IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
UP-0831029
(2007-07-31)
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등록번호 |
US-7779855
(2010-09-13)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
- McAvoy, Lois M.
- Scanlon, Jason A.
|
출원인 / 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
6 인용 특허 :
13 |
초록
▼
The technology described herein provides systems and methods for rainwater collection, irrigation, and water conservation. This technology is ideal for use when municipal water reservoirs are low and outdoor watering is restricted or altogether banned. The system includes a water holding reservoir m
The technology described herein provides systems and methods for rainwater collection, irrigation, and water conservation. This technology is ideal for use when municipal water reservoirs are low and outdoor watering is restricted or altogether banned. The system includes a water holding reservoir mounted vertically and inconspicuously adjacent to a dwelling, a reservoir connector fluidly connecting the water holding reservoir to a gutter to receive rainwater, a water level indicator and volumetric scale, a water spigot for a garden hose, and a cleanout drain. In an alternative embodiment, the system includes a plurality of adjacent water holding reservoirs each being filled by a single reservoir connector fluidly connected to and located between each of the plurality of water holding reservoirs and the gutter, to provide rainwater to each of the plurality of water holding reservoirs from a single point in the gutter.
대표청구항
▼
What is claimed is: 1. A rainwater collection, irrigation, and water conservation system, to collect rainwater for subsequent irrigation and ideal use when municipal water reservoirs are low and outdoor watering is restricted, the system comprising: a water holding reservoir, vertically located adj
What is claimed is: 1. A rainwater collection, irrigation, and water conservation system, to collect rainwater for subsequent irrigation and ideal use when municipal water reservoirs are low and outdoor watering is restricted, the system comprising: a water holding reservoir, vertically located adjacent, yet unconnected, to a downspout of a dwelling, placed generally along a height of the downspout defined between a bottom and a top of the downspout, the water holding reservoir constructed in a narrow vertical size and elongated shape generally that of the downspout to which it is adjacent, having generally a same height and a consistent width from the bottom to the top of the downspout, and fluidly, and with no valve, coupled to a gutter attached to a roof of the dwelling, to store collected rainwater received from a gutter portion located upstream in a rainwater flow to the downspout; a water level indicator fluidly coupled to the water holding reservoir, externally located and vertically mounted alongside the water holding reservoir, the water level indicator extending the height from a bottom to a top of the water holding reservoir, the water level indicator being tubular and clear and utilizing a portion of the water contained within the water holding reservoir and being visually indicative of a water level within the vertical water holding reservoir; a shut-off valve fluidly connected and located between the water holding reservoir and the water level indicator for selectively activating and deactivating the water level indicator a water spigot for selectively opening and closing the water holding reservoir, the water spigot being fluidly coupled to the water holding reservoir and located on the water holding reservoir near a base in order to gain a maximum natural gravitational pressure of water located within the water holding reservoir; a cleanout drain located below both the shut-off valve and the water spigot and at the base of the water holding reservoir at either an angle to or perpendicular to the water holding reservoir and generally in a closed position; and a removable cap to the cleanout drain to provide entry to the base of the water holding reservoir and wherein, upon the water holding reservoir reaching a full state of collected rainwater and the water spigot is in a closed position, rainwater flow continues uninterrupted to the downspout. 2. The rainwater collection, irrigation, and water conservation system of claim 1, the system further comprising: a reservoir connector fluidly connected to and located between the water holding reservoir and the gutter, the reservoir connector being inconspicuously located adjacent to a downspout connector; and a filter drain, located within the reservoir connector, to prevent debris from entering the water holding reservoir. 3. The rainwater collection, irrigation, and water conservation system of claim 1, the system further comprising: a concrete footer located within a ground surface beneath the water holding reservoir, wherein the concrete footer maintains the water holding reservoir in a secure, upright, and vertical position, perpendicular to the ground surface. 4. The rainwater collection, irrigation, and water conservation system of claim 1, the system further comprising: an external volumetric scale, located on the water holding reservoir adjacent to and parallel to the water level indictor, to visually represent and volumetrically quantify the collected rainwater within the water holding reservoir. 5. The rainwater collection, irrigation, and water conservation system of claim 1, the system further comprising: a plurality of water holding reservoirs, each water holding reservoir being vertically and inconspicuously located adjacent to the dwelling and fluidly coupled to the gutter attached to the roof of the dwelling, to store collected rainwater received from a gutter portion located upstream in a rainwater flow to the downspout. 6. The rainwater collection, irrigation, and water conservation system of claim 5, the system further comprising: a reservoir connector fluidly connected to and located between each of the plurality of water holding reservoirs and the gutter, the reservoir connector being inconspicuously located adjacent to a downspout connector, and the reservoir connector configured to provide rainwater to each of the plurality of water holding reservoirs from a single point in the gutter. 7. A method for rainwater collection, irrigation, and water conservation, to collect rainwater for subsequent irrigation and ideal use when municipal water reservoirs are low and outdoor watering is restricted, the system comprising: locating a water holding reservoir vertically adjacent to, yet unconnected to, a downspout of a dwelling, placing the water holding reservoir along a height of the downspout defined between a bottom and a top of the downspout, the water holding reservoir constructed in a narrow vertical size and elongated shape generally that of the downspout to which it is adjacent, having generally a same height and a consistent width from the bottom to the top of the downspout, and fluidly, and with no valve, coupling the water holding reservoir to a gutter attached to a roof of the dwelling and storing collected rainwater received from a gutter portion located upstream in a rainwater flow to the downspout; utilizing a water level indicator, fluidly coupling the water level indicator to the water holding reservoir, externally locating and vertically mounting the water level indicator alongside the water holding reservoir, the water level indicator extending the height from a bottom to a top of the water holding reservoir, the water level indicator being tubular and clear and utilizing a portion of the water contained within the water holding reservoir and being visually indicative of a water level within the vertical water holding reservoir; utilizing a shut-off valve, fluidly connecting to, and locating between, the water holding reservoir and the water level indicator for selectively activating and deactivating the water level indicator utilizing a water spigot for selectively opening and closing the water holding reservoir, fluidly coupling the water spigot to the water holding reservoir and locating the water spigot on the water holding reservoir near a base in order to gain a maximum natural gravitational pressure of water located within the water holding reservoir; utilizing a cleanout drain, locating the cleanout drain below both the shut-off valve and the water spigot and at the base of the water holding reservoir at either an angle to or perpendicular to the water holding reservoir and generally in a closed position, wherein a cap to the cleanout drain is removable to provide entry to the base of the water holding reservoir and wherein, upon the water holding reservoir reaching a full state of collected rainwater and the water spigot being in a closed position, rainwater flow continues uninterrupted to the downspout. 8. The method for rainwater collection, irrigation, and water conservation of claim 7, further comprising: utilizing a reservoir connector, fluidly connecting the reservoir connector to, and placing it between, the water holding reservoir and the gutter, locating the reservoir connector inconspicuously adjacent to a downspout connector; and utilizing a filter drain, locating it within the reservoir connector, preventing debris from entering the water holding reservoir. 9. The method for rainwater collection, irrigation, and water conservation of claim 7, further comprising: utilizing a concrete footer located within a ground surface beneath the water holding reservoir, maintaining the water holding reservoir in a secure, upright, and vertical position, perpendicular to the ground surface. 10. The method for rainwater collection, irrigation, and water conservation of claim 7, further comprising: utilizing an external volumetric scale, locating the external volumetric scale on the water holding reservoir adjacent to and parallel to the water level indictor, to visually representing and volumetrically quantifying the collected rainwater within the water holding reservoir. 11. The method for rainwater collection, irrigation, and water conservation of claim 7, further comprising: utilizing a plurality of water holding reservoirs, locating each water holding reservoir vertically and inconspicuously adjacent to the dwelling and fluidly coupling the plurality of water holding reservoirs to the gutter attached to the roof of the dwelling, and storing collected rainwater received from a gutter portion located upstream in a rainwater flow to the downspout. 12. The method for rainwater collection, irrigation, and water conservation of claim 11, further comprising: utilizing a reservoir connector, fluidly connecting the reservoir connector to and locating the reservoir connector between each of the plurality of water holding reservoirs and the gutter, locating the reservoir connector inconspicuously adjacent to a downspout connector, and configuring the reservoir connector to provide rainwater to each of the plurality of water holding reservoirs from a single point in the gutter. 13. A rainwater collection, irrigation, and water conservation device, to collect rainwater for subsequent irrigation and ideal use when municipal water reservoirs are low and outdoor watering is restricted, the device comprising: a reservoir connector for use with a section of conventional thermoplastic polymer pipe which is mounted vertically adjacent to a downspout of a dwelling, placed generally along a height of the downspout defined between a bottom and a top of the downspout, the water holding reservoir constructed in a narrow vertical size and elongated shape generally that of the downspout to which it is adjacent, having generally a same height and a consistent width from the bottom to the top of the downspout, to serve as a water holding reservoir, the reservoir connector fluidly and sealably, and with no valve, connected to and located between the conventional thermoplastic polymer pipe and a gutter attached to a roof of the dwelling, the reservoir connector configured to receive rainwater from a gutter portion located upstream in a rainwater flow to a downspout; a reservoir base sealably placed at an end of the conventional thermoplastic polymer pipe closest to a ground surface area to allow the conventional thermoplastic polymer pipe to retain collected rainwater; a water level indicator fluidly coupled to the conventional thermoplastic polymer pipe, externally located and vertically mounted alongside the conventional thermoplastic polymer pipe, the water level indicator extending the height from a bottom to a top of the conventional thermoplastic polymer pipe, the water level indicator being clear and utilizing a portion of the water contained within the conventional thermoplastic polymer pipe serving as a water holding reservoir and being visually indicative of a water level contained within; a shut-off valve fluidly connected and located between the thermoplastic polymer pipe and the water level indicator for selectively activating and deactivating the water level indicator a water spigot located near the reservoir base for selectively opening and closing water access to the conventional thermoplastic polymer pipe serving as a water holding reservoir; and a cleanout drain located below both the shut-off valve and the water spigot and on the reservoir base at either an angle to or perpendicular to the reservoir base and generally in a closed position, wherein a cap to the cleanout drain is removable to provide entry. 14. The rainwater collection, irrigation, and water conservation device of claim 13, further comprising: a concrete footer located within a ground surface beneath the conventional thermoplastic polymer pipe serving as a water holding reservoir and the reservoir base, wherein the concrete footer maintains the conventional thermoplastic polymer pipe and the reservoir base in a secure, upright, and vertical position, perpendicular to the ground surface; and an external volumetric scale, located on the thermoplastic polymer pipe adjacent to and parallel to the water level indictor, to visually represent and volumetrically quantify the collected rainwater within the water holding reservoir.
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