Water barrier system comprising connection device

{
  "publication_number": "US12331474B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Water barrier system comprising connection device",
  "abstract": "The present invention relates to a water barrier module system comprising a first (10) and a second (20) protective module configured to form at least a part of a water barrier. Each protective module comprises a side flange (12, 22) extending substantially perpendicular to a main plane and having an outer surface (18, 28) and an inner surface (16, 26). Each of the side flanges comprises at least one elongated opening (14, 24) having a width (W 2) and a length (L 2), wherein the length is larger than the width. A connection device (30) is configured to, in a connecting position, connect the side flanges (12, 22) by extending through the elongated openings when the outer surfaces of the two side flanges are arranged to each other. The connection device (30) comprises a first portion (31) configured to abut the inner surface of the first side flange, and a second portion (32) configured to abut the inner surface of the second side flange. The first portion (31) of the connection device has a width (W 3) that is smaller or equal to the width (W 2) of the elongated openings (14, 24) and a length (L 3) that is larger than the width (W 2) of the elongated openings and smaller than or equal to the length (L 2) of the elongated openings.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A water barrier module system comprising a first protective module and a second protective module configured to form at least a part of a water barrier to be positioned between a body of water and an area to be protected from water, wherein each of the protective modules comprises a main plane and a first side along at least one side of the main plane, wherein the first protective module comprises a first side flange along the first side of the first protective module, the first side flange extending substantially perpendicular to the main plane and having an outer surface and an inner surface, wherein the second protective module comprises a second side flange along the first side of the second protective module, the second side flange extending substantially perpendicular to the main plane and having an outer surface and an inner surface, wherein each of the first and second side flanges comprises at least one elongated opening having a width and a length, wherein the length is larger than the width, the water barrier module system further comprising a connection device configured to, in a connecting position, connect the first side flange to the second side flange by extending through the at least one elongated opening of both side flanges when the outer surfaces of the two side flanges are arranged to each other, wherein the connection device comprises a first portion configured to, in the connecting position, abut the inner surface of the first side flange, a second portion configured to, in the connecting position, abut the inner surface of the second side flange, and an intermediate portion connecting the first portion and the second portion and configured to, in the connecting position, extend through the elongated openings, wherein the first, second and intermediate portions of the connection device are formed in one integrated unit fixed relative to each other, wherein the first portion of the connection device has a width that is smaller or equal to the width of the elongated openings and a length that is larger than the width of the elongated openings and smaller than or equal to the length of the elongated openings.",
    "2. The water barrier module system according to claim 1, wherein the first portion and the second portion of the connection device extends in parallel.",
    "3. The water barrier module system according to claim 1, wherein the first portion and the second portion of the connection device are separated by the intermediate portion providing a distance between the first and second portions being substantial equal to a combined thickness of the first and second side flanges.",
    "4. The water barrier module system according to claim 1, wherein the second portion has a length that is larger than the width of the elongated openings.",
    "5. The water barrier module system according to claim 1, wherein the length of the second portion is larger than the length of the elongated openings.",
    "6. The water barrier module system according to claim 1, wherein the width of the second portion is smaller than the width of the elongated openings.",
    "7. The water barrier module system according to claim 1, wherein the width of the second portion is larger than the width of the elongated openings.",
    "8. The water barrier module system according claim 1, wherein the second protective module is an extension module extending the height of the water barrier.",
    "9. The water barrier module system according claim 1, wherein the connection device is further configured to be moved into an inserting position by moving at least the first portion through the elongated openings, and to be moved from the inserting position to the connecting position to fix the first and second side flanges to each other.",
    "10. The water barrier module system according claim 9, wherein the connection device is configured to be rotated to be moved from the inserting position to the connecting position.",
    "11. The water barrier module system according claim 10, wherein the connection device is configured to be rotated 80-100 degrees from the inserting position to the connecting position.",
    "12. The water barrier module system according to claim 1, wherein the first portion, the second portion and the intermediate portion of the connection device together have a uniform width.",
    "13. The water barrier module system according to claim 1, wherein the connection device is formed of a sheet material, wherein the thickness of the sheet material provides the widths of the portions of the connection device."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present disclosure relates to a water barrier module system, and especially to a water barrier module system comprising a connection device to connect protective modules.\n\nWhen assembling protective modules of a water protection barrier, for example in flooded areas, it is essential that the assembly work can be carried out swiftly and smoothly in order to minimize the damage that the water may cause. It is also important that the barrier, besides allowing rapid assembly, is robust and impact resistant.\n\nEP2257675 discloses a water barrier in which protective modules arranged next to each other are easily connected to each other. To such modules, at an upper edge, extension modules may be arranged to extend the height of the water barrier. However, for such extension modules, the same connection technique as between modules arranged side by side may in some situations not be desired. It may for instance be due to strength requirements. Instead, such extension modules are commonly attached to a protective module by means of screws and nuts.\n\nCompared with currently available alternatives, there is a need for a water barrier module system which is designed such that a barrier can be rapidly, smoothly and safely formed when assembling for instance an extension module to a protective module.\n\nIt is an object of the present invention to provide an improved solution that alleviates the mentioned drawbacks with present devices. Furthermore, it is an object to provide a water barrier module system comprising an alternative attachment solution between protective modules.",
  "cpc": [
    "E02B 3/106",
    "F16B 21/02",
    "F16B 3/00",
    "F16B 5/0635"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "E02B 3/10"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "INERO AB"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Ingvar Nero"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2023-01-05",
  "publication_date": "2025-06-17",
  "grant_date": "2025-06-17",
  "priority_date": "2022-04-08",
  "application_number": "US-202318093777-A",
  "family_id": "81306675",
  "cited_by_count": 0,
  "citations": [
    "FR2199363A5",
    "US5364150A",
    "FR2721074A1",
    "US5897278A",
    "US6237970B1",
    "DE20016969U1",
    "US6840711B1",
    "US7517117B2",
    "US20070172336A1",
    "WO2009103429A1",
    "EP2257675A1",
    "US20100329785A1",
    "US20190112772A1"
  ]
}