Patent Application
20070294966
The accompanying drawings are not intended to be drawn to scale. In the drawings, each identical or nearly identical component that is illustrated in various figures is represented by like numeral. For purposes of clarity, not every component may be labeled in every drawing. Preferred, non-limiting embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
This invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components as set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways beyond those exemplarily presented herein.
In accordance with one or more embodiments, the present invention relates generally to an improved drainage conduit for use in sub-floor basement waterproofing systems. The drainage conduit may be effective in collecting and carrying groundwater to a remote location for extraction in order to prevent the groundwater from penetrating the basement structure. The conduit may be installed, for example, pitched, so as to promote the flow of groundwater towards a fluidly connected sump. The conduit may be installed in various foundation configurations, typically around the perimeter of a basement in close proximity to the foundation wall.
For example,
As illustrated in
According to other embodiments of the present invention, the conduit may be a multi-component apparatus, the individual parts of which can easily and compactly be brought to a basement for on-site assembly of the conduit. Each component of the conduit may be separately manufactured, such as by an extraction process. Furthermore, each component may be manufactured in a long piece of any desirable length, for example, about one hundred feet, to form a source or supply of each component. In one embodiment, the components are made of a flexible material, such that each source may be rolled or coiled for storage and transport. Beneficially, the components can then be individually cut from the sources to required lengths for assembly of a customized conduit, such as to accommodate the dimensions of a particular basement application. Furthermore, some of the components may be interchangeable for ease of assembly as discussed in greater detail below.
Thus, a modular conduit assembly in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention may generally include two side elements which may be mounted between two horizontal elements to create a conduit structure, for example, a substantially rectangular conduit. Each side element may define a plurality of apertures to allow groundwater to enter the conduit. An intermediate element may be incorporated to add support to the conduit structure and, if solid without defining apertures, may create a two-channel system within the conduit to prevent cross-flow.
The various components of the modular drainage conduit may be configured to facilitate assembly in any desired manner. In general, the assembled conduit should maintain its intended shape, be of adequate strength, for example, to support a basement floor applied over it, and should also contain sufficiently sealed joints between components so as to prevent groundwater from escaping after passing into the conduit. In at least one embodiment of the present invention, design features of the individual conduit components may be used to facilitate assembly of the conduit, without requiring an adhesive or mechanical attachment. For example, a mating system, such as one involving male and female mating sections or connectors, may be used to assemble the components.
Structural details of a conduit assembly in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention will now be discussed with reference to
A first side of each horizontal element 110 may comprise a plurality of mating features 115, configured to correspond to complimentary mating features located on other components in order to facilitate assembly of the modular conduit 100. For example, the mating features 115 may be characterized in certain embodiments as grooves or tracks configured to receive complimentary mating features located on other components. The mating features 115 may be substantially identical to allow interchangeable assembly of components for ease and customization. As illustrated, a mating feature 115 may extend along each longitudinal edge of the first side of horizontal elements 110, and an additional mating feature 115 may extend longitudinally along an intermediate length thereon. In the parallel configuration as illustrated, a mating feature 115 on a first horizontal element 110 may align with a mating feature 115 on a second horizontal element 110 to form a pair of parallel mating features 115 between which another conduit component containing a pair of complimentary mating features can be mounted.
The drainage conduit 100 may also comprise two side elements 120 which may be arranged substantially parallel to one another. The side elements 120 may be spaced apart at a distance about equal to the width of the horizontal elements 110, and oriented substantially perpendicular to the horizontal elements 110, to create a substantially rectangular-shaped conduit. Other conduit shapes are contemplated, however, and the angle at which the side elements 120 are oriented relative to the horizontal elements 110, in addition to the profile of the individual components, will generally define the overall geometry of the conduit 100.
One or both of the side elements 120 may define a plurality of apertures (as shown in
Additionally, each side element 120 comprises a pair of complimentary mating features 125, one along each longitudinal edge. The complimentary mating features 125 are configured to correspond to the mating features 115 in order to facilitate conduit assembly. For example, while other configurations are contemplated, the complimentary mating feature 125 may define a tongue to be received by a groove of the mating feature 115. During assembly, a pair of complimentary mating features 125 may be matched, aligned, and joined with a pair of parallel mating features 115 to secure a side element 120 between horizontal elements 110, as illustrated. For example, pairs of parallel mating features 115 may couple or interlock with pairs of complimentary mating features 125 to hold the horizontal elements 110 and the side elements 120 together, such as with a friction fit. Depending on the nature of the mating features, a force may be applied to ensure connection of the conduit elements. Complimentary mating features 125 may comprise additional features, such as ridges or an adhesive, to enhance the friction fit in order to add strength to the joint.
The side elements 120 may generally be structurally identical to one another, as illustrated. Thus, if it is desirable for both of the side elements 120 to define apertures, such that groundwater may enter the conduit 100 from both sides, then both of the side elements 120 may be obtained from a single manufactured side element source. If instead, based on the intended application, it is desirable for only one side element 120 to define apertures, then each side element 120 may be obtained from a separate side element source, one with apertures and one without. A source of side element with apertures may be manufactured simply by adding apertures to a source of side element without apertures. Because all complimentary mating features 125 are configured to correspond to all mating features 115, assembly is interchangeable. For example, a side element 120 containing apertures may be positioned in the conduit assembly 100 as desired, either on a specific side or both sides.
The conduit 100 may also include an intermediate element 140. The intermediate element 140 may be structurally similar to the side elements 120 by also including a pair of complimentary mating features 125, one along each longitudinal edge, compatible with all mating features 115 to facilitate interchangeable assembly. During assembly of the conduit 100, complimentary mating features 125 of the intermediate element 140 may be introduced to the intermediate pair of mating features 115 of the horizontal elements 110, as illustrated. Incorporating the intermediate element 140 may add support to the conduit 100.
The intermediate element 140 may differ structurally from one or more of the side elements 120, if at all, by not defining apertures. If the intermediate element 140 is solid, rather than defining apertures along its length, the intermediate element 140 may also function as a partition to prevent cross-flow within the conduit 100. Without being bound to any particular theory, the apertures on a first side element 120 may intake backfill saturation originating at the joint between the foundation wall and footing, while the apertures on a second side element 120 may intake water originating from the ground in front of the foundation footing. The groundwater entering from each side of the conduit 100 may have different characteristics. For example, groundwater rising from the ground in front of the footing may have a higher concentration of certain undesirable constituents, such as bacteria. Therefore, it may be desirable to isolate the groundwater collected via each of the first and second side elements 120 of the conduit 100. This may be accomplished by incorporating a solid intermediate element 140 without apertures, to prevent migration of the undesirable constituents toward the foundation wall. Furthermore, a solid intermediate element 140 may promote drainage by preventing groundwater entering the conduit 100 through one side from escaping the conduit out the other side. Thus, use of a solid intermediate element 140 may create a two-channel conduit, beneficial for a number of reasons.
During assembly, a solid intermediate element 140 may be obtained from a manufactured intermediate element source. Alternatively, if one of the side elements 120 does not contain apertures, then the same material can be used for the intermediate element 140 because the structures are otherwise identical as discussed above. Likewise, if it is desirable for the intermediate element 140 to define apertures, such as to only provide extra support to the conduit 100, then a side element 120 source material containing apertures can also be used for intermediate element 140 because, again, the structures are otherwise identical. Thus, assembly of the conduit is simple and flexible because many of the pieces may be interchangeable.
In order to assemble the conduit, a desired length of horizontal element may be provided and positioned with mating features facing upward, to create a conduit base. The horizontal element may, for example, comprise three mating features, one along each longitudinal edge, and one intermediate, such as oriented substantially along the center. A desired length of side element may then be provided, for example, to match the length of the horizontal element. A first complimentary mating feature of the side element may be joined or engaged with a mating feature along the first longitudinal edge of the conduit base to create a first substantially vertical conduit side. This step may be repeated to create a second substantially vertical conduit side along the second longitudinal edge of the conduit base. A desired length of intermediate element may also be provided, and a first complimentary mating feature of the intermediate element may be joined with the intermediate mating feature of the conduit base. Finally, another piece of horizontal element may be provided and oriented inverted relative to the conduit base such that its mating features point downward. The mating features of this second horizontal element may be aligned and joined with second complimentary mating features of the side and intermediate elements to create the conduit top, thus completing the assembly.
As should be apparent, assembly of the conduit may be flexible in that many pieces can be assembled interchangeably. For example, one manufactured component comprising mating features may be used to form both horizontal elements of the conduit, and another manufactured component comprising complimentary mating features may be used to form both side elements of the conduit. Additionally, the side element source may be used to provide the intermediate element as well, depending on whether or not apertures in the intermediate element are desired, as discussed above. Furthermore, each component is generally symmetric in nature such that the orientation of individual components is not of concern so long as corresponding mating features align. Customization is enabled, and waste prevented, by the fact that the conduit components may each be cut from sources to specific lengths in order to meet the specifications of particular installation applications. On-site assembly is further facilitated by the fact that a source of each element, for example a side element material and a horizontal element material, may be separately manufactured and compactly stored for convenient transfer to a construction site.
During an installation as discussed above, a desired length of a component may not be available from a single source, such as from a finite roll of side element. This situation may or may not arise, depending on available materials and site-specific factors including the dimensions of the basement application. The problem may be addressed by simply abutting roll ends or otherwise creating a joint between sources. For example, two pieces of side element can be used to match the length of one piece of horizontal element. While a tape or adhesive may be used to fasten the adjoined ends, this is not necessary to ensure the structural integrity of a resulting conduit, particularly when mating systems as described herein are used to assemble conduit components. It may be desirable to stagger seams for strength, such as by placing a seam between pieces of side element in one location along a basement perimeter, and a seam between pieces of horizontal element in another location along the basement perimeter.
In some embodiments, as illustrated in
While the side and intermediate elements of the conduit may be bent to accommodate corners and other obtrusions along a basement perimeter, for example, due to their substantially upright orientation, the horizontal elements may not be capable of conforming to certain geometries even if flexible in nature. Therefore, it is contemplated that special structures, such as a radius element 400 illustrated in
During assembly, a base 410 of the radius element 400 may be positioned between two perpendicular horizontal elements at each basement corner to form a continuous conduit base, taking care to align mating features 115 to create, for example, continuous concentric tracks around a basement perimeter. These tracks can then receive complimentary mating features of side and intermediate elements around the basement perimeter. A top 420 may then be positioned between two additional perpendicular horizontal elements at each corner, engaging the mating system as discussed herein to complete a continuous conduit assembly.
Some embodiments of the radius element 400, as illustrated in
Some embodiments of the conduit port 500 may further comprise a slider 530 configured to be adjustably received within the top 520. A detachable cover 540 may be configured to connect to the slider 530 to allow access to the conduit interior. The detachable cover 540 may include a removable plug 550 to facilitate cleaning.
The vertical position of the slider 530 relative to the top 520 may be adjusted so as to enable customizable alignment of the detachable cover 540 with a basement floor. The slider 530 may be maintained at a desired vertical position within the top 520 in any manner, such as by friction, or by a mechanical attachment. For example, one or more screws may be used to maintain a desired height of the port 500. In some embodiments, the screws may be inserted from an exterior side of the top 520, an interior side of the slider 530, or both. It should be noted that this slidable adjustment mechanism may also be incorporated into the structure of the radius element 400 in
Each component of the conduit assembly may be separately optimized and constructed of any material suitable for its intended purpose, such as a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic. In some embodiments, each component may be generally flexible in nature. The conduit material should be durable and generally compatible with groundwater, soil, concrete, and any minerals or chemicals with which it may come into contact. The dimensions of the disclosed conduit may vary for different applications but, in general and without limiting the scope of the present disclosure, a typical assembled conduit may be about 2 inches high and about 4 inches wide in cross-section.
It is also contemplated that an antimicrobial agent, commonly known to those skilled in the art, may be incorporated into the conduit material prior to molding or extraction in order to impart antimicrobial properties to the resulting conduit. For example, the antimicrobial compound may be added in an amount of about three to five percent by weight. Without wishing to be bound to any particular theory, a sub-floor drainage conduit having an antimicrobial active surface may be effective in preventing the development of a harmful biofilm thereon.
A conduit kit may be provided for assembly of a conduit in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention. For example, the conduit kit may include sources, such as rolls, of horizontal element, side element and intermediate element which may be cut to desired lengths for conduit assembly. Structural features of the components may define a mating system as described herein to facilitate assembly. The kit may also include one or more radius elements and/or conduit ports as discussed above. One or more connector elements may also be provided to impart added strength to any joints in a resulting conduit assembly.
Other embodiments of the conduit of the present invention, and methods for its installation and use, are envisioned beyond those exemplarily described herein.
As used herein, the term “plurality” refers to two or more items or components. The terms “comprising,” “including,” “carrying,” “having,” “containing,” and “involving,” whether in the written description or the claims and the like, are open-ended terms, i.e., to mean “including but not limited to.” Thus, the use of such terms is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter, and equivalents thereof, as well as additional items. Only the transitional phrases “consisting of” and “consisting essentially of,” are closed or semi-closed transitional phrases, respectively, with respect to the claims.
Use of ordinal terms such as “first,” “second,” “third,” and the like in the claims to modify a claim element does not by itself connote any priority, precedence, or order of one claim element over another or the temporal order in which acts of a method are performed, but are used merely as labels to distinguish one claim element having a certain name from another element having a same name (but for use of the ordinal term) to distinguish the claim elements.
Those skilled in the art should appreciate that the parameters and configurations described herein are exemplary and that actual parameters and/or configurations will depend on the specific application in which the systems and techniques of the invention are used. Those skilled in the art should also recognize, or be able to ascertain, using no more than routine experimentation, equivalents to the specific embodiments of the invention. It is therefore to be understood that the embodiments described herein are presented by way of example only and that, within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereto, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.
