A flood protection barrier

Abstract

A flood barrier 10 is suitable for use in a doorway. The flood barrier includes a body panel 12 having an edge for engaging a portion of a doorway and an extension panel 14 extending from the body pan

Description

The present invention relates to a flood protection barrier for use in a doorway and relates particularly, but not exclusively, to a flood protection barrier for use on domestic properties . The primary purpose of flood protection barriers is to prevent floodwaters from entering a building or space through entrance points or doorways during heavy rains or a storm surge. Commonly used in domestic, commercial and industrial settings these flood barriers help to protect assets and personal belongings along with preventing damage to the interior structure of the building from rising floodwaters. With the increasing frequency of severe weather events and flooding due to climate change, flood barriers have become indispensable for home and business owners in high flood risk areas. Flooding can have devastating consequences for both homes and businesses, causing extensive and costly damage. In homes, floodwaters can infiltrate living spaces and saturate floors and walls, leading to structural deterioration. In businesses, the impact can cause widespread disruption to operations, damage to expensive equipment, leading to costly repairs and downtime. Once a property or business has been proven to be located within a flood prone area the value of the property can fall along with large increases in insurance policies. Furthermore, flooding events can vary from very short term flash floods to longer term flood where raised water levels can be present for a long time. In the latter case, it is important that any barriers used are regularly monitored to ensure that they are successfully preventing water from entering a property. However, such monitoring of barriers during a flood event can be dangerous . An example of a barrier of the prior art is disclosed in our earlier patent EP2607601. Preferred embodiments of the present invention seek to overcome or alleviate the above described disadvantages of the prior art. According to an aspect of the present invention there is provided a flood protection barrier for use in a doorway, the flood protection barrier comprising: a body panel having at least one edge for engaging a portion of a doorway; at least one extension panel extending from said body panel and having at least one edge for engaging another portion of said doorway; at least one inflatable seal extending around said portions of said body panel and said extension panel that engage the doorway; at least one inflation device for inflating said seal with a gas ; at least one pressure sensor for sensing a pressure of said gas in said inflated seal and generating pressure data; and at least one data transmitter for periodically transmitting said pressure data to a remote receiver having an alarm system for alerting a user to a drop in pressure in said inflatable seal below a predetermined level. Having a flood protection barrier equipped with a transmitter, which transmits data regarding the pressure of the inflatable seal, offers several advantages. By transmitting the pressure of the seal, the user will be made aware of a risk that the flood barrier is about to allow water into the building if the seal is beginning to deflate. The user can, therefore, take quick action and reinflate the seal, reinforcing the barrier between the building and the flood waters before any flood related damage could occur. When a building has multiple entrances, the user will have to install multiple flood barriers during a flood. The transmitter will be able to provide real-time updates on the pressure status of all the barriers while in operation. Thus, eliminating the need for the user to periodically inspect each barrier and ensure that the pressure remains at the required level. Furthermore, in the event that a user needs to evacuate a building equipped with flood protection barriers, they can do so without the necessity of returning to the site or navigating through potentially hazardous conditions. Additionally, the inclusion of the transmitter simplifies the continuing management of flood protection but also ensures that user can exit the flooded area and move to safety. In addition, the real-time pressure monitoring system and transmitter offers a secondary benefit of maintaining a comprehensive log of their usage. This log of data provides users with a historical record of when the flood barriers have been deployed. By having a detailed log, the user can supply data including when the barriers were deployed in a house or business during a flood. This data may be required for example, by an insurance company. The data would be used to verify that a property owner or business had invested in a flood barrier protective device and that it was used during a particular storm or flood. This verification could benefit the user by gaining a potential reduction in their insurance costs. Moreover, in a situation where two barriers are required side by side to cover for a large doorway, there is a risk that one could begin to deflate. If this occurred both barriers would become unstable and potentially topple over. However, with the presence of a transmitter transmitting the pressure data of both barriers, the user will be able to detect any significant pressure changes. This would allow the user to identify when or if one of the barriers is on the verge of deflating, enabling them to take preventive measures and address the issue promptly. In a preferred embodiment, the flood protection barrier further comprises at least one electricity generator for generating electricity from the action of said inflation device and at least one battery for storing said electricity for powering said pressure sensor and transmitter. By using an electricity generator this eliminates the need for an external power supply. During a flood, power to a building or house may not be available, therefore having an internal power generator always ensures a source of electricity. Fortunately, for the majority of properties, flooding events are rare and therefore the need to use flood protection barriers is infrequent. However, the operation of a sensor and transmitter requires a source of electrical power and there is a significant risk that a battery add a flood barrier that has not been used for some years may not have sufficient charge to operate the sensor and transmission through the whole of the duration of a flood event. Since it is necessary to put energy into the barrier as part of the installation, in particular the inflation of the seal, some of this energy can be diverted to generate electrical power to charge a battery thereby ensuring a consistent source of power for the sensor and transmitter during the flood event. In another preferred embodiment the electricity is generated by an air turbine pneumatically connected to said pump . In an additional preferred embodiment, the inflation device comprises a hand pump. As the seal is being inflated, and where a hand pump is being used, this provides a simple source of battery charging energy. In a further preferred embodiment, the electricity is generated by a dynamo connected to a reciprocating member of said hand pump. In a preferred embodiment the flood protection barrier further comprises a pair of extension panels extending in opposite directions from said body panel. In another preferred embodiment the data transmitter transmits and logs a date and a time when said barrier is in use . In a further preferred embodiment, further comprising an app downloadable onto a device wherein said data transmitter transits to said device and said data is stored on said app. Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, and not in any limitative sense with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a sectional view of a flood barrier of the present invention; and Figure 2 is a close up of a portion of the barrier of figure 1. Referring initially to figure 1, a flood barrier 10 is provided for use in a doorway and the like. The barrier has a main body panel 12 having at least one edge for engaging a portion of a doorway. The barrier also has a pair of extension panels 14 extending from the main body 12. These extension panels 14 also have edges which engage portions of the doorway. The extension panels 14 retract into the main body panel 12 and are moveable outwards to expand the barrier to fill the space of the doorway. A normal arrangement of the flood barrier in a doorway results in the bottom edge of the main body panel 12 engaging a central portion of the threshold of the doorway. Parts of the bottom edge of the two extension panels 14 both also engage the threshold of the doorway. Between the bottom edges of the main body panel and the extension panels the whole of the threshold of the doorway is covered. The extension portions also engage the sides of the doorway up to the height of the extension panels, which is typically around Im. An inflatable seal 16 extends around the portions of the main body panel 12 and extension portions 14 that engage the doorway, as described above. The inflatable seal 16 is formed from an elasticated material in the form of a tube which is sealed at both ends and attaches to the extension portions 14 with clips, not shown but whose location is indicated with reference numeral 18. The seal 16 includes a valve 20 which receives air and retains it within the seal. An example of a suitable material for forming the seal 16 and valve 20 is a bicycle inner tube which is cut and sealed at either end. A pump 22 with a handle 24 is built into the main body panel 12 and is pneumatically connected to the seal 16 via the valve 20. The pump 22 is of a type known as a stirrup pump which is commonly used to inflate bicycle tyres. Vertical reciprocal movement of the handle 24 pushes air into the seal 16 via a connecting tube 26. The expanding movement of the extension panels 14 is controlled by a ratchet mechanism working in conjunction with threaded members to push out and retract the extension panels from the main body panel 12. A long externally threaded bar 28 is located in the main body panel 12 and is attached to a pair of internally threaded members 30 which are located in the extension panels 14. A ratchet handle 32 is fixed to the threaded bar 28 so as to selectively rotate the bar so that the internally threaded members 30 can move towards or away from the ratchet handle 32. Because the extension panels 14 are fixed to the internally threaded members 30, the movement of the ratchet handle 32 result in the expansion and retraction of the extension panels 14 into and out of the main panel 12. The above described features and mechanism are all utilised in our previous patent EP2607601. With additional reference to figure 2, a pressure sensor (not shown) is included to measure the pressure of the air in the seal 16. The sensor is connected to a PCB 36 which includes a processor for processing the data received from the sensor, storage for storing that data and a transmitter for transmitting the data. The PCB is powered by a battery 38. The transmitter is any suitable data transmitting device for transferring the data to a server by any suitable wireless transmission means. In order to minimise battery usage, the transmitter only transmits data periodically, for example, data may only be transmitted once every minute. Alternatively, data may be transmitted at regular intermittent periods while the measurement from the sensor remain substantially the same. However, additional data transmission may occur in the event of a significant change in pressure. The pressure data is received by a server which processes the data for each barrier and communicates an output to an alarm system of the user. For example, the alarm system may be an application running on a computer device such as a mobile telephone device which allows a user to monitor the pressure in the or each flood barrier they have installed on a building. The application may include the additional functionality of generating an alarm signal in the event that the pressure in the seal of any barrier drops below a predetermined pressure. As a result, a user is able to remotely monitor the function of the or each flood barrier they have installed without the need for direct visual inspection of the barrier itself. It is generally the case that flood barriers are used infrequently and it is therefore important to ensure that the battery contains sufficient charge to operate the sensor, PCB and transmitter for the duration of the flood event. An electricity generator, in the form of an air turbine 40 is provided in the connecting tube 26 between the pump 22 and the seal 16. When air is being pumped from the pump 22 and is passing into the seal 16 it passes through the air turbine 40 which generates a current of electricity which is used to charge the battery 38. As a result, even if the flood barrier has not been used for a long period of time, the installation of the barrier results in the charging of the battery during the inflation of the seal. In order to ensure that the battery contains sufficient charge, the flood barrier may be provided with an air line bypass which enables additional air to be pumped from the pump 22 through the air turbine 40 without it passing into the seal 16 and risking over inflation of the seal to a pressure which risks damaging the seal. This process can also be used later to add further charge to the battery 38 in the event that the flood event continues and the battery begins to become discharged. Operation of the flood barrier 10 of the present invention will now be described. The barrier 10 is placed into a doorway with the extension panels 14 retracted into the main panel 12. The ratchet handle 32 is set to an expand direction and is moved backwards and forwards so that the externally threaded bar 28 rotates acting on the internally threaded members 30 and pushes the extension panels 14 outwards until they engage and grip the internal surfaces of the doorway. The pump 22 is then used to inflate the seal 16 until a predetermined pressure has been reached. The pumping action also causes the rotation of the air turbine 40 which generates an electrical current which is directed to the battery 38 thereby adding charge. The sensor receives charge from the battery 38 and begins measuring the pressure in the seal 16. This sensor data is processed by the PCB 38 and transmitted to a server which further processes the data which then communicates with an application running on a computer device of the user. The pressure can be monitored using the application on the computer device and in the event that the pressure falls below a predetermined level an alarm process is activated by the application on the computer device. As well as including pressure data, the transmitted data can also include battery charge status data to alert the user of a risk that the battery is becoming so discharged that it will not be able to undertake the sensing and transmitting operations required. It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the above embodiments have been described by way of example only and not in any limitative sense, and that various alterations and modifications are possible without departure from the scope of the protection which is defined by the appended claims. For example, other mechanisms for providing charge to the battery 38 may be provided. A current generating device such as an alternator may be provided to convert the linear movement of the shaft of the pump handle 24 into an electrical current. By placing a wheel of an alternator in engagement with the shaft of the handle 24 of the pump 22 the vertical reciprocal movement of the handle results in rotation of the wheel of the alternator thereby generating a current to charge the battery. Similarly, in the main embodiment described above a pump 22 is used to deliver air into the seal 16 and to charge the battery 38 via the generation of charge in the air turbine 40. However, as an alternative to using the pump 22 a small cylinder of compressed gas, such as compressed carbon dioxide, can replace the pump as the source of gas to inflate the seal. If the output of the cylinder of compressed gas passes through the air turbine 40 this will also act to charge the battery 38. As previously described, an air line bypass can be used once the seal is fully inflated to continue the charging of the battery. 22 12 25

Claims

1. A flood protection barrier for use in a doorway, the flood protection barrier comprising:a body panel having at least one edge for engaging a portion of 5 a doorway;at least one extension panel extending from said body panel and having at least one edge for engaging another portion of said doorway;at least one inflatable seal extending around said portions of 10 said body panel and said extension panel that engage the doorway;at least one inflation device for inflating said seal with a gas;at least one pressure sensor for sensing a pressure of said gas in said inflated seal and generating pressure data; and15 at least one data transmitter for periodically transmitting said pressure data to a remote receiver having an alarm system for alerting a user to a drop in pressure in said inflatable seal below a predetermined level.

2. A flood protection barrier further comprising at least one 20 electricity generator for generating electricity from the action of said inflation device and at least one battery for storing said electricity for powering said pressure sensor and transmitter .

3. A flood protection barrier according to any preceding claim 25 wherein said electricity is generated by an air turbine pneumatically connected to said pump.

4. A flood protection barrier according to any preceding claim wherein said inflation device comprises a hand pump.

5. A flood protection barrier according to claim 2 wherein 30 said electricity is generated by a dynamo connected to a reciprocating member of said hand pump.

6. A flood protection barrier according to any preceding claim further comprising a pair of extension panels extending in opposite directions from said body panel.

7. A flood protection barrier according to any preceding 5 claims wherein said data transmitter transmits and logs a date and a time when said barrier is in use.

8. A flood protection barrier according to any preceding claim further comprising an app downloadable onto a device wherein said data transmitter transits to said device and said data is 10 stored on said app.22 12 25

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