US 2020/0206791 A1Published application

Removable cleaning devices and methods of use for cleaning vertical stack plumbing systems

AssigneeTotal Pipeline Cleaning Service, Inc.

InventorTerry Lee Roberts

Life of this patent

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Abstract

Disclosed are cleaning devices and methods of use thereof for cleaning a vertical stack plumbing system. The cleaning device includes a first cylindrical body defining a first opening for selectively introducing a predetermined amount of cleaning medium into the cleaning device; a second cylindrical body defining a second opening configured to maintain airflow and venting of the vertical stack plumbing system when the cleaning device is in use, the first and second cylindrical bodies being directly connected to a main body of the cleaning device and in fluid communication with one another through the main body; and an attachment member defining a third opening that is directly connected to the main body of the cleaning device, the attachment member configured for direct removable attachment to a plumbing waste pipe in the vertical stack plumbing system and for receiving the cleaning medium therethrough to introduce the cleaning medium into the vertical stack plumbing system.

Claims4

Dependent claims

A method of cleaning a vertical stack plumbing system, the method comprising:

(a) maintaining one plumbing waste pipe open in the vertical stack plumbing system while blocking off all other plumbing waste pipes and venting structures in the vertical stack plumbing system;
(b) securely attaching a vacuum source to a base of the vertical stack plumbing system;
(c) providing a cleaning medium to clean the vertical stack plumbing system;
(d) applying a vacuum from the vacuum source to the vertical stack plumbing system to facilitate passing of the cleaning medium through the vertical stack towards the vacuum;
(e) selectively introducing the cleaning medium into the vertical stack plumbing by directly introducing a predetermined amount of cleaning medium into the open waste pipe such that the cleaning medium directly flows into the vertical plumbing stack;
and
(f) following step (e), passing the medium through the vertical stack plumbing system towards the vacuum thereby cleaning and/or abrading inner surfaces of the vertical stack plumbing system via a cyclonic flow of the medium through the vertical stack plumbing system while moving towards the vacuum.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 16/815,455Filed 11 Mar 2020
Priority: 11 Apr 2017
Published: 2 Jul 2020
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification12 codes

B08B 9/057
Moved along the pipes by a fluid, e.g. by fluid pressure or by suction: the cleaning devices being entrained discrete elements, e.g. balls,…
B08B 9/027
Cleaning pipes or tubes or systems of pipes or tubes: cleaning the internal surfaces; Removal of blockages
B08B 9/032
Cleaning the internal surfaces; Removal of blockages: by the mechanical action of a moving fluid, e.g. by flushing
B08B 9/035
By the mechanical action of a moving fluid, e.g. by flushing: by suction

Family

Application62/484,186Us provisional application · filed 11 Apr 2017
Application15/950,523Division · filed 11 Apr 2018
Application16/373,835Continuation · filed 3 Apr 2019
Application16/815,455Continuation
Application16/373,835Division
US 10,286,429 B2Related patent
US 2018/0290186 A1Published application
US 2019/0224727 A1Published application
US 2020/0206791 A1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.