SPILL CONTAINMENT BERM

Description

CLAIM OF PRIORITY

This application claims priority to Provisional Application Ser. No. 63/660,101 filed on Jun. 14, 2024 and Ser. No. 63/721,083 filed on Nov. 15, 2024, the entirety of which are each incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

The disclosure relates to containments. More particularly, it relates to containment berms for containing storage tanks that contain liquid, equipment storage tanks, hydraulic power units, where potential spills may occur such as hydraulic fluids, oils, gasoline, solvents, chemicals, fuels, industrial waste, etc. The berms may be used for water reconstitution as well.

Existing containment berms are difficult to construct and manufacture, require additional material and are typically not extruded or molded materials. Others require concrete and cinder block construction, angle iron metal, plastic sheeting and the like and are expensive and time consuming to install.

Referring to FIGS. 1A and 1B, an existing rounded or pyramid shaped one-piece berm 100 is shown. The berm is preferably profile extruded TPE plastic such as TPV or extruded rubber such as 100% post-industrial EPDM rubber.

The existing berm has a pyramid shape and can be about 2 inches in height, 2 inches in width and about 10 feet in length.

A large bolt anchor and washer assembly 102 is used to secure the berm to the floor or work surface and are secured via holes 103. A rubber adhesive sealant may also be used.

The upper portion 104 of the berm 100 is flat but also can be curved in appearance. Side walls 106 are tapered. Bottom wall 108 can have a series of grooves or notches 110 for further rigidity.

Referring to FIG. 2, a series of berms 100 are installed adjacent to and abutting each other to form a containment area. Corners 112 are formed by adjacent berms 100.

There is also a need for an improved corner connector which will be easier to fabricate and install without having to cut at an angles, align or match up corners and straight berm portions.

Thus, there is a need for a spill containment berm that is easy and straightforward to install compared to more expensive and time-consuming formed poured concrete or cinder block construction, that is less expensive to install and overcomes the above mention deficiencies and others while providing better overall results.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

This application relates to containments. More particularly, it relates to spill containment berms.

It is an object of the present disclosure to provide a containment for forming a semi-permanent or permanent berm for containing liquid tanks or potential spills on surfaces, such as concrete or building floors that could potentially flow into a drain or stormwater system. It is a further object to provide a berm which is flexible and may be easily conformed to meet a variety of configurations and floor surfaces. It is still a further object to provide a berm which can form a permanent seal but is easily removable.

In accordance with one aspect of the disclosure, a spill containment berm for providing containment of potential spills and leaks has a one-piece body having a tapered configuration. The body has an upper portion and a lower portion comprising grooves. The berm is configured to be secured to a surface using fasteners and adhesive material.

Another aspect of the disclosure is a spill containment berm providing containment of potential spills and leaks which has an upper portion extending vertically and a lower portion extending horizontally, wherein the lower portion has grooves formed in a bottom surface thereof.

In accordance with one aspect of the disclosure, a berm containment to provide a semi-permanent or permanent containment berm to contain a potential spill or leak is provided. The berm may include a plurality of elongated members formed from extruded Thermoplastic Elastomers TPE's such as TPV (Thermoplastic Vulcanizate) or other suitable chemical resistant materials. For example, EPDM (Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer) rubber, or any suitable rubber or plastics or thermoplastic compounds.

The berm assembly may further includes a plurality of corners which connect a pair of the elongated members together. The corners are provided with a defined angle and serve as corners of the berm containment.

One aspect of the disclosure is a one-piece berm extruded from Thermoplastic Elastomers TPE's such as TPV (Thermoplastic Vulcanizate) material.

Another aspect of the disclosure is T-shaped berms which can be 4, 6, 8, 10 or 12 inches or taller in height.

Still another aspect of the disclosure is the berm can be extruded in any length or for shipping purposes 8, 10 and 12 foot length increments.

Still another aspect of the disclosure is the berm can be used for indoor and outdoor applications.

Another aspect of the disclosure is the berms will not crack, break, spall, corrode, split, rip or disintegrate.

Another aspect of the disclosure is the berm can be custom fabricated for any specification, shape or configuration.

Another aspect of the disclosure is the berm is quick and easy to install and uninstall and move.

Another aspect of the disclosure is the berm is flexible and can conform to any surface.

Another aspect of the disclosure is the berm is secured to the floor surface using adhesive sealant, caulk, glue and is mechanically secured with lag bolts, lag shields and washers or other suitable fasteners to hold the berm firmly in place to the floor surface.

Another aspect of the disclosure is a molded corner connector which eliminates the need for aligning of and forming corners with straight berm members.

Still other aspects of the disclosure will become apparent upon reading and understanding of the following detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The following is a brief description of the drawings, which are presented for the purposes of illustrating the exemplary embodiments disclosed herein and not for the purposes of limiting the same.

FIG. 1A is a perspective view of an existing pyramid shaped berm.

FIG. 1B is a front elevational view of the berm of FIG. 1A.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the berms of FIG. 1A in an assembled configuration forming a containment.

FIG. 3A is a perspective view of a T-shaped spill containment berm in accordance with one aspect of the disclosure.

FIG. 3B is a front elevational view of the spill containment berm of FIG. 3A.

FIG. 3C is an enlarged view of Detail 3C of FIG. 3B.

FIG. 4A is a perspective view of a T-shaped berm in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4B is a front elevational view of the berm of FIG. 4A.

FIG. 4C is an enlarged view of Detail 4C of FIG. 4B.

FIG. 5A is a perspective view of a T-shaped berm in accordance with another embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 5B is a front elevational view of the berm of FIG. 5A.

FIG. 5C is an enlarged view of Detail 5C of FIG. 5B.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the T-shaped berms forming a containment for liquid.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of a corner of the containment of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8A is a front plan view of a corner connector in accordance with another aspect of the disclosure.

FIG. 8B is a perspective view of the corner connector of FIG. 8A.

FIG. 8C is a top plan view of the connector of FIG. 8A.

FIG. 8D is a side elevational view of the corner connector of FIG. 8A.

FIG. 8E is a bottom plan view of the corner connector of FIG. 8A.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIGS. 3-5 show T-shaped berms in accordance with several embodiments of the present disclosure.

Specifically referring now to FIGS. 3A-3C, a berm 10 has a upper rectangular portion 12 which can be formed in the shape of a pyramid with rounded upper edges 14 and a horizontal rectangular lower portion 16 which has rounded edges 18 and a series of ribs, notches or grooves 20 formed on the bottom 22 of the berm. The solid, ribbed bottom adheres to most surfaces and is ideal for applicants to hold, divert or redirect liquids. The berm has an outer wall 17 which mates with adjacent berms or corners. The upper and lower portions 12 and 16 form a substantially T-shaped configuration.

FIGS. 4A-4C show an alternate embodiment of a berm 30 with an upper vertical portion 32 with rounded upper edges 34 and a horizontal lower portion 36 having a plurality or grooves or notches 38 formed in a lower or bottom surface. Upper and lower portions 32, 36 form a substantially T-shaped configuration. The berm has outer wall 31 which mates with adjacent berms or corners.

FIGS. 5A-5C illustrate another embodiment of a berm 40 having an upper vertical rectangular portion 42 with a square shaped upper surface 44 with rounded edges 45 and a rectangular horizontal lower portion 46 which has a series of grooves and notches 48 formed in bottom surface 49. Outer wall 41 mates with adjacent berms or corners. Upper and lower walls 42, 46 form a substantially T-shaped configuration.

The spill containment berms 10,30,40 can each be used as a structure to mechanically isolate areas and contain spills. The berms allow constructing border curbs without resorting to expensive concrete barriers, culverts and construction costs. The wide solid bottom of the T-shaped berm has grooves which adhere to most surfaces such as concrete or other hard surfaces and is ideal for applications involving holding, diverting, or redirecting liquids or spills. The upper portions of the T-shaped berms help contain the spills and provide a vertical barrier or wall to contain spills, etc.

Federal Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) regulations include requirements for spill prevention, preparedness, and response to prevent the pollution of navigable waters and adjoining shorelines. The rules require specific facilities to prepare, amend, and implement SPCC Plans (EPA) to ensure their containment area has enough capacity to contain at least 10% of the total volume of the total containers in the bermed area, or 110% of the volume of the largest container(s), whichever is greater.

The extruded berms of the present disclosure can contain oils, solvents, fuels, other hazardous liquids, and would meet all SPCC requirements and can be custom fabricated to any specification, shape or configuration to meet this requirement.

For example, the berms can be 4, 6, 8, 10 or 12 inches in height and can be extruded in 8, 10, or 12 feet or any needed length sections, are flexible and can conform to virtually any surface.

The berms are made of TPE plastics or chemical resistant plastic or rubber material which are highly resistant to most chemicals, and form water-tight or liquid-tight seals. The berms can stand up against or are resistant to Nitric and Phosphoric acids. The berms can withstand oils, solvents, fuels, other hazardous liquids, and water for all SPCC requirements.

The berms are extruded as a one piece solid material and will not crack, break, rip, spall, corrode, or degenerate.

Referring now to FIGS. 6 and 7, the berms 10 are assembled into a containment area 50 such as in a rectangular or square configuration. Other configurations also are contemplated by the disclosure.

Here is a summary of the installation procedure for the berms. Before starting, the following tools may be provided: a power-washer and shop-vacuum, several gallons of acetone or denatured alcohol, a tape measure, a chalk line and marker pens, two twelve foot pieces of angle iron and several large clamps, a hammer drill, appropriate masonry drill bits, an impact driver and a set of deep sockets, a rubber mallet, and a caulk dispenser that will accommodate the 10.1 oz adhesive tube (battery powered caulk gun is preferable).

Utilizing the power washer, the entire area is thoroughly cleaned where the spill containment system is to be placed. The area must be completely free of any debris, oil, and grease. The entire area should be dry before installation begins. Failure to do so will result in premature failure of the adhesive.

Next, the bottom and lower edges of the berm assembly must be thoroughly cleaned with acetone or denatured alcohol prior to applying any adhesive.

Next, using CAD drawings and a layout diagram, the berm assembly is measured and laid out in the area where the system is to be placed. Each berm piece will be numerically marked for ease of positioning the pieces correctly within the project area. With the yellow marker, the outside and inside perimeter of the entire berm system are traced.

Sections of angle iron are then placed on both sides of the berm assembly. Stager clamps are placed along the entire section of the berm. Utilizing the appropriate masonry drill bit, a pilot hole is drilled down through each pre-drilled hole in the berm assembly.

The angle iron is unclamped and each berm piece is turned over. Utilizing the correct masonry drill bit, a mark is placed on the bit and drilling of all holes for the anchors is finished.

After all anchor holes have been drilled, each hole is cleaned out and the surrounding area where the berm sections are to be placed.

An anchor is installed into each hole.

Each berm section is turned over and the bottom of each piece is cleaned and made free of all dust and moisture. Four beads of the adhesive (such as M1 adhesive) is applied in straight lines on the bottom of each berm section.

Each berm section is turned over within the marked outline. Pressure is applied to the entire length of the berm to ensure a proper bond between the substate and the berm assembly.

A lag bolt/washer is inserted through each hole in the berm and hand-thread first to prevent damage to the anchors. Using an impact driver with the appropriate socket, each one is tightened until snug down and until it rests on the counter bore.

As each additional section is installed, make sure to apply a generous amount of adhesive to both mating ends to ensure a leak-proof seal at every connection.

Finally, a bead of adhesive is applied along both inner and outer areas of the entire installed berm assembly making sure that the adhesive makes contact with the substrate and berm as shown below. This will ensure a leak-tight seal throughout the entire berm assembly. Adhesive is applied to the lower inner and outer sections of the berm assembly. The adhesive is smoothed out using a wooden tongue depressor or similar tool.

As further seen in FIG. 7, two berms 10 are connected together and outer walls 17 adjacent each other may be used to form a corner 52. The berms are connected together and mounted to a work surface or floor 54 via an adhesive seal or caulking 56. Bolts 58 are installed on inner and outer sides of each berm through the holes 57 in lower portions of the berms to further secure the berms to the floor or surface. Holes 35 and 43 in berms 30 and 40 are also used to receive fasteners 58.

That is; caulking and adhesive seal 56, and lag bolts sets 58 or other suitable fasteners are used.

The berms together form a rectangular or square containment area for holding and retaining a spill or liquid 60 such as oils, gasoline, solvents, chemicals, etc.

Referring now to FIGS. 8A-8E, a one-piece corner connector 70 with the spill containment berms of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. The connector 70 has two outer ends 72, 74 which are formed 90 degrees with respect to each other. Inner or middle portion 76 has a radius R and extends between opposed ends 72,74. Ends are configured to match up or align with the berms 20 and 30 spill containment berm end walls 17,31,41 (as shown in FIGS. 1,2,3) are connected together in a similar fashion.

Holes or openings 77 are formed in the connectors to secure the connectors to a floor or work surface using fasteners. Adhesive or caulking may further be used to secure the corners to the surface. Ends 72 and 74 have a substantially T-shaped configuration formed by upper portion 75 and lower portion 79. The corner is preferably hollow in the interior portion. Ends 72 and 74 can be modified to replicate the shape of the outer walls 17, 31, 41 of berms 10, 20, 30.

The connector 70 will allow fabrication and installation easier and more efficient. All that is required is a straight cut, no 45-degree cuts or matching up straight portions to form corners is required. Each berm height (i.e. 4 inch, 6 inch, 8 inch, 10 inch or 12 inch) will have a corner connector. The connector can align with straight edges of the berms or 45-degree edges (or other configurations).

Federal Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) regulations include requirements for spill prevention, preparedness, and response to prevent the pollution of navigable waters and adjoining shorelines. The rules require specific facilities to prepare, amend, and implement SPCC Plans (EPA) to ensure their containment area has enough capacity to contain at least 10% or the total volume of the primary containers, or 110% of the volume of the largest container, whichever is greater.

The profile extruded TPE plastic or extruded rubber berms stand up to oils, solvents, fuels, gasoline, other hazardous liquids, and water for all SPCC requirements and can be custom fabricated to any specification, shape, or configuration.

The berms serve to mechanically isolate areas and will contain potential spills, without resorting to expensive concrete formed barriers, cinder block walls, culverts, and construction costs.

The berms can be custom formed to any length, shape or configuration.

For example, berms of 4 inch, 6 inch, 8 inch, 10 inch and 12 inch heights are considered by the disclosure.

The berms will not crack, break, spill, rip, spall, corrode, or degenerate.

The exemplary embodiment has been described with reference to preferred embodiments. Obviously, modifications and alterations will occur to others upon a reading and understanding of the previously detailed description. It is intended that the extruded embodiments be as including all such modifications and alterations insofar as they come with the scope of the above detailed description and the appended.