RETAINING DEVICE

Abstract

 A barrier device comprises an at least partially hollow edge body (10) which extends round a central inner space (20) and leaves this inner space clear. The edge body (10) is intended and configured to be received on a surface and comprises internally at least one at least partially hollow chamber. In a first orientation the edge body is nestable in the at least one hollow chamber of a corresponding further barrier device. In a second orientation the edge body is stackable with the edge body of a corresponding further barrier device up to a combined height which is greater than an individual height of the edge body.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a barrier device comprising an at least partially hollow edge body which bounds an inner space and leaves this inner space clear, which edge body is intended and configured to be received on a surface and comprises at least one at least partially hollow chamber.

[0002] Such a barrier device can be applied on a flat or slightly pitched roof on which a roof covering is fixed by a ballast in the form of a bulk material such as gravel or stone chippings or on which another loose substrate lies, such as for instance a layer of earth for a roof garden. The barrier device is in that case advantageously applied around for instance a roof anchor, roof duct or other opening or upstand which it is desirable to keep free of substrate. The edge body forms a barrier to the bulk material here and thus keeps the inner space clear.

[0003] The present invention has for its object, among others, to provide such a barrier device which can be applied in practical and flexible manner in diverse situations.

[0004] In order to achieve the stated object a barrier device of the type described in the preamble has the feature according to the invention that in a first orientation the edge body is nestable in the at least one hollow chamber of a corresponding further barrier device, and that in a second orientation the edge body is stackable with the edge body of a corresponding further barrier device up to a combined height which is significantly greater than an individual height of the edge body.

[0005] The device according to the invention is more particularly characterized here in that in the first orientation the edge body is nestable in the at least one hollow chamber of the corresponding further barrier device up to a first combined height, and that in the second orientation the edge body is stackable with the edge body of the corresponding further barrier device to form a stable stack with a second combined height which is greater than the first combined height, and that the edge body is movable from the first orientation to the second, and vice versa, by rotating the barrier device about a central axis.

[0006] In the first orientation the barrier device is thus nestable with a number of substantially identical barrier devices to form a first stack with a limited total height so that only limited space is taken up thereby, for instance during transport and storage. On the roof the edge body does however provide a full barrier height in order to effectively hold back the ballast material, and in the case of thicker ballast layers the device can if desired be moved to the second stacked situation by relative rotation with a number of substantially identical barrier devices in order to reach a combined second height which is significantly greater than the individual height alone. This makes the barrier device according to the invention exceptionally practical, efficient and universally employable.

[0007] For an effective connection to a roof covering or other surface a particular embodiment of the barrier device has the feature according to the invention that on a side remote from the inner space a flat flanged edge extends from the edge body with which the edge body supports on a surface. The flanged edge can serve here to receive thereon a layer of the surrounding substrate as ballast with which the device is already at least partially fixed.

[0008] The flanged edge moreover provides an excellent basis for an adhesion of the device to the surface. In a further particular embodiment the barrier device according to the invention is characterized here in that the flanged edge comprises one or more through-openings. The openings allow an adhesive agent, such as a sealant or glue, applied for adhesion of the device to protrude therethrough as indication that (sufficient) adhesive agent has been applied. The edge body can thus be fixed in various ways via the flanged edge.

[0009] In order to prevent a difference in pressure between the hollow chamber and the surrounding area, particularly in the case of strong wind over the barrier device or in the case the barrier device is immersed, a preferred embodiment of the barrier device has the feature according to the invention that the at least one hollow chamber is bounded on an upper side by a roof, which roof comprises at least one opening through which the hollow chamber is in open communication with an area surrounding the edge body. Because of this opening, floating and an associated upward pressing action on the device is counteracted in the case of a high surrounding water level. The opening also suppresses an aerodynamic pressure difference between the chamber and the surrounding area and the consequent upward lift effect during storm and strong wind. An extra load on the adhesion of the device to the surface is thus avoided in both cases.

[0010] In a first particularly practical embodiment the barrier device according to the invention can be characterized in that the edge body comprises on a periphery thereof an edge with at least one bridge which maintains a distance from the surface, that the hollow chamber is bounded laterally by a wall narrowing in height direction with a base which lies at least in line with the edge, and on an upper side by a roof, and that in a stacked situation of the device the bridge drops along at least a part of said distance over the roof of the narrowing wall of the hollow chamber of a corresponding further barrier device.

[0011] This particularly practical embodiment can otherwise be characterized in that the edge body comprises on a base at least one bridge which maintains a distance from the surface, that the hollow chamber comprises locally, in particular adjacently of the bridge, a lateral widened portion which is bounded by the side walls narrowing in height direction and a roof on an upper side thereof, and that in the second stacked situation of the device the bridge drops along at least a part of said distance over the roof of the widened portion of the hollow chamber of a further barrier device located thereunder.

[0012] The device can be nested here by bringing separate barrier devices with the hollow chambers in line with each other in the first orientation, and thus nesting them within each other. A stable stacking will however result from placing the device, in the second orientation, with the bridge on the roof of the hollow chamber of an underlying device, wherein the bridge moreover stabilizes the device effectively on the underlying device by dropping partially over the roof thereof.

[0013] For the purpose of an effective drainage of the inner space in the case of rainwater or other precipitation, a further preferred embodiment of the barrier device according to the invention has the feature that the bridge extends over a full width from an external periphery of the edge body facing toward an outside area to the periphery of the edge body facing toward the inner space, and in doing so maintains the distance from the surface. The bridge thus provides not only a stacking function but also a continuous drainage channel from or to the inner space.

[0014] With a cost price reduction in mind, the barrier device according to the invention has the feature in a further preferred embodiment that the edge body comprises a moulded body, in particular an injection-moulded body of at least one plastic, more particularly an injection-moulded body of one plastic from a group of acrylonitrile-styrene-acrylate (ASA), polypropylene and polystyrene.

[0015] The invention will be further elucidated hereinbelow on the basis of an exemplary embodiment and an accompanying drawing. In the drawing:

Figure 1

is a perspective top view of an exemplary embodiment of the device according to the invention;

Figure 2

is a diametrical top view of the device of figure 1; and

Figure 3

is a bottom view of the device of figure 1.

[0016] It is otherwise noted that the figures are purely schematic and not always drawn to (the same) scale. Some dimensions in particular may be exaggerated to greater or lesser extent for the sake of clarity. Corresponding parts are designated in the figures with the same reference numeral.

[0017] The barrier device shown in figures 1-3 comprises a form-closed, here round, edge body 10 formed in wholly integral manner by thermoforming from a suitable plastic, such as in this case acrylonitrile-styrene-acrylate (ASA). Use is made for the purpose in this case of an injection-moulded body 10 obtained by injection moulding from a mould serving for this purpose. The whole is optionally provided at least on the visible side with a UV-resistant coating in order to counter premature ageing as a result of incident sunlight.

[0018] The edge body typically has a diameter in the order of 416 millimetres and a height typically in the order of 60 millimetres, and leaves clear an inner space 20 with a diameter typically in the order of 230 millimetres. Internally the edge body 10 is hollow in that a continuous hollow chamber 40 is present therein which extends all the way round and is open on an underside. Hollow chamber 40 is bounded here by upright walls 41,42 which narrow in upward direction. These walls typically have a wall thickness in the order of several millimetres; in this case 4 millimetres. In order to increase the strength and weight of edge body 10, obliquely placed transverse ribs 44 and longitudinal ribs 45, likewise with a wall thickness in the order of 3 or 4 millimetres, are placed at regular distances from each other in hollow chamber 40.

[0019] Formed on the edge body is a flanged edge 11 which is about 10-20 millimetres wide and interrupted by a number of bridges 12 which each maintain a distance d from a surface. Bridges 12 extend over a full width of edge body 10 and thus form continuous drainage channels 22 for inner space 20 which extend through edge body 10 from inner space 20 to the outer area located outside edge body 10. The device can be adhered in appropriate manner to a surface by means of the flat flanged edge 11, in particular by means of glueing or sealing. Openings 14 formed in the edge here allow the applied adhesive to protrude therethrough and, after curing, to form a toadstool-shaped anchor. The device thus provides an excellent adhesion to flat to slightly pitched roofs with a polymer roof covering, for instance of bitumen, such as atactic polypropylene (APP), styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS) or of ethylene-propylene-diene-monomer (EPDM).

[0020] An excess of adhesive agent can be arranged for this purpose in one or more recesses or grooves 24 provided for the purpose on an underside of the device, see figure 3. The adhesive agent, for instance a butylene sealant or similar polymer paste, can be applied in excess therein all around the device, for instance in the form of a ridge or bead, either on site or ex factory, in which latter case a protective film, for instance a siliconized paper, will cover and protect the adhesive agent until assembly.

[0021] Situated adjacently of each of the bridges 12 is a radial widened portion 15 of the hollow chamber 40 present in the edge body which is also bounded laterally at that position by the walls 41,42 narrowing in height direction. These widened portions 15 of hollow chamber 40 have in each case adjacently of a bridge 12 a base lying in line with flanged edge 11. On an upper side the widened portions 15 of hollow chamber 40 are bounded in each case by a roof 43 which transposes integrally into walls 41,42.

[0022] By bringing a set of such barrier devices 10 into line with each other so that widened portions 15 of successive barrier devices drop over each other, the barrier devices can be nested to form a compact stack with a first combined height. From this first orientation the barrier devices can however be brought into a second relative orientation by turning each subsequent even device of the barrier devices about a central axis H of the barrier device through an angle relative to the preceding one. This angle is about 90 degrees here and ensures that bridge 12 of an upper edge body 10 situated above drops over the roof of a widened portion 15 of an edge body lying below.

[0023] This latter situation results in an elevated, stable second stack with a second combined height. This second height amounts approximately to a multiple of the individual heights of the barrier devices of the stack. An elevated barrier can thus be raised if desired around inner space 20, with a greater overall height than would be possible with only one barrier device, by stacking a corresponding number of barrier devices to form such a second stack. Each bridge 12 drops here over a part of its height d over roof 43 of the edge body lying below, this contributing significantly toward maintaining stability of the (second) stack. The edge body has a number of recesses (depressions) 30 at 90 degrees from each other. These recesses 30 thus form passages for an anchor line which can be attached to an anchor point which in a practical application of the device is present in inner space 20. Several aerating or ventilating openings 16 are moreover formed in roof 43 of the internal hollow chamber through which the chamber is in aerodynamic open communication with the surrounding area. A pressure difference with the surrounding area is thus avoided, and thereby a possible lift effect in the case of strong wind or storm.

[0024] Although the invention has been further elucidated above with reference to only a single exemplary embodiment, it will be apparent that the invention is by no means limited thereto. On the contrary, many variations and embodiments are still possible within the scope of the invention for a person with ordinary skill in the art. Use is thus made in the example of a wholly round edge body, although the edge body can have another optionally closed periphery, for instance a wholly or partially polygonal periphery, in particular a square periphery or a semicircle. The edge body can optionally be incorporated in prefabricated form or be assembled to size on site or be separated from a larger whole. A form-closed edge body can in particular be divided for instance into a number of, in particular two, semicircular, partially open smaller edge bodies.

[0025] Although they are practical, the materials and dimensions stated in the example can likewise be replaced by alternative sizes and materials. Another thermoplastic, such as for instance polypropylene (PP) or polystyrene (PS), can in particular be applied for the edge body instead of the acrylonitrile-styrene-acrylate (ASA) applied in the example, or the device can be manufactured, in particular cast, from another raw material, such as for instance a metal such as aluminium.

Claims

1. Barrier device comprising an at least partially hollow edge body which bounds an inner space and comprises at least one at least partially hollow chamber, which edge body is intended and configured to be received on a surface and to leave the inner space clear, characterized in that in a first orientation the edge body is nestable in the at least one hollow chamber of a corresponding further barrier device, and that in a second orientation the edge body is stackable with the edge body of a corresponding further barrier device up to a combined height which is greater than an individual height of the edge body.

2. Barrier device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that in the first orientation the edge body is nestable in the at least one hollow chamber of the corresponding further barrier device up to a first combined height, and that in the second orientation the edge body is stackable with the edge body of the corresponding further barrier device to form a stable stack with a second combined height which is greater than the first combined height, and that the edge body is movable from the first orientation to the second, and vice versa, by rotating the barrier device about a central axis.

3. Barrier device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that on a side remote from the inner space a flat flanged edge extends from the edge body with which the edge body supports on a surface.

4. Barrier device as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that the flanged edge comprises one or more through-openings.

5. Barrier device as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that the flanged edge comprises on a back side one or more recesses extending in a peripheral direction and over the openings.

6. Barrier device as claimed in one or more of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the at least one hollow chamber is bounded on an upper side by a roof, which roof comprises at least one opening through which the hollow chamber is in open communication with an area surrounding the edge body.

7. Barrier device as claimed in one or more of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the edge body comprises on a periphery thereof an edge with at least one bridge which maintains a distance from the surface, that the hollow chamber is bounded laterally by a wall narrowing in height direction with a base which lies at least in line with the edge, and on an upper side by a roof, and that in a stacked situation of the device the bridge drops along at least a part of said distance over the roof of the narrowing wall of the hollow chamber of a corresponding further barrier device.

8. Barrier device as claimed in one or more of the claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the edge body comprises on a base at least one bridge which maintains a distance from the surface, that the hollow chamber comprises locally, in particular adjacently of the bridge, a lateral widened portion which is bounded by the side walls narrowing in height direction and a roof on an upper side thereof, and that in the second stacked situation of the device the bridge drops along at least a part of said distance over the roof of the widened portion of the hollow chamber of a further barrier device located thereunder.

9. Barrier device as claimed in claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the bridge extends over a full width from an external periphery of the edge body facing toward an outside area to the periphery of the edge body facing toward the inner space, and in doing so maintains the distance from the surface.

10. Barrier device as claimed in one or more of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the edge body comprises a moulded body, in particular an injection-moulded body of at least one plastic, more particularly an injection-moulded body of one plastic from a group of acrylonitrile-styrene-acrylate (ASA), polypropylene and polystyrene.

Drawing