GB2309165A

GB2309165A - Overflow prevention device

Info

Publication number: GB2309165A
Application number: GB9600845A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Paul Wheeler
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1996-01-16
Filing date: 1996-01-16
Publication date: 1997-07-23
Anticipated expiration: 2016-01-16
Also published as: GB9600845D0; GB2309165B

Description

OVERFLOW PREVENTION DEVICE This invention is a bathroom or kitchen accessory.

Standard overflow drains currently fitted to baths and sinks, do not work and result in insurance claims worth millions of pounds every year.

One commercially available auxiliary device offering overflow prevention at the moment uses a float operated valve to turn the taps off. Installation will require an amount of replumbing and possibly new taps as well, unless it is included as part of the bath when purchased. This could make it a very expensive option.

Another auxiliary device which had much publicity in 1994 was the "Pop Plug". This was a standard sized plug whose centre portion "popped" up when the pressure on a surrounding collar caused by the water in the bath was great enough.

Limitations of this device were that the pressure was pre-set and could not be altered by the user, and the diameter of the centre portion was not very large thus limiting its effectiveness at slowing down the bath's rate of fill.

Other devices are now available, which although they do not actively prevent a bath from overflowing, can sound an alarm when the water reaches a probe positioned by the user. These rely on batteries to sound the alarm. They also rely on the user being able to hear the alarm, (possibly from another room in the house) to come and turn the taps off.

According to the present invention there is provided an overflow prevention device comprising a float of intended sufficient buoyancy to pull a plug out, a shaft or chain, an adjustable level buffer or catch, a plug, and a plug movement restrictor to stop the plug floating away once it has been pulled out, thus ensuring it gets sucked back in when the water level drops.

Options could also include an alarm activated when the float reaches the set level. This alarm could be mounted on the float, or on the shaft, or on the bath, or on the bathroom door, or even in another room. Other options could include an integrated bubble bath dispenser, and/or a soap dish; and an integrated overflow drain facility integrated in the shaft, which could be made as wide as the plug itself.

A working prototype has been manufactured (not shown) and a specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of examples with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: FIG 1 Shows in perspective, the float, a shaft, an adjustable level buffer, a plug and a plug movement restrictor.

FIG 2 Shows the device at various stages during its cycle of operation.

FIG 3 Illustrates the possible addition of an alarm, and which uses a plug movement restrictor attached to the plug instead of the drain.

FIG 4 Illustrates the possible integration of an overflow drain.

Referring to the drawing Fig 1 the float 10 is shaped like a duck, but can be any shape,colour and texture and is free to move up and down the shaft 12. The shaft is calibrated to aid the user determine the level of water required.

The adjustable level buffer 14 comprises of a peg shaped to clip around depressions in the shaft, when pushed into place.

In this case rotating the peg in the horizontal plane will enable it to be removed.

The plug 16, can be any size to suit bath or sink drains. In this case the shaft is bonded to it and protrudes through its centre, although it can be attached to the plug by normal means, such as a metal loop (as in the case of the working prototype, which is attached to a completely standard plug not shown).

In Fig 1 the plug movement restrictor 18 comprises of a narrower shaft which fits inside the hollow main shaft, and is releasably secured to the drain, with for example an elastic band, a piece of string or cord, a clip, a screw or similar means (not shown).

As illustrated in Fig 2, the float moves up the shaft as the water rises until it comes into contact with the level buffer. Then as the water continues to rise it exerts a force on the plug until it is sufficient for the plug to be pulled out. This allows the water level to drop again. the plug movement restrictor ensures that the plug is in the right position to be sucked back in when the water level drops. The water should therefore be maintained at a level between the point where the plug is pulled out and the point it is sucked back in until the taps are turned off.

Claims

1 An overflow prevention device comprising a float of intended sufficient buoyancy to pull a plug out, a shaft/ chain, an adjustable level buffer/catch, a plug, and a plug movement restrictor to stop the plug floating away once it has been pulled out, thus ensuring it gets sucked back in when the water level drops.

2 An overflow prevention device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the level adjustment is provided on the float cooperable with the shaft/chain.

3 An overflow prevention device as claimed in claim 1, wherein level adjustment is provided by a buffer/catch co-operable with the shaft/chain.

4 An overflow prevention device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the level is fixed by directly attaching the float to the shaft/chain.

5 An overflow prevention device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the level is fixed by directly attaching a buffer/catch to the shaft/chain.

6 An overflow prevention device as claimed in claims 1 to 5 wherein level is adjusted by inflating or deflating the float.

7 An overflow prevention device as claimed in claims 1 to 6 wherein the float can be inflated or deflated for purposes other than (or as well as) level adjustment, for example storage and packaging.

8 An overflow prevention device as claimed in claims 1 to 7 wherein plug movement restriction is provided on the plug or on the shaft/chain, by means of a hook or loop, co-operative with the drain.

9 An overflow prevention device as claimed in claims 1 to 7 wherein plug movement restriction is provided in the drain co-operative with the plug, or shaft/chain.

10 An overflow prevention device as claimed in claims 1 to 7, but with no plug movement restriction.

11 An overflow prevention device as claimed in claims 1 to 10 wherein an auxiliary device such as an alarm, fluid dispenser, soap dish or similar is incorporated in whole or in part with the float, buffer/catch or shaft/chain.

12 An overflow prevention device as claimed in claims 1 to 11 wherein the shaft has an overflow drain incorporated, and where the shaft can be as wide as the plug itself to be more efficient at this task.

13 An overflow prevention device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the shaft is used on its own, or with a plug as an overflow drain.

14 An overflow prevention device as claimed in claims 1 to 13 wherein a storage hook/loop is incorporated as part of the float or shaft/chain.

15 An overflow prevention device substantially as described herein with reference to Figures 1-3 of the accompanying drawing.