Abstract:
The present invention includes a system of trays for containing leaking liquids above a ceiling. The trays have extended sides to hold a volume of liquid. One side of a tray is lower than other sides of the tray. When a large volume leak occurs, the liquid fills the tray to the height of the lower side and flows over the lower side into an adjacent tray. The system of trays includes a tray with a drain. The system of trays may also incorporate sensors in the trays. The sensors can operate to actuate a valve for shutting off the leaking liquid, and may also send a message communicating the occurrence of the leak.

Description:
BACKGROUND  
       [0001]     1. Field Of The Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates to liquid damage prevention. More specifically, it relates to a ceiling leak diversion system.  
         [0003]     2. Discussion Of The Related Art  
         [0004]     In some residential buildings, and many commercial buildings, pipes carry liquid above ceilings in offices, storage spaces or living spaces. At times plumbing leaks occur which pour large volumes of water onto the ceiling. The water quickly goes through the ceiling and destroys computer equipment, books, hardwood floors, paintings and other valuables in the spaces below. In commercial space and vacation homes this problem is especially drastic if the leak occurs when the building is not occupied because the leak may continue undetected for hours or days. Various systems have been developed which operate to detect and control leaks.  
         [0005]     Systems have been designed as permanent ceiling tile replacements to capture small roofing leaks or small plumbing drips. One system designed for a hung ceiling includes a tray for retaining a small amount of liquid. A sensor detects the presence of liquid and sounds an alarm to alert the occupants of a leak. This system does not address the problem of large plumbing leaks. Although the alarm sounds when a large leak occurs, all of the water from the leak cannot be contained in the tray. Additional water will overflow and property below the ceiling may be damaged. Furthermore, the alarm is useless when the building is unoccupied.  
         [0006]     Another system is designed as a temporary ceiling tile replacement. The system employs a tray placed in the ceiling after a small leak is detected to capture and drain away a small amount of liquid. The tray has a small capacity for water retention and a small capacity for drainage. This is a temporary solution until a small leak can be repaired. The system employs a small drain tube which comes into the interior of the room. This system will not prevent a large leak from damaging property because it is not placed until after a leak is discovered. Also, the drainage is insufficient to handle a large volume of liquid.  
         [0007]     Other systems teach connecting hoses from holes in each of multiple trays to facilitate drainage from a large area. Such systems have the undesirable feature of multiple hoses visible in living or office space where the system is installed. These systems also require a large amount of effort to set up with hoses connecting to each tray and, in some such systems, multiple hoses connecting to each tray. Each hole and hose connection further provides a disadvantage in the higher possibility of a leak from the system itself where hoses connect to trays.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     The present invention provides a leak prevention system which installs easily, prevents large liquid leaks from damaging property, and does not require hoses attached to each tray. The present invention includes a system of catch trays. According to one aspect of the invention, at least one tray in the system can hold a volume of liquid and has at least one side of the tray lower than other sides of the tray. When a large volume leak occurs, the trays hold substantial amounts of liquid. If the leak is larger than a tray can hold, the liquid will flow over the lower side into an adjacent tray. The liquid continues to fill adjacent trays, containing the leaking liquid within the system of multiple trays. According to another aspect of the invention, the system of trays includes a tray with a drain. When a tray adjacent to the tray with a drain fills, liquid flows into the drain tray and is drained away. According to another aspect of the invention, the system of trays incorporates sensors in the trays for detecting the occurrence of a leak. The sensors can actuate a valve for shutting off a source of leaking liquid, send a message communicating the occurrence of the leak, or take other action in response to detection of a leak. According to another aspect of the invention, each catch tray in the system of trays has a lip for preventing liquid from spilling between catch trays as the liquid flows from one catch tray into an adjacent catch tray. According to other aspects of the invention, catch trays utilize different lip designs and sealing techniques to prevent leaks between trays. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]      FIG. 1  is an isometric view of a catch tray according to an embodiment of the invention.  
         [0010]      FIG. 2  is a cross sectional view of a system of catch trays according to another embodiment of the invention.  
         [0011]      FIGS. 3A and 3B  are cross section views of additional embodiments with extending lips for joining trays.  
         [0012]      FIGS. 4A, 4B , and  4 C are cross section views of additional embodiments with extending lips for joining trays.  
         [0013]      FIG. 5  is a cross section view of another embodiment with extending lips for joining trays.  
         [0014]      FIG. 6  is a cross section view of a system of catch trays according to another embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0015]     The structures shown and described are by way of example, and may be formed using many different materials or variations in structure currently known to exist without departing from the invention described.  
         [0016]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , an embodiment of a catch tray  100  is shown which is useful in the leak prevention system of the present invention. The catch tray  100  may function in a ceiling with standard drop ceiling tiles. Although it may have many different shapes and sizes, preferably it is the size of a standard ceiling tile. According to an embodiment of the invention, the catch tray  100  has a length of 48 inches and a width of 24 inches. The catch tray has a base part  140 , a front end  120 , a back end  130 , and two sides  110 ,  111 . The height of the front end  120  should be sufficient for the catch tray  100  to hold water from a large plumbing leak. The base part  140  may be the same dimensions in length and width as the entire catch tray  100 . The base part  140  may have a length or width which is greater or less than the length or width of the rest of the catch tray  100 . The base part  140  may define only a length or a width such that the sides  110 ,  111 , or the front end  120  and the back end  140  form slopes which meet.  
         [0017]     According to an embodiment of the invention the height of the front end  120  is 1½ inches. The catch tray  100  holds approximately 60 pounds or approximately 7.5 gallons of water. The height of the front end  120 , may be the lowest side or may be the same height as another side. The height of the lowest side will define the volume of liquid which the catch tray  100  holds. The lowest side may have lower or higher edge, so that the catch tray holds less or more liquid. The ceiling structure, whether a finished ceiling, or a hung grid, can be constructed to accommodate the weight of the catch tray  100  when it is full of water or other liquid.  
         [0018]     According to an embodiment of the invention, the leak prevention system has a front end  120  which has a height above the base part  140  that is less than the height of any other sides. In an embodiment of the invention the height of the back end  130  is the same height as the sides  110 ,  111 . The base part  140  is defined by a flat surface. The sides  110 ,  111  are defined as perpendicular to the flat surface defining the base part  140 . The sides are not required to be perpendicular to the flat surface, but may be angled so that they come together. The base part  140  is not always defined by a flat surface but may also be a point where sloping sides come together. The sides  110  are not required to be a flat surface, but may also be a curving surface.  
         [0019]     The material used to make the tray may be metal, plastic, or wood. The catch tray has sufficient strength to support accumulated water. According to an embodiment of the invention, a plastic material is used with a thickness of ⅛ inch. The plastic material may meet one of several different standards for fire safety. According to an embodiment of the invention, the leak prevention system is supported by a ceiling tile grid which is designed to hold the weight of several catch trays filled with liquid. If the catch trays hold a larger volume of water the supports for the ceiling tile grid may need to be modified to support the increased weight. For example, if the catch tray dimensions are 48 inches by 24 inches by 7.5 inches in height, then the catch tray can hold approximately 37 gallons which is approximately 300 pounds of water. The ceiling tile grid may be constructed to support such a weight.  
         [0020]     When a problem such as a broken pipe occurs above the ceiling the catch tray retains a large amount of water. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the catch tray  100  has a front end  120 , which is shorter than the sides  110 ,  111 . Water may flow over the front end  120  into a second catch tray (not shown in  FIG. 1 ) when a large liquid leak fills the first catch tray  100 . The front end  120  is shown in this example with an extending lip  122 . The extending lip  122  allows the liquid to flow from the first catch tray  100  into the second catch tray (not shown in  FIG. 1 ). The extending lip  122  is of sufficient length to minimize spilling between the catch trays.  
         [0021]     According to an embodiment of the invention, the leak prevention system comprises two identical catch trays in accordance with the catch tray  100  shown in  FIG. 1 . When the liquid flows from a catch tray  100 , it flows into an adjoining catch tray identical to the catch tray  100 . The side of the tray which is opposite the front end  120  is the back end  130 , and is of a height to allow liquid to flow from an adjoining catch tray over the back end  130 . The back end  130  may include an extending lip to prevent liquid from spilling as the liquid flows from one catch tray into the adjoining catch tray.  
         [0022]     Referring to  FIG. 2 , according to an embodiment of the invention, a leak prevention system  200  includes a plurality of adjoining catch trays. A first catch tray  210  may be situated next to a wall or at the end of an area where liquid leak protection is desired. A second catch tray  220  is situated next to the first catch tray  210 . The first catch tray  210  has a back end  212  which is higher than a front end  214 . The second catch tray  220  has a back end  222  which is the same height as the front end  224  and is also the same height as the front end of the first catch tray  214 . According to an embodiment of the invention, when the liquid captured in the first catch tray  210  fills the first tray, it will flow over the front end of the first catch tray  214  into the second catch tray  220 . The first catch tray has an extending lip  216  to prevent liquid spills between trays.  
         [0023]     According to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the leak prevention system has a third catch tray  230  which is identical to the second catch tray  220 . A plurality of identical catch trays may be placed between the first and last catch tray in a row. The last catch tray  240  has a back end  242 , a front end  244 , and a drain  246 . The height of the back end  242  is the same as the height of the front end of the first tray  214 . In the example shown in  FIG. 2 , when liquid flows into the third tray  230  and then into the last tray  240  the liquid will flow into a drain  246  which may be connected to a sewer pipe (not shown).  
         [0024]     According to an embodiment of the invention, the leak prevention system has a drain  246  which is large enough to drain a large volume of water quickly. The drain preferably has a 1 inch diameter. The drain  246  is connected to a pipe which will direct liquid into a barrel, other receptacle, or the sewage system of the building. The drain  246  is illustrated in  FIG. 2  as near one edge of the tray. It may be placed at the center of the tray or near any edge of the tray. The function of the drain  246  is to remove water from the last tray  240  so that the water does not fill the last tray  240 . The drain  246  may be of a larger or smaller diameter so long as the diameter of the drain allows drainage without the last tray  240  overfilling. When the leak prevention system  200  is installed below a large high pressure pipe, or multiple pipes, a larger drain, or multiple draining trays may be necessary to prevent any draining trays from overflowing.  
         [0025]     When the leak prevention system is configured with multiple catch trays, the leaking liquid may first fall into any of the trays, whether in the middle of the row of trays, at an end without a drain, or at an end with a drain. The system of trays may be configured such that the liquid only flows in the direction of a drain when the first tray catching liquid overflows. The system of trays may also be configured so that the liquid flows in multiple directions when the first tray catching liquid overflows.  
         [0026]     According to another embodiment of the invention, the leak prevention system consists of only a first tray  210  of  FIG. 2 , situated next to a last tray  240 , without the second or third trays.  
         [0027]     According to an embodiment of the invention, the leak prevention system of  FIG. 2  has liquid sensor,  250  in each tray, which sends a signal through a wire  252 , to a control box  254 . The sensor  250  does not need to be placed in every catch tray, but may be placed in catch trays below locations where a leak is more likely to occur. As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the sensors  250  are connected in series into one control box. The sensors may also be connected in parallel, or with only one sensor being connected to one control box. Liquid sensors and control boxes are commercially available, and can be configured with many more than 4 sensors for one control box. According to another embodiment of the invention, the connection  252  between the sensors  250  and the control box  254  may be a wireless signal. Also, the control box  254  may initiate several devices, for example sounding an alarm, shutting a valve, or sending a message through the Internet, a telephone system, or a local communication system.  
         [0028]     According to an embodiment of the invention, the leak prevention system includes adjoining trays with extending lips. Referring to  FIG. 3A , an exploded view from  FIG. 1  of the extending lip  122  is shown.  FIG. 3A  shows a first extending lip  330 , from a first catch tray  310 , over a second catch tray  320 . A second extending lip  340  extends from the second catch tray  320  towards the inside of the second catch tray. The structure of the lips prevents liquid from entering a space  350  between the trays. According to an embodiment of the invention, the space  350  is filled with sealant to further prevent liquid from entering the space  350  between the catch trays. A filler is shown occupying the entire space between the catch trays, but the filler may occupy only some of the space between the catch trays sufficient to create a seal, for example the filler may only occupy the space between the first lip  330 , and the second lip  340 .  
         [0029]     Referring to  FIG. 3B  an embodiment of the invention has a first tray  370  having a first extending lip  375 , and a second tray  360  having a second extending lip  365 .  FIG. 3B  is an exploded view from  FIG. 2  of the extending lip  216 . The height of the first extending lip  375  is slightly less than the height of the second extending lip  365 . When the first tray  370  and the second tray  360  are placed on a flat surface such as that above a finished ceiling, or on a grid of ceiling tiles, the first extending lip  375 , presses down on the second extending lip  365 , preventing liquid from entering the space between the trays. According to an embodiment of the invention, the leak prevention system is assembled with the second tray  360  closer to the drain than the first tray  370 . When the first tray  370  fills with liquid the weight of the liquid causes the first extending lip  375  to press firmly against the second extending lip  356  as liquid flows from the first tray  370  into the second tray  360 .  
         [0030]     Referring to  FIGS. 4A-4C , additional embodiments of the invention are shown for adjoining catch trays. In  FIG. 4A , a method of joining catch trays is shown which is useful in the leak prevention system. The first tray  410 , adjoins a second tray  420 , the first extending lip  430  is a square lip, which functions to fit tightly around a second extending lip  440 .  
         [0031]     In  FIG. 4B , another embodiment of joining catch trays is shown which is useful in the leak prevention system. A first tray  450  adjoins a second tray  460  and the trays are joined together by placing sealant between the trays. In other embodiments of the invention the trays are joined by the use of adhesives, or by magnetism through magnetic strips. The trays may also be placed next to each other with only the pressure of the first tray  450  against the second tray  460  limiting the liquid that may flow between the trays. The method of joining trays may allow some liquid to flow between trays, but the volume of this liquid is very small compared to the amount of liquid which is retained by the catch tray, or compared to the amount of liquid which is directed into an adjacent catch tray.  
         [0032]      FIG. 4C  illustrates a further embodiment of the invention which includes lips angled with straight edges sloping to direct liquid into the first tray  470  and the second tray  480 .  
         [0033]      FIG. 5A  shows an embodiment of a leak prevention system including a first tray  510  with a first extending lip  530 , connected to a second tray  520  with a second extending lip  540 . The first extending lip  530  when formed from a plastic material deforms and connects with pressure sufficient to prevent liquid from flowing between the first tray  510  and the second tray  520 . The first extending lip  530  forms a cavity  550  which is wider at the top of the cavity than at the bottom of the cavity. The second extending lip  540  is formed with a structure  560  designed to fit in the cavity  550  formed by the first extending lip  530 , where the top of the structure  560  is larger than the bottom of the structure  560 . The first extending lip  530  forming the cavity  550 , is not required to be larger on the top of the cavity than on the bottom of the cavity, and may be situated below the structure  560  designed to fit inside it.  
         [0034]     In another embodiment of the invention a system of catch trays has joining trays as shown in  FIG. 5B . A first tray  570  has an extending lip which extends over the edge of a second tray  580 . Although it is not necessary, the first tray  570  is in contact with the second tray  580 .  
         [0035]     Referring now to  FIG. 6 a  leak prevention system  600  includes a system of catch trays. According to an embodiment of the invention, the leak prevention system  600 , includes a first tray  610 , a second tray  620 , and a third tray  630 . The first tray  610  has a back edge  612 . The back edge  612  is higher than a front edge  614  by one half inch. The first tray  610  has a sloping interior  616  which forms a base part  618 . When a liquid detection sensor (shown as  250  in  FIG. 2 ) is placed at the base part  618 , the embodiment of the leak prevention system has the advantage of easily detecting small leaks. The first tray  610  has a bottom extension  619 . The bottom extension  619  may be an integral part of the first tray.  
         [0036]     In another embodiment of the invention of  FIG. 6 , the bottom extension  619  is a support placed under the tray. The height of the bottom extension  619  is one half inch, the same height as the difference between height of the back edge  612  and the front edge  614 . When the bottom extension  619  of the first tray  610  is not an integral part of the tray, but is a separate support for the tray, then the first tray  610  and the second tray  620  can be produced from the same pattern. The bottom part support  619  is then added under the first tray  610 .  
         [0037]     According to an embodiment of the invention, the leak prevention system  600  has a third tray  630  with a back edge  632  and a front edge  634 . The third tray back edge  632  adjoins the second tray  620  and is the same height as the front edge of the second tray  624 . The third tray  630  has a drain  636  which is connected to a standard drainage system where the leak prevention system  600  is used.  
         [0038]     When the bottom extension  691  is the same height as the difference between the height of the front edge  614 , and the height of the back edge  612 , then when the first tray  610  is placed with the front edge  614  adjacent to the back edge  622  of the second tray  620 , the height of the front edge  614  is approximately the same height as the back edge  622 . In this manner the liquid is directed to always flow in the direction of the drain  636  when a tray overflows.  
         [0039]     When the leak prevention system is produced according to the example in  FIG. 6 a  tray will capture leaking liquid and fill to capacity. Then the liquid will only flow over the front edge because the front edge of each tray is lower than the back edge of each tray. In this way the liquid will only fill the trays between the leaking liquid and the last tray with a drain  630 . According to an embodiment of the invention, the leak prevention system  600  has more than three trays, installed in a row. Additional bottom extensions  619  are placed under each tray which is not adjacent to the tray with the drain  630 . In this way the front edge of each tray with additional bottom extensions  619  will be the same height as the back edge of the adjacent tray.  
         [0040]     To empty any of the catch trays when it has become filled, several methods may be employed. For example a pump system may be used to direct the liquid to the catch tray with a drain. This would need to be repeated for each of the catch trays which becomes filled with water. A second example may be tilting each catch tray with liquid so that the liquid from one tray will drain into the next tray which is closer to the drain. This method allows the trays to be emptied before removing any of the tiles to gain access to the area of the liquid leak. It may not be discernable which of the catch trays contain liquid and which do not. When the catch trays are used with a sensor, an individual catch tray, or a zone of catch trays may send a signal to communicate which catch trays contain liquid. If each catch tray at the edge of the zone is tilted, and then each catch tray closer to the drain is tilted, all of the catch trays may be emptied into the drain without the use of a pump.  
         [0041]     Having described at least one embodiment of the invention, various modifications, adaptations, additions and extensions will be readily apparent to those of skill in the art. Such modifications, adaptations, additions and extensions are considered to be within the scope of the invention, which is not limited except as to the claims hereto.