Cover and Sump Assembly For Preventing Suction Entrapment

Abstract

The invention relates to a cover and sump assembly for a main drain of a pool or spa that prevents suction entrapment, and specifically, to an assembly having a frame with openings, plates with openings positioned on the frame, and a sump for collecting water and receiving the frame. The assembly reduces the velocity of water flowing there through, uniformly distributes a suction force created by water flowing into the sump, prevents a vortex of flowing water above the assembly, and provides anti-entanglement features to minimize the likelihood of an individual becoming entrapped on the assembly by a suction force produced by a pump in the pool or spa filtering system. The assembly includes a conduit defining an opening along a lower portion thereof that reduces the velocity of flowing water at the suction opening in the sump by reorienting the suction port from a vertical to a horizontal orientation.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO PRIORITY APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims the benefit of and priority to commonly owned U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61 / 091,998, filed Aug. 26, 2008, in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. This application incorporates the provisional application by reference in its entirety.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]The invention relates to a cover and sump assembly for a main drain of a swimming pool or spa that prevents suction entrapment, and more specifically, to a cover and sump assembly having a frame defining a plurality of openings, one or more plates defining a plurality of openings and positioned on the frame, and a sump for collecting water and for receiving the frame. As configured, the cover and sump assembly reduces the velocity of water flowing through the assembly, uniformly distributes a suction force created by the water flow in said sump, and prevents a vortex of flowing water above the assembly, provides anti-entanglement feat...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0006]The invention comprises in one embodiment a cover assembly for a drain having a frame defining a plurality of openings and having a base, a crown, and sloped sides; and at least one plate positioned on the crown of the frame and defining a plurality of openings; wherein the cover assembly maximizes the flow of water passing through the assembly, reduces the velocity of water flowing through the assembly, and prevents the formation of a vortex of flowing water substantially adjacent to the cover assembly, all thereby reducing the likelihood of suction entrapment.

[0007]The invention comprises in another embodiment a sump assembly for a drain having a sump for collecting water; a first conduit passing through an opening in the sump and having at least one flange; a second conduit defining an opening along a lower portion thereof and having a first flange, wherein the first and second conduits are in fluid communication with one another; wherein the sump assembly reduces the velocity of water flowing through the sump, uniformly distributes a suction force created by the water flow in the sump and at an opening in the sump, and prevents the formation of a vortex of flowing water substantially adjacent to the sump. As used herein, the term “sump” refers to a reservoir serving as a drain for water in a swimming pool or spa that forms part of the pumping and filtering system.

[0008]In yet another embodiment, the invention comprises a cover and sump assembly for a drain including a frame defining a plurality of openings and having a base, a crown, and sloped sides; at least one plate positioned on the crown of the frame and defining a plurality of openings; a sump defining at least one opening and configured to receive the frame; a first conduit having at least one flange and passing through an opening in the sump; and a second conduit defining an opening along a lower portion of the second conduit and having a first flange, the first and second conduits in fluid communication with one another. The cover and sump assembly maximizes the flow of water passing through the assembly, reduces the velocity of water flowing through the assembly, uniformly distributes a suction force created by the water flow in the sump, and prevents the formation of a vortex of flowing water substantially adjacent to the cover and sump assembly.

Problems solved by technology

The Act resulted from an increasing number of deaths and accidents involving pools and spas.

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