Patent Application
20250052046
This present invention pertains to drain inserts and more specifically to a hair catching device that utilizes hooks for entangling hair and other fallen debris.
Bathroom drains are generally designed to allow water to pass through into a plumbing system. These drains are often found in showers, bathtubs, or sinks and typically do not prevent any other materials to pass through such as hair or other solid objects or debris. On average, humans shed between 50-100 hairs from the scalp daily. Thus, bathroom drains can become clogged, most often by hair that enters the drain and collects from the bottom of the drain trap up to the drain opening. This hair can form a net that traps common bathroom cleaning products such as soap, shampoo, conditioner, or toothpaste anywhere at or below the drain opening and then may settle in the drain trap. In reverse, these cleaning products may become solid over time and catch and trap hair that is trying to pass by. In combination, hair and cleaning products can form into a thick, sticky, sludge that can make it difficult for water to freely pass into the plumbing system. Over time, after enough hair has collected in the drain trap or around the upper opening, the water from the sink, bathtub, or shower basin may begin to drain noticeably more slowly, and eventually can completely block the water from draining.
As a result of a drain blockage, stagnant water and trapped organic materials can create an environment for bacteria growth, leading to foul and unpleasant odors emanating from the drain or plumbing system. Prolonged blockages can cause water to back up, potentially leading to leaks or water damage in surrounding areas. It can be frustrating for a person to shower with standing water in the shower basin, brush their teeth in a sink that won't drain, or wait for the water of the bathtub to drain and cleanup the soapy residue left after.
Removing hair clogs can be challenging and may require chemicals or specialized tools that don't always work adequately. Drain chemicals or a mixture of baking soda and vinegar are frequently used for these clogs, but often fail to dislodge or dissolve the hair clogging the drain. Liquid or gel-based chemical drain unclogging agents can contain corrosive substances that may damage the drain structure. The drain cleaning chemicals may also cause health problems to those who handle the liquids or gels incorrectly. Another issue with chemical agents is that a significant portion of the chemical agent may flow past the hair-clog in the vertical portion of a bathroom sink drain such that the chemical cannot effectively submerge the hair in order to completely dissolve it. Devices such as a drain snakes are sometimes used but can be limited to the distance it can reach as to where the obstruction is located. As a last resort in extreme cases, the drain and/or plumbing system may require disassembly in order to reach and remove the obstructing clog.
What is needed is a hair catching device that catches hair before a clog can form and a hair catching device that can be easily removed and replaced by a user.
The following presents a simplified summary in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the disclosed innovation. This summary is not an extensive overview, and it is not intended to identify key/critical elements or to delineate the scope thereof. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.
The present invention is directed towards a hair catching device for drains that can be utilized either in or above a common sink, bathtub, or shower drain to help prevent the drain trap from clogging or backing up from hair and other debris. The hair catching device for drains comprises certain elements to catch hair and debris before falling into the plumbing system.
The hair catching device for drains may be a single device comprised of an upper and lower portion which forms the body. The body of the hair catching device for drains may be conically shaped with a center aperture located within the body. There may be a plurality of apertures positioned on the upper portion that allow water to flow freely from the sink, bathtub, or shower basin into the drain and through the plumbing system. The lower portion may be comprised of a plurality of legs and feet. There may be a plurality of hook elements that may be positioned on the surface of any number of the legs. The hook elements may provide a sufficient barrier to collect loose hair and debris.
There may be any number of pegs on any number of the feet in any location on the feet. The pegs may aid in collecting hair to prevent the hair from entering the drain trap and plumbing system. There may be a gap of any size between the legs that allows for water to flow freely through the drain and plumbing. The hair catching device for drains may be designed to be discarded after enough hair and debris are collected on the device or the hair and debris may be cleaned from the device and the device can be placed back in or over the drain for reuse.
The primary object of the invention is to prevent clogs or backups in most common drains by entangling and collecting hair and other debris before they fall in the drainage trap and plumbing system.
Still other embodiments of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in this art from the following description wherein there is shown and described the embodiments of this invention, simply by way of illustration of the best modes suited to carry out the invention. As it will be realized, the invention is capable of other different embodiments and its several details are capable of modifications in various obvious aspects all without departing from the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the drawing and descriptions will be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive.
Various exemplary embodiments of this invention will be described in detail, wherein like reference numerals refer to identical or similar components, with reference to the following figures, wherein:
The claimed subject matter is now described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the claimed subject matter. It may be evident, however, that the claimed subject matter may be practiced with or without any combination of these specific details, without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention and the claims.
Referring to
In another embodiment the lower portion 104 may be securely detachable from the upper portion 102. The lower portion 104 may be attached by threading that allows the user to unscrew the lower portion from the upper portion 102. In other embodiments the lower portion 104 is attached by snaps, straps, pins, or any other type of physical connection that permits the lower portion 104 to be removably secured to the upper portion 102.
In the preferred embodiment the lower portion 104 has a plurality of legs 110 that are separated from each other by open gaps 150. There may be any number of gaps 150 in any size or shape that permit water to easily flow through the hair catching device 100 without obstruction. There may be any number of legs 110 on any area of the hair catching device 100 and the legs 110 may be any size or shape. The legs 110 may be rectangular, irregular, any type of quadrilateral or any other shape. In other embodiments the legs 110 may be curved or spiral around the body of the hair catching device or drains 100. Positioned at the ends of the legs 110 there may be feet 120 which share an abutting edge and extend perpendicularly from the legs 110. The feet 120 may be any size or shape and may be located on any number of the legs 110 or on none of the legs 110. The feet 120 extend laterally outward from the legs 110. In the preferred embodiment the feet 110 are perpendicular to the legs 120. However, other angles between the feet 120 and legs 120 are possible.
In the preferred embodiment there may be a plurality of hook elements 130 that are secured to one, any, or all of the legs 110. There may be any number of hook elements 130 and they may be any size or shape. The hook elements 130 may be “J” shaped as hooks or “T” shaped. The hook elements 130 may be formed as a permanent part of the legs 110. In other embodiments the hook elements 130 may be formed as a removably coupled strip that adheres to the legs 110 by any method of adhesion. The strip may be removably coupled to any number of the legs 110. The hook elements 130 may be formed as a permanent part of the feet 120. The hook elements 130 may be formed as a removably coupled strip that adheres to the feet 120 by any method of adhesion. The strip may be removably coupled to any number of the feet 120. There may be none or any number of hook elements 130 on the upper portion 102 of the hair catching device 100. The hook elements 130 may be positioned at any angle and in any vertical or horizontal direction necessary to successfully catch unwanted hair or debris. In the preferred embodiment the hook elements 130 are positioned on the outer portion of any of the legs 110. The hook elements 130 may be positioned on the inner portion of any of the legs 110. The hook elements 130 may be positioned on any of the inner and outer portions of the legs 110. The hook elements 130 may also be positioned on the inner surface of the hair catching device 100 disposed toward the aperture.
Referring to
Referring to
The hair catching device 100 may be designed to be replaceable. When the hair catching device 100 catches a significant amount of hair the user may remove the hair catching device 100 and discard it, and then replace it with a new one. In other embodiments, the user may clean the hair off of the hair catching device 100 and reuse the device. In another embodiment the hook elements 130 may be releasably coupled and when a significant amount of hair is collected, the releasably coupled portion may be removed and discarded and replaced with a new section of releasably coupled hook elements 130 on any or all of the legs 110 or feet 120. The user then may return the hair catching device 100 to its position in or above the drain. In other embodiments the user may detach the lower portion 104, which contains the hooks 130 full of hair, from the upper portion 102. The user then replaces the first lower portion 104 with a new clean lower portion 102, attaching the new lower portion 102 to the upper portion. The user then places the hair catching device 100 in the drain.
In other embodiments the hair catching device 100 may be integral to a new drain that is installed in a sink, shower, or tub. In this embodiment the original drain is removed and the drain containing the hair catching device 100 may be installed. In another embodiment the hair catching device 100 may further comprise a basket or other type of holding device that the hair catching device 100 may reside in while in use. The user may remove the hair catching device 100 from the basket or holder when it is unwanted. The basket or holder then may remain in the drain.
In other embodiments the hair catching device 100 may comprise one or more fins. The fins are preferably perpendicular segments extending from the body of the hair catching device 100, preferably on the upper portion 102. The fins are in a slanted orientation to permit a manner to direct water flowing over the surface of the hair catching device 100. The fins may be any size or shape and may be positioned on the top end or anywhere on the hair catching device 100. In this embodiment when the hair catching device 100 is seated in the drain, the fins may be configured to direct water directly over the hook elements 130. In another embodiment the hair catching device 100 may further comprise a funnel at the top end of the upper portion 102. The funnel may be utilized to collect the water and cause the water to pass directly over the hook elements 130.
The top end of the upper portion 102 may have one or more tabs for grasping the hair catching device 100. The tabs may be any size or shape and multiple tabs may be connected together. The top end of the upper portion 102 of the hair catching device 100 may have a rubber ring or extension to provide a soft and flexible portion for grabbing and may be soft enough to prevent injury if stepped on. In another embodiment the hair catching device 100 may be made of a flexible material to prevent injury if the device is stepped on. In another embodiment the hair catching device 100 may be made from nylon, or some components may be made of nylon.
What has been described above includes examples of the claimed subject matter. It is, of course, not possible to describe every conceivable combination of components or methodologies for purposes of describing the claimed subject matter, but one of ordinary skill in the art can recognize that many further combinations and permutations of such matter are possible. Accordingly, the claimed subject matter is intended to embrace all such alterations, modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, to the extent that the term “includes” is used in either the detailed description or the claims, such term is intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising” as “comprising” is interpreted when employed as a transitional word in a claim.
The preceding description of the disclosed embodiments is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the present invention. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown herein but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the following claims and the principles and novel features disclosed herein.
This application claims priority from pending U.S. Provisional Patent Application 63/531,341, filed on Aug. 8, 2023, the disclosure of which is included herein in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63531341 | Aug 2023 | US |
