Air gap apparatus
OwnerPaul L. Traylorinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An air gap apparatus for plumbing applications such as reverse osmosis (RO) units and other systems in which reject water empties at a relatively slow rate into a drain line. The apparatus can be incorporated in an under-the-counter unit or in a countertop embodiment which eliminates umbilical connections between the RO unit and the kitchen faucet and sink drain. The apparatus has a conventional air gap to protect against back siphoning and against high velocity backflow from the drainage line. It uses a deflector wall in combination with a supplemental opening and one or more backflow restrictors to slow and shunt any backflow to atmosphere. Different styles of countertop and wall mount installations are disclosed, as well as various deflector walls and back flow devices.
Claims30
Air gap apparatus for connection between a waste water inlet passage and a waste water outlet passage which is connected to a drain line, the apparatus comprising:
- housing means defining an internal space;
- deflector means supported in the internal space the housing means, the deflector means and the housing means defining an air gap chamber on one side of the deflector means and a backflow chamber on the other side of the deflector means;
- nozzle means carried by the housing means for directing a flow of water from the inlet passage into the air gap chamber;
- the housing means including an air gap in communication with the air gap chamber to vent the air gap chamber to atmosphere and thereby prevent back siphonage of waste water into the air gap chamber from the water outlet passage, the housing means further including a backflow opening in communication with the backflow chamber;
- and
- the deflector means being positioned to direct water coming out of the nozzle means toward the water outlet passage, and also to intercept and direct toward the backflow opening any backflowing water coming from the outlet passage.
Air gap apparatus comprising:
- housing means defining a chamber having interior walls, a nozzle passage, an outlet passage, an air gap venting the chamber to atmosphere and tending to prevent back siphonage into the chamber of waste water from the outlet passage, and further having a backflow opening located below the air gap;
- and
- a deflector wall located below the nozzle passage, and extending between the nozzle passage and the outlet passage to intercept and to deflect out of the backflow opening any waste water which backflows forcibly upwardly from the outlet passage.
Air gap apparatus comprising:
- housing means defining a chamber having an inlet passage, a nozzle passage, an outlet passage, an air gap venting the chamber to atmosphere and tending to prevent back siphonage into the chamber of waste water from the outlet passage, and further having a backflow opening located below the air gap;
- and
- a deflector wall located below the nozzle passage and oriented to direct out of the backflow opening any waste water which backflows upwardly from the outlet passage;
- and
- an upwardly open backflow preventer retained between the air gap and the backflow opening for collecting the directing water downwardly, and including a flexible and collapsible lower end adapted to pass water in a downstream direction toward the outlet passage, and also adapted to collapse and prevent water from flowing in an upstream direction.
Air gap apparatus comprising:
- housing means defining an air gap chamber and a backflow chamber having, respectively, an air gap having an upper terminus and a lower terminus, and further having a backflow opening having an upper terminus and a lower terminus;
- and
- a deflector wall extending between the air gap and the backflow chamber, the deflector wall being operative to downwardly pass waste water from the air gap chamber, and further operative to intercept and deflect out of the backflow opening any waste water which reversely flows forcibly into the backflow chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.