EP2354326B1

EP2354326B1 - Anti-flooding device

Info

Publication number: EP2354326B1
Application number: EP10197209.9A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Michele Marocco
Original assignee: Techne Grado Studio Associato di Ingegneria Geologia
Current assignee: Techne Grado Studio Associato di Ingegneria Geologia
Priority date: 2009-12-29
Filing date: 2010-12-28
Publication date: 2015-03-25
Anticipated expiration: 2030-12-28
Also published as: IT1397451B1; ES2540126T3; EP2354326A1; ITUD20090238A1; SI2354326T1

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention concerns an anti-flooding device to protect premises of various natures, low lying-areas and places or buildings of any purpose and use, or parts of them, such as basements, cellars, shops, garages or other, from floods caused by natural disasters or other. The anti-flooding device can be installed, for example, in correspondence with vehicle entrances or with the entrances to buildings or suchlike access elements, or in correspondence with areas and places which are susceptible to flooding in general, whether they are above or below ground level.
The device can also be installed in all cases where it is necessary to contain the rise in the water level with a system which can be selectively activated, for example in correspondence with embankments or banks of water courses. lakes or seas.
In particular the device can be advantageously applied in climatic zones with high rainfall or in residential coastal areas or areas near rivers, canals or suchlike where there is a risk of high tides, floods, overflowing or other.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The need to provide anti-flooding devices which can be selectively activated is known, in order to protect places of various nature from flooding caused by natural disasters.
The places affected can be for example buildings or parts of them situated at least partly below surface level, such as basements, cellars, garages or other places which are subject to the risk of flooding.
Anti-flooding barriers have been proposed in correspondence or in proximity with the access roads to the places to be protected, which can be in an inactive condition when the situation is safe, while in a dangerous situation they are activated in order to carry out their function as a barrier.
Generally, such barriers comprise at least a detection unit and a drive unit, in which the detection unit comprises sensors and/or detectors to provide the signal to activate the barrier in the event of danger from flooding.
A control system connected to the drive unit is also provided, comprising, for example, an electric motor.
When the level reached by the water exceeds a pre-determined value, transmitted by the detection unit to the control system, the control system drives the drive unit to activate the barrier.
Vice versa, when the level of water returns to levels not considered dangerous, the drive unit brings the barrier back to its inactive condition.
The known anti-flooding device is costly to produce because it needs sensors, control systems, signal transmitters and receivers, motors etc., and the height which the barrier can reach depends on the power of the drive unit.
Moreover, the functioning of the known anti-flooding device is subordinate to the possibility of feeding the drive unit, for example by means of electric energy.
It is known that, in the event of flooding, there may be black outs and consequently there is no supply of electric energy to the anti-flooding device, so the anti-flooding device cannot be activated.
If, to overcome this disadvantage, an autonomous generator, a buffer battery system, an energy accumulator or suchlike is used, this inevitably affects the cost of production considerably.
Moreover, the known anti-flooding device has to provide protections and/or water-tight chambers in order to avoid any possibility of contact, for example, between all the electric drive systems and the water, and to guarantee it functions in conditions of safety, and this further affects the cost of production.
The known anti-flooding device also requires long times and high costs for installation because, for example, it needs wiring to connect the various components of the device to each other.
The known anti-flooding device also entails high maintenance costs, correlated to the type of construction, its components, the particular conditions in which it operates, in order to guarantee that the drive unit, the detection unit and the control system are maintained in efficient operating conditions.
There are also anti-flooding devices known that are driven manually and need experts to install them in the event of flooding and to remove them once the flooding is over. Experts are also needed to allow the installation of the manual anti-flooding device in time.
The known manual devices also need an area or room where the barriers can be stored when not in use, so that they are available when needed.
Water containment devices with a mobile barrier, intended mainly to be installed in correspondence or proximity to water courses, rivers and embankments are described in the prior art documents GB-A-2.464.959 , EP-A1-726.364 and GB-A-2.386.144 , as well as in WO 2009/139622 A1 .
Purpose of the present invention is to produce an economical anti-flooding device which is simple, automatic and functions autonomously, always efficient, which requires reduced times and costs of installation and very limited maintenance.
The Applicant has devised, tested and embodied the present invention to overcome the shortcomings of the state of the art and to obtain these and other purposes and advantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is set forth and characterized in the independent claim, while the dependent claims describe other characteristics of the invention or variants to the main inventive idea.
In accordance with the above purpose, an anti-flooding device for the protection of a place comprises a barrier element housed, at least partly, inside a positioning seating, open at the upper part and made under or below a positioning or walking plane; the positioning seating is connected to a section where the water enters, disposed on the opposite side with respect to the place which the barrier element has to protect.
The barrier element is movable, with respect to its positioning seating, between a first position in which it is completely below the positioning/walking plane, assumed when the positioning seating is empty of water, and a second position in which it progressively rises by floating with respect to the positioning seating, because of the water which, by means of the entrance section, progressively fills the positioning seating itself.
The barrier is therefore activated automatically, without having recourse to detection units, such as for example sensors and/or detectors, but simply by the water which progressively fills the positioning seating and generates a hydrostatic thrust which progressively lifts the barrier.
Moreover, the movement of the barrier is carried out without having recourse to any auxiliary drive device, such as for example electric motors, and consequently the anti-flooding device according to the present invention is more economical, and also has greater guarantees of efficiency and correct functioning, compared to known anti-flooding devices, and needs lower installation times and costs, because no wiring is needed between the various components.
Moreover, the anti-flooding device needs very little maintenance and/or simple visual inspections, since there is no need for electric drive and/or detection units.
Moreover, the automatism of the drive of the barrier due to the water which fills the positioning seating also determines that the speed at which the barrier rises is correlated to the speed at which the water enters into the floating seating and is therefore correlated to the danger of flooding in the place to be protected.
The barrier according to the invention substantially consists of an upper wedge-shaped element, converging upward, and of a lower body which acts as a floating element.
According to the present invention, the anti-flooding device comprises at least an end-of-travel element able to define the maximum emergence of the barrier element with respect to the positioning plane.
The position of maximum emergence of the barrier element is pre-determined, also in an adjustable manner after installation, according to the characteristics of the place to be protected in order to allow an adequate level of protection, as well as an adequate level of hydraulic seal.
According to one form of embodiment of the present invention, the end-of-travel element comprises a profile having a shape correlated at least to the upper wedge element of the barrier; the shaped profile carries out a guide function during the progressive lifting movement, and then stops the barrier element through interference when it assumes its maximum emergence position, thus achieving the vertical hydraulic seal.
According to a variant of the present invention, there are one or more sealing packings at least on the side facing toward the place to be protected; the packings follow at least the profile of the upper element of the barrier, disposing itself between the upper element and the internal face of the mating end-of-travel element, in order to achieve the hydraulic seal when all the barrier has assumed its position of maximum emergence.
With the present invention it is possible to stop the upward movement of the barrier element without needing any auxiliary clamping device, and to ensure, at the same time, the desired anti-flooding safety and the necessary hydraulic seal, thus further reducing the costs of installation and maintenance.
In a further variant of the present invention, said end-of-travel position can be defined by means of an adjustment element placed, for example, at the top of the end-of-travel element and protruding toward the inside thereof.
According to a further variant of the present invention, a grid, suitable for the passage of pedestrians and vehicles, is associated with the entrance section of the water, and is able to filter possible impurities and/or objects carried by the water flowing along the positioning plane.
In this way maintenance interventions inside the positioning seating, needed to maintain the device in functioning condition, are further reduced.
According to another variant of the present invention, a plate is installed on the surface, open at the upper part, of the positioning seating; the plate is hinged at one of its ends and able to close the opening when the barrier element is completely below the positioning plane, in order to create continuity therewith. The plate is raised by the barrier element itself when it emerges due to the filling of the water in the positioning seating.
When the barrier element is completely below the positioning plane, the fact that the plate covers the opening not only makes the surface suitable for passage by pedestrians or vehicles, but also prevents the entrance of foreign bodies inside the positioning seating and further reduces maintenance interventions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferential form of embodiment, given as a non-restrictive example with reference to the attached drawings wherein:

fig. 1 is a lateral view, in section, of an anti-flooding device according to the present invention in lowered operating condition when not in use;
fig. 2 is a front view of the anti-flooding device in the operating condition in fig. 1 ;
fig. 3 is a view from above of the anti-flooding device in the operating conditions in figs 1 and 2;

figs. 4-9 show the device of fig. 1 in an operating sequence from the lowered position of non-use to the completely extracted position;
figs. 10 and 11 are respectively a front view and a plane view of the anti-flooding device in the extracted position of fig. 9;
figs. 12 and 13 are respectively a front view and a plane view of a series of anti-flooding devices according to the invention disposed one next to the other;
figs. 14 and 15 are respectively a front view and a plane view of a variant of figs. 12 and 13.

To facilitate comprehension, the same reference numbers have been used, where possible, to identify common elements in the drawings that are substantially identical. It is understood that elements and characteristics of one form of embodiment can conveniently be incorporated into other forms of embodiment without further clarifications.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERENTIAL FORM OF EMBODIMENT

With reference to the attached drawings, an anti-flooding device 10 according to the present invention can be used, for example, but not only, for the protection of residential and industrial/commercial buildings or their appurtenances such as entrances to condos, premises and garages even underground and semi-underground, vehicle entrances or suchlike access elements, or in correspondence with areas and places in general which are susceptible to flooding, whether they are situated below or above ground level.
In particular the device 10 can be advantageously used in climatic zones where there is high rainfall or in residential coastal areas or areas near rivers, canals or suchlike, where there is the risk of high tides, flooding or overflowing.
The anti-flooding device 10 according to the present invention comprises a barrier consisting of an upper wedge shaped profile 11 and a lower body or float 12; the barrier is housed in a positioning seating 15 having a front internal lateral surface 29 and a rear internal lateral surface 30. The anti-flooding device 10 also comprises a plurality of end-of travel profiles 21, in this case two, the function of which will be explained more fully hereafter.
The positioning seating 15 is interred and has a shaped sealing element 26 disposed flush with a positioning plane, in this case a walking plane 23, on which an entrance section 16 is made, disposed on the opposite side with respect to the place which the barrier has to protect, in order to allow the water coming from the external environment flowing along the walking plane 23 to flow inside the positioning seating 15.
The entrance section 16 of the water is provided with a grid 18, attached by means of a support element 22, to filter impurities such as leaves or other foreign bodies collected and transported by the water, which would otherwise be deposited inside the positioning seating 15. This allows to reduce the maintenance and cleaning interventions inside the positioning scating 15.
As will be seen hereafter, the support element 22 also carries out a partial contrasting and end-of-travel function at the maximum emergence of the barrier.
In correspondence with the open upper surface of the shaped sealing elament 26, below the walking plane 23, there is a sealing element 41 disposed horizontally on the shaped sealing element 26 and bent toward the inside of the positioning seating 15, shaped to be correlated to the barrier and therefore guarantee the horizontal hydraulic seal when the barrier has assumed its maximum emergence position.
The positioning seating 15 also has, on the bottom, an exit section 17 for the water, connected to a discharge well 27 by means of a discharge pipe 24.
Consequently, the exit section 17 allows the water to be discharged and distanced from the positioning seating 15 toward the discharge well 27.
In this case, in its turn, from the discharge well 27 the water is directed to the nearest sewage network by means of a pipe 48 connected to the discharge well 27, as shown in fig. 1.
A pump 43 and a discharge valve 44 can be provided along the pipe 48, at least in the case where the sewage network is in a higher position than the position of the pipe 48.
If the flow rate of the water coming into the section 16 is less than or equal to the flow rate going out of section 17, no water accumulates inside the positioning seating 15; vice versa, if the flow rate of the water coming into the section 16 is more than the flow rate going out of section 17, then a volume of water accumulates inside the positioning seating 15 which depends on the ratio between the flow rate of water coming into the positioning seating 15 and the flow rate of water going out of the seating 15.
The barrier 11-12 is mobile with respect to its positioning seating 15 along a substantially vertical direction of movement F and is moved by the effect of Archimedes' force, or hydrostatic thrust, exerted on it by the volume of water which progressively accumulates inside the positioning seating 15.
The movement of the barrier 11-12 is therefore achieved without recourse to any auxiliary drive units, such as an electric motor or other and, consequently, the anti-flooding device 10 is more economical than known anti-flooding devices and requires less time and lower installation costs, as it is not necessary to include either control systems and devices or wirings between the various units.
The upper wedge-shaped profile 11 of the barrier, in the extracted position of the positioning seating 15, stops the flow of the water toward the place to be protected.
The lower floating body 12 has both a floating function proper, to promote the lifting by floating of the barrier 11, and also a guide function during the upward movement of the barrier 11 in the direction indicated by the arrow F as shown in figs. 4-9.
In particular the sliding in the direction indicated by the arrow F is made possible because a plurality of sliding elements 45 are applied to the sides and at the front of the float 12; the sliding elements 45 are wheels, runners or similar elements, which slide on the internal lateral surfaces 29 and 30 of the seating 15.
As shown in figs. 1 and 4, when there is no volume of water accumulated inside the positioning seating 15 (fig. 1) or it is reduced (fig. 4), this means that the volume of water exerts, on the wedge-shaped profile 11 and the float 12 associated therewith, a hydrostatic thrust which is less than or equal to their weight, the upper wedge-shaped profile 11 is completely housed inside the positioning seating 15, and the float 12 rests on the shaped bottom 14 of the positioning seating 15 in correspondence with resting portions or feet 13.
As shown in fig. 5, when the hydrostatic thrust exerted by the water on the wedge-shaped profile 11 and on the float 12 associated therewith is greater than their weight force, the barrier 11 tends to rise by floating with respect to the positioning seating 15, moving at least partly above the walking plane 23.
The shaped sealing element 26, applied to partly cover the positioning seating 15, is provided with an aperture 25 which allows the wedge-shaped profile 11 to emerge progressively above the walking plane 23 during its upward movement in the direction indicated by the arrow F.
As shown in fig. 9 the movement of the barrier is also correlated to the level 28 of water reached inside the positioning seating 15. In particular, the more the level of the water 28 rises the more the wedge-shaped profile 11 is thrust upward, as far as the end-of-travel position defined by the shaped profile 21.
In particular, the shaped profile 21 has a closing element 34 on its top, on which an adjustable abutment element 37 is applied, for example by screwing; the insertion of the abutment element 37 to a greater or lesser depth with respect to the closing element 34 determines an adjustable end-of-travel position for the barrier. In a mating manner, there is a contrasting element 47 on the top of the wedge-shaped profile 11 which, in the maximum emergence position of the barrier, contacts the abutment element 37, causing the lifting of the barrier to stop.
Because the abutment element 37 has an adjustable position inserted more or less in depth with respect to the top of the end-of-travel element 21, it can also act as a safety release element, in the event that the wedge-shaped profile 11 were to remain blocked inside the shaped end-of-travel profile 21; the release can be achieved by screwing the abutment element 37 toward the inside, into the end-of-travel profile 21.
Along the inside surface of the end-of-travel profile 21, on the side facing toward the place to be protected, there is a packing element 40 disposed vertically, which constitutes continuity with the packing element 41 disposed horizontally and associated with the shaped element 26.
The packing elements 40 and 41 can be made in a single piece or, according to a variant, in two separate pieces, as long as the continuity of the sealing function performed by the two elements is guaranteed.
On the opposite internal side of the end-of-travel profile 21, that is, on the side facing toward the water coming in, there is a centering element 42, which does not have a specific sealing function, but is advantageously made of a material which has characteristics of pliability and deformability substantially similar to those of the packing element 40, so as to keep the wedge-shaped profile 11 centered with respect to the end-of-travel profile 21 as the wedge-shaped profile 11 gradually rises inside it.
On the upper edge of the float 12 there are abutment and contrasting elements, respectively 35 and 36, which, in the position of maximum emergence of the barrier, abut respectively against the support and contrasting element 22 and, on the side facing toward the place to be protected, against an abutment and contrasting element 33. In the solution shown, end-of- travel adjustment elements 38 and 39 are respectively assembled on the abutment and contrasting elements 22 and 33, which in a substantially similar manner to the element 37 disposed at the top of the shaped profile 21, allow to adjust the position of maximum emergence of the barrier with respect to the positioning seating 15. By adjusting the elements 37, 38 and 39, the entity of the compression of the packings 40 and 41 is also determined, and it is therefore possible to adjust the level of hydraulic seal guaranteed by the packings.
In this way the desired hydraulic seal is achieved, horizontally and vertically, that is, along the wet perimeter of the barrier 11, which blocks the passage of the water toward the protected zone.
The shaped end-of-travel profiles 21 are disposed in correspondence with the two opposite sides of the aperture 25 (as can be seen better in figs. 2 and 3) where the barrier 11-12 is housed, at a distance such as to allow the barrier to slide between them during its movement from the positioning seating 15 toward the outside and vice versa.
A cover plate 19 is associated with the aperture 25, of a shape mating to that of the aperture 25.
The plate 19 is hinged on one of its sides, in this case the back side, to the shaped element 26 by means of hinging elements 20 (see for example fig. 3).
When the wedge-shaped profile 11 is completely below the walking plane 23, the plate 19 completely closes the aperture 25 in order to create continuity between the shaped element 26 and the walking plane 23. On the other hand, when the wedge-shaped profile 11, subjected to a hydrostatic thrust of the water which progressively raises the float 12, is moved upward, it comes into contact with a portion of the plate 19 and thrusts it upward.
The plate 19, being hinged at one of its ends, rotates with respect to its hinged end, continuing to maintain one of its portions in contact with the surface of the wedge-shaped profile 11.
In the case where a plurality of barriers have to be put alongside each other in order to cover a wide front to be protected, a first solution, shown in figs. 12 and 13, provides that each one is complete with all its components, and the respective internal walls 32 and 31 are in contact with each other, and there are respective packings to guarantee the seal.
In the variant shown in figs. 14 and 15, the internal barriers are not provided with the respective shaped end-of-travel profiles 21, which are present only at the ends of the whole module.
It is clear that modifications and/or additions of parts may be made to the anti-flooding device 10 as described heretofore, without departing from the field and scope of the present invention.
For example, an auxiliary passage channel 46 can be provided, which can for example be selectively closed, to allow water to reach the well 27 and then, through the discharge aperture 24, the positioning seating 15. In this way, a greater amount of water can be made to flow to the positioning seating 15 and therefore the emergence of the wedge-shaped profile 11 and the float 12 can be made more rapid. Moreover, if the auxiliary passage channel 46 is made at a lower level than ground level (or walking level) 23, it can convey water coming from a lower level than ground level 23, and this allows the water to reach the well 27 and then, through the discharge aperture 24, the positioning seating 15. This allows to make the water flow into the positioning seating 15 before the level of water outside has reached the level of the walking plane 23, thus allowing the preventive emergence of the wedge-shaped profile 11 and the float 12. This configuration is very useful along the banks of rivers, lakes or seas.

Claims

Anti-flooding device to protect a place, comprising a barrier element (11) at least partly housed inside a positioning seating (15), which positioning seating is open at the upper part and laid below ground level and below a positioning or walking plane (23), said positioning seating (15) being connected to an entrance section (16) of the water disposed on the opposite side with respect to the place to be protected, said barrier element (11) being movable between a first position in which it is completely below the positioning plane (23), assumed when the positioning seating (15) is empty of water, and a second position outside the positioning plane (23) assumed because of the water which progressively fills the positioning seating (15), characterized in that said barrier element comprises a wedge-shaped upper element (11) and a lower body (12) functioning as a float, the device also comprising, outside the positioning seating (15), at least an end-of-travel element (21) defining the maximum emergence of the barrier element with respect to the positioning plane (23) and having.a shape mating to that of the upper element (11) of the barrier.
Anti-flooding device as in claim 1, characterized in that at least the internal surface of the end-of-travel element (21) facing toward the place to be protected has a packing element (40) disposed substantially vertically.
Anti-flooding device as in claim 2, characterized in that in continuity with said packing element (40) disposed vertically there is a packing element (41) disposed substantially horizontally, to cover the aperture of said positioning seating (15).
Anti-flooding device.as in any claim hereinbefore, characterized in that on the top of the end-of-travel element (21) there is an abutment element (37) with a position adjustable toward the inside of the end-of-travel element in order to define a desired position to stop the emergence of the barrier element.
Anti-flooding device as in claim 1, characterized in that said lower body (12) comprises, on its upper surface, first abutment and contrasting elements (35, 36), and on the upper internal wall of said positioning seating (15) there are mating second abutment and contrasting elements (22, 33) able to contact the abutment and contrasting elements (35, 36) of the lower body (12) when the barrier element (11, 12) assumes its position of maximum emergence from the positioning seating (15).
Anti-flooding device as in claim 5, characterized in that respective end-of travel adjustment elements (38, 39) are mounted on said second abutment and contrasting elements (22, 33), able to adjust the position of maximum emergence of the barrier element (11, 12) with respect to the positioning seating (15).
Anti-flooding device as in any claim hereinbefore, characterized in that a grid (18), suitable for the passage of pedestrians and vehicles, is associated with the entrance section (16) of the water, and is able to filter possible impurities and/or objects carried by the water flowing along the walking plane (23).
Anti-flooding device as in any claim hereinbefore, characterized in that there is a plate (19) on the surface, open at the upper part, of said positioning seating (15), hinged by means of hinges (20) at one of its ends and able to close, at least partly, the open surface when the barrier element is completely below the walking plane (23) in order to create continuity therewith, said plate (19) being raised by the barrier element(11) at the moment it emerges.
Anti-flooding device as in any claim hereinbefore, characterized in that said float-type lower body (12) comprises, laterally and/or on the front, sliding and guide elements (45) sliding on the internal walls (29, 30) of the positioning seating (15) in the steps when the barrier element rises and falls with respect to the positioning seating (15).
Anti-flooding .device as in claim 1, characterized in that at the top of the upper wedge-shaped element (11) there is an abutment and contrasting element (47).
Anti-flooding device as in claim 2, characterized in that on the internal surface of the end-of-travel element (21), on the side facing toward the area from which the water is coming, there is a contrasting and centering element (42) made of a material which is pliable and deformable, substantially similar to that of the packing element (40) situated on the opposite side.