Patent Publication Number: US-2023160165-A1

Title: Splice joint

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application 63/282,479 filed Nov. 23, 2021 and titled “SPLICE JOINT.” U.S. Provisional Application 63/282,479 is hereby fully incorporated by reference as if set forth fully herein. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     U.S. Pat. No. 9,279,224 by one of the inventors of the present invention describes a passive self-erecting system involving buoyant metal panels extending over water and rotating upward between flanking permanent end walls to form a floodwater barrier. A more recent U.S. patent by such inventor is U.S. Pat. No. 10,619,317 respecting flood barrier panel assemblies in land near a water frontage shoreline that have panels actively erectable into a continuous barrier preventing flooding of the land. 
     Barrier panels are often constructed of a metal such as aluminum. Thermal heating of such panels can cause the panels to expand and move laterally toward each other. Thermal cooling has the opposite effect, causing the panels to contract and move way from each other. Individual panels rotationally erectable once erected can move transversely to each other under the influence of external forces. These movements have the potential to interfere with the water sealing function of gaskets lining the lateral sides of next adjacent panels. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to splice joints and more particularly to a flexible and movable splice joint between edge aligned adjacent panels to allow the panels to move laterally and transversely without damaging each other or gaskets lining the sides of next adjacent panels and is particularly applicable to a plurality of assemblies of so joined panels that form raisable flood barriers to prevent flooding of land and improvements on the land by water rising from an adjacent body of water without permanently blocking a view of the often attractive waterscape. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments, reference is made in some embodiments to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof and in which are shown by way of illustration non-limiting embodiments by which the invention may be practiced. Certain features of the invention are shown in exaggerated scale or in somewhat schematic form and in some drawing some details of elements shown in other drawings are omitted in the interest of clarity and conciseness. Referring to the drawings: 
         FIG.  1    depicts in isometric view a linear arrangement of exemplary embodiments of a flood barrier series of panels in accordance with this invention. 
         FIG.  2    depicts in isometric view an enlargement of end panels at the right end of the flood barrier of  FIG.  1     
         FIG.  3    depicts in isometric view a pair of next adjacent edge aligned panels connected by a splice joint as depicted in  FIGS.  5  and  6   . 
         FIG.  4    is a top plan view of a splice joint connecting a pair of next adjacent edge aligned panels, indicating where cross sections  FIG.  5    and  FIG.  6    are taken. 
         FIG.  5    is a cross section of a splice joint of this invention taken along the lines  5 - 5  of  FIG.  4    across fasteners  147 ,  148  visible at the exterior of the splice joint, and shows nominal spacing at the splice joint. 
         FIG.  6    is also a cross section of a splice joint of this invention taken along the lines  5 - 5  of  FIG.  4    across fasteners  147 ,  148  visible at the exterior of the splice joint showing thermal contraction lateral movement of next adjacent panels relative to one another producing a taunt splice joint. 
         FIG.  7    is a cross section of the splice joint of this invention taken along the lines  6 - 6  of  FIG.  4    where fasteners  145 ,  146  are not visible at the exterior of the splice joint. 
         FIG.  8    is another a cross section of a splice joint of this invention taken along the lines  5 - 5  of  FIG.  4    across fasteners  147 ,  148  showing thermal expansion lateral movement of next adjacent panels relative to one another producing a slack splice joint. 
         FIG.  9    is a cross section of the splice joint along the same lines  5 - 5  of  FIG.  4    showing structural loading across the splice joint from transverse movement of one said panel relative to the next adjacent panel. 
         FIG.  10    is a cross section of another embodiment of a splice joint of this invention in the same view as  FIG.  5    in which a tensile member is incorporated in a gasket member of the splice joint. 
         FIG.  11    is a perspective partial view of next adjacent panels linked by the splice joint of  FIG.  5    in which the splice joint is in nominal spacing. 
         FIG.  12    is a cross section of a splice joint of this invention taken along the lines  5 - 5  of  FIG.  4    in which the tensile member of the splice joint is a cable, showing nominal spacing at the spice joint. 
         FIG.  13    is a cross section of the splice joint of this invention taken along the lines  5 - 5  of  FIG.  4    in which the tensile member of the splice joint is a cable, showing thermal contraction lateral movement of next adjacent panels relative to one another producing a taunt splice joint. 
         FIG.  14    is a cross section of the splice joint of this invention taken along the lines  5 - 5  of  FIG.  4    in which the tensile member of the splice joint is a cable, showing thermal expansion lateral movement of next adjacent panels relative to one another producing a slack splice joint. 
         FIG.  15    is a cross section of the splice joint of this invention taken along the lines  5 - 5  of  FIG.  4    in which the tensile member of the splice joint is a cable, showing structural loading across the splice joint from transverse movement of one said panel relative to the next adjacent panel. 
         FIG.  16    is a perspective partial view of next adjacent panels linked by the splice joint of  FIG.  12    in which the tensile member of the splice joint is a cable and in which the splice joint is in nominal spacing. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with this invention, a splice joint moveably connected between edge aligned structural panels allows lateral and transverse movement between the panels, sealing the junction between adjacent panels from water penetration between the panels while providing tensile loading limiting the panels&#39; ability to swing separately from each other. The splice joined panels are preferably in a series of next adjacent flood barrier panels arranged on land near a water frontage shoreline, providing a surface not interfering with a view of the water while being erectable manually prior to a flooding vent or automatically by buoyancy in a flooding vent to provide a continuous vertical barrier, preventing flooding of land on the dry side of the barrier. 
     Specific details described herein, including what is stated in the Abstract, are in every case a non-limiting description and exemplification of embodiments representing concrete ways in which the concepts of the invention may be practiced. This serves to teach one skilled in the art to employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed system, structure or manner consistent with those concepts. Reference throughout this specification to “an exemplary embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Thus, the appearances of the phrase “in an exemplary embodiment” or similar expression in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Further, the particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. Various changes and alternatives to the specific described embodiments and the details of those embodiments may be made within the scope of the invention. One or more of the elements depicted in the drawings can also be implemented in a more separated or integrated manner, or even removed or rendered as inoperable in certain cases, as is useful in accordance with a particular application. Because many varying and different embodiments may be made within the scope of the inventive concepts herein described and in the exemplary embodiments herein detailed, it is to be understood that the details herein are to be interpreted as illustrative and not as limiting the invention to that which is illustrated and described herein. 
     The various directions such as “upper,” “lower,” “back,” “front,” “vertical”, “upright”, “horizontal,” “length,” “laterally”, “proximal”, “distal” and so forth used in the detailed description of exemplary embodiments are made only for easier explanation in conjunction with the drawings. The components may be oriented differently while performing the same function and accomplishing the same result as the exemplary embodiments herein detailed embody the concepts of the invention, and such terminologies are not to be understood as limiting the concepts which the embodiments exemplify. The terms “horizontal” or “horizontally” include but are not limited to literal horizontal and generally mean not out of level with respect to immediately adjacent land to a degree that will materially adversely affect the function of the element described as horizontal. Similarly, the terms “vertical” or “upright” include but are not limited to literal vertical and generally mean substantially up and down with respect to immediately adjacent land to a degree that will not materially adversely affect the function of the element described as vertical or upright. 
     As used herein, the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes,” “including,” “has,” “having” or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion. For example, apparatus that comprises a list of elements is not necessarily limited to only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such apparatus. Further, unless expressly stated to the contrary, “or” refers to an inclusive or and not to an exclusive or. That is, unless otherwise indicated, the term “or” is generally intended to mean “and/or”. For example, a condition A or B is satisfied by any one of the following: A is true (or present) and B is false (or not present), A is false (or not present) and B is true (or present), and both A and B are true (or present). 
     As used herein, the use of the word “a” or “an” when used in conjunction with the term “comprising” (or the synonymous “having” or “including”) in the claims and/or the specification may mean “one,” but it is also consistent with the meaning of “one or more,” “at least one,” and “one or more than one.” In addition, as used herein, the phrase “connection to” or “connected to” means joined to, either directly or through intermediate components. 
     Exemplary apparatus embodiments of the invention comprise a plurality of next adjacent structural panels moveably connected by a splice joint. More particularly, each panel has a top surface, a bottom surface, a front end, a back end, and lateral sides in edge alignment with the next adjacent panel. The panels have a gap between the lateral sides, and the next adjacent panels are moveably connected across that gap by a splice joint comprising (a) a flexible gasket having a segment spanning that gap and having portions distal to such segment, the distal portions of the gasket being secured to the panels proximate the lateral sides, and (b) a tensile member having end segments secured to the panels proximate the lateral sides and an intermediate flexible joint segment spanning the gap, the flexible joint segment allowing thermal expansion and contraction lateral movement of the next adjacent panels relative to one another and allowing transverse rotational movement of one panel relative to the next adjacent panel, spreading a tension load over the flexible joint segment spanning the gap. 
     In an exemplary embodiment, the tensile member is a strap comprising a fiber reinforced material. The fiber may be a metal. In a particular exemplary embodiment, the tensile strap comprises an interwoven polyester fabric. In an exemplary embodiment, the tensile member of the apparatus is metal wiring incorporated in the flexible gasket. In an exemplary embodiment, the edge aligned panels have a height that runs from the back end to at least near the front end of the panels, and the tensile strap has a length that runs said height of said panels. 
     In an exemplary embodiment the lateral sides of the next adjacent edge aligned panels each have a flange attached to the panel lateral side adjacently below the panel top surface, and the flanges define the gap between the lateral sides of said panels. In an exemplary embodiment the panels have a height that runs from the back end to at least near the front end of the panels, and the flanges and the gasket have a length that runs said height of said panels. 
     In other exemplary embodiments, the tensile member is a cable or chain. The cable or chain is attached to projections from the panel lateral sides or from proximate the panel lateral sides in the direction of the gap separating the next adjacent edge aligned panels. In a particular, at least one set of projections are provided, one projection extending in the direction of said gap from one lateral side or from proximate one lateral side of the next adjacent edge aligned panels, and another projection extending in the direction of the gap from the other lateral side or from proximate the other lateral side of the next adjacent edge aligned panels. Terminal ends of the cable or chain are attached to the one projection and to the other projection of the at least one set of projections. 
     In an exemplary embodiment, the splice joint is employed in apparatus comprising a plurality of adjacent edge aligned panels in flood barrier assemblies arranged on land near a water frontage shoreline. The panels reside in at least one support pan situated in or on the land. The lateral sides of the panels have an imagined projected intersecting angle to the shoreline. The panels have a height that runs from the back end to at least near the front end of the panels. The panels have a gap between the lateral sides, and the panels are moveably connected across that gap by a splice joint comprising (a) a flexible gasket having a segment spanning that gap and having portions distal to such segment, the distal portions of the gasket being secured to the panels proximate the lateral sides, and (b) a tensile member having end segments secured to the panels proximate the lateral sides and an intermediate flexible joint segment spanning the gap. The flexible gasket is impermeable to water. The panels residing in the support pan are hingedly rotatable on a substantially horizontal axis of rotation at the back end of the panels for the panels to be rotated upwardly to an upright position where water invading from the shoreline will be impounded behind the bottom surface of the panels, the gasket running the height of the panels to prevent water impounded at the bottom surface of the panels from penetrating between the next adjacent panels. In an embodiment the panels are buoyant and rotate upward buoyantly on invasion of water from the shoreline. In an embodiment, the tensile member is a strap comprising a fiber reinforced material. In another embodiment the tensile member is a cable or chain. 
     In an exemplary apparatus embodiment, a plurality of edge aligned next adjacent structural panels are moveably connected by a splice joint. Each panel has a top surface, a bottom surface, a front end, a back end, and lateral sides in edge alignment with the next adjacent panel. The panels have a height that runs from the back end to at least near the front end of the panels. The lateral sides of the next adjacent edge aligned panels each have a flange, suitably orthogonal, attached to the panel lateral side adjacently below the panel top surface. The flanges have upper and lower arms and define a first gap between the upper arms of the flanges. The next adjacent panels are moveably spliced together by a flexible gasket and a flexible tensile strap. The flexible gasket extends from adjacent the lateral side edges of the next adjacent panels and spans across the first gap. The gasket is supported by both flanges atop the upper arm of the flanges and is partially covered by separate first and second spaced apart gasket cover plates atop the gasket. The cover plates define between them a second gap. The flexible tensile strap extends from adjacent the flanges across the first gap and is held under the upper arms of the flanges by separate first and second spaced apart splice plates defining a third gap between them. The first, second and third gaps separate the next adjacent panels. A first set of fasteners fastens the flexible tensile strap between the flanges and the first and second splice plates. A second set of fasteners spaced from the first set of fasteners fastens together the first and second gasket cover plates, the gasket, the flanges, the strap, and the first and second splice plates. The flexible tensile strap allows thermal expansion and contraction lateral movement of the next adjacent panels relative to one another and also allows structural loading across the splice joint from transverse rotational movement of one panel relative to the next adjacent panel. The third gap spreads a tension load over a section of the strap. 
     In exemplary embodiments, the flexible tensile straps comprise a fiber reinforced material or an interwoven polyester fabric. In another exemplary embedment, the flexible gasket and the flexible tensile strap are combined into a single component in which the component provides both sealing and structural loading. 
     Referring now to the drawings, in  FIG.  1    reference numeral  100  depicts a plurality of flood barrier assemblies comprising a series of connected next adjacent panels raised from pans and arranged on an on-land levee  102  near a water frontage shoreline indicated by reference numeral  104 , the dry side of the land guarded by the flood barrier being indicated by the reference numeral  106 . 
       FIG.  2    is an enlargement of the panels at the right end of the flood barrier of  FIG.  1   . Next adjacent edge aligned panels  108 ,  110  are connected by a splice joint  112  and are held upright by tensioning members  114  connected to a support pan  116  and to the bottom surface  118  of each panel  108 ,  110 . Tensioning members  114  when loaded by hydrostatic pressure of water contained on the bottom surface  118  of the raised panels  108 ,  110  prevent the panels from rotating past a predetermined raised position. A wiper wall  120  is located at the end of the flood barrier  100 , wiped by a wiping gasket when the panels elevate, the wiping gasket preventing water from passing between the end panel  110  and the wiper wall  120 . Reference numerals  101  and  103  ( FIGS.  1  and  2   ) indicate a wiper wall support structure. 
       FIG.  3    is an enlargement of two next adjacent edge aligned panels  108 ,  110  connected by splice joint  112  and raised from support pan  116 . Panels  108 ,  110  have a top surface  121  (better seen on  FIGS.  5 ,  6  and  7   ), a bottom surface  118 , a front end  123 , a back end  124 , and lateral sides  125  in edge alignment with the next adjacent panels  108 ,  110 . When resident in pan  116 , the sides  125  have an imagined projected intersecting angle to shoreline  104 . Panels  108 ,  110  have a height  126  that runs from back end  124  to at least near front end  123  of panels  108 ,  110 . The panels  108 ,  110  reside in support pan  116  hingedly rotatable on a substantially horizontal axis of rotation  127  at the back end  124  of the panels to be manually rotated to an upright position prior to invasion of water so invading water will be impounded behind bottom surface  118  of the panel, or in another exemplary embodiment in which the panels are buoyant, rotatable on the substantially horizontal axis of rotation on invasion of water into pan  116  under bottom surface  118  of the panels raising the panels to an upright position where invading water will be impounded behind bottom surface  118  of the panels. 
       FIG.  4    is a top plan view of edge aligned next adjacent panels  108 ,  110  connected by splice joint  112  and resident in support pan  116 . 
       FIGS.  5  and  6    are cross sections of splice joint  112  taken along lines  5 - 5  of  FIG.  4    across fasteners  147 ,  148  visible at the exterior of the splice joint.  FIG.  7    is a cross section of the splice joint of this invention taken along the lines  6 - 6  of  FIG.  4    where fasteners  145 ,  146  are not visible at the exterior of the splice joint. 
     In  FIGS.  5 - 9   , similar structures are numbered the same. Flanges  128 ,  129  are attached to the lateral side  125  of each of panels  108 ,  110  adjacently below the panel top surfaces  121 . Suitably the flanges  128 ,  129  are a right-angle flange as illustrated. A first gap  130  is defined between the upper arms  131 ,  132  of the two flanges  128 ,  129 . A flexible gasket  134  extends from adjacent the lateral side edges  125  of next adjacent panels  108 ,  110  and spans across first gap  130 , supported by the upper arms  131 ,  132  of the two flanges  128 ,  129 . Gasket  134  serves as a water seal between next adjacent panels  108 ,  110 . Gasket  134  is partially covered by separate first and second spaced apart gasket cover plates  136 ,  137  atop gasket  134 . Cover plates  136 ,  137  define between them a second gap  138 . A flexible tensile strap  140  extends from adjacent flanges  128 ,  129  across first gap  130 , held under the upper arms  131 ,  132  of the two flanges  128 ,  129  by separate first and second spaced apart splice plates  142 ,  143  defining a third gap  144  between them. 
     Referring to  FIG.  7   , a first set of fasteners  145 ,  146  fastens strap  140  between upper arms  131 ,  132  of flanges  128 ,  129  and first and second splice plates  142 ,  143 . Referring back to  FIGS.  5  and  6   , a second set of fasteners  147 ,  148  spaced from the first set of fasteners  145 ,  146  fastens together first and second gasket cover plates  136 ,  137 , gasket  134 , upper arms  131 ,  132  of flanges  128 ,  129 , strap  140 , and splice plates  142 ,  143 . 
     As seen from  FIGS.  5 ,  6 ,  8  and  9    the first, second and third gaps, respectively  130 ,  138  and  144  separate next adjacent panels  108 ,  110  and are spanned by the splice joint comprising flexible gasket  134  and a tensile member  140 .  FIG.  5    shows nominal spacing at the splice joint.  FIG.  6    shows thermal contraction lateral movement of next adjacent panels  108 ,  110  producing a taunt splice joint.  FIG.  8    is the same cross-sectional view as  FIGS.  5  and  6    and shows thermal expansion lateral movement of next adjacent panels  108 ,  110  producing a slack splice joint.  FIG.  9    is the same cross-sectional view as  FIGS.  5  and  6   . In  FIG.  9   , panels  108 ,  110  are depicted with flexible tensile strap  140  providing structural loading across splice joint  112  from transverse rotational movement of panel  110  relative to next adjacent panel  108 , third gap  144  spreading a tension load over an intermediate section of strap  140 . 
     Referring to  FIG.  10   , the functions of flexible gasket  134  and flexible tensile strap  140  are combined into a single component  150  in which the component provides both sealing and structural loading. Component  150  is a wire-reinforced rubber strip (wires indicated by reference numeral  151 ) between the next adjacent panels  108 ,  110 , which provides good tensile loading (e.g., limits the panels&#39; ability to swing separately from each other) but also permits the panels to thermally contract or expand. 
       FIG.  11    is a partial perspective view of the next adjacent panels linked by the splice joint of  FIG.  5    in which the splice joint is in nominal spacing. 
       FIGS.  12 - 15    are cross section of the splice joint of this invention taken along the lines  5 - 5  of  FIG.  4    in which the tensile member of the splice joint is a cable  154 . A first gap  161  is defined between the upper arms  131 ,  132  of the two flanges  128 ,  129 . Gasket  134  is partially covered by separate first and second spaced apart gasket cover plates  136 ,  137  atop gasket  134 . Cover plates  136 ,  137  define between them a second gap  138 . Fasteners  152 ,  153  fasten flexible gasket  134  between gasket cover plates  136 ,  136  and upper arms  131 ,  132  of flanges  128 ,  129 . Gasket  134  serves as a water seal between next adjacent panels  108 ,  110  (not numbered in  FIGS.  12 - 15    but understood from  FIGS.  2 - 11    and  FIG.  16   ). A projection  155  extends in the direction of gap  161  from lateral side  125  or from flange  128  proximate lateral side  125  of next adjacent edge aligned panel  110 , and another projection  156  extends in the direction of gap  161  from lateral side  125  or from flange  129  proximate the other said lateral side  125  of next adjacent edge aligned panel  108 . The terminal ends of cable  154  formed into loops are connected at  159 ,  160  and are attached to projections  155 ,  156  by fasteners  157 ,  158   
       FIG.  12    shows nominal spacing at the spice joint.  FIG.  13    shows thermal contraction lateral movement of next adjacent panels  108 ,  110  relative to one another producing a taunt splice joint.  FIG.  14    shows thermal expansion lateral movement of next adjacent panels  108 ,  110  relative to one another producing a slack splice joint.  FIG.  15    shows structural loading across the splice joint from transverse movement of one panel  110  relative to the next adjacent panel  108 . 
       FIG.  16    is a partial perspective view of the next adjacent panels  108 ,  110  linked by the splice joint of  FIG.  12    in which the tensile member of the splice joint is cable  1554  and in which the splice joint is in nominal spacing. 
     The disclosed subject matter is to be considered illustrative, and not restrictive, and the appended claims are intended to cover all modifications, enhancements, and other embodiments that fall within the true scope of the present invention, which to the maximum extent allowed by law, is to be determined by the broadest permissible interpretation of the following claims and their equivalents, unrestricted or limited by the foregoing detailed descriptions of exemplary embodiments of the invention.