FIELD

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the field of plumbing assemblies, and more particularly to a drain assembly.

BACKGROUND

[0002] In 1775 Alexander Cummings invented the S-bend trap. In 1880 Thomas

Crapper introduced the U-shaped trap. These bends in the drain pipe are used to prevent sewer gases from entering the interior of buildings. Today the bottle trap is still used in Europe and many parts of the world, but the most commonly used trap in houses, is referred to as the P-trap. It is the addition of a 90 degree fitting and the extension on the outlet side of a U-bend that creates a P-like shape.

[0003] Generally the conventional drain assembly connects many pieces of tubing or pipe to complete the assembly. The long and short pieces of rigid tubing have tremendous leverage against the very small contact points between the pipe segments.

Very small movement of the tubing or pipe could easily cause the pieces to become misaligned and loose at the joints, and cause leakage.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0004] FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of an exemplary embodiment of a drain assembly 10;

[0005] FIG. 2 a cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of a drain assembly 10; [0006] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional views of another exemplary embodiment of a drain assembly 40;

[0007] FIG. 4 is a frontal view of an exemplary embodiment of the divider plate 42 in the drain assembly 40 shown in FIG. 3;

[0008] FIG. 5 is an elevational view of yet another exemplary embodiment of a drain assembly 50;

[0009] FIG. 6 is an unassembled view of an exemplary drain assembly coupled to a drainage pipe;

[0010] FIG. 7 is an assembled view of an exemplary drain assembly coupled to a drainage pipe;

[0011] FIG. 8 is an assembled view of an exemplary drain assembly coupled to a single sink;

[0012] FIG. 9 is an assembled view of an exemplary drain assembly coupled to a single sink and a dishwasher;

[0013] FIG. 10 is an assembled view of an exemplary drain assembly coupled to a single sink, a dishwasher, and a waste disposal;

[0014] FIG. 11 is an assembled view of an exemplary drain assembly coupled to a double sink;

[0015] FIG. 12 is an assembled view of an exemplary drain assembly coupled to a double sink and a dishwasher;

[0016] FIG. 13 is an assembled view of an exemplary drain assembly coupled to a double sink, a dishwasher, and a waste disposal;

[0017] FIG. 14 is an elevational view of exemplary drain assembly 50 shown in

FIG. 5; [0018] FIGS. 15 and 16 are two cross-sectional close-up views of the novel slip- nut configuration 78;

[0019] FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional close-up view of a novel clean-out cap 17;

[0020] FIG. 18 is an unassembled view of an exemplary drain assembly generally for a remodel or retrofit application;

[0021] FIG. 19 is an assembled view of an exemplary drain assembly generally for a remodel or retrofit application;

[0022] FIG. 20 is an unassembled view of an exemplary drain assembly generally for a new installation application;

[0023] FIG. 21 is an assembled view of an exemplary drain assembly generally for a new installation application;

[0024] FIG. 22 is an unassembled view of an exemplary drain assembly generally for a kitchen island application; and

[0025] FIG. 23 is an assembled view of an exemplary drain assembly generally for a kitchen island application.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of an exemplary embodiment of a drain assembly 10. The drain assembly 10 includes an inlet or intake opening 12 in fluid communication with an outlet or discharge opening 14. It may be seen that the intake opening 12 is generally oriented at an acute angle, a, from the longitudinal axis 15 of the drain assembly, whereas the discharge opening 14 is generally oriented perpendicularly from the longitudinal axis 15. At the inlet 12, a fastener such as a slip-nut may be used as a quick connect to detachably engage with the tailpiece of a flexible hose, for example, as a conduit to couple with a discharge drain from a sink. The flexible hose includes a first end equipped with a male pipe thread fitting adapted to couple to the tailpiece of a sink drain, and a second end equipped with a tailpiece adapted to couple to the intake opening of the drain assembly. More than one flexible hose may be employed as needed. The outlet 14 may be configured as a tailpiece or particular male or female pipe threading to be securely coupled with the house drain pipe by an adapter or coupling. Preferably for remodel and retrofit applications, the discharge outlet 14 is configured as a tailpiece for coupling with a male adaptor secured to a sanitary tee. More details in which the drain assembly may be secured to existing plumbing are set forth below with reference to FIGS. 18-23.

[0027] In one embodiment, the intake opening 12 incorporates a male pipe thread (MPT) fitting that may be easily connected to a tailpiece at one end of a flexible hose using a slip-nut connection. The flexible hose may include a male pipe thread at the second end for coupling with the sink tailpiece using a second slip-nut.

[0028] Also in fluid communication with the inlet 12 and outlet 14 is a clean-out opening 16 and a screw cap 17. The clean-out opening 16 may incorporate a male pipe thread that is adapted to interface with the female pipe thread of the screw cap 17. The clean-out opening 16 is disposed at the very bottom end of the drain assembly. The screw cap 17 creates a leak-free seal with the clean-out opening and obviates the need for any gasket or seal. The clean-out opening 16, when the drain assembly 10 is installed, is generally disposed directly below the intake opening 12, and is oriented at a perpendicular angle from the longitudinal axis 15. Further, the clean-out opening 16, when the drain assembly 10 is installed, is typically located at a convenient and easy-to- reach position facing outwardly from the wall or some other structure of the building. The clean-out opening 16 can be used to easily clean out debris and sediments, and retrieve 3 036016 other foreign objects. It also can be used as a snake router entry point. The drain assembly 10 includes a shelf 18 that is better seen in FIG. 2 and described below.

[0029] Referring also to FIG. 2, a cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of a drain assembly 10 is shown. As shown in FIG. 2, the drain assembly 10 preferably comprises an intake portion 20 and an discharge portion 22 securely assembled together. The two portions may be constructed of a synthetic or semi-synthetic organic polymer, including thermoplastic (polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)), thermosetting polymers, or another suitable material and may be bonded, welded, fastened or otherwise coupled together by a variety of methods. The intake portion 20 is preferably constructed of a transparent or semi-transparent (opaque) material that enables easy viewing into the intake portion. Any foreign object, such as a ring that is inadvertently dropped down the sink drain, may be easily observed and retrieved. The two portions 20 and 22 may be welded together by any suitable method, such as ultrasonic bond, glue, adhesives, epoxy, heat, etc. Alternatively, a number of fasteners 24 such as screws or bolts may be used to securely fasten the intake and discharge portions 20 and 22. An optional sealing member 23 such as an O-ring may be embedded at the interface of the two portions 20 and 22.

[0030] The assembly further includes a divider plate 26. The divider plate 26 is disposed at an interface of the shelf 18 and forms a fluid-conducting path 27 from inlet 12 to outlet 14. The shelf 18 provides a cradling seat onto which the divider plate 26 can be securely adhered. Ultrasonic welding or other suitable methods may be used to form a strong bond between the shelf 18 and the divider plate 26. The divider plate 26 effectively divides the two portions of the drain assembly 10 into an intake chamber and a discharge chamber, and provides further reinforcement and integrity for the structure. The divider plate 26 also in effect forms an integral street elbow in the drain assembly between the inlet and the outlet. The divider plate 26 further helps to form a water seal to keep sewer gases in the plumbing system from entering the sink and the interior of the room.

[0031] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the clean-out opening 16 includes a screw-on cap 17, which incorporates a hair trap 30. The hair trap 30 may be in the form of an elongated member 32 coupled at one end to the cap 17 and at the other end to a plurality of bristles 34 organized in spiral fashion, for example, and extending into the fluid-conducting path 27. As the divider plate 26 creates turbulent water flow in the path 27, strands of hair are easily trapped by the hair trap 30. The hair trap 30 may alternately include hooks or barbs that aide in capturing hair and other debris in the water flow. Other configurations of the hair trap 30 are contemplated and the invention is not limited to the embodiment explicitly shown herein. The hair trap 30 is adapted to snag or otherwise trap debris such as strands of hair that may obstruct the water flow. The hair trap 30 may be easily detached from the screw cap and replaced when worn. Because of the transparency or semi-transparency of the intake portion 20, obstructions and debris that are trapped by the hair trap 30 can be easily seen and removed by unscrewing the cap 17. As the drain assembly can be easily maintained by the homeowner by using the clean- out opening, dramatic reduction in backed-up sinks and emergency calls to the plumber can be realized.

[0032] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of another exemplary embodiment of a drain assembly 40. Like numerals are used in FIG. 3 to refer to like elements shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 with the same or similar configuration and functionality. The drain assembly 40 includes a divider plate 42 with a contoured or domed-shaped surface 44 that is adapted to guide, deflect, and focus water flow toward the outlet 14. The divider plate 42 and its domed surface 44 further helps to guide a snake router inserted through the clean-out opening 16 toward the discharge opening 14. The surface 44 may have other suitable shapes such as a funnel-shape, for example. The divider plate 42 further includes a ridge 46 disposed near the U-turn from the inlet to the outlet in the drain assembly 40. The ridge 46 is adapted to function as a check-point to prevent larger diameter snake routers or other objects inserted through the clean-out opening 16 to enter further into the assembly and possibly cause damage to the assembly. The ridge 46 further provides structural rigidity and reinforcement to the divider plate 42. FIG. 4 provides an alternate view of the domed-shape surface 44 that is adapted to guide water and a snake router toward the discharge opening 14.

[0033] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of yet another exemplary embodiment of a drain assembly 50. The drain assembly 50 comprises a top and bottom portions 52 and 53 bonded, welded, secured, or otherwise fastened together as described above. The materials from which the two portions are constructed may be any suitable plastic as described above. The top portion 52 includes an intake opening 54 and a discharge opening 56. The intake opening 54 is adapted to be coupled to a sink drain, directly or indirectly, and the discharge opening 56 is adapted to be coupled to a drain pipe leading to the sewer or septic system. Preferably, a flexible hose is used to connect the sink drain to the drain assembly. The flexible hose includes a first end equipped with a male pipe thread fitting adapted to couple to the tailpiece of a sink drain, and a second end equipped with a tailpiece adapted to couple to the intake opening of the drain assembly. More than one flexible hose may be employed as needed. The discharge opening 56 is shown in FIG. 5 as having male pipe thread fitting, or alternatively, be configured with a tailpiece or spigot fitting. The bottom portion 53 includes a clean-out opening 58 that is fitted with a cap (not shown in FIG. 5). Preferably, the bottom portion 53 is constructed of a transparent or translucent material to enable a visual inspection of its contents to facilitate easy retrieval of lost objects. The two portions 52 and 53 form a fluid-conducting passageway from the intake opening 54 to the outlet opening 56. Unlike the embodiments of the drain assemblies 10 and 40 described above, the drain assembly 50 does not require a divider plate. Although the embodiment shown in FIG. 5 is structurally different from the other embodiments described herein, the general orientation of the inlet, outlet, and clean-out opening is the same or very similar.

[0034] FIG. 6 is an unassembled view of an exemplary drain assembly 60 coupled to a drainage pipe 62 in the wall 64 of a building, and FIG. 7 shows the assembly 60 after installation. The drain pipe 62 may include a typical plumbing fixture such as a sanitary tee 70 that may be fitted with a male and/or female adapter 72 in order to be securely welded, fastened, glued, bonded, or otherwise coupled to the outlet 74 of the drain assembly 60. The outlet 74 may include a street (spigot) fitting (not shown). The plumbing segments may be solvent welded together to form a secure bond. The assembly 60 is installed and attached to the sanitary tee 70 so that the clean-out opening 76 and the inlet 66 are generally aligned on a vertical axis, with the clean-out opening 76 disposed directly below the inlet 66.

[0035] As shown, the inlet 66 of the drain assembly 60 is adapted to securely couple to a flexible hose 68 leading to and coupled to the drain of a sink (not shown). At the inlet 66 of the assembly 60 is a slip-nut 78 that is used to easily secure the assembly 60 to the flexible hose 68. The tailpiece of the flexible hose 68 is inserted into the slip-nut 78 and tightened with an one and a half turn, until tightly secured. Details of the slip-nut construction is set forth below while referencing FIGS. 15 and 16. [0036] FIG. 8 is an assembled view of an exemplary drain assembly 60 coupled to a single sink 80. As described above, the assembly 60 may be coupled to a tailpiece of a flexible hose 68 using a slip-nut coupling 78. A second slip-nut 82 at the second end of the flexible hose 68 may be used to join a male pipe thread at the second end of the flexible hose 68 to the drain tailpiece 84 of the sink. More than one flexible hose may be used. The use of a flexible hose to connect the sink drain to the drain assembly significantly facilitates installation because it obviates precise alignment, lengths, and angles required when connecting rigid segments of pipe. Further, no tools are required to install the drain assembly.

[0037] FIG. 9 is an assembled view of an exemplary drain assembly coupled to a single sink 80 and a dishwasher 90 using a flexible hose 68 and slip-nuts 78 and 82. Between the dishwasher 90 and a sink branch tailpiece 91 is an air gap 92 coupled between the dishwasher discharge hose 94 and a hose 96 to prevent a plugged drain pipe from regurgitating the waste water back to the dishwasher. As stated above, the use of a flexible hose to connect the sink drain tailpiece to the drain assembly 60 significantly facilitates installation by making it unnecessary to achieve precise alignment, lengths, and angles to connect segments of rigid pipes.

[0038] FIG. 10 is an assembled view of an exemplary drain assembly coupled to a single sink 80, a dishwasher 90, and a waste disposal 100. In this embodiment, a waste disposal 100 is coupled to the drain of the sink 80. A discharge tailpiece 102 from the waste disposal 100 is coupled to the flexible hose 68 using a slip-nut arrangement as described above. The second end of the flexible hose 68 is coupled to the drain assembly 60 and secured with a slip-nut 78. As stated above, the use of a flexible hose to connect the sink drain tailpiece to the drain assembly 60 significantly facilitates installation by making it unnecessary to achieve precise alignment, lengths, and angles to connect segments of rigid pipes.

[0039] FIG. 11 is an assembled view of an exemplary drain assembly coupled to a double sink 110. The tailpieces 84 and 84' of the double sink 110 are connected to flexible hoses 68 and 68' using slip-nuts 82 and 82' as described above. A Y-pipe fitting 112 is used to tie the flexible hoses 68 and 68' coupled to the discharge of both sinks to the inlet of the drain assembly 60. Preferably, slip-nuts 78 and 78' are used to secure the flexible hoses 68 and 68' to the Y-pipe fitting 112. As stated above, the use of a flexible hose to connect the sink drain tailpiece to the drain assembly 60 significantly facilitates its installation.

[0040] FIG. 12 is an assembled view of an exemplary drain assembly coupled to a double sink 110 and a dishwasher 90. As described above, the tailpieces 84 and 84' of the double sink 110 are connected to flexible hoses 68 and 68' using slip-nuts 82 and 82' as described above. In this scenario, a Y-pipe fitting 112 is used to tie the flexible hoses 68 and 68' coupled to the discharge of both sinks to the inlet of the assembly 60. Preferably, slip-nuts 78 and 78' are used to secure the flexible hoses to the Y-pipe fitting 112. Between the dishwasher 90 and a sink branch tailpiece 91 is an air gap 92 coupled between the dishwasher discharge hose 94 and a hose 96 to prevent a plugged drain pipe from regurgitating the waste water back to the dishwasher. As stated above, the use of a flexible hose to connect the sink drain tailpiece to the drain assembly 60 significantly facilitates installation by making it unnecessary to achieve precise alignment, lengths, and angles to connect segments of rigid pipes.

[0041] FIG. 13 is an assembled view of an exemplary drain assembly coupled to a double sink 110, a dishwasher 90, and a waste disposal 100. In this embodiment, the waste disposal 100 is coupled to the drain of the sink also coupled to the air gap 92 and then the dishwasher 90. A discharge tailpiece 102 from the waste disposal 100 is coupled to the drain assembly 60 by a flexible hose 68' using a slip-nut arrangement 78' and 82' as described above. The sink drain tailpiece 84 is coupled to the Y-pipe fitting 112 secured to the drain assembly 60 by a flexible hose 68 using the slip-nuts 78 and 82. As stated above, the use of a flexible hose to connect the sink drain and the waste disposal to the drain assembly 60 significantly facilitates installation by making it unnecessary to achieve precise alignment, lengths, and angles to connect rigid pipes.

[0042] FIG. 14 is an elevational view of an exemplary drain assembly 50 shown in FIG. 5 and described above. As described above, the assembly 50 includes the portion 52 that includes an intake opening 54 and a discharge opening 56. The intake opening 54 is adapted to be coupled to a sink drain, directly or indirectly, and the discharge opening 56 is adapted to be coupled to a drain pipe leading to the sewer or septic system. The portion 53 includes a clean-out opening 58 that is fitted with a cap 76. The intake opening 54 of the drain assembly 50 may be coupled to a sink drain by a flexible hose 68 using a slip-nut coupling 78. As stated above, the use of a flexible hose to connect the sink drain to the drain assembly 50 significantly facilitates installation.

[0043] FIGS. 15 and 16 are two cross-sectional close-up views of the novel slip- nut configuration 78, with FIG. 16 showing the slip-nut 78 fully engaging an inlet or intake opening 130 of a drain assembly and a tailpiece 132 of a flexible hose. The slip-nut 78 includes a built-in wedged seal 134. The built-in seal 134 includes a circular inner flange 136 with an integrated ridge 138. The slip-nut is further constructed with female pipe thread (FPT) fitting configured to engage the male pipe thread (MPT) fitting 140 of the drain assembly intake opening 130. A slot 144 is formed in the MPT fitting 140 of the drain assembly inlet 130 to accommodate the flange 136 of the built-in seal 134 as the slip-nut 78 is tightened around the intake opening 130 and MPT fitting 140. As the tailpiece 132 is inserted into the slip-nut 78 and the MPT fitting 140 of the intake 130, and the slip-nut 78 is rotated about the MPT fitting 140 and the tailpiece 132, the seal 134 of the slip-nut 78 is wedged against the tailpiece 132 by the MPT fitting 140. More specifically, the MPT fitting 140 exerts pressure against the base 142 of the flange 136 and forces the ridge 138 against the tailpiece 132 to form a water-tight seal.

[0044] FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional close-up view of a novel clean-out cap 17. The clean-out cap 17 is equipped with a MPT fitting 150 and a circular slot 152 formed by a integral circular wedge 154 of the cap 17. The circular wedge 154 has a wider base than at its top to form a wedge. The MPT fitting 150 is configured to engage the FPT fitting 156 of the clean-out opening 16. The circular wedge 154 acts as a wedge to press the MPT fitting 150 of the cap 17 at point A against the FPT fitting 156 of the clean-out opening 16 of the cap 17. This wedge configuration enables a wedge action that provides a substantially water-tight seal over the clean-out opening 16.

[0045] FIG. 18 is an unassembled view of an exemplary drain assembly 160 generally advisable for a remodel or retrofit application. The exemplary drain assembly 160 comprises top and bottom portions 162 and 163 bonded, welded, secured, or otherwise fastened together as described above. The materials from which the two portions are constructed may be any suitable plastic as described above. The top portion 162 includes an intake opening 164 and a discharge opening 166. The intake opening 164 is adapted to be coupled to a sink drain, directly or indirectly, and the discharge opening 166 is adapted to be coupled to a drain pipe, such as a sanitary tee 168 in a wall, leading to the sewer or septic system. The discharge opening 166 is configured with a tailpiece. The bottom portion 163 includes a clean-out opening 170 that is fitted with a cap 172. The two portions 162 and 163 form a fluid-conducting passageway from the intake opening 164 to the outlet opening 166.

[0046] The tailpiece of the discharge opening 166 can be coupled to the sanitary tee 168 by using a male adaptor 174 (adaptor with male pipe thread or MPT) and a slip- nut 176. The male adaptor 174 is typically engaged or bonded to the sanitary tee 168. The tailpiece of the discharge opening 166 is sized and configured so that it readily engages the male adaptor 174 to form a water-tight seal using the slip-nut 176. A wooden block 178 can be secured to the sanitary tee 168 to further stabilize the connection. The detailed construction of the slip-nut 176 is shown in FIGS.15 and 16 and described above. The intake opening 164 of the drain assembly 160 can be directly coupled to a flexible hose 180 leading to a sink drain using a slip-nut coupling 182. FIG. 19 is an assembled view of the exemplary drain assembly 160.

[0047] FIG. 20 is an unassembled view of an exemplary drain assembly 190 generally advisable for a new installation application. The drain assembly 190 includes an intake opening 192 coupled to a sink drain via a flexible hose 194 and slip-nut 196, and a discharge opening 198 having a MPT fitting 200. The MPT fitting 200 of the discharge opening 198 is configured to engage the FPT fitting 202 of a female adaptor 204. The female adaptor 204 further includes a spigot fitting that is sized and configured to be secured or chemically bonded to a sanitation tee 206 disposed in a wall 208. Preferably a wooden block 210 is secured to the sanitation tee 206 to provide more stability. As shown, a metal strap 212 is used to tie the wooden block 210 to the sanitation tee 206. The drain assembly 190 is installed and attached to the sanitary tee 206 so that the clean- out opening 214 and the intake opening 192 are generally aligned on a vertical axis, with the clean-out opening 214 disposed directly below the intake opening 192. The clean-out opening 214 is closed with a cap 216. FIG. 21 is an assembled view of the exemplary drain assembly 190.

[0048] FIG. 22 is an unassembled view of an exemplary drain assembly 220 generally advisable for a kitchen island application. The drain assembly 220 includes an intake opening 222 coupled to a sink drain via a flexible hose 224 and slip-nut 226, and a discharge opening 228 configured with a spigot fitting (also called a street fitting) 230. The spigot fitting 230 of the discharge opening 228 is sized and configured to directly engage and couple to a sanitation tee 232 disposed in a kitchen island. The spigot fitting 230 has an outside diameter of 1 1/2 inches. The drain assembly 220 is installed and attached to the sanitary tee 232 so that the clean-out opening 234 and the intake opening 222 are generally aligned on a vertical axis, with the clean-out opening 234 disposed directly below the intake opening 222. The clean-out opening 234 is closed with a cap 236. FIG. 23 is an assembled view of the exemplary drain assembly 220.

[0049] It should be noted that because flexible hoses rather than rigid tubing or pipe are used to couple the drain assembly described herein to the sink drain tailpiece, movement or shifting would not cause misalignment and leakage. Further, the use of the slip-nut to connect the drain assembly to the sink tailpiece does not lead to leakage because even in the event of failure or misalignment of the slip-nut connection, the connection is located above the water level.

[0050] The features of the present invention which are believed to be novel are set forth below with particularity in the appended claims. However, modifications, variations, and changes to the exemplary embodiments described above will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and the drain assembly described herein thus encompass such modifications, variations, and changes and are not limited to the specific embodiments described herein.