Patent Application
20080086803
The drawing figures do not limit the present invention to the specific embodiments disclosed and described herein. The drawings are not necessarily to scale nor inclusive of the many variations in size and design required to meet multiple residential, industrial, and/or commercial applications. Accordingly, emphasis is instead placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the invention.
Turning now to the drawings, a drain clearing assembly 10 designed to clear clogs within a drainpipe 12 is illustrated in
The drain clearing device 14 is entirely conventional and includes a cable housing 32 having a cable outlet 34, as well as a drive motor 36 operable to axially rotate the cable 16 during drain clearing operations. As is well understood in the art, the cable 16 is fed into drainpipe 12 and may include a cutter or head at the forward end thereof, to assist in clearing drain clogs.
The coupling apparatus 18 is best illustrated in
The quick-connect structure 44 includes a tubular base 70 secured to the outer surface of body 38 adjacent end 40. The base 70 has a plurality of captively-retained connector balls 72 located within a circumferential slot 74. Additionally, the structure 44 has a spring-loaded, axially-shiftable biasing member 76 disposed about the forward end of body 70. The member 76 has an internal, circumferential relief 78 housing a coil spring 80, as well as a forwardly-extending segment 82. When the member 76 is positioned as illustrated in
The connection fitting 46 includes an elongated, tubular element 84 having an annular shoulder 86 as well as a peripheral, circumferentially-extending connection groove 88. The element 84 has an inner, tubular, optionally threaded connector 90 fixedly secured within the bore thereof and supports an outboard, resilient drainpipe grommet 92. Again referring to
The main body 38 is equipped with an internal cable cleaner, preferably in the form of an annular sponge-like component 94. The component 94 abuts shoulder section 52 (
The spray fitting 54 includes a generally annular body 106 having a circumferentially-extending passageway 108 as well as six obliquely-oriented orifices 110 in communication with passageway 108. The passageway 108 in turn communicates with water inlet 56 via axial conduit 112 within main body 38.
It will be observed that the water outlets 60 and 62 are located on opposite sides of shoulder section 52, so that the outlet 60 is to the right of component 94, whereas outlet 62 is leftward of shoulder section 52 and adjacent the component 94. Further, the axial passageway 50 for cable 16 includes, in serial order, cap 102, spacer 98, component 94, spray fitting 54, element 84, connector 90, and grommet 92.
In use, an appropriate connection fitting 46 with a properly sized grommet 92 is inserted into main body 38 by means of the quick-connect structure previously described. Next, the cable 16 is threaded through apparatus 18, and specifically through the passageway 50 thereof, whereupon a cable cutter or other tool (not shown) may be installed on the forward end of cable 16. The cable 16 can either be threaded through previously assembled apparatus 18, or through the individual components thereof, followed by assembly of the apparatus 18. The water inlet line 20 and outlet line 26 are also installed onto the appropriate connectors 58 and 66, with the outlet line 26 delivering into container 30.
At this point, the apparatus 18 is installed in the open end of drainpipe 12 by pressing grommet 90 into the drainpipe using hand pressure, with the cable 16 passing into the drainpipe. If desired, the apparatus 18 may be mounted on appropriate holding or mounting structure (not shown) to eliminate the need for manual manipulation of the apparatus. Water is then passed through the apparatus 18 from faucet 22 or other suitable source, with optional use of soap, sanitizer and/or disinfectant as may be desired from dispenser 24, and motor 36 is actuated to rotate cable 16 and facilitate extension thereof into drainpipe 12. During this operation, volumes of water from line 20 controlled by valve 21 pass into the confines of body 38 and through sponge component 94, exiting through the spray fitting 54 and/or dual outlets 60, 62 and line 20 into tub 30. While the drainpipe 12 remains clogged, the water from line 20 exits via line 26 to tub 30. Once the pipe is cleared, however, most if not all of this incoming water passes through the apparatus 18 and into the drainpipe 12. Thus, the user has a visual indication of success in clearing drainpipe 12, by observing that the water exiting line 26 diminishes to little or no water.
Additionally, during the operation of apparatus 18, incoming water delivered via inlet 56 passes through conduit 112 and oblique orifices 110 to direct a spray of water onto cable 16. This continues during the entire course of pipe-clearing operation, and during removal of cable 16. During this removal sequence, the sponge component 94 comes into play to wipe the cable 16 and remove surface contaminants. This ensures that the cable 16 does not spray dirt, caustic chemicals, and/or other unhealthful pathogens as it is removed from apparatus 18. Of course, it will be recognized that the apparatus 18 could be used without water flow therethrough, although this is not preferred.
During the course of multiple uses of apparatus 18, the sponge component 94 may become worn. Such wear can be taken up by rotation of compression cap 102, which moves spacer 98 rightwardly, as viewed in
Although the invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiment illustrated in the attached drawing figures, it is noted that equivalents may be employed and substitutions made herein without departing from the scope of the invention as recited in the claims. For example, the particular shape and size of the coupling apparatus 18 may be altered without departing from the scope of the invention.
Having thus described the preferred embodiment of the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent includes the following:
