Suction cup article for a urinal screen
OwnerJeffrey Scott Crevierinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A suction cup article includes at least one suction cup unit having a suction cup, a neck, and a head. The head points in a direction away from the direction in which the suction cup is oriented to suction to a surface. The head has a point at a distal end of the head, and a base that is adjacent to, and wider than the neck. The head can be passed through an opening in a basin article such as a urinal screen, resulting in the neck being disposed in the opening, and the head, having a base that is wider than the opening, providing interference that holds the suction cup unit in the basin article. The suction cup unit can further include an arm that extends from the suction cup unit near the neck. The arm prevents the suction cup article from passing through the drain of the basin.
Claims14
A suction cup unit for attaching a urinal screen to a urinal, comprising:
- a base;
- a suction cup extending from the base in a first direction;
- a neck extending from the base in a second direction opposite the first direction;
- and
- a head extending from the neck away from the base, the head having a conic shape tapering to a point distal from the neck,
- wherein the head includes a plurality of lengthwise channels formed along an exterior surface of the head from a bottom portion adjacent the neck toward the point, and a plurality of fins defined between adjacent channels, the fins extending radially outward from the conic shape of the head, wherein the channels are equally spaced around a circumference of the head, and the fins extend over material surrounding an opening when the head is inserted therethrough, wherein the opening is surrounded by a plurality of protrusions that extend vertically from the material, and wherein each of the channels align with and partially accommodate a respective protrusion of the plurality of protrusion.
A head for a suction cup unit for attaching a urinal screen to a urinal, the suction cup unit including a suction cup extending from a base in a first direction and a neck extending from the base in a second direction opposite the first direction, the head comprising:
- a conic body extending from the neck away from the base, tapering to a point distal from the neck;
- a plurality of lengthwise channels formed along an exterior surface of the conic body from a bottom portion adjacent the neck toward the point;
- and
- a plurality of fins defined between adjacent channels, the fins extending radially outward from the conic body,
- wherein the fins are resilient and configured to deflect laterally during insertion of the head through an opening through the urinal screen, the opening being smaller than a maximum diameter of the bottom portion, a plurality of protrusions surrounding the opening and extending vertically, wherein each of the channels are positioned to align with and partially accommodate a respective protrusion of the plurality of protrusions around the opening to minimize deflection of the protrusions, and wherein the head is parallel with, and adjacent to, the protrusions upon the head being inserted through the opening.
A suction cup assembly, comprising:
- a planar member having an opening defined by surrounding material a plurality of protrusions surrounding the opening and extending vertically from the surrounding material;
- and
- a suction cup unit including:
- a base;
- a suction cup extending from the base in a first direction;
- a neck extending from the base in a second direction opposite the first direction;
- and
- a head extending from the neck through the opening in the planar member, the head having a conic shape tapering to a point distal from the neck,
- wherein the head includes a plurality of lengthwise channels formed along an exterior surface from a bottom portion adjacent the neck toward the point, each of the channels align with and partially accommodate a respective protrusion of the plurality of protrusions, and a plurality of fins defined between adjacent channels, the fins extending radially outward over the surrounding material of the opening to retain the head therein.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.