Patent Application
20170182525
The present invention relates generally to mechanical fixtures systems methods, and more specifically to mechanical fixtures systems and methods for dislodging blockages or unclogging water faucets.
Water faucets can be important as they provide a necessary fluid flow and control of water into many of our homes and commercial establishments. However, after prolonged use, water faucets can become clogged by debris and other materials. In particular, rust in many older pipes can clog up the faucet, or the hot or cold water supply line or the angle stop underneath.
A clogged water faucet will often disallow the flow of water, or any water that comes out from such a faucet is under extremely low pressure and will run slowly, drip or not run at all. A homeowner or other user experiencing the clogged faucet will often call a plumber to rectify the situation.
Often, plumbers can be expensive even for just a house visit. The plumber upon arrival will often evaluate the water faucet and sometimes determine that the water faucet needs to be replaced. The plumber would then need to order a new faucet. Because many homes and commercial establishments have multiple bathroom and kitchen faucets, it is cost prohibitive to purchase a single faucet, much less multiple new faucets.
In any event, upon delivery of the new faucet, the old one is removed and then disposed of typically in a landfill, a practice that is ecologically unsound and detrimental to the environment.
It is within the aforementioned context that a need for the present invention has arisen. Thus, there is a need to address one or more of the foregoing disadvantages of conventional systems and methods, and the present invention meets this need.
Various aspects of a fixture flush system, method and apparatus can be found in exemplary embodiments of the present invention.
The system includes a first fastener having a first diameter. A second fastener has a second diameter that is smaller than the first diameter. A central bore extends between the first fastener and the second fastener. The first fastener is connected to a spout of a faucet and the second fastener is connected to a water supply line. The central bore passes water from the water supply line in a reverse direction through the central bore and the spout and faucet and attached hot or cold water supply lines.
A further understanding of the nature and advantages of the present invention herein may be realized by reference to the remaining portions of the specification and the attached drawings. Further features and advantages of the present invention, as well as the structure and operation of various embodiments of the present invention, are described in detail below with respect to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, the same reference numbers indicate identical or functionally similar elements.
Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. While the invention will be described in conjunction with the one embodiments, it will be understood that they are not intended to limit the invention to these embodiments. On the contrary, the invention is intended to cover alternatives, modifications and equivalents, which may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. Furthermore, in the following detailed description of the present invention, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures, components, and circuits have not been described in detail as to not unnecessarily obscure aspects of the present invention.
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As shown in
Fixture flushing system 100 further comprises a cold water supply hose 118 which is itself at one end connected to cold water knob 120 of faucet 104. Hot water supply hose 114 is also connected to hot water knob 113 of faucet 104.
As shown, fixture flushing system 100 further comprises right angle stop 119 to which cold water supply hose 118 is typically connected.
In use, a user 102 employs fixture flush member 106 to engage spout 105 cooperatively. The other end of fixture flush member 106 is then engaged with standard hose thread 107 of fixture flush hose 110. User 102 also disconnects cold water supply hose 118 from right angle stop 119 and places the disconnected end 120 into a bucket 122.
User 102 then turns on water supply 112 in a reverse direction from the direction of typical flow of the water supply, that is, the water flows into the spout through the faucet and hot or cold water supply lines thereby clearing rust, contaminants, debris and all other such blockage inducing matter and flushes such contaminants through the cold water supply hose 118 into bucket 122. Arrow RD in
As shown in
Fastening member 106A fastens to and is configured to engage the spout of a faucet (typically kitchen or bathroom) and remain cooperatively engaged therewith. As shown, fastening member 106A is circular shaped having an opening or aperture 206. The interior of aperture 206 comprises an internal female thread 204 while the exterior of fastening member 106A includes an upper male thread 202.
An advantage of the present invention is that either upper male thread 202 or female thread 204 may be used to fasten fixture flush member 106 onto the spout of a faucet. Upper male thread 202 is utilized when spout 105 (of
In some embodiments, note that the female (or male) thread of spout 105 may become accessible only after the aerator is removed. Such an aerator is typically positioned on the tip of spout 105 to control water flow and save water. Thus, in
Referring to
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In
As noted above, fixture flush member 106 also comprises body member106B. Body member 106B couples fastening member 106A and fastening member 106C, extending from immediately below upper male thread 202 to the beginning of fastening member 106C. Preferably, the length Z of body member 106B is 0.26 inches.
Internally, body member 106B is funnel shaped, extends initially straight downwardly from immediately below internal female thread 204 and then begins to slope until it reaches central bore 208. In this manner, by sloping the interior of body member 106B, a funnel shape is created that funnels water between the larger sized aperture 206 and the smaller sized central bore 208.
Body member 106B also facilitates holding of fixture flush member 106 in the hand and allows the flush member to be rotated clockwise or counter clockwise into either spout 105 or a standard thread of the water supply line. However, in another embodiment, body member 106B is not incorporated. Fastening member 106A can be directly coupled to fastening member 106C, with the bottom of upper male thread 202 and the top of lower male thread 130 being planar and coupled to each other.
In
Specifically, central bore 208 begins from below female thread 204 and extends downwardly through fastening member 106C as shown in
The enlarged end of the funnel shape of fixture flush member 106 is at the first fastening member 106A end, and the reduced end of the funnel is at the 106C fastening member end. Central bore 208 facilitates the flow of water from a water supply line cooperatively attached to fastening member 106C, wherein water is received from the water line, via the fastening member 106C end through central bore 208 and egresses at aperture 206 into faucet 104 via spout 105.
The water from the water supply line flushes any contaminants, debris or the like in a reverse direction from the water supply line through central bore 208 and then through spout 105 through cold water supply hose 118 (
In this manner, the present advantage is the ability to allow user 102 (a homeowner or plumber) to dislodge debris and remove contaminants from faucets or attached hot or cold water lines or angle stops and allow such debris to be back flushed where it is collected in bucket 122. Note that user 102 may also remove hot water supply hose 114 from left angle stop 116 for placement (not shown) in bucket 122. Water can then be back-flowed from fixture flush hose 110 through faucet 104 and hot water supply hose 114 into bucket 122.
While the above is a complete description of exemplary specific embodiments of the invention, additional embodiments are also possible. Thus, the above description should not be taken as limiting the scope of the invention, which is defined by the appended claims along with their full scope of equivalents.
