INLINE DRAIN TRAP

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a drain trap and more particularly to an inline drain trap for installation between an upper drain pipe and a lower drain pipe.

BACKGROUND

In buildings, drain traps are used in interior plumbing fixtures to block sewer gas entry into the building. Conventionally, such drain traps use bent sections of drainage pipe (e.g., in a U, S, Q, or P configuration) to create a locally tortuous drainage flowpath to retain some fluid within the trap section of the drainage pipes. By retaining the fluid, the drainage trap prevents sewer gases from backflowing up the drainage pipe and into the building via the plumbing fixture while still permitting waste materials to pass through. To varying degrees, such conventional drain traps all require extension of the drain pipes in an out of plane (i.e. horizontal) direction relative to the otherwise vertical drainage flowpath. In particular, the trap must extend horizontally by multiple drainage pipe diameters to accommodate the bending radius and vertically co-located sections of drainage pipe associated with the tortuous flowpath of the trap.

Such configurations work well where the drainage pipes are hidden by large cabinets and/or extend, by design, into a wall before flowing downward. However, narrow plumbing fixtures such as, for example, a freestanding pedestal sink, do not generally have sufficient width or depth to accommodate such conventional drain traps within the pedestal. Accordingly, plumbers installing such fixtures must either detract from the visual appeal of the fixture e.g., by permitting the trap to protrude horizontally outward from the pedestal) or create expensive and unwieldly workarounds such as installing the trap in a floor underneath the pedestal, thereby hiding the trap but also severely restricting access to the trap in the event of a clog or other maintenance issue.

SUMMARY

An inline drain trap is provided for installation inline between an upper drain pipe portion and a lower drain pipe portion which are arrayed around a longitudinal axis includes an outer housing which is arrayed around the longitudinal axis. The inline drain trap includes an outer housing which includes an upper housing portion for connecting with the upper drain pipe portion, a lower housing portion for connecting with the lower drain pipe portion, and a middle housing portion located between the upper housing portion and the lower housing portion. A trap cup is located inside the outer housing, and cup-to-housing support struts are connected between the trap cup and the middle housing portion for supporting the trap cup inside the outer housing. The trap cup is located along the longitudinal axis. Upper housing-to-pipe connecting means are located at the upper housing portion for connecting the outer housing to the upper drain pipe portion, and lower housing-to-pipe connecting means are located at the lower housing portion for connecting the outer housing to the lower drain pipe portion.

Preferably, the upper housing portion includes an externally threaded portion, and the upper housing-to-pipe connecting means include an internally threaded connector nut and a compressible O-ring received in the internally threaded connector nut. Similarly, the lower housing portion includes an externally threaded portion, and the lower housing-to-pipe connecting means include an internally threaded connector nut and a compressible O-ring received in the internally threaded connector nut.

Preferably, the trap cup is positioned inside the outer housing symmetrically around the longitudinal axis. In addition, four of the cup-to-housing support struts are located at ninety-degree intervals around the longitudinal axis.

In one embodiment, an inline drain trap is provided. The inline drain trap includes an inlet component. The inlet component includes an inlet housing element. The inlet component also includes an inlet passage extending upward from the inlet housing element toward a first end and extending downward from the inlet housing element toward a second end, the first end of the inlet passage connectable to an upper standard drain pipe within a plumbing fixture. The inline drain trap also includes an outlet component. The outlet component includes an outlet housing element engageable with the inlet housing element to form a housing enclosing the second end of the inlet passage. The outlet component also includes an outlet passage extending downward from the outlet housing element and connectable to a lower standard drain pipe within the plumbing fixture. The outlet component also includes a plurality of support elements extending inward from an interior surface of the outlet housing element. The inline drain trap also includes a trap insert sized for removable placement within the outlet housing element of the outlet component. The trap insert includes a trap cup sized for concentric positioning between the outlet housing element and the inlet passage, wherein the second end of the inlet passage extends into the trap cup within the housing, The trap insert also includes spacer ring disposed concentrically around and spaced apart from the trap cup and having a diameter sized to engage the plurality of support elements and the interior surface of the outlet housing element to maintain vertical positioning and concentricity of the trap cup within the housing. The inline drain trap also includes a plurality of support struts extending radially between an outer diameter of the trap cup and an inner diameter of the spacer ring.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be better understood and the above objects as well as objects other than those set forth above will become more apparent after a study of the following detailed description thereof Such description makes reference to the annexed drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side view illustrating an inline drain trap installed inline between an upper standard drain pipe and a lower standard drain pipe within a plumbing fixture, in accordance with various embodiments.

FIG. 2A is side view of an inline drain trap in accordance with various embodiments.

FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional side view of the inline drain trap of FIG. 2A, taken along a longitudinal axis of the inline drain trap in accordance with various embodiments.

FIG. 2C is a cross-sectional top view of the inline drain trap of FIG. 2A, taken through an outlet housing element of the inline drain trap in accordance with various embodiments.

FIG. 2D is an exploded view of the inline drain trap of FIG. 2A in accordance with various embodiments.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional side view of an inlet component of the inline drain trap of FIGS. 2A-2D in accordance with various embodiments.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional side view of an outlet component of the inline drain trap of FIGS. 2A-2D in accordance with various embodiments.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional side view of a trap insert of the inline drain trap of FIGS. 2A-2D in accordance with various embodiments.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional side view of an inline drain trap having an integral trap cup in accordance with various embodiments.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The disclosure and the various features and advantageous details thereof are explained more fully with reference to the non-limiting embodiments and examples that are described and/or illustrated in the accompanying drawings and detailed in the following description. It should be noted that the features illustrated in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, and features of one embodiment may be employed with other embodiments as the skilled artisan would recognize, even if not explicitly stated herein. Descriptions of well-known components and techniques may be omitted so as to not unnecessarily obscure the embodiments of the disclosure. The examples used herein are intended merely to facilitate an understanding of ways in which the disclosure may be practiced and to further enable those of skill in the art to practice the embodiments of the disclosure. Accordingly, the examples and embodiments herein should not be construed as limiting the scope of the disclosure. Moreover, it is noted that like reference numerals represent similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

The invention is directed to an inline drain trap for plumbing fixtures. Although not restricted to any particular plumbing application, one suitable application that the invention may be used in is in connection with pedestal sinks or other low profile plumbing fixtures. The use of the inline drain trap in this application will be described to provide context but use of inline drain traps is not limited to that application.

Referring to FIG. 1, an inline drain trap 10 is provided for inline installation between an upper standard drain pipe 11 and a lower standard drain pipe 13 extending along a common longitudinal axis within a plumbing fixture 12. The inline drain trap 10 extends along a longitudinal axis 14 which, when the inline drain trap 10 is installed between the upper standard drain pipe 11 and the lower standard drain pipe 13, is aligned with the common longitudinal axis. The inline drain trap 10 includes an inlet component 16 for connecting to the upper standard drain pipe 11 and an outlet component 18 for connecting to both the lower standard drain pipe 13 and the inlet component 16. In some embodiments, a sealed connection between the inlet component 16 and the outlet component 18 can be aided by a sealing element 20 (e.g., an o-ring as shown) interposed between the inlet component 16 and the outlet component 18.

Referring now to FIGS. 2A-2D and 4, the inline drain trap 10 includes the inlet component 16 having an inlet housing element 43 configured for connection to an outlet housing element 53 of the outlet component 18 to form a housing 17. In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 2D, the inlet housing element 43 and the outlet housing element 53 can be configured for threaded connection. For example, as shown in FIG. 2D, the inlet housing element 43 includes external threads 44 for engaging with internal threads 54 of the outlet housing element 53. As further shown in FIGS. 2A-2D, sealing of the connection between the inlet housing element 43 and the outlet housing element 53 can be aided by placement of the sealing element 20 around the external threads 44 of the inlet housing element 43 for compression by outlet housing element 53 upon threaded engagement therebetween.

Although described herein as having a separable threaded engagement and o-ring configuration, it will be apparent in view of this disclosure that any suitable configuration providing sealed engagement between the inlet housing element 43 and the outlet housing element 53 can be used in connection with various embodiments. For example, to the extent the inline drain trap is to be implemented as a disposable cartridge and disassembly is not required, the sealing element can be permanent adhesive or thermal weld provided between the inlet housing element 43 and the outlet housing element 53. Also for example, in some embodiments, rather than threads, the inlet housing element 43 and the outlet housing element 53 can be configured for one or more of a press fit, a compression flange connection, a welded flange connection, or any other suitable configuration.

As best shown in FIG. 4, the inlet component 16 also includes an inlet passage 41 extending along the longitudinal axis 14 concentrically through the inlet housing element 43, including upward from the inlet housing element 43 toward a first end 41a and downward from the inlet housing element 43 toward a second end 41b. The first end 41a of the inlet passage 41 can generally be configured to connect to the upper standard drain pipe 11 within the plumbing fixture 12. For example, as shown, the first end 41a is provided with external threads for connection, for example, to an internal thread of the upper standard drain pipe 11 or a connector nut. However, it will be apparent in view of this disclosure that any configuration for connecting the first end 41a to the upper standard drain pipe 11 can be used in accordance with various embodiments. For example, the first end 41a, in some embodiments, can include external threads, internal threads, a connector flange, or be sized to receive the upper standard drain pipe 11 therein by slip or press fit.

As shown in FIG. 2B, the second end 41b of the inlet passage 41, when the inlet housing element 43 and the outlet housing element 53 are assembled to form the housing 17, extends downward from the inlet housing element 43 into the outlet housing element 53 such that the second end 41b is enclosed by the assembled housing 17.

Referring now to FIGS. 2A-2D and 5, the inline drain trap 10 also includes the outlet component 18 having the outlet housing element 53 configured for connection to the inlet housing element 43 of the inlet component 16 to form the housing 17 as described above. The outlet housing element 53 also includes a plurality of trap cup support elements 55 configured to support a trap cup within the housing 17 as will be discussed in greater detail below.

The outlet component 18 also includes an outlet passage 51 extending downward from the outlet housing element 53 toward an outlet end 51a. The outlet end 51a of the outlet passage 51 can generally be configured to connect to the lower standard drain pipe 13 within the plumbing fixture 12. For example, the outlet end 51a can include external threads for connection, for example, to an internal thread of the lower standard drain pipe 13 or a connector nut, internal threads, a connector flange, or can be sized to be received in the lower standard drain pipe 11 by slip or press fit.

The inline drain trap 10 also includes a trap insert 60 sized to be removably insertable into the outlet housing element 53 such that the trap insert 60 rests upon and is supported within the outlet housing element 53 by the support elements 55. The trap insert 60 includes a trap cup 61, a spacer ring 63 disposed concentrically around and spaced apart from the trap cup 61, and a plurality of support struts 65 extending radially between an outer diameter of the trap cup 61 and an inner diameter of the spacer ring 63.

As shown in FIG. 2B, when the trap insert 60 is inserted into the outlet housing element 53, a lower surface of the spacer ring 63 engages with the upper surfaces 55a of the support elements 55 while a bottom surface of the trap cup 61 engages with a lower portion of the support elements 55 to establish vertical positioning of the trap insert 60 within the housing 17. Additionally, an outer diameter of the spacer ring 63 is sized to engage with an inner diameter of the outlet housing element 53 in order to maintain a concentric position of the trap insert 60 and (via the support struts 65) the trap cup 61 about the longitudinal axis 14 between the outlet housing element 53 and the inlet passage 41.

Generally, the inline drain trap 10 can be assembled by inserting the trap insert 60, including the trap cup 61, inside the outlet housing element 53 of the outlet component 18. By connection of the inlet housing element 43 to the outlet housing element 53, the housing 17 is formed to enclose and retain the trap insert 60 and the second end 41b of the inlet passage 41 is positioned within the trap cup 61. The assembled inline drain trap 10 can then be installed at the first end 41a of the inlet passage 41 to the upper standard drain pipe 11 and at the outlet end 51a to the lower standard drain pipe 51.

Alternatively, referring now to FIG. 6, in some embodiments, an alternative inline drain trap 70 can be provided wherein the trap cup 71 and support struts 75 are integrally formed with the outlet housing element 53. In such embodiments, because the trap cup 71 and support struts 75 are permanently affixed within the housing 17, no support elements 55 or spacer rings 63 are required. Such embodiments can generally be simpler and less expensive to manufacture. Embodiments having the integral trap cup 71 can be used, for example, where the drain trap is envisioned as a replaceable cartridge. However, such structures are generally more difficult to clean and maintain because the trap cup 71 is not removable from the housing 17 and cavities in the housing beneath the trap cup 71 may be inaccessible.

Thus, upon completion of assembly and installation, the inlet passage 41 forms an innermost drainage flowpath and delivers fluid from the upper standard drain pipe into the trap cup 61. The drainage flow then fills the trap cup 61, thereby submerging the second end 41b of the inlet passage 41 to effectively blog the backflow of sewer gasses. As the trap cup 61 fills, the redirected drainage fluid flows upward and out of the top of the trap cup 61, wherein the flow is redirected again such that it flows downward between the spacer ring 63 and the trap cup 61 and into the outlet passage 51 which, in turn, delivers the drainage flow to the lower standard drain pipe 13 for continued drainage.

Generally, where, for example, the plumbing fixture 12 is a pedestal sink, the upper standard drain pipe 11 can be connected to and extend downward from the bottom of the sink. The inline drain trap 10 can be positioned inline between the upper standard drain pipe 11 and the lower standard drain pipe 13, around the longitudinal axis 14. The upper standard drain pipe 11, the inline drain trap 10 of the invention, and the lower standard drain pipe 13 fit cleanly inside the pedestal which hides all of the upper standard drain pipe 11, the inline drain trap 10, and the lower standard drain pipe 13 from view. This result is in sharp contrast with a conventional S-shaped drain trap which cannot be hidden inside of a pedestal. Additionally, the inline drain trap 10 of this disclosure provides an easily replaceable cartridge-style drain trap that can be easily removed for maintenance or replacement, thereby saving both time and expense, as well as improving the visual appeal of the plumbing fixture 12.

More specifically, to locate a hole in the floor for reception of the lower standard drain pipe 13, a plumb line (not shown) can be dropped from the center of the upper standard drain pipe 11 to contact the floor. At the point of contact on the floor, a hole can be drilled in the floor for receiving of the lower standard drain pipe 13. In this way, the upper standard drain pipe 11 and the lower standard drain pipe 13 lie along the same straight line of the longitudinal axis 14.

Once the hole is present in the floor, to install the inline drain trap 10, an upper compressible O-ring (not shown) can be placed inside an upper internally threaded connector nut (not shown) and the upper internally threaded connector nut is screwed loosely onto an externally threaded portion of the inlet component 16. Then, a lower compressible O-ring (not shown) can be placed inside a lower internally threaded connector nut, and the lower internally threaded connector nut can be screwed loosely onto an externally threaded portion of the outlet component 18.

Then, the inline drain trap 10 can be raised onto the upper standard drain pipe 11 so that the bottom of the upper standard drain pipe 11 is situated in the trap cup 61. Then, the upper internally threaded connector nut can be screwed further onto the inlet component 16 so that the upper compressible O-ring is squeezed between the inlet component 16 and the upper standard drain pipe 11 to provide a water-tight seal between the inline drain trap 10 and the upper standard drain pipe 11.

Then, the lower standard drain pipe 13 can be raised into the outlet component 18. Then, the lower internally threaded connector nut is further screwed onto the outlet component 18 so that the lower compressible O-ring is squeezed between the outlet component 18 and the lower standard drain pipe 13, thereby providing a water-tight seal between the inline drain trap 10 and the lower standard drain pipe 13. At this point, installation of the inline drain trap 10 of the invention between the upper standard drain pipe 11 and the lower standard drain pipe 13 is complete.

In use, as shown in FIG. 3, when water drains out from the sink, the draining water exits from the bottom of the upper standard drain pipe 11 and enters the trap cup 61. Shortly, the trap cup 61 is filled to overflowing, and the overflowing water spills over the top of the trap cup 61 and falls into the inline drain trap 10 and flows downward toward the outlet component 18 and out from the inline drain trap 10 and into the lower standard drain pipe 13.

Any of the components off the inline drain trap 10 as described herein can be made from any suitable material including, for example, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene (PET), durable rubber, metal, other plastic materials, or combinations thereof.

It will be apparent in view of this disclosure that a “standard drain pipe”, as used herein, can be of any diameter suitable for use as a drain pipe such as, for example, drainage pipes having a diameter of about 1.5 inches, 2 inches, 3 inches, or 4 inches or any other size drain pipe that comports with building codes, building regulations, professional building practices, or other standard setting bodies. More generally, “standard drain pipe” indicates a non-custom size and further indicates that the inline drain trap does not directly connect to the plumbing fixture itself (e.g., a sink basin drain) but rather to a standard drain pipe downstream.

While the foregoing description of the invention enables one of ordinary skill to make and use what is considered presently to be the best mode thereof, those of ordinary skill will understand and appreciate the existence of variations, combinations, and equivalents of the specific embodiments and examples herein. The above-described embodiments of the present invention are intended to be examples only. Alterations, modifications and variations may be effected to the particular embodiments by those of skill in the art without departing from the scope of the invention, which is defined solely by the claims appended hereto. The invention is therefore not limited by the above described embodiments and examples.

INLINE DRAIN TRAP

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