Drainage apparatus and methods for installing

Abstract

A drainage apparatus includes a body of material that is bendable along at least one hinge, thereby defining a first portion and a second portion of the body of material relative to a hinge axis. The drainage apparatus is adaptable to the contour of two surfaces and may further include a plurality of spacer members extending from the lower surface of the body of material. The apparatus may be used in a drainage system.

1 . A drainage apparatus comprising: 
 a body of material extending along a length thereof between a first end and a second end, wherein the body of material comprises an upper surface and a lower surface, and wherein the body of material comprises at least a first edge extending along the length of the body of material;    at least one hinge associated with the body of material and extending along the length thereof, wherein the hinge is configured to allow a first portion of the body of material to move about a hinge axis relative to a second portion of the body of material; and    a plurality of spacer members extending from the lower surface of the body of material.    
   
   
       2 . The drainage apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the body of material comprises a substantially planar body of material having a substantially rectangular shape.  
   
   
       3 . The drainage apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a cross-sectional profile of the body of material transverse to the length of the body of material has a substantially linear shape at a time before installation of the drainage apparatus and a substantially L-shape after installation.  
   
   
       4 . The drainage apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the body of material moves radially about the hinge axis relative to the second portion of the body of material.  
   
   
       5 . The drainage apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one hinge comprises a plurality of hinges associated with the body of material, wherein the plurality of hinges are configured to allow the first portion of the body of material to vary in size.  
   
   
       6 . The drainage apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the body of material is bendable substantially only about each hinge axis.  
   
   
       7 . The drainage apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one hinge comprises a living hinge.  
   
   
       8 . The drainage apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one living hinge comprises a channel defined in the upper surface of the body of material to allow the living hinge to move through a predetermined range of motion about the hinge axis.  
   
   
       9 . The drainage apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one living hinge comprises two opposing channels, wherein the two opposing channels comprise a first channel defined in the upper surface of the body of material and a second channel defined in the lower surface of the body of material.  
   
   
       10 . The drainage apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the plurality of spacer members are integrally formed with the body of material.  
   
   
       11 . The drainage apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the plurality of spacer members has a geometric shape selected from a group of geometric shapes consisting of a circle, an ellipse, a tear-drop, a triangle, a square, and a diamond.  
   
   
       12 . The drainage apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the plurality of spacer members has a geometric shape that includes at least one apex, wherein the apex faces towards the first edge of the body of material.  
   
   
       13 . The drainage apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the plurality of spacer members each defines a cavity open at the upper surface of the body of material.  
   
   
       14 . The drainage apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the drainage apparatus is configured to be adjoinable to a second drainage apparatus by frictionally fitting at least one spacer member of the drainage apparatus into a cavity defined by a corresponding spacer member of the second drainage apparatus.  
   
   
       15 . The drainage apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a cove guard member extending along at least a portion of the first edge of the body of material and outwardly from the bottom surface of the body of material.  
   
   
       16 . The drainage apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the cove guard member is connected to the first edge continuously along the length of the body of material.  
   
   
       17 . The drainage apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the cove guard member is integrally formed with the first edge and forms a predetermined angle with the body of material.  
   
   
       18 . The drainage apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the body of material further comprises a second edge spaced from the first edge by a distance that allows a drainage trench of a drainage tile system to be entirely covered by the second portion of the body of material.  
   
   
       19 . A drainage apparatus for use in a drain tile system, the drainage apparatus comprising: 
 a body of material extending along a length thereof between a first end and a second end, wherein the body of material comprises an upper surface and a lower surface, and wherein the body of material comprises at least a first edge extending along the length of the body of material;    a plurality of living hinges integrally formed with the body of material and extending along the length thereof, wherein each living hinge is configured to allow a first portion of the body of material to move about a hinge axis relative to a second portion of the body of material; and    a plurality of spacer members integrally formed with the body of material and extending from the lower surface thereof.    
   
   
       20 . The drainage apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the body of material is bendable substantially only about each hinge axis.  
   
   
       21 . The drainage apparatus of  claim 19 , further comprising a cove guard member extending along at least a portion of the first edge of the body of material and outwardly from the bottom surface of the body of material, wherein the cove guard member is integrally formed with the first edge.  
   
   
       22 . A drainage apparatus comprising: 
 a body of material extending along a length thereof between a first end and a second end, wherein the body of material comprises an upper surface, a lower surface, and at least a first edge extending along the length of the body of material;    means associated with the body of material for allowing the body of material to bend about a plurality of axes extending along the length of the body of material; and    means for spacing the body of material from at least two surfaces located at an angle relative to one another when the body of material is positioned adjacent thereto.    
   
   
       23 . A drainage system comprising: 
 a first drainage apparatus comprising a body of material extending along a length thereof between a first end and a second end, and at least one connecting member associated with the body of material and proximate one of the first and second ends of the body of material; and    a second drainage apparatus comprising a body of material extending along a length thereof between a first end and a second end, and at least one connecting member associated with the body of material and proximate one of the first and second ends of the body of material, wherein the at least one connecting member of the first drainage apparatus and the at least one connecting member of the second drainage apparatus are configured for use in providing a frictionally fit connection to adjoin the body of material of the first drainage apparatus with the body of material of the second drainage apparatus.    
   
   
       24 . The drainage system of  claim 23 , wherein the drainage system further comprises a strap member comprising a main body and a plurality of connection elements, and wherein at least one of the plurality of connection elements is configured to frictionally fit with the at least one connecting member associated with the body of material of the first drainage apparatus and at least one of the plurality of connection elements is configured to frictionally fit with the at least one connecting member associated with the body of material of the second drainage apparatus.  
   
   
       25 . The drainage apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein the body of material of each drainage apparatus further comprises an upper surface and wherein each connecting member comprises a spacer member that defines a cavity open at the upper surface of the body of material with which it is associated, wherein at least one connecting element of the strap member frictionally fits with at least one spacer member of the first drainage apparatus and at least one connecting element of the strap member frictionally fits with a spacer member of the second drainage apparatus.  
   
   
       26 . The drainage system of  claim 23 , wherein each body of material of each drainage apparatus further comprises an upper surface and a lower surface, wherein each connecting member comprises a spacer member extending from the lower surface of the body of material of the drainage apparatus with which it is associated, and wherein at least one spacer member of the first drainage apparatus frictionally fits with at least one spacer member of the second drainage apparatus.  
   
   
       27 . A method for use in installing a drainage apparatus, the method comprising: 
 providing a drainage apparatus comprising a body of material extending along a length thereof and at least one hinge extending along the length of the body of material, wherein the at least one hinge allows for movement of a first portion of the body of material relative to a second portion of the body of material about a hinge axis;    preparing a first surface to receive at least a part of the first portion of the drainage apparatus;    preparing a second surface adjoined with the first surface at an angle relative thereto to receive at least a part of the second portion of the drainage apparatus;    bending the body of material along the hinge axis to adapt the drainage apparatus to a contour of the first and second surfaces so that at least a part of the first portion of the body of material is adjacent a portion of the first surface and at least a part of the second portion of the body of material is adjacent a portion of the second surface; and    positioning the drainage apparatus relative to the adjoining first and second surfaces.    
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the first surface comprises at least one fluid outlet opening, and wherein the method further comprises bending the body of material of the drainage apparatus so that it is positionable in front of the at least one fluid outlet opening.  
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the body of material of the drainage apparatus comprises a lower surface, wherein the drainage apparatus further comprises a plurality of spacer members extending from the lower surface, and wherein the at least one hinge is a plurality of living hinges.  
   
   
       30 . A method for use in installing a drainage apparatus, the method comprising: 
 excavating a trench along a wall and any footings supporting the wall;    positioning drain tile in the trench configured to receive water therein and to allow water to flow through the drain tile;    making at least one water outlet opening along at least a portion of the wall;    providing a drainage apparatus comprising a body of material extending along a length thereof and at least one hinge associated with the body of material, wherein the at least one hinge allows for movement of a first portion of the body of material relative to a second portion of the body of material about a hinge axis, wherein the drainage apparatus further comprises a plurality of spacer members, and a cove guard member extending along the length of the body of material at a first edge thereof;    bending the body of material to adapt the body of material so that at least a part of the first portion of the body of material is positionable adjacent a portion of the wall in front of the at least one water outlet opening and at least a part of the second portion of the body of material is positionable above the trench and drain tile therein; and    positioning the drainage apparatus relative to the wall so that the cove guard member resides adjacent the wall above the at least one water outlet opening and one or more of the plurality of spacer members define a passageway between the water outlet openings and the trench.    
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the method further comprises backfilling the trench with a backfill material to a height so that the second portion of the drainage apparatus is at least partly above the backfilled trench and adjacent the backfill material.  
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein each of the plurality of spacer members defines a cavity open at an upper surface of the body of material, and wherein the method further comprises providing flooring material over at least a part of the upper surface and within the cavity.  
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the at least one hinge is a plurality of living hinges.