Patent Grant
12129617
Conventional forms of wattles and logs used for perimeter sediment control, slope length shortening, and check dam applications are generally thick and circular in cross section. The circular structure results from the method of construction in which a tubular sleeve of netting is stuffed with filler from one end. When installed, less than the entire diameter of the circular log will contact the ground due to its shape, resulting in performance issues that require additional installation steps to address. Water tends to flow between the ground and convention cylindrical wattles and logs since they lack sufficient contact and downward pressure to form adequate barriers to water flow. The additional installation steps that are sometimes taken with conventional wattles and logs can include the digging of trenches and the extensive use of ropes to anchor the circular wattles and logs in place. Use of anchoring ropes tends to result in water flowing between the circular log and the rope, thereby undercutting the log and at least partially defeating the purpose thereof. Furthermore, the performance efficiency per unit of weight of a conventional wattle log is not optimal due to the log being wider in diameter than the diameter of the portion thereof that actually contacts the ground.
Additionally, the thickness and shape of conventional wattle logs make them difficult to configure for transporting and storage. The thickness of conventional wattle logs and fiber blocks relative to their height results in a relatively small number of linear meters of sediment control barrier that can be arranged on a pallet for shipping and/or storage. As a result, many pallets of conventional wattle logs and fiber blocks must be used to accommodate a target length of sediment control barriers.
Furthermore, transportation and handling costs represent a significant portion of the overall costs of a sediment control system. These transportation and handling costs are affected by the total volume of a sediment control barrier required to address a given situation. Consequently, reducing the unit volume per unit length of a sediment control system may advantageously impact the costs of transportation and handling the sediment control system.
Consequently, there is a need for a system that provides for perimeter sediment control, slope length shortening, and check dam applications that can address one or more of these and other shortcomings.
The present disclosure encompasses a fiber sheet system for perimeter sediment control, slope length shortening, and check dam applications comprising: a fiber sheet comprising, consisting essentially of, or consisting of a natural fiber felt, wherein the fiber sheet comprises a top side, a bottom side opposing the top side, a front side extending between the top side and the bottom side, a rear side opposing the front side and extending between the top side and the bottom side, a right side extending between the front side and the rear side, and a left side opposing the right side; a coating composition adhered to the fiber sheet, wherein the coating composition comprises, consists essentially of, or consists of a natural rubber, wherein the natural rubber comprises, consists essentially of, or consists of a polyisoprene moiety; and, a netting attached to the fiber sheet, wherein the netting comprises, consists essentially of, or consists of a natural fiber mesh.
In one aspect, the fiber sheet comprises a ratio of a front side height of the front side of the fiber sheet to a top side width of the top side of the fiber sheet in a range of about 9 to 1 to about 90 to 1. In another aspect, the coating composition is adhered to the rear side of the fiber sheet. In a further aspect, the coating composition is adhered to the front side of the fiber sheet. In yet another aspect, the coating composition exhibits an area density in the range of about 0.06 kg/m2 to about 0.22 kg/m2. In still a further aspect, the coating composition exhibits an area density in the range of about 0.07 kg/m2 to about 0.1 kg/m2. In still another aspect, the fiber sheet comprises a fiber sheet upper section and a fiber sheet lower section, wherein the fiber sheet upper section is covered by the netting, and wherein the fiber sheet lower section extends beyond a lower edge of the netting. In one aspect, the netting comprises a band, wherein the band is aligned adjacent the lower edge of the netting. In still another aspect, the coating composition is cross-linked with the natural fiber felt. In a further aspect, the netting comprises a front side netting section and a rear side netting section, wherein the front side netting section contacts the front side of the fiber sheet, wherein the rear side netting section contacts the rear side of the fiber sheet, wherein the front side netting section exhibits a front side netting thread count, and wherein the rear side netting section exhibits a rear side netting thread count, and wherein the rear side netting thread count is greater than then the front side netting thread count. In another aspect, the rear side netting comprises a plurality of rear side netting bands. In still a further aspect, the netting comprises a sleeve encasing the fiber sheet. In another aspect, the natural fiber felt comprises, consists essentially of, or consists of coir fibers. In one aspect, the netting comprises, consists essentially of, or consists of a coir twine. In another aspect, the fiber sheet system comprises a plurality of stakes connected to the netting and aligned adjacent the fiber sheet.
The present disclosure also encompasses a fiber sheet system for perimeter sediment control, slope length shortening, and check dam applications comprising: a fiber sheet comprising, consisting essentially of, or consisting of a natural fiber felt, wherein the fiber sheet comprises a top side, a bottom side opposing the top side, a front side extending between the top side and the bottom side, a rear side opposing the front side and extending between the top side and the bottom side, a right side extending between the front side and the rear side, and a left side opposing the right side, wherein a ratio of a front side height of the front side of the fiber sheet to a top side width of the top side of the fiber sheet is in a range of about 9 to 1 to about 90 to 1; a coating composition adhered to the fiber sheet, wherein the coating composition comprises, consists essentially of, or consists of a natural rubber; and, a netting covering the fiber sheet, wherein the netting comprises a natural fiber mesh.
In one aspect, the coating composition is adhered to the rear side of the fiber sheet. In another aspect, the coating composition is adhered to the front side of the fiber sheet. In a further aspect, the coating composition exhibits an area density in the range of about 0.07 kg/m2 to about 0.1 kg/m2.
The present disclosure further encompasses a fiber sheet system for perimeter sediment control, slope length shortening, and check dam applications comprising a fiber sheet comprising, consisting essentially of, or consisting of coir fiber felt, wherein the fiber sheet comprises a top side, a bottom side opposing the top side, a front side extending between the top side and the bottom side, a rear side opposing the front side and extending between and connected to the top side and the bottom side, a right side, and a left side opposing the right side, wherein the fiber sheet comprises, consists essentially of, or consists of a coir fiber felt, and wherein a ratio of a front side height of the front side of the fiber sheet to a top side width of the top side of the fiber sheet is in a range of about 9 to 1 to about 90 to 1; a coating composition adhered to the fiber sheet, wherein the coating composition comprises, consists essentially of, or consists of a natural rubber, wherein the natural rubber comprises, consists essentially of, or consists of a polyisoprene moiety, wherein the coating composition exhibits an area density in the range of about 0.07 kg/m2 to about 0.1 kg/m2, and, a netting contacting the fiber sheet, wherein the netting comprises a sleeve, wherein the sleeve encases the fiber sheet, and wherein the sleeve comprises, consists essentially of, or consists of coir fibers.
These and other aspects of the present disclosure are set forth in greater detail below and in the drawings for which a brief description is provided as follows.
The present disclosure encompasses fiber sheet systems, fiber sheet system segments and fiber sheets having coating compositions adhered thereto and that can be used in applications for erosion and sediment control, perimeter sediment control, slope length shortening, and/or check dam formation. The present disclosure refers in detail below to various aspects of the fiber sheet systems, the fiber sheet system segments, and the fiber sheets that are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the application uses the same reference numbers throughout the drawings to refer to the same or similar items.
As used herein, the singular forms of “a,” “an,” and “the” encompass the plural forms thereof unless otherwise indicated. As used herein, the phrase “at least one” includes all numbers of one and greater. As used herein, the term “and/or” refers to one or all of the listed elements or a combination of any two or more of the listed elements. As used herein, the phrase “integrally formed” means formed as a single, unitary body. As used herein, the term “felt” refers to a body of nonwoven fibers formed by pressure and/or other means of fiber entanglement, such as heat, moisture, and/or needle-punching. As used herein, the term “thread count” refers to the total number of warp and weft threads combined in one square centimeter of netting. As used herein, the term “cross-link” means a reaction that results in a chemical bond, such as a covalent bond, ionic bond, or hydrogen bond, between the chains of different molecules or polymers. As used herein, the term “adhere” refers to the mechanical, chemical, electrostatic, and/or dispersive joining of one material or component to another.
The fiber sheet systems, the fiber sheet system segments, and the fiber sheets encompassed by the present disclosure can comprise thin sheets of entangled and compressed natural fibers having adhered thereto a coating composition comprising natural rubber derived from natural latex. The coated fiber sheets are ecologically friendly and can aid in erosion and sediment control, perimeter sediment control, slope length shortening, and/or check dam applications. Because the fiber sheet systems and fiber sheet system segments comprise natural fibers and natural coatings, they can be installed in environmentally sensitive areas. Surprisingly, the fiber sheet systems, the fiber sheet system segments, and the coated fiber sheets encompassed by the present disclosure can capture sediment contained in ground water even though the coated fiber sheets of the fiber sheet systems are relatively thin in width as compared to their heights and lengths.
The fiber sheet systems encompassed by the present disclosure can comprise one or more fiber sheet system segments, and/or one or more coated fiber sheets as described herein aligned alone, end to end with other fiber sheet system segments and/or other coated fiber sheets, and/or side by side with other fiber sheet system segments and/or other coated fiber sheets to provide a barrier of sufficient length and width to achieve the intended goals. The fiber sheet systems, the fiber sheet system segments, and the coated fiber sheets can aid in the protection from erosion of bare soil. Among the natural fibers that can be used in the fiber sheets, nettings, sleeves, meshes, and ties of the fiber sheet systems is coconut or coir fiber, which can be used to form any one or more of these components and provide the desired characteristics of the systems.
The fiber sheet 112 is an elongated rectangular sheet. The fiber sheet 112 comprises a top side 124, a bottom side 126 opposite the top side 124, a front side 136 extending between the top side 124 and the bottom side 126, a rear side 138 opposing the front side 136 and also extending between the top side 124 and the bottom side 126, a left side 130 extending between the front side 136 and the rear side 138, and a right side 128 opposing the left side 130 and also extending between the front side 136 and the rear side 138. The rear side 138 and the front side 136 are the major sides of the fiber sheet 112, while the top side 124, the bottom side 126, the left side 130 and the right side 128 are the minor sides of the fiber sheet 112. The major sides, the rear side 138 and the front side 136, are substantially greater in area than the minor sides, the top side 124, the bottom side 126, the left side 130 and the right side 128. The fiber sheet 112 comprises a needle-punched coir fiber felt 121. The minor sides are the thickness or width of the elongated sheet of needle-punched coir fiber felt 121.
The top side 124 and the front side 136 cooperate to define a upper front edge 135. The bottom side 126 and the front side 136 cooperate to define a lower front edge 133. The top side 124 and the rear side 138 cooperate to define an upper rear edge 137, and the bottom side 126 and the rear side 138 cooperate to define a lower rear edge 127. The front side 136 and the rear side 138 are generally rectangular. The top side 124, the front side 136, the rear side 138, and the bottom side 126 are generally flat and extend the length of the fiber sheet 112 between the left side 130 and the right side 128.
In one aspect, the fiber sheet 112 comprises, consists essentially of, or consists of a needle-punched coir fiber felt 121. The coir fiber felt 121 is formed by feeding loose coir fibers through a needle punch machine to compress and entangle the loose coir fibers into a dense interconnected coir fiber felt. The coir fibers become entangled during the needle-punching process, thereby resulting in the formation of a nonwoven coir fiber felt 121. The coir fiber felt 121 is substantial and rigid enough to make the fiber sheet 112 free standing when properly aligned.
The coir fiber felt 121 of the fiber sheet 112 can exhibit a density in the range of about 100 kg/m3 to about 125 kg/m3. In another aspect, the coir fiber felt 121 of the fiber sheet 112 can exhibit density that is about 112 kg/m. In one aspect, the upper limit of the range of density exhibited by the coir fiber felt 121 of the fiber sheet 112 can be about 112 kg/m3, 113 kg/m3, 114 kg/m3, 115 kg/m3, 116 kg/m3, 117 kg/m3, 118 kg/m3, 119 kg/m3, 120 kg/m3, 121 kg/m3, 122 kg/m3, 123 kg/m, 124 kg/m3, or 125 kg/m3. In a further aspect, the lower limit of the range of density exhibited by the coir fiber felt of the fiber sheet 112 can be about 100 kg/m3, 101 kg/m3, 101 kg/m3, 102 kg/m3, 103 kg/m3, 104 kg/m3, 105 kg/m3, 106 kg/m3, 107 kg/m3, 108 kg/m3, 109 kg/m3, 110 kg/m3, 111 kg/m3, or 112 kg/m3.
The fiber sheet 112 can also be described in terms of its mass per unit area, or area density. The coir fiber felt 121 of the fiber sheet 112 can exhibit an area density in the range of about 1.25 kg/m2 to about 1.56 kg/m2. The coir fiber felt 121 of the fiber sheet 112 can exhibit an area density of about 1.4 kg/m2. In one aspect, the lower limit of the range of the area density exhibited by the coir fiber felt 121 of the fiber sheet 112 can be about 1.25 kg/m2, 1.26 kg/m2, 1.27 kg/m2, 1.28 kg/m2, 1.29 kg/m2, 1.30 kg/m2, 1.31 kg/m2, 1.32 kg/m2, 1.33 kg/m2, 1.34 kg/m2, 1.35 kg/m2, 1.36 kg/m2, 1.37 kg/m2, 1.38 kg/m2, 1.39 kg/m2, or 1.4 kg/m2. In a further aspect, the upper limit of the range of the area density exhibited by the coir fiber felt 121 of the fiber sheet 112 can be about 1.4 kg/m2, 1.41 kg/m2, 1.42 kg/m2, 1.43 kg/m2, 1.44 kg/m2, 1.45 kg/m2, 1.46 kg/m2, 1.47 kg/m2, 1.48 kg/m2, 1.49 kg/m2, 1.50 kg/m2, 1.51 kg/m2, 1.52 kg/m2, 1.53 kg/m2, 1.54 kg/m2, 1.55 kg/m2, or 1.56 kg/m2.
In one aspect, the coating composition 102 comprises a natural latex. The natural latex comprises a natural rubber. The natural rubber is a polymer of isoprene, also known as 2-methyl-1,3-butadiene. In another aspect, the coating composition 102 comprises a natural rubber. In another aspect, the coating composition 102 comprises a polyisoprene moiety. In yet another aspect, the coating composition 102 comprises greater than 50% by weight of a natural rubber. The coating composition 102 can be formed from a natural latex, such as a Low Ammonia Centrifuged Latex available from SL Coco Fibre Manufacturing Co. (Pvt.) Ltd., Ihala Baladora, Kobeygane, Sri Lanka. The natural latex can comprise about 60% by weight or greater of a natural rubber, cis 1,4 polyisoprene.
In one aspect, the coating composition 102 can comprise a natural rubber in a range of about 10% to about 95% by weight. In another aspect, the coating composition 102 can comprise a natural rubber in a range of about 30% to about 80% by weight. In a further aspect, the coating composition 102 can comprise greater than 50% by weight of a natural rubber. In yet another aspect, the coating composition 102 can comprise greater than 60% by weight of a natural rubber. In still a further aspect, the coating composition can comprise greater than 75% by weight of a natural rubber.
In one aspect, the lower limit of the range of percentage amount by weight of the natural rubber of the coating composition 102 can be about 10%, 11%, 12%, 13%, 14%, 15%, 16%, 17%, 18%, 19%, 20%, 21%, 22%, 23%, 24%, 25%, 26%, 27%, 28%, 29%, 30%, 31%, 32%, 33%, 34%, 35%, 36%, 37%, 38%, 39%, 40%, 41%, 42%, 43%, 44%, 45%, 46%, 47%, 48%, 49%, 50%, 51%, 52%, 53%, 54%, 55%, 56%, 57%, 58%, 59%, 60%, 61%, 62%, 63%, 64%, 65%, 66%, 67%, 68%, 69%, 70%, 71%, 72%, 73%, 74%, 75%, 76%, 77%, 78%, 79%, or 80%.
In another aspect, the upper limit of the range of percentage amount by weight of the natural rubber of the coating composition 102 can be about 30%, 31%, 32%, 33%, 34%, 35%, 36%, 37%, 38%, 39%, 40%, 41%, 42%, 43%, 44%, 45%, 46%, 47%, 48%, 49%, 50%, 51%, 52%, 53%, 54%, 55%, 56%, 57%, 58%, 59%, 60%, 61%, 62%, 63%, 64%, 65%, 66%, 67%, 68%, 69%, 70%, 71%, 72%, 73%, 74%, 75%, 76%, 77%, 78%, 79%, 80%, 81%, 82%, 83%, 84%, 85%, 86%, 87%, 88%, 89%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, or 99%.
The coating composition 102 also can be described in terms of its mass per unit area, or area density. The coating composition 102 adhered to the fiber sheet 112 can exhibit an area density in the range of about 0.05 kg/m2 to about 0.3 kg/m2. The coating composition 102 on the fiber sheet 112 can exhibit an area density of about 0.07 kg/m2.
In one aspect, the lower limit of the range of the area density exhibited by the coating composition on the fiber sheet 112 can be about 0.05 kg/m2, 0.06 kg/m2, 0.07 kg/m2, 0.08 kg/m2, 0.08 kg/m2, 0.09 kg/m2, 0.1 kg/m2, 0.11 kg/m2, 0.12 kg/m2, 0.13 kg/m2, 0.14 kg/m2, 0.15 kg/m2, 0.16 kg/m2, 0.17 kg/m2, 0.18 kg/m2, 0.19 kg/m2, 0.2 kg/m2, 0.21 kg/m2, 0.22 kg/m2, 0.23 kg/m2, 0.24 kg/m2, 0.25 kg/m2, 0.26 kg/m2, 0.27 kg/m2, 0.28 kg/m2, or 0.29 kg/m2.
In a further aspect, the upper limit of the range of the area density exhibited by the coating composition 102 on the fiber sheet 112 can be about 0.06 kg/m2, 0.07 kg/m2, 0.08 kg/m2, 0.08 kg/m2, 0.09 kg/m2, 0.1 kg/m2, 0.11 kg/m2, 0.12 kg/m2, 0.13 kg/m2, 0.14 kg/m2, 0.15 kg/m2, 0.16 kg/m2, 0.17 kg/m2, 0.18 kg/m2, 0.19 kg/m2, 0.2 kg/m2, 0.21 kg/m2, 0.22 kg/m2, 0.23 kg/m2, 0.24 kg/m2, 0.25 kg/m2, 0.26 kg/m2, 0.27 kg/m2, 0.28 kg/m2, 0.29 kg/m2, or 0.3 kg/m2.
The fiber sheet 112 can also be described in terms of its mass per unit area, or area density. The coir fiber felt 121 of the fiber sheet 112 can exhibit an area density in the range of about 1.25 kg/m2 to about 1.56 kg/m2. The coir fiber felt 121 of the fiber sheet 112 can exhibit an area density of about 1.4 kg/m2. In one aspect, the lower limit of the range of the area density exhibited by the coir fiber felt 121 of the fiber sheet 112 can be about 1.25 kg/m2, 1.26 kg/m2, 1.27 kg/m2, 1.28 kg/m2, 1.29 kg/m2, 1.30 kg/m2, 1.31 kg/m2, 1.32 kg/m2, 1.33 kg/m2, 1.34 kg/m2, 1.35 kg/m2, 1.36 kg/m2, 1.37 kg/m2, 1.38 kg/m2, 1.39 kg/m2, or 1.4 kg/m2. In a further aspect, the upper limit of the range of the area density exhibited by the coir fiber felt 121 of the fiber sheet 112 can be about 1.4 kg/m2, 1.41 kg/m2, 1.42 kg/m2, 1.43 kg/m2, 1.44 kg/m2, 1.45 kg/m2, 1.46 kg/m2, 1.47 kg/m2, 1.48 kg/m2, 1.49 kg/m2, 1.50 kg/m2, 1.51 kg/m2, 1.52 kg/m2, 1.53 kg/m2, 1.54 kg/m2, 1.55 kg/m2, or 1.56 kg/m2.
In a further aspect, the upper limit of the range of the area density exhibited by the coir fiber felt 121 of the fiber sheet 112 can be about 1.4 kg/m2, 1.41 kg/m2, 1.42 kg/m2, 1.43 kg/m2, 1.44 kg/m2, 1.45 kg/m2, 1.46 kg/m2, 1.47 kg/m2, 1.48 kg/m2, 1.49 kg/m2, 1.50 kg/m2, 1.51 kg/m2, 1.52 kg/m2, 1.53 kg/m2, 1.54 kg/m2, 1.55 kg/m2, or 1.56 kg/m2.
As shown in
The front side netting section 150 is aligned adjacent a fiber sheet upper section 119 and comprises a front side netting section edge 160 disposed at the bottom of the front side netting section 150. The front side netting section edge 160 is disposed above or distal from the lower front edge 133 of the fiber sheet 112 and intermediate between the lower front edge 133 and the upper front edge 135, thereby leaving a fiber sheet lower section 117 exposed and projecting downward beyond the netting 113. Likewise, the rear side netting section 152 is aligned adjacent the fiber sheet upper section 119 and comprises a rear side netting section edge 162. The rear side netting section edge 162 is disposed above or distal from the lower rear edge 127 of the fiber sheet 112, thereby leaving a fiber sheet lower section 117 exposed.
The front side netting section 150 comprises a front side netting band 161 extending along all or at least a portion of the front side netting section 150. The front side netting band 161 is aligned at or proximal to the front side netting edge 160. The front side netting band 161 generally comprises band threads and/or band webbing that exhibit a thread count that is greater than the average thread count of the rest of the front side netting section 150. The front side netting band 161 is constructed and aligned so as to potentially increase the strength and/or durability of the front side netting edge 160 and/or to server as a substrate for receiving cross ties.
Likewise, the rear side netting section 152 comprises a rear side netting band 163 extending along all or at least a portion of the rear side netting section 152. The rear side netting band 163 is aligned at or proximal to the rear side netting edge 162 and intermediate between the lower rear edge 127 and the upper rear edge 137. The rear side netting band 163 generally comprises band threads and/or band webbing that exhibit a thread count that is greater than the average thread count of the rest of the rear side netting section 152. The rear side netting band 163 also is constructed and aligned so as to potentially increase the strength and/or durability of the rear side netting edge 162 and/or to server as a substrate for receiving cross ties 157. Furthermore, the left side netting section 156 can comprise a left side netting band 165 extending between the rear side netting band 163 and the front side netting band 161, and the right side can comprise a right side netting band 167 extending between the rear side netting band 163 and the front side netting band 161. Accordingly, the netting 113 comprises a lower netting band 171 comprising the four side netting bands 161, 163, 165 and 167 that is aligned at the terminating edge of the netting 113 and that extends around the fiber sheet 112.
As shown in
In one aspect, the front side netting weave 172 can exhibit an average front side netting thread count in the range of about 0.1 to 1 per square centimeter, and the average rear side netting weave 174 can exhibit a rear side netting thread count in the range of about 0.25 to about 6 per square centimeter. In still another aspect, the rear side netting section 152 can comprise a plurality of reinforcement bands 176 spaced apart across the rear side netting section 152. The reinforcement bands 176 can be aligned both horizontally and vertically, and can intersect each other. While the more open front side netting weave 172 of the front side netting section 150 can allow for greater input of water flow into the fiber sheet 112, the tighter rear side netting weave 174 of the rear side netting section 152 can provide support for the fiber sheet 112 so as to maintain the shape and alignment of the fiber sheet 112 when exposed to water.
As shown in
As shown in
Each stake 142 is inserted in the soil of the ground to secure the fiber sheet system 200 in place. The anchor ties 146 are attached to the netting 213 and the stakes 142, thereby securing the fiber sheet 112 and netting 213 to the stakes 142. The fiber sheet lower section 117 is aligned below the soil surface 300 and anchored in the channel by the plurality of staples 148. When water flow 400 is towards the front side 136 of the fiber sheet 112, silt that is carried by the water flow 400 tends to contact and be stopped by the fiber sheet system 200, thereby preventing silt to pass beyond the fiber sheet system 200. Silt will tend to accumulate on the front side 136 of the fiber sheet 112.
The coir fiber felt 121 of the fiber sheet 112 can serve as a filter media for sediment-laden water. The average pore size of the coir fiber felt 121 tends to be smaller than the average pore size of compressed coir fiber blocks that are not a needle-punched felt. Adherence of the coating composition 102 to the coir fiber felt 121 further reduces the thickness or width of the fiber sheet 112 and can, depending upon the amount of the coating composition 102 applied to the fiber sheet 112, reduce the average pore size of the coir fiber felt 121, thereby reducing the flow rate of filtered water passing through the fiber sheet 112. Since natural rubber tends to degrade when exposed to ultraviolet light, the coating composition 102 can tend to degrade after the fiber sheet system 100 is installed in an erosion control installation. As the coating composition 102 degrades over time, the coir fiber felt 121 of the fiber sheet 112 may tend to expand. During this time of expansion, the fiber sheet 112 may have tended to accumulate sediment therein from sediment-filled water passing therethrough. The accumulated sediment may tend to block the pores of the coir fiber felt 121, thereby providing additional surface area for filtration of the sediment-filled water that continues to pass therethrough.
The fiber sheet 112 can have height-to-width ratio of a height from the top side 124 to the bottom side 126 greater to a width of the fiber sheet 112 from front side 136 to rear side 138 in the range of about 9 to 1 to about 90 to 1. In one aspect, the front side 136 of the fiber sheet 112 can be about 23 cm in height and the top side 124 can be about 0.5 cm in width. In another aspect, the front side 136 of the fiber sheet 112 can be about 30 cm in height and the top side 124 can be about 0.5 cm in width. In yet another aspect, the front side 136 of the fiber sheet 112 can be about 45 cm in height and the top side 124 can be about 0.5 cm in width. In a further aspect, the front side 136 of the fiber sheet 112 can be about 23 cm in height and the top side 124 can be about 1.25 cm in width. In still another aspect, the front side 136 of the fiber sheet 112 can be about 30 cm in height and the top side 124 can be about 1.25 cm in width. In yet another aspect, the front side 136 of the fiber sheet 112 can be about 45 cm in height and the top side 124 can be about 1.25 cm in width. In one aspect, the front side 136 of the fiber sheet 112 can be about 23 cm in height and the top side 124 can be about 2.5 cm in width. In another aspect, the front side 136 of the fiber sheet 112 can be about 30 cm in height and the top side 124 can be about 2.5 cm in width. In yet another aspect, the front side 136 of the fiber sheet 112 can be about 45 cm in height and the top side 124 can be about 2.5 cm in width.
In one aspect, the ratio of the front side height 159 of the fiber sheet 112 to the top side width 149 can be about 9 to 1. In another aspect, the ratio of the front side height 159 of the fiber sheet 112 to the top side width 149 can be about 12 to 1. In a further aspect, the ratio of the front side height 159 of the fiber sheet 112 to the top side width 149 can be about 18:1. In still another aspect, the ratio of the front side height 159 of the fiber sheet 112 to the top side width 149 can be about 24 to 1. In a further aspect, the ratio of the front side height 159 of the fiber sheet 112 to the top side width 149 can be about 36 to 1. In yet another aspect, the ratio of the front side height 159 of the fiber sheet 112 to the top side width 149 can be about 45 to 1. In another aspect, the ratio of the front side height 159 of the fiber sheet 112 to the top side width 149 can be about 60 to 1. In a further aspect, the ratio of the front side height 159 of the fiber sheet 112 to the top side width 149 can be about 90 to 1.
The fiber sheet system segments 110 and 210 can be constructed by feeding loose coir fibers into a needle punch machine. The loose coir fibers are compressed and entangled to cause the them to bind together to form a coir fiber felt 121. The coir fiber felt 121 is then fed to a sprayer which sprays a layer of the coating composition 102, comprising a natural latex, on either one or both of the front and back sides of the coir fiber felt 221. The coated coir fiber felt 121 is then fed through a double-roller press wherein the thickness of the coated coir fiber felt 221 is reduced. The pressed and coated coir fiber felt 221 is then fed to a continuous dryer wherein the felt is heated to a temperature in the range of about 80° C. to about 100° C. for about 30 minutes. The heating and drying process tends to cause the water contained in the coating composition 102 to evaporate and the remaining natural rubber and other constituents of the natural latex to interlock and/or to cross-link and/or to thermoset, thereby adhering the coating composition 102 with itself and the compressed coir fibers of the coated coir fiber felt 221. The pressing and heating of the coir fiber felt 121 tends to reduce its thickness or width, thereby allowing the fiber sheet 112 to have a width smaller than the width of the uncoated coir fiber felt 121.
The coated coir fiber felt 221 can be cut to the desired height and length to form the fiber sheet 112 with the coating composition 102 adhered thereto. For fiber sheet system segment 110, the netting 113 can be wrapped around the fiber sheet 112 and secured to the fiber sheet 112 by inserting cross-ties 157 into the fiber sheet 112 and securing the cross-ties 157 to either front side and rear side of the netting 113. Alternatively, for fiber sheet system segment 210, the fiber sheet 112 can be inserted into a netting sleeve 213 that, in turn, can then be tightened around the fiber sheet 112 and stitched at the left and right sides 130 and 128 of the fiber sheet 112 to completely encase the fiber sheet 112.
The fiber sheet systems 100 and 200 each can be installed as illustrated and used in erosion control sediment control, perimeter sediment control, slope length shortening, and/or check dam formation applications. The fiber sheet systems 100 and 200 can be installed and aligned so as to form a barrier to existing or potential water flows that may contain sediment or other solids. The fiber sheet systems 100 and 200 can act to remove or reduce the amount of sediment and other solids within the water flows so as to reduce the extent of possible erosion or introduction of the solids into a body of water.
The various alignments of the components of the fiber sheet system segments and the fiber sheet systems disclosed herein can be combined in alternative arrangements of fiber sheet system segments and fiber sheet systems encompassed by the present disclosure. Other embodiments of the present disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art from their consideration of the specification and practice of the present disclosure disclosed in this document. The applicant intends that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only, with the true scope and spirit of the present disclosure being indicated by the following claims.
This application is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. Non-Provisional patent application Ser. No. 17/859,445, entitled “Fiber Sheet System”, filed on Jul. 7, 2022, which claimed priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/361,070, entitled “Improved Fiber Block System” filed. Nov. 23, 2021. This application claims priority to both U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/361,070, entitled “Improved Fiber Block System”, filed Nov. 23, 2021, and U.S. Non-Provisional patent application Ser. No. 17/859,445, entitled “Fiber Sheet System”, filed Jul. 7, 2022, both of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety herein to provide continuity of disclosure.
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| Number | Date | Country | |
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| 20230160166 A1 | May 2023 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63361070 | Nov 2021 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 17859445 | Jul 2022 | US |
| Child | 17983821 | US |
