Patent Application
20090120022
This invention relates generally to flood barriers and, more particularly, to an improvement in window construction that inhibits flood waters from entering a structure by mechanically sealing a properly constructed and engineered window frame to a retaining wall.
Floods are a common in areas that do not have adequate drainage to handle a high influx of water. Unfortunately, whether an area is susceptible to flooding may change from year to year due to drainage changes as a result of construction, forest growth, river silting, and the like. Further, climate change has made the possibility of a “100 year” flood an event that can now happen in any given year. Unfortunately, it is not possible to predict how much water a flooding event will produce, for the flooding may be caused by upriver snowmelt or rain, locally heavy rainfall, high winds, and similar events that cause water stacking, a drainage malfunction, or the like any of which may cause flood waters to breech a building structure.
Flooding may not damage a building structure but it can be devastating on the contents within the building should water be allowed to enter the structure. The severity of the damage depends not only on the amount of water that accumulates within a building structure in a period of time, but also on the ability of the property owner to quickly remove the water within. Standing water of only an inch deep is sufficient to destroy the contents within the building structure should mold be allowed to take hold.
Most buildings are designed to keep out rain, but they are not necessarily designed to keep out flood water. The news channels are filled with pictures of a community banding together to save the building structures, if not the entire town, by the use of sandbags to redirect flood waters. If the pressure is substantially high or the water level is high enough then loads of water will seep past the sandbags and flood the area. The pressure exerted by the flowing flood water is the difference in water volume. The bigger the difference between the water volume across an area, the greater the force of the movement.
The potential for seepage within a building enclosure is so prevalent and difficult to prevent that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Chapter 7, Section 701.1.1 of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers ‘Flood Proofing Regulations’ has specified standards of performance and workmanship in Type 2 Closures in which they allowed “slight seepage” during hydrodynamic and hydrostatic pressure flood conditions in a Special Flood Hazard Zone.
The potential risks from a flood may be mitigated by taking the necessary steps such as causing the structure to resist the flooding. Flood proofing is a combination of adjustments and/or additions of features to individual buildings that are designed to eliminate or reduce the potential for flood damage. Flood proofing techniques can be classified on the basis of type of protection that is provided as follows: Type 1: permanent measures (always in-place, requires no action if flooding occurs); Type 2: contingent measures (requiring installation at the site when flooding occurs); and Type 3: emergency measures (improvised at the site when flooding occurs).
Emergency flood proofing measures include techniques that can be initiated on relatively short notice. Emergency methods to prevent flooding include sandbag dikes, stop log barriers, and earth-fill crib retaining walls. The primary advantage of an emergency method is the relatively low implementation cost. The principle disadvantage of emergency measures is that sufficient advance warning is required to mobilize personnel and install emergency barriers. Most emergency flood proofing methods require extensive labor force, depend on the availability of heavy machinery and trained operators on short notice, and necessitate a large amount of storage space. Furthermore, if the magnitude or the rate of the rise of a flood is misjudged the emergency flood proofing techniques fail. Not to mention aesthetically any emergency flood proofing measure is difficult to bear if left for long periods of time. Another disadvantage is that emergency measures do not satisfy the minimum requirements for watertight flood proofing as set forth by the National Flood Insurance Program for the protection of an existing construction.
Contingent measures such as flood shields and flood walls are watertight barriers designed to prevent the passage of water through doors, windows, or any other opening in a building structure exposed to flooding. Flood shields are usually installed only when flooding is imminent. Normally some type of gasket or seal is required to ensure that the shield is water tight. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,943,832, “Flood or Storm Resistant Barriers for Doorways or Window Opening” discloses a frame having two parts, one of the frame parts having portions in telescopic engagement with the other frame part, and a manually operable jack mounted between the two frame parts and operable to move the two frame parts relative to one another to vary an external dimension of the frame and thereby enable the frame to be secured in a doorway or window opening by expansion of the frame into engagement with opposed surfaces of the doorway or window opening. However, the operable jack is exposed to the elements and susceptible to corrosion; this device requires proper maintenance to insure integrity.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,796,010 entitled “Pneumatically Sealable Flood Panel Assembly” discloses a flood panel assembly for installation in doorways to improve water-tight integrity under moderate flood conditions comprising of a conversion frame structure permanently installed into the access opening, and a removable panel arranged to be inserted in the conversion frame and arranged to establish a water-tight association with the conversion frame. The removable flood panel is provided about its edges with an inflatable sealing element, which is normally in a deflated condition. When the flood panel is installed in the conversion frame, it is initially locked in position and the sealing element is thereafter inflated, causing it to expand and provide a water-tight seal. Unfortunately, these flood shield devices are expensive, proper storage is required, and tools are needed for proper installation.
Movable floodwalls consist of a flood barrier which is hinged along the bottom so that it can be lowered to a horizontal position to fit flush with existing ground or pavement. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 5,077,945 “Doorway Flood Barrier” discloses a doorway mounted flood barrier including a barrier wall having two opposite vertical side edges and a horizontal bottom edge, and retainer means disposed between the barrier wall and lower portion of the doorway for holding the barrier wall sealingly in the lower portion of the doorway. Again, movable floodwall devices are expensive and require proper maintenance.
Permanent flood proofing measures include closures and sealants, and floodwalls and levees. Permanent floodwalls and levees measures are alternatives for protecting a large area or a number of structures, they can be a practical and economical flood proofing technique for protecting single or small groups of structures.
Permanent closure and sealant measures basically involve filling an existing window or opening with some form of water-resistant material such as concrete or sealant. A sealant is a water proof coating that can be applied to the outside of an existing wall to eliminate the wall's permeability. This coating is generally an asphalt-based or polymeric compound that can be painted or sprayed onto the wall. For example, the amount of pressure exerted on a window pane during a flood may be a load the window pane cannot handle. The breached window pane provides a point of entry for wind or water whereby the water enters the building structure and causes severe damage to the infrastructure of the home, upholstery, and furniture and eventually causing sever molding. Therefore, it takes the entire window system to make a seal proof opening within the window cavity. The impact resistant window pane may provide protection from wind, missiles, debris, and water against the window pane but if the frame is not properly installed a load could hit the window pane and cause the entire frame to come off the retaining wall defining a window cavity. Aside from the window pane and frame being susceptible to being struck or blown in by flood water, the gap between the window frame and the retaining wall is especially vulnerable. Water seeping into the building structure through the area between the frame and retaining wall in which it was installed presents a glaring problem. Caulking, such as silicone, polyurethane, and polysulfide, is a sealant means in which the frame of the window frame is attached to the retaining wall, thereby filling the gap between the retaining wall and the window frame and attempting to eliminate permeability. However, caulking is brittle and cleaves easily due to exposure to UV light, which can lead to failure over time. Caulking is particularly susceptible to environmental temperature as it expands and contracts leaving potential openings within the gap. During a flood, water pressure builds up on the window frame and the caulking, if the caulking is brittle the water pressure may be such that it surges through the caulking and enters the building structure.
While these prior art techniques may be suitable for the particular purpose to which they address, they do not present a method of inhibiting flood water entry into a structure about a window frame.
The instant invention is a flood barrier system for window openings. The flood barrier comprises an improved window structure having an extruded frame, a high strength laminated glass panel, a mechanical seal, and an optional reinforcement member. The extruded frame includes a top wall, a bottom wall, and a set of parallel sidewalls or reveal members, the inner surfaces of which define a viewing aperture on a horizontal plane. On the sidewalls on the extruded frame is attached the mechanical seal. The glass panel is attached to the front surface of the extruded frame by a gasket and sealant. And should the flood barrier system require further structural support a reinforcement member maybe positioned within the extruded frame member. The reinforcement member may extend from the top wall to the bottom wall and intersect the viewing aperture or may extend from one reveal member to the other and intersect the viewing aperture.
The mechanical seal is installed for inhibition of flood seepage. The mechanical seal has at least two surfaces forming an open end and a tapered end. The tapered end of the mechanical seal has two surfaces joined together forming some angle thereinbetween. A mechanical seal is anchored to each of the frame's sidewalls at least 12 inches above the base flood elevation level and abuts the window opening. And another mechanical seal is anchored to the frame's bottom wall and abuts a floor on the window opening.
Expansion of the mechanical seal may occur upon a force being received within the open end of the mechanical seal and exerted on the tapered end of the mechanical seal. When the mechanical seal expands the mechanical seal wedges further between the window opening and the frame for inhibition of flood seepage.
Accordingly, it is an objective of the present invention to provide a flood barrier system for first floor windows where the property owner need not have to perform regular maintenance or perform manual labor in preparation for a disaster to protect the building contents. Alternatively, the flood barrier system may be installed from the ground floor for building structures in coastal areas erected on stilts.
It is a further objective of the present invention to provide a flood barrier system for windows that is hydrostatic pressure resistant. The flood barrier conforms to the criteria for resisting lateral forces due to hydrostatic pressure from freestanding water as set forth by FEMA.
It is an objective of the present invention to provide a flood barrier system that is capable of resisting a 1000 lb. object at minimum velocity of 8 ft/sec as set forth by FEMA.
It is an objective of the present invention to provide a flood barrier system satisfying the flood certificate requirements set forth by the National Flood Insurance Program developed by FEMA for use in certification of non-residential flood proofing designs.
It is an objective of the present invention to provide a flood barrier system whereby the mechanical seal is memory shaped to expand when a force is introduced therethrough and return a substantially original position.
It is an objective of the present invention to provide a flood barrier system where the viewing aperture may contain a vertical or horizontal mullion structures or any combination thereof within the viewing aperture. The mullion structures form a grid-like pattern producing a plurality of viewing openings within the viewing aperture.
It is an objective of the present invention to provide a glass flood barrier system that can be adapted to any building opening comprising of existing slabs and walls openings capable of supporting a flood before the flood barrier system is installed.
Other objectives and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with any accompanying drawings wherein are set forth, by way of illustration and example, certain embodiments of this invention. Any drawings contained herein constitute a part of this specification and include exemplary embodiments of the present invention and illustrate various objects and features thereof.
Detailed embodiments of the instant invention are disclosed herein, however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific functional and structural details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representation basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed structure.
Referring now to
Should the flood barrier require further structural support, a reinforcement member 60 may be positioned within the extruded frame 10. As shown in
As shown in
Furthermore, as shown in
Because of building tolerances and imperfections there are typically gaps 8 left thereinbetween the frame 10 and the window opening 11. To inhibit a breach within the gaps 8 a mechanical seal 30 is positioned at the bottom wall 14 of the frame 10 and the floor 9 of the window opening 11, and about the frame's reveal members 16 and 18, up to 12 inches above the base flood elevation level as set forth by FEMA and the window opening 11, as shown in
Each vertically oriented mechanical seal 30 extends to a height of up to 12 inches above the base flood elevation level as set forth by FEMA. The base flood elevation level is defined as the elevation (normally measured in feet above sea level) that the base flood is expected to reach as determined by FEMA. The vertically oriented mechanical seal 30 is secured to the outer surface 20 of the reveal members 16 and 18. The horizontally oriented mechanical seal 30 extends along the floor 9 of the window opening 11 from one retaining wall 7 on the window opening 11 to the opposite retaining wall 7 on the window opening 11. The horizontally oriented mechanical seal is secured to the bottom wall 16 of the frame 14 (not shown).
To secure the mechanical seal 30 to the frame 10 various methods may be employed, as shown in
Upon the occurrence of a disaster, a force is exerted upon the mechanical seal 30. The force is received within the open end 34 of the mechanical joint 30 until it reaches the tapered end 32. If the force is substantial the joint 30 will expand nominally. Thus the first surface 36 and the third surface 38 will no longer be substantially parallel. However, there will not be a breach because the first surface 36 and the third surface 38 remain abutting the outer surface 20 of the reveal members 16 and 18 or the outer surface of the bottom wall 14 of the frame 10 and the window opening 11, respectively. The mechanical seal 30 is memory shaped and is thus constructed of spring steel, aluminum, plastic, or the like. The mechanical seal 30 is memory shaped so that when a force is not longer acting the mechanical seal 30 it may substantially return to an original position whereby the first surface 36 and third surface 38 are substantially parallel.
As shown in
Although aluminum is preferred material of construction, it is contemplated that the frame 14, and reinforcement member 60, and mullion structures 50 may be constructed of composite materials, fiberglass, steel, plastics (such as polypropylene, polyethylene, or the like), or other suitable materials.
All patents and publications mentioned in this specification are indicative of the levels of those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains. All patents and publications are herein incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each individual publication was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference.
It is to be understood that while a certain form of the invention is illustrated, it is not to be limited to the specific form or arrangement herein described and shown. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention and the invention is not to be considered limited to what is shown and described in the specification and any drawings/figures included herein.
One skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the present invention is well adapted to carry out the objectives and obtain the ends and advantages mentioned, as well as those inherent therein. The embodiments, methods, procedures and techniques described herein are presently representative of the preferred embodiments, are intended to be exemplary and are not intended as limitations on the scope. Changes therein and other uses will occur to those skilled in the art which are encompassed within the spirit of the invention and are defined by the scope of the appended claims. Although the invention has been described in connection with specific preferred embodiments, it should be understood that the invention as claimed should not be unduly limited to such specific embodiments. Indeed, various modifications of the described modes for carrying out the invention which are obvious to those skilled in the art are intended to be within the scope of the following claims.
