CN110494614B

CN110494614B - L-shaped pipeline drainage assembly part

Info

Publication number: CN110494614B
Application number: CN201880024030.2A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 詹姆士·爱德华·麦卡尔平
Original assignee: McAlpine and Co Ltd
Current assignee: McAlpine and Co Ltd
Priority date: 2017-04-10
Filing date: 2018-04-05
Publication date: 2021-08-20
Anticipated expiration: 2038-04-05
Also published as: GB2561349B; RU2019135839A3; NZ757780A; WO2018189510A1; PL3610081T3; RU2019135839A; AU2018252231A1; GB201705718D0; EP3610081B1; CN110494614A; AU2018252231B2; EP3610081A1; GB2561349A; RU2751915C2

Abstract

A plumbing drain fitting (10) is configured to be mounted to an outlet of a sanitary product such as a washbasin, sink, shower or bath tub. The plumbing fitting (10) includes a hollow elongate body (12) including a first open end (14), a second open end (166), and an inlet port (18). The inlet port (18) is proximate the first open end (14). A removable one-way valve (22) is insertable and removable via the first open end (14) such that the first open end (14) provides a clean access port. The second open end (16) provides an outlet port (16) connectable to a downstream sewage system. An inlet port (18) is disposed through the hollow elongate body (12) and opens to an upstream end of the one-way valve (22) such that a substantially L-shaped flow path is defined from the inlet port (14) to the outlet port (16). The one-way valve (22) is operable to allow flow in a direction from the inlet port (18) to the outlet port (16), and is operable to prevent backflow from the outlet port (16) to the inlet port (18).

Description

L-shaped pipeline drainage assembly part

Technical Field

A plumbing drain fitting is configured for providing a mechanical trap that can be fitted to the outlet of a sanitary product such as a sink, washbasin, tub or shower. In particular, the plumbing fitting is configured to be mounted to the plumbing fixture product in an area where there is a lack of space below the plumbing fixture product or as a replacement for a conventional trapway, such as a P-trap.

Background

Plumbing traps below wash basins, tubs or showers are susceptible to clogging due to scale, soap scum and often hair shed by the user. Typically, one uses a plunger or chemical dissolving solution to clean the trap. The trap is typically in the form of a P trap, which is the addition of a 90 degree fitting in the outlet side of the U-bend. The U-bend provides a water seal in which a certain amount of water is always present, and the fluid can evaporate unless it is not used for a long period of time.

When a conventional plumbing trap becomes blocked, it can prevent or slow the discharge of water from the plumbing fixture to which it is attached, and can allow noxious odors to enter the room in which the plumbing fixture is located, such as a washbasin, sink, tub, or shower. If the plumbing trap dries out, a problem of noxious odors from the sewer pipe to which the trap is attached can occur, and odors can enter the room in which the sanitary ware is located. It will be appreciated that clogging, odors and the use of hazardous chemicals to clean such clogging are undesirable and preferably will be avoided.

In addition, the space under those sinks and washbasins that fit together with bathroom cabinets, in particular, can limit the use of conventional traps.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention provides a plumbing drain fitting configured to be mounted to an outlet of a sanitary product such as a washbasin, sink, shower or bath tub, wherein the plumbing drain fitting comprises:

a hollow elongate body comprising first and second open ends and an inlet port proximate the first open end; and

a removable one-way valve insertable and removable via the first open end;

wherein the first open end provides a clean access port;

wherein the second open end provides an outlet port connectable to a downstream sewage system; and

wherein an inlet port is provided through a wall of the hollow elongate body, the inlet port leading to an upstream end of the one-way valve such that a substantially L-shaped flow path is defined from the inlet port to the outlet port, wherein the one-way valve is operable to allow flow in a direction from the inlet port to the outlet port and is operable to prevent backflow from the outlet port to the inlet port.

Plumbing fixtures do not include the water seal required for conventional plumbing traps, and therefore, a certain amount of water does not remain in the fixture. Advantageously, by providing a removable one-way valve to the plumbing drain fitting, the blockage can be cleaned via the first open end of the hollow elongate body. By doing so, the need to clean the blockage with hazardous chemicals is eliminated.

The inclusion of a one-way valve within the elongate body ensures that fluid flow is restricted in one direction from the sanitary ware to the waste, i.e. from the inlet to the outlet. The inclusion of the one-way valve also prevents backflow of fluid from the waste water system to which the plumbing drain fitting is attached, and also prevents backflow and omission of noxious odors from an inlet port attached to the outlet end of the sanitary fixture.

The flow path defined between the inlet and outlet of the plumbing fitting may simulate a 90 degree bend.

The one-way valve may comprise a hollow elongate section and a valve member, wherein the hollow elongate section comprises a transverse opening therethrough, wherein the transverse opening is configured to align with the inlet port when the one-way valve is inserted into the hollow elongate body via the open end.

By aligning the lateral opening with the inlet port, a flow path is defined from the plumbing fixture into the plumbing drain fitting such that a flow of fluid from the plumbing fixture is directed by the valve member towards the outlet port. The valve member may be located downstream of the inlet port and upstream of the outlet port.

The pipe drain fitting may further include a cover configured to close the open end of the pipe drain fitting and allow access to the interior of the hollow elongate body after the cover is removed from the open end.

The first open end may comprise a removable cover, wherein the cover is operable to close the first open end for normal operation, wherein fluid can drain from the sanitary ware to waste, and wherein the cover is removable to allow access to the interior of the hollow elongate body for cleaning and/or maintenance.

To facilitate removal of the cap, the cap may include an outer flange configured to abut an outer edge of the hollow elongate body adjacent the first open end, wherein the outer edge includes at least one edge having an outer dimension greater than the first open end such that the at least one edge facilitates gripping and pulling the cap to remove the cap from the open end of the hollow elongate body.

The cover may further comprise a first locking element configured to cooperate with a second locking element provided on the hollow elongate body adjacent the first open end to retain the cover on the first open end when the plumbing fitting is in use.

The second locking element may comprise: a tubular member attached to an outer surface of the hollow elongate body adjacent the first open end; and an elongate slot passing through the hollow elongate body at the location of the tubular member such that the elongate slot exposes the internal bore of the tubular member to the interior of the hollow elongate member, and wherein the first locking element may be provided by a groove provided on a surface of the hollow body section of the one-way valve, wherein the groove is configured to align with the elongate slot and receive a portion of a locking pin insertable through the tubular member.

The locking pin may comprise an elongate shank, wherein the shank is insertable through the tubular section, wherein an upper portion of the shank engages the groove and a lower portion of the shank engages the slot such that the one-way valve is secured within the hollow elongate body until the pin is removed.

The pin may further comprise a head on the end of the handle, wherein the head is operable as a stop to prevent the pin from entering too far into the tubular member and to provide a grip to facilitate removal of the pin from the tubular member to enable release and removal of the one-way valve from the hollow elongate body.

The valve member may be attached to the downstream end of the hollow body section and the cap may be attached to the upstream end of the hollow elongate body section.

The hollow elongate body section may comprise one or more outer seal members around a periphery of the elongate body section, wherein the outer seal members are operable to provide an interference fit between the one or more seal members and an inner surface of the hollow elongate body such that fluid flow outside the flow path can be prevented.

The valve member may comprise a duckbill valve.

The hollow elongate body may comprise an oval cross-section.

The plumbing fitting may be compact compared to a conventional P-trap because the one-way valve replaces the conventional water seal (U-bend) used with a conventional P-trap. The plumbing fitting can be made more compact by making an elliptical or oval hollow elongated body because in a horizontally oriented installation, the smallest dimension is arranged vertically, and the largest dimension is arranged horizontally.

Drawings

Embodiments of the invention are described below, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a partial exploded view of a plumbing fitting according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows an assembled view of the plumbing fitting shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows the first open end of the plumbing fitting as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and shows a locking device operable to retain the one-way valve within the plumbing fitting;

FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of a one-way valve for use in the plumbing fitting shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3; and

FIG. 5 illustrates the underside of the check valve of FIG. 4 and illustrates a slot configured to receive a locking pin operable to retain the check valve within the plumbing drain fitting.

Detailed Description

Figures 1 and 2 show a plumbing fitting 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The plumbing fitting 10 includes a hollow elongate body 12 including a cleaning and maintenance access port 14 at one end, an outlet port 16 at an opposite end, and an inlet port 18 near the end including the cleaning and maintenance access port 14. The inlet port 18 extends transversely through an upper wall 19 of the hollow elongate body 12 into an aperture 20 of the hollow elongate body 12.

The cleaning and maintenance access port 14 facilitates insertion and withdrawal of a one-way valve 22 (see fig. 1, 4 and 5) to access the interior of the hollow elongate body 12 for cleaning, maintenance and/or replacement of the one-way valve 22.

It should be appreciated that because of the location of the cleaning and maintenance access port 14 proximate to the inlet port 18, the plumbing fitting 10 may be serviced without removing the plumbing fitting from the plumbing work (not shown) to which the plumbing fitting 10 is attached.

In the example shown, the inlet port 18 includes a connector 23 that facilitates connecting the inlet port 18 to an outlet port of a plumbing fixture such as a sink, washbasin, and shower (not shown). The outlet port 16 includes a compression fit connector 21 that facilitates connection of the plumbing drain fitting 10 to downstream plumbing (not shown) that is connected to the contaminated water.

In the illustrated example, the one-way valve 22 (see figures 1, 4 and 5) is provided by an assembly of a tubular section 24 and a duckbill valve 26.

The tubular section 24 is open at one end 28 and closed at the opposite end by a cap 30. The cover 30 is used to cover and seal the cleaning and maintenance access port 14 when the one-way valve 22 is inserted into the hollow elongate body 12.

The cap 30 includes a flange 32 that acts as a stop when the one-way valve 22 is inserted into the hollow elongate body 12, as shown in fig. 2. The flange 32 is larger than the outer dimension of the hollow elongate body 12 such that an edge 33 of the flange 32 projects beyond the periphery of the hollow elongate body 12. The edge 33 of the flange 32 provides a grip for withdrawing the one-way valve 22 from the cleaning and maintenance access port 14.

The tubular section 24 includes a bore 31 (see fig. 1 and 4) through an upper surface 34 of the tubular section 24. When the one-way valve 22 is inserted into the bore 20 of the hollow elongate shaft 12 via the cleaning and maintenance access port 14, the bore 31 is aligned with the inlet port 18.

The tubular section 24 includes two grooves 51 around the perimeter and an O-ring type seal 50 in each groove 51 to prevent fluid flow from leaking between the interface of the one-way valve 22 and the hollow elongate body 12 when the one-way valve 22 is inserted into the cleaning and maintenance access port 14.

The duckbill valve 25 comprises a resilient hollow body 36 formed with an open end 38 and a closed end in the form of a lip 39 that opens when fluid flows from the inlet port 18 toward the outlet port 20.

The open end 38 of the duckbill valve 24 is received over the open end 28 of the tubular section 24 such that fluid discharged from the plumbing fixture (not shown) enters the duckbill valve 25 via the inlet port 18 and the aperture 31.

As shown in fig. 1 and 4, lip 39 is in a normally closed position and opens only when fluid is being delivered through the valve from inlet port 18 to outlet port 20. The normally closed arrangement of the lip 39 means that the duckbill valve 25 acts as a backflow preventer, i.e. to prevent fluid and odours from flowing from the outlet port 20 to the inlet port 18. The tapered shape from the open end 38 of the duckbill valve 25 to the closed end 39 of the duckbill valve 25 is similar to the shape of the duck's beak/mouth, which is the name for this particular valve.

The duckbill valve 25 provides a simple and effective one-way valve, which means that it can be easily incorporated into a drainage system of the type described. It will be appreciated that other types of valves may be incorporated to facilitate removal from the hollow elongate body 12 via the cleaning and maintenance access port.

Referring to fig. 1, 2 and 3, the pin 52 is shown as part of the assembly of the pipe drain fitting 10 and the hollow elongate body 12.

Figure 1 shows the plumbing fitting disassembled, figure 2 shows the plumbing fitting 10 assembled, and figure 3 shows the insertion of the pin 52 and the relationship between the pin 52, the hollow elongate body 12 and the tubular section 24 of the check valve 22.

Referring to fig. 2 and 3, the hollow elongate body includes a tubular member 54 molded on a lower surface 56 of the hollow elongate body 12. The pin 52 is inserted into an aperture 53 defined by a tubular member 54 and is operable to secure the one-way valve within the interior of the hollow elongate body 12.

Referring to fig. 3, a slot 58 is provided through the inner surface of the lower surface of the hollow elongate body 12. The slot 58 extends into the aperture 53 through the tubular member 54. As can be seen in fig. 3, when the pin 52 is inserted into the tubular member 54, a lower portion of the shank 60 of the pin 52 is received in the aperture 53 and an upper portion of the shank 60 extends into the aperture 20 through the hollow elongate body 12.

Fig. 5 shows the underside of the one-way valve 22. A groove 62 is provided on the lower surface of the one-way valve 22 between the flange 32 and the sealing member 50 closest to the capped end of the tubular section 24. Referring to fig. 3 and 5, it will be appreciated that when the one-way valve 22 is inserted into the hollow elongate body 12 via the cleaning and maintenance access port 14, the groove 62 is aligned with the slot 58. Once inserted, the pin 52 may be inserted into the tubular section 54 such that the shank 60 of the pin 52 engages both the slot 58 and the groove 62, thereby securing the one-way valve 22 inside the hollow elongate body 12.

To facilitate cleaning and maintenance, the pin 52 may be removed from the tubular member by grasping and pulling the head 64 of the pin 52. Once the pin 52 is withdrawn, the edge of the flange 33 may be grasped and pulled so that the one-way valve 22 may be removed from the hollow elongate body 12.

From the above description of embodiments of the invention, it will be appreciated that the plumbing fitting 10 provides a useful and compact alternative to conventional P-traps and the like. The compact arrangement of the plumbing fitting 10 is further enhanced by the hollow elongate body 12 being of oval cross-sectional shape.

Advantageously, the cleaning and maintenance access port 14 is disposed adjacent the inlet port 18, which means that the pipe and maintenance access port 14 will typically be exposed and easily accessible when the pipe drain assembly 10 is installed.

It should be understood that although the illustrated embodiment is shown in a horizontal orientation, the pipe drain fitting is universal and may be fitted horizontally where the inlet port is oriented vertically, or vertically where the inlet port 18 is oriented substantially horizontally.

Connecting the inlet port 18 to the outlet of the drain of a sanitary fixture such as a sink, washbasin, tub or shower allows the outlet port 16 to be connected to downstream plumbing and does not affect the removal of the one-way valve 22, as the cleaning and maintenance port 14 is not connected to any plumbing.

The above description associates the plumbing drain fitting 10 with sanitary fixtures such as sinks, washbasins, bathtubs, and showers. However, it should be understood that the plumbing fitting 10 may be used with other systems, such as a heating/central heating system.

For illustrative purposes, duckbill valve 25 is described as an example of a one-way valve. It should be understood that other examples of mechanical valves may be used, such as spring valves, flap valves, and the like.

It should be understood that the plumbing drain fitting 10 may be used in areas under sinks, washbasins, bathtubs or showers where space is limited and a compact design and/or replacement of a conventional trapway is required. In this regard, it should be recognized that the flow of fluid through the plumbing fitting 10, as shown in fig. 1-5, should meet the required minimum standards set forth for such applications.

While specific embodiments of the invention have been described above, it will be appreciated that departures from the described embodiments may still fall within the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A plumbing fitting configured to be mounted to an outlet of a sanitary ware product, wherein the plumbing fitting comprises:

a hollow elongate body comprising first and second open ends and an inlet port proximate the first open end, wherein the inlet port is provided as a first transverse opening through a wall of the hollow elongate body; and

a removable one-way valve insertable and removable via the first open end, wherein the one-way valve comprises a hollow elongate body section and a valve member, wherein the hollow elongate body section comprises a second transverse opening therethrough, wherein the second transverse opening is configured to align with the inlet port when the one-way valve is inserted into the hollow elongate body via the first open end;

wherein the first open end provides a clean access port;

wherein the inlet port opens to an upstream end of the one-way valve such that a substantially L-shaped flow path is defined from the inlet port to the outlet port, wherein the one-way valve is operable to allow flow in a direction from the inlet port to the outlet port and is operable to prevent backflow from the outlet port to the inlet port.

2. A plumbing fitting as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flow path defined between the inlet port and the outlet port simulates a 90 degree bend.

3. A plumbing drain fitting as claimed in claim 1, wherein the valve member is located downstream of the inlet port and upstream of the outlet port.

4. The plumbing drain fitting of claim 1, wherein the first open end includes a removable cover, wherein the cover is operable to close the first open end for normal operation, wherein fluid can drain from the sanitary ware product to waste, and wherein the cover is removable to allow access to the interior of the hollow elongate body for cleaning and/or maintenance.

5. A plumbing drain fitting as claimed in claim 4, wherein the one-way valve extends from an interior face of the cap, wherein after removal of the cap the one-way valve is also removed.

6. A plumbing drain fitting as in claim 4, wherein the cover includes an outer flange configured to abut an outer edge of the hollow elongate body adjacent the first open end, wherein the outer edge includes at least one edge having an outer dimension greater than the first open end such that the at least one edge facilitates grasping and pulling of the cover to remove the cover from the first open end of the hollow elongate body.

7. The plumbing fitting of claim 4, wherein the cover further comprises a first locking element configured to cooperate with a second locking element disposed on the hollow elongate body adjacent the first open end to retain the cover on the first open end when the plumbing fitting is in use.

8. A plumbing fitting as claimed in claim 7, wherein the second locking element comprises: a tubular member attached to an outer surface of the hollow elongate body adjacent the first open end; and an elongate slot passing through the hollow elongate body at the location of the tubular member such that the elongate slot exposes the internal bore of the tubular member to the interior of the hollow elongate body, and wherein the first locking element is provided by a groove provided on a surface of the hollow elongate body section of the one-way valve, wherein the groove is configured to align with the elongate slot and receive a portion of a locking pin insertable through the tubular member.

9. The pipe drain fitting of claim 8, further comprising a locking pin, wherein the locking pin comprises an elongated shank, wherein the shank is insertable through the tubular member, wherein an upper portion of the shank engages the groove and a lower portion of the shank engages the elongated slot such that the one-way valve is secured within the hollow elongated body by engaging the pin until the locking pin is removed.

10. A plumbing drain fitting as claimed in claim 9, wherein the pin further comprises a head on an end of the shank, wherein the head is operable as a stop to prevent the detent from entering too far into the tubular member and to provide a grip to facilitate removal of the detent from the tubular member to enable release and removal of the one-way valve from the hollow elongate body.

11. A plumbing drain fitting as claimed in claim 4, wherein a valve member is attachable to a downstream end of the hollow elongate body section and the cap is attachable to an upstream end of the hollow elongate body section.

12. A plumbing drain fitting as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hollow elongate body section includes one or more outer sealing members around a periphery of the elongate body section, wherein the outer sealing members are operable to provide an interference fit between the one or more sealing members and an inner surface of the hollow elongate body such that fluid flow outside the flow path can be prevented.

13. A plumbing drain fitting as claimed in claim 1, wherein the valve member comprises a duckbill valve.

14. A plumbing drain fitting as in claim 1, wherein the hollow elongate body comprises an oval cross-section.

15. The plumbing fixture of claim 1, wherein the plumbing fixture product comprises a washbasin, a sink, a shower, and a tub.