US-12617329-B2 - Cover systems and methods with perforated tunnels

Abstract

Disclosed are cover systems for covering product such as grain. An example cover system includes a cover having at least one perforated tunnel extending across at least a portion of the cover (e.g., with an end to or beyond an edge of the cover). The perforated tunnel can include a bottom membrane with perforations, a cap strip membrane attached to the top side of the bottom membrane, and an air permeable filler material between the bottom membrane and the cap strip membrane. The perforated tunnel can have an air inlet at its end for drawing in air to hold down the cover by suction.

Inventors

• Jared Ernest Kocer
• Andre Alan Harvey

Assignees

• VIAFLEX, INC.

Dates

Publication Date

20260505

Application Date

20230127

Claims (5)

1. 1 . A method of installing a cover system over a product, comprising: placing a cover over the product, the cover including multiple perforated tunnels including first and second perforated tunnels; cutting the cover along a side of each of the first and second perforated tunnels; and rolling up a portion of the cover between the first and second perforated tunnels, further including cutting the cover along sides of adjacent perforated tunnels and rolling up a portion of the cover between the adjacent perforated tunnels and leaving the perforated tunnels extending beyond the rolled up portion of the cover.
2. 2 . The method of claim 1 , further including providing an aeration fan at a retaining wall of a structure and a conduit system near a bottom of the structure.
3. 3 . The method of claim 2 , further including drawing air in through an inlet of the first perforated tunnel and an inlet of the second perforated tunnel, the inlets of the first perforated tunnel and the inlet of the second perforated tunnel extending beyond the retaining wall and beyond the rolled-up portion of the cover.
4. 4 . The method of claim 1 , cutting an edge of the cover and providing an inlet for at least one of the first or second perforated tunnels at the edge of the cover.
5. 5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the cover includes multiple panels, wherein placing the cover over the product includes welding a first of the multiple panels to a second of the multiple panels.

Description

CLAIM OF PRIORITY This patent application claims the benefit of priority of Kocer et al. U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/303,890, entitled “COVER SYSTEMS AND METHODS WITH PERFORATED TUNNELS,” filed on Jan. 27, 2022, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD This document pertains generally, but not by way of limitation, to cover systems and methods and, in particular, cover systems and methods for covering products such as grain or hay. BACKGROUND Many types of products are stored in outdoor environments including agricultural products such as grain and hay. Covers such as tarps have been used for a long time to cover these products and protect them from the sun and rain. Straps and suction systems are typically employed to hold the cover against the product. The straps typically extend beyond the cover and attach to a structure such as a retaining wall. Suction systems typically include an aeration fan (e.g., a fan or blower), conduits under the product near the center and sides of the pile, and multiple large, perforated tubes located over the product and under the cover. These tubes extend beyond the edges of the cover to an inlet. The aeration fan draws ambient air in through the inlet and down through the perforations in the tubes through the product and out through the aeration fan. This airflow serves to pull the cover against the product, to pull air through the product to dry the product, and to help secure the cover. FIG. 1 illustrates a grain cover being installed with perforated black tubes for aeration. OVERVIEW The present inventors have recognized, among other things, that a problem to be solved can include providing cover systems that can be efficiently made and installed. They have recognized, for example, that cover systems that use large, perforated tubes suffer from drawbacks such as being expensive and time consuming to install. The present subject matter can help provide a solution to this problem, such as by providing a cover with perforated tunnels for aeration. In one example, a cover system includes a cover having at least one perforated tunnel extending across at least a portion of the cover. Each perforated tunnel can include a bottom membrane with perforations, a cap strip membrane attached to the top side of the bottom membrane, and an air permeable filler material between the bottom membrane and the cap strip membrane. The tunnel can further include an air inlet at an end of the tunnel which can be at the edge of the cover. An aeration fan can be provided to draw air through the perforations when installed. In one example, a method of manufacturing a cover system is provided. The method includes perforating a bottom membrane with a strip of perforations, placing a strip of air permeable material between the perforated bottom membrane and a cap strip membrane, and attaching the cap strip membrane to the bottom membrane to form a cover membrane with a perforated tunnel having a bottom side with the strip of perforations. The cover membrane with the perforated tunnel can be a wide cover section that can be joined with other cover sections (with or without perforated tunnels) to form a full cover. In another example, the cover membrane with the perforated tunnel can be a narrow cover section that can join adjacent, wide cover sections (with or without perforated tunnels). By providing cover systems with perforated tunnels, the present subject matter can provide one or more of the following advantages. The present systems can be more efficiently made. For example, the present systems avoid the need to supply expensive, long, bulky tubes separate from the cover. The present systems can be more efficiently installed. For example, the present use perforated tunnels and eliminate the need for installers to install separate unsightly, long tubes over the product during installation of the cover. The present systems also avoid the need for storing the tubes in the off season. These and other advantages can be provided by the system and methods described herein. This overview is intended to provide an overview of subject matter of the present patent application. It is not intended to provide an exclusive or exhaustive explanation of the invention. The detailed description is included to provide further information about the present patent application. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, like numerals may describe similar components in different views. Like numerals having different letter suffixes may represent different instances of similar components. The drawings illustrate generally, by way of example, but not by way of limitation, various embodiments discussed in the present document. FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of an example cover system with long tubes for aeration. FIG. 2 illustrates is a perspective view of an example cover system according to embodiments of