Modular Doorway Flood Barrier System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing flood prevention methods, such as sandbags and barricading with 2×4 beams, are cumbersome, difficult to install, and inadequate in blocking water from entering through doorways during flooding events, causing significant damage and logistical challenges.
Innovation Solution
A flood prevention system comprising removable doorway barrier pieces with integrated channels for beams, attached to brackets on either side of the doorframe, creating a wider barrier that prevents water from entering and allows for easy storage and removal of beams.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If sandbags are used to barricade doors, then flood prevention is achieved, but the weight and bulk increase making installation and removal difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The barrier system is divided into multiple removable panels that can be independently installed and removed. Each panel is a discrete component that fits into a modular framework, allowing users to assemble and disassemble the barrier without dealing with a single massive structure like traditional sandbags.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a intermediary framework structure with mounting brackets and connection mechanisms that mediate between the barrier panels and the door frame. This framework provides the structural support and attachment points, eliminating the need for users to directly handle heavy materials like sandbags.
2Strength
If 2×4 beams are used to barricade doors, then structural strength is improved, but the door frame damage occurs and water still seeps through cracks
Solution Approach 1:
The barrier system employs different materials and structures in different locations. The framework provides structural strength at the mounting points, while the panels provide water resistance at the barrier surface. This localized differentiation allows the system to simultaneously achieve strength and prevent water infiltration without damaging the door frame.
Solution Approach 2:
The barrier system combines multiple materials with complementary properties: a structural framework material for strength, panel materials for water resistance, and sealing materials for preventing infiltration. This composite approach allows the system to achieve both structural integrity and water protection without the drawbacks of single-material solutions.
3Reliability
If traditional barrier methods are used, then flood prevention is attempted, but installation and removal complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The barrier is segmented into standardized panels that can be independently handled, installed, and removed. This segmentation reduces the complexity of installation by allowing users to work with smaller, more manageable components rather than a single complex structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting brackets and connection mechanisms are designed as universal components that can attach to various door frame types and support multiple barrier panels. This universality simplifies installation by eliminating the need for custom mounting solutions for each specific application.
4Reliability
If heavy barrier materials are used, then flood protection is achieved, but post-flood removal effort increases
Solution Approach 1:
The barrier system's segmented design allows for rapid disassembly and removal of individual panels after flooding. Users can quickly detach panels from the framework and remove them from the site, significantly reducing post-flood cleanup time compared to removing entire heavy barrier structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The barrier system transitions from a static, permanent-looking structure to a dynamic, easily reconfigurable system. The removable connections and modular components allow the barrier to be quickly deployed during flooding and just as quickly removed afterward, adapting to different operational states.
Data Source
AI summary
A flood prevention system is described. The flood prevention system includes a first bracket attached to a side wall adjacent to a left side beam of a doorway and a second bracket attached to a side wall adjacent to a right side beam of a doorway with a unique structure to accommodate receiving a first doorway barrier piece that is attachable to the first bracket and the second bracket and a second doorway barrier piece is attachable to the first bracket and the second bracket and faces towards the first doorway barrier piece when attached. One or more beams can be stacked either in a vertical or horizontal direction in the lip of the first doorway barrier piece. The second doorway piece can be used to add additional barrier protection and to test the first doorway barrier piece by pouring water into the lip of the second barrier piece.