Push-type drain stopper for pop-up drain
AssigneePF Waterworks LP
InventorsHarold Kent Beck, Sanjay Ahuja
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A push-type drain stopper is usable in a drain pipe that has a pivot rod port surrounded by a stub by sealing a rod that protrudes into the pipe through the stub. The stopper is pressed transversely into engagement with the rod, which is an anchor. The drain pipe has a drain flange that seals around a drain opening in a sink. If the flange becomes worn and unsightly or if one desires to change a color scheme for the sink, a cap that has a diameter greater than the drain flange hides the drain flange from sight. A retrofit kit includes the drain stopper, pivot balls sized to fit different pop-up drain assemblies, a rod that passes through the ball into the drain pipe, and a wing nut fixed to an end of the rod for tightening the rod against a stub cap.
Claims30
A push-type drain assembly for a sink having a drain opening, comprising:
- a drain pipe attached to the sink at the drain opening, wherein the drain pipe has an upper end, a port and a stub surrounding the port, wherein the drain pipe has a length between its upper end and the port, wherein the drain pipe has a longitudinal axis, and wherein the stub has a longitudinal axis that is transverse to the longitudinal axis of the drain pipe;
- a rod passing through the port and protruding into the drain pipe, wherein the rod is fastened directly or indirectly to the stub, wherein the rod has a longitudinal axis that is transverse to the longitudinal axis of the drain pipe;
- and
- a push-type drain stopper received in the drain pipe and supported by the rod, wherein the drain stopper comprises a push-push mechanism that holds the drain stopper in one of two positions, wherein the two positions are an open position and a closed position, wherein the drain stopper has opposing upper and lower ends, wherein a push on the upper end of the drain stopper moves the drain stopper from the open position to the closed position and another push on the upper end of the drain stopper moves the drain stopper from the closed position back to the open position, and wherein
- the push-type drain stopper further comprises a means for accommodating the length of the drain pipe between its upper end and the port so that the push-type drain stopper can be used with drain pipes having different lengths between the upper end of the drain pipe and the port.
A push-type drain stopper, comprising:
- a push-push mechanism having upper and lower ends, wherein the push-push mechanism has two positions, wherein one position is an open position, wherein the other position is a closed position, wherein a first push on the upper end puts the push-push mechanism in the open position, and wherein a second push on the upper end puts the push-push mechanism in the closed position;
- a cap attached directly or indirectly to the upper end;
- and
- a two-prong fork attached directly or indirectly to the lower end of the push-push mechanism, wherein the push-type drain stopper comprises means for accommodating or fitting in a first drain pipe having a first length and in a second drain pipe that has a second length that is different from the first length.
A push-type drain stopper, comprising:
- a push-push mechanism having upper and lower ends, wherein the push-push mechanism has an extended position for holding the drain stopper in an open position and a contracted position for holding the drain stopper in a closed position,
- a cap attached directly or indirectly to the upper end, wherein a person pushes on the cap once to place the push-push mechanism in the extended position, and wherein another push on the cap places the push-push mechanism in the contracted position;
- and
- one or more elements attached directly or indirectly to the lower end of the push-push mechanism for accommodating or fitting in drain pipes having different lengths.
A method for converting a pop-up drain assembly in a sink or basin, which has a drain opening, to a push-type drain assembly, wherein the pop-up drain assembly has a drain body below the sink or basin at the drain opening and a drain flange above the sink or basin that is connected to an upper end of the drain body, and wherein the drain body has a pivot rod port in a side wall and a tubular stub projecting outwardly from around the port, the method comprising:
- providing a rod that passes through the pivot rod port and into the drain body;
- placing a push-type drain stopper through the drain opening and into the drain body;
- and
- anchoring or supporting the drain stopper with the rod,
- wherein the drain stopper comprises:
- a push-push mechanism having upper and lower ends, wherein the push-push mechanism has open and closed positions, wherein a first push on the upper end puts the push-push mechanism in the open position, and wherein a second push on the upper end puts the push-push mechanism in the closed position;
- and
- means for the drain stopper to work or operate properly in at least two different drain bodies that have a different length between the pivot rod port and the upper end of the drain body.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.