Flexible arch-shaped corrugated structure

Abstract

A flexible arch-shaped corrugated structure includes a plastic structure that can be light weight and easy to handle, while at the same time having suitable strength for carrying loads. By suitably engineering the corrugations, the need for structural ribs can be eliminated and thinner sidewalls can be used. The structure can include a series of vertically-oriented arched corrugations having surfaces that convexly arch or curve upwardly as well as laterally. Having both upward and lateral arched or curved features on the corrugations can provide increased strength to the corrugations and the structure. In a particular embodiment, the plastic structure is a leaching chamber. The structure can include access or inspection port structures disposed at the ends of the structure. The ports are dimensioned to mate with the opposing port of a like structure. In particular, the mated structures can articulate or rotate about the mated ports.

1 . A structure having a base with an open bottom, comprising: 
 a plurality of alternating corrugations, each corrugation being arch shaped about a center longitudinal axis with the bottom of the arch being at the base and the crest of the arch being perpendicular to the base; and    the corrugations including a peak corrugation having a radius when sectioned through the center longitudinal axis, the radius varying along the arch from the base to the crest of the arch.    
     
     
         2 . The structure of  claim 1  wherein the radius is continuously variable along the arch from the base to the peak.  
     
     
         3 . The structure of  claim 1  wherein the radius is larger at the base than at the peak of the arch.  
     
     
         4 . The structure of  claim 1  wherein the peak corrugation includes an opening to facilitate the flow of a flowable medium between the inside of the structure and the outside of the structure.  
     
     
         5 . The structure of  claim 4  wherein the peak corrugation further includes louvers to define the openings and to inhibit the intrusion of external material into the structure.  
     
     
         6 . The structure of  claim 1  wherein the corrugations are plastic.  
     
     
         7 . The structure of  claim 1  wherein the corrugations are not connected with structural ribs.  
     
     
         8 . The structure of  claim 1  wherein the corrugations have a wall thickness of about 0.1 inches.  
     
     
         9 . A corrugated plastic chamber having a base with an open bottom, comprising: 
 an arch-shaped plastic body having a length and opposing ends;    a plurality of alternating corrugations running along the length of the body, each corrugation being arch shaped about a center longitudinal axis with the bottom of the arch being at the base and the crest of the arch being perpendicular to the base; and    the corrugations including a plurality of peak corrugations, each having a radius when sectioned through the center longitudinal axis, the radius varying along the arch from the base to the crest of the arch.    
     
     
         10 . The chamber of  claim 9  wherein the radius is continuously variable along the arch from the base to the peak.  
     
     
         11 . The chamber of  claim 9  wherein the radius is larger at the base than at the peak of the arch.  
     
     
         12 . The chamber of  claim 9  wherein each of the peak corrugations includes an opening to facilitate the flow of a flowable medium between the inside of the chamber and the outside of the chamber.  
     
     
         13 . The chamber of  claim 12  wherein each of the peak corrugations further includes louvers to define the openings and to inhibit the intrusion of external material into the chamber.  
     
     
         14 . The chamber of  claim 9  wherein the corrugations are not connected with structural ribs.  
     
     
         15 . The chamber of  claim 9  wherein the corrugations have a wall thickness of about 0.1 inches.  
     
     
         16 . The chamber of  claim 9  wherein the corrugations have a wall thickness that does not vary by more than 10%.  
     
     
         17 . A leaching chamber for burial in the ground, comprising: 
 an arch-shaped plastic body having a length and opposing ends;    a plurality of alternating corrugations running along the length of the body, each corrugation being arch shaped about a center longitudinal axis with the bottom of the arch being at the base and the crest of the arch being perpendicular to the base;    the corrugations including a plurality of peak corrugations, each peak corrugation having: 
 a radius when sectioned through the center longitudinal axis, the radius varying along the arch from the base to the crest of the arch; and  
 a plurality of openings along a portion of the peak corrugation.  
   
     
     
         18 . The leaching chamber of  claim 17  wherein the radius is continuously variable along the arch from the base to the peak.  
     
     
         19 . The leaching chamber of  claim 17  wherein the radius is larger at the base than at the peak of the arch.  
     
     
         20 . The leaching chamber of  claim 17  wherein the peak corrugation openings facilitate the flow of an effluent from the inside of the leaching chamber to the outside of the leaching chamber.  
     
     
         21 . The leaching chamber of  claim 20  wherein the peak corrugation further includes louvers to define the openings and to inhibit the intrusion of soil into the structure.  
     
     
         22 . The leaching chamber of  claim 21  wherein the louvers formed on the peak corrugations.  
     
     
         23 . The leaching chamber of  claim 22  further comprising a frame structure formed on peak corrugations, the louvers being within the frame structure.  
     
     
         24 . The leaching chamber of  claim 17  wherein the corrugations are not connected with structural ribs.  
     
     
         25 . The leaching chamber of  claim 17  wherein the corrugations have a wall thickness of about 0.1 inches.  
     
     
         26 . The leaching chamber of  claim 17  wherein the corrugations have a wall thickness that does not vary by more than 10%.  
     
     
         27 . A leaching chamber for burial in the ground, comprising: 
 an arch-shaped plastic body having a length and opposing ends;    a plurality of alternating corrugations running along the length of the body, each corrugation being arch shaped about a center longitudinal axis with the bottom of the arch being at the base and the crest of the arch being perpendicular to the base, the corrugations including;    a plurality of peak corrugations, each peak corrugation having: 
 a radius when sectioned through the center longitudinal axis, the radius continually varying along the arch from the base to the crest of the arch, wherein the radius is larger at the base than at the crest;  
 a plurality of formed louvers defining openings along a portion of the peak corrugation;  
   a plurality of valley corrugations between adjacent peak corrugations, each valley corrugation having a plurality of formed louvers defining openings along a portion of the valley corrugations.    
     
     
         28 . The leaching chamber of  claim 27  wherein the corrugations are not connected with structural ribs.  
     
     
         29 . The leaching chamber of  claim 27  wherein the corrugations have a wall thickness of about 0.1 inches.  
     
     
         30 . The leaching chamber of  claim 27  wherein the corrugations have a wall thickness that does not vary by more than 10%.  
     
     
         31 . The leaching chamber of  claim 27  wherein a plurality of the valley corrugations includes a pair of stacking features.  
     
     
         32 . The leaching chamber of  claim 31  wherein each stacking feature includes: 
 a stacking column extending vertically downward from the valley corrugation; and    a stacking pocket above the valley corrugation and vertically aligned with the stacking column.    
     
     
         33 . The leaching chamber of  claim 32  wherein the stacking feature further includes a rail transitioning the stacking pocket to the top of the valley corrugation.  
     
     
         34 . The leaching chamber of  claim 27  further comprising at least one access port formed in the body.  
     
     
         35 . The leaching chamber of  claim 34  wherein the access port is disposed at the crest of a valley corrugation.  
     
     
         36 . The leaching chamber of  claim 34  wherein there are a pair of access ports, one access port at each end of the body.  
     
     
         37 . A method of manufacturing a structure having a base with an open bottom, comprising: 
 forming a plurality of alternating corrugations, each corrugation being arch shaped about a center longitudinal axis with the bottom of the arch being at the base and the crest of the arch being perpendicular to the base; and    forming the corrugations to include a peak corrugation having a radius when sectioned through the center longitudinal axis, the radius varying along the arch from the base to the crest of the arch.    
     
     
         38 . A method of manufacturing a corrugated plastic chamber having a base with an open bottom, comprising: 
 forming an arch-shaped plastic body having a length and opposing ends;    forming a plurality of alternating corrugations running along the length of the body, each corrugation being arch shaped about a center longitudinal axis with the bottom of the arch being at the base and the crest of the arch being perpendicular to the base; and    forming the corrugations to include a plurality of peak corrugations, each having a radius when sectioned through the center longitudinal axis, the radius varying along the arch from the base to the crest of the arch.    
     
     
         39 . A method of manufacturing a leaching chamber for burial in the ground, comprising: 
 forming an arch-shaped plastic body having a length and opposing ends;    forming a plurality of alternating corrugations running along the length of the body, each corrugation being arch shaped about a center longitudinal axis with the bottom of the arch being at the base and the crest of the arch being perpendicular to the base;    forming the corrugations to include a plurality of peak corrugations, each peak corrugation having: 
 a radius when sectioned through the center longitudinal axis, the radius varying along the arch from the base to the crest of the arch; and  
 a plurality of openings along a portion of the peak corrugation.  
   
     
     
         40 . A method of manufacturing a leaching chamber for burial in the ground, comprising: 
 forming an arch-shaped plastic body having a length and opposing ends;    forming a plurality of alternating corrugations running along the length of the body, each corrugation being arch shaped about a center longitudinal axis with the bottom of the arch being at the base and the crest of the arch being perpendicular to the base, the forming of the corrugations including;    forming a plurality of peak corrugations, each peak corrugation having: 
 a radius when sectioned through the center longitudinal axis, the radius continually varying along the arch from the base to the crest of the arch, wherein the radius is larger at the base than at the crest;  
 a plurality of formed louvers defining openings along a portion of the peak corrugation;  
   forming a plurality of valley corrugations between adjacent peak corrugations, each valley corrugation having a plurality of formed louvers defining openings along a portion of the valley corrugations.