Low profile circular drain with water stop for swimming pools

• US 9,540,837 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2013
• Issued: 01/10/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aquastar Pool Products Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Olaf Mjelde
• Inventors: Mjelde, Olaf
• Primary Examiner(s): Durand, Paul R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Klotz, William R
• Application Number:
  US13/794,376
• Publication Number:
  US 20140250581A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,401 Days
• Field of Search: 4506-507, 451/0, 461/3, 467/9, 429/2, 450/4, 210163-164, 210/166
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 4/1236 Bottom drains
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A sump drain includes a ring-shaped chamber having an inner sidewall with a diameter of at least about 18 inches and an outer sidewall, and a circular opening between the sidewalls preferably about an inch wide and optionally having a grid cover. Preferably the inner sidewall has a number of ports extending inwardly to radial conduits to a central hub for tying into a pool or spa filtering system, with the central hub operating as a clean out and having a removable cap. Upon installation, plaster substantially fills the space between the chamber and the central hub, such that the sump drain attractively blends in with the pool or spa floor. When installed, the top opening is preferably substantially flush with the pool or spa floor while being safely unblockable. And the sump drain preferably further includes channels both outboard and inboard from the chamber top opening and around the central hub, to help prevent water from passing through the plaster into the shotcrete of the pool or spa.

Claims

1. A sump drain for connecting to a filtering system and installation in a plaster floor of a swimming pool or spa comprising:

a chamber disposed about a central hub displaced radially inward therefrom to be embedded in the plaster floor, the chamber having an inner sidewall, an outer sidewall defining a contiguous annular top opening therebetween, the chamber being formed with a gutter formed on the outer sidewall for embedded anchoring in the plaster floor;

the contiguous annular top opening of the chamber being in open communication with the central hub through a plurality of ports defined therebetween for tying into the filtering system; and

,

the central hub having a removable cap in coplanar arrangement with the contiguous annular top opening; and

the sump drain configured such that when installed plaster substantially fills the space between the chamber and the central hub.

2. The sump drain of claim 1 further configured such that when installed the contiguous annular top opening is substantially flush with the plaster floor.

3. The sump drain of claim 1 further comprising a circular grid, sized to cover the contiguous annular top opening, the circular grid having a multiplicity of openings.

4. The sump drain of claim 1 wherein the contiguous annular top opening is about an inch wide.

5. The sump drain of claim 1 wherein the removable cap is over the central hub for access to clean out the sump drain.

6. The sump drain of claim 1 wherein the plurality of ports are radial conduits extending radially inward from the inner sidewall to the central hub.

7. The sump drain of claim 1, wherein the gutter forms a contiguous annular gutter structure surrounding the top opening to help prevent water from passing through the plaster floor.

38. The sump drain of claim 1 wherein the inner sidewall of the chamber is configured to encircle a portion of the plaster floor when installed.

8. A sump drain for connecting to a filtering system and installation in a plaster floor of a swimming pool or spa comprising:

a chamber disposed about a central hub displaced radially inward therefrom to be embedded in the plaster floor, the chamber having an inner sidewall and an outer sidewall defining a contiguous annular top opening therebetween, the chamber being formed with a gutter formed on the outer sidewall for embedded anchoring in the plaster floor;

the contiguous annular top opening of the chamber being in open communication with the central hub through a plurality of ports defined therebetween for tying into the filtering system;

the sump drain configured such that when installed, plaster substantially fills a space between the chamber and the central hub; and

the sump drain further configured such that when installed, the contiguous annular top opening is substantially flush with the plaster floor.

9. The sump drain of claim 8 further comprising a circular grid, sized to cover the contiguous annular top opening, the circular grid having a multiplicity of openings.

10. The sump drain of claim 8 wherein the contiguous annular top opening is about an inch wide.

11. The sump drain of claim 8 further comprising a removable cap over the central hub for access to clean out the sump drain.

12. The sump drain of claim 8 wherein the plurality of ports define conduits extending radially inward from the inner sidewall to the central hub.

13. The sump drain of claim 8, wherein the gutter forms a contiguous annular gutter structure surrounding the top opening to help prevent water from passing through the plaster floor.

39. The sump drain of claim 8 wherein the inner sidewall of the chamber is configured to encircle a portion of the plaster floor when installed.

14. A sump drain for connecting to a filtering system and installation in a plaster floor of a swimming pool or spa comprising:

a chamber having an inner sidewall, an outer sidewall, and a contiguous annular top opening between the sidewalls, the chamber being formed with a gutter formed on the outer sidewall for embedded anchoring in the plaster floor;

the chamber further having conduits extending radially inward from the inner sidewall to an inlet of the filtering system, the inlet being radially displaced from the chamber to be embedded in the plaster floor; and

the sump drain further configured such that when installed the contiguous annular top opening is substantially flush with the pool or spa floor.

15. The sump drain of claim 14 further comprising a circular grid sized to cover the contiguous annular top opening the circular grid having a multiplicity of openings.

16. The sump drain of claim 14 wherein the contiguous annular top opening is about an inch wide.

17. The sump drain of claim 14 further comprising a removable cap over the central hub for access to clean out the sump drain.

18. The sump drain of claim 14 wherein the conduits are through the inner sidewall.

19. The sump drain of claim 14, wherein the gutter forms a contiguous annular gutter structure surrounding the top opening to help prevent water from passing through the plaster floor.

40. The sump drain of claim 14 wherein the inner sidewall of the chamber is configured to encircle a portion of the plaster floor when installed.

20. A sump drain for installation in a surface of a swimming pool or spa having a drain inlet, the sump drain comprising:

an annular chamber for embedding in the surface;

the annular chamber having a contiguous annular top opening defined between inner and outer sidewall portions covered by a removable circular grid cover;

a central hub displaced radially inward from and in open communication with the annular chamber, the central hub being embedded in the surface of the swimming pool or spa and coupled to the drain inlet;

the annular chamber radially centered around the central hub, the annular chamber being formed with a gutter formed on the outer sidewall portion for embedded anchoring in the surface of the swimming pool or spa;

a removable cap above the central hub for accessing the drain inlet; and

wherein the removable circular grid cover encircles the removable cap substantially flush with the surface when installed.

21. The sump drain of claim 20 wherein the surface is plastered.

22. The sump drain of claim 20, further comprising a conduit coupled to between the removable circular grid cover and the drain inlet.

23. The sump drain of claim 20, wherein the gutter forms a water stop contiguously around the annular chamber for anchoring the sump drain in the surface.

24. The sump drain of claim 20 wherein the removable circular grid cover is seated over the annular chamber.

25. The sump drain of claim 20 further comprising conduits coupling the annular chamber to the drain inlet.

26. The sump drain of claim 20 wherein the removable cap is seated on the sump drain above the drain inlet.

27. The sump drain of claim 20 wherein the removable cap is substantially coplanar with the removable circular grid cover.

36. The sump drain of claim 20 wherein the annular chamber communicates with a structure configured for guiding liquid flow radially inward therefrom.

41. The sump drain of claim 20 wherein the inner sidewall portion of the chamber is configured to encircle a portion of the surface of the swimming pool or spa when installed.

28. A sump drain for installation in a surface of a swimming pool or spa having a drain inlet, the sump drain comprising:

an annular chamber having a contiguous annular top opening defined between inner and outer sidewall portions, the drain inlet being embedded in the surface of the swimming pool or spa;

a ring shaped grid cover covering the contiguous annular top opening;

the annular chamber being in open communication with the ring shaped grid cover and the drain inlet, the chamber being formed with a gutter formed on the outer sidewall portion for embedded anchoring in the surface of the swimming pool or spa; and

a removable cap surrounded by the ring shaped grid cover, the removable cap disposed above the drain inlet.

29. The sump drain of claim 28 wherein the surface is plastered.

30. The sump drain of claim 28 further comprising a conduit between the ring shaped grid cover and the drain inlet.

31. The sump drain of claim 28, wherein the gutter forms a water stop contiguously the annular chamber for anchoring the sump drain in the surface.

32. The sump drain of claim 28 wherein the ring shaped grid cover is seated over the annular chamber.

33. The sump drain of claim 28 further comprising conduits coupling the annular chamber to the drain inlet.

34. The sump drain of claim 28 wherein the removable cap is seated on the sump drain above the drain inlet.

35. The sump drain of claim 28 wherein the removable cap is substantially coplanar with the ring shaped grid cover.

37. The sump drain of claim 28 wherein the annular chamber communicates with a structure configured for guiding liquid flow radially inward therefrom.

42. The sump drain of claim 28 wherein the inner sidewall portion of the chamber is configured to encircle a portion of the surface of the swimming pool or spa when installed.