Fluent material confinement system

Abstract

A collapsible fluent material confinement system configured to receive a granular fluent material to form a temporary barrier structure is provided. The fluent material confinement system includes a plurality of strips coupled to one another to form an array of collapsible cells, wherein the array of collapsible cells is configured to be movable between a collapsed configuration and an open configuration. The fluent material confinement system also includes a deployment indicator disposed on a selected strip, wherein the deployment indicator is configured to be effective in low visibility conditions to indicate to a user how to move the grid from the collapsed configuration to the open configuration.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A collapsible fluent material confinement system configured to receive a granular fluent material to form a temporary barrier structure, the fluent material confinement system comprising: 
 a plurality of strips coupled to one another to form a grid, the plurality of strips including a plurality of lengthwise strips and a plurality of widthwise strips, wherein the lengthwise strips and widthwise strips are coupled with one another such that the grid is movable between an open configuration, in which the cells are expanded to receive the granular fluent material, and at least one collapsed configuration for storage; and    a deployment indicator disposed on a selected strip, wherein the deployment indicator is configured to be effective in low visibility conditions to indicate to a user how to move the grid from the collapsed configuration to the open configuration.    
     
     
         2 . The fluent material confinement system of  claim 1 , wherein each strip of the plurality of strips includes a width, wherein at least one selected strip has a greater width than the other strips, and wherein the deployment indicator is disposed on the selected strip.  
     
     
         3 . The fluent material confinement system of  claim 2 , wherein two selected strips have a greater width than the other strips, and wherein each of the selected strips includes a deployment indicator.  
     
     
         4 . The fluent material confinement system of  claim 1 , wherein the deployment indicator is configured to visually enhance a portion of the selected strip.  
     
     
         5 . The fluent material confinement system of  claim 4 , wherein the deployment indicator includes a reflective portion.  
     
     
         6 . The fluent material confinement system of  claim 5 , wherein the reflective portion is a background portion, and wherein the deployment indicator includes a directionally indicating portion disposed within the background portion.  
     
     
         7 . The fluent material confinement system of  claim 6 , wherein the directionally indicating portion includes an alphanumeric portion.  
     
     
         8 . The fluent material confinement system of  claim 6 , wherein the directionally indicating portion includes an arrow indicating a direction in which a user is to pull to move the grid from the collapsed configuration to the open configuration.  
     
     
         9 . The fluent material confinement system of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one collapsed configuration includes a substantially flattened, sheet-like configuration, and wherein the directionally indicating portion indicates a direction the selected strip is to be pulled to move the grid to the open configuration from the substantially flattened, sheet-like configuration.  
     
     
         10 . The fluent material confinement system of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one collapsed configuration includes a substantially flattened, strip-like configuration, and wherein the directionally indicating portion indicates a direction the selected strip is to be pulled to move the grid to the open configuration from the substantially flattened, strip-like configuration.  
     
     
         11 . The fluent material confinement system of  claim 4 , wherein the deployment indicator includes a fluorescent portion.  
     
     
         12 . The fluent material confinement system of  claim 1 , wherein the strips are made of a translucent material.  
     
     
         13 . The fluent material confinement system of  claim 12 , wherein the strips are made of a transparent material.  
     
     
         14 . The fluent material confinement system of  claim 12 , wherein the strips are made of a plastic material.  
     
     
         15 . The fluent material confinement system of  claim 14 , wherein the strips are made of a material selected from the group consisting of PET (poly(ethylene terephthalate)), PETG (a copolyester of 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol-modified poly(ethylene terephthalate)), PCTG (poly(1,4-cyclohexylene dimethylene terephthalate)), polyvinyl chloride, polycarbonates, and bisphenol A polycarbonate.  
     
     
         16 . The fluent material confinement system of  claim 14 , wherein the strips include at least one additive selected from the group consisting of a UV absorber, an impact modifier, and a flexural modifier.  
     
     
         17 . A fluent material confinement system configured to receive a granular fluent solid to form a temporary barrier structure, the fluent material confinement system comprising: 
 a plurality strips, the plurality of strips including a plurality of lengthwise strips and a plurality of widthwise strips coupled with each other to define a plurality of open cells, wherein each strip of the plurality of strips has opposing ends, and wherein each end has an edge; and    at least one connecting structure formed in an end of a selected strip, the connecting structure being configured to be coupled to a complementary connecting structure on an adjacent fluent material confinement system to connect the fluent material confinement system to the adjacent fluent material confinement system, wherein the connecting structure includes an aperture formed in the end of the selected strip at a location spaced from the edge of the end of the selected strip.    
     
     
         18 . The fluent material confinement system of  claim 17 , wherein the aperture defines a tongue-and-slot structure in the end of the selected strip, the tongue-and-slot structure being configured to engage a complementary tongue-and-slot structure on the adjacent fluent material confinement system.  
     
     
         19 . The fluent material confinement system of  claim 18 , wherein the aperture has a generally “U”-shaped configuration.  
     
     
         20 . The fluent material confinement system of  claim 17 , wherein the aperture is configured to be aligned with a complementary aperture on the adjacent grid and to receive a connector, the connector being configured to extend through the aperture and the complementary aperture to couple the grid and the adjacent grid together.  
     
     
         21 . The fluent material confinement system of  claim 20 , wherein the connector includes a clip having an extension configured to extend through the aperture.  
     
     
         22 . The fluent material confinement system of  claim 21 , wherein the clip includes a pair of opposing sides biased against one another by a spring portion, and wherein the clip is configured to be placed over the end of the selected strip and an end of a strip on the adjacent grid to press the end of the selected strip and the end of the strip on the adjacent grid together.  
     
     
         23 . The fluent material confinement system of  claim 21 , the selected strip having a width, wherein width of the end of the selected strip has a narrowed portion to accommodate the clip.  
     
     
         24 . The fluent material confinement system of  claim 23 , the selected strip having an edge, wherein the narrowed portion includes a recess formed in the edge of the selected strip.  
     
     
         25 . The fluent material confinement system of  claim 20 , wherein the aperture has a generally rounded circumference.  
     
     
         26 . The fluent material confinement system of  claim 17 , wherein each lengthwise strip has opposing ends, and wherein each end of each lengthwise strip includes a connecting structure.  
     
     
         27 . A collapsible fluent material confinement system configured to receive a granular fluent material to form a temporary barrier structure, the fluent material confinement system comprising: 
 a plurality of strips coupled to one another to form an array of collapsible cells, wherein the array of collapsible cells is configured to be movable between a collapsed configuration and an open configuration; and    a deployment indicator disposed on a selected strip, wherein the deployment indicator is configured to be effective in low visibility conditions to indicate to a user how to move the grid from the collapsed configuration to the open configuration.    
     
     
         28 . A method of forming a temporary barrier structure, comprising: 
 providing a fluent material confinement system, the confinement system including a plurality of open cells, wherein the plurality of open cells includes a plurality of inner cells at least partially bordered by a plurality of outer cells;    filling the outer cells with a first material; and    filling the inner cells with a second, granular fluent material.    
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein filling the outer cells with a first material includes filling the outer cells with a cement mixture.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein filling the outer cells with a cement mixture includes filling the outer cells with an approximately 20:1 cement mixture.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein filling the inner cells with a second, granular material includes filling the inner cells with sand.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising blocking the inner cells before filling the outer cells.  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising stacking a plurality of grid systems before filling the outer cells.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 28 , the temporary barrier structure having a bottom edge, further comprising lining the bottom edge of the temporary barrier structure with sandbags.