Corrugated drainage tubes and fittings

Claim 2

A flexible corrugated drainage tube having alternating flat annular peaks and flat annular valleys with walls interconnecting the flat peaks and valleys, each interconnecting wall lying in a plane substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tube with the distance between the exterior of adjacent walls across each annular valley substantially less than the distance between the exterior of adjacent walls across each annular peak, and a plurality of slotted openings in the flat valleys of the tube spaced from and between the interconnecting walls of the tube for providing communication between the interior and exterior of the tube so that liquid can drain into the tube through the slotted openings.

Claim 3

A flexible corrugated drainage tube as in claim 1 wherein the slotted openings are provided in at least every third annular valley of the tube.

Claim 4

A flexible corrugated drainage tube as in claim 2 wherein every third annular valley has three equally spaced apart slotted openings.

Claim 5

A flexible corrugated drainage tube as in claim 3 wherein each slotted opening is narrow and the area defined by the slotted openings is between about 1/2 and 1 percent of the longitudinal surface area of the tube.

Claim 6

A flexible corrugated drainage tube as in claim 1 wherein a slotted opening is provided in at least every third annular valley of the tube, and the slotted openings are arranged side-by-side along a path parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tube.

Claim 7

A flexible corrugated drainage tube as in claim 1 in combination with a flexible coupling for connecting the ends of corrugated tubes together, the coupling comprising a tubular body portion having alternating annular peaks and valleys, and a longitudinal slit extending the length of the tubular body portion, the peaks and valleys of the coupling being constructed and arranged to tightly fit over the corrugations in the tubes to be connected when the coupling is snapped over the ends of the tubes to connect them.

Claim 8

A flexible corrugated drainage tube as in claim 1 in combination with a plug for capping the end of the tube, the plug comprising a tubular body portion having alternating annular peaks and valleys, a closure at one end of the body portion, and a single longitudinal slit in the body portion that extends the length of the body portion Of the closure, the peaks and valleys of the body portion of the end plug being constructed and arranged to fit tightly over the corrugated tube when the plug is snapped over the end of the tube to cap it.

Claim 9

A flexible corrugated drainage tube as in claim 1 in combination with at least one additional drainage tube of similar configuration, a flexible coupling connecting the end of one tube to the end of the other tube, the flexible coupling having alternating flat annular peaks and flat annular valleys arranged to fit over the flat peaks and valleys of the tubes to be connected, and a plug for capping the unconnected end of one of the tubes.

Claim 10

A flexible corrugated drainage tube of substantially uniform thickness throughout having alternating flat annular peaks and flat annular valleys with walls interconnecting the flat peaks and valleys, and a plurality of slotted openings in the flat valleys of the tube spaced from and between the walls of the tube arranged transversely to the longitudinal axis of the tube for providing communication between the interior and exterior of the tube so that liquid can drain into the tube through the slotted openings, the plurality of slotted openings including an opening in at least every third annular valley of the tube with each and every opening arranged side-by-side along a single path parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tube, and a sheet of flexible water-permeable material disposed over the portion of the tube in which the slotted openings are located.

Claim 11

A flexible corrugated drainage tube of substantially uniform thickness throughout having alternating flat annular peaks and flat annular valleys with walls interconnecting the flat peaks and valleys, and a plurality of slotted openings in the flat valleys of the tube spaced from and between the walls of the tube arranged transversely to the longitudinal axis of the tube for providing communication between the interior and exterior of the tube so that liquid can drain into the tube through the slotted openings, the plurality of slotted openings including an opening in at least every third annular valley of the tube with each and every opening arranged side-by-side along a single path parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tube, and a sheet of flexible water-permeable material disposed over the portion of the tube in which the slotted openings are located.

Claim 12

A flexible corrugated drainage tube as in claim 9 wherein the flexible water-permeable material covers approximately one-half of the tube.

Claim 13

A flexible corrugated drainage tube of substantially uniform thickness throughout having alternating flat annular peaks and flat annular valleys with walls interconnecting the flat peaks and valleys, each interconnecting wall lying in a plane substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tube, and a plurality of slotted openings in the flat valleys of the tube spaced from and between the interconnecting walls of the tube for providing communication between the interior and exterior of the tube so that liquid can drain into the tube through the slotted openings, and a sheet of water-permeable material fixedly secured to the flat annular peaks of the tube in the area where the slotted openings are located.

Claim 14

A flexible corrugated drainage tube of substantially uniform thickness throughout having alternating flat annular peaks and flat annular valleys with walls interconnecting the flat peaks and valleys, each interconnecting wall lying in a plane substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tube, and a plurality of slotted openings in the flat valleys of the tube spaced from and between the interconnecting walls of the tube for providing communication between the interior and exterior of the tube so that liquid can drain into the tube through the slotted openings, and a sheet of water-permeable material fixedly secured to the flat annular peaks of the tube in the area where the slotted openings are located.

Claim 15

A flexible corrugated drainage tube as in claim 11 wherein each and every slotted opening is arranged side-by-side along a single path parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tube.

Claim 16

A flexible corrugated drainage tube as in claim 11 wherein the flexible water-permeable material covers approximately one-half of the tube.