EP1731678B1 - High-water protection - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a flood protection with a plurality of fillable, consisting of flexible fabric material bags.

For example, sacks filled with sand have long been used for flood protection, whereby there is regularly the problem of filling the sacks fast enough and then transporting them from the filling location to the respective desired location of use. The size of the bags is usually sized so that they can still be worn in their filled state of a person, which leads disadvantageously to the fact that a flood protection must be made of a relatively large number of individual bags.

A flood protection according to the preamble of claim 1 is known from EP-A-0735198 ,

One of the underlying object of the invention is to develop a flood protection of the type mentioned in such a way that it can be created quickly and easily directly at each site in a cost effective manner.

This object is achieved by the subject of claim 1.

Due to the fact that the sacks connected to one another according to the invention have stiffening structures on their coupling sides, a unit consisting of several sacks in its unfilled state can easily be placed directly at the respective site of use, whereby the stiffening structures ensure that the shape of the unfilled sacks does not differ significantly from the shape deviates from the filled sacks. After setting up a unit consisting of several bags, these can then be easily and quickly filled from above with a suitable medium, for example with sand or a sand-gravel mixture. It is advantageous that the bags according to the invention can be equipped with a comparatively large upper opening, so that the filling process can be carried out extremely quickly.

After completion of the filling process, the inventive, consisting of several bags unit is already at the designated location, since they could already be transported there before filling in the unfilled state. In this respect, a powerful and time-consuming transport of already filled bags is completely avoided according to the invention, which also requires a considerable time advantage.

Since according to the invention a plurality of bags combined to form a unit are coupled to one another, the setting up of the unfilled sacks can also be accomplished extremely quickly, since only the two outer sacks of one unit need be grasped and pulled in opposite directions. Subsequently, the bags are then either simply held by the stiffening structures according to the invention or by persons in this exploded position, whereupon the filling can take place. If the sacks are held in the extended position solely by the stiffening structures according to the invention, they ensure that the sacks can not collapse or slip. It is advantageous that during filling no persons must be in the vicinity of the bags, so that there is no danger to persons through the filling process here.

In the process of filling is also advantageous that this can be carried out with respect to a multi-bag unit virtually uninterrupted, with a constantly flowing stream of filling medium, since a corresponding filler neck are easily moved across the directly adjacent openings of the coupled bags away so that the individual sacks are filled one after another very quickly during this movement. It is - as mentioned - not necessary to interrupt the flow of the filler when changing from a bag to an adjacent bag.

According to the invention, there are different possibilities for coupling the sacks together:

Adjacent coupling sides of adjacent sacks may in a preferred embodiment of the invention be connected to one another by means of a frictional connection between the two stiffening structures of the respective coupling sides, in particular by means of screws, nails, staples, bands and / or screw clamps. This non-positive connection is preferably provided in the vicinity of the openings and additionally in the areas of the stiffening structures which are near the floor. In this way, a particularly good sealing effect between adjacent bags over their entire height.

However, it is also possible to connect mutually adjacent coupling sides of adjacent bags with each other by the bag material the adjacent bags, in particular by means of sewing or Velcro, coupled together. The stiffening structures may in such a case, for example, consist of rods, which are inserted into corresponding loops of the bags.

Finally, it is also possible to connect mutually adjacent coupling sides of adjacent bags with each other by the bag material of the one bag, in particular by means of brackets, nails, screws or the like, is coupled to the stiffening structure of the other bag.

In the latter two variants, it is sufficient if a stiffening structure is assigned to only one of two interconnected coupling sides.

It is advantageous in principle if adjoining bags are connected to one another in the region of the entire length of the upper edge of their coupling sides, since it is thus possible to prevent filling material from passing between two coupled bags.

It is preferred if at least one sack, in particular each sack is provided on two opposing sides or on two adjoining sides, each with a stiffening structure. In this way, with sacks, which each have a stiffening structure on two opposite sides, several bags in the context of a unit in the form of an elongated row with each other couple, which is desirable in building a flood protection in rule. If a bag is used, which is equipped on two adjacent sides, each with a stiffening structure, an elongated row with one in the region of said bag can be present Kink, which can be for example 90 °, be built. This will be explained in more detail in the description of the figures.

The stiffening structures may extend substantially within a plane, so that they in particular essentially fully span the coupling sides of the sacks. This has the consequence that the coupling sides extend within a plane, so that the mutually facing coupling sides of two adjacent sacks can largely contact each other over the entire surface, which ultimately results in a good sealing effect being achieved between adjacent sacks. A particularly good sealing effect between two adjacent sacks results when the stiffening structures are respectively arranged on the inner sides of the bags.

The stiffening structures can in principle be shaped as desired, with a U-shape being preferred, the base of which runs along the upper edge of a coupling side. In this case, the two parallel legs of the U-shape with filled bag extend substantially vertically downwards. Furthermore, the stiffening structures may also have the shape of a rectangular, in particular square frame or a T or cross shape. When using a U-shaped or rectangular stiffening structure, the area bounded by the stiffening structure substantially corresponds to the circumference of the respective coupling side, so that the stiffening structure can actually span the entire coupling side. When using a cross shape, the two mutually perpendicular elements of the stiffening structure have a length which corresponds in each case to a diagonal of the respective coupling side in order to ensure a complete clamping of the coupling side in this case.

The stiffening structures can be made of any materials, in particular wood, plastic, paper, cardboard, rubber, rubber or metal. When using plastic, it is preferable to use low-cost, recycled plastic, since there are no optical requirements for the stiffening structures used. The use of pressed paper or cardboard is also possible, since the stiffening structure only has to fulfill its stabilizing function during the filling of the sacks and can then readily dissolve on contact with water.

The frictional connection between the two stiffening structures of adjoining coupling sides of two sacks can be realized by means of screws, nails and / or clamps. When using screws or nails, for example, they are introduced into a stiffening structure from the inside of the bag until they subsequently penetrate the fabric material of the two adjoining coupling sides of the adjacent bags, after which they are finally introduced into the stiffening structure of the second bag that ultimately results in the desired coupling of the two stiffening structures with the interposed fabric materials of the two bags.

It is advantageous if the adjoining coupling sides of two bags are aligned with each other, since they then adjoin one another with a maximum large area, which in turn allows a good sealing effect.

The bags have in their filled state essentially the shape of an open-topped cube or cuboid, as for example in commercial "big bags" is the case. Cube-shaped or cuboidal sacks can be set up particularly well in the form of a row, each with equal coupling sides adjacent to each other. Preferably, the bags used have the same sizes. It makes sense here side lengths between 50 cm and 150 cm.

It is particularly advantageous if each sack is formed without stiffening on those sides which extend perpendicular to the coupling sides. This then allows a folding of the unfilled bags in a small space. Specifically, when stacking the unfilled sacks, in principle only the space for the superimposed stiffening structures of the coupling sides is required, since the remaining sides of the sacks can be folded together in the smallest space. Thus, the flood protection according to the invention in the unfilled state for a cost-effectively store and on the other hand also very easy to transport.

Each bag can be provided with retaining loops at its edge region adjoining the upper side, wherein it is preferred if in each case one retaining loop is provided in all four corner regions of the open top side of the bags. But it can also extend only a retaining loop from the middle of an upper edge side to the middle of the opposite upper edge side of a bag, or it can be provided per bag two straps, each retaining strap from one corner of the open top to another corner the open top extends.

At the said holding loops, a unit consisting of several bags can be pulled apart immediately before the operation of filling and held during filling, wherein for this process of pulling apart and holding - in Providence of four Handrails per bag - always only the two outer loops of the outermost sacks of a unit consisting of several bags are needed.
The said straps are also in the degradation of flood protection advantageous because the filled bags can be taken and raised with sufficient carrying capacity of the bags and the straps on the straps, for example by means of a suitable lifting device. If the lifted sacks are subsequently moved over the loading area of a truck, for example, cutting the underside of the sacks may result in particularly easy emptying of the sacks. The emptied medium, for example sand, can then be easily reused or disposed of in this case. When the stiffening structures of adjacent sacks are connected to one another by means of screws, nails or clamps, it is advantageous for the removal of the flood protection that said connecting elements simply tear off when lifting a filled sack without damaging the sacks. The individual bags can thus be raised one at a time and emptied in a suitable manner, without any effort to operate with respect to the release of adjacent bags from each other. This advantage is not given, for example, with bags sewn together, since in this case the seams must be cut in a complex procedure.

The sacks are preferably made of water-permeable fabric. Alternatively, however, waterproof fabric can be used. When using sand or a sand-gravel mixture as filler, water-permeable fabric should be used. Particularly preferred is the use of polypropylene fabric or jute.

The flood protection according to the invention preferably consists of a plurality of units, which in turn each consist of a plurality of rows coupled together sacks. In this way, relatively long dams can be erected comparatively quickly by successively filling a plurality of units according to the invention in the manner already described. A unit may consist of three to ten, in particular from four to six and preferably five bags. If comparatively high dams have to be built up, it is possible to stack said units in pyramidal form.

Furthermore, a method comprises filling a flood protection consisting of a plurality of sacks, in which the filling material is introduced into the individual sacks in two or more filling steps, wherein in a first filling step, first all sacks of a unit are partially filled, and a complete filling only takes place in the context of at least one further filling step. In this way, excessive bulging of the bags and damage to the stiffening structures are effectively avoided.
The filling can take place in at least two steps by a filler neck or filling tube is moved away in a first direction over adjacent bags, after which the filler neck or the filling tube is then moved away in a direction opposite to the second direction on the adjacent sacks.

Finally, the invention also includes a method for eliminating a flood protection consisting of a plurality of sacks, in which the sacks are lifted individually and moved over a loading surface, destroying the connection between adjacent sacks and be cut open, so as to empty the respective bag contents on the loading area.

Further preferred embodiments of the invention are specified in the subclaims.

Fig. 1

eine Seitenansicht einer aus mehreren Säcken bestehenden erfindungsgemäßen Einheit während des Aufstellens,

Fig. 2

eine Darstellung gemäß Fig. 1, bei der die Einheit vollständig aufgestellt ist,

Fig. 3

eine dreidimensionale Darstellung eines erfindungsgemäßen Sackes, wie er in einer Anordnung gemäß den Fig. 1 und 2 zum Einsatz gelangen kann,

Fig. 4

eine Darstellung gemäß Fig. 3 mit gegenüber Fig. 3 modifizierten Versteifungsstrukturen,

Fig. 5a bis c

dreidimensionale Darstellungen erfindungsgemäßer Säcke mit unterschiedlichen Anordnungen von Halteschlaufen,

Fig. 6

eine Draufsicht auf eine Anordnung von zwei aus jeweils fünf Säcken bestehenden Einheiten, welche gemeinsam eine L-Struktur bilden, und

Fig. 7

eine dreidimensionale Darstellung einer pyramidenförmigen Anordnung von insgesamt drei erfindungsgemäßen Einheiten.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the drawings; in these show:

Fig. 1

a side view of a multi-bag unit according to the invention during deployment,

Fig. 2

a representation according to Fig. 1 in which the unit is fully set up,

Fig. 3

a three-dimensional view of a bag according to the invention, as in an arrangement according to the Fig. 1 and 2 can be used,

Fig. 4

a representation according to Fig. 3 with opposite Fig. 3 modified stiffening structures,

Fig. 5a to c

three-dimensional representations of bags according to the invention with different arrangements of straps,

Fig. 6

a plan view of an arrangement of two five-bag units, which together form an L-structure, and

Fig. 7

a three-dimensional representation of a pyramidal arrangement of a total of three units according to the invention.

Fig. 1 shows a unit consisting of five bags 10 unit during the erection of the still unfilled bags 10th

Each bag 10 has a completely open in the erected state cube shape, wherein in the illustration according to Fig. 1 Only one side of this cube shape can be seen. The cube-shaped bags are thus closed at the bottom and on all four side surfaces, but open at the top.

On two opposite sides of the bags 10 are provided on the inside each with a stiffening structure 12 in the form of an inverted "U", which is adapted to completely aufzuspannen the corresponding sides of the bags and thus to avoid that the not yet filled bags 10 in itself coincide. The sides of the sacks 10 provided with the stiffening structures 12 form the coupling sides according to the invention with which the adjacent cube-shaped sacks 10 adjoin one another. Adjacent sacks 10 are interconnected by means of unillustrated screws which extend through the stiffening structures 12 of the adjacent sacks as well as through the bag material located between the stiffening structures 12.

At their four upper corners, the sacks 10 are each provided with a retaining loop 14, via which the sacks 10 can be grasped.

The outer stiffening structures 12 of the two outer bags arranged according to the Fig. 1 and 2 are not mandatory, but they can also be omitted to save stiffening structures. Stiffening structures 12 are only necessary on those coupling sides of the sacks 10, where they come into contact with adjacent sacks 10.

At the beginning of setting up the flood protection according to the invention all bags 10 are stacked on each other, so that the stiffening structures 12 of the bags 10 extend horizontally. The bag 10 located on the right hand side of the unit according to FIG Fig. 1 is still in this position.

For erecting the unit according to the invention, the topmost bag 10 of the stacked bags 10 is then grasped at its outer holding loops 14 directly at the respective place of use and from the bag stack according to FIG Fig. 1 pulled away in the direction of the arrow. As a result, then all bags 10 are directed one after the other until they all occupy their maximum volume. This condition is in Fig. 2 shown.

The unit of five set up sacks 10 according to Fig. 2 is then held on the outer straps 14 of the two outer bags 10, whereupon the top completely open bags 10 can be filled with sand, for example. After this filling the flood protection is completed with respect to the unit shown.

When dismantling the flood protection according to Fig. 2 For example, all sacks 10 can be grasped and lifted by their straps 14, whereupon the sacks 10 are moved over the bed of a truck and cut open at their bottom. The previously located in the bags 10 Sand can easily get onto the back of the truck and - as already mentioned - can be recycled.

The three-dimensional view of Fig. 3 shows that the stiffening structures 12, for example, may have the shape of a substantially square frame 16, which completely spans the coupling sides 18 of the bags 10.

As an alternative to a frame 16, for clamping the coupling sides 18, a cross-shaped stiffening structure 20 is also provided Fig. 4 used.

The 3 and 4 can be seen particularly clear that only the coupling sides 18 are provided with stiffening structures 16, 20, whereas the bottom and the perpendicular to the coupling sides 18 extending side surfaces of the bags 10 are formed without stiffening. As a result, the stackability of the unfilled bags is possible in the smallest space.

Fig. 5a shows a representation corresponding to the 3 and 4 , wherein in each case a retaining loop 14 is arranged in all four corner regions of a bag 10.

In contrast illustrated Fig. 5b a bag 10 which is equipped with only two straps 14 '. Both straps 14 'extend parallel to each other from one corner of the open top of the bag 10 to another corner of the open top of the bag 10th

Finally shows Fig. 5c another alternative embodiment of a bag 10, which has only a single strap 14 ", which extends from the center of an upper edge side of the bag to the center of the opposite upper edge side of the bag 10.

Fig. 6 shows a plan view of a total of ten sacks L-shaped arrangement, this arrangement has a total of two angularly arranged units according to the invention, each consisting of five bags 10.

Each of the bags 10 is equipped on its inside with two stiffening structures 16, which, for example, analogous to Fig. 3 can be trained. The five sacks 10 of each of the two units are coupled together by their stiffening structures 10 adjacent to each other being bolted together through the sack material. Thus, all the stiffening structures of a unit, which do not come to rest entirely within the unit, are already firmly positioned relative to the bag material prior to setting up and filling the unit. Only the two outer stiffening structures 16 of the outermost sacks 10 of a unit are inserted loosely into the sacks before the unit is set up. This makes it possible for these outer stiffening structures 16 not necessarily to be arranged on the side of the respective bag 10 opposite the other stiffening structure. Rather, it is also possible to arrange the two stiffening structures 16 of a bag 10 'on adjacent sides of a bag 10', so that they extend at right angles to each other. In such, in the area of the bag 10 'of Fig. 6 Consequently, it is possible to have another, consisting in turn of five bags 10, of the arrangement of the stiffening structures 16 shown Unit at a right angle to a first unit, which has the bag 10 'as the outermost bag to couple.

Since the material of the bags 10, 10 'is basically flexible, can be achieved by a corresponding deformation of the bag 10', that the angle between the two units not 90 °, but for example more than 90 ° (up to 180 °) amount can.

Fig. 7 shows a total of three units, which consist of five bags 10, constructed pyramidal arrangement of a flood protection according to the invention. If a correspondingly higher dam height should be required, it is also possible to provide, for example, as a basis, three units, to arrange two further units on these three units and ultimately to provide a unit again on these two units. In an analogous way, the flood protection can be arbitrarily increased.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

10

bags

10 '

bag

12

stiffening structure

14

Straps

14 '

Straps

14 "

Straps

16

frame

18

coupling side

20

cross-shaped stiffening structure

Claims (14)

1. Flood protection comprising a plurality of fillable sacks (10) consisting of flexible fabric material,
   wherein mutually adjacent coupling sides (18) of adjacent sacks (10) are connected to one another in a coupling region; and
   at least one stiffening structure (12, 16, 20) is associated with each coupling region and extends from the base region of the sacks (10) up to their upper marginal region,
   characterized in that
   mutually adjacent coupling sides (18) of adjacent sacks (10) are connected by means of a force-transmitting connection between the two stiffening structures (12, 16, 20) of the respective coupling sides (18) which are arranged at the inner side in each case; and in that each sack (10) is made free of stiffening at those sides which extend perpendicular to the coupling sides (18)
2. Flood protection in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that mutually adjacent coupling sides (18) of adjacent sacks (10) are connected by means of screws, nails, clamps, bands and/or C-clamps.
3. Flood protection in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one sack (10) is provided with a respective stiffening structure (12, 16, 20) at each of two mutually oppositely disposed sides (18) or at each of two mutually adjacent sides.
4. Flood protection in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the stiffening structures (12, 16, 20) extend substantially inside one plane; and/or in that the stiffening structures (12, 16, 20) substantially completely span the coupling sides (18) of the sacks (10).
5. Flood protection in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the stiffening structures (12, 16) have a U shape, with the base of the U shape extending along the upper rim of a coupling side (18) with downwardly extending limbs; or in that the stiffening structures (12, 16) have the shape of a rectangular frame, in particular of a square frame (16); or in that the stiffening structures (12, 20) have a cross-shape or a T-shape.
6. Flood protection in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the stiffening structures (12, 16, 20) consist of wood, plastic, paper, cardboard, rubber, natural rubber or metal.
7. Flood protection in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the mutually adjacent coupling sides (18) of two sacks (10) are aligned with one another.
8. Flood protection in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sacks (10) substantially have the shape of an upwardly open cube or parallelepiped in their filled state; and/or in that the sacks (10) have the same sizes among one another.
9. Flood protection in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each sack (10) is provided with holding loops (14) in its marginal region adjacent to the open upper side.
10. Flood protection in accordance with claim 9, characterized in that one respective holding loop (14) is provided in each of the four corner regions of the open upper side; or in that a holding loop (14") extends from the center of an upper marginal side up to the center of the oppositely disposed upper marginal side; or in that two holding loops (14') are provided, with each holding loop (14') extending from one corner of the open upper side up to another corner of the open upper side.
11. Flood protection in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sacks (10) consist of waterproof or water-permeable fabric, in particular of polypropylene fabric or jute.
12. Flood protection in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it consists of a plurality of units which in turn each consist of a plurality of sacks (10) coupled to one another in row form, with it in particular consisting of a plurality of units stacked in pyramid shape.
13. Flood protection in accordance with claim 12, characterized in that a unit consists of 3 to 10 sacks, in particular of 4 to 6 sacks, and preferably of 5 sacks (10); and/or in that, with the exception of the two outermost stiffening structures (12) of a unit, all the stiffening structures (12) are connected to the coupling sides (18) associated with them.
14. A method of removing flood protection consisting of a plurality of sacks (10) in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that
    the sacks (10) are raised individually while destroying the connection present between adjacent sacks, are moved over a load surface and are cut open in order thus to empty the respective sack content over the load surface.

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