DRAINAGE CHANNEL

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a drainage channel comprising a channel body with two side walls and a channel base, wherein the side walls have a frame at their free ends on which a channel cover for draining surface water is arranged, comprising a drainage element which has at least one fastening section and at least one drainage wing which are pivotally connected to each other in such a way that the drainage wing is held in a drainage position by a spring force and can deflect against the spring force towards a passage position with increasing load from incoming surface water, wherein the channel cover comprises an inlet grate with inlet openings and the fastening section of the drainage element is attached to an underside of the inlet grate which is intended to face a drainage channel.

[0002] Such drainage channels are previously known from CN 209 457 129 U and CN 116 356 930 A.

[0003] CN 113 322 746 A describes another type of gutter cover. It stipulates that drainage channels are installed on both sides of a path or road to carry away surface water. These channels are intended to open only during heavy rainfall, as lighter rainfall events would result in larger amounts of debris being carried in, thus increasing maintenance costs.

[0004] A similar concept underlies WO 97 / 16609 A1. This design provides for a filter channel into which surface water flows over a drainage element during periods of lighter rainfall. As rainfall increases, the filter channel cannot process the water, and the pressure of the accumulating water causes the drainage element to open, creating a larger space surrounding the filter channel and thus increasing the overall capacity of the system.

[0005] The ability to increase capacity as needed is also the main focus for EP 2 816 163 A1, where several drainage channels are arranged one above the other and connecting flaps are opened due to the weight of the introduced surface water when corresponding quantities of water are available for discharge.

[0006] The known solutions therefore only provide for allowing more or less water to flow into the drainage channel located below such a drainage element. A targeted diversion of water based on specific rainfall amounts is not considered.

[0007] However, it might be desirable to manage water runoff differently during heavy rainfall than during light rain events. The reasons for this are manifold. For example, heavy rain has a different hydraulic effect on drainage channels than drizzle. During light rain events, it may also be advantageous to direct the water to other sinks, such as plant irrigation. Furthermore, it is recognized that more water accumulates in winter than in summer, and that winter water requires different purification methods due to the salt content from road salt.

[0008] Against this background, the present invention aims to create a drainage channel with a channel cover that drains surface water in different ways depending on the amount of water.

[0009] This problem is solved by a drainage channel according to the features of independent claim 1. Useful embodiments of the drainage channel can be found in the respective subsequent dependent claims.

[0010] The design initially provides a drainage channel comprising a channel body with two side walls and a channel base, wherein the side walls have a frame at their free ends on which a channel cover for draining surface water is arranged, comprising a drainage element which has at least one fastening section and at least one drainage wing, which are articulated to each other in such a way that the drainage wing is held in a drainage position by a spring force and can deflect against the spring force towards a passage position with increasing load from incoming surface water, wherein the channel cover comprises an inlet grate with inlet openings and the fastening section of the drainage element is attached to an underside of the inlet grate which is intended to face a drainage channel.According to the invention, such a drainage channel is characterized in that a trough section is formed on at least one of the side walls below the frame, which extends continuously in at least one possible direction of slope to at least one end face of the channel body as a drainage element.

[0011] This creates a channel cover into which surface water can flow into the drainage channel even when the drainage element is in a discharge position. However, in this discharge position, the incoming water is not directed towards the channel bottom, but rather towards the side walls. By attaching trough sections to the side walls, which can be connected to other water reservoirs or sinks, an automatic, variable discharge can be achieved depending on the amount of surface water accumulating.

[0012] In addition, such a water guide vane can also block light from the inside of the channel, thus preventing vegetation from growing in the channel.

[0013] In a specific embodiment, the mounting section can be connected to the at least one deflector wing via at least one film hinge. This is particularly simple and durable from a manufacturing perspective. It is especially advantageous if the entire deflector element is made of plastic, so that the film hinge merely thins the material.

[0014] While a drainage element with only one deflector is possible, similar to the prior art, a mirror-symmetrical arrangement of two deflectors on either side of the mounting section is preferred. The mounting section can be connected to the inlet grate centrally between its longitudinal edges.

[0015] In principle, the discharge element can be manufactured in such a way that at least one of the discharge elements is inherently resilient and returns to the discharge position. However, it is preferred that the discharge element be associated with a spring element, preferably a clamp made of spring steel. Such a spring element can form a connecting opening through which a screw connection between the fastening section and the inlet grate is passed.

[0016] Positioning such a spring element is possible both below and above the deflector element, with a position below the deflector element being preferred. There, the spring element is less exposed to the elements, and dirt cannot accumulate on it. Furthermore, the at least one deflector wing can have a bent edge on its side facing away from the mounting section, with a through-hole for receiving a spring clip of the spring element. This keeps the spring immovably in position and prevents it from twisting and thus from shifting out of its effective position.

[0017] A drainage channel is provided, comprising a channel body with two side walls and a channel base, wherein the side walls have a frame at their free ends on which a channel cover of the type described above is arranged.

[0018] Such a drainage channel can form a trough section on at least one of its side walls below the frame, which extends continuously in at least one possible direction of slope to at least one end face of the channel body as a discharge element. Only when the trough section leads out of the channel body from any point, be it into an adjacent channel body, another trough section, or a lateral outlet, does an actual separation of the different water loads occur. If, due to the intensity of the rainfall event, at least one discharge wing of the discharge element is pressed downwards against the spring force to such an extent that the water can no longer fall into the trough section, the entire drainage channel is available for discharge.

[0019] It is advantageous for the trough section to run along the entire length of the channel body. This allows the trough section to both convey water from trough sections of adjacent channel bodies and to receive water from the associated discharge wing along its entire length.

[0020] If the trough section is intended to communicate with adjacent trough sections of other channel bodies, it may be provided that it is assigned connecting elements at least at its ends in the direction of the slope for connection with a trough section of an adjacent channel body. This can be achieved in particular by a tongue and groove connection or by an intermediate connector.

[0021] To enable a retrofit solution, each trough section can also be connected to a side wall or a frame, preferably detachably by hooking, clipping, or screwing. The solution according to the invention can then be retrofitted at any time by adding at least one trough section and the inlet grate with the drainage element.

[0022] The invention described above will be explained in more detail below using an exemplary embodiment.

[0023] They show Figure 1 shows a gutter cover with a drainage element arranged on its underside in a perspective view; Figure 2 shows a front-view top view of the gutter cover according to Figure 1 Figure 3, a detail of the Figure 2Figure 4 shows a spring element for arrangement below the drainage element in a perspective view; Figure 5 shows a detail of the drainage element penetrated from below by the spring element; Figure 6 shows a drainage channel with a channel cover according to Figure 1 in a cross-sectional view, Figure 7 a detail of the Figure 6 with folded-up drainage wings to divert surface water into the trough sections, as well as Figure 8, the detail according to Figure 7 with lowered deflector wings to direct surface water into the drainage channel.

[0024] Figure 1 Figure 1 shows a channel cover 1, which includes a conventional inlet grate 2 with a multitude of inlet openings, the underside of which is supported by a drainage element 7. Such a channel cover 1 fits a conventional drainage channel 16 in terms of its external dimensions and format and is thus derived from a conventional channel cover. As shown in Figure 2 As shown, this cover differs from previously known gutter covers in that it has a screw connection 6 located centrally on its underside 5, which secures a drainage element 7 to the inlet grate 2. A screw receptacle, such as those known for securing gutter covers to the associated drainage channels 16, can be used for this purpose. The screw passes from a top surface 4 through a web between two inlet openings 3 and protrudes again on an opposite underside 5. It can first be secured with a nut, then the drainage element 7, with its mounting section 8 having a bore at a suitable location, is placed onto the screw. This is followed by a spring element 13, which engages the lateral drainage wings 9 of the drainage element 7, and finally another nut, which is part of the screw connection 6, for securing the screw.

[0025] If surface water now flows in from the top 4 of the gutter cover 1, it falls through the inlet openings 3 onto the drainage element 7. In the case of low rainfall, the water runs off to the side ends; in the case of high rainfall, it first pushes the drainage wings 9 of the drainage element 7 downwards due to its weight against the force of the spring element 13.

[0026] The detail according to Figure 3 Figure 1 shows the connection between the mounting section 8 and the deflector wings 9, which are formed by means of film hinges 12, i.e., thinner sections of material. These film hinges 12 allow the deflector wings 9 to pivot relative to the mounting section 8 without additional components.

[0027] The design of the spring element 13, which is already described in the Figures 2 and 3 As shown, it is in Figure 4shown again in detail. Such a spring element 13 consists of spring steel, which has two spring clips that support the deflector wings 9 of the deflector element 7 against gravity. The spring element 13 is held by a connecting opening that projects laterally from the spring clips and in this case consists of a loop formed by the spring element 13, which is made of a continuous spring wire. The loop is threaded onto the screw connection 6 and secured against falling off with the lower nut. An additional securing device against rotation can be provided as shown in Figure 5 The following is shown. It is shown that the deflector wings 9 have marginal bends 10. These bends 10 are associated with feedthrough openings 11 in the area of ​​the spring elements 13, through which the spring clips 15 of the spring elements 13 are inserted.

[0028] Figure 6further shows a drainage channel 16, on which a channel cover 1 is fitted according to Figure 1 is mounted. This is also a conventional drainage channel in which, in addition to the channel cover 1, additional lateral trough sections 21 are added, for example by screwing, clipping, or hooking them on. The drainage channel 16 has a channel body 17, which is laterally bounded by side walls 18. These are in turn connected to each other via a channel base 19. The channel body 17 can be formed in one piece, as in the Figure 6 shown, but a multi-part channel body is also easily possible.

[0029] The area in the upper part of the Figure 6 The highlighted detail is in the Figures 7 and 8 Shown enlarged. A gutter cover 1 rests on a frame 20 arranged at the upper end of the side walls 18, the drainage flap of which is in Figure 7Due to the low rainfall and consequently the small amount of surface water entering the drainage channel 9, the deflectors are almost completely folded upwards. This occurs due to the spring action of the spring element 13 located beneath the deflector wings 9. The small amounts of precipitation are thus diverted along the deflector wings 9 towards the side walls 18 and flow into the trough sections 21 provided on the side walls 18. From there, they can flow to a separate outlet or into adjacent trough sections or adjacent channel bodies that do not interact with the channel body 17 of the drainage channel 16. This allows, for example, small amounts of precipitation to be collected. Furthermore, this allows the small amounts of precipitation during the summer months to be diverted not into the sewer system but to other locations, such as on-site planting beds.Larger amounts of precipitation, such as in winter, which are also laden with salt due to the use of de-icing salt and are therefore rather unsuitable for planting beds, can then be discharged into the sewer system.

[0030] This is in Figure 8 The figure shows where, due to the larger volume of water, the greater weight also rests on the deflector vanes 9 and thus on the spring element 13. In this position, a large portion of the incoming water in the drainage channel 16 now reaches its base 19 and can be discharged into the sewer.

[0031] The above description thus describes a drainage channel with a channel cover that drains the surface water in different ways depending on the amount of water. REFERENCE MARK LIST

[0032] 1 Gutter cover 2 Inlet grate 3 Inlet opening 4 Top 5 Bottom 6 Screw connection 7 Drainage element 8 Mounting section 9 Drainage wing 10 Bend 11 Feedthrough opening 12 Film hinge 13 Spring element 14 Connecting opening 15 Spring bracket 16 Drainage channel 17 Channel body 18 Side wall 19 Channel base 20 Frame 21 Trough section

Claims

1. Drainage channel comprising a channel body (17) with two side walls (18) and a channel bottom (19), the side walls (18) having, at their free ends, a frame (20) on which a channel cover (1) for discharging surface water is arranged, which comprises a discharge element (7) having at least one fastening section (8) and at least one discharge flap (9), which are articulated to one another such that the discharge flap (9) is held in a discharge position by a spring force and, with increasing load by inflowing surface water, can move against the spring force in the direction of a throughflow position, the channel cover (1) comprising an inlet grate (2) with inlet openings (3), and the fastening section (8) of the discharge element (7) being fastened to a lower side (5) of the inlet grate (2) which is intended to face a drainage channel (16), characterized in that on at least one of the side walls (18), below the frame (20), a trough section (21) is formed, which extends, at least in one possible gradient direction, continuously as a discharge element up to at least one end face of the channel body (17).

2. Drainage channel according to claim 1, characterized in that the trough section (21) extends along the entire channel body (17).

3. Drainage channel according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the trough section (21) has, at least in the gradient direction, end-side connecting elements for connection to a trough section of an adjacent channel body.

4. Drainage channel according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one trough section (21) is connected to a side wall (18) or a frame (20), preferably releasably by hooking in, clipping in or screwing.

5. Drainage channel according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the fastening section (8) is connected to the at least one discharge flap (9) via at least one film hinge (12).

6. Drainage channel according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the discharge element (7) has discharge flaps (9) on both sides of the fastening section (8), the fastening section (8) being connected to the inlet grate (2) centrally between the longitudinal edges on both sides of the inlet grate (2).

7. Drainage channel according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a spring element (13), preferably a spring-steel clip, is assigned to the discharge element (7).

8. Drainage channel according to claim 7, characterized in that the spring element (13) forms a connecting opening (14) through which a connecting means, in particular a screw (6), a rivet or a fastening clip, for fastening the fastening section (8) to the inlet grate (2) is guided.

9. Drainage channel according to one of claims 7 or 8, characterized in that the at least one discharge flap (9) has, at its edge facing away from the fastening section (8), an edge-side bend (10), and that an insertion opening (11) for receiving a spring bracket (15) of the spring element (13) is associated with the bend (10).

10. Drainage channel according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the discharge element (7) is made of a plastic material.