Portable Flexible and Extendable Drain Pipe

Abstract

A flexible collapsible corrugated drain pipe has a corrugation structure that permits a tight bending radius and relatively facile collapsing and expansion of corrugations, thereby permitting convenient manipulation and installation of drain pipe and packaging, display, storage and transportation of the collapsed pipe sections.

1 . A flexible collapsible corrugated drain pipe comprising a first end section, an intermediate section of annular corrugations and a second end section, in which the corrugations comprise smaller rings joined by tuck walls connected at tuck angles to larger rings so that tuck walls are hingedly connected at larger rings to static walls extending at static angles and connecting the larger rings to next adjacent smaller ring where the ratio of the static angles to the tuck angles is less than 1.20. 
   
   
       2 . The flexible collapsible corrugated drain pipe of  claim 1  wherein the wall thickness is less than about 0.04 inches. 
   
   
       3 . The flexible collapsible corrugated drain pipe of  claim 1  having an expanded length greater than 10 feet. 
   
   
       4 . The flexible collapsible corrugated drain pipe of  claim 1  wherein the ratio of the diameter of the larger rings to the diameter of the smaller rings is less than 1.20. 
   
   
       5 . The flexible collapsible corrugated drain pipe of  claim 1  wherein the ratio of the bend radius of the pipe to the diameter of the larger rings of the pipe is less than 1.4. 
   
   
       6 . The flexible collapsible corrugated drain pipe of  claim 1  having a collapse ratio greater than 5. 
   
   
       7 . The flexible collapsible corrugated drain pipe of  claim 1  wherein the ratio of the length of the static wall to the length of the tuck wall is less than 1.3. 
   
   
       8 . A flexible collapsible corrugated drain pipe having a corrugated annular section comprised of a corrugation with a first smaller ring having a minimum diameter connected by a tuck wall to a larger ring having a maximum diameter and a static wall connecting the larger ring to a second smaller ring wherein the ratio of the maximum diameter to the minimum diameter is less than 1.2 and having a collapse ratio greater than 5. 
   
   
       9 . The flexible collapsible corrugated drain pipe of  claim 8  wherein the ratio of the length of the static wall to the length of the tuck wall is less than 1.3. 
   
   
       10 . The flexible collapsible corrugated drain pipe of  claim 8  wherein the corrugated annular section has a bend radius such that the ratio of the bend radius to the maximum diameter is less than 1.3. 
   
   
       11 . The flexible collapsible corrugated drain pipe of  claim 8  having an expanded length greater than then feet. 
   
   
       12 . The flexible collapsible corrugated drain pipe of  claim 8  wherein the thickness of each of the tuck walls and the static walls is less than 0.04 inches. 
   
   
       13 . A flexible collapsible corrugated drain pipe comprising:
 (a) a first end section;   (b) a second opposite end section;   (c) corrugated annular section intermediate said first and second end sections wherein said corrugated section has corrugations with: minor diameter rings joined to first ends of tuck walls;
 said tuck walls having second opposite ends joined at a tuck angle to major diameter rings; 
 static walls having first ends joined to major diameter rings opposite the tuck walls, at a static angle, said static walls having second opposite ends joined to minor diameter rings opposite the tuck walls; 
   wherein the ratio of the size of the major diameter rings to the minor diameter rings is less than 1.2 and wherein the corrugated annular section has a bend radius such that the ratio of the bend radius to the diameter of the major diameter rings is less than 1.3.   
   
   
       14 . The flexible collapsible corrugated drain pipe of  claim 13  wherein the force needed to expand a tuck wall from a collapsed position against an adjacent static wall is less than about twelve pounds. 
   
   
       15 . The flexible collapsible corrugated drain pipe of  claim 13  wherein the ratio of the static angles to the tuck angles is less than 1.20. 
   
   
       16 . The flexible collapsible corrugated drain pipe of  claim 13  having a collapse ratio greater than 5. 
   
   
       17 . The flexible collapsible corrugated drain pipe of  claim 13  wherein the ratio of the length of the static wall to the length of the tuck wall is less than 1.3. 
   
   
       18 . The flexible collapsible corrugated drain pipe of  claim 13  having an expanded length greater than ten feet. 
   
   
       19 . The flexible collapsible corrugated drain pipe of  claim 13  wherein the thickness of each of the tuck walls and the static walls is less than 0.04 inches. 
   
   
       20 . The flexible collapsible corrugated drain pipe of  claim 13  wherein in an expanded position, the sum of the tuck angle and the static angle at a major diameter ring is at least 92° and the static angle is at least 3° larger than the tuck angle.