GB2315998A

GB2315998A - Sink drain assembly

Info

Publication number: GB2315998A
Application number: GB9616985A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Tsan-Hsiung Cheng
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1996-06-19
Filing date: 1996-08-13
Publication date: 1998-02-18
Anticipated expiration: 2016-08-13
Also published as: GB9616985D0; GB2315998B; DE29610774U1

Abstract

A sink drain assembly includes a disk-like sink flange 1 fixable to the drain of a sink and a drain pipe 2 connected to the sink flange at the bottom thereof in use. The drain pipe 2 has a neck 12 and a stopper 3 disposed in the drain pipe, which is movable to close/open the passage of the neck. A link 4 is diposed inside the drain pipe and is connected to a bottom end in use of the stopper. A ball supported lever 5 is coupled to the link and is arranged to extend out of a stepped side hole 13 of the drain pipe for movement to lift/lower the stopper through the link in opening/closing the passage of the neck.

Description

SINK DRAIN The present invention relates to the drain of a sink, and relates more particularly to such a sink drain in which the stopper which is moved to close/open the water passage of the drain is concealed from sight.

Figure 1 shows the structure of a sink drain according to the prior art. According to this structure of sink drain, the stopper which controls the water passage of the drain of the sink is disposed above the sink flange. As illustrated in Figure 2, when the lever is turned downwards, the stopper is lifted from the sink flange by a link, thereby causing the water passage to be opened.

This structure of sink drain has numerous drawbacks. One drawback of this structure of sink drain is that hairs and solid matter tend to be gathered in the inside of the drain pipe, causing the water passage to be blocked up. Another drawback of this structure of sink drain is that rings, earrings, false teeth, etc., tend to drop from the center hole of the sink flange to the inside of the drain pipe when washing the hands, the face, or the mouth. Furthermore, because the stopper projects over the sink flange when opened, it tends to be damaged or removed, and the user's fingers tend to be injured by the metal part of the stopper when in use.

The present invention has been accomplished to provide a sink drain which eliminates the aforesaid drawbacks. According to the present invention, the sink drain comprises a disk-like sink flange fixedly fastened to the drain of a sink, a drain pipe connected to the sink flange at the bottom and having a neck, a stopper disposed in the drain pipe and moved to close/open the passage of the neck, a link disposed inside the drain pipe and connected to the bottom end of the stopper, a ball supported lever coupled to the link and extending out of a stepped side hole of the drain pipe and moved to lift/lower the stopper through the link in opening/closing the passage of the neck. Because the stopper is disposed below the sink flange, it will not be touched by the user's hands. Furthermore, because the holes in the slotted top of the sink flange are narrow and the stopper is stopped below the sink flange, hairs and other solid matter will be stopped from passing through the sink flange and can be conveniently removed from the sink flange by hand.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a sectional view of a sink drain according to the prior art; Fig. 2 is similar to Figure 1 but showing the stopper lifted from the sink flange; Fig. 3 is an elevational view of a sink drain according to the present invention; Fig. 4 is an exploded view of the sink drain shown in Figure 3; Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the sink drain shown in Figure 3 when closed; Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the sink drain shown in Figure 4 when opened; Fig. 7 shows an alternate form of the sink flange according to the present invention; and Fig. 8 shows another alternate form of the sink flange according to the present invention.

Referring to the various drawings attached herewith, a detailed description of the structural features of " SINK DRAIN " of the present invention is as following: Referring to Figures from 3 to 5, a sink drain in accordance with the present invention comprises a disk-like sink flange 1, having a slotted top 17 for the passing of water. The downward flange of said dink flange 1 is fixedly fastened to the bottom of the drain of sink through a rubber gasket 18 for preventing the inner shell of the sink drain from leackage. A drain pipe 2 is connected to the sink flange 1 at the bottom. The drain pipe 2 comprises a neck 12 near the top, a stepped side hole 13 near the bottom, and outer thread 14 around the stepped side hole 13. A stopper 3 is mounted with a rubber seal ring 6 and moved in and out of the neck 12 of the drain pipe 2 to close/open the passage of the neck 12 of the drain pipe 2. A link 4 is disposed in the inside chamber 11 of the drain pipe 2, having a top end connected to the stopper 3 and a bottom end made with a through hole 15. A first ball socket 8 and a second ball socket 9 are mounted within the stepped side hole 13 of the drain pipe 2 to hold a ball 50 therebetween. A lock nut 7 is threaded onto the outer thread 14 of the drain pipe 2 to hold the ball sockets 8, 9 and the ball 50 in place. A lever 5 is inserted through the lock nut 7, the second ball socket 9, (a hole in) the ball 50, and the first ball socket 8, into the through hole 15 of the link 4.

Referring to Figures 5 and 6, when the outer end of the lever 5 is lifted, the link 4 is pulled downwards to lower the stopper 3, causing it to close the neck 12 (see Figure 5); on the contrary, when the outer end of the lever 5 is lowered, the link 4 is lifted to move the stopper 3 upwards, thereby causing the stopper 3 to open the neck 12 (see Figure 6). Because the stopper 3 is moved inside the drain pipe 2 relative to the neck 12 below the sink flange 1, the movement of the stopper 3 is not viewed from the outside.

Furthermore, because the holes in the slotted top 17 of the sink flange 1 are narrow, hairs 10 will be stopped from passing through the sink flange 1 and can be conveniently removed from the sink flange 1 by hand.

Referring to Figures 7 and 8, the slotted top 17 of the sink flange 1 may be variously shaped, and marked with a mark. For example, the slopped top 17 of the sink flange 1 may be a perforated wall (see Figure 7), or a wall marked with a mark and having curved slots around the border (see Figure 8).

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A sink drain comprising: a disk-like sink flange arranged to be fastened to the drain of a sink; a drain pipe connected to the sink flange at the bottom thereof in use and having a neck; a stopper disposed in the drain pipe being arranged to close/open the passage of the neck; a link diposed inside the drain pipe and connected to a bottom end in use of the stopper; a ball supported lever coupled to the link and arranged to extend out of a stepped side hole of the drain pipe and being movable to lift/lower the stopper through the link in opening/closing the passage of the neck.

2. A sink drain of the type comprising: a sink flange fixedly fastened to the drain of a sink; a drain pipe connected to said sink flange at a bottom side for carrying off water from said sink; a stopper mounted with a rubber seal ring and moved to close/open the water passage through said drain pipe; a link disposed inside said drain pipe, having a top end connected to said stopper by a screw joint, and a bottom end made with a through hole; a ball turned within a stepped side hole in said drain pipe; a first ball socket and a second ball socket mounted within the stepped side hole of said drain pipe to hold said ball; a lock nut threaded onto an outer thread on said drain pipe to hold said first ball socket, said second ball socket and said ball in place; and a lever inserted through said lock nut, said second ball socket, a hole in said ball, and said first ball socket, and coupled to said link, and moved to lift/lower said stopper through said link, causing said stopper to open/close the passage of the neck of said drain pipe; wherein said sink flange has a disk-like shape, and a slotted top for the passing of water; said drain pipe comprises a neck near a top end thereof disposed below said sink flange; said stopper is moved in and out of said neck within said drain pipe below said sink flange to close/open the water passage.

3. The sink drain of claim I wherein the slotted top of said sink flange is marked with a mark.

4. A sink drain substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, Figs. 3 to 6; or Figs. 3 to 6 as modified by Fig. 7; or Figs. 3 to 6 as modified by Fig. 8 of the accompanying drawings.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows 1. A sink drain comprising: a disk-like sink flange arranged to be fastened against a sink to cover a drain hole thereof; an elongate drain pipe connectable to the sink flange at a lower end thereof in use, and having a neck of reduced internal diameter spaced from the sink flange longitudinally of the drain pipe; a stopper being engagable with the neck within the drain pipe and being arranged to close/open a drain passage through the neck of the drain pipe; a link disposed inside the drain pipe and connected to a lower end of the stopper; and a ball supported lever coupled to the link and arranged to extend out of a stepped side hole of the drain pipe and which movable to lift/lower the stopper through the link in opening/closing the passage through the neck.

2. A sink drain as claimed in claim 1, comprising a stopper having a rubber seal ring and mounted to be movable to close/open the water passage through the drain pipe.

3. A sink drain as claimed in claim 1 or 2, comprising a first ball socket and a second ball socket mounted within the stepped side hole of the drain pipe to hold the ball.

4. A sink drain as claimed in claim 3, wherein a lock nut is threadedly engaged onto an outer thread on the drain pipe to hold in place the first ball socket, the second ball socket and the ball.

5. A sink drain as claimed in claim 4, comprising a lever insertable through the lock nut, the second ball socket, a hole in the ball, and the first ball socket, and coupled to the link so as to be movable to lift/lower the stopper through the link, causing the stopper to open/close the passage through the neck of the drain pipe.

6. A sink drain as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the slotted top of the sink flange is marked with a mark defined by slots or holes in the disc-like sink flange.

7. A sink drain substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, Figs. 3 to 6; or Figs. 3 to 6 as modified by Fig. 7; or Figs. 3 to 6 as modified by Fig. 8 of the accompanying drawings.