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.

1 . A cover assembly for a drain comprising:
 a frame having a base, a crown, and sloped sides, said frame defining a plurality of openings; and   at least one plate defining a plurality of openings, said at least one plate positioned on said crown of said frame;   wherein said cover assembly maximizes the flow of water passing through said assembly, reduces the velocity of water flowing through said assembly, and prevents the formation of a vortex of flowing water substantially adjacent to said cover assembly.   
   
   
       2 . The cover assembly of  claim 1  wherein:
 said frame is substantially rectangular in shape;   said plate is substantially rectangular in shape; and   said plurality of openings are substantially oblong.   
   
   
       3 . The cover assembly of  claim 1  wherein said plurality of openings in said frame extend along said sloped sides to the lower edge of said base to promote suction of foreign object debris into a sump assembly. 
   
   
       4 . The cover assembly of  claim 1  wherein said frame and plate each define at least one opening for receiving a fastener, said openings corresponding with one another. 
   
   
       5 . The cover assembly of  claim 1  further comprising at least one removable channel extending across said crown of said frame and removably secured to sides of said frame. 
   
   
       6 . The cover assembly of  claim 5  wherein:
 said at least one plate is modular; and   said at least one removable channel supports a plurality of said at least one plates.   
   
   
       7 . The cover assembly of  claim 1  further comprising an anchor template for identifying a mounting position for said frame onto a sump and ensuring alignment of fasteners for securing the cover assembly to the sump. 
   
   
       8 . The cover assembly of  claim 7  wherein said anchor template is substantially rectangular and defines at least one opening for receiving a fastener, said opening offset from a midway point of each side by a desired distance to facilitate alignment of said cover assembly to a sump. 
   
   
       9 . A sump assembly for a drain comprising:
 a sump for collecting water, said sump defining at least one opening and having a flange at an upper portion;   a first conduit having at least one flange, said first conduit passing through one of said at least one openings in said sump; and   a second conduit having a first flange, said first and second conduits in communication with one another, said second conduit defining an opening along a lower portion of said second conduit;   wherein said second conduit receives a flow of water from said sump and advances the water flow to said first conduit; and   wherein said sump assembly reduces the velocity of water flowing through said sump, uniformly distributes a suction force created by the water flow in said sump and at another of said at least one openings of said sump, and prevents the formation of a vortex of flowing water substantially adjacent to said sump.   
   
   
       10 . The sump assembly of  claim 9  further comprising an anchor template for identifying a mounting position for a cover assembly on said sump and ensuring alignment of fasteners for securing the cover assembly to the sump. 
   
   
       11 . The sump assembly of  claim 10  wherein said anchor template is substantially rectangular and defines at least one opening for receiving a fastener, said opening offset from a midway point of each side by a desired distance to facilitate alignment of a cover assembly to said sump. 
   
   
       12 . The sump assembly of  claim 9  wherein said at least one flange of said first conduit is capable of receiving a test plate thereby facilitating the testing of a pumping and filtration system of which said sump assembly is in fluid communication. 
   
   
       13 . The sump assembly of  claim 9  further comprising a relief valve assembly positioned at a lower portion of said sump, said relief valve assembly spaced apart from said first and second conduits. 
   
   
       14 . A cover and sump assembly for a drain comprising:
 a frame having a base, a crown, and sloped sides, said frame defining a plurality of openings; and   at least one plate defining a plurality of openings, said at least one plate positioned on said crown of said frame, said frame and said at least one plate forming a cover assembly;   a sump for collecting water, said sump defining at least one opening, one of said at least one openings for receiving said frame, said sump having a flange at an upper portion thereof;   a first conduit having at least one flange, said first conduit passing through one of said at least one openings in said sump; and   a second conduit having a first flange, said first and second conduits in communication with one another, said second conduit defining an opening along a lower portion of said second conduit;   wherein said cover and sump assembly maximizes the flow of water passing through said assembly, reduces the velocity of water flowing through said assembly, uniformly distributes a suction force created by the water flow in said sump, and prevents the formation of a vortex of flowing water substantially adjacent to said cover and sump assembly.   
   
   
       15 . The cover and sump assembly of  claim 14  wherein said plurality of openings in said frame extend along said sloped sides to the lower edge of said base to promote suction of foreign object debris into said sump. 
   
   
       16 . The sump and cover assembly of  claim 14  further comprising at least one removable channel extending across said crown of said frame and removably secured to sides of said frame. 
   
   
       17 . The sump and cover assembly of  claim 16  wherein:
 said at least one plate is modular; and   said at least one removable channel supports a plurality of said at least one plates.   
   
   
       18 . The sump and cover assembly of  claim 14  wherein edges of said frame extend beyond a perimeter defined by of upper portions of said sump. 
   
   
       19 . The sump and cover assembly of  claim 14  wherein the ratio of the diameter of said frame to the diameter of the sump is between about 0.86 and 1.0