Patent Application
20100124628
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a geosynthetic assembly, more particularly to a geosynthetic assembly including a plurality of first and second interlocking members that form a continuous passageway for a connectoring member to extend therethrough, such that first and second bodies of the geosynthetic assembly may be easily and quickly interconnected.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional geosynthetics, which include geotextiles and geogrids, are generally manufactured to a predetermined size. In use, a predetermined number of geosynthetics are interconnected in order to obtain a geosynthetic assembly of a desired size.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a geosynthetic assembly that can overcome the aforesaid drawbacks associated with the prior art.
According to the present invention, a geosynthetic assembly comprises: a first geosynthetic unit including a first body, and a first connector connected to the first body and having a plurality of first interlocking members which are spaced apart from each other along a direction and which define respectively first through-holes; a second geosynthetic unit including a second body, and a second connector connected to the second body and having a plurality of second interlocking members which are spaced apart from each other along the direction and which define respectively second through-holes, the first and second interlocking members being alternately disposed along the direction such that the first and second through-holes are aligned along the direction to form a passageway that extends along the direction; and a connecting member extending through the passageway.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of this invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Before the present invention is described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, it should be noted herein that like elements are denoted by the same reference numerals throughout the disclosure.
The geosynthetic assembly includes: a first geosynthetic unit 3 including a first body 31, and a first connector 32 connected to the first body 31 and having a plurality of first interlocking members 322 which are spaced apart from each other along a direction (X) and which define respectively first through-holes 323; a second geosynthetic unit 4 including a second body 41, and a second connector 42 connected to the second body 41 and having a plurality of second interlocking members 422 which are spaced apart from each other along the direction (X) and which define respectively second through-holes 423, the first and second interlocking members 322, 422 being alternately disposed along the direction (X) such that the first and second through-holes 323, 423 are aligned along the direction (X) to form a passageway that extends along the direction (X); and a connecting member 5 extending through the passageway so as to interconnect the first and second geosynthetic units 3, 4.
In this embodiment, a plurality of first recesses 324, each of which is defined between each two adjacent ones of the first interlocking members 322, are sized such that each two adjacent ones of the first interlocking members 322 tightly receive a respective one of the second interlocking members 422 therebetween, and a plurality of second recesses 424, each of which is defined between each two adjacent ones of the second interlocking members 422, are sized such that each two adjacent ones of the second interlocking members 422 tightly receive a respective one of the first interlocking members 322 therebetween. As a result, the passageway is substantially continuous along the direction (X), as shown in
In this embodiment, the first connector 32 further has a first connecting portion 321 connected to the first body 31 and extending between the first body 31 and the first interlocking members 322, and the second connector 42 further has a second connecting portion 421 connected to the second body 41 and extending between the second body 41 and the second interlocking members 422.
In this embodiment, the first and second connectors 32, 42 are connected to the first and second bodies 31, 41 by sewing. In other embodiments, the first and second connectors 32, 42 are connected to the first and second bodies 31, 41 by adhering the same thereto, by fusing the first and second connectors 32, 42 to the first and second bodies 31, 41, or by integrally forming the first and second connectors 32, 42 with the first and second bodies 31, 41.
In some embodiments, with reference to
Preferably, the anchoring unit 6 is made of concrete, but may be made of another material.
Preferably, the connecting member 5 is one of a rope and a steel rod.
In this embodiment, the first and second bodies 31, 41 of the first and second geosynthetic units 3, 4 are made from a stiff material having a grid-like structure. That is, in this embodiment, each of the first and second bodies 31, 41 is formed as a geogrid.
As shown in
By disposing alternately the first and second interlocking members 322, 422 along the direction (X) such that the first and second through-holes 323, 423 are aligned along the direction (X) to form the passageway for the connecting member 5 to extend therethrough, the aforesaid drawbacks associated with the prior art can be eliminated.
With the invention thus explained, it is apparent that various modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. It is therefore intended that the invention be limited only as recited in the appended claims.
