Rainwater collection system

Abstract

A rainwater-collection device includes a tank with an upper portion, a lower portion, a rainwater inlet at the upper portion, a rainwater overflow outlet at the upper portion, and a rainwater drain outlet at the lower portion. The inlet couples to an upper downspout segment of a gutter system of a building and the overflow outlet couples to a lower downspout segment in positions so that rainwater coming down the upper downspout flows into the tank through the inlet, and once the rainwater fills the tank, then the excess water overflows out of the tank through the overflow outlet, down the lower downspout segment, and away from the building. Methods of installing the collection device include separating the existing downspout into the upper and lower downspout segments and coupling them to the rainwater inlet and overflow outlets, respectively, without the need to trim down the downspout.

1 . A device for collecting rainwater, the collection device for connecting to a downspout of a building, the downspout extending to ground, the collection device comprising:
 a tank with an upper portion and a lower portion;   a rainwater inlet that is positioned at the upper portion of the tank, includes an inlet opening, and couples to an upper segment of the downspout;   a rainwater overflow outlet that is positioned at the upper portion of the tank, includes an overflow outlet opening, and couples to a lower segment of the downspout; and   a rainwater drain outlet that is located at the lower portion of the tank,   
       wherein the rainwater flows down the upper downspout and into the tank through the inlet, and once the rainwater fills the tank up to the overflow outlet opening, then excess of the rainwater overflows out of the tank through the overflow outlet, down the lower downspout segment, and away from the building. 
     
     
         2 . The rainwater collection device of  claim 1 , wherein the inlet and the overflow outlet are positioned on the tank such that the upper and lower segments of the downspout, respectively, can be coupled to thereto without the need for any additional segments of new downspout and without the need to trim down the upper or lower downspout segment. 
     
     
         3 . The rainwater collection device of  claim 1 , wherein the inlet opening and the overflow outlet opening are positioned on the tank such that, when assembled for use, a bottom edge of the upper downspout segment is at an elevation that is at or below the rainwater inlet opening, a top edge of the lower downspout segment is at an elevation that is at or above the elevation of the overflow outlet opening, the elevation of the bottom edge of the upper downspout segment is the same as the elevation of the top edge of the lower downspout segment, the bottom edge of the upper downspout segment and the top edge of the lower downspout segment are positioned inside of the tank, and the lower downspout segment extends from the overflow outlet to the ground. 
     
     
         4 . The rainwater collection device of  claim 1 , wherein the inlet opening is at an elevation that is at or above an elevation of the overflow outlet opening. 
     
     
         5 . The rainwater collection device of  claim 1 , wherein the upper portion of the tank includes a top wall and an uppermost portion of at least one sidewall of the tank, and the lower portion of the tank includes a bottom wall and a lowermost portion of at least one sidewall of the tank. 
     
     
         6 . The rainwater collection device of  claim 1 , wherein the inlet includes an inlet mounting collar that couples to the upper downspout segment and defines the inlet opening, the overflow outlet includes an overflow outlet mounting collar that couples to the lower downspout segment and defines the overflow outlet opening, or both. 
     
     
         7 . The rainwater collection device of  claim 6 , wherein the inlet collar includes an outwardly extending flange. 
     
     
         8 . The rainwater collection device of  claim 6 , wherein the overflow outlet collar includes an “el” joint. 
     
     
         9 . The rainwater collection device of  claim 6 , wherein at least one of the mounting collars includes an adjustable portion that adjustably couples to a range of downspout sizes, shapes, or both. 
     
     
         10 . The rainwater collection device of  claim 1 , wherein the tank includes an elevated portion positioned above a top wall of the tank and wherein the inlet, the overflow outlet, or both are positioned on the elevated portion. 
     
     
         11 . The rainwater collection device of  claim 1 , wherein the tank includes a plurality of the inlet openings and a matching number of covers for the inlet openings. 
     
     
         12 . The rainwater collection device of  claim 1 , wherein the lower downspout segment is provided as a new component of the collection device instead of being provided by an existing component of the downspout. 
     
     
         13 . A device for collecting rainwater, the collection device for connecting to a downspout of a building, the downspout extending to ground and including an upper segment and a lower segment, the collection device comprising:
 a tank with an upper portion and a lower portion, wherein the upper portion of the tank includes a top wall and an uppermost portion of at least one sidewall of the tank, and the lower portion of the tank includes a bottom wall and a lowermost portion of at least one sidewall of the tank;   a rainwater inlet that includes an inlet mounting collar that is positioned on the upper portion of the tank, defines an inlet opening, and couples to an upper segment of the downspout;   a rainwater overflow outlet that includes an overflow outlet mounting collar that is positioned on the upper portion of the tank, defines an overflow outlet opening, and couples to a lower segment of the downspout; and   a rainwater drain outlet that is located at the lower portion of the tank,   
       wherein the rainwater flows down the upper downspout and into the tank through the inlet, and once the rainwater fills the tank up to the overflow outlet opening, then excess of the rainwater overflows out of the tank through the overflow outlet, down the lower downspout segment, and away from the building, and 
       wherein the inlet opening and the overflow outlet opening are positioned on the tank such that, when assembled for use, a bottom edge of the upper downspout segment is at an elevation that is at or below the rainwater inlet opening, a top edge of the lower downspout segment is at an elevation that is at or above the elevation of the overflow outlet opening, the elevation of the bottom edge of the upper downspout segment is the same as the elevation of the top edge of the lower downspout segment, the bottom edge of the upper downspout segment and the top edge of the lower downspout segment are positioned inside of the tank, and the lower downspout segment extends from the overflow outlet to the ground. 
     
     
         14 . The rainwater collection device of  claim 13 , wherein the inlet and the overflow outlet are positioned on the tank such that the upper and lower segments of the downspout, respectively, can be coupled to thereto without the need for any additional segments of new downspout and without the need to trim down the upper or lower downspout segment. 
     
     
         15 . The rainwater collection device of  claim 13 , wherein the inlet collar, the overflow outlet collar, or both include an adjustable portion that adjustably couples to a range of downspout sizes, shapes, or both. 
     
     
         16 . The rainwater collection device of  claim 13 , wherein the tank includes an elevated portion positioned above a top wall of the tank and wherein the inlet, the overflow outlet, or both are positioned on the elevated portion. 
     
     
         17 . The rainwater collection device of  claim 13 , wherein the tank includes a plurality of the inlet openings and a matching number of covers for the inlet openings. 
     
     
         18 . A method of installing a rainwater collection device inline with an existing downspout of a building, the downspout extending to ground, the installation method comprising:
 providing the rainwater collection device with a tank having an upper portion and a lower portion, a rainwater inlet that is positioned at the upper portion of the tank, includes an inlet opening, and couples to an upper segment of the downspout, a rainwater overflow outlet that is positioned at the upper portion of the tank, includes an overflow outlet opening, and couples to a lower segment of the downspout, and a rainwater drain outlet that is located at the lower portion of the tank,   separating the existing downspout into an upper segment and a lower segment;   coupling the upper downspout segment to the tank at the inlet opening; and   coupling the lower downspout segment to the tank at the overflow outlet opening,   
       wherein the step of separating the existing downspout includes separating the existing downspout at a location such that, when installed for use, a bottom edge of the upper downspout segment is at an elevation that is at or below the rainwater inlet opening, a top edge of the lower downspout segment is at an elevation that is at or above the elevation of the overflow outlet opening, the bottom edge of the upper downspout segment and the top edge of the lower downspout segment are positioned inside of the tank, the lower downspout segment extends from the overflow outlet to the ground, no additional segments of new downspout need be connected to the upper or lower segments of the existing downspout, and neither the upper or lower downspout segment need be trimmed down 
       wherein, once installed, the rainwater flows down the upper downspout and into the tank through the inlet, and once the rainwater fills the tank up to the overflow outlet opening, then excess of the rainwater overflows out of the tank through the overflow outlet, down the lower downspout segment, and away from the building. 
     
     
         19 . The installation method of  claim 18 , wherein the step of separating the existing downspout includes separating the existing downspout at a location such that, when installed for use, the elevation of the bottom edge of the upper downspout segment is the same as the elevation of the top edge of the lower downspout segment. 
     
     
         20 . The installation method of  claim 18 , wherein the step of providing the rainwater collection device includes providing the tank with an inlet mounting collar that defines the inlet opening and with an overflow outlet mounting collar that defines the overflow outlet opening, wherein the step of coupling the upper downspout segment to the tank includes coupling the upper downspout segment to the inlet collar, and wherein the step of coupling the lower downspout segment to the tank includes coupling the lower downspout segment to the overflow outlet collar.