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US 10,371,287 B2Granted
Alignment orifice shield
OwnerDavid A. Potts, Daniel Borkowskiinventors
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems, methods, process, and article of manufacture regarding alignment orifice shields are provided. Shields can be configured to mate with leaching conduits in a certain configuration and can provide visual clues with regard to orientation as well as stability of installation for a pressurized or gravity-flow conduit. Methods of manufacture are also provided where manual or automated systems may be used for securing and adapting conduits to align with one or shields prior to or during installation of a leaching system.
Claims24
A wastewater leaching system comprising:
- a wastewater leaching conduit having an outer surface, a plurality of discharge orifices located on the outer surface, and one or more rotational alignment receptacles located on the outer surface;
- and
- an alignment orifice shield comprising a first wastewater leaching conduit seat, a wastewater shield, and one or more rotational alignment protrusions,
- wherein the first wastewater leaching conduit seat is adapted with an externally exposed receiving area to mate with the outer surface of the wastewater leaching conduit when the conduit is positioned in the externally exposed receiving area of the first wastewater leaching conduit seat,
- wherein the wastewater shield is connected to the first wastewater leaching conduit seat, the wastewater shield having an externally exposed wastewater receiving surface, the externally exposed wastewater receiving surface facing the first wastewater leaching conduit seat,
- wherein a gap exists between the externally exposed receiving area of the first wastewater leaching conduit seat and the externally exposed wastewater receiving surface,
- wherein the gap is configured to allow wastewater leaving one or more of the plurality of discharge orifices of the wastewater leaching conduit when the conduit is positioned in the externally exposed receiving area of the first wastewater leaching conduit seat to pass beyond the conduit seat through the gap and reach the externally exposed wastewater receiving surface of the wastewater shield,
- wherein the externally exposed wastewater receiving surface of the wastewater shield is configured to be positioned apart from the outer surface of the wastewater leaching conduit when the conduit is positioned in the externally exposed receiving area of the first wastewater leaching conduit seat,
- wherein the externally exposed wastewater receiving surface of the wastewater shield is planar or is substantially planar,
- wherein one or more of the rotational alignment protrusions extend from one or more portions of the alignment orifice shield before the conduit is positioned in the receiving area of the first wastewater leaching conduit seat and thereby before mating the alignment orifice shield with the outer surface of the wastewater leaching conduit when the conduit is positioned in the receiving area of the first wastewater leaching conduit seat,
- wherein one or more of the rotational alignment protrusions is configured to mate with a corresponding rotational alignment receptacle of the one or more rotational alignment receptacles located on the outer surface of the wastewater leaching conduit when the conduit is positioned in the receiving area of the first wastewater leaching conduit seat, and
- wherein one or more of the one or more rotational alignment receptacles located on the outer surface of the wastewater leaching conduit does not penetrate completely through an entire wall of the wastewater leaching conduit.
9 more elements
A method of manufacturing a wastewater leaching pipe and alignment orifice shield system, the method comprising:
- placing a wastewater pipe in an alignment seat of a manufacturing jig device,
- the manufacturing jig device configured to provide positioning and alignment for creating one or more thru-holes in the wastewater pipe seated in the alignment seat of the jig device,
- the manufacturing jig device configured to provide positioning, alignment, and depth for creating one or more rotational alignment receptacles in an outer surface of the wastewater pipe seated in the alignment seat of the jig device;
- creating one or more thru-holes in the wastewater pipe;
- creating one or more rotational alignment receptacles in an outer surface of the wastewater pipe, the one or more alignment receptacles not penetrating completely through an entire wall of the wastewater pipe;
- and
- securing one or more alignment orifice shields to the wastewater pipe after the placing step and after the creating steps,
- wherein the one or more alignment orifice shields each comprises a first wastewater pipe seat, a wastewater shield, and one or more rotational alignment protrusions,
- wherein the first wastewater pipe seat is adapted with an externally exposed receiving area to mate with the outer surface of the wastewater pipe when the wastewater pipe is positioned in the externally exposed receiving area of the first wastewater pipe seat,
- wherein the wastewater shield is connected to the first wastewater pipe seat, the wastewater shield having an externally exposed wastewater receiving surface, the externally exposed wastewater receiving surface facing the first wastewater pipe seat,
- wherein a gap exists between the externally exposed receiving area of the first wastewater pipe seat and the externally exposed wastewater receiving surface of the wastewater shield,
- wherein the gap is configured to allow wastewater leaving one or more of the thru-holes of the wastewater pipe when the wastewater pipe is positioned in the externally exposed receiving area of the first wastewater pipe seat to pass beyond the first wastewater pipe seat through the gap and reach the externally exposed wastewater receiving surface of the wastewater shield,
- wherein the externally exposed wastewater receiving surface of the wastewater shield is configured to be positioned apart from the outer surface of the wastewater pipe when the wastewater pipe is positioned in the externally exposed receiving area of the first wastewater pipe seat,
- wherein the externally exposed wastewater receiving surface of the wastewater shield is planar or is substantially planar,
- wherein one or more of the rotational alignment protrusions extend from one or more portions of the one or more alignment orifice shields before the pipe is positioned in the receiving area of the first wastewater pipe seat and thereby before mating the alignment orifice shield with the outer surface of the wastewater pipe when the wastewater pipe is positioned in the receiving area of the first wastewater pipe seat, and
- wherein one or more of the rotational alignment protrusions is configured to mate with a corresponding rotational alignment receptacle of the one or more rotational alignment receptacles located on the outer surface of the wastewater pipe when the pipe is positioned in the receiving area of the first wastewater pipe seat.
13 more elements
A wastewater leaching system comprising:
- a wastewater leaching conduit having a plurality of wastewater discharge orifices, the discharge orifices positioned along the wastewater leaching conduit on one or more outside externally-facing surfaces of the wastewater leaching conduit, and the wastewater discharge orifices sized and positioned to permit wastewater running through the wastewater leaching conduit to exit the conduit through more than one of the wastewater discharge orifices;
- and
- a plurality of alignment orifice shields (AOSs) secured to the wastewater leaching conduit, each of the AOSs having a wastewater leaching conduit seat for receiving the wastewater leaching conduit and each of the AOSs positioned to receive and redirect wastewater discharged out of one or more of the wastewater discharge orifices of the wastewater leaching conduit,
- wherein wastewater discharged out of one or more of the wastewater discharge orifices of the wastewater leaching conduit initially contacts an AOS from the plurality of AOSs only after the wastewater has already passed through and out of a wastewater discharge orifice of the plurality of wastewater discharge orifices of the wastewater leaching conduit,
- wherein, before the AOSs and the wastewater leaching conduit are mated, each of the AOSs is further configured with an aligner sized and located to mate with a corresponding aligner of the wastewater leaching conduit, the AOS and the wastewater leaching conduit aligners also configured, such that when the AOS and wastewater leaching conduit are mated, to orient and position the AOS relative to the wastewater leaching conduit and relative to one or more of the wastewater discharge orifices of the wastewater leaching conduit, and
- wherein the corresponding aligner of the wastewater leaching conduit is a receptacle that does not penetrate completely through an entire wall of the wastewater leaching conduit.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.