Abstract
A system of built-in, closely spaced passageways or piping containing numerous, small, closely-spaced holes, provided as an integral or separate part of the underlayment in a typical wall-to-wall carpet flooring installation. The piping network includes a manifold and access port which can be quickly and conveniently connected, from above or below the floor, to a typical motorized water pump or vacuum device, for the purpose of suctioning and drying large quantities of standing water, caused by accidental flooding for example, from within the carpet without the need for costly emergency professional services and equipment as is the norm today. The pump could be connected either from above or below the carpet floor as desired for convenience. The system can be provided at the time of new carpet installations or as a retrofit kit for existing installations and is scalable to any size of floor area in homes or buildings.
Claims
1. A series of flexible or rigid feeder pipes, passageways, tubing or similar conduits containing numerous, small, radially and longitudinally-spaced entrance holes, said tubing connecting to a manifold and single or multiple access/suction port(s), said port(s) placed above or below the carpet and floor, said tubing integral with and evenly and closely spaced within or under a carpet, carpet underlayment or carpet padding or similar floor coverings, and said tubing provided as an integral part of the carpet or underlayment or similar floor covering manufacturing process.
2. An assembled array of discrete flexible or rigid feeder pipes, passageways, tubing or similar conduits containing numerous, small, radially and longitudinally-spaced entrance holes, said tubing connecting to a manifold and single or multiple access/suction port(s), said port(s) placed above the carpet, or below the carpet and thus through the floor, and said tubing separately constructed from the carpet or underlayment designed as a kit for retrofit of said tubing to be closely and evenly spaced under any pre-existing installations of a carpet, carpet underlayment or similar floor coverings.
3. A method of cleaning installed carpets by removing shampoo and water and drying the carpet by suctioning through a series of flexible or rigid feeder pipes, passageways, tubing or similar conduits containing numerous, radially and longitudinally spaced small entrance holes, said tubing connecting to a manifold and single or multiple access/suction port(s), said port(s) placed above the carpet, or below the carpet and thus through the floor, said tubing integral with and evenly and closely spaced within or under a carpet, carpet underlayment or carpet padding or similar floor coverings, and said tubing provided as an integral part of the carpet or underlayment or similar floor covering manufacturing process.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING
[0015] The drawings represent relative scales of each component rather than actual scale.
[0016] FIG. 1 is a perspective, cutaway view of a notional example of a common carpet installation consisting, typical within the industry, of the main carpet and underlayment, with the embodying invention shown as a series of pipes or passageways embedded within or underneath the underlayment and the pipes connected to a main manifold.
[0017] FIG. 2 shows the same representation as FIG. 1 except in a full perspective view with the connection port cover shown on the top surface.
[0018] FIG. 3 shows the same embodiment of the invention in a top view with hidden lines representing the piping arrangement.
[0019] FIG. 4 is a cross-section through the carpet thickness and manifold showing the example piping, manifold, pump connection port and cover arrangement.
[0020] FIG. 5 shows an alternate embodiment of the invention with discrete pipes and manifold for use in retrofit of existing carpet installations.
[0021] FIG. 6 shows the same example of FIG. 5 in a top view with hidden lines representing the piping arrangement.
[0022] FIG. 7 is a cross-section through the carpet thickness and manifold showing the example discrete piping, manifold, connection port and cover arrangement.
[0023] FIG. 8 is a perspective view with a representative pump shown connected to the carpet port fitting.
[0024] FIG. 9 is a cross-section showing the adapter pipe attached to the carpet exit port to which the pump hose (not shown) would be connected.
[0025] FIG. 10 is a cross-section of the same embodiment of FIG. 9 except that the pump adapter fitting is connected through and below the floor. This is an alternate embodiment with the advantage of a more integral and permanent installation within the building, draining from below.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0026] Referring to FIG. 1, the view shows a typical carpet installation having a main carpet 1, and a padded underlayment 2. The underlayment is configured with the object of this invention, a plurality of parallel pipes or passageways 3, integrally manufactured into the material as a single unit, or the pipes or passageways separately embodied in a third layer as an option for manufacturing flexibility. Each pipe or passageway is connected to a main manifold 4, or plurality of manifolds in large installations.
[0027] FIG. 2 shows the same embodiment of the invention as FIG. 1 with the main carpet 1, underlayment 2, and the manifold port connection 5 covered with a layer of carpet.
[0028] FIG. 3 shows a top view of the carpet installation and the main carpet 1, with the piping or passageways 3 shown as hidden lines.
[0029] FIG. 4 is a partial cross-section (A-A) through the thickness of the carpet installation, showing the main carpet 1, padded underlayment 2, plurality of piping or passageways 3, manifold 4, the manifold access port 6, and access port cover 5, installed on top of the floor 10. The piping 3 and manifold 4 could be manufactured with the lower half exposed to the floor 10 as shown in the view. The floor 10 on which the installation is placed would form a natural seal for the lower half of the piping system, fully enclosing the pipes or passages 3 and manifold 4. This affords simplification of manufacture in that the piping system would not need to be totally enclosed within the underlayment material.
[0030] The purpose of the access port cover 5 is to conceal and cap the manifold access port 6 for normal use. It would have, for example, a top layer of carpeting identical to, and flush with, the main carpet for cosmetic concealment of the port.
[0031] FIG. 5 is a similar view as FIG. 1 except showing an alternate embodiment of the invention. The main carpet 1, is placed on top of the padded underlayment 2, and are typical of numerous existing installations in the industry. Underneath this installation is placed a modification and object of this invention as an alternative embodiment, a subassembly of a number of discrete rigid or semi-rigid pipes 3 containing numerous small holes (not shown) for water passage from the carpet. These discrete pipes are closely spaced and connected to the main manifold pipe 4. The manifold 4 has an outlet access port 6 at one end. The piping 3 and manifold 4 would form a sealed subassembly placed underneath existing carpet 1 and padding 2 installations by removing the installation and re-installing first with the piping subassembly on the bottom against the floor.
[0032] FIG. 6 is the same embodiment as FIG. 5 except in a top view showing the main carpet 1 and discrete piping 3 as a series of hidden lines.
[0033] FIG. 7 is a partial cross-section (B-B) through the thickness of the carpet installation, showing the main carpet 1, padded underlayment 2, plurality of piping or passageways 3, manifold 4, the manifold access port 6, and access port cover 5. The piping 3 and manifold 4 would form an integral subassembly placed underneath the existing carpet 1 and padding 2 installations and on top of the floor 10.
[0034] FIG. 8 shows any of the aforementioned installations except with the separate pump or vacuum device 7 attached to the carpet 1 with a hose or similar connection (not shown) to the carpet adapter fitting 8. The pump 7 and pump connection (i.e., hose) are notional, commonly available in the industry in numerous forms and sizes appropriate for the purpose, and do not form a part of this invention.
[0035] FIG. 9 is the same embodiment of FIG. 8 shown as a cross-section (A-A, referred to FIG. 3) with the pump adapter fitting 8 attached to the access port 6 through the carpet top surface 1. The access port cover (5 in FIG. 7) is not shown and is removed for enabling connection of the pump adapter fitting 8.
[0036] FIG. 10 is a cross-section of the same embodiment of FIG. 9 except that a reconfigured pump adapter fitting 9 is connected within or below the floor 10. This is an alternate design of the invention with the advantage of a more integral and permanent installation within the building. The access port is below the carpet surface and no modification to the carpet itself, including access port covers (5 in FIG. 7), required. This access system would be part of the main building design at the outset of construction, or added as a modification to the flooring in existing installations, as an option.
