Patent Grant
8905057
Several kitchen appliances are prone to leak water for various reasons, especially dishwashers, ice makers and under-the-sink water filtration systems. Often, there is no obvious indication that a water leak exists until after expensive water damage has occurred. For example, a slow water leak under a dishwasher is extremely unlikely to be discovered because a dishwasher is rarely moved after it is installed. Before there are any obvious signs that a water leak exists, there is often mold damage, swelling and blistering of cabinets, extensive water absorption by nearby plasterboard, and damage to flooring. A common drip pan could delay some of this water damage, but the indication of the presence of a water leak is still not communicated until there are obvious visual or olfactory indications of water damage.
Some other home appliances that are prone to leak water include hot water heaters and washing machines. There are special overflow pans designed to catch drips and leaks from such appliances, and these pans often include a drain hose used to divert leaking water to a drain or outside. The problem with using an overflow pan under a dishwasher or refrigerator, besides being rather unsightly, is the extreme difficulty of positioning an overflow pan under the appliance either because the appliance is too heavy or because there is not adequate clearance. There is a need for a way to prevent excessive water damage from occurring under kitchen appliances that cannot accommodate an overflow pan.
The present invention is a rectangular shunt pan characterized by three walled sides and an open side. The walled sides prevent water from puddling against walls and cabinets, and the open side directs the flow of water into a walkway of a kitchen such that leaking water is visible to someone walking through the kitchen. For a very slow water leak, small amounts of water will simply evaporate off the floor of the shunt pan rather than be absorbed by walls and cabinets. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, an indicator material is applied to the floor of the shunt pan, preferably along the open side, such that the indicator material will be carried by leaking water into the walkway of a kitchen. The advantage of the preferred embodiment is that the indicator material will remain on a walkway, where it is clearly visible, even if the water that delivered the indicator material evaporates. Some examples of indicator materials include marking chalk, confetti, glitter, or an expanding sponge material. An alternative embodiment is characterized by indicator material that is a non-toxic vapor producing chemical reaction that emits a visible gas or offensive smell.
a is a perspective view of a kitchen appliance installed over the shunt pan of
The following is the list of numerical callouts used in
This detailed description will describe the present water damage prevention shunt pan system and method substantially from the back forward, as assembled. Generally, as shown in
As shown in
The open side 20 of the shunt pan 10 optionally may included a diversion ridge 22 to encourage the flow of water from the floor 12 toward a portion of the open side rather than toward the open side generally. A diversion ridge may be formed by stamping, molding or otherwise forming a ridge in the floor near the open side, except at a portion of the open side where water flow is desired. A diversion ridge will encourage water collecting on the floor of the shunt pan to flow farther into a walkway so it is more obvious that there is a water leak. Rather than a stamped ridge, the diversion ridge may be a diversion edge 24 that encourages water to exit the floor of the shunt pan along just a portion of the open side by forming a very slightly raised portion or portions along the open side. Like the safety edge already discussed, a diversion edge is formed by folding portions of the open side against the floor of the shunt pan. Diversion ridges shouldn't significantly interfere with the installation of an appliance because their profiles are relatively inconsequential.
Installation of a shunt pan 10 is intended to be a simple process that only requires that the shunt pan be positioned over flooring, below where an appliance will be installed, and then fastened to adjacent kitchen walls, which includes kitchen cabinet walls, in a kitchen using simple fasteners, such as screws, that secure the walled sides 14 to surrounding kitchen walls. Fastener holes 18 can be provided to simplify installation. It would benefit the system to apply a bead of caulk or sealant along seams that are not water tight, especially along or under the open side 20 of the shunt pan. There is no need to shim or otherwise level the shunt pan. An appliance can then be installed over the shunt pan using normal installation procedures. When the appliance fails, it can be removed and repaired or replaced without regard for the shunt pan, which can remain indefinitely.
Preferably, as shown in
Rather than using a water-soluble binder, an indicator material may be encapsulated or covered with a water-soluble coating. This coating will dissolve when water flows into contact with it, thus allowing the water to carry the released indicator material out from under the appliance and into a walkway. The indicator material could be encapsulated in one or more gel-capsules, which could be positioned on the floor of the shunt pan.
Other alternative indicator materials could be substituted or used in conjunction with the preferred indicator material. The water-soluble binder could include a chemical or chemical mixture that reacts with water to produce a strong or pungent odor, or to produce a visible gas, either of which needs to be safe to breath. Such an indicator material would be better for high traffic or commercial kitchens where a visible indicator material on a walkway may be ignored or not immediately noticed.
In an alternate embodiment a magnetic strip, such as magnetic tape, forms a replaceable layer positioned along a front portion of the shunt pan, near the open side, such that flowing water interacts with a binder material containing an indicator material, which is affixed to the magnetic strip, causing the indicator material to absorb or mix with the water to carry a visible or olfactory indicator material into a walkway. Once a water leak flows over the indicator material on the magnetic strip, the indicator material will have been relatively depleted. Therefore, in order to replete the indicator material, the used magnetic strip can be easily removed and a new magnetic strip with indicator material can be positioned on the floor of the shunt pan. For some appliances, such as dishwashers, the magnetic strip may be applied to a kick plate of the appliance rather than to the shunt pan itself, especially if access to the shunt pan is obstructed.
In yet another alternate embodiment, such as the one shown in
By way of example but not limitation, a shunt pan size that would be appropriate for most 24 inch home appliance dishwashers is approximately 60.5 centimeters wide by 52 centimeters deep by 4 centimeters high. The walled sides on either end of the width may extend forward a couple of centimeters such that those sides may be secured to the kickboard of adjacent cabinetry. The depth of a shunt pan may be trimmed so that it is not visible once a dishwasher is installed over the shunt pan.
While a preferred form of the invention has been shown and described, it will be realized that alterations and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the scope of the following claims.
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3304950 | Hubert | Feb 1967 | A |
| 4903723 | Sublett | Feb 1990 | A |
| 6938792 | Gerger | Sep 2005 | B2 |
| 7757705 | Carter | Jul 2010 | B2 |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20130098470 A1 | Apr 2013 | US |
