be located on one side of panel 212. The interlocking edge 220 of the first panel 212 can be configured to interlock with the interlocking edge 220 of the second panel. In some embodiments, each interlocking edge 220 may include a plurality of protrusions. In some embodiments, each interlocking edge 220 may include a plurality of recesses. In some embodiments, each interlocking edge 220 may include a plurality of protrusions and a plurality of recesses. In some embodiments, the plurality of protrusions and the plurality of recesses of two interlocking edges 220 of a panel 212 may be configured to interlock with an interlocking edge of another panel having the same shape. The interlocking edges will be described in more detail below with reference to fig. 3.

In some embodiments, pit lining 200 may include a cap. The roof may be configured to rest on top of the pit lining 200 and/or be coupled to a top edge of the pit lining 200 to cover the pit and prevent personal injury (e.g., tripping and/or falling) and/or property damage (e.g., driving or cycling over/into the pit). In some embodiments, the cap may be composed of the same material as the pit liner 200. In some embodiments, the pit lining 200 may be constructed of materials used in conventional pit linings, such as those described above with reference to conventional pit linings (i.e., brick, corrosion-resistant wood, concrete, stone, and/or mortar).

Fig. 3 shows a front view (elevation) of a panel 300 that may be used to assemble a pit lining. As shown, panel 300 includes an inner surface 322, a plurality of stacking tabs 314A, a plurality of stacking recesses 314B, a plurality of apertures 316, two interlocking edges 320, a plurality of interlocking tabs 322A, and a plurality of interlocking recesses 322B.

Panel 300 may be used to assemble a pit lining such that inner surface 322 faces the interior of the pit. After the pit lining is assembled and installed, the outer surface of panel 300 will face the soil side of the pit.

As described above with reference to fig. 2, the panel 300 may include a plurality of stacking protrusions 314A and a plurality of stacking recesses 314B. The stacking tabs 314A may be located on the bottom edge of the panel 300, the top edge of the panel 300, or both the bottom edge and the top edge. Similarly, the stacking recess 314B may be located on the bottom edge of the panel 300, the top edge of the panel 300, or both the bottom edge and the top edge. As described above, protrusion 314A and recess 314B may be used to assemble a multi-layer well liner. For example, if the height of each panel 300 is 0.5 meters, the height of the single layer pit lining would be 0.5 meters. However, the height of a two-layer pit liner would be 1 meter and the height of a three-layer pit liner would be 1.5 meters. Thus, the first panel 300 and the second panel 300 may be stacked by aligning the first panel 300 and the second panel 300 such that the protrusion 314A slides into the recess 314B. This stacking feature enables panel 300 to be used as a lining for pit pits of different heights.

In some embodiments, the first panels 300 may be stacked on top of the second panels 300 in a staggered configuration. In this staggered configuration, the interlocking edges of the first layer of the pit liner will be offset from the interlocking edges of the second layer of the pit liner. The staggered configuration may help support the load (e.g., the weight of the soil) generated by the sides of the pit shaft acting on the pit liner. In some embodiments, the second layer of the pit liner may be stacked directly on top of the first layer without an offset configuration. In some embodiments, the second layer of the pit liner may be configured to be stacked on top of the first layer of the pit liner at a rotational offset of 20% to 60%. In some embodiments, the second layer of the pit lining may be configured to be stacked on top of the first layer of the pit lining with a rotational offset of less than 60%, less than 50%, less than 40%, or less than 30%. In some embodiments, the second layer of the pit lining may be configured to be stacked on top of the first layer of the pit lining with a rotational offset of greater than 20%, greater than 30%, greater than 40%, or greater than 50%.

Further, the panel 300 may include a plurality of apertures 316, such as those described above with respect to the apertures 216 of fig. 2. The aperture 316 may include any and/or all of the features described above with respect to the aperture 216 of fig. 2.

Panel 300 may also include two or more interlocking edges 320. As described above, each interlocking edge 320 may include a plurality of interlocking protrusions 322A and/or a plurality of interlocking recesses 322B. In some embodiments, interlocking edge 320 may include only interlocking protrusions 322A. In some embodiments, interlocking edge 320 may include only interlocking recess 322B. In some embodiments, interlocking edges 320 may include both interlocking protrusions 322A and interlocking recesses 322B. In some embodiments, interlocking projection 322A and/or interlocking recess 322B of panel 300 are configured to interlock with an interlocking edge of another panel having the same shape. As described above, the interlocking edge 320 of the first panel 300 can be configured to interlock with the interlocking edge of the second panel 300 to form a portion of the crater liner. In some embodiments, interlocking edge 320 may interlock by aligning interlocking protrusion 322A of first panel 300 with interlocking recess 322B of second panel 300 and joining first panel 300 and second panel 300 together such that interlocking protrusion 322A slides into interlocking recess 322B, thereby locking the two panels together. In some embodiments, the first panel 300 may be removably coupled to the second panel 300 such that the two panels are not permanently locked.

The panel 300 may be made of a lightweight polymer. For example, suitable light weight polymers may include polypropylene or polyethylene. In some embodiments, the panel 300 may comprise recycled plastic. In some embodiments, the panel 300 may comprise 80-100% recycled plastic. Additionally, the panel 300 may be manufactured using injection molding, extrusion, 3D printing, CNC machining, polymer casting, rotational molding, vacuum forming, or blow molding.

In some embodiments, multiple panels may be configured in a compact stack for ease of storage and/or transportation. For example, fig. 4 shows a stack 400 of a plurality of panels 412. As shown, the panels 412 may be stacked in a configuration such that an outer surface of the first panel 412 is adjacent to an inner surface of the second panel 412. The panel 412 may include any and/or all of the features of the panels disclosed in fig. 2, 3, and/or 5.

Fig. 5A-5G illustrate various views of a panel 500 that may be used for a pit lining. Specifically, fig. 5A and 5F show top and bottom views, respectively, of the face plate 500. Fig. 5A shows a top view of the face plate 500 including the stacking recess 514B, and fig. 5F shows a bottom view of the face plate 500 including the stacking protrusion 514A. In addition, fig. 5A and 5F illustrate the thickness of the panel 500. If panel 500 is too thick, its manufacturing and shipping costs may be significant. If the panel 500 is too thin, it will be more susceptible to damage and may not prevent the sides of the pit from collapsing. In some embodiments, the thickness of the panel 500 (i.e., the distance from the inner surface 526 to the outer surface 524) may be 10mm-50mm, 15mm-40mm, or 20mm-30 mm. In some embodiments, the thickness of the panel 500 may be less than 50mm, less than 40mm, less than 30mm, or less than 20 mm. In some embodiments, the thickness of the panel 400 may be greater than 10mm, greater than 20mm, greater than 30mm, or greater than 40 mm.

Fig. 5B and 5D show close-up views of the interlocking edge 520. Specifically, fig. 5B shows the left interlocking edge 520 of the panel 500, while fig. 5D shows the right interlocking edge 520 of the panel 500. In some embodiments, each interlocking edge 520 may include a plurality of interlocking protrusions 522A and a plurality of interlocking recesses 522B. Interlocking edge 520, interlocking projection 522A, and interlocking recess 522B may include any and/or all of the features of interlocking edge 320, interlocking projection 322A, and/or interlocking recess 322B, respectively, of fig. 3.

Fig. 5C illustrates a front view of a panel 500 according to some embodiments. Specifically, fig. 5C shows a front view of panel 500, which includes front surface 526, stacking tabs 514A, stacking recesses 514B, apertures 516, interlocking edges 520, interlocking tabs 522A, and interlocking recesses 522B. Aperture 516 may include any and/or all of the features described above with respect to aperture 216 of fig. 2. Interlocking edge 520, interlocking projection 522A, and interlocking recess 522B may include any and/or all of the features of interlocking edge 320, interlocking projection 322A, and/or interlocking recess 322B, respectively, of fig. 3.

Fig. 5E illustrates a back view of the panel 500 according to some embodiments. Specifically, fig. 5E shows a rear view of panel 500, which includes rear surface 524, stacking tabs 514A, stacking recesses 514B, apertures 516, conduit cutout profiles 518, interlocking edges 520, interlocking tabs 522A, and interlocking recesses 522B. The aperture 516 and the tube cutout profile 518 may include any and/or all of the features described above with respect to the aperture 216 and/or the tube cutout profile 218 of fig. 2. Interlocking edge 520, interlocking projection 522A, and interlocking recess 522B may include any and/or all of the features of interlocking edge 320, interlocking projection 322A, and/or interlocking recess 322B, respectively, of fig. 3.

In some embodiments, the height of the panel 500 may be 0.2 to 1.5 meters (m) or 0.5 to 1 m. If the panel 500 is too high, it may be more costly to produce, more difficult to transport, and not suitable for different pit heights. If panel 500 is too short, more panels must be stacked vertically to complete the lining of the pit, which may be more prone to failure or collapse. In some embodiments, the height of the panel 500 may be greater than 0.2m, greater than 0.3m, greater than 0.4m, greater than 0.5m, greater than 0.6m, greater than 0.7m, greater than 0.8m, greater than 0.9m, greater than 1m, greater than 1.1m, greater than 1.2m, greater than 1.3m, or greater than 1.4 m. In some embodiments, the height of panel 500 may be less than 1.5m, less than 1.4m, less than 1.3m, less than 1.2m, less than 1.1m, less than 1m, less than 0.9m, less than 0.8m, less than 0.7m, less than 0.6m, less than 0.5m, less than 0.4m, or less than 0.3 m.

In some embodiments, the width of the panel 500 may be 0.3 to 2 meters (m) or 0.5 to 1 m. In some embodiments, the width of panel 500 may be greater than 0.3m, greater than 0.4m, greater than 0.5m, greater than 0.6m, greater than 0.7m, greater than 0.8m, greater than 0.9m, greater than 1m, greater than 1.1m, greater than 1.2m, greater than 1.3m, greater than 1.4m, greater than 1.5m, or greater than 1.8m, and in some embodiments, the width of panel 500 may be less than 2m, less than 1.8m, less than 1.5m, less than 1.4m, less than 1.3m, less than 1.2m, less than 1.1m, less than 1m, less than 0.9m, less than 0.8m, less than 0.7m, less than 0.6m, less than 0.5m, or less than 0.4 m.

Finally, fig. 5G is a three-dimensional computer-aided image of the panel 500. Fig. 5G shows the inner surface of the panel 500.

A pit lining assembled using multiple panels 500 may have a radius of 0.25 meters to 1.5 meters (m). In some embodiments, the radius of a pit lining assembled using multiple panels 500 may be less than 1.5m, less than 1.25m, less than 1m, less than 0.75m, or less than 0.5 m. In some embodiments, the radius of a pit liner assembled using multiple panels 500 may be greater than 0.25m, greater than 0.5m, greater than 0.75m, greater than 1m, or greater than 1.25 m.

In some embodiments, each panel 500 may have a radius of curvature of 0.25 meters to 1.5 meters (m). In some embodiments, the radius of curvature of the panel 500 may be less than 1.5m, less than 1.25m, less than 1m, less than 0.75m, or less than 0.5 m. In some embodiments, the radius of curvature of the panel 500 may be greater than 0.25m, greater than 0.5m, greater than 0.75m, greater than 1m, or greater than 1.25 m.

Fig. 6A shows an embodiment of a first panel 600 having a loop or band of material 602 that extends at least partially away from an upper lip (lip)604 of the panel 600. The ring or band of material may be used instead of or in addition to the recesses described herein. The ring of material 602 forms an opening for receiving a protrusion 612 from a second panel 608, which in use is stacked vertically on top of the panel 600. The first panel 600 may include one or more strengthening ribs 606. The reinforcing rib may include a notch 607 at a position corresponding to the position of the ring of material 602. The second panel 608 may include a lip 614. By forming a notch to the stiffening rib 606 at the location of the material ring 602, additional space is created for the protrusion 612 to slide into the opening of the material ring 602. Further, the force acting on the protrusion 612 is reduced when the

panels

600 and 608 are stacked vertically in use. In some embodiments, the ring or band of material 602 allows for a stronger bond than the recess. Each

panel

600 and 608 may include two or more loops of material and two or more protrusions.

Fig. 6B shows a multi-layer column-wise pit liner 620. In some embodiments, the multi-tiered tower structure may include two or more tiers, three or more tiers, or four or more tiers. In fig. 6B, an embodiment with three vertically stacked

tiers

622, 624, 626 is shown. The plurality of panels making up tier 622 may be locked in place vertically above the panels of tier 624 by a plurality of protrusions in the lower lip of the panels of tier 622 that lock into a plurality of loops of material in the upper lip of the panels of tier 624. Likewise, the plurality of panels making up the course 624 may be locked in place vertically above the panels of the course 626 by a plurality of protrusions in the lower lip of the panels of the course 624 that lock into a plurality of loops of material in the upper lip of the panels of the course 626.

Fig. 7 shows a front perspective view of the panel 600. Fig. 8 shows a rear perspective view of the panel 600. Fig. 9 shows a front view of the panel 600. Fig. 10 shows a rear view of the panel 600. Fig. 11 shows a side view of the panel 600. Fig. 12 shows an opposite side view of panel 600. Fig. 13 shows a top view of the panel 600. Fig. 14 shows a bottom view of the face plate 600.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms of art, notations and other technical and scientific terms or specializations used herein are intended to have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed subject matter pertains. In some instances, terms with commonly understood meanings are defined herein for clarity and/or ease of reference, and the inclusion of such definitions herein is not necessarily to be construed as representing a substantial difference from what is commonly understood in the art.

As used herein, the singular forms "a", "an" and "the" are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that the term "and/or" as used herein refers to and includes any and all possible combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. It will be further understood that the terms "comprises," "comprising," "includes" and/or "including," when used herein, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or units, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, units, and/or groups thereof.

The present application discloses several numerical ranges in the text and figures. The disclosed numerical ranges inherently support any range or value within the disclosed numerical ranges, including endpoints, although precise range limitations are not literally set forth in the specification, as the disclosure may be practiced throughout the disclosed numerical ranges.

The foregoing description, for purpose of explanation, has been described with reference to specific embodiments. However, the illustrative discussions above are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the technology and its practical applications. To thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the technology and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.

While the present disclosure and examples have been fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be noted that various changes and modifications will become apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications are to be understood as being included within the scope of the present disclosure and examples as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A pit lining system comprising:

a plurality of curved interlocking panels, each curved interlocking panel comprising an inner curved surface and an outer curved surface,

wherein the plurality of curved interlocking panels are configured to be coupled together to form a cylindrical pit lining for lining a pit cellar.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of curved interlocking panels can be stacked in a layered arrangement for shipping or storage such that an inner curved surface of a first curved interlocking panel of the plurality of curved interlocking panels is adjacent to an outer curved surface of a second curved interlocking panel of the plurality of curved interlocking panels.

3. The system of claim 1 or 2, wherein each curved interlocking panel of the plurality of curved interlocking panels comprises a plurality of holes, and each hole of the plurality of holes extends from an inner curved surface to an outer curved surface of each curved interlocking panel.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the plurality of apertures comprise 2-10% of a total inner surface area of each of the plurality of curved interlocking panels, wherein the total inner surface area comprises a surface area of the inner curved surface and a two-dimensional area of each of the plurality of apertures.

5. The system of any of claims 1-4, wherein each curved interlocking panel of the plurality of curved interlocking panels comprises a first interlocking edge and a second interlocking edge, and the first interlocking edge of a first curved interlocking panel is configured to interlock with the second interlocking edge of a second curved interlocking panel.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the first and second interlocking edges of each curved interlocking panel are configured to interlock with an interlocking edge of another panel having the same shape.

7. The system of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein each curved interlocking panel has a thickness of 20-30 mm.

8. The system of any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein each curved interlocking panel has a height of 0.3-1 meter.

9. The system of any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein each curved interlocking panel has a width of 0.4-0.8 meters.

10. The system of any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein each curved interlocking panel has a radius of curvature of 0.25-1 meter.

11. The system of any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the plurality of curved interlocking panels are configured to be vertically stacked to form a pothole comprising two or more vertical layers of curved interlocking panels.

12. The system of claims 1-11, wherein each curved interlocking panel of the plurality of curved interlocking panels comprises one or more openings on an upper or lower edge face and one or more protrusions on an upper or lower edge face configured to lock into the one or more openings when the plurality of curved interlocking panels are vertically stacked to form a crater comprising two or more vertical layers of curved interlocking panels.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the one or more openings each comprise a ring of material that extends at least partially away from the upper or lower edge surface.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein each curved interlocking panel comprises one or more support ribs and at least one support rib comprises a notch at the location of at least one of the one or more openings.

15. The system of any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the plurality of curved interlocking panels comprises 4 to 8 curved interlocking panels.

16. The system of any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein each curved interlocking panel of the plurality of curved interlocking panels comprises polypropylene or polyethylene.

17. A pit lining system comprising a plurality of curved interlocking panels, each curved interlocking panel comprising:

an inner curved surface and an outer curved surface,

one or more openings on the upper or lower edge face and one or more protrusions on the upper or lower edge face configured to lock into the one or more openings when the plurality of curved interlocking panels are vertically stacked to form a crater liner comprising a layer of two or more vertical curved interlocking panels, wherein the one or more openings each comprise a ring of material extending at least partially away from the upper or lower edge face, and

one or more support ribs, at least one support rib comprising a notch at the location of at least one of the one or more openings,

wherein the plurality of curved interlocking panels are identical, are configured to be coupled together to form a cylindrical pit liner to line a pit cellar, and are configured to be vertically stacked to form a pit liner comprising two or more layers of vertical curved interlocking panels.