Barrier device with foam interior

Abstract

A barrier device comprises a top wall, a bottom wall, opposed end walls and opposed side walls formed of plastic material which interconnect to form a hollow, closed interior in which the inner surface of each wall is covered with a layer of foam material and then the remainder of the hollow interior is filled with a ballast material such as water, sand, rubber, concrete and the like.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A barrier device, comprising: 
 a top wall, a bottom wall, opposed side walls and opposed end walls interconnected to form a hollow, closed interior, each of said walls having an inner surface located within said hollow, closed interior and an outer surface;    a layer of foam material substantially entirely covering said inner surface of each of said top wall, said bottom wall, said opposed side walls and said opposed end walls, said layer of foam material forming a unitary structure within said hollow, closed interior which is affixed to each of said walls to enhance the structural integrity of said walls, an open area being formed within said hollow, closed interior which is bounded by said layer of foam material extending along each of said top wall, said bottom wall, said opposed side walls and said opposed end walls, said open area being adapted to be at least partially filled with a ballast material, said layer of foam material being effective to resist leakage of ballast material from said open area within said hollow, closed interior through said walls.    
     
     
         2 . The barrier device of  claim 1  in which said layer of foam material has a thickness in the range of about ½ to 6 inches.  
     
     
         3 . The barrier device of  claim 1  in which said layer of foam material is a polyethylene foam having the following properties.  
       
         
           
                 
                 
                 
               
                     
                     
                 
                     
                     
                 
                     
                   Density: 
                   7 lb/ft 3   
                 
                     
                   Compression modulus: 
                   800 psi 
                 
                     
                   Shrinkage: 
                   0.010-0.015 in/in 
                 
                     
                   Thermal conductivity: 
                   0.435 BTU in/hr ft 2  ° F. 
                 
                     
                     
                 
                     
                     
                 
             
                
                
               
               
                
                
                
                
                
                
               
            
           
         
       
     
     
         4 . The barrier device of  claim 1  in which each of said layer of foam material is a polyethylene foam having the following properties:  
       
         
           
                 
                 
                 
               
                     
                     
                 
                     
                     
                 
                     
                   Density: 
                   4 lb/ft 3   
                 
                     
                   Compression modulus: 
                   180 psi 
                 
                     
                   Shrinkage: 
                   0.010-0.015 in/in 
                 
                     
                   Thermal conductivity: 
                   0.384 BTU in/hr ft 2  ° F. 
                 
                     
                     
                 
                     
                     
                 
             
                
                
               
               
                
                
                
                
                
                
               
            
           
         
       
     
     
         5 . The barrier device of  claim 1  in which said layer of foam material is a polyethylene foam having the following properties:  
       
         
           
                 
                 
                 
               
                     
                     
                 
                     
                     
                 
                     
                   Density: 
                   2 lb/ft 3   
                 
                     
                   Compression modulus: 
                   35 psi 
                 
                     
                   Shrinkage: 
                   0.010-0.015 in/in 
                 
                     
                   Thermal conductivity: 
                   0.357 BTU in/hr ft 2  ° F. 
                 
                     
                     
                 
                     
                     
                 
             
                
                
               
               
                
                
                
                
                
                
               
            
           
         
       
     
     
         6 . An apparatus comprising: 
 a number of individual barrier devices, each of said barrier devices including: 
 (i) a top wall, a bottom wall, opposed side walls and opposed end walls interconnected to form a hollow, closed interior, each of said walls having an inner surface located within said hollow, closed interior and an outer surface;  
 (ii) a layer foam material substantially entirely covering said inner surface of each of said top wall, said bottom wall, said opposed side walls and said opposed end walls, said layer of foam material forming a unitary structure within said hollow, closed interior which is affixed to each of said walls to enhance the structural integrity of said walls, an open area being formed within said hollow, closed interior which is bounded by said layer of foam material extending along each of said top wall, said bottom wall, said opposed side walls and said opposed end walls;  
   a coupling device which connects said individual barrier devices together to form a barrier wall, said layer of foam material being effective to resist leakage of ballast material from said open area within said hollow, closed interior through said walls.    
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6  in which said layer of foam material has a thickness in the range of ½ to 6 inches.  
     
     
         8 . The barrier device of  claim 6  in which said layer of foam material is a polyethylene foam having the following properties.  
       
         
           
                 
                 
                 
               
                     
                     
                 
                     
                     
                 
                     
                   Density: 
                   7 lb/ft 3   
                 
                     
                   Compression modulus: 
                   800 psi 
                 
                     
                   Shrinkage: 
                   0.010-0.015 in/in 
                 
                     
                   Thermal conductivity: 
                   0.435 BTU in/hr ft 2  ° F. 
                 
                     
                     
                 
                     
                     
                 
             
                
                
               
               
                
                
                
                
                
                
               
            
           
         
       
     
     
         9 . The barrier device of  claim 6  in which each of said layer of foam material is a polyethylene foam having the following properties:  
       
         
           
                 
                 
                 
               
                     
                     
                 
                     
                     
                 
                     
                   Density: 
                   4 lb/ft 3   
                 
                     
                   Compression modulus: 
                   180 psi 
                 
                     
                   Shrinkage: 
                   0.010-0.015 in/in 
                 
                     
                   Thermal conductivity: 
                   0.384 BTU in/hr ft 2  ° F. 
                 
                     
                     
                 
                     
                     
                 
             
                
                
               
               
                
                
                
                
                
                
               
            
           
         
       
     
     
         10 . The barrier of  claim 1  in which said layer of foam material is a polyethylene foam having the following properties:  
       
         
           
                 
                 
                 
               
                     
                     
                 
                     
                     
                 
                     
                   Density: 
                   2 lb/ft 3   
                 
                     
                   Compression modulus: 
                   35 psi 
                 
                     
                   Shrinkage: 
                   0.010-0.015 in/in 
                 
                     
                   Thermal conductivity: 
                   0.357 BTU in/hr ft 2  ° F.