Patent Application
20160122984
Traditional lavatories, such as bathroom sinks and the like, include a vent hole that connects to a drain pipe to prevent overflow of the lavatory. The vent hole also allows for air that is present in the drain pipe to exit through the vent hole as water enters the drain. Without proper venting of the lavatory, air can become trapped between the drain opening and the trap of the drain pipe. In this situation, the water level in the lavatory basin will either rise until the water pressure above the trapped air forces the air down the drain, or the lavatory overflows.
Recently, many lavatories have been built without a vent hole for aesthetic reasons. Venting in those lavatories is typically addressed by making the openings in the drain cover very large and/or designing the drain cover to have a convex shape (i.e., a dome shape). However, the aesthetics for the drain cover are severely limited because the drain cover shape and the openings of the drain cover are dictated by the venting/draining requirements of the lavatory. Moreover, the drain openings in most drain covers are fixed. Thus, conventional drain covers are not adapted for use across multiple lavatories having different venting/draining requirements.
One embodiment relates to an adjustable lavatory drain assembly. The adjustable lavatory drain assembly includes a receptor and a cover. The receptor includes a lower end and an upper end. The upper end of the receptor includes an outer flange. The cover is removably coupled to the upper end of the receptor. The cover includes a body having an opening defining a first flow path and a sleeve extending from a bottom surface of the body. The sleeve is adjustably coupled to the upper end of the receptor forming a circumferential gap between an upper surface of the outer flange and a bottom surface of the body. The cover is selectively adjustable relative to the receptor to increase or decrease the circumferential gap. The circumferential gap defines part of a second flow path.
Another embodiment relates to an adjustable drain system. The adjustable drain system includes a lavatory and a drain assembly. The drain assembly is configured to couple the lavatory to a drain pipe. The drain assembly includes a receptor and a cover. The receptor has a lower end and an upper end. The upper end of the receptor includes an outer flange. The cover is adjustably coupled to the upper end of the receptor. The cover includes a body including an opening defining a first flow path, and a sleeve extending from a bottom surface of the body. The lower end of the receptor is configured to be removably coupled to the drain pipe and a bottom surface of the flange is configured to engage the lavatory. The sleeve of the cover is coupled to the upper end of the receptor forming a circumferential gap between an upper surface of the outer flange and a bottom surface of the body. The cover is selectively adjustable relative to the receptor to increase or decrease the circumferential gap. The circumferential gap defines part of a second flow path.
Yet another embodiment relates to an adjustable drain assembly for a lavatory. The adjustable drain assembly includes a receptor and a cover. The receptor is configured to removably couple the lavatory to a drain pipe. The cover is adjustably coupled to the receptor. The cover includes an opening defining a first flow path. A portion of the cover and a portion of the receptor cooperatively define a second flow path. The cover is configured to move relative to the receptor to selectively increase or decrease a size of the second flow path.
Those reviewing the present disclosure will recognize that the various features recited above and discussed in the present application may be employed in various combinations and sub-combinations, and all such combinations and sub-combinations are within the scope of the present disclosure.
Referring generally to the FIGURES, disclosed herein are lavatory drains that are selectively adjustable such that a single drain can be used across multiple lavatories, such as lavatories without vent holes (i.e., ventless lavatories). The lavatory drain is adjustable to vary the amount of fluid flowing between the lavatory and a drain pipe such that the drain can adapt to the specific venting and draining requirements of a particular lavatory. In this way, the adjustable drain can prevent air from being trapped in the drain pipe and water from subsequently overflowing from the lavatory. This adjustable aspect also permits the drain to be adaptable for use in a wide variety of lavatories having different flow dynamics and different faucet configurations. Additionally, the adjustable drain allows for significant variations in the design (e.g., shape, size, etc.) of the drain cover and the drain openings to provide for aesthetic variations of the lavatory.
According to an exemplary embodiment, the lavatory includes a drain assembly having a cover and a receptor. The receptor is configured to couple the lavatory to a drain pipe and the cover is removably coupled to the receptor. The cover includes at least one opening located in an upper surface of the cover defining a first flow path for directing a flow of fluid (e.g., water, air, etc.) between the lavatory and the drain pipe. The cover also includes a plurality of circumferential openings arranged along a peripheral surface of the cover. The cover is disposed above the receptor such that there is a circumferential gap between the receptor and the cover. The circumferential gap and the circumferential openings collectively define a second flow path for directing a flow of fluid to/from the lavatory. The cover is selectively adjustable relative to the receptor to vary the size of the circumferential gap between the cover and the receptor, to thereby increase or decrease an amount of fluid flowing through the second flow path.
In this manner, the drain assembly can be selectively adjusted to vary the amount of venting/draining of the lavatory to thereby prevent air from being trapped in the drain pipe and water from subsequently overflowing from the lavatory. This adjustable aspect permits the drain assembly to be adaptable for use in a wide variety of lavatories having different flow dynamics and different faucet configurations. For example, the adjustable drain assembly can be used in lavatories having a water discharge stream that is directed toward the top of the cover or in lavatories having a water stream that is discharged along the wall of the lavatory. Furthermore, the configuration of the drain cover and the opening in the drain cover defining the first flow path are not dictated by the venting or draining requirements of the lavatory. Thus, the drain cover can have numerous different design configurations to allow for significant variations in the overall aesthetics of the lavatory. For example, the size of the openings in the drain cover can be sufficiently small to prevent unintended items (e.g., jewelry, personal effects, etc.) from entering the drain and still accommodate the flow of both air and water through the drain, thereby increasing functionality and aesthetic freedom.
Referring to
As shown in
An adjustable drain assembly 200 is configured to couple the lavatory 100 to the drain pipe 300. The adjustable drain assembly 200 is also configured to control the draining of the lavatory 100 and to control the venting of the drain pipe 300. According to the exemplary embodiment of
Referring to
As shown in
According to various exemplary embodiments, the receptor 220 is made from a rigid or semi-rigid material, such as aluminum, brass, plastic, or other material suitable for the particular application of the receptor 220. The receptor 220 can be machined or formed by various molding techniques (e.g., injection molding, etc.).
Still referring to
According to an exemplary embodiment shown in
According to various exemplary embodiments, the cover 210 is made from a rigid or semi-rigid material, such as aluminum, brass, plastic, or other materials or combinations of materials suitable for the particular application of the cover 210. The cover 210 can be machined or formed by various molding techniques (e.g., injection molding, etc.). The cover 210 can include various surface treatments or combinations of surface treatments, such as plating, different textures, paints/coatings, and the like.
Referring to
The circumferential gap between the body 213 and the outer flange 229, and the circumferential openings of the cover 210, collectively define the second flow path of the drain assembly 200. The second flow path can vary in size by selectively adjusting the cover 210 relative to the receptor 220, the details of which are discussed below. The opening in the body 213 defining the first flow path is fixed and is independent of the second flow path. In this way, the body 213 can have numerous design configurations. For example, referring to
For example, in the embodiment shown in
Referring to
For example, if a user or installer would like to increase the venting/draining capabilities of the lavatory 100, the user or installer can simply rotate the cover 210 about a pivot axis 301 in a counter-clockwise fashion (or a clockwise fashion depending on the configuration of the threaded engagement surfaces) such that the relative distance between the bottom surface 213a of the body 213 and the upper surface 229a of the outer flange 229 increases (i.e., the circumferential gap). This in turn increases the size of the second flow path to allow for more fluid to flow between the lavatory 100 and the drain pipe 300. Likewise, if a user or installer wishes to decrease the venting/draining capabilities of the lavatory, the user or installer can rotate the cover 210 about the pivot axis 301 in a direction opposite to the direction for increasing the size of the second flow path.
According to the exemplary embodiment of
According to the exemplary embodiment of
As utilized herein, the terms “approximately,” “about,” “substantially”, and similar terms are intended to have a broad meaning in harmony with the common and accepted usage by those of ordinary skill in the art to which the subject matter of this disclosure pertains. It should be understood by those of skill in the art who review this disclosure that these terms are intended to allow a description of certain features described and claimed without restricting the scope of these features to the precise numerical ranges provided. Accordingly, these terms should be interpreted as indicating that insubstantial or inconsequential modifications or alterations of the subject matter described and claimed are considered to be within the scope of the invention as recited in the appended claims.
It should be noted that the term “exemplary” as used herein to describe various embodiments is intended to indicate that such embodiments are possible examples, representations, and/or illustrations of possible embodiments (and such term is not intended to connote that such embodiments are necessarily extraordinary or superlative examples).
The terms “coupled,” “connected,” and the like as used herein mean the joining of two members directly or indirectly to one another. Such joining may be stationary (e.g., permanent) or moveable (e.g., removable or releasable). Such joining may be achieved with the two members or the two members and any additional intermediate members being integrally formed as a single unitary body with one another or with the two members or the two members and any additional intermediate members being attached to one another.
References herein to the positions of elements (e.g., “top,” “bottom,” “above,” “below,” etc.) are merely used to describe the orientation of various elements in the FIGURES. It should be noted that the orientation of various elements may differ according to other exemplary embodiments, and that such variations are intended to be encompassed by the present disclosure.
It is important to note that the construction and arrangement of the various exemplary embodiments are illustrative only. Although only a few embodiments have been described in detail in this disclosure, those skilled in the art who review this disclosure will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible (e.g., variations in sizes, dimensions, structures, shapes and proportions of the various elements, values of parameters, mounting arrangements, use of materials, colors, orientations, etc.) without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the subject matter described herein. For example, elements shown as integrally formed may be constructed of multiple parts or elements, the position of elements may be reversed or otherwise varied, and the nature or number of discrete elements or positions may be altered or varied. The order or sequence of any process or method steps may be varied or re-sequenced according to alternative embodiments. Other substitutions, modifications, changes and omissions may also be made in the design, operating conditions and arrangement of the various exemplary embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention.
