Pf Waterworks LP

Sanjay Ahuja

Harold Kent Beck

Stephen Samuel Hodgson

Rainer Kuenzel

A drain stopper assembly that can be simply pushed into and pulled out of a drain pipe includes an open-close mechanism, a cap, a drain seal, and a means for engaging the open-close mechanism with the drain pipe and preferably also includes a strainer. The means includes a wheel-shaped disc that rests on crossbars in the drain pipe and has an annular seal about its perimeter; a ball-and-spring detent mechanism for attaching the drain stopper to crossbars; and a magnet attached to the open-close mechanism, preferably with a ferrous adapter for the drain pipe. The open-close mechanism is a push mechanism, a lift-and-lock mechanism or a lift-and-turn mechanism.

Bathtub drain stopper

A bathtub overflow assembly comprises a holder and a faceplate that attaches to the holder using a snap-fit or threaded connection. The holder has rectangular shape, a length greater than the diameter of a bathtub overflow port and pass-through screw holes for attachment to an overflow fitting. The holder has a pair of posts that project from an outer surface, and each post has a shoulder near a distal end for the snap-fit connection. The faceplate has walls that project from an inner surface, and the walls have openings for receiving the shoulders for the snap-fit connection. The holder is attached to the overflow fitting using one or more screws, and the faceplate is pressed into engagement with the holder for the snap-fit connection. For the threaded connection, the holder has a central threaded tube, and the faceplate has a threaded element that engages the tube by rotating the faceplate.

Bathtub overflow assembly

A conventional bathroom sink has an overflow port and an overflow conduit. A conventional drain pipe for the conventional sink has overflow ports in fluid communication with the sink's overflow port. A vessel sink does not have an overflow port. A prior art drain pipe that does not have overflow ports has been used with vessel sinks. The present invention provides a new drain pipe with overflow ports for a conventional sink and means for covering and sealing the overflow ports in the new drain pipe so that the new drain pipe can also be used with a vessel sink that does not have an overflow port. Means for covering and sealing the overflow ports include an inner sleeve that fits inside the drain pipe, an outer sleeve that surrounds the drain pipe and grommets and hole plugs that that fit inside the overflow ports, where all of the means cover and seal the overflow ports so that the new drain pipe does not leak when used with a vessel sink that does not have an overflow port.

Sink drain pipe with and without overflow ports

A method is provided for a plumbing parts supplier to reduce inventory of sink drain assemblies. Drain assemblies for overflow-type sinks have an overflow port, while drain assemblies for vessel sinks do not. Some drain assemblies have open and closed positions, while a grid drain or an umbrella drain does not. A drain assembly may be available in different finishes. Rather than having an inventory of drain assemblies for all possible applications, kits are provided that allow an end-user to assemble one of two or more drain assemblies. One kit includes a drain assembly for an overflow-type sink and a sleeve that fits in the drain assembly and covers an overflow port. Other kits include a drain assembly with a push-type open-close mechanism and means for keeping the drain assembly in the open position. Another kit includes a push-button drain assembly with an overflow port, means for converting it an umbrella drain and a sleeve for covering the overflow port.

Kits for reducing inventory of sink drain assemblies

A drain stopper and strainer for a kitchen sink has a cap, a cap seal, an open-close mechanism, a strainer connected to a lower end of the open-close mechanism with an easy-connect mechanism, and an annular seal engaged with the strainer that seals an annular space between the strainer and a drain fitting. The cap seal preferably seals against the strainer. The stopper/strainer can be pushed into and pulled out of the drain fitting without assembly or disassembly. The strainer can be easily disconnected for cleaning and can be easily reconnected afterwards. For a drain fitted with a garbage disposal unit, the strainer has a hub-and-spoke structure for preventing eating and cooking utensils from falling into the garbage disposal unit.

Kitchen sink drain stopper and strainer

A drain flange cover is provided for covering and hiding a drain flange in a sink or bathtub, which includes a drain cap and which may or may not include a longitudinal shaft and/or a strainer. The longitudinal shaft can be a perforated tube that serves as a strainer. Strainers can be cylindrical, regular-funnel shaped and inverted-funnel shaped. A drain stopper includes an open-close mechanism, a strainer and a drain flange cover. A drain stopper with a push-push mechanism can rest on a cross-member in a drain pipe, allowing easy removal to clean the strainer.

Drain flange cover and strainer

A drain stopper includes a cap, a seal and a strainer engaged with the cap, and a gripping element engaged with the strainer. The gripping element is resilient and has a generally tubular shape with longitudinal notches, which give it a segmented annular shape. A person grips and squeezes the gripping element to insert the stopper/strainer into a drain pipe, after which the gripping element expands and grips an inside wall of the drain pipe. The person pushes downwardly on the cap to place the stopper/strainer in a closed position and pulls up on the cap for an open position. Another drain stopper includes a cap, a seal, a push-push mechanism, a strainer engaged with the mechanism, and a flange or prongs that rest on a drain flange for holding and supporting the drain stopper.

Drain stopper and strainer

Drain strainer

A bathtub drain stopper includes an open-close mechanism having threaded upper and lower ends, a cap, a seal, and means for anchoring the open-close mechanism in a drain pipe, where the length can be adjusted and fixed with a lock nut. A threaded anchor is provided for a tub shoe having a crossbar with a threaded opening. An anchor having prongs is provided for a tub shoe having a crossbar with no opening. A wheel-shaped anchor having an O-ring about its perimeter is provided for a drain that does not have a crossbar.

A bathtub drain flange assembly includes a tubular drain flange fitting that has a radially-extending flange on an upper end and male threads on a lower end. A support structure in the lower end of the drain flange has an oversized or larger-than-normal opening, which is usually threaded. A reducing bushing is received in the opening and has a threaded bore that is one of a number of different sizes for receiving a plumbing device such as a drain stopper, a strainer or a drain cover. A bathtub drain flange kit includes a drain flange with a larger-than-maximum-standard size for an opening in the drain flange and two or more reducing bushings that fit properly in the opening and become fastened to the drain flange, where each of the reducing bushings provides a threaded bore that is a standard size for receiving a plumbing device.

Bathtub drain flange assembly

A drain cleaning apparatus includes a handle and a clog-catching member detachably connected to the handle. Wings, barbs or hooks project radially from the clog-catching member. The wings, barbs or hooks provide an angled projection that catches and holds a clump of debris in a drain pipe for pulling the clump out and unclogging the drain. Different end tools can be removably connected to a clog-catching member or to a smooth extension member to provide multifunctionality. The handle, clog-catching members, smooth extension members and tools can be connected together using a quick-connect connector, such as a snap fastener, a keyhole fastener or a side-release buckle, or a threaded connector. In addition to drain cleaning, the apparatus can be fitted with tools such as a magnet, grabber, light, camera and/or video for retrieval of objects and inspection of a space that is difficult to view directly.

Drain cleaning apparatus

A pop-up drain assembly for a sink has a drain stopper, a generally vertical control rod and a generally horizontal pivot rod. A connector device links the control rod to the pivot rod. The connector device has compressive-friction connectors that receive and hold the control rod and the pivot rod. The connector device preferably has a pair of opposing C-channels that define a hole therebetween, where the control rod is received through the hole and within an open C-shaped space in the C-channels, and preferably a two-prong fork, where the pivot rod is held in a compressive-friction fit between the prongs on the connector device. The drain stopper preferably has a dual-prong fork, and the pivot rod is received between the prongs on the drain stopper in a compressive-friction fit.

Pop-up drain assembly, connector device and drain stopper

A push-type drain stopper is usable in a drain pipe that has a pivot rod port surrounded by a stub by sealing a rod that protrudes into the pipe through the stub. The stopper is pressed transversely into engagement with the rod, which is an anchor. The drain pipe has a drain flange that seals around a drain opening in a sink. If the flange becomes worn and unsightly or if one desires to change a color scheme for the sink, a cap that has a diameter greater than the drain flange hides the drain flange from sight. A retrofit kit includes the drain stopper, pivot balls sized to fit different pop-up drain assemblies, a rod that passes through the ball into the drain pipe, and a wing nut fixed to an end of the rod for tightening the rod against a stub cap.

Growing community of inventors

Katy, TX, United States of America

Sanjay Ahuja