Field of the invention

The invention relates to a panel for a drainage structure or a drainage box. Furthermore, the invention relates to a drainage structure comprising such a panel. Additionally, the invention relates to a method for manufacturing such a panel.

Background of the invention

Liquid receiving, storage and draining structures can be used for various purposes. Often, these structures are placed underground for temporarily storing and draining large amounts of water. The structure provides the possibility to collect and store large amounts of water, such as for instance occur as a result of heavy rain fall and the like.

The storage capacity thus obtained provides a temporary relief for the surface and underground, in such a way that flooding and erosion can be prevented or at least mitigated. The water collected in the structure may subsequently be released in a controlled manner, whereby a buffer function is obtained. The release may be carried out in several ways, such as discharge through a sewer, by means of infiltration into the underground etc.

Usually, such structures are built from a plurality of elements that are joined together. The elements typically form a containment structure for receiving the water, having openings towards the surrounding underground, and being surrounded by a textile or foil, such that only liquids may enter the containment structure, and any dirt or other larger elements are kept out.

The elements used for building up the structure can be modular units which allow for flexibility in building to different sizes. They can include columns and panels which fit together to hold the columns together. The panels are typically joined together with clips to secure the panels together and in the proper position. However, the building up of the structure with the panels, columns and clips can be time consuming having to orient everything properly and then ensure they are secured with separate pieces.

It would therefore be desirable to provide an improved structure for receiving and storing water that alleviated some or all of the above problems. Summary of the invention

According to the invention, there is provided a panel for a drainage box, the panel comprising:

a central portion comprising one or more openings for passage of liquid therethrough;

side portions surrounding the central portion; and

at least one connection element on each side portion, each connection element comprising:

a receiving portion and a protruding portion, the receiving portion shaped complementary to the protruding portion, such that a second panel having a similar connection element can secure to the first panel by connecting through engaging the respective connection elements, such that the protruding portion of the connection element of the first panel fits into the receiving portion of the connection element of the second panel, and the receiving portion of the connection element of the first panel receives the protruding portion of the connection element of the second panel.

The panel has a central portion that allows passage of liquid through when the panel is used in a drainage box or drainage system. The openings may have any suitable shape. The central portion is at least partially enclosed by side portions, which may be closed or have one or more openings, similar to the central portion. On each side portion, at least one connection portion is provided, to connect a first panel with a second panel. The connection element comprises a protruding portion and a receiving portion. The receiving portion of the first panel receives a protrusion portion of the second panel, and vice versa. The receiving portion and the protruding portion are complementary in shape, i.e. for connecting a first and a second panel, the protruding portion of the first panel fits into the receiving portion of the second panel, and vice versa. Additional separate connecting elements will then be superfluous and connecting a plurality of panels to each other will be simplified. Preferably, each side portion comprises at least two connection elements.

According to an embodiment, the connection element is positioned and shaped to be connectable to a further connection element of a second panel to secure the panel with respect to the second panel in both a direction perpendicular to a plane of the panel and a direction in the plane of the panel. The connection element is shaped such that the protrusion and the recess engage each other, preferably such that the first and second panels are fixed with respect to each other in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the panel and in the direction in the plane of the panel. Preferably, the connection element of the first panel and the connection element of the second panel are fixed with respect to each other in five directions, only being connectable to each other in one way, a sixth direction, for instance being fixed in four directions in the plane of the panel, and in the direction facing away from the second face of the panel, only being disconnectable in the direction facing away from the first face of the panel. Vice versa, the first and second panels are connectable by moving them towards each other in a direction facing away from the second face of the panel.

To this purpose, the protruding portion and/or the receiving portion may be at least partially tapered between a first face of the panel and a second face of the panel.

The at least one connection elements may be self-locking when secured to another connection element. The self-locking or self-centring property would be advantageous while connecting the panels. At the moment that the connection elements are starting to engage each other, there would be only one way of movement left, i.e. towards a fixation position wherein the panels are fully connected.

The side portion may extend to an edge of the panel, and the connection element is provided at the perpendicular side wall, such that the receiving portion extends from the edge into the side portion and the protruding portion extends from the edge beyond the side portion.

In this embodiment, the protruding portion has an outward protruding shape and the receiving portion has an inward extending shape, forming a recess in the side portion, wherein the shapes of the outward protrusion and the recess are similar.

The shape of the recess and the protrusion may be any shape suitable shape. Preferably, the protruding portion and the receiving portion are at least partially trapezoidal in shape.

The protruding portion and the receiving portion may be adjacent to each other, i.e. the protruding portion and the receiving portion may share a mutual edge.

The panel may comprises a polymer material. A polymer material is relatively easy to use in complex shapes, such as the panel with the connection element. The invention also relates to a plurality of panels according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the panels are secured together through the engagement of connection elements, wherein a second panel with an identical connection element is secured to a first panel by connecting through engaging the respective connection elements such that the protruding portion of the connection element of the first panel is fitted into the receiving portion of the connection element of the second panel and the protruding portion of the connection element of the second panel is received in the receiving portion of the connection element of the first panel .

Preferably, adjacent panels are secured together at their respective side portions by at least two identical connection elements on each panel engaging each other to connect and secure the adjacent panels together.

The invention furthermore relates to a drainage structure with a top side, a bottom side and side walls extending between the top side and the bottom side, wherein the top side, bottom side and/or side walls comprise a plurality of panels according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the panels are secured together by means of their respective connection elements.

Moreover, the invention relates to a method of manufacturing a panel for a drainage box, the method comprising:

forming a central portion with one or more openings for the passage of liquid therethrough; and

forming side portions provided with at least one connection element, wherein the connection element comprises a receiving portion and a protruding portion, the receiving portion shaped complementary to the protruding portion such that the connection element can secure to another identical connection element.

According to an embodiment, the steps of forming a central portion and forming side portions with at least one connection element are performed simultaneously.

Preferably, the panel is formed through injection moulding.

Brief description of the several views of the figures

The invention will be described further with respect to embodiments shown in the drawings.

Figure la shows top view of a panel for a drainage structure.

Figure lb shows a perspective view of the panel of Figure la. Figure lc shows a side view of the panel of Figure la.

Figure 2a shows a top view of two panels being connected together at their connection elements.

Figure 2b shows a perspective view of the panels of Figure 2a connected together.

Detailed Description

Figure la shows top view of a panel 10, Figure lb shows a perspective view of the panel 10, and Figure lc shows a side view of the panel 10, which can be used as a part of a drainage box or drainage structure, such as a bottom panel, forming a bottom side, for support of the drainage structure or as a supporting surface for a subsequent set of columns (not shown) placed on a first drainage box, or as a top panel, forming a top side, closing the drainage structure.

The panel 10 includes a central portion 12 with openings 13, side portions 14 having long sides 14a and short sides 14b, a first face 16, a second face 17, column engagement portions 18 and connection elements 20 on each side.

In this embodiment, the long sides 14a are twice as long as the short sides 14b, though other embodiments could have a different configuration. The openings 13 extend from the first face 16 to the second face 17 such that liquid is able to travel through the panel 10. The panel 10 includes eight column engagement portions 18, though other panels 10 could include more or fewer column engagement portions 18.

Each side 14a, 14b is provided with connection elements 20 that each include a receiving portion 22 and a protruding portion 24. The receiving portion 22 is formed as a transversal recess extending into the side 14a, 14b, and the protruding portion 24 is formed as a transversal protrusion extending from the side 14a, 14b.

Each side 14a, 14b extends to an edge 15a, 15b of the panel, forming a perpendicular side wall of the side portion. The connection element 20 is provided at the perpendicular side wall, such that the receiving portion 22 extends from the edge 15 into the side 14 and the protruding portion 24 extends from the edge 15 beyond the side 14. In this embodiment, the protruding portion has an outward protruding shape and the receiving portion has an inward extending shape, forming a recess in the side portion, wherein the shapes of the outward protrusion and the recess are similar. The receiving portion 22 and the protruding portion 24 are complementary in shape, and in this embodiment are at least partially trapezoidal in shape, though they can take other forms and shapes in other embodiments, such as rectangular or round, or a combination thereof. The connection elements 20 are at least partially tapered between the first face 16 and the second face 17, having a tapered edge 26, as can be seen in Figure lc. The tapered edge 26 is a mutual edge, as the receiving portion 22 and the protruding portion 24 are adjacent. In this embodiment, the long sides 14a each include four connection elements 20 and the short sides 14b each include two connection elements 20, though other embodiments could include more or fewer connection elements 20 on each side 14a, 14b. Typically, each side 14a, 14b includes at least one connection element 20.

Each connection element 20 is identical. Due to complementary paired receiving portion 22 and protruding portion 24, each connection element 20 can freely mate with any other identical connection element 20 without regard for gender, alignment, orientation, etc.

The panel 10 can be formed of a plastic material, or another material which has sufficient strength. For example, panel 10 could be formed as one integral piece through injection moulding or another suitable production method. If injection moulding is used, the at least partial tapering between first face 16 and second face 17 could help with an improved clearance and release from the mould.

Figure 2a shows a view of two panels 10 being connected together at their connection elements 20, and Figure 2b shows a perspective view of panels 10 connected together.

The panels 10 are connected together on their long sides 14a to secure together in the same plane through four connection elements 20. The panels 10 are connected together, by aligning the connection elements 20 of one panel with the connection elements 20 of the other panel 10 and moving in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the panel 10, as indicated by arrows 31, causing the connection elements 20 of one panel to slide into the connection elements 20 of the other panel 10.

The connection elements 20 are secured together such that the protruding portion

24 of one connection element 20 is slid into the receiving portion 22 of the other element and vice versa. This secures the panels 10 together in the same plane. The panels 10 are further aligned and secured together in the perpendicular direction by the at least partial tapering of the connection elements 20. Thus, the securing of the connection elements 20 of the respective panels 10 ensures that the panels 10 are connected and secured in the direction in the plane of the panel and in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the panel. The shape and placement of the connection elements 20 can also ensure that they are self-locking, to hold panels 10 together once engaged. The self-locking may be caused by a narrowing protruding portion to the bottom of the connection element while a top of the receiving portion may be wider than a bottom of the receiving portion (seen in a vertical direction). When the portions slide vertically into each other the portions will automatically slide towards each other in a horizontal direction and the protruding portion 24 may slide automatically into the receiving portion 22.

By using identical connection elements 20 with complementary paired receiving portions 22 and protruding portions 24, the panels 10 can be easily secured together, freely mounting any connection element 20 to any other connection element. This allows for easy connection, making time-consuming aligning and orienting superfluous, for example, to mate a male element with a female element. Additionally, this allows for connecting a plurality of panels 10 to form complex and/or lengthy drainage structures more easily and quickly. By making time-consuming positioning and orientation superfluous due to the identical connection elements 20 which can secure to any other connection element, the panels 10 can be easily and simply secured together.

As mentioned earlier, past modular units for building up drainage structures typically required proper orientation and alignment for joining together, and further required additional components such as clips to actually hold and secure together. The panels 10 with the connection elements 20 allow for securing together in any orientation without the need for any additional securing parts, making for a more efficient and simple assembly process of a drainage structure.

While the invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiments disclosed, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.