Patent Application
20100313351
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a plumbing fixture protector, and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a plumbing fixture protector which operates to protect plumbing fixtures such as toilets from physical damage caused by an auger during the clearing of obstructing debris located within the piping connected to the toilet.
2. Brief Description of Related Art
The use of augers, for example closet augers, is well known in the plumbing arts. While the use of augers is well known, certain problems may arise during their insertion, operation, and/or removal from a plumbing fixture. In general, augers are used to clear obstructing debris from piping. More specifically, augers are commonly used to clear obstructing debris that has accumulated in plumbing pipes connected to plumbing fixtures such as sink drains and toilets. Obstructing debris can collect within the pipe over time and may substantially or even completely prevent the communication of fluid and/or waste products through the pipe.
Common augers consist of a coiled metal wire with an enlarged end portion for engaging the obstructing debris and an opposing end attached to a device, usually a crank that rotates the coiled wire and communicates the coiled wire through the pipe. In most cases, the coiled metal wire is fed through a piece of bent metal tubing shaped to provide access to a siphon tube of the toilet. A plastic boot covering a portion of the metal tubing protects the finish of the visible porcelain. The enlarged end portion is inserted into the bowl and through the siphon tube and the crank is rotated to drive the enlarged end portion through the pipe. Once contact is made with the obstructing debris the crank of the auger is turned to continually rotate the enlarged end portion against the obstructing debris until it passes through the debris or until the obstructing debris is dislodged from the pipe. The enlarged end portion may be removed and reinserted multiple times in order to vary the position of the enlarged end portion with respect to the obstructing debris.
While typical augers provide limited means for protecting the porcelain finish of the toilet bowl, a typical auger cannot provide protection against incidental damage caused by unwanted or accidental contact between the auger and the toilet bowl. Furthermore, do-it-yourself obstruction removal performed by individuals who are not familiar with the proper selection and/or operation of augers may result in the selection of an auger which is not suited for use in toilet bowls such as hand augers (typically used for clearing obstructions from sinks and bathtub drains) which are not provided with any protective covering. The use of such augers can cause costly damage to the porcelain finish of the toilet.
Therefore, a need exists for a plumbing fixture protector, the plumbing fixture protector capable of protecting the porcelain and/or other finish of a plumbing fixture from physical damage due to operation of the auger. It is to such a plumbing fixture protector that the present invention is directed.
Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to
The auger 14 is generally provided with a coiled wire with one end having a debris engaging portion 42 and a means for rotating and extending the debris engaging portion 42 through the pipe 22. In one embodiment, the means for rotating the debris engaging portion 42 includes a hand crank 46, although any number of other means for rotating the debris engaging portion 42 that would be known to one of ordinary skill in the art with the present disclosure before them are likewise contemplated for use. The debris engaging portion 42 is inserted into the bowl 34 and through the siphon tube 38 and the hand crank 46 is rotated to drive the debris engaging portion 42 through the pipe 22 until contact is made with the obstructing debris. The crank of the auger 14 is then turned to rotate the debris engaging portion 42 against the obstructing debris until it passes through the debris or until the obstructing debris is dislodged from the pipe 22. It will be understood that when the debris engaging portion 42 of the auger 14 is inserted into the bowl 34 and through the siphon tube 38 of the toilet 26, the debris engaging portion 42 may cause physical damage to the bowl 34 such as scratching of the finish and/or cracking of the porcelain finish.
Referring now to
The bowl shaped portion 50 is preferably sized to fit within the lower portion of the bowl 34 of the toilet 26 to cover and protect the same against potential physical damage caused by the insertion, operation, and/or removal of the auger 14. It will be understood that the bowl shaped portion 50 is sized to conform to the bowl 34 of the toilet 26, the bowl shaped portion 50 may also include different shapes and sizes, for example, elliptical, although any number of different geometric (e.g., triangular, octagonal, circular, polygonal) or non-geometric shapes (e.g., star-shaped, kidney shaped or animal shapes) that would be know to one or ordinary skill in the art with the present disclosure before them are likewise contemplated for use in accordance with the present invention. The bowl shaped portion 50 may include an outwardly flaring upper edge 58 that substantially conforms to the shape of the bowl 34 and provides support to the toilet protector 10. It will be understood that in additional embodiments, the outwardly flaring upper edge 58 may not substantially conform to the shape of the bowl 34 of the toilet 26. The extension portion 54 of the toilet protector 10 preferably extends from a lower region of the bowl shaped portion 50. The extension portion 54 may have a substantially tubular cross-sectional area that is sized to fit within the siphon tube 28 of the toilet 26 such that the extension portion 54 may be inserted into the siphon tube 28 to protect the porcelain finish of the siphon tube 28 from physical damage. Although the extension portion 54 has been disclosed as being substantially tubular, the extension portion 54 may also be semi-circular, substantially c-shaped, substantially v-shaped, or even irregularly shaped. It will be understood that the extension portion 54 may or may not contact at least a portion of the siphon tube 28 when the extension portion 54 is disposed within the siphon tube 28.
Referring now to
In some instances, the toilet 26 may include one or more water jets or nozzles (not shown) disposed within the bowl 34 of the toilet 26 which operate to drive debris located in the bowl 34 of the toilet 26 into the siphon tube 38 and into the pipe 22. Therefore, the bowl shaped portion 50 of the toilet protector 10 may also include one or more apertures 62 providing fluid communication between one or more water jets or nozzles of the toilet 26 and the siphon tube 38 of the toilet 26. The operation of the one or more water jets or nozzles during operation of the auger 14 may assist in the removal of the obstructing debris from the pipe 22.
Additionally, the toilet protector 10 may include a handle 66 (see
In operation, the toilet protector 10 is placed within the bowl 34 of the toilet 26 prior to the insertion or operation of the auger 14. The toilet protector 10 is utilized by using the grasping portion 74 of the handle 66 to maneuver the toilet protector 10 into the bowl 34 of the toilet 26. The extension portion 54 of the toilet protector 10 is inserted into the siphon tube 38 of the toilet 26 and then the bowl shaped portion 50 of the toilet protector 10 is seated within the bowl 34 of the toilet 26. Next, the debris engaging portion 42 of the auger 14 is inserted though the passage defined by the bowl shaped portion 50 and the extension portion 54 of toilet protector 10 and into the siphon tube 38 of the toilet 26. The auger 14 is operated to communicate the debris engaging portion 42 of the auger 14 through the siphon tube 38 and the pipe 22 until the debris engaging portion 42 of the auger 14 contacts the obstructing debris. The operation of the auger 14 is continued, rotating the debris engaging portion 42 until the obstructing debris is cleared from the pipe 22. It will be understood that the debris engaging portion 42 of the auger 14 may need to be removed and reinserted into the pipe 22 numerous times to remove the obstructing debris.
Referring now to
Changes may be made in the construction and the operation of the various components, elements and assemblies described herein or in the steps or the sequence of steps of the methods described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
