Static structures (e.g. – buildings) – With entrance for persons or objects in horizontal or...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-15
2001-08-21
Friedman, Carl D. (Department: 3635)
Static structures (e.g., buildings)
With entrance for persons or objects in horizontal or...
Reexamination Certificate
active
06276093
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improved cover for a sump pump container of the type recessed below floor level in the basement of a home or other building. Conventional sump pump containers or reservoirs are plastic pails or barrels which are seated within a sub-floor stone bed or dry well and sump have porous or perforated walls which admit water accumulated beneath the basement floor. The container or reservoir contains a sump pump associated with a discharge conduit which exits through the container cover and through the basement wall. The sump pump has a level-actuation switch and is energized when the water accumulated within the container rises to a predetermined maximum level to actuate the pump and discharge the water through the conduit to an exterior location.
The cover of a conventional sump container is a unitary one-piece cover which is air-tight in order to seal the container against admitting to the basement odors, moisture, insects, radon gas, pump noise, etc. from the container and sump.
A disadvantage of such known sump covers is that they require disassembly of the pump discharge conduit in order to remove the cover to provide access to the interior of the container, such as for servicing of the sump pump, replacement thereof, cleaning of the conduit inlet, or other necessary purposes.
Another disadvantage of such known sump covers is that they are substantially water-tight, as well as air-tight, and therefore they do not permit the free entry of flood water accumulated on the basement floor into the sump container for discharge by the sump pump. Therefore, any flood water accumulated on the basement floor, due to broken water pipes, leaking water heaters, furnaces, washing machines or other appliances, flooded window wells or cracked foundations cannot flow freely into the sump container and must be removed manually or by means of an above-floor pump and discharge conduit. While this can be remedied by making a water-inlet hole in the sump cover to admit flood water, this destroys the air-tight barrier and permits the escape of odors, moisture, insects, radon gas and pump noise from the container into the basement room.
2. State of the Art
Reference is made to applicant's U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,314,313 and 5,927,955 and for their disclosure of prior known systems and devices which incorporate sump pump containers for the accumulation and discharge of water from beneath a basement floor in order to maintain the basement dry.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a two-piece cover for a sump container, which permits the free flow of any flood water into the container from a basement floor while providing a seal against the escape of air, radon, odors, noise, insects, etc, from the container.
The invention includes a non-clogging air-seal inlet valve which is activated to open position by the flow of inlet water and which automatically returns to closed, air-tight position in the absence of a flow of inlet water, to prevent or retard the escape of air, radon, odors and pump noises.
REFERENCES:
patent: 486177 (1892-11-01), Couzens
patent: 997928 (1911-07-01), McLoughlin
patent: 4508469 (1985-04-01), Dumortier
patent: 5058633 (1991-10-01), Sharp
patent: 5832673 (1998-11-01), Cho
patent: 5925242 (1999-07-01), McGhee
patent: 5945566 (1999-07-01), Gibbs
patent: 6027639 (2000-02-01), Lenhart, Jr. et al.
Friedman Carl D.
Perman & Green LLP
Varner Steve
LandOfFree
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