Patent Application
20240287783
This disclosure relates generally to a drainage apparatus for managing fluid runoff. In particular, this disclosure relates to a trench drain configured to be connected to underlying drainage pipe and a grate for attachment thereto.
Trench drains are often installed in heavily trafficked areas, such as roads, driveways, sidewalks, manufacturing facilities and other industrial sites. In these locations, they may be subjected to heavy and variable loading. Broken drain frames and grates can result in excess surface water and unsafe conditions for vehicles and pedestrians. Therefore, a need exists for a drainage apparatus including a frame that can provide adequate load distribution to withstand this traffic.
Additionally, trench drains are often installed in concrete or asphalt. This installation requires the forming and assembly of the drainage components prior to the pour. However, there remain certain disadvantages with existing trench drains because components extend beyond the side frame of the trench drain. For example, some designs include a cross bar extending beyond the sides of the frame to secure the top grate. The installation of these existing trench drains requires more labor and care, through multiple staged pours. It also leaves these components extending beyond the side frame of the trench drain more susceptible to damage in the installation process. Finally, these existing trench drains are inflexible and cannot easily accommodate field changes once the components extending beyond the side frame of the trench drain are cast into the concrete/asphalt. Therefore, a need exists for a drainage apparatus that allows for affixing the grate to a member within the frame.
The disclosed drainage apparatus provides a frame assembly that improves load distribution and allows for attachment of a grate to a cross member located entirely within the frame, overcoming the above and/or other problems in the prior art.
The disclosed embodiments describe a drainage apparatus for managing fluid runoff. An embodiment of the drainage apparatus may include a trench drain having one or more grates, a frame having a top portion configured to accommodate the one or more grates, a first plurality of plates located within the frame and positioned below the one or more grates, and one or more cross members connected to plates of the first plurality of plates, each of the one or more cross members extending between at least two plates of the first plurality of plates. Advantageously, each of the one or more grates may be secured to a cross member of the one or more cross members.
In some embodiments, the frame may comprise first and second sidewalls spaced apart from one another, the first and second sidewalls being mirror images of one another and each sidewall may include a lower portion, an intermediate portion, and an upper portion, the upper portion corresponding to the top portion of the frame.
Furthermore, the lower portion of the first sidewall may be substantially parallel to the lower portion of the second sidewall and the upper portion of the first sidewall is substantially parallel to the upper portion of the second sidewall. A distance between the lower portion of the first sidewall and the lower portion of the second sidewall may be less than a distance between the upper portion of the first sidewall and the upper portion of the second sidewall.
Furthermore, the intermediate portion of each of the first and second sidewalls may include an angled lower section and a flat upper section, each of the one or more grates being configured to rest on the flat upper sections of the first sidewall and the second sidewall and to abut the top portion of the first sidewall and the top portion of the second sidewall.
In some embodiments, the frame may comprise first and second sidewalls spaced apart from one another, the first and second sidewalls being mirror images of one another. The first and second sidewalls may include a lower portion, an intermediate portion, and an upper portion, the upper portion corresponding to the top portion of the frame. Furthermore, each of the plates of the first plurality of plates abut the first sidewall and the second sidewall, each plate being tapered such that an upper portion of the plate is wider than a lower portion of the plate, the upper portion of the plate being located closer to the grate than the lower portion of the plate.
In some embodiments, the frame may comprise first and second sidewalls spaced apart from one another, the first and second sidewalls being mirror images of one another. The first and second sidewalls may include a lower portion, an intermediate portion, and an upper portion, the upper portion corresponding to the top portion of the frame. Furthermore, the frame may further comprise an end plate tapered such that an upper portion of the end plate is wider than a lower portion of the end plate, the upper portion of the end plate being located closer to the grate than the lower portion of the end plate.
In some embodiments, each of the plates of the first plurality of plates may have slots to accept the cross member. In some embodiments, each of the plates of the first plurality of plates may have tabs allowing for connection of the plate to the frame. In some embodiments, one or more plate of the first plurality of plates does not have a slot to accept the cross member.
In some embodiments, the cross member may include interior threading to accept a second end of a fastener, the first end of the fastener being connected to a grate of the one or more grates. The threading may be in the center of the cross member. The cross member may include a welded hex nut to secure a fastener to the cross member. The cross member may engage with slots in one or more plates of the first plurality of plates. The cross member may protrude through one or more plates of the first plurality of plates.
In some embodiments, the cross member may span between only two plates of the first plurality of plates. In some embodiments, the cross member may include interior threading to accept a second end of a fastener, the first end of the fastener being connected to a grate of the one or more grates. The cross member may be a substantially horizontal plate having edges protruding down from a top surface of the cross member in a central section of the substantially horizontal plate.
In some embodiments, the frame may be connected to a drainage pipe at a bottom of the frame. The connection of the frame to the drainage pipe may be along an entire length of the frame.
Additional features and advantages of the disclosed embodiments will be set forth in part in the description that follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the disclosed embodiments. The features and advantages of the disclosed embodiments will be realized and attained by the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are examples and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the disclosed embodiments as claimed.
The accompanying drawings constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate several embodiments of the present disclosure and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the disclosed embodiments as set forth in the accompanying claims.
Example embodiments are described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
The disclosed embodiments improve deficiencies of existing drainage apparatuses by providing for better load distribution throughout the geometry and spacer layout. Additionally, grate connections according to embodiments of the disclosure allow for easier field installation and flexibility by accommodating grate connection to a cross member located entirely inside the frame of the drainage apparatus.
The figures detailed below depict these improvements in the form a linear trench drainage apparatus with mirrored sidewalls. However, the disclosure is not limited to the depicted embodiments. It is contemplated that drains of different geometries could incorporate the claimed features and similar benefits would result from doing so.
Drainage apparatus 100 may include a frame 180 that contains fluid runoff, comprising sidewalls 110 and end plates 150. Frame 180 may be connected to grate 120 and may be configured to divert fluid runoff filtered through grate 120 down to a lower drainage pipe 160. Accordingly, fluid runoff may run through grate 120, between sidewalls 110 and end plates 150, and into lower pipe 160 where it may continue flowing through more pipes or other drainage structures until it reaches an end destination (e.g., ground, stream, treatment facility, etc.). As shown in
In some embodiments, sidewalls 110 and/or grates 120 may be formed of injection-molded plastic material, such as polyethylene, polypropylene, or PVC (polyvinyl chloride) materials. In some embodiments, sidewalls 110 and/or grates 120 may be formed of a metal, such as a galvanized steel, cast iron, or aluminum. Sidewalls 110 and grates 120 may be made of any material with sufficient strength to handle the necessary loads that will be placed on drainage apparatus 100. Further, sidewalls 110 and grates 120 may be made of the same or different material.
In some embodiments, lower drainage pipe 160 may be a slotted drainage pipe and may include a slot opening where lower drainage pipe 160 connects to sidewalls 110. As further detailed below, sidewalls 110 may include a bottom flange 110d that abuts the inside of lower drainage pipe 160. In some embodiments, the distance between the sidewalls at the slot opening may be between 1 inches and 4 inches. As shown in
Lower drainage pipe 160 may be made of corrosion resistant HDPE conveyance pipe, reinforced concrete pipe, ductile iron pipe, PVC pipe, or any other material suitable to withstanding the flow and/or corrosive nature of the fluid runoff. In one embodiment, lower drainage pipe 160 may be a slotted HDPE conveyance pipe with a smooth interior and annular exterior corrugations. In other embodiments, lower drainage pipe 160 is not a separate pipe but a channel formed by sidewalls 110 of drainage apparatus 100.
Drainage apparatus 100 may further include plates 130 and 170, as shown in
In some embodiments, upper plates 130 and lower plates 170 may be made of a plastic material, such as polyethylene, polypropylene, or PVC (polyvinyl chloride) materials. In some embodiments the upper plates 130 and lower plates 170 may be formed of a metal, such as a galvanized steel, cast iron, or aluminum. The plates (130, 170) may be made of any material that can provide structural support to sidewalls 110 and/or provide an attachment point for cross members 140.
End plate 150 may be installed at the end of drainage apparatus 100 and may be connected to sidewalls 110. End plate 150 may cover the space between sidewalls 110 and prevent fluid from leaking out as it flows to lower drainage pipe 160. In some embodiments, end plate 150 may be made of the same material as upper plate 130 and/or lower plate 170. In other embodiments, end plate 150 may be made of any material that can cover the space between sidewalls 110. In other embodiments, sidewalls 110 are continuous and there is no separate end plate 150.
Drainage apparatus 100 may further include cross members 140, as detailed in
As described above, installation of a drainage apparatus, such as a trench drain, may be difficult and labor-intensive. To install drainage apparatus 100, a trench must be dug and base material must be placed at the bottom of the trench. Then the drainage apparatus and connected drainage pipe must be installed, protected, and braced. The trench is then backfilled with the appropriate material depending on the loading requirements of the application. In some embodiments, for example in a heavy traffic installation, drainage apparatus 100 may be installed in concrete. In some embodiments, drainage apparatus 100 may be installed in crushed rock, gravel, asphalt, or any other backfill material capable of withstanding the relevant loading and holding drainage apparatus 100 in place. Some existing trench drain designs include components for fixing the grate to the frame that extend beyond the sides of the frame. For example, some trench drains include a cross bar extending beyond the sides of the frame to secure the grate. Installing drains with these external components can be labor-intensive. The installation may require more care in framing, multiple staged concrete pours, and may not easily accommodate field changes once cast in place. Furthermore, the external components may be more susceptible to damage during the installation process.
Plates 230 may include slots 230b which permit cross members 240 to slide through the plates 230 and to be supported by plates 230. Slots 230b may be created by stamping, cutting, milling, drilling or any other machining or manufacturing technique for creating cutouts, opening, or holes. Alternatively, slots 230b may be created with a mold during the manufacturing of plate 230. In other embodiments, cross member 240 may be welded, fastened, or otherwise secured to plates 230. In other embodiments, cross member 240 may be part of one or more plates 230 and may be constructed of the same piece of continuous material. At least one fastener may connect grate 220 to cross member 240. A first end of the fastener may be connected to grate 220 and a second end of the fastener may be connected to cross member 240.
As further detailed below, cross member 240 may have edges 240b protruding down from a top surface of the cross member in a central section, allowing the cross member 240 to be locked in place when the ends are slid between the plate slots 230b. Additionally, and/or alternatively, cross member 240 may have edges that are wider than the width of the slots 230b and allow the cross member to be locked into position between the plates 230. The cross member 240 may have other means to secure the connection with the plates 230. For example, the cross member 240 may have tabs, lips, brackets and/or any other features that allow for the cross member 240 to be secured in place between the plates 230.
The above embodiments provide for flexibility in the installation process by keeping the cross members 240, used to fasten the grates, entirely with the sidewalls 210 of drainage apparatus 200. Therefore, the installation process is made easier because less caution needs to be taken in framing and pouring the concrete. Additionally, the exterior of drainage apparatus 200 is easier to protect in the framing process. Furthermore, drainage apparatus 200 can more easily accommodate field changes because it reduces the external components embedded in the surrounding backfill material (e.g. concrete).
As described above, the drainage apparatus may be subjected to heavy and variable loading, such as through vehicular traffic. For example, the drainage apparatus may be installed at airports, parking garages, industrial plants, or other locations where it might receive heavy vehicular traffic. Additionally, and/or alternatively, the drainage apparatus may be subjected to heavy pedestrian traffic. This requires drainage apparatus to be constructed in a manner that adequately distributes the load forces.
As previously mentioned, in some embodiments, lower drainage pipe 360 may be a slotted pipe with a narrow opening to accept the drainage apparatus frame 380 (comprising sidewalls 310 and end plates (not shown in
Furthermore, an intermediate portion 310b of the first and second sidewalls may include an angled section to accommodate different widths of the drainage apparatus frame 380. Intermediate portion 310b may also include a flat upper section that supports the bottom of grate 320. Grate 320 may rest on the flat upper section of intermediate portions 310b and may abut the interior of the first and second sidewalls 310 at upper portions 310a. In other embodiments, grate 320 may rest on top of sidewalls 310, may be supported by flat sections in upper portions 310a, may be fastened to sidewalls 310 with a bracket, or may be otherwise fixed to sidewalls 310. While each sidewall 310 in
Plates 330 act as spacers and continuously abut the first and second sidewalls 310 to provide adequate structural support for the frame 380. To maintain this connection to the sidewalls 310, each of plates 330 may include a tapered section such that an upper portion of the plate is wider than a lower portion. In some embodiments, the tapering may be at an angle that allows the plate 330 to maintain contact with an interior of each of the first and second sidewalls 310. For example, as shown in
Plates 370 also act as spacers and may be configured to continuously abut the first and second sidewalls 310 to provide adequate structural support for the frame 380. Similar to plate 330, the angled shape of plate 370 may provide sustained contact with an interior of the first and second sidewalls 310. For example, plate 370 may have vertical sidewalls to match the inside of sidewall lower portion 310c. In other embodiments, plates 370 may include any geometry that provides sufficient support for the sidewalls 310, which may vary based on installation characteristics. In some embodiments, tabs 370a allow for the plates 370 to be connected to sidewalls 310. Any number of tabs 370a may be included to allow for connection to sidewalls 310. In some embodiments, the plates 370 may be connected to sidewalls 310 through welding, adhesives, fasteners, and or any other means that provides a secure connection between sidewalls 310 and the plates 370.
As shown above, drainage apparatus 300 provides for structural support of grate 320 which is wider than a slot inlet of lower drainage pipe 360. Furthermore, the geometry of the plates (330, 370) provides support for the sidewalls 310 to avoid deformation. Therefore, the disclosed drainage apparatus 300 embodiments provide for better load distribution and can withstand installation in heavily trafficked areas. Further, as detailed above, cross member 340 may securely affix the grate 320 to prevent movement of the grate 320. A first end of a fastener may be connected to grate 320 and a second end of the fastener may be connected to cross member 340
The disclosure, with explicit and implicit variations and advantages, has been described and illustrated with respect to several exemplary embodiments. Those embodiments should be considered illustrative and not restrictive possible examples and/or representations, and various changes, omissions and/or additions may be made, and, equivalents may be substituted for elements or exemplary embodiments. Unless specifically stated otherwise: any use of words such as “preferred” and variations suggest a feature or combination which is desirable but which is not necessarily mandatory, and, use of terms first, second, etc., do not denote order or importance. Thus, embodiments lacking any such preferred feature or combination may be within the scope of the claims which follow. Persons skilled in the art may make various changes in form and detail of the invention embodiments which are described, without departing from the spirit and scope of the claimed invention. Modifications and adaptations of the embodiments will be apparent from consideration of the specification and practice of the disclosed embodiments. For example, while certain components have been described as being coupled to one another, such components may be integrated with one another or distributed in any suitable fashion.
Moreover, while illustrative embodiments have been described herein, the scope includes any and all embodiments having equivalent elements, modifications, omissions, combinations (e.g., of aspects across various embodiments), adaptations and/or alterations based on the present disclosure. The elements in the claims are to be interpreted broadly based on the language employed in the claims and not limited to examples described in the present specification or during the prosecution of the application, which examples are to be construed as nonexclusive. Further, the steps of the disclosed methods can be modified in any manner, including reordering steps and/or inserting or deleting steps.
The features and advantages of the disclosure are apparent from the detailed specification, and thus, it is intended that the appended claims cover all systems and methods falling within the true spirit and scope of the disclosure. As used herein, the indefinite articles “a” and “an” mean “one or more.” Similarly, the use of a plural term does not necessarily denote a plurality unless it is unambiguous in the given context. Words such as “and” or “or” mean “and/or” unless specifically directed otherwise. Further, since numerous modifications and variations will readily occur from studying the present disclosure, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation illustrated and described, and, accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure.
This application is based on and claims benefit of priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/447,801, filed on Feb. 23, 2023. The content of the foregoing application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63447801 | Feb 2023 | US |
