GB2457229A

GB2457229A - Flood defence apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2457229A
Application number: GB0802018A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Paul Anthony Turner; Malcolm Victor Thomas
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2008-02-05
Filing date: 2008-02-05
Publication date: 2009-08-12
Also published as: GB0901784D0; GB2457332A; GB2457332B; GB0802018D0

Abstract

The invention describes a door or window assembly incorporating a seal which can be inflated to close the gap between the door or window, and the frame in which it is mounted, and thus provide a barrier to flood water. The seal is preferably inflated by a source of compressed gas released into the seal by an automatic water-responsive valve.

Description

IMPRO VEMENTS IN OR RELA TING TO

FLOOD DEFENCE

Field of the Invention

This invention relates to flood defence and, more particularly, to a method of and/or apparatus for preventing the ingress of flood waters into buildings.

Background to the Invention

Flooding is a well-kiiown hazard and, almost on a daily basis, there are reports of property damage resulting from flooding.

Early attempts at keeping flood water out of buildings involved using sand bags across doorways to provide a physical barrier to the intrusion of flood water. This method is still used today but has obvious shortcomings. More recently purpose-made barriers have been proposed but these are dedicated items and must be installed in advance of the flood waters rising. Also, these barriers typically require fixings, such as brackets or channels, to be added to the building to allow the barriers to be mounted. These fixings, being provided at or about the doors of the building, can detract significantly from the aesthetics of the structure.

It is an object of this invention to provide apparatus and/or methods which go at least some way to addressing the problems described above; or which will at least provide a novel and useful alternative.

Summary of the Invention

Accordingly, in one aspect, the invention provides a door or window assembly including a moving door or window element within a frame, said assembly being characterised in that an inflatable seal is provided to, in use, seal between said moving element and said frame.

Preferably said assembly further includes an inflation facility operable to inflate said seal.

Preferably said inflation facility is activated by water contact.

Preferably said inflation facility comprises a source of compressed gas and a release valve operated by water contact.

Many variations in the way the present invention can be performed will present themselves to those skilled in the art. The description which follows is intended as an illustration only of one means of performing the invention and the lack of description of variants or equivalents should not be regarded as limiting. Wherever possible, a description of a specific element should be deemed to include any and all equivalents thereof whether in existence now or in the future.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The various aspects of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1: shows an isometric view of a door formed in accordance with the invention; Figure 2: shows an enlarged view of the area circled in Figure 1; Figure 3: shows a cross-section through part of a typical door and door frame assembly adapted according to the invention, with the seal in an un-inflated state; Figure 4: shows a view similar to Figure 3 but with the seal in an inflated state; and Figure 5: shows an alternative configuration to that shown in Figure 3.

Description of Working Embodiment

The invention provides a method of and/or apparatus for preventing the ingress of flood waters into buildings. The characteristic feature of the invention is that one or more inflatable seals are incorporated directly into door and, if necessary, window assemblies, thus obviating the need for separate barriers to be erected. Further, the invention also provides that the inflatable seals may be automatically inflated by rising water levels, thus obviating the need for human intervention in the event the building is unoccupied or those persons present are unable or unwilling to take the action necessary to inflate the seals.

The description which follows is confined to a description of the invention as applied to a door and door frame assembly but it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the invention may be applied, in essentially the same manner, to window and window frame assemblies.

Turning now to Figure 1, a door 10 is shown which, in the conventional manner, is hingedly fixed within a door frame (not shown). Mounted in a channel around the edge of the door is an inflatable seal 11. The seal 11 is in communication with an inflation mechanism 12, also mounted within the door. The inflation mechanism 12 may be a simple valve, of the same general form as a tire valve, which can be inflated using a hand-operated pump. When flooding is expected, the inflation mechanism 12 is accessed and the seal 11 is inflated until it contacts the facing surfaces of the door frame, thus establishing a barrier between the door and the frame.

Turning now to Figure 2, it is preferred that the mechanism 12 be fully automated and, with this in mind, the mechanism 12 preferably comprises a container 13 of compressed gas which communicates with the interior of seal 11 through a water responsive release valve 14. The valve 14 is of the type which activates when surface 15 comes into contact with water. The precise form of the release valve is not crucial to the invention, suitable forms of valve being well known in the fire protection and buoyancy aid fields. Even when an automated valve is provided, a manual access valve may also be provided so that, in the event of the flood waters remaining for extended periods, the interior of the seal 11 may be topped-up if necessary.

The size of the container 13 will be set according to the size of the seal(s) to be inflated and the compression of the gas within the bottle. Clearly the pressure of the gas must not be so great as to rupture the seal 11.

The seal 11 may be of any suitable configuration and is conveniently formed from a butyl rubber tube. The seal is conveniently provided in a loop around the periphery of the door carcass. A single length of the tube material may be cut to suitable length and the free ends sealed to either side of the inflation mechanism. As an alternative purpose designed inflatable corner pieces may be provided, sealed to straight lengths of inflatable tubing.

The container 11 may be tilled with a simple gas such as air or CO2 but may also include more complex mixtures or compounds which react, and/or increase in density, once the seal 11 has been inflated so as to add support to the seal and compensate for any porosity and/or leakage.

The invention may be applied to suitably adapted wooden, metal framed or plastics framed door and window assemblies.

Turning now to Figures 3 to 5, these figures show a commercially available combination of aluminium extrusions which provide a door and door frame assembly. This particular combination has been adapted to incorporate the invention.

As shown the door frame is formed by an outer extrusion 20 and an inner extrusion 21. The extrusions 20 and 21 are linked by a thermal break formed from thermally insulating members 22 and 23. The door itself includes an outer extrusion 25 and an inner extrusion 26, the extrusions 25 and 26 being linked by a further thermal break formed by thermally insulating members 27 and 28. In the configuration shown in Figure 3, thermal break member 27 has a channel 29 formed therein and it is convenient to mount the seal 11 in this channel. This means that the invention can be readily incorporated without extensive re-design of existing hardware.

Figure 4 illustrates that which is shown in Figure 3, but with the seal 11 in the inflated state and providing a water barrier which extends between the door and the door frame. It will be appreciated that some increase in sealing efficiency may be obtained by providing a more suitable smooth surface on the door frame against which the seal 11, when inflated, can bear. In the example illustrated, this smooth surface could be provided by forming the thermal break member 23 with a laterally extending arm against which the seal 11 could bear.

Turning finally to Figure 5, in this embodiment the seal 11 is not mounted on the door 10, but in the door frame. In this embodiment the thermal break member 23 in the door frame is replaced with a thermal break member 30 having a channel 31 therein to receive the seal 11. In this embodiment the seal 11, upon inflation, extends out into contact with the edge of the door.

When the seal 11 is mounted in the door frame the inflation mechanism 12 may be mounted lower down in the building structure and thus activate and inflate the seal 11 before the water has reached the lower edge of the door.

As a further alternative to that described above, the release valve 14, could be triggered remote from, for example, a flood warning centre, by an electrical, electronic, or telecoms signal.

It will thus be appreciated that the present invention, at least in the case of the working embodiments herein described, provides a form of flood defence which is not only highly effective in that it is incorporated directly in the door or window assembly, but has no negative visual impact and can be triggered without the need for human intervention.

Claims

Claims 1. A door or window assembly including a moving door or window element within a frame, said assembly being characterised in that an inflatable seal is provided to, in use, seal between said moving element and said frame.
2. An assembly as claimed in claim 1 further including an inflation facility operable to inflate said seal.
3. An assembly as claimed in claim 2 wherein said inflation facility is activated by water contact.
4. An assembly as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3 wherein said inflation facility comprises a source of compressed gas and a release valve operated by water contact.
5. Any novel combination of features disclosed herein or inferable there-from.