US 11,692,335 B2Granted

Sanitary appliance drain connector

AssigneeMcAlpine & Company Limited

InventorsJames Edward McAlpine, Robert Gemmell McAlpine

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Abstract

A drain connector (10) is configured to be installed with a sanitary appliance (100) from bottom-up. The drain connector (10) includes a main body (12) connectable at a first end to an inlet end of a waste pipe system or trap. A hollow stalk member (14) is received at least partially within the main body (12). The hollow stalk member (14) is arranged to extend and retract relative to the main body (12) via a second end of the main body (12). The drain connector (10) includes at least one sealing element (24) defining an interference and active sealing fit between the main body (12) and the hollow stalk member (14). The hollow stalk member (14) is configured to slide relative to the main body (12) thereby extending the height of the drain connector (10) and thereby facilitating connection of an exposed end of the hollow stalk member (14) to an outlet of the sanitary appliance (100), wherein the end of the hollow stalk member (14) is retrievable and extendable from the main body (12) via the outlet of the sanitary appliance.

Claims14

Dependent claims

A drain connector unit configured to be installed with a sanitary appliance from bottom-up, wherein the drain connector unit is configured such that it can be fitted to the appliance, when the appliance is in an upright orientation;

the drain connector unit comprises:
a first hollow body and a second hollow body, wherein a first end and a lower portion of the second hollow body is housed in the first hollow body and a second exposed end of the second hollow body facilitates sliding the second hollow body telescopically relative to the first hollow body to lengthen or shorten the drain connector unit, wherein, in use, a second end of the second hollow body connects to an outlet of the sanitary appliance;
and
at least one sealing element contained within the first hollow body, wherein the at least one sealing element defines an interference and active sealing fit between the first hollow body and the second hollow body;
wherein the first hollow body includes an internal first step acting as a stop for the second hollow body in a fully retracted position and an internal second step configured to support the at least one sealing element;
wherein, in use, the drain connector unit is connectable to a sub-floor waste conduit, wherein a first end of the first hollow body is connectable to an inlet end of the sub-floor waste conduit before positioning the sanitary appliance above the drain connector unit and before connecting the drain connector unit to the sanitary appliance, wherein the second end of the second hollow body is retrievable and extendable from the first hollow body via the outlet of the sanitary appliance thereby extending the height of the drain connector unit and thereby facilitating connection of the second end of the second hollow body to the outlet of the sanitary appliance, wherein, in use, the drain connector unit facilitates bottom-up in-situ connection of the sanitary appliance to the sub-floor waste conduit.

3 more elements

A drain connector installation kit comprising a drain connector unit configured to be installed with a sanitary appliance from bottom-up, wherein the drain connector unit is configured such that it can be fitted to the appliance, when the appliance is in an upright orientation;

the drain connector unit comprises:
a first hollow body and a second hollow body;
wherein the second hollow body is housed in the first hollow body and a second exposed end of the second hollow body facilitates sliding the second hollow body relative to the first hollow body to lengthen and shorten the drain connector unit;
wherein the drain connector unit is connectable to a sub-floor waste conduit, wherein a first end of the first hollow body is connectable to an inlet end of the sub-floor waste conduit;
a first end of the second hollow body is received at least partially within the first hollow body, wherein the second hollow body is configured to telescopically extend and retract relative to the first hollow body via a second end of the first hollow body;
and
at least one sealing element is contained within the first hollow body, wherein the at least one sealing element defines an interference and active sealing fit between the assembled first hollow body and the second hollow body;
wherein the first hollow body includes an internal first step acting as a stop for the second hollow body in a fully retracted position and an internal second step configured to support the at least one sealing element;
wherein the second hollow body is configured to slide relative to the first hollow body thereby extending the height of the drain connector and thereby facilitating connection of an exposed end of the second hollow body to an outlet of the sanitary appliance, wherein, in use, the second end of the second hollow body is retrievable and extendable from the first hollow body via the outlet of the sanitary appliance;
and
an extraction tool configured for attachment to the exposed end of the second hollow body thereby aiding extraction or retraction of the second hollow body relative to the first hollow body.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.