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- Nachgewiesen in: USPTO Patent Grants
- Sprachen: English
- Patent Number: 9,885,165
- Publication Date: February 06, 2018
- Appl. No: 14/777428
- Application Filed: March 17, 2014
- Assignees: ABT, INC. (Troutman, NC, US)
- Claim: 1. A drainage channel, comprising: a first half member comprising (i) an overhang extending away from the first half member along the length of the first half member, wherein the overhang features alternating protrusions and recesses at regular distances along the length of the overhang, and (ii) a groove extending lengthwise along an exterior surface of the first half member; and a second half member comprising (i) an overhang extending away from the second half member along the length of the second half member, wherein the overhang features alternating recesses and protrusions at regular distances along the length of the overhang, and (ii) a groove extending lengthwise along an exterior surface of the second half member, wherein the first half member and the second half member are joined together by the recesses of the first half member receiving the protrusions of the second half member and the recesses of the second half member receiving the protrusions of the first half member, wherein the interior edges of the first half member and the second half member define a channel, wherein the overhangs of the first half member and the second half member join together to create an upward facing surface, wherein the upward facing surface defines an indentation, and wherein the indentation and the grooves of the first and second half members are structured to be filled with concrete in order to secure the first and second half members together.
- Claim: 2. The drainage channel according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second half members comprise polymer concrete.
- Claim: 3. The drainage channel according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second half members comprise concrete.
- Claim: 4. The drainage channel according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second half members each comprise first and second ends, wherein the first end of the first half member corresponds to the first end of the second half member and the second end of the first half member corresponds to the second end of the second half member, wherein the first end of the first half member defines a projection and the second end of the first half member defines a depression, and wherein the first end of the second half member defines a depression and the second end of the second half member defines a projection.
- Claim: 5. The drainage channel according to claim 4 , further comprising a pair of joined first and second half members comprising first and second drainage channel segments, wherein first end of the first drainage channel segment is joined to the second end of the second drainage channel segment by inserting the projection on the first end of the first half member of the first drainage channel segment into the depression on the second end of the first half member of the second drainage channel segment and by inserting the projection on the second end of the second half member of the second drainage channel segment into the depression on the first end of the second half member of the first drainage channel segment.
- Claim: 6. A method of channeling water, comprising: removing soil to form a drainage path; placing in the drainage path a drainage channel comprising: a first half member comprising an overhang extending away from the first half member along the length of the first half member, wherein the overhang features alternating protrusions and recesses at regular distances along the length of the overhang, and a second half member comprising an overhang extending away from the second half member along the length of the second half member, wherein the overhang features alternating recesses and protrusions at regular distances along the length of the overhang, wherein the first half member and the second half member are joined together by the recesses of the first half member receiving the protrusions of the second half member and the recesses of the second half member receiving the protrusions of the first half member, wherein the interior edges of the first half member and the second half member define a channel, and wherein the overhangs of the first half member and the second half member join together to create an upward facing surface; pouring concrete around the drainage channel to fill with concrete (i) grooves extending lengthwise along an exterior surface of the first and second half members, and (ii) an indentation running along the top of the drainage channel formed by the upward facing surface; and directing water to an initial opening of the drainage channel.
- Claim: 7. The method of channeling water according to claim 6 , wherein the first and second half members each comprise first and second ends, wherein the first end of the first half member corresponds to the first end of the second half member and the second end of the first half member corresponds to the second end of the second half member, wherein the first end of the first half member defines a projection and the second end of the first half member defines a depression, wherein the first end of the second half member defines a depression and the second end of the second half member defines a projection and further comprising: providing a pair of joined first and second half members comprising first and second drainage channel segments, and joining the first and second drainage channel segments by inserting the projection on the first end of the first half member of the first drainage channel segment into the depression on the second end of the first half member of the second drainage channel segment and by inserting the projection on the second end of the second half member of the second drainage channel segment into the depression on the first end of the second half member of the first drainage channel segment.
- Claim: 8. A method of manufacturing drainage channels, comprising: creating a first mold for forming a first half member of a drainage channel that features (i) an overhang extending away from the first half member along the length of the first half member, wherein the overhang features alternating protrusions and recesses at regular distances along the length of the overhang, and (ii) a groove extending lengthwise along an exterior surface of the first half member; creating a second mold for forming a second half member of a drainage channel that features (i) an overhang extending away from the second half member along the length of the second half member, wherein the overhang features alternating recesses and protrusions at regular distances along the length of the overhang, and (ii) a groove extending lengthwise along an exterior surface of the second half member; pouring a forming composition into the molds to form the first half member and the second half member; joining the first half member and the second half member together by the recesses of the first half member receiving the protrusions of the second half member and the recesses of the second half member receiving the protrusions of the first half member; joining the overhangs of the first half member and the second half member to create an upward facing surface, wherein the upward facing surface defines an indentation on the top of the drainage channel; and pouring concrete around the drainage channel to fill with the concrete the grooves and the indentation.
- Claim: 9. The method of manufacturing drainage channels according to claim 8 , wherein the first and second half members each comprise first and second ends, wherein the first end of the first half member corresponds to the first end of the second half member and the second end of the first half member corresponds to the second end of the second half member, wherein the first end of the first half member defines a projection and the second end of the first half member defines a depression, wherein the first end of the second half member defines a depression and the second end of the second half member defines a projection and further comprising: providing a pair of joined first and second half members comprising first and second drainage channel segments, and joining the first and second drainage channel segments by inserting the projection on the first end of the first half member of the first drainage channel segment into the depression on the second end of the first half member of the second drainage channel segment and by inserting the projection on the second end of the second half member of the second drainage channel segment into the depression on the first end of the second half member of the first drainage channel segment.
- Patent References Cited: 696792 April 1902 Bedell ; 1430094 September 1922 Meier ; 2014972 September 1935 Lacey ; 4105051 August 1978 Visentin ; 5653553 August 1997 Gunter ; 7044169 May 2006 Kondou ; 2005/0238435 October 2005 Wallace ; 2007/0099782 May 2007 Saadi et al. ; 2008-163707 July 2008 ; WO 2012/073123 June 2012 ; 2014145649 September 2014
- Other References: International Search Report and Written Opinion of International Application No. PCT/US2014/030452 dated Aug. 8, 2014. English Language. 12 pages. cited by applicant ; Canadian Office Action for Canadian Patent Application No. 2,906,866 dated Jun. 21, 2016 (Search conducted on Jun. 20, 2016). cited by applicant
- Primary Examiner: Singh, Sunil
- Attorney, Agent or Firm: Moore & Van Allen PLLC ; Ward, III, Henry B.
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