Stock material or miscellaneous articles – Structurally defined web or sheet – Including aperture
Reexamination Certificate
2001-02-28
2003-05-06
Thomas, Alexander S. (Department: 1772)
Stock material or miscellaneous articles
Structurally defined web or sheet
Including aperture
C428S119000, C428S138000, C184S106000, C180S069100, C220S573000, C296S038000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06558769
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a receptacle for the collection of fluids that may drip or fall from a vehicle or machine, and more importantly to an improved receptacle that collects fluids and waste but allows water to drain therefrom.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Areas such as drive-throughs, toll booths, ticket booths in front of parking garages, residential and commercial driveways may exhibit heavy stop and go traffic, as well as areas around and under machines. Liquids falling from vehicles traveling through these areas or from machines may include petroleum or glycol-based fluids, waste liquids, dirt, salt and/or water. Typically, these areas require frequent high-pressure cleaning or re-surfacing because these liquids in general have a tendency to deteriorate the pavement or ground if left unattended. However, most water-based fluids are not harmful to the pavement and therefore do not have to be cleaned away. Since the costs associated with re-surfacing or frequent high-pressure cleaning is high, the need exists to provide a means for keeping these areas relatively clean, without the high costs associated with current methods. While there exists prior art encompassing drip mats, pans, and pads, these are typically used for low traffic areas, such as a garage or residential driveway, such that if employed and used in heavy traffic areas these mats and pads would not properly function as they were originally intended or would still require extensive maintenance.
For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 5,478,625 to Wright is directed to a vehicle drip mat for collecting all liquids falling from a parked vehicle; U.S. Pat. No. 4,246,982 to Pretnick is directed to a car ramp and drip pan assembly for collecting all liquids falling from a parked vehicle; U.S. Pat. No. 6,120,876 to Walton is directed to a garage floor protector; U.S. Pat. No. 5,350,619 to Rasmussen is directed to a mat for the collection of liquids falling from an airplane; U.S. Pat. No. 5,556,692 to Zheng is directed to a dual purpose parking pad; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,626,933 to Long, U.S. Pat. No. 5,266,378 to Stephenson et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,308,670 to Saylor are all directed to various floor coverings.
As such a need exists to provide a means of providing a receptacle that collects fluids and waste liquids that are harmful to the pavement or ground. The receptacle must further be capable of functioning properly in heavy stop and go traffic, without having to clean the receptacle every day or high maintenance.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention a receptacle for the collection of fluids falling from a vehicle is provided. The receptacle includes a frame defined by a pair of sidewalls and a front and rear wall. The frame also includes wedges located at predetermined positions about the lower edge of the walls. A lower grate, a sorbent pad and an upper grate, all of which is received within the frame are positioned to rest on the wedges. The lower grate and upper sandwiching the sorbent pad in between provides a means to keep the sorbent pad flat, such that the sorbent pad may cover the entire area within the frame without bunching up in areas. The front and rear walls further include tapered sections, such that the receptacle may be anchored to the ground. In addition, the upper grate may also be hinged to the frame, providing an easier means to access the sorbent pad for periodic maintenance purposes. The preferred sorbent pad has properties that absorb various petroleum or gycol-based fluids while at the same time allowing water based fluids to seep through. The water may thereafter drain out of the frame through drain holes provided along the sidewalls or through the upper grate or may drain through the open bottom of the frame.
In other embodiments of the present invention the frame may include an impermeable bottom thereby defining a basin between the walls and the bottom, wherein the liquid may drain through the drain holes alone. In yet another embodiment the present invention may be placed indoors around or under a machine for catching the liquid waste falling therefrom.
Numerous other advantages and features of the invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description of the invention and the embodiments thereof, from the claims, and from the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4246982 (1981-01-01), Pretnick
patent: 4798754 (1989-01-01), Tomek
patent: 5266378 (1993-11-01), Stephenson et al.
patent: 5308670 (1994-05-01), Saylor
patent: 5350619 (1994-09-01), Rasmussen
patent: 5478625 (1995-12-01), Wright
patent: 5556692 (1996-09-01), Zheng
patent: 5626933 (1997-05-01), Long
patent: 6120876 (2000-09-01), Walton
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