# US 8,769,880 B2 · Portable barrier > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,769,880 B2 - Document ID: US8769880B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/827,006 - Filed: 2013-03-14 - Published: 2013-09-05 - Granted: 2014-07-08 - Earliest claimed: 2007-09-07 - Assignees: Nikos Mouyiaris - Applicants: Nikos Mouyiaris; Qizhong Guo - Inventors: Nikos Mouyiaris; Qizhong Guo - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8769880B2 ## CPC - E02B 3/108: {with a filling, e.g. filled by water or sand} - E04B 2002/0215: {with separate protrusions} - E04H 9/145: {Floods (protecting building openings E06B9/00)} - Y02A 50/00: in human health protection, e.g. against extreme weather - E02B: HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING (ship-lifting E02C; dredging E02F) - E04B: GENERAL BUILDING CONSTRUCTIONS; WALLS, e.g. PARTITIONS; ROOFS; FLOORS; CEILINGS; INSULATION OR OTHER PROTECTION OF BUILDINGS (border constructions of opening in walls, floors or ceilings E06B1/00; {electromagnetic shielding H05K9/0001}) - E04H: BUILDINGS OR LIKE STRUCTURES FOR PARTICULAR PURPOSES; SWIMMING OR SPLASH BATHS OR POOLS; MASTS; FENCING; TENTS OR CANOPIES, IN GENERAL (foundations E02D) - Y02A: TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE ## 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. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A portable fillable barrier unit having a base and a plurality of walls, comprising: a) an inner envelope defining a volume to be filled; b) an outer covering at least partially surrounding the inner envelope; c) at least one stiffening panel configured to help the barrier unit maintain a predetermined shape when filled with a fluid medium; and d) at least one lateral tether coupling two opposing sides of the inner envelope to prevent a predetermined amount of physical separation of the two opposing sides after the inner envelope is filled with a liquid or solid medium, the at least one lateral tether being located proximate a central region of the two opposing sides of the inner envelope. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The portable barrier unit of claim 1, wherein the at least one stiffening panel is attached to the inner envelope. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The portable barrier unit of claim 2, wherein the at least one stiffening panel is attached to an outer surface of the inner envelope. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The portable barrier unit of claim 1, wherein the at least one stiffening panel is disposed in a pocket formed in an outer surface of the inner envelope. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The portable barrier unit of claim 1, wherein the at least one stiffening panel is held in place between the inner envelope and outer envelope by the outer covering. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The portable barrier unit of claim 1, wherein the inner envelope has a base panel, front and rear panels attached to opposing sides of the base panel that join at an apex to form the top of the portable barrier unit, and two opposing triangular side panels attached to the base, front and rear panels, wherein the at least one stiffening panel is configured to stiffen at least one of the front and rear panels. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The portable barrier unit of claim 6, wherein the front and rear panels are both stiffened by a stiffening member. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The portable barrier unit of claim 6, wherein the unit is configured to collapse by folding the front and rear panels toward each other. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The portable barrier unit of claim 1, wherein the unit has a front to back depth dimension b and a top to bottom height dimension h, and wherein the ratio of b/h is larger than 0.5 divided by the coefficient of friction defined between the portable barrier unit and the surface that it is disposed on. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The portable barrier unit of claim 1, wherein the unit has a front to back depth dimension b and a top to bottom height dimension h, and wherein the ratio of b/h is between about 0.9 and about 0.5. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The portable barrier unit of claim 10, wherein the ratio of b/h is between about 0.8 and about 0.7. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The portable barrier unit of claim 10, wherein the ratio of b/h is about 0.7. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The portable barrier unit of claim 1, wherein the unit has a front to back depth dimension b and a top to bottom height dimension h, and wherein the ratio of b/h is more than about 0.6. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The portable barrier unit of claim 1, wherein the two opposing sides of the inner envelope are connected by a plurality of lateral tethers to prevent a predetermined amount of physical separation of the two opposing sides of the inner envelope, wherein at least some of the plurality of lateral tethers are located proximate a central region of the two opposing sides of the inner envelope. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The portable barrier unit of claim 14, wherein the at least one lateral tether is attached at each end to a reinforced region of the two opposing sides of the inner envelope. ### Claim 16 (depends on 6) The portable barrier unit of claim 6, wherein the two opposing triangular side panels are connected by the at least one lateral tether to prevent a predetermined amount of physical separation of the two opposing triangular side panels, the at least one lateral tether being located proximate a central region of the two opposing triangular sides of the inner envelope. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The portable barrier unit of claim 16, wherein the two opposing triangular side panels are connected by a plurality of lateral tethers to prevent a predetermined amount of physical separation of the two opposing triangular side panels, wherein at least some of the plurality of lateral tethers are located proximate a central region of the two opposing triangular sides of the inner envelope. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The portable barrier unit of claim 16, wherein the at least one lateral tether is attached at each end to a reinforced region of the opposing triangular sides of the inner envelope.