Leaching chamber having joint with access port

Abstract

A flexible arch-shaped corrugated structure includes a plastic structure that can be light weight and easy to handle, while at the same time having suitable strength for carrying loads. By suitably engineering the corrugations, the need for structural ribs can be eliminated and thinner sidewalls can be used. The structure can include a series of vertically-oriented arched corrugations having surfaces that convexly arch or curve upwardly as well as laterally. Having both upward and lateral arched or curved features on the corrugations can provide increased strength to the corrugations and the structure. In a particular embodiment, the plastic structure is a leaching chamber. The structure can include access or inspection port structures disposed at the ends of the structure. The ports are dimensioned to mate with the opposing port of a like structure. In particular, the mated structures can articulate or rotate about the mated ports.

1 . A chamber structure having end flanges, each end flange fabricated to mate with a corresponding end flange of a like chamber structure, comprising: 
 a first end flange having a first access port structure; and    a second end flange having a second access port structure.    
     
     
         2 . The chamber structure of  claim 1  wherein the end flanges are arch shaped and the first access port structure is disposed at the crest of the first end flange and the second access port structure is disposed at the crest of the second end flange.  
     
     
         3 . The chamber structure of  claim 2  wherein the access port structures are circular.  
     
     
         4 . The chamber structure of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a plurality of alternating corrugations, each corrugation being arch shaped about a center longitudinal axis with the bottom of the arch being at the base and the crest of the arch being perpendicular to the base; and    the corrugations including a peak corrugation having a radius when sectioned through the center longitudinal axis, the radius varying along the arch from the base to the crest of the arch.    
     
     
         5 . The chamber structure of  claim 4  wherein the radius is continuously variable along the arch from the base to the peak.  
     
     
         6 . The chamber structure of  claim 4  wherein the radius is larger at the base than at the peak of the arch.  
     
     
         7 . The chamber structure of  claim 4  wherein the one of the access port structures bisects a peak corrugation.  
     
     
         8 . A leaching field comprising: 
 a first leaching chamber and a second leaching chamber, each leaching chamber having like end flanges, the end flanges including a first end flange having a first inspection port structure and a second end flange having a second inspection port structure; and    the first leaching chamber mated with the second leaching chamber such that the first inspection port structure of the first leaching chamber overlaps the second inspection port structure of the second leaching chamber.    
     
     
         9 . The leaching field of  claim 7  wherein the first inspection port structure and the second inspection port structure are open to allow access to the interior of the leaching field.  
     
     
         10 . The leaching field of  claim 7  wherein the longitudinal axis of the first chamber is at an angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the second chamber.  
     
     
         11 . The leaching field of  claim 7  wherein the first and second leaching chambers can rotational pivot about the mated inspection port structures.  
     
     
         12 . The leaching field of  claim 7  wherein the first and second leaching chambers further comprise: 
 a plurality of alternating corrugations, each corrugation being arch shaped about a center longitudinal axis with the bottom of the arch being at the base and the crest of the arch being perpendicular to the base; and    the corrugations including a peak corrugation having a radius when sectioned through the center longitudinal axis, the radius varying along the arch from the base to the crest of the arch.    
     
     
         13 . The leaching field of  claim 12  wherein the radius is continuously variable along the arch from the base to the peak.  
     
     
         14 . The leaching field of  claim 12  wherein the radius is larger at the base than at the peak of the arch.  
     
     
         15 . The leaching field of  claim 12  wherein the first inspection port structure bisects a peak corrugation.  
     
     
         16 . A method of manufacturing a chamber structure having end flanges, each end flange fabricated to mate with a corresponding end flange of a like chamber structure, comprising: 
 fabricating a first end flange having a first access port structure; and    fabricating a second end flange having a second access port structure.    
     
     
         17 . A method of installing a leaching field comprising: 
 providing a first leaching chamber and a second leaching chamber, each leaching chamber having like end flanges, the end flanges including a first end flange having a first inspection port structure and a second end flange having a second inspection port structure; and    mating the first leaching chamber with the second leaching chamber such that the first inspection port structure of the first leaching chamber overlaps the second inspection port structure of the second leaching chamber.