Hydraulic and earth engineering – Drainage or irrigation – Porous or apertured pipe – flume – or tileway
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-14
2001-06-05
Will, Thomas B. (Department: 3673)
Hydraulic and earth engineering
Drainage or irrigation
Porous or apertured pipe, flume, or tileway
C405S043000, C405S050000, C405S036000, C052S169500
Reexamination Certificate
active
06241421
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to the field of drain assemblies for draining water away from subterranean foundation walls or other subterranean construction surfaces.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Proper drainage is an important consideration in the design and construction of subterranean foundations. In the absence of proper drainage, water can penetrate into the structures through tiny cracks or other openings, causing severe damage or leakage.
The problem of proper drainage has historically been addressed by guiding water away from the structure through a “French drain,” a perforated horizontal drain pipe that extends along the bottom of the foundation. The perforated drain pipe is surrounded by gravel to prevent it from being crushed by the surrounding soil and to prevent soil from entering the drain pipe through the openings. Water from the soil seeps into the drain pipe, and is carried away.
As described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,840,515 to James S. Freese, thin drainage panels can be also be used in conjunction with French drains to help collect water in the vicinity of the foundation. Each drainage panel includes a sheet-like base and a filter media separated from the base by a plurality of dimples or projections that extend from the base. The resulting structure is a thin panel with a hollow interior between the base and the filter media. The panel is placed against the outside wall of a foundation, with the filter media facing outwards, and with the bottom of the panel terminating at a French drain. Soil is then back-filled against the foundation and panel, sandwiching the panel between the soil and the vertical foundation wall. Water from the soil penetrates into the panel through the water-permeable filter material, and trickles downward through the panel and into the French drain.
While drainage panels such as those disclosed in the Freese patent have proven useful, they can still be further improved. Most notably, drainage panels in the prior art are designed primarily to protect the vertical wall of the foundation, without providing adequate protection for the horizontal surface of the foundation's footing and without protecting the cold joint that exists where the vertical foundation wall meets the horizontal foundation footing. As a result, water can impregnate the cold joint, causing damage to the foundation. To the extent prior art panels can be used to cover both the vertical foundation wall and the horizontal foundation footing, they are difficult to bend to conform to the intersection of the foundation and the footing, where the foundation meets the footing usually at a 90 degree angle.
In addition, prior art drainage panels are typically used in conjunction with, rather than in place of, a French drain system. This requires that the lower edge of the drainage panel be connected into a French drain system along the entire length of the foundation wall, complicating the installation and increasing costs.
In view of these disadvantages with prior art drainage systems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a subterranean drainage system that does away with the need for a common French drain system, without the need for any gravel or perforated pipe. A further object of the present invention is to provide a subterranean drainage system that can be easily installed to protect and conform closely to both the vertical outer surface of a foundation wall and the horizontal upper surface of the foundation footing, while protecting the cold joint between the foundation and the footing. Finally, it is a further object of the invention to provide a drainage system in which the panel provides efficient drainage of water along the entire length of a foundation wall, and can be readily connected into a standard drain pipe at any desired point to drain water away from the panel and the foundation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
These and a number of additional objectives are satisfied by the present invention. In a basic aspect, the invention comprises an improved drainage panel that comprises a base in the form of a flexible sheet of plastic or other similar material, the base having an inner surface, an outer surface, a top edge, a bottom edge, a first side edge and a second side edge. A hinge extends along a line between the first and second side edges, allowing the base to be folded along that line. A plurality of members project from the inner surface of the base and a sheet of filter media is supported by the members in spaced-apart relation to the base.
The hinge in the base allows the entire panel to be folded to a desired angle along a horizontal line between the first and second side edges, whereby the panel can easily be folded to conform to the intersection of the vertical foundation wall and the horizontal footing. When installed, the lower portion of the panel (i.e., the portion between the hinge and the bottom edge of the panel) rests atop the horizontal footing, while the upper portion of the panel (i.e., the portion between the hinge and the top edge of the panel) is positioned against the outer surface of the vertical foundation wall. The panel, therefore, provides a continuous, seamless cover for both the vertical foundation wall and the horizontal footing, protecting the cold joint that exists at their intersection.
Moreover, the portion of the panel that rests atop the horizontal footing provides a horizontal fluid flow chamber for water collected in the panel, thereby completely avoiding the need for a French drain system. Water that trickles down through the panel collects in the horizontally disposed lower portion of the panel and flows through that portion of the panel to a drain pipe, where it is drained away from the foundation. In one embodiment, to provide increased fluid flow capability in the lower portion of the pane, the members in the lower portion of the panel are relatively long (preferably about 1 inch) as compared to the members in the upper portion of the panel. In particular, the lower portion of the panel has a sufficient profile such that substantially all of the fluid collected in the panel can flow through the lower portion of the panel to a collection point, without being forced back into the soil through the filter media by hydrostatic or other forces.
In another embodiment, the invention further comprises a connector assembly that is attached to the panel at a desired point and that allows the panel to be connected into a standard drain pipe to transport water away from the foundation.
The panel of the present invention is not necessarily intended to cover the entire surface of the vertical foundation wall. Instead, it is typically used to cover the horizontal foundation footing, the lower portion of the vertical foundation wall (for example, about 10 inches above the horizontal footing) and the junction between the footing and the vertical foundation wall. The remainder of the vertical foundation wall that extends above the top of the unit is covered by a standard drainage panel (such as that disclosed in the above-referenced Freese patent), which is connected to the top edge of the unit along its entire length. The panel is preferably provided in the form of a long roll, which can be rolled along the length of the foundation, covering the footing, the intersection of the footing and the vertical foundation wall, and the lower portion of the vertical foundation wall.
The system provides several benefits over prior art designs. By providing a hinge in the base member, the panel can be easily folded along its entire width to cover both the vertical foundation wall and the horizontal footing with a continuous section of panel, protecting the cold joint between the foundation wall and the footing. Providing relatively longer members in the lower portion of the pad creates a relatively high profile horizontal fluid flow region within the panel, which increases the throughput capacity and efficiency of fluid flow through the panel as compared to a similar length of panel oriented vertically. I
Harvie Wilson
van der Meulen Thomas M.
Globerman Kyle M.
Kilpatrick & Stockton LLP
Pechhold Alexandra K.
Pratt John S.
Royal Ten Cate (USA), Inc.
LandOfFree
Subterranean drain assembly does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Subterranean drain assembly, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Subterranean drain assembly will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2533080