Patent Application
20070000116
The present invention is directed to methods and devices for installing a garbage disposer.
Mounting a conventional garbage disposer to a sink can be a challenging task. The installer often lies on his back with his head under the sink and works in a relatively tight space.
One step in the installation procedure is positioning a sink flange in the sink and connecting the sink flange to a strainer assembly positioned beneath the sink. A problem which occurs when installing the sink flange and strainer assembly is that downward pressure must be applied to the sink flange during installation. If the installer does not have an assistant, the installer may have to reach into the sink with one hand to hold the sink flange in place while manipulating the strainer assembly beneath the sink with the other hand. This presents obvious problems and difficulties when installing the sink flange and strainer assembly.
Another problem which occurs when installing a garbage disposer occurs during installation of the disposer motor assembly. Installation of the motor assembly generally requires attaching a mounting ring of the garbage disposer to a mounting ring attached to the sink. The installer may hold the motor assembly with one hand while trying to secure the mounting rings together with the other hand. This part of the installation is somewhat dangerous since the installer may lift the motor assembly over his head with one hand while attempting to secure the mounting rings together with the other hand.
The present invention provides methods and devices for installing a garbage disposer which overcomes problems with conventional methods and devices for installing a garbage disposer.
The installation kit has a first part which contacts the sink flange and a second part which is positioned beneath the sink. The first and second parts are coupled together with a connecting rod extending through the sink drain. The first and second parts are moved relative to one another so that the first part applies a compressive force to the sink flange.
The second part may also be used to support a plumbing element which is attached to the sink flange. The plumbing element may be any conventional or suitable garbage disposer or plumbing element such as a strainer assembly. The second part may have an interlocking structure with the plumbing connection so that the orientation of the second part and the plumbing element may be maintained. The second part may, for example, have holes which receive threaded elements on the strainer assembly. The threaded elements may be used to spread apart upper and lower parts of the strainer assembly so that a snap-fit ring is moved into engagement with a groove on the sink flange.
The installation kit may also be used as a stand to support the motor assembly before the motor assembly is attached to the sink.
These and other features and aspects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description, drawings and claims.
Referring to
Installation of the garbage disposer 4 may take different forms but generally requires a sink flange 6, which encircles and lines the drain opening, and a plumbing element 8 positioned beneath the sink and mounted to the sink flange 6. The plumbing element 8 may be any suitable part of the garbage disposer 4 or any suitable plumbing element such as a strainer assembly 11. The garbage disposer 4 also includes a motor assembly 9 which is attached to the plumbing element 8 or another suitable part of the sink or sink flange 6. The sink flange 6 may be provided with the garbage disposer 4, sold separately or provided with the sink.
The plumbing element 8 is attached to the sink with any suitable connector. For example, the plumbing element 8 may include a snap ring 14 which has a snap-fit engagement with a groove 20 on the sink flange 6. The plumbing element 8, which may be the strainer assembly 11, has an upper part 13 and a lower part 15. The upper part 13 and lower part 15 are spread apart using threaded elements 16 as is known in the art. When the upper and lower parts 13, 15 are spread apart, the upper part compresses a soft cardboard 17 disk against the underside of the sink and the lower part forces the snap ring 14 into engagement with the groove 20 on the sink flange 6. The motor assembly 9 may be coupled to the plumbing element 8 or any other part of the sink in any suitable manner. For example, the motor assembly 9 may have a mounting ring 18 that is coupled to the lower part 15 of the plumbing element 8 by a simple rotational engagement as is known in the art.
The installation kit 2 includes a first part 22, a second part 24, a connecting rod 26 extending between the first and second parts 22, 24, and a third part 28 which forms a threaded connection with the interconnecting rod 26. The first part 22 has a contact surface 30 which contacts the sink flange 6 to apply a compressive force to the sink flange 6 as described below. The contact surface 30 may have a conical or beveled shape to firmly engage the sink flange 6.
The second part 24 has a hole 32 through which the connecting rod 26 extends. The third part 28 has a threaded recess 34 which receives the connecting rod 26 so that rotation of the third part 28 moves the first and second parts 22, 24 toward and away from one another as required. The second part 24 may also have a plurality of holes 36 which receive the threaded elements 16 of the plumbing element 8. The second part 24 also has a plurality of stand-off arms 38. The stand-off arms 38 contact the underside of the sink as shown in
Use of the installation kit 2 is now described. The first part 22 is positioned in contact with the sink flange 6 with the connecting rod 26 extending down the sink drain. The plumbing element 8, such as the strainer assembly 11, is positioned on the second part 24 with the threaded elements 16 positioned in the holes 36 in the second element 24. The second part 24 is then coupled to the first part 22 using the threaded connection between the first and third parts 22, 28. The third part 28 is then rotated to move the first and second parts 22, 24 together until the stand-off arms 38 contact a surface beneath the sink and the desired compressive force is applied to the sink flange 6.
While the compressive force is applied to the sink flange 6, the plumbing element 8 is then attached to the sink flange 6. A screwdriver is introduced into the holes 36 so that the screwdriver may be used to manipulate the threaded elements 16 as shown in
The installation kit 2 may also be used to support the motor assembly 9 when attaching it to the plumbing element 8 or any other part of the sink or disposer 4. The third part 28 is decoupled from the connecting rod 26 and the second part 24 is turned over so that the stand-off arms 38 form legs for a stand 44 to hold the motor assembly 9. The connecting rod 26 is then engaged with the threaded recess 34 in the third part 28.
The motor assembly 9 is positioned on top of the first part 22 and may be raised and lowered as necessary by rotating the third part 28. The motor assembly 9 may be raised and lowered without rotating the motor assembly 9 so that the orientation of the motor assembly 9 may be fixed. Raising and lowering the motor assembly 9 without rotation also helps prevent the electrical cords and connectors from becoming tangled and also permits the user to select the desired orientation of the motor assembly 9 without changing the height of the stand. The first part 22 also has a cut-out portion 42 through which electrical connections and the like may extend.
The present invention may be sold as a stand-alone kit or may be sold with a garbage disposer. Furthermore, garbage disposer may take many forms and, in particular, the plumbing element 8 and manner in which the plumbing element 8 is attached to the sink, such as the sink flange, and also the manner in which the motor assembly is attached to the plumbing element 8 or any other part of the sink or disposer 4.
