Self-adhering compressible containment berm devices

Abstract

Compressible fluid-impermeable berm devices that self-adhere to surfaces such as ground, pavement and floors are disclosed. The compressible containment berm devices include one or more compressible containment wall sections formed from a flexible shell and a compressible filler material. A pre-applied adhesive layer at least partially covers the underside of each compressible containment wall, and is used to adhere and seal the containment wall to the containment surface. Corner joints may be used to connect the compressible containment wall sections together to thereby form the berm devices with a closed perimeter that contains leaks and spills. The compressible fluid-permeable berm devices can be easily removed or repositioned after use leaving little or no adhesive residue.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A self-adhering compressible containment berm device comprising at least one compressible liquid impermeable containment wall forming a liquid containment perimeter adhered to a containment surface, wherein the compressible liquid impermeable containment wall comprises:
 a flexible liquid impermeable shell comprising at least one sidewall and a bottom shell layer;   a compressible fill material at least partially contained in the flexible liquid impermeable shell; and   a pre-applied adhesive layer covering at least a portion of the bottom shell layer and contacting the containment surface to thereby adhere and seal the compressible containment wall to the containment surface.   
     
     
         2 . The self-adhering compressible containment berm device of  claim 1 , wherein the pre-applied adhesive layer comprises a pressure sensitive adhesive that is releasably adhered to the containment surface. 
     
     
         3 . The self-adhering compressible containment berm device of  claim 2 , wherein the pressure sensitive adhesive has a peel resistance of from 5 to 800 ounces force. 
     
     
         4 . The self-adhering compressible containment berm device of  claim 1 , wherein the pre-applied adhesive layer comprises a rubber-based or acrylic-based polymer. 
     
     
         5 . The self-adhering compressible containment berm device of  claim 1 , wherein the pre-applied adhesive layer has a thickness of from 0.0005 to 0.25 inch. 
     
     
         6 . The self-adhering compressible containment berm device of  claim 1 , wherein the pre-applied adhesive layer comprises a pliable, tacky material. 
     
     
         7 . The self-adhering compressible containment berm device of  claim 6 , wherein the pliable, tacky material has a shore 00 durometer of from 5 to 40. 
     
     
         8 . The self-adhering compressible containment berm device of  claim 6 , wherein the pliable, tacky material comprise polyurethane. 
     
     
         9 . The self-adhering compressible containment berm device of  claim 6 , wherein the pliable, tacky layer has a thickness of from 0.005 to 1 inch. 
     
     
         10 . The self-adhering compressible containment berm device of  claim 6 , further comprising a low-density bonding layer between the pliable, tacky pre-applied adhesive layer and the bottom shell layer. 
     
     
         11 . The self-adhering compressible containment berm device of  claim 10 , wherein the low-density bonding layer comprises a portion of the pliable, tacky material impregnated therein. 
     
     
         12 . The self-adhering compressible containment berm device of  claim 11 , wherein the pliable, tacky material is impregnated into the low-density bonding layer a distance of from 1 to 50 percent of a thickness of the low-density bonding layer. 
     
     
         13 . The self-adhering compressible containment berm device of  claim 10 , wherein the low-density bonding layer comprises polyester. 
     
     
         14 . The self-adhering compressible containment berm device of  claim 10 , wherein the low-density bonding layer has a thickness of from 0.01 to 0.25 inch. 
     
     
         15 . The self-adhering compressible containment berm device of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one extended bottom strip extending laterally from the bottom shell layer. 
     
     
         16 . The self-adhering compressible containment berm device of  claim 15 , wherein the at least a portion of the adhesive layer is applied to a bottom surface of the at least one extended bottom strip. 
     
     
         17 . The self-adhering compressible containment berm device of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible liquid impermeable shell comprises fabric reinforced polyvinyl chloride. 
     
     
         18 . The self-adhering compressible containment berm device of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible liquid impermeable shell has a thickness of from 0.001 to 0.5 inch. 
     
     
         19 . The self-adhering compressible containment berm device of  claim 1 , wherein the compressible fill material comprises open-cell polyurethane foam. 
     
     
         20 . The self-adhering compressible containment berm device of  claim 1 , wherein the compressible fill material has an expanded height of from 0.5 to 16 inches, and a compressed height of from 0.1 to 10 inches. 
     
     
         21 . The self-adhering compressible containment berm device of  claim 1 , wherein the compressible containment wall has an expanded height of from 1 to 15 inches, and a compressed height of from 0.15 to 10 inches. 
     
     
         22 . The self-adhering compressible containment berm device of  claim 1 , wherein the compressible containment wall has an expanded height and a compressed height, and the compressed height is from 10 to 70 percent of the expanded height. 
     
     
         23 . The self-adhering compressible containment berm device of  claim 1 , wherein the pre-applied adhesive layer is covered by a release film layer that is removable prior to contacting the pre-applied adhesive layer with the contact surface. 
     
     
         24 . The self-adhering compressible containment berm device of  claim 1 , wherein the berm device comprises a plurality of the compressible containment walls connected together to form the liquid containment perimeter. 
     
     
         25 . The self-adhering compressible containment berm device of  claim 1 , wherein the contact surface comprises ground, pavement or a floor. 
     
     
         26 . A compressible liquid impermeable containment wall for use in assembling a containment berm device on a containment surface, the compressible liquid impermeable containment wall comprising:
 a flexible liquid impermeable shell comprising at least one sidewall and a bottom shell layer;   a compressible fill material at least partially contained in the flexible liquid impermeable shell; and   a pre-applied adhesive layer covering at least a portion of the bottom shell layer structured and arranged to contact the containment surface to thereby adhere and seal the compressible containment wall to the containment surface.   
     
     
         27 . The compressible liquid impermeable containment wall of  claim 26 , wherein the pre-applied adhesive layer comprises a pressure sensitive adhesive. 
     
     
         28 . The compressible liquid impermeable containment wall of  claim 27 , further comprising a release film layer covering the pre-applied adhesive layer. 
     
     
         29 . The compressible liquid impermeable containment wall of  claim 26 , wherein the pre-applied adhesive layer comprises a pliable, tacky material having a Shore 00 durometer of from 5 to 40. 
     
     
         30 . The compressible liquid impermeable containment wall of  claim 29 , further comprising a low-density bonding layer between the pliable, tacky pre-applied adhesive layer and the bottom shell layer. 
     
     
         31 . A method of assembling a containment berm device on a containment surface comprising connecting multiple compressible liquid impermeable containment walls together to form a liquid containment perimeter adhered to the containment surface, wherein each compressible liquid impermeable containment wall comprises:
 a flexible liquid impermeable shell comprising at least one sidewall and a bottom shell layer;   a compressible fill material at least partially contained in the flexible liquid impermeable shell; and   a pre-applied adhesive layer covering at least a portion of the bottom shell layer that contacts the containment surface to thereby adhere and seal the compressible containment wall to the containment surface.