Patent Application
20090056780
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to protective tarps for covering a mass, especially masses located outdoors. More specifically, it relates to protective tarps with anchor tank receiving pockets for receiving anchor tanks. In preferred embodiments, the anchor tank receiving pockets are integrally formed with the tarp sheet material. The present invention anchor tanks are independent and removable. Once filled with fluent material, an anchor tank is inserted into a pocket. The anchor tanks may be flexible or not flexible.
2. Information Disclosure Statement
The following patents are exemplary of the prior art relating to tarps:
U.S. Pat. No. 3,862,876 describes a protective cover cloth having continuous flexible weights secured along at least two opposed edges for securing the cover against wind blowing, etc. The cover cloth may be made from insulating materials and heated for curing concrete. Sand, shot or other particulate material, possibly in individual bags, is inserted in a wide hem or tubes attached along the edges of the cover.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,122,637 describes a perforate member that is laid over a windrow of cut plants to confine it against the action of the wind. The member is open over a major portion of its area to sunlight and the passage of air. The member is held against the ground preferably by the weight of water in flexible tubes extending along opposite sides of the windrow.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,455,790 describes a tarpaulin anchoring system for retaining a tarpaulin on a pile of stored grain or other granular material that comprises of a plurality of anchors embedded in the pile. Each anchor has an attachment element protruding upwardly from the pile, with the attachment element being connected to a fastener affixed to the underside of the tarpaulin. The anchors are placed in the grain pile, throughout the area covered by the tarpaulin, as required to retain it in place. The anchors themselves may be of a screw or auger type which can be driven into an existing grain pile and attached to a tarpaulin as it is spread over the pile. In the case where a tarp is suspended above a grain storage area prior to formation of the grain pile, the anchors may be discs or plates attached to the underside of the tarpaulin by ropes; the anchors are buried in the pile when formed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,176,421 describes a cover system for an automobile which includes a flexible cover, preferably of nylon, having leading, tailing and side edge portions and of a suitable dimension to fit over the entire car body from rear bumper to the front bumper and sides thereof. The flexible cover includes an elastic leader segment attached at a first end to the cover and spaced from the trailing edge thereof. A second end of the leader segment is attached to a rotatable spool housed in a containment tube. The spool is rotated for storing in the cover by a motor, by a spring-biased shaft arrangement or by a manually turnable crank or combinations thereof. The containment tube may be pivotally swung outwardly from the trunk to an operable position at the rear of the trunk lid. After the cover is applied to the automobile, the containment tube is swung back to the trunk compartment for safe storage.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,579,794 describes a method for shielding, anchoring and containing an object such as a trailer or motor home in gale-force winds. A wind-permeable perforate sheet extends downwardly and outwardly from the top of the object or the roof of a home at an acute angle so as to surround a substantial portion of each of the sides with an inclined wind-permeable planar surface. The sheet is anchored to helical ground anchors via mechanical attachments which may also be used to tighten the sheet over the object or home. Apparatus for shielding, anchoring and containing an object such as a trailer of motor home in gale-force winds are also disclosed.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,363,661 B1 describes a cover for protecting a mound of particulate material in outside storage from the effects of weather elements that includes a flexible double-ply canvas having a top layer affixed to a bottom layer. The cover includes a plurality of individual bladders disposed between the top and bottom layers of the canvas, the bladders being spaced apart from and parallel to each other. Each bladder is connected to a next adjacent bladder with a flexible conduit. The cover further includes a plurality of inlet conduits coupled to respective bladders for filling selected bladders with water. Pressure-actuated check valves disposed in each flexible conduit between bladders allows water to flow from an upstream bladder into respective downstream bladders. Each bladder includes a discharge conduit for selectively draining each bladder. A plurality of straps and knobs are fixedly attached to the canvas such that the canvas may be folded and secured in a desired configuration when respective bladders do not contain water.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,739,095 B2 is directed to an outdoor tent, which includes of a flat, flexible sheet material for its main body. Along the peripheral edge (i.e. near the bottom edge) or along each of at least two of the plurality of edges, there is at least one, and preferably, a plurality of tank compartment anchors, each having at least one fill orifice and closure means for the fill orifice. The plurality of tank compartment anchors are hollow, flexible tank compartment anchors, and, in preferred embodiments, the tank compartment anchors and sheet material are formed of the same material. In some preferred embodiments, the tank compartment anchors also have drain plugs.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,966,152 describes and illustrates a protective tarp for covering a mass which includes a flat, flexible sheet material having a top and a bottom and having a peripheral edge, e.g. a plurality of edges. Along the peripheral edge or along each of at least two of the plurality of edges, there is a plurality of tank compartment anchors, arranged in a predetermined pattern, that have at least one fill orifice and closure means for the fill orifice. The plurality of tank compartment anchors and sheet material are formed of the same material. In some embodiments, the sheet material is rectangular from a front view and has four edges, the four edge being two set of two opposite edge. There are at least two edges opposite one another which contain a plurality of tank compartment anchors.
U.K. Patent No. GB 2,206,024 A describes a sheet, e.g. a large plastics sheet covering a silage pit, which is anchored by means of water-filled tubes. Thus, lay-flat tubing from a reel is laid around and across the sheet. All one end of each length is sealed. Water is passed in through the other end, which is then sealed, thus converting each length of tube to a heavy weight serving to anchor the sheet.
Notwithstanding the prior art, the present invention is neither taught nor rendered obvious thereby.
The present invention is directed to a protective tarp for covering a mass, which includes: a flat, flexible sheet material having a top and bottom and having a peripheral edge; a plurality of unconnected anchor tank receiving pockets permanently attached to a the flat, flexible sheet material and being separate and apart from one another and the peripheral edge, and being arranged in a predetermined pattern, each of the plurality of anchor tank receiving pockets adapted to receive an independent, removable anchor tank, the independent, removable anchor tank having at least one fill orifice, closure means for the at least one fill orifice, and being adapted to be inserted into the anchor tank receiving pocket and removed therefrom, and, wherein the plurality of unconnected anchor tank receiving pockets and the sheet material are formed of the same material.
In some preferred embodiments of the present invention protective tarp, the sheet material is rectangular from a front view and has four edges, the edges being two sets of two opposite edges.
In some preferred embodiments of the present invention protective tarp, there are at least two edges opposite one another which contain a plurality of anchor tank receiving pockets.
In some preferred embodiments of the present invention protective tarp, the protective tarp is a continuous tarp of substantial predetermined length having a central area away from the edges, and having a plurality of central anchor tank receiving pockets located at the central area.
In some preferred embodiments of the present invention protective tarp, the insertable removable anchor tank is made from a material which is one of flexible and not flexible.
In some preferred embodiments of the present invention protective tarp, the independent insertable removable anchor tank is selected from the group consisting of a sealed pouch, a tube, a bottle, a container, and a recycled water bottle.
In some preferred embodiments of the present invention protective tarp, the independent insertable removable anchor tank is different from another the independent insertable removable anchor tank for at least two of the plurality of anchor tank receiving pockets where the independent insertable removable anchor tanks are inserted. In some preferred embodiments of the present invention protective tarp, the independent insertable removable anchor tank is same for all of the plurality of anchor tank receiving pockets where the independent insertable removable anchor tanks are inserted.
In some preferred embodiments of the present invention protective tarp, each of the plurality of anchor tank receiving pockets includes an opening wherein the opening has a different orientation for at least two of the plurality of anchor tank receiving pockets on a same side.
In some preferred embodiments of the present invention protective tarp, each of the plurality of anchor tank receiving pockets includes an opening wherein the opening has a same orientation for each of the plurality of anchor tank receiving pockets on a same side.
In some preferred embodiments of the present invention protective tarp, the each of the plurality of anchor tank receiving pockets is selected from the group consisting of a pocket having attachment means, a force fit pocket, a flapped pocket having attachment means, and a flapped pocket with no attachment means.
In another preferred embodiment of the present invention protective tarp for covering a mass, there includes: a flat, flexible waterproof sheet material having a top and a bottom and having a plurality of non-adjacent edges; along each of the at least two of the plurality of non-adjacent edges, a plurality of unconnected anchor tank receiving pockets permanently attached to a the flat, flexible sheet material and being separate and apart from one another and the peripheral edge, and being arranged in a predetermined pattern, each of the plurality of anchor tank receiving pockets adapted to receive an independent, removable anchor tank, the independent, removable anchor tank having at least one fill orifice, closure means for the at least one fill orifice, and being adapted to be inserted into the anchor tank receiving pocket and removed therefrom, and, wherein the plurality of unconnected anchor tank receiving pockets and the sheet material are formed of the same material.
In some preferred embodiments of the present invention protective tarp, the sheet material is rectangular from a front view and has four edges, the edges being two sets of two opposite edges.
In some preferred embodiments of the present invention protective tarp, there are at least two edges opposite one another which contain a plurality of anchor tank receiving pockets.
In some preferred embodiments of the present invention protective tarp, the protective tarp is a continuous tarp of substantial predetermined length having a central area away from the edges, and having a plurality of central anchor tank receiving pockets located at the central area.
In some preferred embodiments of the present invention protective tarp, the insertable removable anchor tank is made from a material which is one of flexible and not flexible.
In some preferred embodiments of the present invention protective tarp, the independent insertable removable anchor tank is selected from the group consisting of a sealed pouch, a tube, a bottle, a container, and a recycled water bottle.
In some preferred embodiments of the present invention protective tarp, the independent insertable removable anchor tank is different from another the independent insertable removable anchor tank for at least two of the plurality of anchor tank receiving pockets where the independent insertable removable anchor tanks are inserted. In some preferred embodiments of the present invention protective tarp, the independent insertable removable anchor tank is same for all of the plurality of anchor tank receiving pockets where the independent insertable removable anchor tanks are inserted.
In some preferred embodiments of the present invention protective tarp, each of the plurality of anchor tank receiving pockets includes an opening wherein the opening has a different orientation for at least two of the plurality of anchor tank receiving pockets on a same side.
In some preferred embodiments of the present invention protective tarp, each of the plurality of anchor tank receiving pockets includes an opening wherein the opening has a same orientation for each of the plurality of anchor tank receiving pockets on a same side.
In some preferred embodiments of the present invention protective tarp, the each of the plurality of anchor tank receiving pockets is selected from the group consisting of a pocket having attachment means, a force fit pocket, a flapped pocket having attachment means, and a flapped pocket with no attachment means.
The present invention should be more fully understood when the specification herein is taken in conjunction with the drawings appended hereto wherein:
In some embodiments of the present invention protective tarp, the anchor tank receiving pockets are formed of the same flexible sheet material as its central portion. Thus, both may be formed of plastic coated woven material and the plurality of unconnected anchor tank receiving pockets may be heat welded. Each of the plurality of anchor tank receiving pockets is adapted to receive an independent, removable anchor tank which includes a fill orifice. The fill orifices are located on the sides or tops of the anchor tanks, situated in a location so that they there is adequate airspace to accommodate thermal expansion and contraction during freeze and thaw cycles. The anchoring fill material may be any fluent material in liquid or solid form, such as water, sand, propylene glycol or a sand/propylene glycol mixture.
The present invention protective tarp may be used as a cover for any item or material e.g. to cover a log pile or for covering any other mass, such as a motorcycle, lawn furniture, sand piles, swing sets, or outdoor construction projects in progress. The anchor tank receiving pockets may run the entire length of the edges, but this is not required; in many embodiments, there will be a plurality of anchor tank receiving pockets along a single edge or none at all.
The anchor tank receiving pockets 31, 33, 35, 37, 41, 43, 45, 47, 51 and 53 are any conventional pocket and secure the anchor tank within the pocket. The anchor tank receiving pockets may be a pocket having attachment means, a force fit pocket, a flapped pocket having attachment means, or a flapped pocket with no attachment means. As shown in
Each of the anchor tank receiving pockets 31, 33, 35, 37, 41, 43, 45, 47, 51 and 53 includes an opening. As shown in more detail in
Each of the anchor tank receiving pockets 31, 33, 35, 37, 41, 43, 45, 47, 51 and 53 are adapted to receive an independent, removable anchor tank, which are described hereinafter by
The independent insertable removable anchor tank may be different from another insertable removable anchor tank for at least two of the anchor tank receiving pockets when the independent insertable removable anchor tanks are inserted. In other embodiments of the present invention protective tarp, the independent insertable removable anchor tanks are the same for all of the anchor tank receiving pockets.
While present invention protective tarp of
Among these reasons:
Each of the anchor tank receiving pockets is adapted to include an independent removable anchor tank which are described in more detail hereinafter in
Each of the anchor tank receiving pockets 91, 93, 97, 99, 101, 103, 105, 111, 113, 115, 117 and 119 includes an opening. As shown in more detail in
In
Tarp 450 of
The present invention protective tarp may have its flat, sheet material aspects formed of any known sheet material, including synthetic and natural material, as well as combinations thereof. It may be in the form of mesh or woven material, film material or combinations thereof. It may be very wide meshed, or net-like, or very tightly woven, and it may be water permeable or water proof, but is preferably water proof. The anchor tank receiving pockets may be formed separately from the flat sheet material and may be made of the same or different materials. Typically, however, the unconnected anchor tank receiving pockets are made of the same materials as the flat sheet materials (with perhaps, the exception of the caps or closures), and may be integrally formed therewith. This could be accomplished in a continuous process of layered materials positioned in predetermined locations and heat-sealed to a main sheet material. The layered materials would be precut and/or preformed with a threaded or fixed cap-receiving orifice, and heat-sealed to the flat sheet material to create a tank compartment anchor.
Obviously, numerous modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein.
This is a continuation-in-part of copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/523,125 filed on Sep. 19, 2006, entitled “Protective Tarp With Separate Anchors Having Baffles” by the same inventor herein.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 11523125 | Sep 2006 | US |
| Child | 12290152 | US |
