MXPA06009558A

MXPA06009558A - A motor activated bathtub drain closure.

Info

Publication number: MXPA06009558A
Application number: MXPA06009558A
Authority: MX
Inventors: William T Ball
Original assignee: Wcm Ind Inc
Priority date: 2005-08-23
Filing date: 2006-08-22
Publication date: 2007-10-18
Also published as: US20070044231A1; CA2556634A1

Abstract

A motor activated bathtub drain closure is associated with the bathtub having a bottom with a drain opening therein. A vertically movable drain stopper is mounted over the drain opening. A drain pipe is connected to the drain opening and is conventionally positioned below the drain opening. A motor having a movable element is located outside the drain pipe and is preferably mounted on the drain pipe. Linkage is secured to the movable element and extends from the movable element into the drain pipe and terminates at an inner end underneath the drain opening. The linkage is so configured that when the movable element is moved by the motor from a first position to a second position, the inner end of the linkage will engage the stopper and raise it with respect to the drain opening to permit fluid in the bathtub to flow by gravity.

Description

A MOTOR-ACTIVATED BATH DRAIN BOX DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Drain boxes in bathtubs assume a variety of designs, but usually include a plug element that moves manually up and down to assume open and closed positions, respectively. The manual movement of drainage boxes sometimes means an inconvenience for people of advanced age or someone with a physical illness. In the past the solenoids were used to activate the drainage box of the bathtubs in order to facilitate the opening and closing of the drainage box. Although the solenoid is effective in opening and closing the drainage box, disadvantages occur. For example, the solenoids only have two positions, completely open and completely closed. As a result, if someone wants the water to drain slowly from the bathtub for some application, a solenoid does not allow partial drainage opening. In addition, the solenoids produce very small amounts of force. Consequently, solenoids typically have a difficult time opening larger drainage elements. In addition, due to the low force generated by the solenoids they typically wear easily. Consequently, there is a need in the art for an alternative for the drainage of bathtubs activated by solenoid that allows a partial opening drainage, and that has more force than a solenoid consequently, allowing the application in bigger drainage and also allowing more use of the apparatus before the drainage is 5 wear. Accordingly, it is a main purpose of the present invention to use an engine in combination with a movable member to provide an improved bathtub drainage box. 1.0 An additional purpose of this invention is to provide a motor-activated bathtub drainage box that can be easily and quickly installed in the vicinity of the bathtub to facilitate the opening and closing of a bathtub drainage box. Still another additional purpose of this invention is to provide a motor-activated bathtub drainage box which is simple economical construction to build and install, and without operating problems. These and other purposes will be apparent to those with experience in the art. A motor-activated bathtub drainage box is associated with the bathtub having a bottom with a drainage opening thereof. A vertically movable drain plug is mounted over the drain opening. A drain tube is connects to the drain opening and is placed conventionally below the drainage opening. An engine that has a movable element that is located outside the drain tube and is preferably mounted in the drain tube. The connection is secured to the movable member and extends from the element to the drain tube and terminates at an internal end below the drain opening. In this way the connection is configured in such a way that when the element is moved by the motor from a first position to a second position, the internal connecting end will couple the plug and raise it with respect to the drain opening to allow the Fluid in the bathtub flows by gravity through the drain opening into the drain tube. When the movable element moves to a second position, the plug falls to its original position by gravity and closes the drainage opening. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device of this invention mounted on a bathtub drain where the drain plug was removed; Figure 2 is a side elevational view of a drainage tube located below the drainage opening of a bathtub, with a portion of the connection of this invention shown in a sectional partial portion of Figure 2 in a configuration elevating the drain plug to an open position; Figure 3 is a view similar to that of Figure 2 but shows the connection in a lower position outside the coupling with the drain plug where the drain plug moved to a closed condition; Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view of the Figure 2 taken on lines 4-4 of Figure 2; and Figure 5 is a partial perspective view similar to that of Figure 1 but showing the drain pipe separated and reflecting the position of the connection secured to the engine. A bath drain assembly 10 has a horizontal pipe portion 12 terminating in an elbow 14 where the horizontal top flange of the elbow is conventionally fixed to a drain box fitting 16 which surrounds a drain opening 18 in the bottom 20 of a conventional bathtub 22. A motor 24 having a movable element 26 is secured to the tube 12 by the clamp 28. Electrical conductors 30 extend from the motor 24 and are connected to a source of electrical power and to a remote switch (not shown). With reference to Figure 2, a conventional drain plug 32 includes a cover 34 which is adapted to engage and extend over the drainage opening 18 in the lower position (Figure 3). He cap 32 conventionally has a stem 36 that extends vertically downwardly thereof through hole 38 (Figure 1) in bar 40 which extends horizontally through fitting 16 of the drain box. The connection 42 has one end secured to the movable element 26 of the motor 24 (Figures 1 and 5) with the other end pivotally connected to a vertical lever 44. The lower end of the lever 44 is rigidly fixed to an outer end of the crankshaft 46 which extends horizontally through the bearing 48 in the elbow 14 towards the inside of the elbow, and below the drain opening 18. A connecting arm 50 is rigidly secured to the inner end of the crankshaft 46 and adapted to move between a lower position (Figure 3) to an upper position (Figure 2) when the movable member 26 moves up and down, respectively, with respect to the motor 24. In operation, when the motor 24 is not electrically energized by the remote switch, the movable element 26 of the motor 24 is in an extended position where the connection will cause the lever 44 to be in its inclined position as shown in FIG. shown in Figure 3 where the connecting arm 50 at the inner end of the crankshaft 46 will cause the connecting arm 50 to be in the position of the Figure 3. When the operator wishes to raise the drain plug 32 to an open or raised position of Figure 2, the motor 24 is energized to cause the movable member 26 to retract, which will move the connecting arm 50 to the upper position shown in FIG. Figure 2. When in this position, the connecting arm 50 engages the lower end of the rod 36 and pushes the rod up through the hole 38 in the bar 40, thereby raising the drain plug 32 from outside the coupling with the drain box fitting 16. In this condition, the water in the tube will move toward the elbow 14 and consequently through the portion 12 of the conventional drainage system tube. Accordingly it is seen that this invention can be easily installed, and is comprised of relatively few parts where this is inexpensive to manufacture. In this way, this invention will achieve at least all of these stated objectives.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A motor activated bathtub drainage box, characterized in that it comprises: a bathtub having a bottom with a drainage opening therein; a vertically movable drain plug mounted over a drain opening; a drain pipe connected to the drain opening and placed under the drain opening; an engine having a movable element located externally and secured to the drainage opening; a connection secured to the movable member and extending from the movable member and ending at an inner end in the drainage tube below the drainage opening; the connection is configured in such a way that when the movable element is moved by the motor from a first position to a second position, the inner end of the connection will engage the plug and raise it with respect to the drain opening to allow the fluids in the bath flow by gravity through the drain tube; and a clamp member securing the motor to the drain pipe.
2. The device in accordance with the claim 1, characterized in that the plug has a downwardly extending rod which can be coupled with the inner end of the connection.
The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the drain tube includes a horizontal portion to which the motor is secured and a portion of the elbow that extends towards the drain opening.
4. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the movable element moves from the second position to the first position, the plug moves freely by gravity to close the drainage opening.