Pool drain assembly with annular inlet

• US 7,089,607 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2004
• Issued: 08/15/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hayward Industries, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Paramount Leisure Industries, Inc. (Hayward Industries, Inc.)
• Inventors: Barnes, Steven R., Goettl, John M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Huynh, Khoa D.
• Application Number:
  US10/931,001
• Publication Number:
  US 20050066435A1
• Time in Patent Office: 714 Days
• Field of Search: 450/7, 429/5, 429/3, 450/8, 451/3, 451/0, 451/2, 467/1, 467/3, 468/1, 468/8, 469/2, 137/362
• US Class Current: 4/508
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 4/1236 Bottom drains
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/6988 Floor installation

Abstract

The swimming pool floor or spa floor drain assembly of the present invention includes a drain body having a mouth positionable in proximity to the pool wall to serve as a fluid flow inlet, a spaced apart fluid flow outlet positionable below the mouth and a sidewall interconnecting the mouth with the outlet to define a fluid flow chamber. The cross sectional area of the fluid flow chamber decreases from the mouth to the base. A fluid deflecting plug includes a comparatively large area top and a comparatively small area base. A sidewall interconnects the top and base to form the plug with a cross sectional area decreasing from the top to the base. A support structure positions the plug within the drain body such that at least a substantial portion of the plug sidewall is spaced apart from the drain body sidewall to define a fluid flow channel having a first comparatively larger cross sectional area in proximity to the drain body mouth and a second comparatively smaller cross sectional area in proximity to the drain body outlet. The variation in the cross sectional area from the drain body mouth to the drain body outlet provides a lower fluid flow velocity at the mouth than at the outlet when fluid is transferred from the pool through the floor drain assembly.

Claims

1. A drain assembly for installation in a wall of a pool comprising:

a. a drain body having an annular mouth defining an inner and an outer boundary serving as a fluid flow inlet, a spaced apart fluid flow outlet positionable below the mouth and a side wall interconnecting the mouth with the outlet and defining a fluid flow chamber, the cross sectional area of the fluid flow chamber decreasing from the mouth to the outlet;

b. a fluid deflecting plug having a comparatively large area top and defining the inner boundary of the mouth, a comparatively small area base and a side wall interconnecting the top and the base to form the plug with a cross sectional area decreasing from the top to the base;

c. a support structure for positioning the plug within the drain body such that at least a substantial portion of the sidewall of the plug is spaced apart from the sidewall of the drain body to define a fluid flow channel having a first comparatively larger cross sectional area in proximity to the mouth and a second comparatively smaller cross sectional area in proximity to the outlet to provide a lower fluid flow velocity at the mouth than at the outlet when fluid is transferred from the pool through the drain assembly; and

d. a pump for drawing water through said drain body.

2. The drain assembly of claim 1 wherein the cross sectional area of the fluid flow chamber decreases as a function of the distance below the mouth and wherein the cross sectional area of the plug decreases as a function of the distance below the top.

3. The drain assembly of claim 2 wherein the sidewall of the drain body is configured with a generally conical profile.

4. The drain assembly of claim 3 wherein the sidewall of the plug is configured with a generally conical profile.

5. The drain assembly of claim 4 wherein the fluid-flow channel has a length and wherein the sidewalls of the drain body and the plug are oriented substantially parallel over at least a portion of that length.

6. The drain assembly of claim 1 wherein the cross sectional area of the fluid-flow channel is the greatest in proximity to the drain mouth and is the smallest in proximity to the drain body outlet.

7. The drain assembly of claim 1 wherein the drain body has a funnel shaped configuration.

8. The drain assembly of claim 1 includes a vertical to horizontal fluid flow transition element coupled to the outlet.

9. A pool drain assembly coupled with a water return line, said drain assembly comprising:

a. a funnel shaped drain body having a mouth serving as a fluid flow inlet, a neck serving as a fluid flow outlet and a sidewall interconnecting the mouth and neck, the neck being dimensioned to fit with and form a substantially fluid tight coupling upon connection with an inlet to the return line;

b. a fluid deflecting plug having a sidewall dimensioned to fit within the mouth of the drain body to form an annular mouth; and

c. a support structure for positioning the plug within at least a part of the interior of the drain body with a fixed spacing between the plug and the sidewall of the drain body to define a fluid flow channel extending from the mouth to the neck and to define the mouth as being annular in configuration.

10. The pool drain assembly of claim 9 wherein the neck includes a vertical-to-horizontal fluid flow transition element for connection with the inlet of the return line.

11. The pool drain assembly of claim 10 wherein the fluid flow transition element includes a vertically oriented inlet and a horizontally oriented outlet.

12. The pool drain assembly of claim 11 wherein the fluid flow transition element includes an internal passageway having a substantially constant diameter.

13. The pool drain assembly of claim 11 wherein each of the mouth and the outlet includes an axis of rotation and wherein the axis of rotation of the outlet is aligned with the axis of rotation of the mouth.

14. The pool drain assembly of claim 10 wherein the drain body is formed as a substantially conical member.

15. The pool drain assembly of claim 9 wherein the plug is formed as a substantially conical member.

16. The pool drain assembly of claim 9 wherein the support structure includes a vertical support element extending laterally outward from the plug and interfacing with a complementary lateral support element extending laterally inwardly from the drain body.

17. The pool drain assembly of claim 16 wherein the support structure further includes a further vertical support element extending laterally outwardly from the plug, spanning the fluid flow channel and overlapping an upper surface of the drain body for rigidly coupling the plug to the drain body.

18. The pool drain assembly of claim 9 including coupling means for removably coupling the neck to the inlet of the return line.

19. The pool drain assembly of claim 9 wherein the plug includes a domed top.

20. A pool drain assembly comprising:

a. a funnel shaped drain body having a fluid flow inlet located at an upper end of the drain body and a fluid flow outlet located below the inlet and including a side wall extending between the inlet and outlet, the inlet having a first cross sectional area and the outlet having a second cross sectional area and wherein the first cross sectional area is greater than the second cross sectional area;

b. a fluid-deflecting plug dimensioned to fit into the inlet and having upper and lower ends and a body defined by the sidewall extending between the upper and lower ends, the body having a first cross sectional area at the upper end and a second cross sectional area at the lower end and wherein the first cross sectional area is greater than the second cross sectional area; and

c. a support structure for establishing a rigid mechanical connection between the plug and the drain body to maintain a fixed spacing between the plug and the drain body to define an annular shape of the inlet and a variable velocity fluid flow channel extending between the inlet and outlet, the channel having a first cross sectional area in proximity to the inlet and a second smaller cross sectional area in proximity to the outlet to provide reduced fluid flow velocity at the inlet in comparison to the fluid flow velocity at the outlet.

21. The pool drain assembly of claim 20 wherein the plug is formed as a substantially conical member.

22. The pool drain assembly of claim 21 wherein the first cross sectional area of the plug includes a substantially circular perimeter, wherein the second cross sectional area of the plug includes a substantially circular perimeter and wherein the diameter of the first cross sectional area exceeds the diameter of the second cross sectional area.

23. The pool drain assembly of claim 21 wherein the drain body is formed as a substantially conical member.

24. The pool drain assembly of claim 20 wherein the outlet is formed as a substantially cylindrical opening.

25. The pool drain assembly of claim 20 wherein the support structure further includes a vertical support element extending laterally outwardly from the plug and interfacing with a complementary lateral support element extending laterally inwardly from the sidewall.

26. The pool drain assembly of claim 25 wherein the support structure includes a further vertical support element extending laterally outwardly from the plug, spanning the fluid flow channel and overlapping an upper surface of the drain body for rigidly coupling the plug to the drain body.

27. The pool drain assembly of claim 26 wherein the sidewall includes first and second spaced apart, vertically oriented recesses and wherein the further vertical support element includes first and second spaced apart, downwardly extending pegs positioned and dimensioned to mate with the first and second recesses.

28. The swimming pool floor drain assembly of claim 27 further including first and second fasteners for rigidly securing the first and second pegs to the first and second recesses.