Portable barrier

Abstract

A portable and collapsible barrier that is lightweight and can be easily transported and erected. The barrier includes a base, a top and an enclosed volume such as a diaphragm that can be expanded with a medium such as a gas or liquid to a desired shape. The expanded volume will act as a barrier. When a series of expanded barriers are connected, they will form a wall that can contain bulk materials or liquids.

1 . A portable barrier unit, comprising:
 a base,   a top, and   an inflatable enclosed volume between the base and the top,   wherein when said volume is inflated, the inflated volume will act as a barrier and wherein when said barrier unit is connected to another barrier unit, the units will form a barrier wall.   
     
     
         2 . A portable barrier unit according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 the base and the top form a case for carrying the volume.   
     
     
         3 . A portable barrier unit according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 the volume is secured to the base and the top.   
     
     
         4 . A portable barrier unit according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 the volume has an inlet hole.   
     
     
         5 . A portable barrier unit according to  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a medium source, and   the inlet hole is connected to the medium source,   wherein the medium is used to inflate the volume.   
     
     
         6 . A portable barrier unit according to  claim 5 , further comprising:
 the medium is selected from the group consisting of a liquid or a gas.   
     
     
         7 . A portable barrier unit according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 the volume has side walls, and   the side walls have an accordion-like construction.   
     
     
         8 . A portable barrier unit according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 the volume has side walls, and   the side walls are flat.   
     
     
         9 . A portable barrier unit according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second barrier attached to the barrier.   
     
     
         10 . A portable barrier unit according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a ballast.   
     
     
         11 . A portable barrier unit according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a ballast.   
     
     
         12 . A portable barrier unit according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 the shape of the barrier, base, top and enclosed volume is selected from the group consisting of a polygon, triangle, parallelogram, circle or oval.   
     
     
         13 . A portable barrier wall, comprising:
 a first barrier unit, comprising:
 a first base, 
 a first top, and 
 a first inflatable enclosed volume between the first base and the first top, 
   a second barrier unit, comprising:
 a second base, 
 a second top, and 
 a second inflatable enclosed volume between the second base and the second top, 
   wherein when said first and second volumes are inflated, the first and second volumes together will act as a barrier wall.   
     
     
         14 . A portable barrier wall according to  claim 13 , further comprising:
 the first and second bases and first and second tops form carrying cases, respectively.   
     
     
         15 . A portable barrier wall according to  claim 13 , further comprising:
 the first and second volumes are secured to the first and second bases and first and second tops, respectively.   
     
     
         16 . A portable barrier wall according to  claim 13 , further comprising:
 the first and second volumes each have an inlet hole.   
     
     
         17 . A portable barrier wall according to  claim 13 , further comprising:
 the first volume has an outlet hole, and   the outlet hole is connected to the inlet hole of the second volume.   
     
     
         18 . A portable barrier wall according to  claim 16 , further comprising:
 a medium source, and   at least one of the inlet holes of the first and second volumes is connected to the medium source,   wherein the medium is used to inflate at least one of the first and second volumes.   
     
     
         19 . A portable barrier wall according to  claim 16 , further comprising:
 at least one medium source, and   each of the inlet holes of the first and second volumes is connected to at least one of the at least one medium source,   wherein the medium is used to inflate the first and second volumes.