Patent Application
20240254746
A one-piece side outlet drain is disclosed and, more particularly, a one-piece side outlet drain is disclosed that has a one-piece construction.
When a consumer wants to replace a bathtub with a shower, a side outlet drain may be installed to connect the new shower drain to the existing piping/plumbing. A side outlet drain is installed under the floor of the structure, home, or other building (hereinafter “structure”), the shower pan, and the shower floor and is attached to the piping/plumbing that leads to the main waste water piping/plumbing of the structure. It is critical that the side outlet drain be leak proof to avoid water leaking into the surrounding environment and causing damage or creating an environment for mold or other unwanted substances to emerge. A side outlet drain that eliminates the potential of water leakage from the side outlet drain into the surrounding environment will be a useful invention.
A side outlet drain cooperates with a top component with a plurality of gaskets in between. In the prior art, the side outlet drain is usually made of two pieces that are attached to each other through ultra-sonic welding. The side outlet drain may be properly installed, but because of the two-piece construction, water leakage from the side outlet drain into the surrounding environment is still possible. A side outlet drain that eliminates the potential of water leakage from the side outlet drain into the surrounding environment will be a useful invention.
Moreover, a top component is usually threaded and attaches to the side outlet drain in a male to female threaded relationship. The two-piece construction of the prior art can interfere with the threading on the side outlet drain which can make it more difficult to twist and securely connect a top component to the side outlet drain and make it harder to tighten the connection between the two. A side outlet drain that is easier to secure the connection between a top component and the side outlet drain will be a useful invention.
Also, during manufacturing, the two piece construction of the side outlet drain requires quality testing to make sure that the connection is secure and as leak resistant or leak-proof as possible. The quality testing adds to the time, manpower, and expense of producing the side outlet drain. A side outlet drain that can eliminate the amount of required quality testing will be a useful invention.
An objective of the present invention is the provision of a one-piece side outlet drain with a one-piece construction that eliminates water leakage from the one-piece side outlet drain to the external environment.
A further objective of the present invention is the provision of a one-piece side outlet drain that attaches to a top component in a threaded male to female relationship without interference or disruption in the threading from the join, through ultra-sonic welding, of the construction of the two-piece base.
A still further objective of the present invention is the provision of a one-piece side outlet drain that eliminates the need for quality testing during manufacturing.
Other objectives and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the description of the preferred embodiments herein.
Throughout the figures of the drawings, where the same part appears in more than one figure of the drawings, the same number is applied thereto.
Reference will now be made in detail to several embodiments of the invention that are illustrated in accompanying drawings. Whenever possible, the same or similar reference numerals are used in the drawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts or steps. The drawings are in simplified form and are not to precise scale. For purposes of convenience and clarity only, directional terms such as top, bottom, left, right, up, down, over, above, below, beneath, rear, and front, can be used with respect to the drawings. These and similar directional terms are not to be construed to limit the scope of the invention in any manner. The words attach, connect, couple, and similar terms with their inflectional morphemes do not necessarily denote direct or intermediate connections, but can also include connections through mediate elements or devices.
Now adding
Drain 100 rests underneath the structure floor 118 and the shower floor 106 (including the shower pan 108) of the structure 104. Side outlet 120 is connected to piping/plumbing 102 of the structure 104 (either directly or through intermediate piping/plumbing). Drain 100 has drain opening 114 and internal drain threading 116. Top component 130 has top component threading 136 on the exterior of top component base 126. Top component base 126 inserts into drain opening 114 and top component 130 is secured to one-piece drain 100 in a threaded male to female relationship through the cooperation of threading 116 and 136.
Drain 100 is made of a unitary construction. In the prior art, the two-piece base was made of two separate components secured to each other through ultra-sonic welding. Drain 100 of this invention is a single unitary piece to provide a leak-proof drain 100.
A plurality of gaskets 150 and a paper ring 152 seal the connection between drain 100 and top component 130. Gaskets 150 provide a leak-resistant or leak-proof connection between top component 130 and drain 100. Two gaskets 150 (a bottom gasket and a top gasket) are depicted, but any suitable number of gaskets 150 can be utilized and all such numbers are encompassed by this disclosure. Gaskets 150 are made of rubber.
Also, a paper ring 152 is placed between the bottom gasket 150 and drain 100. Paper ring 152 increases friction between the rubber of bottom gasket 150 and the plastic of drain 100. The increased friction makes it easier to twist tight the connection between top component 130 into drain 100.
Side outlet 120 is attached to the main piping/plumbing 102 of the structure 104 (either directly or through intermediate piping/plumbing). Then, structure floor 118 and shower floor 106 (including shower pan 108) are installed over drain 100 with a shower pan aperture 110, a shower floor aperture 112, and a structure floor aperture 122 accommodating top component base 126 and top component 130.
Paper ring 152 is placed between drain 100 and bottom gasket 150 and bottom gasket 150 is secured beneath structure floor 118. A top gasket 150 is secured between top component 130 and shower floor 106. Top component 130 is attached to drain 100 by top component base 126 inserting through apertures 110, 112, and 122 and being secured in the threaded male to female relationship. Finally, grate 140 is attached to the upper side 132 of top component 130 through a slip fitting relationship.
Grate 140 can be attached to top component 130 in any suitable method including, but not limited to, a slip fitting, or a male to female threaded relationship. All such methods are encompassed by this disclosure.
To replace top component 130, it, grate 140, and top gasket 150 are released from drain 100, and a new top component 130 with a grate 140 are inserted into drain 100, through top component base 126, in a threaded male to female relationship between top component base 126 and drain 100. Top gasket 150 helps to secure this connection.
While various embodiments and aspects of the present invention have been described above, it should be understood that they have been presented by way of example only, and not limitation. Thus, the breadth and scope of the present invention should not be limited by any of the above exemplary embodiments.
This application—taken as a whole with the abstract, specification, claims, and drawings being combined—provides sufficient information for a person having ordinary skill in the art to practice the invention as disclosed herein. Any measures necessary to practice this invention are well within the skill of a person having ordinary skill in this art after that person has made a careful study of this disclosure.
Because of this disclosure and solely because of this disclosure, modification of this device can become clear to a person having ordinary skill in this particular art. Such modifications are clearly covered by this disclosure.
