Elongated suction outlet assembly with intrinsically safe sump
View Patent ↗An elongated suction outlet assembly is provided for use in swimming pools, hot tubs and the like. The suction outlet assembly includes an elongated sump having at least one longitudinal, raised island extending upwardly from inside the sump, and an elongated cover engaging the sump. Safety features of the suction outlet assembly are designed to inhibit human entrapment and thereby reduce the related risk of serious injury or death. The cover is long enough to prevent a bather's body from covering and blocking all of the openings therein, and thereby avoids the creation of a dangerous entrapping force. In the event the cover becomes separated from the sump, the raised island(s) provides a back-up safety feature by preventing a bather's access to the suction outlet nozzle via narrow axial flow channels, thereby virtually eliminating the risk of limb entrapment.
1. A suction outlet assembly, comprising:
a sump having an elongated, trough-like body, said body including an outer wall with opposed ends, a bottom extending between said opposed ends, an open top opposite said bottom, and at least one island extending upwardly from said bottom, said at least one island being spaced from said outer wall so as to form a first axial flow channel on one side of said sump and a second axial flow channel on an opposite side of said sump, each of said first and second axial flow channels having a width selected so as to inhibit the insertion of human body parts therein; and an elongated cover removably attached to said body adjacent said top thereof, said cover having a plurality of openings extending between opposite ends of said cover.
2. The suction outlet assembly of claim 1 , wherein said at least one island includes first and second islands.
3. The suction outlet assembly of claim 2 , wherein said first and second islands are substantially coaxially disposed, said first island being spaced from said second island so as to form a center channel having a width selected so as to inhibit the insertion of human body parts therein, and said center channel being in communication with said axial channels.
4. The suction outlet assembly of claim 2 , wherein an end of said first island distal from said second island engages one of said opposed ends of said outer wall so as to form a first peninsula, and an end of said second island distal from said first island engages the other one of said opposed ends of said outer wall so as to form a second peninsula.
5. The suction outlet assembly of claim 1 , wherein said body has a length and a width, said body being elongated such that said length is substantially greater than said width.
6. The suction outlet assembly of claim 5 , wherein said body is of sufficient length to preclude blockage by a single bather.
7. The suction outlet assembly of claim 1 , wherein said cover includes first and second portions, said cover being dimensioned such that when said first portion is covered by a bather's body part, said second portion remains uncovered.
8. The suction outlet assembly of claim 7 , wherein said cover is at least 32 inches long.
9. The suction outlet assembly of claim 1 , wherein said at least one island extends upwardly from said bottom and terminates at an upper end which is substantially coplanar with said top of said body.
10. The suction outlet assembly of claim 1 , wherein said at least one island is formed integrally with said bottom.
11. The suction outlet assembly of claim 1 , wherein said openings in said cover are of a size, quantity and spacing selected so as to establish a uniform flow of water therethough to substantially reduce the velocity of water flow.
12. The suction outlet assembly of claim 1 , wherein said sump further includes at least one outlet nozzle, said at least one outlet nozzle being in communication with at least one of said first and second axial flow channels.
13. The suction outlet assembly of claim 12 , wherein said at least one outlet nozzle includes a first outlet nozzle being in communication with said first axial flow channel and a second outlet nozzle being in communication with said second axial flow channel.
14. The suction outlet assembly of claim 12 , said at least one outlet nozzle being disposed at one of said opposed ends.
15. The suction outlet assembly of claim 14 , wherein said one of said opposed ends is deeper than the other one of said opposed ends.
16. The suction outlet assembly of claim 1 , wherein said cover is substantially flat.
17. The suction outlet assembly of claim 1 , wherein said cover is substantially crowned.
18. The suction outlet assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a protective assembly for use with a vinyl pool liner, said protective assembly having at least one annular gasket positioned on the pool liner, a sealing ring engaged with said at least one annular gasket opposite said pool liner, and a fastener securing said sealing ring, said at least one gasket and the pool liner to said top.