Drainage System for Screened Enclosure

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention provide a drainage channel in a floor member of a screened enclosure wall frame. The drainage channel facilitates drainage (typically of water from inside the screened enclosure to outside the screened enclosure), while also providing a barrier to insects and other pests. In a first embodiment, the drainage channel includes gate openings and corresponding gates disposed directly onto each side of a floor member of a screen frame. A variant of the first embodiment includes a weeping slot on at least one side of the drainage channel. In second and third embodiments, a section of the floor member is replaced with a drain insert. A drainage channel in the drain insert may include one or more gate openings and associated gates. The drainage channel in the drain insert may also include one or more weeping slots. In variants of the second and third embodiments, the body of the drain insert is configured as a two-part assembly to facilitate the plastic molding of one or more spline grooves in the drain insert.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A drain insert configured for use in a floor member of a screened enclosure wall frame, the drain insert comprising:
 a body including a first spline groove and a first gate opening, the first gate opening being disposed on a first side of the body, the first gate opening having no floor; and   a first gate coupled to the body and configured to pivot about a pivot point disposed on the body adjacent to the first gate opening, the first gate configured to cooperate with the first gate opening to regulate a fluid flow through the first gate opening when the drain insert is in use.   
     
     
         2 . The drain insert of  claim 1 , wherein the pivot point is a fastener. 
     
     
         3 . The drain insert of  claim 2  wherein the fastener is a screw. 
     
     
         4 . The drain insert of  claim 2  wherein the fastener includes a split shaft. 
     
     
         5 . The drain insert of  claim 1 , wherein the first gate includes a slot, the slot being configured to cooperate with a retainer on the body adjacent to the first gate opening when the first gate is in a closed position. 
     
     
         6 . The drain insert of  claim 5 , wherein the retainer is a screw. 
     
     
         7 . The drain insert of  claim 5 , wherein the retainer is a post. 
     
     
         8 . The drain insert of  claim 1 , further including
 a second gate opening disposed on a second side of the body, the second gate opening having no floor; and   a second gate coupled to the body and configured to pivot about a point disposed on the body adjacent to the second gate opening, the second gate configured to cooperate with the second gate opening to regulate a fluid flow through the second gate opening when the drain insert is in use, the second gate opening positioned to cooperate with the first gate opening to create a drainage channel through the drain insert.   
     
     
         9 . The drain insert of  claim 1 , further including a weeping slot on a second side of the body, the weeping slot having no floor, the weeping slot positioned to cooperate with the first gate opening to create a drainage channel through the drain insert. 
     
     
         10 . The drain insert of  claim 9 , wherein the weeping slot extends a full length of the drain insert. 
     
     
         11 . The drain insert of  claim 1 , wherein the body includes at least one tongue, the at least one tongue configured to cooperate with a top surface of the floor member to affix the drain insert to the floor member. 
     
     
         12 . The drain insert of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one tongue includes:
 a first tongue on a first end of the drain insert; and   a second tongue on a second end of the drain insert, the first tongue configured to cooperate with the top surface of a first portion of the floor member, the second tongue configured to cooperate with the top surface of a second portion of the floor member.   
     
     
         13 . The drain insert of  claim 1 , wherein the first spline groove is disposed on a second side of the body. 
     
     
         14 . The drain insert of  claim 13 , further including a second spline groove, the second spline groove being disposed on the first side of the body. 
     
     
         15 . The drain insert of  claim 1 , wherein the first spline groove is disposed on the first side of the body. 
     
     
         16 . The drain insert of  claim 15 , further including a second spline groove, the second spline groove being disposed on a second side of the body. 
     
     
         17 . The drain insert of  claim 1 , wherein the body includes:
 a top piece including a first top spline channel; and   a bottom piece including a first bottom spline channel, the top piece and the bottom piece configured to be separately fabricated and assembled together prior to use, the first top spline channel and the first bottom spline channel cooperating to form the first spline groove.   
     
     
         18 . The drain insert of  claim 17 , wherein the top piece further includes a second top spline channel, the bottom piece further includes a second bottom spline channel, the second top spline channel and the second bottom spline channel cooperating to form a second spline groove in the body.