Arched conduit with improved corrugations

A foldable, partially corrugated conduit comprising:

• a first wall which is elongated in one direction and which has a plurality of first corrugations extending generally transverse to said one direction, said first corrugations extending generally between a first wall apex side edge area which extends substantially in said one direction and a first wall terminal side edge area which extends substantially in said one direction;
• a second wall which is elongated in said one direction and which has a plurality of second corrugations extending generally transverse to said one direction, said second corrugations extending generally between a second wall apex side edge area which extends substantially in said one direction and a second wall terminal side edge area which extends substantially in said one direction;
• said first and second corrugations comprising alternating peak portions and valley portions, the peak portions comprising pairs of corrugation walls and top walls connecting the pairs of corrugation walls, said top walls having ribs disposed substantially contiguous with each corrugation wall, said valley portions comprising valley walls connecting alternate pairs of corrugation walls;
• hinge means connecting said first wall apex side edge area with said second wall apex side edge area, said hinge means providing for said first wall and said second wall to move arcuately generally about the hinge means at least between a folded position in which said first wall terminal side edge area and said second wall terminal side edge area are generally adjacent each other and an unfolded position in which said first wall terminal side edge area and said second wall terminal side edge area are displaced from each other;
• and
• a foldable base which is elongated in said one direction, said base being connected substantially adjacent said first wall terminal side edge area and being connected substantially adjacent said second wall terminal side edge area, said foldable base being foldable at least generally along a first fold area disposed substantially adjacent said first wall terminal side edge area, generally along a second fold area disposed substantially adjacent said second wall terminal side edge area, and generally along at least a third folded area extending in said one direction, said third fold area being disposed generally intermediate said first fold area and said second fold area, whereby said foldable base is foldable along at least the first, second, and third fold area as said conduit is moved between the folded and unfolded positions.

A conduit comprising:

• a longitudinally elongated element which has an apex area disposed substantially at the top of the element and a pair of displaced longitudinal terminal side edge areas disposed generally at the bottom of the element, the terminal side edge areas defining a generally planar base area therebetween;
• the elongated element having a plurality of transverse corrugations extending from the apex area to both of said terminal side edge areas;
• said corrugations comprising outward extending peak portions and inward extending valley portions, the peak portions comprising corrugation walls and top walls connecting alternate pairs of corrugation walls, the top walls having a recess between the connected pairs of corrugation walls, the valley portions comprising valley walls connecting alternate pairs of corrugation walls;
• and, a generally flat base connected between said terminal side edge areas.

A corrugated plastic conduit product comprising:

• a first corrugated plastic side wall which is elongated along a longitudinal axis, the first side wall having two longitudinally extending edges, the first side wall comprising alternating along the longitudinal axis a plurality of first top walls and first valley walls and a plurality of first corrugation walls connecting adjacent first top walls and first valley walls, the first top walls and first valley walls each extending generally between the two longitudinally extending edges of the first side wall, the first top walls having at least one rib;
• a second corrugated plastic side wall which is elongated along the longitudinal axis, said second side wall having two longitudinally extending edges, the second side wall comprising alternating along the longitudinal axis a plurality of second top walls and second valley walls and a plurality of second corrugation walls connecting adjacent second top walls and second valley walls, the second top walls and second valley walls extending generally between the two longitudinally extending edges of the second side wall, the second top walls, having at least one rib, one of said second side wall's longitudinally extending edges being integrally connected with one of said first side wall's longitudinally extending edges;
• and
• a smooth base which is connected longitudinally adjacent the longitudinally extending edges of the first side wall and the second side wall such that the first wall, the second wall, and the base define a hollow fluid conveying region.

A corrugated plastic conduit which is disposable in a folded and in an open configuration, said conduit comprising:

• a first corrugated plastic side wall which is elongated along a longitudinal axis said first side wall having a longitudinally extending apex side edge area and a longitudinally extending terminal side edge area, said first side wall having first corrugations comprising first peak portions and first valley portions alternating along the longitudinal axis and extending generally between the apex side edge area and the terminal side edge area of the first side wall, said first peak portion having inward recesses extending at least partially between the apex side edge area and the teminal side edge area of the first side wall;
• a second corrugated plastic side wall which is elongated along the longitudinal axis said second side wall having a longitudinal extending apex side edge area and a longitudinally extending terminal side edge area, said second side wall having second corrugations comprising second peak portions and second valley portions alternating along the longitudinal axis and extending generally between the apex side edge area and the terminal side area of the second side wall, said second peak portions having recesses extending at least partially between the apex side edge area and the terminal side edge area of the second side wall;
• means for connecting the apex side edge areas of said first and second walls together in such a manner that in the open configuration the terminal side edge areas of the first and second walls are displaced and the connected first and second walls have a generally arch-like cross section transverse to the longitudinal axis;
• and,
• a generally flat base which is elongated along the longitudinal axis and has a width transverse to the longitudinal axis, said base being foldably connected with the terminal side edge areas of said first and second walls to allow relative folding between the base and the first and second walls, the width of the base limiting the amount by which the terminal side edge areas of said first and second wall can be displaced in the open configuration, whereby the first and second side walls can be folded generally parallel to each other to form the folded configuration of the conduit.

A corrugated plastic conduit comprising:

• a first corrugated plastic wall which is elongated along a longitudinal axis, the first corrugated plastic wall having first and second longitudinally extending edges;
• a second corrugated plastic wall which is elongated along the longitudinal axis, the second corrugated plastic wall having first and second longitudinally extending edges, the second corrugated plastic wall's first longitudinally extending edge being integrally formed with the first corrugated plastic wall's first longitudinally extending edge, whereby the first and second corrugated plastic walls form a unitary elongated element having an open cross section;
• and,
• a noncorrugated, flexible base which is thinner than the first and second corrugated plastic walls, the base being connected adjacent the second longitudinally extending edge of the first corrugated plastic wall and the second longitudinally extending edge of the second corrugated wall, the base being freely flexible along the longitudinal axis.