Ribbed drain plug
AssigneeAGS I-Prop, LLC
InventorsIan K. Rosen, John M. Peirce
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A drain hole sealing system has a ribbed drain plug that includes a shaft for engaging the drain hole of a fluid container, a head portion for engaging a tool, and at least one annular rib or ridge or projection extending from the head portion in the same direction as the threaded shaft and concentric therewith. The annular rib or ribs provide compressive and biting engagement with an annular deformable seal positioned concentrically around the drain hole that is engaged by the shaft of the drain plug. At least one annular rib moves into biting engagement with the annular deformable seal so that the seal deforms at least partially around the annular rib when the drain plug is tightened.
Claims22
A drain plug for sealingly engaging a fluid drain hole in a fluid container, said drain plug comprising:
- a shaft, said shaft configured to be received in a passageway of the fluid container;
- a head portion at one end of said shaft, said head portion comprising a tool-engaging portion for receiving a tool for rotating said drain plug, and said head portion comprising a generally planar surface facing forwardly in the direction of said shaft and generally orthogonal to said shaft, said head portion having a perimeter edge portion spaced radially outwardly from said shaft;
- at least one annular rib disposed at said generally planar surface of said head portion, said at least one annular rib projecting forwardly from said generally planar surface in the direction of said shaft and disposed substantially concentrically with said shaft so that said at least one annular rib is spaced radially outwardly from said shaft to define a gap between said at least one annular rib and said shaft, and is spaced radially inwardly from said perimeter edge portion of said head portion to define a gap between said at least one annular rib and said perimeter edge portion, wherein a distal end of said at least one annular rib comprises the forwardmost portion of said head portion;
- and
- wherein said distal end of said at least one annular rib axially and compressively engages a deformable seal that is disposed substantially concentrically around the passageway of the fluid container when said shaft is driven into the passageway to secure said drain plug at the passageway of the container.
A drain hole sealing system comprising:
- a fluid container having a wall and defining a fluid drain hole in said wall;
- a drain plug configured to be partially received in said drain hole to seal said drain hole, wherein said drain plug comprises a shaft, a head portion and at least one annular rib;
- a deformable seal disposed substantially concentrically around said drain hole of said fluid container;
- wherein said shaft of said drain plug is configured to be received in said drain hole in said wall of said fluid container;
- wherein said head portion of said drain plug is disposed at one end of said shaft, said head portion configured to be engaged by a tool for rotating said drain plug, said head portion comprising a generally planar surface facing forwardly in the direction of said shaft, said head portion having a perimeter edge portion spaced radially outwardly from said shaft;
- wherein said at least one annular rib of said drain plug is disposed along said generally planar surface of said head portion, said at least one annular rib projecting forwardly from said generally planar surface in the direction of said shaft and disposed substantially concentrically with said shaft so that said at least one annular rib is spaced radially outwardly from said shaft to define a gap between said at least one annular rib and said shaft, and is spaced radially inwardly from said perimeter edge portion of said head portion to define a gap between said at least one annular rib and said perimeter edge portion, wherein a distal end of said at least one annular rib comprises the forwardmost portion of said head portion;
- and
- wherein said distal end of said at least one annular rib axially and compressively engages said deformable seal when said shaft is received in and driven into said drain hole to secure said drain plug at said drain hole of said container.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.