Patent Application
20070177941
None.
A. Field of the Invention
The field of the present invention relates generally to apparatuses utilized to drain areas of land. In particular, the present invention relates to catch basins having at least one inlet for receiving a fluid, such as storm water, and one or more outlets connected to a piping system, such as a storm sewer system, for transferring the fluid away from the catch basin. Even more particularly, the present invention relates to such catch basins that are configured to ease installation time, costs and effort by having selectable outlet and/or inlet port positions on one or more sides of the catch basin for connecting to a piping system.
B. Background
The use of one or more catch basins as a means of collecting and transferring fluid from an area of land is well known. In particular, the use of a catch basin positioned in the ground to collect and transfer storm water or other run-off water for transfer of that water to a storm sewer piping system is well known and commonly utilized in various landscape and similar applications. The typical catch basin comprises a main body portion or receptacle having a bottom section, side walls and an open top section that form a fluid chamber inside the main body portion. At least one of the side walls and/or the bottom section is configured with an outlet that connects to the piping system to drain water away from the catch basin. In one configuration, water enters the catch basin through a grate positioned across the top section. In another configuration, water also enters the catch basin through an inlet, which connects to a piping system that transfers water from an upstream location, on one or more sides of the main body portion. The grate is typically configured to screen solid materials, such as leaves and other debris, from entering the fluid chamber and the piping system, where it can clog the pipes and prevent collection and removal of the fluid. The outlet of the typical catch basin is positioned on the sidewall of the main body such that a sump area is provided at the bottom of the fluid chamber. The purpose of this sump area is to collect the smaller debris that passes through the grate to reduce the likelihood that this debris will clog the drain pipe. The main body portion can be configured in a variety of different cross-sectional shapes, with circular and square cross-sections being the most common configurations. The grate is typically of the same shape as the main body member and is configured to be removably attached to the top section thereof to permit the user to remove the grate and periodically clean out the sump area of the fluid chamber.
In one common application, a single catch basin is placed in the ground at the low spot of a lawn or other landscaped area or below a fluid down spout to collect storm water or excess water applied to the area. In this type of application, the catch basin is provided with a grate to allow water to flow into the fluid chamber, while screening out larger debris, and an outlet that connects to a sloped piping system to facilitate transferring the water away from the catch basin. This same configuration is also commonly utilized in driveways, parking lots and other paved or concreted areas. In another common application, the catch basin interconnects an inlet pipe, which receives fluid from another catch basin or through an inlet placed at a drainage area, and the drain pipe as a means of providing a cleanable sump area to prevent clogging of the drain pipe and, ultimately, the storm water or sewer drainage system. In either application, the catch basin grate and sump area must be periodically cleaned to prevent ponding of water on the landscaped area or in the street or parking lot. Some communities have regulations regarding the use and placement of catch basins so as to prevent the undesirable debris from entering the storm drainage or sewer system. Some communities have public or private services that periodically clean the sump area. In addition to preventing debris from entering and potentially clogging the storm drainage or sewer system, catch basins are also useful in minimizing the amount of pollutants that enter the storm drainage or sewer system. Absent the collecting of debris and pollutants at the catch basin, these materials are typically discharged to fresh or ocean waters, collected in detention basins or included in the water treated at a sewage treatment facility.
Installation of a catch basin involves selecting a catch basin having a fluid chamber of sufficient size to handle the expected amount of rainfall or other run-off, placing the catch basin at the low spot of the area to be drained or where excess water will accumulate, connecting the catch basin inlet to the inlet pipe (if applicable) and connecting the catch basin outlet to the drain pipe. The catch basin is usually placed in a hole deep enough for the main body member to be positioned such that the grate is substantially level or slightly below the surface of the ground. Typically, a gravel base or other firm base is provided in the hole for the catch basin to sit on. The catch basin inlet is connected to the inlet pipe, if applicable, and the outlet is connected to the drain pipe utilizing mechanisms appropriate for the materials utilized for the catch basin and inlet/drain pipes. Catch basins are commonly manufactured out of a structural plastic, such as injection-molded structural foam polyolefin or like material. Preferably, the outlet is positioned lower than the inlet to facilitate drainage of water from the catch basin. This may be accomplished by having the outlet lower on the side of the main body member than the inlet, utilizing a catch basin having a sloped bottom or by excavating the hole such that it slopes from inlet to outlet. Once the pipes are connected to the catch basin, the hole is filled in around the catch basin to secure the catch basin in place. For locations where vehicle traffic is expected, the hole around the catch basin may be filled with concrete or like material. Often, one or more holes are provided in the bottom section to allow excess water to leach out into the ground so as to prevent the accumulation of standing water in the catch basin.
The typical prior art catch basin is provided with a fixed outlet on one side of the main body that is sized to connect to a particular diameter of drainage pipe. If utilized, the inlet is typically, but not exclusively, placed at a fixed position on a sidewall opposite the outlet. Generally, the fixed outlets or inlets are located at or near the middle (top to bottom) of the sidewall. In some configurations, the outlet and/or inlet of the catch basin are provided with a universal outlet that is adapted to connect to a plurality of drain/inlet pipe diameters, thereby making the catch basin more universal. An example of such a configuration is shown in U.S. Pat. No. Des. 402,013 to Saffrey, the assignee of which is the assignee of the present invention. In other configurations, a universal outlet adapter connects to the outlet or inlet so as to permit connection to variable sized drain or inlet pipes. A problem with the aforementioned catch basins is that the outlets and/or inlets are fixedly positioned on the side wall of the main body portion. The fixed nature of these outlets/inlets makes installation of the catch basin and its connection to the drain or inlet pipes more difficult in that the installer has to carefully ensure that the catch basin is appropriately positioned relative to the outlet and inlet pipes. This generally requires somewhat careful consideration and preparation of the hole and bottom thereof so as to properly receive the catch basin.
An alternative to the use of a fixedly positioned catch basin outlet and/or inlet is the use of a series of knock-out locations on the side or sides of the main body portion. The knock-outs are typically configured in various positions down the sidewalls of the main body portion and are partially “pre-cut” to allow the installer to select the depth at which he or she desires to locate the outlet or inlet to better connect to the piping system(s). On common configuration for the cut-outs is the use of a bayonet cut, which facilitates an appropriately configured outlet or inlet, provided as a separate component, connecting to the cut-out and, therefore, the catch basin in a twist/lock fashion. Other configurations for the cut-outs are also possible. The outlet or inlet component can be provided as a single sized outlet/inlet for connecting to a particular sized outlet/inlet pipe or with a universal outlet/inlet adapter configured for multiple sizes of pipes (as described above). While the use of multiple positioned knockouts provides additional flexibility with regard to the placement of the outlet/inlet on the catch basin main body portion, they are known to have certain drawbacks. For instance, the installer has to be relatively careful when removing the knock-out that he or she does not damage the bayonet cut or sidewall of the catch basin, therefore generally rendering the subject catch basin useless for its intended purpose.
Several patents describe attempts to provide some flexibility for placement of the catch basin relative to the outlet or inlet piping system. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 3,562,969 to Little, Jr. describes a sectional catch basin having pre-cast concrete walls that interlockingly fit onto a base and receive a cover. The walls have flanges that join together to form the receptacle. Spacer sections are utilized below or above a wall section to raise or lower the placement of the opening for the outlet and/or inlet. U.S. Pat. No. 6,419,421 to Whitfield, Jr. describes a catch basin comprised of a bottom piece, side plates, corner pieces and a top unit that are assembled on site. A lip on the bottom piece holds the corner pieces in place, the side plates slide into grooves in the corner pieces and the top unit connects to the corners pieces and side plates to form the receptacle. The side plates are shown with variable placed holes to connect the outlet and/or inlet pipes to the catch basin at the desired height. U.S. Pat. No. 6,161,984 to Sinclair describes a catch basin assembly that has components which allow the user to adjust the height of the assembly to allow for repaving of road surfaces or other need for an elevated height. Although the foregoing describe catch basin assemblies that allow some flexibility with regard to placement of the outlet and inlet pipes, they do not provide a catch basin pre-manufactured out of structural plastic that allows the on-site installer to make the necessary adjustments to the outlet and inlet locations.
What is needed is an improved catch basin that provides the desired flexibility for placement of the outlets and inlets along the depth of the main or receptacle body of the catch basin. The desired catch basin should allow the installer to relatively easily, and with low risk of damage to the catch basin, select the desired depth for placement of the outlet and, if appropriate, inlet into the fluid chamber thereof. The desired catch basin will have a locating mechanism that allows the installer to select the desired depth of the outlet/inlet along the sidewall of the main body portion without the use of tools or by only utilizing hand tools. The desired catch basin will be adaptable for use with a fixedly positioned outlets and inlets and/or with knock-outs for attachment of a separate outlet/inlet, whether of single size or universal adapter configuration.
The catch basin having selectable port position of the present invention provides the benefits and solves the problems identified above. That is to say, the present invention discloses a catch basin which is manufactured out of structural plastic materials and pre-made into the desired size and shape, which allows the on-site installer to select the most desirable or workable port position on the side wall of the catch basin for the outlet or inlet. The present invention is configured to allow the installer to easily and with low risk of damage to the catch basin select the height of the outlet or inlet. The catch basin of the present invention is adaptable for use with a fixed positioned outlets and inlets and/or with cutouts having removable knockouts configured for attachment of a separate outlet/inlet, whether of single size or universal adapter configuration. In one aspect of the present invention, the catch basin has a receptacle body comprising a plurality of side walls, a bottom and an open top section that define a fluid chamber inside the receptacle body. In the preferred embodiment, the side walls, bottom and top section of the receptacle body is substantially contiguous, forming a substantially unitary receptacle structure that can be manufactured out of a structural plastic material. A slide opening, having a pair of opposing slide opening sides, a slide insert and a slide stop, is located in at least one of the receptacle's side walls. A slide member, sized and configured to be received in the slide opening, has a pair of slide edges, a leading edge, a trailing edge, an inner wall face and an outer wall face. The slide edges of the slide member are configured to slidably engage the slide opening sides and substantially close the slide opening. In the preferred embodiment, the slide edges frictionally engage the slide opening sides. Also in the preferred embodiment, which is for a vertically configured slide opening and slide member, the bottom of the slide opening has a slide insert for receiving the slide member and the leading edge of the slide member abuts against a stop member at the top of the slide opening.
The slide member has a center or port section which is attached or attachable to an outlet or inlet port for connection to outlet or inlet piping systems. The port at or attachable to the port section of the slide member can be a single size port or a universal port configured for a plurality of different sized pipe connections. In one configuration, the outlet or inlet port is either integral to or fixedly attached to the port section of the slide member. In another configuration, the outlet or inlet port is a separate component that is attachable to the port section of the slide member. In a preferred configuration of this embodiment, the port section slide member has a slide port cutout with a removable slide knockout plate that is sized and configured to receivedly engage the separate outlet or inlet port. The slide port cutout can be a bayonet cut having a plurality of key ways that are configured to lockingly engage the keys of the separate inlet or outlet port member. In yet another configuration of the separate port embodiment, a variety of other mechanisms can be utilized for attaching the separate outlet or inlet port to the port section of the slide member, such as having a port member that slidingly engages a component on the slide member.
In addition to the port section, the slide member also has two or more removable positioning sections, with at least one of the positioning sections disposed above the port section and at least one of the positioning sections disposed below the port section. The positioning sections are configured to selectively position the port section, and therefore the outlet or inlet port, on the side wall of the receptacle. Preferably, each of the positioning sections are defined by a section cut in the slide member that defines an area of reduced thickness configured to facilitate the removal of the positioning section by snapping it off or by utilizing a utility knife. In the preferred configuration of the slide member, the inner and/or outer wall face thereof has one or more section removal indicators that are configured to identify which of the positioning sections should be removed to obtain the desired placement of the port section on the receptacle side wall.
In a second aspect of the present invention, the catch basin has a receptacle body with a first slide opening in a first side wall and a second slide opening in a second side wall. Each of the first and second side walls have slide openings that have opposing slide opening sides extending upwardly from a slide insert at the bottom to a slide stop near the peripheral collar at the top section of the receptacle. A first slide member is slidably received in the first slide opening and a second slide member is slidably received in the second slide opening. Each of the slide members has a port section configured with an inlet or outlet port integral or attached thereto or an inlet or outlet port attachable thereto. As set forth above, in a preferred embodiment, the slide members can have a slide port cutout with a removable knockout plate that receives a separate inlet or outlet component. In one configuration of this embodiment, the slide port cutout is configured as a bayonet cut having key ways that engage the keys of the separate inlet or outlet port component. Each of the slide members also have two or more removable positioning sections, with at least one of the positioning sections disposed above the port section and at least one of the positioning sections disposed below the port section. As described above, preferably the positioning sections are configured to allow the installer to relatively easily select the position of the port section on the receptacle side walls.
Accordingly, the primary objective of the present invention is to provide a catch basin that provides the advantages discussed above and overcomes the disadvantages and limitations which are associated with presently available catch basins. An important objective of the present invention to provide a catch basin that allows the installer to quickly and easily selectively position the outlets and/or inlets on one or more sides of the catch basin receptacle body so as to align the outlets and/or inlets with a drainage or inlet piping system.
It is also an important objective of the present invention to provide a catch basin comprising a unitary, substantially contiguous receptacle body having at least one side with a slide opening configured to receive a slide member having either an outlet integral therewith or fixedly attached thereto.
It is also an important objective of the present invention to provide a catch basin comprising a unitary, substantially contiguous receptacle body having at least one side with a slide opening configured to receive a slide member having a knock-out plate and an outlet cutout, such as a bayonet cut having a plurality of key ways, adapted to engagedly receive an outlet therein.
It is also an important objective of the present invention to provide a catch basin having a receptacle body comprising at least a first side and a second side that each have a slide opening adapted to frictionally receive a slide member therein, the slide member for the slide opening on the first side adapted with or for receiving an outlet and the slide member for the slide opening on the second side adapted with or for receiving an inlet.
The above and other objectives of the present invention will be explained in greater detail by reference to the attached figures and the description of the preferred embodiment which follows. As set forth herein, the present invention resides in the novel features of form, construction, mode of operation and combination of processes presently described and understood by the claims.
In the drawings which illustrate the preferred embodiments and the best modes presently contemplated for carrying out the present invention:
With reference to the figures where like elements have been given like numerical designations to facilitate the reader's understanding of the present invention, the preferred embodiments of the present invention are set forth below. As is understood by those skilled in the art, the enclosed figures and drawings are merely illustrative of a preferred embodiment and represents one of several different ways of configuring the present invention. Although specific components, materials, configurations and uses are set forth below and illustrated in the drawings, it should be understood that a number of variations to the components and to the configuration of those components described herein and in the accompanying figures can be made without changing the scope and function of the invention set forth herein. For purposes of this disclosure, references are generally to use of the catch basin of the present invention with a landscape or other land-based drainage system, however, it is understood that the disclosure herein may apply to other types of uses where a catch basin can be beneficially utilized. In addition, references herein to an outlet or inlet ports can be generally be interchanged and is occasionally referred to generically as a port, that term being understood to encompass either an outlet or an inlet.
A catch basin that is manufactured out of the components and configured pursuant to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown generally as 10 in the figures. As shown in
Third 28 and fourth 30 side walls, as best shown in
The present invention significantly improves the port, such as outlet 36 or inlet 38, positioning flexibility for the installer by utilizing an easier and more flexible port locating mechanism on one or more of the side walls 14 of receptacle 12. The figures show use of the present invention on first side wall 24 for outlet 36 and second side wall 26 for inlet 38. As those skilled in the art will readily appreciate, however, the placement of outlet 36 and inlet 38 can be on any of the sidewalls 14 of receptacle 12. In the preferred embodiment, shown in
As best shown in
Numerous configurations are possible to obtain the desired slidable engagement of slide members 48 and 50 with slide openings 44 and 46. In a preferred embodiment, inner wall face 72 comprises a slide engagement member 74, best shown in
Outlet 36 and inlet 34 can be manufactured integral with first 48 and second 50 slide members, as shown in
To provide for the selectable positioning of inlet 34 or outlet 36, the slide members, such as first 48 and second 50 slide members, of the preferred embodiment of the present invention utilize a port section connected to two or more separatable positioning sections, such as the first positioning section 90, second positioning section 92, third positioning section 94 and fourth positioning section 96 shown in
To assist the installer with removal of the proper positioning sections, the preferred embodiment of the present invention utilizes a section removal indicator 102 at each of the positioning sections 90, 92, 94 and 96, as best shown in
To assist with placement of first 48 or second 50 slide member inside first 44 or second 46 slide openings, the inner wall face 72 can comprise one or more tab members 106 on port section 88 and each of the lower positioning sections, such as third positioning section 94 and fourth positioning section 96 shown in
Bottom 16 can be configured to be substantially planar or with an sloped surface to facilitate drainage through outlet 36. In addition, bottom 16 can be a solid component or, as best shown in
Although receptacle body 12 is shown as substantially square and slide openings 44/46 and slide members 48/50 are shown as rectangular, those skilled in the art will readily understand that the invention is not so limited. As stated above, receptacle body 12 can be of a variety of different cross-sectional configurations and incorporate the principles and benefits of the present invention. Additionally, even for square receptacle body 12, slide openings 44/46 and slide members 48/50 can be configured with different configurations. For instance, as shown in
In use, the installer will excavate an appropriately sized hole and, typically, place gravel or other fill material at the bottom thereof for placement of catch basin 10. The receptacle body may be supplied with one or more side walls configured to accept an appropriately sized and configured slide member therein, typically two opposing sides such as first side wall 24 and second side wall 26. In an installation having no inlet pipes, the inflow of fluid being through the grate, the installer will align the catch basin with the drainage pipe and select a first slide member 48 either already having the desired outlet 36 installed (i.e., if integral or fixed thereto) or a cutout 80, in which case the installer removes knockout plate 82. The installer then removes the appropriate positioning sections 90, 92, 94 or 96 (in the figures) to place port section 88 at a place that outlet 36 is in substantial alignment with the drainage pipe. For outlet 36 shown in
While there are shown and described herein a specific form of the invention, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention is not so limited, but is susceptible to various modifications and rearrangements in design and materials without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
In particular, it should be noted that the present invention is subject to modification with regard to any dimensional relationships set forth herein and modifications in assembly, materials, size, shape, and use. For instance, there are numerous components described herein that can be replaced with equivalent functioning components to accomplish the objectives of the present invention.
