DRAIN CLOSURE APPARATUS

A drain closure apparatus has a catch basin, a drain, a valve and a valve controller operably connected to the valve. The catch basin has a top, a bottom, an opening in the bottom, and first flange extending radially outward from the top. The drain is disposed within the opening of the catch basin, and has a top, a bottom, a second flange extending radially outward from the top of the drain that attaches to the bottom of the catch basin such that the opening of the catch basin is sealed, and a third flange extending radially outward from the bottom of the drain. The valve is attached to the third flange of the drain such that the valve opens and closes the drain.

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Description
PRIORITY CLAIM AND RELATED APPLICATION DATA

Not Applicable.

STATEMENT OF FEDERALLY FUNDED RESEARCH

Not Applicable.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates in general to drainage control devices.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Storm water pollution prevention regulations have been enacted to help ensure safe water and to keep the environment free of pollutants. When pollutants spill into storm drains, hazmat response team reacting with traditional sand bags, mats, etc. are often too late, which results in very high clean up costs for the contaminated storm drain system.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The drain closure apparatus provides quick, easy open and close operation for 24/7 hydrocarbon and sediment Capture, trash control, illicit discharge identification and elimination, effective storm water pollution abatement and analysis, and proven effective EPA compliance with storm water pollution prevention regulations. In addition, the drain closure apparatus can be installed quickly, easily, cost effectively without construction downtime or permits.

One embodiment of the present invention provides a drain closure apparatus having a catch basin, a drain, a valve and a valve controller operably connected to the valve. The catch basin has a top, a bottom, an opening in the bottom, and first flange extending radially outward from the top. The drain is disposed within the opening of the catch basin, and has a top, a bottom, a second flange extending radially outward from the top of the drain that attaches to the bottom of the catch basin such that the opening of the catch basin is sealed, and a third flange extending radially outward from the bottom of the drain. The valve is attached to the third flange of the drain such that the valve opens and closes the drain.

Another embodiment of the present invention provides a drain closure apparatus having a catch basin, a drain, a valve, a valve controller operably connected to the valve, a cylindrically shaped screen, and a cylindrically shaped filter disposed around the cylindrically shaped screen. The catch basin has a top, a bottom, an opening in the bottom, and first flange extending radially outward from the top. The drain is disposed within the opening of the catch basin, wherein the drain has a top, a bottom, a second flange extending radially outward from the top of the drain that attaches to the bottom of the catch basin such that the opening of the catch basin is sealed, and a third flange extending radially outward from the bottom of the drain. The valve is attached to the third flange of the drain such that the valve opens and closes the drain. The valve controller extends into the catch basin through an opening in the second flange. A seal is disposed around a portion of the valve controller proximate to the opening in the second flange and attached to the second flange. The cylindrically shaped screen has a top, a bottom and a fourth flange extending radially outward from the bottom of the cylindrically shaped screen, wherein the fourth flange is attached to the second flange and the cylindrically shaped screen has an inner diameter approximately equal to or greater than an inner diameter of the drain.

Yet another embodiment of the present invention provides a drain closure apparatus having a catch basin, a drain, a butterfly valve, a valve controller operably connected to the butterfly valve, a cylindrically shaped screen, a cylindrically shaped filter disposed around the cylindrically shaped screen, and a cover. The catch basin has a top, a bottom, an opening in the bottom, and first flange extending radially outward from the top. The drain is disposed within the opening of the catch basin, wherein the drain has a top, a bottom, a second flange extending radially outward from the top of the drain that is removeably attached to the bottom of the catch basin such that the opening of the catch basin is sealed, and a third flange extending radially outward from the bottom of the drain. A handle is attached to a top of second flange and extends into the catch basin. The butterfly valve is attached to the third flange of the drain such that the valve opens and closes the drain. The valve controller extends into the catch basin through an opening in the second flange. A seal is disposed around a portion of the valve controller proximate to the opening in the second flange and attached to the second flange. The cylindrically shaped screen has a top, a bottom and a fourth flange extending radially outward from the bottom of the cylindrically shaped screen, wherein the fourth flange is attached to the second flange and the cylindrically shaped screen has an inner diameter approximately equal to or greater than an inner diameter of the drain. The cover rests on a top of the first flange and having a plurality of openings through the cover.

Certain embodiments may include none, some, or all of the above technical advantages. One or more other technical advantages may be readily apparent to one skilled in the art from the figures, descriptions, and claims included herein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a more complete understanding of the features and advantages of the present invention, reference is now made to the detailed description of the invention along with the accompanying figures and in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a drain closure apparatus in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a drain closure apparatus in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are top and bottom views of a drain, respectively, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 5 and 6 are side and end views of a drain, respectively, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 7 and 8 are perspective views of a valve and valve controller in an open and closed position, respectively, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 9 and 10 are perspective cut-away views of a circular and rectangular drain closure apparatus, respectively, installed in a drain or floor in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a rectangular drain closure apparatus in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of a rectangular drain closure apparatus in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.

 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

While the making and using of various embodiments of the present invention are discussed in detail below, it should be appreciated that the present invention provides many applicable inventive concepts that can be embodied in a wide variety of specific contexts. The specific embodiments discussed herein are merely illustrative of specific ways to make and use the invention and do not delimit the scope of the invention.

To facilitate the understanding of this invention, a number of terms are defined below. Terms defined herein have meanings as commonly understood by a person of ordinary skill in the areas relevant to the present invention. The terminology herein is used to describe specific embodiments of the invention, but their usage does not delimit the invention, except as outlined in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate identical or corresponding parts throughout the several views the preferred embodiments of the present invention are described. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiment set forth herein.

Now referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, an exploded view and a cross-sectional view of a drain closure apparatus 100 in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The drain closure apparatus 100 can be used to prevent unwanted materials, such as hazardous materials, from entering a drain (e.g., storm drain, sewer, etc.). The drain closure apparatus 100 is typically inserted into a new or pre-existing drainage system and can be attached to a drain pipe or open into the drainage system. The drain closure apparatus 100 includes a catch basin 102, a drain 104, a valve 106, a valve controller 108 operably connected to the valve 106, a cylindrically shaped screen 110, a cylindrically shaped filter 112 disposed around the cylindrically shaped screen 110, and a cover 114. Note that other shapes and configurations of the screen 110 and filter 112 can be used. Moreover, the filter 112 can be made of or contain any desirable filter media suitable for the environment and operating conditions in which the drain closure apparatus 100 is to be used. As shown, the catch basin 102 is a generally cylindrical in shape, but can be rectangular in shape as shown in FIGS. 10-12. Other shapes and dimensions can be used. The catch basin 102 can be made of any durable material (e.g., stainless steel, chemically resistant epoxy coated steel, polypropylene, etc.) that is resistant to the expected unwanted materials in which the catch basin 102 will come into contact with.

The catch basin 102 has a top 116, a bottom 118, an opening 120 in the bottom 118, and first flange 122 extending radially outward from the top 116. As shown in FIGS. 9-10, the first flange 122 is configured to mate with a corresponding shoulder of a drain or floor for supporting the catch basin 102 in the drain or floor such that the upper surface of the cover 114 is approximately flush with the upper surface of the drain or floor when the cover 114 is in place.

Now also referring to FIGS. 3-6, the drain 104 is disposed within the opening 120 of the catch basin 102. The drain 104 has a top 124, a bottom 126, a second flange 128 extending radially outward from the top 124 of the drain 104 that is preferably removeably attached to the bottom 118 of the catch basin 102 such that the opening 120 of the catch basin is sealed, and a third flange 130 extending radially outward from the bottom 126 of the drain 104. A handle 132 is attached to a top 134 of second flange 128 and extends into the catch basin 102. This allows the drain 104 and valve 106 to be replaced without removing or replacing the catch basin 102. Note that the second flange 128 can be permanently attached to the bottom 118 of the catch basin 102, in which case, the handle 132 is not necessary.

The cylindrically shaped screen 110 has a top 140, a bottom 142 and a fourth flange 144 extending radially outward from the bottom 142 of the cylindrically shaped screen 110, wherein the fourth flange 144 is attached to the second flange 128 and the cylindrically shaped screen 110 has an inner diameter 146 approximately equal to or greater than an inner diameter 148 of the drain 104. Alternatively, the screen 110 can be attached to the second flange 128 and cover the top of the drain 104. The top 140 of the cylindrically shaped screen 110 can be open (as shown), closed or screened. The cylindrically shaped screen 100 can be a mesh-type screen or a cylinder having a plurality of openings 158 (e.g., holes, slots, etc.). A cylindrically shaped filter 112 is disposed around the cylindrically shaped screen 110. The cylindrically shaped filter 112 can be any suitable type of material or construction, and can be eliminated from the drain closure apparatus 100. The cover 144 rests on a top 150 of the first flange 122 and having a plurality of openings 152 (e.g., holes, slots, etc.) through the cover 114.

Referring now to FIGS. 7 and 8, perspective views of a valve 106 and valve controller 108 in an open and closed position, respectively, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention are shown. As shown, the valve 106 is a butterfly valve. Note that any type of valve 106 can be used as long as it suitable for the environment and operating conditions in which the drain closure apparatus 100 is to be used. Moreover, the valve 106 and valve controller 108 in some types of valves may be configured in a more integrated unit than what is shown in the figures. The valve 106 may also be remotely controlled and/or monitored using a wired or wireless connection to a remote control unit. In addition, a sensor can be disposed within the catch basin 102 or the drain 104 and operably connected to the valve controller 108. A valve position indicator, which may be visible from within or outside the catch basin 102, may also be connected to the valve controller 108. Furthermore, a pipe connector can be attached to a bottom of the valve 106 such that the drain closure apparatus 100 is connected to and feeds into a drain, pipe or system (e.g., storm drain, sewer, etc.).

Now referring to FIGS. 11 and 12, a perspective view and a cross-sectional view of a drain closure apparatus 1100 in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention is shown. The drain closure apparatus 1100 is similar to drain closure apparatus 100 previously described, but has an upwardly facing channel 1102 disposed along an interior 1104 of the catch basin 102 proximate to the top 116 of the catch basin 102. Note that the upwardly facing channel 1102 can be shape and is not limited to the rectangular shape shown. The upwardly facing channel 1102 has a plurality of openings 1106 disposed in a bottom or a side of the upwardly facing channel 1102. A filter or filter media 1108 is disposed within the upwardly facing channel 1102. Note that the filter or filter media 1108 can be made of or contain any desirable filter media suitable for the environment and operating conditions in which the drain closure apparatus 100 is to be used. In some cases, the cover (not shown) resting on a top of the first flange 112 may have a plurality of openings through the cover that are aligned with the upwardly facing channel 1102. Alternatively, the filter or filter media 1108 can be attached to the cover underneath the openings in the cover instead of catch basin 102.

Note that the present invention is not limited to the connectors and connector holes shown in the figures. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the various components can be connected or affixed to one another using any known or future developed connector, fitting, weld or bonding compound, as long as such methods are suitable for the environment and operating conditions in which the drain closure apparatus is to be used. Moreover, gaskets and/or sealing compounds can be used between the component connections to provide additional moisture resistance and prevent leaking.

All publications, patents and patent applications mentioned in the specification are indicative of the level of skill of those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains. All publications, patents and patent applications are herein incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each individual publication, patent or patent application was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference.

Terms such as “a”, “an,” and “the” are not intended to refer to only a singular entity, but include the general class of which a specific example may be used for illustration. In addition, the use of the word “a” or “an” when used in conjunction with the term “comprising” in the claims and/or the specification may mean “one,” but it is also consistent with the meaning of “one or more,” “at least one,” and “one or more than one.” The use of the term “or” in the claims is used to mean “and/or” unless explicitly indicated to refer to alternatives only or the alternatives are mutually exclusive, although the disclosure supports a definition that refers to only alternatives and “and/or.” Throughout this application, the term “about” is used to indicate that a value includes the inherent variation of error for the device, the method being employed to determine the value, or the variation that exists among the study subjects.

As used in this specification and claim(s), the words “comprising” (and any form of comprising, such as “comprise” and “comprises”), “having” (and any form of having, such as “have” and “has”), “including” (and any form of including, such as “includes” and “include”) or “containing” (and any form of containing, such as “contains” and “contain”) are inclusive or open-ended and do not exclude additional, unrecited elements or method steps.

The term “or combinations thereof” as used herein refers to all permutations and combinations of the listed items preceding the term. For example, “A, B, C, or combinations thereof” is intended to include at least one of: A, B, C, AB, AC, BC, or ABC, and if order is important in a particular context, also BA, CA, CB, CBA, BCA, ACB, BAC, or CAB. Continuing with this example, expressly included are combinations that contain repeats of one or more item or term, such as BB, AAA, AB, BBC, AAABCCCC, CBBAAA, CABABB, and so forth. The skilled artisan will understand that typically there is no limit on the number of items or terms in any combination, unless otherwise apparent from the context.

It may be understood that particular embodiments described herein are shown by way of illustration and are not meant to limit the scope of the present invention in any manner. The principal features of this invention can be employed in various embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention. Those skilled in the art will recognize, or be able to ascertain using no more than routine experimentation, numerous equivalents, modifications and variants of the present invention are possible in light of the foregoing disclosure. Such equivalents, modifications and variants are considered to be within the scope of this invention and are covered by the claims.

Claims

1. A drain closure apparatus comprising:

a catch basin having a top, a bottom, an opening in the bottom, and first flange extending radially outward from the top;
a drain disposed within the opening of the catch basin, wherein the drain has a top, a bottom, a second flange extending radially outward from the top of the drain that attaches to the bottom of the catch basin such that the opening of the catch basin is sealed, and a third flange extending radially outward from the bottom of the drain;
a valve attached to the third flange of the drain such that the valve opens and closes the drain; and
a valve controller operably connected to the valve.

2. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising a screen attached to the second flange and covering the top of the drain.

3. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising a cylindrically shaped screen having a top, a bottom and a fourth flange extending radially outward from the bottom of the cylindrically shaped screen, wherein the fourth flange is attached to the second flange and the cylindrically shaped screen has an inner diameter approximately equal to or greater than an inner diameter of the drain.

4. The apparatus as recited in claim 3, wherein a top of the screen is open.

5. The apparatus as recited in claim 3, further comprising a cylindrically shaped filter disposed around the cylindrically shaped screen.

6. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

a handle attached to a top of second flange and extending into the catch basin; and
the second flange is removeably attached to the bottom of the catch basin.

7. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

an upwardly facing channel disposed along an interior of the catch basin proximate to the top of the catch basin, wherein the upwardly facing channel has a plurality of openings disposed in a bottom or a side of the upwardly facing channel; and
a filter disposed within the upwardly facing channel.

8. The apparatus as recited in claim 7, further comprising a cover resting on a top of the first flange and having a plurality of openings through the cover that are aligned with the upwardly facing channel.

9. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising a cover resting on a top of the first flange and having a plurality of openings through the cover.

10. The apparatus as recited in claim 9, wherein the cover is removeably attached to the top of the flange or the top of the catch basin.

11. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

an opening in the second flange;
the valve controller extends through the opening in the flange into the catch basin; and
a seal disposed around a portion of the valve controller proximate to the opening and attached to the second flange.

12. The apparatus as recited in claim 11, further comprising a valve position indicator connected to the valve controller.

13. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising at least one of the following:

a sensor disposed within the catch basin or the drain and operably connected to the valve controller;
the valve controller is remotely controlled;
the valve comprises a butterfly valve;
the catch basin is circular shaped or rectangular shaped; or
a pipe connector attached to a bottom of the valve.

14. A drain closure apparatus comprising:

a catch basin having a top, a bottom, an opening in the bottom, and first flange extending radially outward from the top;
a drain disposed within the opening of the catch basin, wherein the drain has a top, a bottom, a second flange extending radially outward from the top of the drain that attaches to the bottom of the catch basin such that the opening of the catch basin is sealed, and a third flange extending radially outward from the bottom of the drain;
a valve attached to the third flange of the drain such that the valve opens and closes the drain;
a valve controller operably connected to the valve and extending into the catch basin through an opening in the second flange;
a seal disposed around a portion of the valve controller proximate to the opening in the second flange and attached to the second flange;
a cylindrically shaped screen having a top, a bottom and a fourth flange extending radially outward from the bottom of the cylindrically shaped screen, wherein the fourth flange is attached to the second flange and the cylindrically shaped screen has an inner diameter approximately equal to or greater than an inner diameter of the drain; and
a cylindrically shaped filter disposed around the cylindrically shaped screen.

15. The apparatus as recited in claim 14, wherein a top of the cylindrically shaped screen is open and a top of the cylindrically shaped filter is open.

16. The apparatus as recited in claim 14, further comprising:

a handle attached to a top of second flange and extending into the catch basin; and
the second flange is removeably attached to the bottom of the catch basin.

17. The apparatus as recited in claim 14, further comprising:

an upwardly facing channel disposed along an interior of the catch basin proximate to the top of the catch basin, wherein the upwardly facing channel has a plurality of openings disposed in a bottom or a side of the upwardly facing channel; and
a filter disposed within the upwardly facing channel.

18. The apparatus as recited in claim 17, further comprising a cover resting on a top of the first flange and having a plurality of openings through the cover that are aligned with the upwardly facing channel.

19. The apparatus as recited in claim 14, further comprising a cover resting on a top of the first flange and having a plurality of openings through the cover.

20. The apparatus as recited in claim 19, wherein the cover is removeably attached to the top of the flange or the top of the catch basin.

21. The apparatus as recited in claim 14, further comprising at least one of the following:

a valve position indicator connected to the valve controller;
a sensor disposed within the catch basin or the drain and operably connected to the valve controller;
the valve controller is remotely controlled;
the valve comprises a butterfly valve;
the catch basin is circular shaped or rectangular shaped; or
a pipe connector attached to a bottom of the valve.

22. A drain closure apparatus comprising:

a catch basin having a top, a bottom, an opening in the bottom, and first flange extending radially outward from the top;
a drain disposed within the opening of the catch basin, wherein the drain has a top, a bottom, a second flange extending radially outward from the top of the drain that is removeably attached to the bottom of the catch basin such that the opening of the catch basin is sealed, and a third flange extending radially outward from the bottom of the drain;
a handle attached to a top of second flange and extending into the catch basin;
a butterfly valve attached to the third flange of the drain such that the butterfly valve opens and closes the drain;
a valve controller operably connected to the valve and extending into the catch basin through an opening in the second flange;
a seal disposed around a portion of the valve controller proximate to the opening in the second flange and attached to the second flange;
a cylindrically shaped screen having a top, a bottom and a fourth flange extending radially outward from the bottom of the cylindrically shaped screen, wherein the fourth flange is attached to the second flange and the cylindrically shaped screen has an inner diameter approximately equal to or greater than an inner diameter of the drain;
a cylindrically shaped filter disposed around the cylindrically shaped screen;
a cover resting on a top of the first flange and having a plurality of openings through the cover.

23. The apparatus as recited in claim 22, wherein a top of the cylindrically shaped screen is open and a top of the cylindrically shaped filter is open.

24. The apparatus as recited in claim 22, further comprising:

an upwardly facing channel disposed along an interior of the catch basin proximate to the top of the catch basin, wherein the upwardly facing channel has a plurality of openings disposed in a bottom or a side of the upwardly facing channel;
a filter disposed within the upwardly facing channel; and
the plurality of openings through the cover are aligned with the upwardly facing channel.

25. The apparatus as recited in claim 22, further comprising at least one of the following:

a valve position indicator connected to the valve controller;
a sensor disposed within the catch basin or the drain and operably connected to the valve controller;
the valve controller is remotely controlled;
the catch basin is circular shaped or rectangular shaped;
a pipe connector attached to a bottom of the valve; or
the cover is removeably attached to the top of the flange or the top of the catch basin.
Patent History
Publication number: 20170121957
Type: Application
Filed: Oct 30, 2015
Publication Date: May 4, 2017
Inventor: Michael Edward Brasberger (Lewisville, TX)
Application Number: 14/928,420
Classifications
International Classification: E03F 7/04 (20060101); E03F 5/06 (20060101); E02B 1/00 (20060101);