Patents Assigned to Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc.
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Patent number: 8579624Abstract: A system is disclosed for manufacturing multi-wall corrugated polymer pipe. The system includes an extruder configured to co-extrude concentric annular tubes; a corrugator configured to form the concentric annular tubes into a dual-wall pipe having a smooth wall and a corrugated wall; a cross-head die configured to extrude an outer wall of pipe onto the corrugated wall of the dual-wall pipe; a vacuum punch configured to penetrate the outer wall of pipe and draw a vacuum between the corrugated wall and the outer wall, such that the outer wall of pipe deforms inward toward the corrugated wall of pipe between bell and spigot portions of the corrugated wall; and a cutter configured to cut the pipe into sections where the vacuum punch deformed the outer wall between the bell and spigot portions of the corrugated wall. A method of manufacturing multi-wall corrugated polymer pipe is also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: March 10, 2010Date of Patent: November 12, 2013Assignee: Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc.Inventors: Gerald S. Sutton, David J. Kelley, Randall A. Kolbet
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Patent number: 8550807Abstract: A mold is provided for forming a continuously-extruded parison into a corrugated pipe. The mold includes a mold housing having a plurality of bores, a mold cavity having a plurality of annular corrugations, and a plurality of punches. Each punch is disposed in one of the bores and aligned with one of the annular corrugations of the mold cavity. Each punch is also configured to form an aperture in a corrugation of a corrugated pipe in the mold. A continuous extrusion blow molding system and a method are also provided for forming a hollow plastic product and punching a continuously-extruded, blow molded product before it is released from a mold.Type: GrantFiled: May 28, 2008Date of Patent: October 8, 2013Assignee: Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc.Inventor: Randall A. Kolbet
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Patent number: 8496460Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for distributing material through a multilayer pipe extrusion die. A first flow passageway, having a first cross-sectional area and extending along a first flow direction, may be connected to a second flow passageway, having a second cross-sectional area substantially the same as the first cross-sectional area of the first flow passageway, to provide a second flow direction different from the first flow direction of the first flow passageway. A conical passageway may extend from the second passageway toward a dispensing outlet. Material may be distributed from the first flow passageway into the second flow passageway. The method and apparatus may generally maintain the same flow properties of the material at a point before and after the connection of the first flow passageway and the second flow passageway. The flow properties of the material may be altered proximate to the outlet.Type: GrantFiled: February 25, 2008Date of Patent: July 30, 2013Assignee: Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc.Inventor: Gerald S. Sutton
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Patent number: 8425147Abstract: A drainage system for draining a fluid is disclosed. The drainage system includes a drain basin having a tubular body, the tubular body including a lumen, an outer surface, a top end, and a bottom end. The drainage system also includes at least one pipe connected to the tubular body and an end cap coupled to the bottom end of the tubular body, the end cap including a convex surface configured to divert the fluid to the at least one pipe, wherein the convex surface of the end cap is inserted through the bottom end and is disposed within the lumen of the tubular body.Type: GrantFiled: November 3, 2009Date of Patent: April 23, 2013Assignee: Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc.Inventors: Joshua James Cislo, Courtney Jay Ashliman
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Patent number: 8398914Abstract: A method of deforming an outer wall of polymer pipe is provided. The method includes: forming dual-wall pipe having a smooth wall and a corrugated wall; extruding an outer wall of pipe onto the corrugated wall of the dual-wall pipe; penetrating the outer wall of pipe with a vacuum punch; and drawing a vacuum between the corrugated wall and the outer wall via the vacuum punch; wherein the vacuum drawn between the corrugated wall and the outer wall causes the outer wall to deform in a direction towards the corrugated wall. An apparatus for forming an outer wall of pipe and a mold configured to form a coupling preform in a segment of continuously-extruded and molded polymer pipe are also provided.Type: GrantFiled: March 10, 2010Date of Patent: March 19, 2013Assignee: Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc.Inventor: Gerald S. Sutton
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Patent number: 8114324Abstract: A method of pressing an outer wall of polymer pipe is provided. The method includes extruding a layer of polymer onto a pipe to form an outer wall of pipe; conveying the pipe including the outer wall of pipe through a pressing apparatus having a pressing element configured to rotate about the pipe; and urging the pressing element against an exterior surface of the outer wall as the pressing element rotates about a pipe conveyed through the pressing apparatus. An apparatus for pressing an outer wall of polymer pipe is also provided.Type: GrantFiled: October 14, 2008Date of Patent: February 14, 2012Assignee: Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc.Inventors: Gerald S. Sutton, David J. Kelley
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Publication number: 20110200391Abstract: An end section or cap for a stormwater containment assembly includes a substantially half-dome-shaped body member and a connector disposed on the body member along a periphery or perimeter thereof, for coupling the body member to a stormwater chamber wall. The body member has a smooth convex outer surface with an absence of reinforcement ribs and also has a smooth concave inner surface with an absence of reinforcement ribs.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 16, 2010Publication date: August 18, 2011Applicant: Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc.Inventors: David J. Mailhot, John M. Kurdziel
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Patent number: 7988438Abstract: An extrusion die configured to have an interior chamber sealed from the atmosphere is disclosed. The extrusion die includes an extrusion die head disposed at a downstream end of the interior chamber; and a vacuum seal disposed at an upstream end of the interior chamber; wherein the vacuum seal is configured to selectively form a seal between the extrusion die and a product disposed in the interior chamber. The vacuum seal includes an annular sealing surface disposed at an inner diameter of the vacuum seal; a hollow, interior chamber; and a plurality of bellows disposed between the annular sealing surface and the extrusion die; wherein the vacuum seal is configured to selectively form a seal between the extrusion die and a product disposed in the interior chamber. A method of selectively sealing an end of an extrusion die is also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: February 11, 2008Date of Patent: August 2, 2011Assignee: Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc.Inventors: Gerald S. Sutton, William V. Shaffer, Randall A. Kolbet
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Patent number: 7980841Abstract: A pipe extrusion die may be provided having an inner flow passageway having a first cross-sectional area, and an outer flow passageway having a second cross-sectional area, both being in communication with an inlet flow passageway. A ratio adjusting tube may be movably disposed in blocking engagement between the inlet flow passageway and the inner flow passageway. The ratio adjusting tube and the outer flow passageway both may be substantially concentric with the inner flow passageway. Material may be distributed from the inlet flow passageway to the inner and outer flow passageways. The method and apparatus may allow for the manual and automatic control of the proportion of material distributed between the inner and outer flow passageways by adjusting the position of the ratio adjusting tube in relation to a passageway between the inlet flow passageway and the inner flow passageway, based on various operating parameters.Type: GrantFiled: February 25, 2008Date of Patent: July 19, 2011Assignee: Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc.Inventors: Gerald S. Sutton, Randall A. Kolbet
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Patent number: 7690691Abstract: A plastic pipe coupler is provided having a plurality of sections connected to one another but with at least one gap between the ends of two sections which are adjacent to one another. Each of the coupler sections has an exterior surface and an interior surface, and is fabricated so that when taken together, the sections cooperatively circumvent a section of plastic pipe. Each bracket is secured to the exterior surface of one of the aforesaid sections of the coupler and has a base plate, a pair of sidewall plates attached to each base plate, and a crosspiece having a first end and a second end, the first end of which is in contacting relationship with one of the pair of sidewall plates, while the second end is in contacting relationship with the other of the pair of sidewall plates.Type: GrantFiled: January 11, 2007Date of Patent: April 6, 2010Assignee: Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc.Inventor: John M. Kurdziel
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Patent number: 7484535Abstract: A pipe having an axially extending bore is defined by a pipe wall including a corrugated outer wall having axially adjacent annular outwardly-extending crests separated by valleys. The pipe wall also includes a non-linear outer layer having adjacent concave portions and convex portions. The concave portions are aligned with the corrugation crests of the outer wall so that the convex portion of the outer layer extends outwardly between at least two corrugation crests to provide improved resistance to deformation.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2005Date of Patent: February 3, 2009Assignee: Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc.Inventors: James B. Goddard, John Martin Kurdziel
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Patent number: 7451784Abstract: A pipe having an axially extending bore is defined by a corrugated outer wall having alternating, axially-adjacent, annular crests and valleys. The wall of the pipe has a hole disposed in a valley which provides fluid communication between the bore and the outside. The pipe also has a cover which extends between and is attached to axially adjacent crests. The cover is disposed over the hole to prevent material in which the pipe may be disposed from obstructing the hole and permitting fluid flow through the hole.Type: GrantFiled: January 25, 2005Date of Patent: November 18, 2008Assignee: Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc.Inventor: James B. Goddard
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Patent number: 7331582Abstract: An annular gasket for affecting a watertight seal between two sections of corrugated pipe. The gasket comprises a seating portion dimensioned to fit within an annular recess in one of the mated sections of corrugated pipe, and a sealing portion integrally molded with the seating portion. The sealing portion includes a first shoulder portion, a second shoulder portion, and an arcuate surface extending between the first and second shoulder portions. The mass of the seating portion is less than the mass of the sealing portion.Type: GrantFiled: May 26, 2005Date of Patent: February 19, 2008Assignee: Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc.Inventors: William V. Shaffer, William C. Andrick
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Patent number: 7306264Abstract: In a corrugated pipe comprising two sections joined by telescopically mating a male end of one section with a female end of the other section, an annular sealing element is fixed to the exterior surface of the male end and disposed to sealingly engage the interior surface of the female end. An annular band of reinforcing material is disposed around the exterior surface of the female end at a position along the longitudinal axis thereof that is in general alignment with the sealing element. The reinforcing material resists loss of sealing engagement between the female end and the sealing element during use of the pipe.Type: GrantFiled: November 9, 2001Date of Patent: December 11, 2007Assignee: Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc.Inventors: James B. Goddard, William V. Shaffer
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Patent number: 7185894Abstract: A corrugated pipe saddle gasket is provided having a leading member, a primary sealing member, and an arm member, with the gasket having a contoured surface extending along at least a portion of the bottom of the primary sealing member and the arm member corresponding to the shape of a corrugated pipe. The primary sealing member of a second length is intermediate the leading member of a first length and the arm member of a third length, with the third length being greater than the sum of the first and second lengths. The gasket has at least a portion of its arm member having a durometer different from the durometer of the primary sealing member. In the preferred embodiment, the arm member has an axis that is substantially horizontal, and the leading member has an axis that is substantially vertical, such that the two axes are substantially perpendicular.Type: GrantFiled: June 9, 2004Date of Patent: March 6, 2007Assignee: Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc.Inventors: Kevin S. Kish, Pardeep K. Sharma
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Patent number: 7052210Abstract: A highway culvert inlet collar is disclosed having a plate member and a pipe adapter. The plate member has a front face, a rear face, a peripheral side edge intermediate the front face and the rear face, and a tapered inlet face portion adjacent the front face. The front face has a front face effective width at least twice that of the tapered inlet face portion effective width of the tapered inlet face portion. The pipe adapter has a first end and a second end, an interior surface and an exterior surface. The front face has an interior edge and an exterior edge. The tapered inlet face portion is located centrally of the front face and is preferably angled 45° rearwardly from the front face. The pipe adapter is preferably oriented perpendicularly to the rear face. The tapered inlet face portion extends from the front face interior edge to a tapered face interior edge. The pipe adapter is attached to the plate member intermediate the peripheral side edge and the tapered face interior edge.Type: GrantFiled: May 24, 2004Date of Patent: May 30, 2006Assignee: Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc.Inventor: John M. Kurdziel
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Patent number: 6948718Abstract: An annular gasket for affecting a watertight seal between two sections of corrugated pipe. The gasket comprises a seating portion dimensioned to fit within an annular recess in one of the mated sections of corrugated pipe, and a sealing portion integrally molded with the seating portion. The sealing portion includes a first shoulder portion, a second shoulder portion, and an arcuate surface extending between the first and second shoulder portions. The mass of the seating portion is less than the mass of the sealing portion.Type: GrantFiled: February 3, 2003Date of Patent: September 27, 2005Assignee: Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc.Inventors: William V. Shaffer, William C. Andrick
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Patent number: 6783683Abstract: A stormwater pollutant separator system is provided with the system having a stormwater pollutant separator, a by-pass system, an intake conduit and an outflow conduit connected together. The stormwater pollutant separator includes a chamber with a weir plate and siphon plate therein. The chamber has first, second, and third sections. The first section is located between the chamber first end and the weir plate. The second section is located between the weir plate and siphon plate. The third section is located between the siphon plate and the chamber second end. In one embodiment the third section has filter material placed intermediate the siphon (sometimes referred to as the second weir) plate and the second end plate.Type: GrantFiled: September 9, 2002Date of Patent: August 31, 2004Assignee: Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc.Inventor: Patrick X. Collings
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Patent number: 6702517Abstract: The present invention includes a pipe assembly for collecting water runoff. The pipe assembly includes a plurality of elongated primary pipes disposed in adjacent contact along their lengths. Each pair of adjacent elongated primary pipes define upper and lower elongated voids between adjacent pipe haunches and upper and lower imaginary planes tangential thereto. An elongated secondary pipe is disposed in each void in tangential contact along its length with the two adjacent elongated primary pipes defining the void. A material transversely encompasses the plurality of elongated primary pipes and elongated secondary pipes. The pipe assembly may be used in a water storage system and methods for installing such a system. The pipe assembly may also be used in a method for collecting surface water. The pipe assembly may be used in a system for use in a water flow path.Type: GrantFiled: November 21, 2001Date of Patent: March 9, 2004Assignee: Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc.Inventor: James B. Goddard
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Patent number: 6644357Abstract: A corrugated pipe is provided having a pipe structure of an inner wall having an interior surface and an exterior surface, and an outer wall having corrugations, each of the corrugations having an interior surface and an exterior surface, each corrugation having a crown. The pipe structure has a trough between each corrugation, and each trough has a center-point, with the distance between the center-points of adjacent troughs defining the pitch of the pipe. The pipe structure has at each crown a first distance extending in a straight line from the crown exterior surface to the interior surface of the inner wall, with the distance defining the pitch being a second distance, with the ratio of the first distance to the second distance being less than 0.8:1.0.Type: GrantFiled: November 9, 2001Date of Patent: November 11, 2003Assignee: Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc.Inventor: James B. Goddard