BARRIER DEVICE WITH FOAM INTERIOR Field of the Invention This invention relates to barrier devices for vehicular and vessel traffic control, soil erosion containment, impact attenuation and the like which can be interconnected with one another to define a barrier wall structure and/or connected in various combinations to form energy-absorbing cells, and, more particularly, to barrier devices formed of a light weight plastic having a hollow interior whose inner surface is covered with a foam layer and then filled with a ballast material such as water, sand, concrete, rubber and the like, or whose entire hollow interior is partially or completely foam-filled.

Background of the Invention A variety of different devices have been developed for absorbing the kinetic energy of impact of colliding automobiles, and for the containment of forces exerted by soil or water. Highway barrier devices, for example, are intended to provide a continuous wall or barrier along the center line of a highway when laid end-to- end to absorb grazing blows from moving vehicles. One commonly used highway barrier is formed of pre-cast reinforced concrete, and is

known as the"New Jersey"style barrier. Highway barriers of this type have a relatively wide base including side walls which extend vertically upwardly from the pavement a short distance, then angle inwardly and upwardly to a vertically extending top portion connected to the top wall of the barrier. This design is intended to contact and redirect the wheels of a vehicle in a direction toward the lane of traffic in which the vehicle was originally traveling, instead of the lane of opposing traffic. See U. S. Patent No. 4,059, 362.

One problem with highway barriers of the type described above is the high weight of reinforced concrete. A barrier having a typical length of twelve feet weighs about 2,800-3, 200 pounds and requires special equipment, to load, unload and handle on site. It has been estimated that for some road repairs, up to 40 percent of the total cost is expended on acquiring, delivering and handling concrete barriers. Additionally, concrete barriers have little or no ability to absorb shock upon impact, and have a high friction factor. This increases the damage to vehicles which collide with such barriers, and can lead to serious injuries to passengers of the vehicle.

In an effort to reduce weight, facilitate handling and shipment, and provide improved absorption of impact forces, highway barriers have been designed which are formed of a hollow plastic container filled with water, sand or other ballast material such as

disclosed in U. S. Patent Nos. 4, 681, 302; 4,773, 629; 4,846, 306, 5,123, 773 and 5,882, 140. For example, the'302 patent discloses a barrier comprising a container having a top wall, bottom wall, opposed side walls and opposed end walls interconnected to form a hollow interior which is filled with water, and having fittings for coupling one barrier to another to form a continuous wall. The container structure is formed of a resilient material which is deformable upon impact and capable of resuming its original shape after being struck. Longitudinally extending, spaced traction spoiler channels are said to reduce the area of potential impact and thus the tendency of the vehicle to climb the walls of the barrier and vault over it into the opposing lane of traffic.

The'629,'306,'773 and'140 patents noted above were invented by the present inventor and represent further advances in deformable highway barrier designs. The first two patents disclose barriers which comprise a longitudinally extending container made of semi-rigid plastic which is self-supporting, and has a predetermined shape which is maintained when filled with water, sand or other ballast material. Such devices are connected end-to-end by a key insertable within grooves formed in the end walls of adjacent barriers. Interconnected fill openings are provided which permit

adjacent barriers to be filled with water or the like when laid end-to- end.

The'773 and'140 patents disclose further improvements in barrier devices including side walls formed with higher curb reveals, a horizontally extending step and vertical indentations in order to assist in maintaining the structural integrity of the container, and to create internal baffles for dampening movement of water or other fluid within the container interior. Interlocking male and female coupling elements are formed on opposite end walls of the barrier to facilitate end-to-end connection thereof. Additionally, such barriers are formed with channels or openings to permit the insertion of the tines of a fork lift truck therein for easy handling of the barriers.

Despite the improvements in highway barrier designs noted above, some deficiencies nevertheless remain. One problem has been with leakage of ballast material from the barrier interior. It has been found that the process for molding plastic barriers is relatively difficult and defects can occur in the walls and in the joints between adjacent walls. Additionally, the plastic barriers can be relatively easily punctured on the job site by fork lift trucks or other equipment. In practice, the most common ballast material used to fill the barriers is water, and defects such as noted above cause leakage

resulting, over time, in the complete drainage of water from the barrier. Conventionally, the barriers are connected end-to-end to form a barrier wall, and are then filled with water. It is time consuming and inefficient to replace a leaking barrier along the length of the barrier wall, and repairs to individual barriers are inconvenient and expensive.

Summary of the Invention It is therefore among the objectives of this invention to provide a barrier device for use as a highway barrier or other energy absorbing structure which is easily transported and handled, which resists leakage of ballast material and which is capable of being interconnected to form a barrier wall which will float in water.

These objectives are accomplished in a barrier device comprising a top wall, a bottom wall, opposed end walls, and, opposed side walls interconnected to form a hollow interior. The inner surface of each wall is covered with a layer of foam material and then the remainder of the hollow interior receives a ballast material such as water, sand, rubber, concrete and the like. Alternatively, the entire hollow interior is filled with foam.

In one presently preferred embodiment of this invention, a rotational molding process is employed to combine crosslinkable high density polyethylene material with polyethylene foaming pellets

to form the barrier device noted above with walls having an interior surface covered with a layer of foam. The plastic, polyethylene walls have a thickness on the order of about 0.25 inches, and the foam layer is in the range of 0.5 to 6 inches in thickness depending upon the amount of foaming pellets used. Fill holes are formed in the top wall of the barrier so that water, sand or other ballast material can be introduced into the hollow interior and into contact with the foam layer.

Unlike prior barrier devices formed with plastic walls,- the barrier of this invention is highly resistant to leakage of ballast material from its hollow interior due to the presence of the foam layer. Even if cracks or other openings develop in the plastic walls or joints of the barrier, the foam layer is effective to seal these irregularities and prevent leakage of the ballast material.

Additionally, the barrier devices with the foam layer of this invention are resistant to puncture by fork lift tines or other equipment employed in their installation or transport.

In an alternative embodiment, the entire hollow interior of the barrier is filled with foam material. Preferably, a liquid material is introduced into the hollow interior through one or more of the fill holes, and then cures to form a foam which encompasses all or a portion of the entire volume of barrier interior. It has been found

that barrier devices filled with foam can be interconnected end-to-end to form a barrier wall which readily floats in water. These floating barrier walls can be used in various naval applications to encircle ships or other assets, or to segregate areas within a port or dock area as desired.

Description of the Drawings The structure, operation and advantages of the presently preferred embodiment of this invention will become further apparent upon consideration of the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the barrier of this invention ; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the barrier depicted in Fig. 1, with a second barrier shown in phantom at one end; Fig. 3 is a side view of the barrier of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of two barriers connected end-to-end; Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view of the barrier shown in Fig. 1 depicting the foam layer along the walls within the barrier interior;

Fig. 6 is a cross sectional view of an alternative embodiment of the barrier device illustrated in Fig. 1, showing the first step in filling the hollow interior of the barrier entirely with a foam material; Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 wherein the liquid material has begun to cure and form a foam; and Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7 except with the foam fully cured.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment Referring initially to Figs. 1-4, the barrier device 10 of this invention comprises a top wall 12, a bottom wall 14, opposed end walls 16,18, and, opposed side walls 20,22 which are interconnected to collectively define a hollow interior 24. In the presently preferred embodiment, each of the walls 12-22 are formed of a semi-rigid plastic material chosen from the group consisting of low density polyethylene, acrylonitrile or butadiene styrene, high impact styrene, polycarbonates and the like. These plastic materials are all inherently tough and exhibit good energy absorption characteristics.

They will also deform and elongate, but will not fail in a brittle manner at energy inputs which cause other materials to undergo brittle failure. The surfaces of these types of plastic materials are

inherently smoother than materials from which other barriers are typically constructed, therefore creating less friction and reducing the likelihood of serious abrasion injuries to vehicles and/or passengers who may come into contact therewith. Additionally, materials of this type are unaffected by weather and have excellent basic resistance to weathering, leaching and biodegradation. Additives such as ultraviolet inhibitors can be added thereto, making such materials further resistant to the effects of weather. They also retain their mechanical and chemical properties at low ambient temperatures.

When using the barrier device 10 of this invention as a highway barrier, the hollow interior 24 is preferably filled with a "ballast"material such as water or other liquid, or a flowable solid material such as sand, concrete and the like. For this purpose, the walls 12-22 of barrier device 10 have a thickness in the range of about one-eighth inch to one inch so as to perform satisfactorily in service.

The barrier device 10 is preferably in the range of about six to eight feet in length, and, at the wall thickness noted above, has a weight when empty of about 80 to 140 lbs. When filled with a liquid such as water, the overall weight of the barrier is in the range of about 1400 to 2200 lbs. Flowable solid material such as sand and the like increase the weight of barrier 10 further.

For ease of understanding and discussion of the principal aspects of this invention, the various structural elements of the barrier device 10 are described below in relation to their collective performance of a particular function of the barrier 10. These functions include the ability of the barrier 10 to better redirect and control the upper movement of a vehicle upon impact therewith, the ability to resist lateral separation of adjacent barriers 10 when they are joined end-to-end to form an essentially continuous wall, the ability to resist leakage of the ballast material from the hollow interior of the barrier, and, the ability to float in water.

Control of Vehicle Movement The control of vehicle movement upon impact with the barrier device 10 of this invention is achieved primarily by the material with which the barrier 10 is constructed, and the configuration of its side walls 20 and 22. Because both side walls 20, 22 are identical in configuration, only side wall 20-is described in detail herein, it being understood that the side wall 22 is formed with the identical structure and functions in the same manner.

The side wall 20 includes a substantially vertically extending curb reveal 26 which extends from the bottom wall 14 to a horizontally extending ledge or step 28 best shown in Fig. 1.

Preferably, the curb reveal 26 has a vertical height of nine inches,

measured from the bottom wall 14 upwardly, which is at least two inches greater than the curb reveals of other highway barrier devices, such as disclosed, for example, in my prior U. S. Patent No. 5,123, 773.

The horizontal extent of the step 28 is preferably on the order of about ll/2 inches measured in the direction from the outer edge of curb reveal 26 toward the hollow interior 24 of barrier device 10.

Extending upwardly at an acute angle from the step 28 is an intermediate section 30 which terminates at a vertically extending upper section 32. The upper section 32, in turn, extends from the intermediate section 30 to the top wall 12 of barrier 10 which is formed with a pair of fill holes 33 preferably having a diameter in the range of about 3-4 inches. In the presently preferred embodiment, a number of stabilizers 34 are integrally formed in the intermediate section 30, at regularly spaced intervals between the end walls 16,18. Each stabilizer 34 includes a base 36 and opposed sides 38 and 40. As best seen in Fig. 1, the base 36 of each stabilizer 34 is coplanar with the step 28 and is supported by an internally located support 42 shown in phantom lines in Fig. 3. The sides 38,40 of each stabilizer 34 taper inwardly, toward one another, from the base 36 to a point substantially coincident with the uppermost edge of intermediate section 30 where the upper section 32 of side wall 20 begins. In the presently preferred embodiment, a through bore 44

extends from the base 36 of one or more of the stabilizers 34, through the internal support 42 and out the bottom wall 14 of barrier 10. One or more of these through bores 44 receive an anchoring device such as a stake 46, shown in phantom in Fig. 3, which can be driven into the ground or other surface upon which the barrier device 10 rests to secure it in an essentially permanent position thereon.

Enhanced control and redirection of the path of a vehicle impacting the barrier device 10 of this invention is achieved with the above-described structure as follows. The increased height of the curb reveal 26 of side wall 20, e. g. , nine inches compared to seven inches or less for conventional barriers, is effective to engage and redirect the tires of a vehicle toward the lane in which the vehicle was traveling instead of in a direction toward the barrier 10 or the opposing lane of traffic. The curb reveal 26 is strengthened and reinforced by the presence of the horizontally extending ledge or step 28 and the stabilizers 34.

In the event the vehicle tires nevertheless extend above the curb reveal 26 upon impact, the intermediate and upper sections 30 and 32 are designed to resist further upward movement of the vehicle therealong. While the stabilizers 34 in intermediate section 30 function to add rigidity and stability to the overall barrier 10, the intermediate section 30 is nevertheless designed to at least partially

collapse inwardly or buckle in response to the application of an impact force thereto. The extent of inward motion of buckling is controlled, at least to some extent, by the diameter of the fill holes 33 in the top wall 12. When the barrier interior 24 is filled with water, for example, the impact of a vehicle with a barrier side wall 20 or 22 causes such water to displace from the area of contact. Some of the water is forcefully discharged from the interior 24 through the fill holes 33, and the amount of such energy displacement is dependent on the diameter of the holes 33. The greater the diameter, the greater the amount of water displaced, and, hence, the more the barrier side wall 20 or 22 is permitted to buckle. It has been found that a fill hole 33 diameter of about 3-4 inches, noted above, is optimum wherein sufficient buckling of the side walls 20,22 is permitted for the purposes described below without permanent damage to the barrier 10 upon impact with a vehicle. In the presently preferred embodiment, when the intermediate section 30 buckles inwardly, a pivot point is created about which the upper section 32 can move in a generally downward direction.

Consequently, the tire and/or bumper of the vehicle is impacted by the upper section 32 of barrier device 10 and urged downwardly, back toward the pavement or ground along which the vehicle was traveling. This substantially prevents the vehicle from vaulting over

the top of the barrier 10 and entering the opposing lane of traffic.

Despite such movement of the intermediate and upper sections 30,32 in response to impact, the material from which barrier device 10 is constructed allows such sections 30,32 to return to their original shape after deformation.

Resistance to Barrier Disengagement Another general aspect of the construction of the barrier device 10 of this invention involves a number of elements designed to resist disengagement of adjacent barrier devices 10 and 10'when they are arranged end-to-end to form an essentially continuous wall.

Two barrier devices 10 and 10'are depicted in Fig. 4, which are identical in structure and function. The same reference numbers are therefore used to identify like structure, with the addition of a"'"to the numbers associated with barrier 10'on the right-hand side of Fig.

4.

Each end wall 16 of barriers 10 is formed with an internally extending recess 48 near the bottom wall 14, which receives an outwardly protruding extension 52 formed on the end wall 18 of an adjacent barrier 10. The upper portion of end wall 16 is formed with a slot 56, and the upper portion of end wall 18 is formed with a slot 58. Each slot 56,58 has an inner, generally cylindrical- shaped portion 59 and a narrower, substantially rectangular-shaped

portion 61 at their respective end walls 16, 18. The slots 56,58 extend from the top wall 12 downwardly to a point near the juncture of the upper section 32 and intermediate section 30.

When two barrier devices 10 and 10'are oriented end-to- end, with the end wall 16 of one barrier 10 abutting the end wall 18' of an adjacent barrier 10', the slots 56,58 collectively form a barbell- shaped locking channel 60 shown in Fig. 4 and also depicted in phantom at the bottom of Fig. 2. This locking channel 60 receives a coupler 62 having cylindrical ends 64,66 and a rectangular center section 67, which is removably insertable therein and extends substantially along the entire length of the locking channel 60. The cylindrical ends 64,66 of coupler 62 pivot within the correspondingly shaped cylindrical portions 59,59'of slots 56, 58', so that one barrier device 10 can be pivoted with respect to an adjacent barrier 10'to assist with alignment thereof, and to allow the barriers 10, 10'when placed end-to-end to follow curves along a particular highway or other location where they are placed.

Additionally, a pair of hollow sleeves 68 and 70 are located within the hollow interior 24 of barrier device 10 and extend between the side walls 20,22. A portion of both sleeves 68,70 is located in the intermediate section 30 of each side wall 20,22, and extends partially into the upper sections 32 thereof. The two sleeves

68,70 are positioned in the spaces between the three stabilizers 34 formed in the side walls 20,22, and provide added internal support to the barrier 10 so that it retains its shape when filled with a ballast material.

Each of the sleeves 68 and 70 define a pass-through hole or channel 72 adapted to receive the tines of a forklift truck to permit handling of the barriers 10. Moreover, a strap 74 (see Fig. 4) can be extended between the channel 72 of sleeve 68 in one barrier 10 and the channel 72 of sleeve 70'in an adjacent barrier 10', and then tightened down, to urge such barriers 10,10'together and provide additional resistance to disengagement of adjacent barriers 10,10'. It is believed that the combination of : (1) the extension 52-recess 48 connection; (2) the coupler 62 and locking channel 60 engagement; (3) the straps 74; and, (4) the stake (s) 46 or other anchoring device secured within the through bores 44 noted above, collectively provides improved resistance to disengagement between adjacent barriers 10 compared to prior barrier designs.

In the presently preferred embodiment, a drain hole 76 is formed along each of the end walls 18 and 20 thereof near the bottom wall 14 to allow passage of water and the like from one side of the barrier device 10 to the other. Water or other flowable material is introduced into the hollow interior 24 of the barrier device 10 via the

fill holes 33 formed in top wall 12. These fill holes 33 can also receive the post of a sign or the like (not shown) extendable into the barrier interior 24. As shown in Fig. 2, a post boot 78 is formed at the bottom wall 14 of barrier 10, in alignment with each fill hole 33, to receive and support the post of a sign inserted through the fill hole 33.

Preferably, the top wall 12 is formed with an elongated channel 80 leading to each fill hole 33 to allow for the flow of rainwater into the hollow interior 24. The top wall 12 is also formed with an internally extending seat 82 which is adapted to mount an internal light fixture (not shown) for illuminating the barrier device 10 from the inside.

The details of such lighting construction form no part of this invention and are thus not discussed herein.

Resistance to leakage of Ballast With reference to Fig. 5, in one preferred embodiment of this invention structure is provided to resist leakage of ballast material from the hollow interior 24 of the barrier device 10. Each of the walls 12,14, 16, 18,20 and 22 is formed with an inner surface 90 located within the hollow interior 24 and an exterior, outer surface 92. These inner surfaces 90 receive a foam layer 94 having a thickness in the range of about 0.5 to 6 inches. The remainder of the hollow interior 24 is open and can be filled with ballast material through fill holes 33 in the manner described above. The foam layer

94 is effective to seal the inner surface 90 of each wall and substantially prevent leakage of ballast material from the hollow interior 24. Additionally, the foam layer 94 is puncture resistant, particularly as its thickness is increased, and therefore resists leakage of ballast material even if the plastic walls of the barrier are damaged by fork lifts or other equipment during transit or assembly of the barriers 10.

The method of forming the barrier device 10 with the foam layer 94 forms no part of this invention, and is therefore not discussed in detail herein. Generally, a rotational molding process is employed in which a polyethylene resin and polyethylene foaming pellets are combined in a mold to form the completed barrier. Each of the walls 12,14, 16,18, 20 and 22 is therefore formed of a high density polyethylene using this molding technique, preferably having a thickness on the order of about 0.25 inches. One type of polyethylene resin suitable for forming the plastic walls of the barrier 10 are commercially available from ExxonMobil Chemical under the trademark"PAXON, "Type Numbers 7004 and 7204 rotational molding resins.

One foam material which can be employed in the rotational molding process noted above to form the foam layer 94 is commercially available from Equistar Chemicals, Inc. of Houston,

Texas under the trademark"PETROTHENE. "A structural foam, semi-rigid foam or flexible PETROTHENE foam may be employed in the barrier 10 of this invention, whose properties and type numbers are as follows: Property Nominal Value Units MSTR005-Structural Foam Density 7 lb/ft3 Compressive Modulus 800 psi Shrinkage (w/MSTR003,4 skin) 0.010-0. 015 in/in Thermal Conductivity (k) 0. 435 BTU in/hr ft2 °F MSTR008-Semi-Rigid Foam Density 4 lb/ft3 Compressive Modulus 180 psi Shrinkage (w/MSTR003,4 skin) 0. 010-0. 015 in/in Thermal Conductivity (k) 384 BTUin/hrft2°F MSTR007-Flexible Foam Density 2 lb/ft3 Compressive Modulus 35 psi Shrinkage (w/MSTR003, 4 skin) 0.010-0. 015 in/in Thermal Conductivity (k) 0.357 BTU in/hr ft2 °F In most instances it is contemplated that a semi-rigid foam would be employed to form the foam layer 94, such as PETROTHENE Type No. MSTR008, depending on the particular application for which the barrier device is intended. If additional structural rigidity is required, a denser foam with increased compressive modulus may be used such as PETROTHENE Type No.

MSTR005. Further, the overall thickness of the foam layer 94 can be

controlled in the molding process to increase or decrease the rigidity of the barrier 10, i. e. , the thicker the foam layer 94 the more rigid the walls 12-22.

Barrier with Floating Capability Referring now to Figs. 6-8, a further embodiment of this invention is shown in which the hollow interior 24 of the barrier 10 is completely filled with a foam material 96 instead of the combination of a foam layer 94 and ballast material as described above in connection with a discussion of Fig. 5. As schematically depicted in Fig. 6-8, the barrier 10 is initially placed within a form 98 made of wood, metal or other material, and then a pour-in-place foaming material 100 is introduced into the hollow interior 24 through one or more of the fill holes 33. The foaming material 100 is initially a liquid, but then cures to form a solid foam body 96 as depicted in Figs. 7 and 8. The form 98 prevents the walls of the barrier 10 from buckling or expanding during the foam curing process, and any excess foam material is allowed to escape through the fill holes 33. See Fig.

8.

One presently preferred foaming material 100 is a two- component polyether-based, low density pour-in-place urethane foam commercially available from North Carolina Foam Industries of Mount Airy, North Carolina under the name"NCFI Low Density

Pour System 31-120. "The resin properties and reaction properties of this material are as follows: TYPICAL RESIN PROPERTIES: 31-120R 31-120A Viscosity @ 72°F 500 cps 200 cps Weight Per Gallon 9.5 lbs. 10.2 lbs.

Appearance amber liquid brown liquid Shelf Life 6 months 6 months MIX RATIO: 31-120R 31-120A Ratio By Weight 100 parts 107 parts Ratio By Volume 100 parts 100 parts TYPICAL REACTION PROPERTIES : Hand Mix @ 72°F Cream Time, seconds 32 Gel Time, seconds 140 Rise Time, seconds 210 Density (FRC) 1.9 pcf As noted above and shown in Fig. 4, adjacent barriers 10 can be connected end-to-end to form a barrier wall. With the barriers filled with foaming material 100 to form a solid body of foam material 96 within the hollow interior 24, the individual barriers 10 and collectively formed barrier wall readily floats in water. Although the embodiment of the barrier 10 shown in Fig. 5 will also float, it is contemplated that that the provision of a continuous foam body 96

within the barrier interior 24 will result in a more durable structure with better integrity in the event of impact with a vessel or other object. A barrier wall formed with individual barriers 10 of the type shown in Figs. 6-8 can be utilized in a variety of marine applications to encircle vessels and other objects in the water, as well as to prevent access to given areas within a port or docking area as desired.

While the invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim: