Patent Publication Number: US-10760231-B1

Title: Inflatable water barrier assembly

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Statement Regarding Federally Sponsored Research or Development 
     Not Applicable 
     THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT 
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     INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC OR AS A TEXT FILE VIA THE OFFICE ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM 
     Not Applicable 
     STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR JOINT INVENTOR 
     Not Applicable 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     (1) Field of the Invention 
     The disclosure relates to barrier devices and more particularly pertains to a new barrier device for protecting selected areas from flood waters. 
     (2) Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98 
     The disclosure relates to barrier devices. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a plurality of boundary units. Each of the boundary units can be linked together on a support surface to define a boundary around a selected area to inhibit flood water from entering the selected area. Each of the boundary units has a lower portion that is fluidly discrete from an upper portion. The lower portion is fillable with water to weighing down the boundary units. The upper portion of each of the boundary units is inflatable with air to inhibit the flood water from passing thereover. A plurality of anchors is engages a respective one of the boundary units. Each of the anchors penetrates a support surface to inhibit the respective boundary unit from being moved by flood water. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S) 
       The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an inflatable water barrier assembly according to an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is a front view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 3  is a right side view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 4  is a top view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 5  is a bottom view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 6  is a right side perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosure showing a pair of boundary units being linked together. 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of an anchor of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a corner unit of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a baffle taken from arrow  9  of  FIG. 3  of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to  FIGS. 1 through 9  thereof, a new barrier device embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral  10  will be described. 
     As best illustrated in  FIGS. 1 through 9 , the inflatable water barrier assembly  10  generally comprises a plurality of boundary units  12 . Each of the boundary units  12  can be linked together on a support surface  14  to define a boundary around a selected area. Moreover, each of the boundary units  12  can inhibit flood water from entering the selected area. The support surface  14  may be the ground surrounding a house or the like. Additionally, the selected area may be an area surrounding an entry into the house or any other area that needs to be protected from flood waters. 
     Each of the boundary units  12  has a lower portion  16  that is fluidly discrete from an upper portion  18 . The lower portion  16  is fillable with water to weigh down the boundary units  12  thereby inhibiting the boundary units  12  from being moved. The upper portion  18  of each of the boundary units  12  is inflatable with air to inhibit the flood water from passing thereover. Each of the boundary units  12  has a bottom wall  20 , a top wall  22  and an outer wall  24  extending therebetween, and the outer wall  24  has a first lateral side  26  and a second lateral side  28 . Each of the boundary units  12  is elongated between the first lateral side  26  and the second lateral side  28 . The top wall  22  of each of the boundary units  12  has a first half  30  that is oriented at an angle with a second half  32 . Moreover, the top wall  22  of each of the boundary units  12  defines a peak  34  extending along a full length of the boundary units  12 . 
     Each of the boundary units  12  has a dividing wall  36  therein. The dividing wall  36  is aligned with an intersection between the top wall  22  and the outer wall  24  to define the upper portion  18  and the lower portion  16  of the boundary units  12 . Additionally, the dividing wall  36  extends along an entire length of the respective boundary unit  12 . Each of the top wall  22 , the bottom wall  20 , the outer wall  24  and the dividing wall  36  of each of the boundary units  12  is comprised of a fluid impermeable material. 
     Each of the boundary units  12  has a pair of baffles  38  each being positioned within the lower portion  16  of a respective one of the boundary units  12 . Each of the baffles  38  extends between the first lateral side  26  and the second lateral side  28  of the outer wall  24  of the respective boundary unit  12 . Additionally, each of the baffles  38  has a plurality of fluid openings  40  extending therethrough. In this way water pass can pass through the baffles  38  for reducing inertia generated by the water moving in the respective boundary unit  12 . 
     The plurality of boundary units  12  includes a set of corner units  42 . The outer wall  24  of each of the corner units  42  has a first half  41  that is oriented at an angle with respect to a second half  43 . In this way each of the corner units  42  can define a corner of the boundary around the selected area. Thus, the boundary units  12  and the corner units  42  can be linked together to define a boundary of any rectilinear shape. 
     A plurality of nipples  44  is provided and each of the nipples  44  is fluidly coupled to a respective one of the boundary units  12 . Each of the nipples  44  can be fluidly coupled to a compressed air source. Moreover, each of the nipples  44  is in fluid communication with the upper portion  18  of the respective boundary unit  12  to pass air therethrough for inflating the upper portion  18  of the respective boundary unit  12 . Each of the nipples  44  is positioned on the first lateral side  26  of the outer wall  24  of the respective boundary unit  12 . 
     A plurality of first fill spouts  46  is each fluidly coupled to a respective one of the boundary units  12  and each of the first fill spouts  46  can be fluidly coupled to a fluid source. Each of the first fill spouts  46  is in fluid communication with the lower portion  16  of the respective boundary unit  12  for filling the lower portion  16  of the respective boundary unit  12  with water. Each of the first fill spouts  46  is positioned on the first lateral side  26  of the outer wall  24  of the respective boundary unit  12 . A plurality of second fill spouts  48  is each fluidly coupled to a respective one of the boundary units  12 . The second fill spout  48  on each of the boundary units  12  is fluidly coupled to the first fill spout  46  on an adjacent one of the boundary units  12  when the boundary units  12  are linked together. In this way the second fill spout  48  on each of the boundary units  12  can pass water between the boundary units  12  for filling the linked boundary units  12  with water. Each of the second fill spouts  48  is positioned on the second lateral side  28  of the outer wall  24  of the respective boundary unit  12 . 
     A plurality of first receivers  50  is each coupled to a respective one of the boundary units  12 . Each of the first receivers  50  is positioned on the first lateral side  26  of the outer wall  24  of the respective boundary unit  12 . A plurality of second receivers  52  is each of the second receivers  52  is coupled to a respective one of the boundary units  12 . Each of the second receivers  52  is positioned on the second lateral side  28  of the outer wall  24  of the respective boundary unit  12 . Additionally, each of the second receivers  52  is aligned with a respective one of the first receivers  50  on an adjacent one of the boundary units  12  when the boundary units  12  are linked together. 
     A plurality of clips  54  is provided and each of the clips  54  releasably engages respective ones of the first receiver  50  and the second receiver  52  on a respective pair of the boundary units  12  when the boundary units  12  are linked together. In this way the boundary units  12  can be coupled together. Each of the clips  54  may include a pair of arms  56  being spaced apart from each other and each of the arms  56  may engage the respective first receiver  50  and second receiver  52 . 
     A plurality of anchors  58  is provided and each of the anchors  58  has a respective one of the boundary units  12  being slid therethrough. Each of the anchors  58  penetrates a support surface  14  thereby anchoring the respective boundary unit  12  to the support surface  14 . In this way each of the anchors  58  can inhibit the respective boundary unit  12  from is moved by flood water. Each of the anchors  58  has a first lateral wall  60 , a second lateral wall  62  and an upper wall  63  extending between the first lateral wall  60  and the second lateral wall  62 . The upper wall  63  of each of the anchors  58  has a first half  64  that is oriented at an angle with a second half  65  such that the upper wall  63  of each of the anchors  58  defines a peak  66 . 
     Each of the anchors  58  conforms to the first lateral side  26  and the second lateral side  28  of the outer wall  24  of the respective boundary unit  12  when the anchor is positioned on the respective boundary unit  12 . Additionally, the upper wall  63  of each of the anchors  58  conforms to the top wall  22  of the respective boundary unit  12 . Each of the anchors  58  includes a pair of pegs  68  each being coupled to and extending downwardly from a respective one of the first lateral wall  60  and the second lateral wall  62  of the anchor. Each of the pegs  68  on each of the anchors  58  penetrates the support surface  14  for anchoring the anchors  58  to the support surface  14 . 
     In use, a selected number of the boundary units  12  are positioned on the ground to define the barrier surrounding the selected area. The boundary units  12  are linked together such that the lower portion  16  of each of the boundary units  12  is in fluid communication with each other. Thus, the lower portion  16  of each of the boundary units  12  is filled with water for weighing down the boundary units  12 . The upper portion  18  of each of the boundary units  12  is in fluid communication with each other when the boundary units  12  are linked together. Thus, the upper portion  18  of each of the boundary units  12  can be inflated. The anchors  58  are positioned on respective ones of the boundary units  12  and the pegs  68  on each of the anchors  58  are urged into the support surface  14 . In this way the plurality of boundary units  12  are retained in position for inhibiting flood waters from entering the selected area. The plurality of boundary units  12  can be deflated and removed from the support surface  14  when flood waters no longer pose a threat. 
     With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.