URBAN INFRASTRUCTURE

Abstract

The invention relates to the field of urban infrastructure and more particularly to those which incorporate urban rain gardens, preferably arranged in an opening in an urban pavement.

Description

Title of the invention: URBAN INFRASTRUCTURE technical field

[0001] The invention relates to the field of urban infrastructure and more particularly to those which incorporate urban rain gardens. CONTEXT OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Rain gardens in urban areas are multi-purpose infrastructures that help reduce the impact of urbanization on natural water cycles. These infrastructures are specifically designed to capture, store, and filter rainwater, thereby reducing urban runoff and improving water quality before it enters the sewer system.

[0003] In cities, rain gardens are also integrated as elements of sustainable landscaping, helping to combat the effects of urban heat islands and create green spaces. Therefore, their design must be functional to ensure their acceptance and maximize the use of common spaces in cities.

[0004] Due to the urban density of cities, rain gardens must be compact and efficient. The impermeability of urban soil limits the infiltration capacity of rainwater, hence the need to effectively integrate rain gardens with existing sewer and drainage systems.

[0005] As a general rule, current rain gardens are unable to meet the requirements of urban rain gardens. These requirements include, among others, compactness, in order to be able to build rain gardens in public parks or on sidewalks, the integration of artificial and natural filtration layers, vegetation adapted to the climate / city conditions, and the fundamental requirement of multifunctionality of the services to be offered to citizens. DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0006] The present invention solves one or more of the problems posed by prior art solutions, in particular the multifunctionality of an urban rain garden.

[0007] One aspect of the invention relates to an urban infrastructure comprising a rain garden built into an opening in an urban pavement. A rain garden is a landscaped infrastructure designed to retain and filter rainwater in order to reduce the risk of flooding in surrounding areas. A rain garden is preferably designed to receive rainwater flowing from roofs, paths, or paved surfaces adjacent to the garden and channel it to a vegetated area capable of absorbing and filtering some of it.

[0008] A rain garden comprises a number of superimposed filter layers. These filter layers can be natural, such as vegetation adapted to filtering water, or synthetic, such as porous materials with a given permeability. Excess rainwater that passes through the different layers of the garden and cannot be absorbed by the vegetation is filtered by these layers.

[0009] Preferably, a rain garden comprises at least a first layer of topsoil capable of supporting vegetation, such as soil and / or gravel. The first layer may be permeable to rainwater or water from areas adjacent to the rain garden. In addition, a rain garden may comprise at least a second layer of soil located above and just below the first layer. The second layer may consist, for example, of gravel, rocks, a porous material, or a combination thereof, in order to allow water permeability through the second layer. The second layer may be configured to filter water from the first layer, said first and second layers occupying part of the opening in the urban pavement.

[0010] The urban infrastructure of the invention comprises a concrete foundation located in a portion of the opening in the urban roadway. This foundation may be made of cement, concrete, or metal. The foundation may be located on a portion of the surface of the rain garden. Alternatively, the foundation may be located at a shallower depth than the rain garden. The foundation may be extended by connecting opposite points on the perimeter of the rain garden and partially covering its entire surface. For example, the foundation may include several branches arranged in a "Y" shape, connecting points on the perimeter of the opening to a central area of ​​the opening.

[0011] In certain embodiments of the invention, the opening in the urban pavement in which the rain garden is located is circular.

[0012] The urban infrastructure of the invention comprises hollow tubular supports, fixed to the foundation by one of their ends, said hollow tubular supports comprising at least one of the following components: microphones, liquid sprayers, light sources, motion detectors, thermometers, light detectors, loudspeakers, telecommunications antennas, electric vehicle chargers or electronic device chargers.

[0013] Each hollow tubular support may include at least one open end. At least one open end of each of the tubular supports may be fixed to the foundation.

[0014] A hollow tubular support can be connected to water and / or electricity connections via said end fixed to the foundation. Other types of connections to other services intended for use in cities can be connected to the hollow tubular supports.

[0015] In embodiments of the invention, the cross-section of the hollow tubular supports has a diameter between 1 and 20 cm, for example between 2 and 15 cm, or preferably between 5 and 10 cm. The diameter of the cross-section may be sufficiently large to accommodate the various fittings that are connected to the tubular support. In other embodiments of the invention, the diameter of the cross-section may vary along the length of the hollow tubular support.

[0016] In certain embodiments of the invention, the hollow tubular supports have a thickness of between 1 mm and 10 mm, for example 2 mm. The thickness may be constant along the entire length of the hollow tubular support. In other embodiments of the invention, the thickness varies along the length of the tubular support.

[0017] Hollow tubular supports may comprise hollow tubular parts assembled in a modular and reversible manner at one end. The modularity of the assembly of the hollow tubular parts allows for the construction of hollow tubular supports adapted to the type of components they contain, their functionality, and the type of services associated with the tubular supports. The reversibility of the assembly of the hollow tubular parts allows for redefining the shape of the hollow tubular supports and increasing or decreasing the number of hollow tubular parts that form the tubular supports.

[0018] In embodiments of the invention, at least one of the hollow tubular parts is straight. In some embodiments of the invention, at least one of the hollow tubular parts is curved. In a preferred embodiment, a tubular support comprises three or more hollow tubular parts, at least one of which is straight and at least one of which is curved. By assembling several hollow tubular parts, it is possible to construct a hollow tubular support of arbitrary shape, adapting the straight and curved parts according to the specific use of the tubular support in the garden and / or according to the devices that make up the tubular support.

[0019] The tubular supports can be made of metal. Preferably, the tubular supports are made of a weather-resistant and water-resistant material, such as stainless steel. Brief description of the drawings

[0020] In order to complete the description and facilitate understanding of the features of the invention, according to practical exemplary embodiments, a set of drawings is attached as an integral part of the description, on which, by way of illustration and not limitation:

[0021] Figure IA illustrates an urban infrastructure according to an embodiment of the invention with three tubular supports.

[0022] Figure IB illustrates another urban infrastructure according to an embodiment of the invention with tubular supports comprising different hollow tubular parts.

[0023] Figure 2 illustrates an urban infrastructure according to one embodiment of the invention comprising three tubular supports with different devices and connected to different services.

[0024] DESCRIPTION OF THE METHODS OF EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

[0025] Figure IA illustrates an urban infrastructure 100 comprising three hollow tubular supports 104. Each hollow tubular support 104 comprises at least one straight tubular section 105 and at least one curved tubular section 106. The length of each tubular section 105, 106 can be different, which allows for the creation of hollow tubular supports 104 of arbitrary shape.

[0026] The opening onto the urban roadway occupied by the urban infrastructure is circular. However, other geometric shapes can be implemented in the design of the urban rain garden.

[0027] The hollow tubular supports 104 are fixed at one of their ends to a foundation 102. Said foundation 102 extends from one end of the circle which defines the opening of the urban roadway on which the urban infrastructure 100 is located to another end.

[0028] In the example in Figure IA, the foundation 102 is in the shape of a "Y", connecting points located on the perimeter of the opening to a central area of ​​said opening.

[0029] The part of the urban infrastructure 100 of the invention that is not occupied by the foundation 102 includes an urban garden 101. The urban rain garden 101 includes an outer layer with vegetation 103 and lower layers of filtering materials (not shown) configured to filter the water that reaches the urban rain garden 101.

[0030] Optionally, the rain garden 101 and in particular the filter layers may extend under the foundation 102.

[0031] Figure IB illustrates an urban infrastructure according to the invention 200 such as that of Figure IA, in which the tubular supports 104 have straight tubular sections 105 and curved sections 106 of different lengths and assembled in a different order than that of the tubular supports 104 of Figure IA. Thus, the 104 tubular supports are made in a different way, optimizing their design for the desired urban functionality.

[0032] Figure 2 illustrates an urban infrastructure 300 according to the invention with a plurality of hollow tubular supports 104. In this embodiment, the opening onto the urban roadway that defines the urban infrastructure 300 is circular. The foundation 102 to which the hollow tubular supports 104 are fixed is cross-shaped, with the crosses defined transversely and a junction point at the center of the opening. The area of ​​the urban infrastructure 300 not occupied by the foundation 102 includes an urban garden 101. The urban rain garden 101 comprises an outer layer with vegetation 103 and lower layers of filter materials configured to filter the water that reaches the urban rain garden 101. Optionally, the rain garden 101, and in particular the filter layers, may extend under the foundation 102.

[0033] In [Fig. 2], the foundation 102 extends to the outer surface of the urban infrastructure 300, and therefore there is no vegetation 103 on it. In other embodiments, the foundation 102 is buried, allowing the vegetation 103 to grow over the entire surface that forms the opening. Beneath the foundation 102 may also be a portion of the urban rain garden 101, which includes layers of filter material 308 configured to filter the water that reaches the urban rain garden 101. Beneath the filter layer 308 may also be connections 307 to the urban sewer system, configured to discharge excess water received by the urban rain garden 101.

[0034] Several hollow tubular supports 104 are fixed to the foundation 102. Each hollow tubular support 104 comprises a plurality of straight and curved sections of different lengths, which allows the shape of the hollow tubular supports 104 to be optimized according to their function.

[0035] The hollow tubular supports 104 can include a plurality of devices that provide services and functionalities to the urban infrastructure 300. Devices such as loudspeakers 302, telecommunications antennas 303, light sources 304, or charging sockets 306 for electric vehicles or electronic devices can be integrated into the hollow tubular supports 104. The hollow tubular supports 104, including said devices 302, 303, 304, 306, are connected to a power supply via the end for fixing to the foundation 102.

[0036] The hollow tubular supports 104 may include liquid sprayers 305 or sun-protected surfaces 301. The hollow tubular supports 104 including liquid sprayers 305 are connected to liquid lines via the fixing end on the foundation 102.

[0037] In the present text, the word "includes" and its variants (such as "understand", etc.) should in no case be interpreted in an exclusive manner, that is to say, they do not exclude the possibility that what is described includes other elements, steps, etc.

[0038] Furthermore, the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described above, but also covers, for example, variants that can be made by a person skilled in the art (for example, in terms of choice of materials, dimensions, components, configuration, etc.), within the scope of the claims.

Claims

Demands

1. Urban infrastructure (100, 200, 300) comprising a rain garden (101) disposed in an opening in an urban pavement, a concrete foundation (102) disposed in a portion of the opening, and hollow tubular supports (104), fixed to the foundation (102) by one of their ends, said hollow tubular supports (104) comprising at least one of the following components: loudspeakers (302), liquid sprayers (305), light sources (304), motion detectors, thermometers, light detectors, sun-protected surfaces (301), telecommunications antennas (303), chargers (306) for electric vehicles or chargers for electronic devices.

2. Urban infrastructure (100, 200, 300) according to claim 1, wherein the foundation (102) is disposed on a part of the rain garden (101).

3. Urban infrastructure (100, 200, 300) according to claim 1, wherein the foundation (102) is arranged under the rain garden (101).

4. Urban infrastructure (100, 200, 300) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the opening in the urban roadway is circular.

5. Urban infrastructure (100, 200, 300) according to claim 4, wherein the foundation (102) comprises a plurality of branches arranged in a "Y" shape, connecting points located on the perimeter of the opening to a central area of ​​said opening.

6. Urban infrastructure (100, 200, 300) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein each hollow tubular support (104) comprises at least one open end.

7. Urban infrastructure (100, 200, 300) according to claim 6, wherein at least one open end of each of the hollow tubular supports (104) is fixed to the foundation (102).

8. Urban infrastructure (100, 200, 300) according to claim 7, wherein the hollow tubular support (104) is connected to water and / or electricity fittings (307) via said end fixed to the foundation (102).

9. Urban infrastructure (100, 200, 300) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a cross-section of the hollow tubular supports (104) has a diameter between 1 cm and 20 cm.

10. Urban infrastructure (100, 200, 300) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the hollow tubular supports (104) have a thickness between 1 mm and 10 mm.

11. Urban infrastructure (100, 200, 300) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the hollow tubular supports (104) comprise hollow tubular parts (105, 106) assembled in a modular and reversible manner at one end.

12. Urban infrastructure (100, 200, 300) according to claim 11, wherein at least one of the hollow tubular pieces (105) is straight.

13. Urban infrastructure (100, 200, 300) according to claim 11, wherein at least one of the hollow tubular pieces (106) is curved.

14. Urban infrastructure (100, 200, 300) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the hollow tubular supports (104) are metallic.

Images