This disclosure relates generally to systems, apparatus, and methods for fluid runoff management. In particular, this disclosure relates to stormwater storage and retention of stormwater through use of a stormwater management crate, or through the use of a plurality of stormwater management crates formed into a stormwater management crate assembly.
Fluid runoff systems include systems designed to process rainwater or other fluid runoff, particularly stormwater. These systems can be used to control water in areas that may experience overloads in the local drainage system during periods of high precipitation, such as around construction sites and developed urban areas. These systems temporarily store and divert water runoff from impervious surfaces, such as sidewalks, roads, and parking lots. The system then controls the fluid discharge back to the environment to meter rainfall discharge from a site and reduce the risk of flooding. Stormwater also carries debris and solid contaminants, such as dirt, sand, and organic debris. Fluid management systems are designed to receive and retain stormwater, allowing particulates to settle at the bottom of the chamber before the stormwater is released out of the system. Fluid management systems may include above-ground storage systems such as ponds, swales, or holding tanks. Fluid management systems may also include below-ground systems such as underground storage chambers, concrete drainage structures, thermoplastic storage chambers, or crate-type water management systems.
Crate-type water management systems may be used to form a chamber suitable for managing stormwater runoff. For example, multiple stormwater management crates may be connected together into a modular array of stormwater management crates, forming a stormwater management crate assembly. Stormwater management crate assemblies may be placed underground, typically underneath parking lots or green spaces. These assemblies may be wrapped in a membrane to prohibit infiltration of surrounding soil or other aggregates into the stormwater management crate assembly, forming a void space within the assembly for the storage of stormwater runoff. These underground assemblies accommodate a site's water volume runoff and treatment requirements and also maximize the site's buildable area for other beneficial uses.
During a storm, stormwater or rainwater runoff enters the underground stormwater management crate assembly, and in some configurations, may exit the assembly by flowing through a conduit connecting the assembly to another system component, such as a basin or another drainage structure. The stormwater management crate assembly may be placed on a prepared bed of coarse aggregate or stone, and may be backfilled underground with aggregate, earth, or other suitable backfill material.
Stormwater carries debris and solid contaminants that can pass into and through basins, traps, and filters of conventional stormwater management systems. Stormwater may include suspended solids, including dirt, sand, organic debris such as leaves, paper, and plastic. Crate-type water management systems may be configured to receive stormwater and allow debris to settle to a bottom of the assembly before the stormwater is released into the ground or through an outlet or may be used to restrict the volume or discharge rate of stormwater runoff from leaving the site.
Existing crate-type water management systems require intensive labor to assemble on a project site. Many of the components used to form the stormwater management crates are cumbersome and heavy to manipulate into place. Construction and assembly of the water management crates can be difficult when crate assembly components such as the plates and the columns are loosely connected during initial assembly. Separable connections may accidently disconnect, destabilizing the structural integrity of the stormwater management crate. Other problems include rigid connections between crate assembly plates and columns that do not allow flexing or rotation of the columns, which may place critical stress on the columns during assembly or after installation of the stormwater management crates, leading to damage to the columns.
Thus, solutions are needed to improve these and other deficiencies in crate-type water management systems. Such solutions should reduce labor and assembly costs by reducing the weight of the stormwater management crate plate component through structural design improvements to reduce weight and allow for easier field assembly of the crate assembly. Other improvements should include increasing strength and durability of the crate components while maximizing the void space in the assembly suitable for storing stormwater. Solutions should also include improved connections between support columns and plates so as to permanently affix the plates and the columns during assembly, while also providing for rotation of the columns to mitigate damaging stress forces on the columns during assembly or after installation. Further solutions should allow for some components of the modular crate assemblies to be pre-assembled prior to arrival at a project site and configured for ease of final assembly upon arrival to the site to streamline and improve the construction process. Some solutions should allow crates and plates that are not load-bearing to be lighter in weight, so as to reduce the weight and increase the handling and assembly efficiency of stormwater management crates.
The disclosed embodiments describe systems, methods, and devices for managing fluid runoff. These systems, methods, and devices may include use of a stormwater management crate, or the use of a plurality of stormwater management crates formed into a stormwater management crate assembly. For example, in an embodiment, A stormwater management crate assembly for managing stormwater may include one or more stormwater management crates arranged in a modular array. The one or more stormwater management crates may include a top plate having a plurality of support column attachments, a bottom plate having a plurality of support column attachments, a plurality of support columns located below the top plate, and at least one intermediate plate having a plurality of support column attachments; the at least one intermediate plate being located between the top plate and the bottom plate.
In some embodiments, the plurality of support column attachments on the at least one intermediate plate may include a first set of support column attachments located on the underside of the intermediate plate and a second set of support column attachments located on the upper side of the intermediate plate. Each of the plurality of support columns may be affixed to the intermediate plate at the support column attachments.
In some embodiments, the at least one intermediate plate, top plate, and bottom each have a weight, the weight of the intermediate plate being less than the weight of the top plate and less than the weight of the bottom plate. In some embodiments, both the top plate and the bottom plate are configured to withstand a load greater than a maximum load the at least one intermediate plate is configured to withstand. The at least one intermediate plate may include perforations. The at least one intermediate plate may include hook locks and slot locks.
In some embodiments, the plurality of support columns may extend from the top plate thorough the at least one intermediate plate to the bottom plate. The at least one intermediate plate may include column connection recesses. The at least one intermediate plate may include support members. The at least one intermediate plate may comprise less material than the top plate.
In some embodiments, a stormwater management crate for managing stormwater runoff may include a plurality of support columns located below the top plate, and at least one lightweight intermediate plate affixed to the plurality of support columns, wherein the at least one lightweight intermediate plate is located between the top plate and the bottom plate, wherein the stormwater management crate is configured so that the at least one lightweight intermediate plate does not bear any vertical load.
In some embodiments, the at least one lightweight intermediate plate may include tab connections. The plurality of support columns may be attached to the at least one lightweight intermediate plate by pressing. The at least one lightweight intermediate plate has a weight less than a weight of either the top plate or the bottom plate. The plurality of support columns extends from the top plate through the at least one lightweight intermediate plate to the bottom plate.
In some embodiments, the one or more of the support column attachments may comprise a bayonet connection. The bayonet connection may include a detent that seats the pin in the bayonet connection. In yet other embodiments, the detent may be configured to allow the support column to rotate in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction from a center detent position. In another embodiment, the bayonet connection may include a rib configured to prevent the pin from exiting the support column attachment.
In some embodiments, the support columns may include a column pin installed toward one end of the support column. The column pin may be configured to interface with the support column attachments to affix the support column to the top plate. In some embodiments, the column pin may penetrate through the outer walls of the support column to interface with a snap fit connection. In other embodiments, the column pin may penetrate through the outer wall of the support column at two locations to interface with a pair of bayonet connections.
In some embodiments, the plurality of support columns may be affixed to a base plate or an intermediate plate. According to a disclosed embodiment, the plurality of support columns attachments may include a snap fit connection. In other embodiments, the snap fit connection may be configured to allow the support column to rotate in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction from the center snap fit position.
In some embodiments, the plurality of support column attachments may include a first set of support column attachments located on the underside of the top plate and a second set of support column attachments located on the upper side of the intermediate plate. In some embodiments, the first set of support column attachments may comprise a bayonet connection and the second set of support column attachments may comprise a snap fit connection. In other embodiments, the support column attachments may comprise both bayonet connections and snap connections within a single column attachment.
In some embodiments, the intermediate plate includes a first set of support column attachments located on the underside of the intermediate plate and a second set of support column attachments located on the upper side of the intermediate plate. In some embodiments, the first set of support column attachments may comprise a bayonet connection and the second set of support column attachments may comprise a snap fit connection. In other embodiments, the support column attachments may comprise both bayonet connections and snap connections within a single column attachment.
In some embodiments, the baseplate may include a plurality of support column attachments configured to affix the plurality of support columns to the base plate.
In some embodiments, the top plate and the base plate may be configured to support soil loads and a walking live load. For example, a stormwater management crate assembly may be placed underground, or under a parking lot. Top plate may support the weight of the surface loads and other soil loads above the top plate. These loads may be transferred down through various support columns to the base plate, which in turn transfers these loads to the ground located below the base plate. In other embodiments, the intermediate plate may be configured to support a walking live load only, and not the soil loads encountered by the top plate and base plate.
According to a disclosed embodiment, a portion of a stormwater management crate may include a top plate having a plurality of support column attachments, a plurality of support columns located below the top plate, and a side panel configured to attach to the top plate without contacting any of the one or more support columns. In another embodiment, the side panels may be configured to attach to the top plate and contact one or more of the support columns.
According to another disclosed embodiment, the stormwater management crate may include a top plate having one or more support column attachments and one or more support columns located below the top plate. The one or more support columns may be affixed to the top plate at the one or more support column attachments and second plate. The stormwater management crate may further include at least one side plate contacting at least a portion of the stormwater management crate. In another embodiment, one or more of the plurality of support column attachments may comprise a bayonet connection or a snap fit connection.
According to a disclosed embodiment, the second plate may be a base plate or an intermediate plate.
According to another disclosed embodiment, there may be a stormwater management crate assembly for managing stormwater. The stormwater management crate assembly may comprise a plurality of stormwater management crates hydraulically connected to an inlet and arranged in a modular array. The plurality of stormwater management crates may include a top plate having one or more support column attachments and one or more support columns located below the top plate. The plurality of support columns may be affixed to the top plate at the support column attachments and to a second plate. The stormwater management crates may include at least one side plate attached to the stormwater management crate. The stormwater management crate assembly may further include a membrane wrapped around the plurality of modular stormwater management crates.
In other embodiments, the stormwater management crate assembly may further comprise an outlet.
According to a disclosed embodiment, adjacent stormwater management crates may be connected together. According to a disclosed embodiment, at least one of the stormwater management crates in the stormwater management crate assembly may be affixed to an adjacent stormwater management crate through a hook and slot connection.
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.
Embodiments are described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the figures, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, the left-most digit(s) of a reference number identifies the figure in which the reference number first appears. Wherever convenient, the same reference numbers are used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts. While examples and features of disclosed principles are described herein, modifications, adaptations, and other implementations are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosed embodiments. Also, the words “comprising,” “having,” “containing,” and “including,” and other similar forms are intended to be equivalent in meaning and be open ended in that an item or items following any one of these words is not meant to be an exhaustive listing of such item or items or meant to be limited to only the listed item or items. It should also be noted that as used in the present disclosure and in the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.
A need has been recognized to improve the efficiency in assembling stormwater management crate assemblies. Existing crate-type water management systems require intensive labor to assemble on a project site. It has been found that many of the components used to form the stormwater management crates are cumbersome and heavy to manipulate into place. Construction and assembly of the water management crates may be difficult when crate assembly components such as the plates and the columns are loosely connected during initial assembly. Separable connections may inadvertently disconnect, destabilizing the structural integrity of the stormwater management crate. Rigid connections between crate assembly plates and columns that do not allow flexing or rotation of the columns may place critical stress on the columns during assembly or after installation of the stormwater management crates, leading to damage to the columns.
The disclosed embodiments improve these and other deficiencies in crate-type water management systems. For example, solutions are provided to reduce labor and assembly costs by reducing the weight of the stormwater management crate plate component through structural design improvements and to allow for easier field assembly of the crate assembly. Other improvements may include increasing strength and durability of the crate components while maximizing the void space in the assembly suitable for storing stormwater. Some disclosed embodiments may include improved connections between support columns and plates to permanently affix the plates and the columns during assembly, while also providing for rotation of the columns to mitigate damaging stress forces on the columns during assembly or after installation. In addition, some disclosed embodiments may allow for some components of the modular crate assemblies to be pre-assembled prior to arrival at a project site and configured for ease of final assembly upon arrival to the site to streamline and improve the construction process.
Reference will now be made in detail to the disclosed embodiments, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
In some embodiments, top plate 105 may include one or more sets of ground support ribs 107. A set of ground support ribs 107 may be configured to transfer vertical loads to support columns 115. For example, stormwater management crate portion 100 may be buried underground or surrounded with an earthen embankment. Soil loads associated with the embankment or surfaces located above the stormwater management crate portion 100 may bear on the top plate 105. These loads may be transferred to support columns 115 through contact with the sets of ground support ribs 107. Ground support ribs 107 may be configured in numerous different shapes and arrangements and are not intended to be limited to the shape and/or arrangements of ground support ribs 107 depicted in the figures disclosed herein.
The example of a stormwater management crate portion 100 may include support columns 115. Support columns 115 may be constructed of plastic (e.g., polypropylene, HDPE, LDPE, PVC, polyethylene, polyurethane), metal, glass reinforced materials, and/or any other suitable material. In one embodiment, the support columns may be formed of schedule 40 PVC. Support columns 115 may be manufactured to various lengths and may include in a non-limiting example, lengths of approximately 20 inches to 90 inches.
In some embodiments, top plate 105 may include a plurality of slot locks 120 and hook locks 125. Slot lock 120 and hook lock 125 may be configured to interface with an adjacent top plate 105, such that the slot lock 120 of each adjacent top plate 105 may securely connect to hook lock 125 of the adjacent top plate 125. In this way, top plate 105 of stormwater management crate portion 100 may securely connect to an adjacent top plate 105 of a second stormwater management crate portion 100, such as the stormwater management crate array 300 depicted in
Top plate 105 may include lattice member 130. In some embodiments, lattice member 130 may provide a walking platform suitable for assembly crews to construct stormwater crate portion 100. Lattice member 130 may include perforations as depicted in
Returning to
As shown in
As show in
In some embodiments, column connection recess 110 may include one or more column connection recess ribs 215, as shown in
Detent 225 may act as a resting seat for support column pin 210. In some embodiments, detent 225 may include a rotational guide 240. Rotational guide 240 may be formed as a ridge or hump on either side of detent 225 as shown in
In some embodiments, top plate 105 is modified for use as an intermediate plate within a stormwater management crate array, for example.
In some embodiments, multiple stormwater management crate portions 100 may be assembled into stormwater management crate array 300. For example,
The numbers of columns extending from a particular top plate 105 in a stormwater management crate array 300 may depend on the position of the top plate 105 within the array and the structural loading requirements associated with that position. For example, the interior top plates 105 within the array may have six columns, while the peripheral top plates 105 may have seven, eight, or more columns to give more structural support to the perimeter of the stormwater management crate array 300.
In some embodiments, the stormwater management crate array 300 may include a base plate 305 located below the support column 115 of the lowest stormwater management crate portion 100 as shown in
In another embodiment, top plates 105 included in the stormwater management crate array 300 may have different gauges or thicknesses than intermediate plates 310 within the stormwater management crate array 300 and the structural requirements associated with the location. For example, the top plates 105 in the stormwater management crate array 300 may be sized to support structural requirements for surface loads placed above the stormwater management crate array 300. For example, stormwater management crate array 300 may be buried underneath fill material, and a site improvement such as a parking lot may be constructed above the fill material. In this example, the top plates 105 may be sized to support the loading requirements of the fill material, parking lot, and live loads associated with vehicular traffic. These structural loads may be transmitted to base plates 305 through support columns 115. Base plate 305 may be sized to transmit the total weight of these loads and the weight of the stormwater management crate array 300 to the surface below stormwater management crate array 300, and also to support the soil and water pressures located below the ground surface. Intermediate plates 310, located between the top plates 105 and base plates 305, do not carry the same loads as the uppermost top plates 105 and base plates 305, and thus, may be formed of lighter gauge material. In an embodiment, intermediate plates 310 are sized to support a walking load to accommodate installation crews during assembly of the stormwater management crate array 300, permitting intermediate plates 310 to be much lighter than the uppermost top plates or base plates 305, which reduces material costs and improves efficiencies in the speed of installation of stormwater management crate array 300 because the intermediate top plates 105 may be more easily handled and lifted by an installation crew.
In some embodiments, stormwater management crates may include lightweight plates. In some embodiments, intermediate plates may be located between a top plate and a bottom plate. For example, intermediate plates 310 may be located between top plate 105 and base plate 305, as shown in
An example of a lightweight intermediate plate 310 is shown in
In some embodiments, lightweight intermediate plate 315 may include column connection recesses 340, as shown in
In some embodiments, lightweight intermediate plates 315 may include support members 350 to provide structural support and integrity, as shown in
In some embodiments, a stormwater management crate may include ultra-light weight plates. As described herein, stormwater management crates may include intermediate plates that are ultra-light weight configured to bear lateral loads but not to bear vertical loads. Ultra-light weight intermediate plates may be thin plates made with low amounts of material.
In an embodiment, stormwater management crate array 300 may be assembled by connecting support columns 115 to top plates 105, base plates 305, or intermediate plates 310 through either snap connection 200 or bayonet connection 205, wherein the choice of snap connection 200 or bayonet connection 205 is determined by a location of the top plate 105, the base plate 305, or the intermediate plate 310 within the stormwater management crate array 300. For example, as shown in
In some embodiments, top plate 105, intermediate plate 310, or base plate 305 may include a plurality of column connection recesses 110 wherein the column connection recesses 110 include both snap connection 200 and bayonet connection 205. For example,
In some embodiments, one or more stormwater management crate portions 100 may be pre-assembled and delivered to a project site. In other embodiments, multiple stormwater management crate portions 100 may be preassembled into a partial stormwater management array and delivered to a project site. For example, two or three stormwater management crate portions 100 may be vertically stacked and connected to each other by connecting support columns 115 to column connection recesses 110. Such preassembled partial stormwater management arrays may then be further assembled into a stormwater management crate array 300 at a project location by attaching the preassembled partial stormwater management arrays to base plates 305.
In other embodiments, stormwater management crate array 300 may comprise a single plate type that is interchangeable for top plate 105, intermediate plate 310, and base plate 305. For example, a plate may be designed with column connection recesses 110 on both the top and bottom side of the plate, such as intermediate plate 310 and sized to accommodate the required structural loading requirements discussed above. Use of a single interchangeable plate may simplify manufacturing and installation of the stormwater crate array 300 by reducing the quantity of unique parts required to be manufactured or assembled.
Side panel 405 may interlock with adjacent side panels for stability and structural support. In some embodiments, side panel 405 may include side panel locks 410 as depicted in
Side panel 405 may be manufactured in various heights. For example, site conditions such as water quantity, depth of water table, types of soil, developable land area, or other considerations may determine a design height for stormwater management crate assembly 400. Side panels may vary in height to fit the design conditions. In one embodiment, side panels may be manufactured with heights of 20 inches and 30 inches. Using side panels with combinations of these two heights, a stormwater management crate can be assembled in any 10 inch height increment, typically varying from 20 inches to 90 inches.
In other embodiments, multiple side panels 405 are not uniform within a stormwater management crate assembly 400. For example, stormwater management crate assembly 400 may be irregularly shaped with an asymmetrical arrangement of stormwater management crate portions 100. Stormwater management crate portions 100 within stormwater management crate assembly 400 may also have variable heights with respect to other stormwater management crate portions 100 within the stormwater management crate assembly 400. In these embodiments, side panels 405 may be manufactured with variable heights to match the heights of the various stormwater management crate portions 100 within the stormwater management crate assembly 400. For example, side panels 405 having heights different from other side panels 405 may be used within a single stormwater management crate assembly 400. In yet other embodiments, some stormwater management crate portions 100 within the stormwater management crate assembly 400 may not have side panels but may instead be placed against another surface, such as a retaining wall, sheet piles, an underground structure, or a different underground stormwater management system.
Stormwater management crate assembly 400 may be used to temporarily retain fluids, such as stormwater runoff, in a stormwater management system. The stormwater management system may include an inlet apparatus configured to receive runoff from a surface-level drain. The stormwater management system may also include a stormwater management crate assembly, such as stormwater management crate assembly 400. The stormwater management system may also include an inlet pipe configured to extend between, and to fluidly connect, the inlet apparatus with an inlet end of the stormwater management crate assembly. The stormwater management system may also include a filtration fabric configured to be situated beneath at least a portion of the bottom of the stormwater management crate assembly. The filtration fabric may be configured to capture sediment from the runoff in the stormwater management crate assembly while the runoff flows out of the stormwater management crate assembly. The stormwater management system may also include a non-woven geotextile fabric, bituminous covering, synthetic polymer plastic sheeting, or other suitable geotextile fabrics configured to cover the exterior surface of the side panels of the stormwater management crate assembly. The stormwater management crate assembly may be fluidly connected with the inlet apparatus and may be configured to receive the runoff from the inlet apparatus and to disperse runoff into at least one of the earth or an outlet, such as an underground drainage structure. In some embodiments, stormwater management crate assembly 400 may be configured to leach stormwater to the surrounding soil through a water pervious geotextile sheeting. In other embodiments, stormwater management crate assembly 400 may be wrapped in a water impermeable sheeting and may then retain stormwater until it is pumped out of the assembly or passed through a restrictive flow control in an outlet.
The foregoing description has been presented for purposes of illustration. It is not exhaustive and is not limited to precise forms or embodiments disclosed. 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.
Other embodiments will be apparent from consideration of the specification and practice of the embodiments disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as example only, with a true scope and spirit of the disclosed embodiments being indicated by the following claims.
This application is a continuation-in-part of and claims the benefit of priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/938,560, filed on Oct. 6, 2022, which is based on and claims benefit of priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/262,228, filed on Oct. 7, 2021; U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/262,230, filed on Oct. 7, 2021; and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/327,695, filed on Apr. 5, 2022. The contents of the foregoing application are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.
Number | Date | Country | |
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63262228 | Oct 2021 | US | |
63262230 | Oct 2021 | US | |
63327695 | Apr 2022 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 17938560 | Oct 2022 | US |
Child | 18162594 | US |