Fluent material confinement system

Abstract

A collapsible fluent material confinement system configured to receive a granular fluent material to form a temporary barrier structure. 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.

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 1 , wherein the deployment indicator is configured to visually enhance a portion of the selected strip.  
     
     
         4 . The fluent material confinement system of  claim 3 , wherein the deployment indicator includes a reflective portion.  
     
     
         5 . The fluent material confinement system of  claim 4 , wherein the reflective portion is a background portion, and wherein the deployment indicator includes a directionally indicating portion disposed within the background portion.  
     
     
         6 . The fluent material confinement system of  claim 5 , wherein the directionally indicating portion includes an alphanumeric portion.  
     
     
         7 . The fluent material confinement system of  claim 5 , wherein the directionally indicating portion includes an arrow indicating a direction in which a user is to pull to move the grid from the at least one collapsed configuration to the open configuration.  
     
     
         8 . The fluent material confinement system of  claim 5 , 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.  
     
     
         9 . The fluent material confinement system of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one collapsed configuration includes a substantially flattened, narrow 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, narrow configuration.  
     
     
         10 . The fluent material confinement system of  claim 3 , wherein the deployment indicator includes a fluorescent portion.  
     
     
         11 . The fluent material confinement system of  claim 1 , wherein the strips are made of a translucent material.  
     
     
         12 . The fluent material confinement system of  claim 12 , 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.  
     
     
         13 . A method of using a collapsible fluent material confinement system configured to receive a granular fluent material to form a temporary barrier structure, the fluent material confinement system including 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, the fluent material confinement system also including 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, the method comprising: 
 deploying the grid as directed by the deployment indicator; and    filling the cells of the grid with the granular fluent material.    
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein deploying the grid as directed by the deployment indicator includes grasping the grid at locations indicated by the deployment indicator.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein deploying the grid as directed by the deployment indicator includes moving a selected strip of the grid in a direction indicated by the deployment indicator.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the grid is a first grid, further comprising deploying a second grid and stacking the second grid on the first grid before filling the cells of the grid with the fluent granular material.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the grid is a first grid, further comprising deploying a second grid and connecting the second grid to the first grid in a side-by-side manner before filling the cells of the grid with the fluent material.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein connecting the second grid to the first grid includes inserting a tongue on the first grid through a slot on the second grid.  
     
     
         19 . 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    an orientation indicator disposed on a selected strip, wherein the orientation indicator is configured to be effective in low visibility conditions to indicate to a user the orientation of the grid to facilitate stacking of a plurality of the grids.    
     
     
         20 . The fluent material confinement system of  claim 19 , wherein the grid is a first grid, and wherein the orientation indicator is configured to be aligned with an orientation indicator of a second grid when the second grid is stacked on the first grid.