Classifications

• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E03—WATER SUPPLY; SEWERAGE
  • E03C—DOMESTIC PLUMBING INSTALLATIONS FOR FRESH WATER OR WASTE WATER; SINKS
  • E03C1/00—Domestic plumbing installations for fresh water or waste water; Sinks
  • E03C1/12—Plumbing installations for waste water; Basins or fountains connected thereto; Sinks
  • E03C1/22—Outlet devices mounted in basins, baths, or sinks
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47K—SANITARY EQUIPMENT NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; TOILET ACCESSORIES
  • A47K11/00—Closets without flushing; Urinals without flushing; Chamber pots; Chairs with toilet conveniences or specially adapted for use with toilets
  • A47K11/12—Urinals without flushing
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E03—WATER SUPPLY; SEWERAGE
  • E03C—DOMESTIC PLUMBING INSTALLATIONS FOR FRESH WATER OR WASTE WATER; SINKS
  • E03C1/00—Domestic plumbing installations for fresh water or waste water; Sinks
  • E03C1/12—Plumbing installations for waste water; Basins or fountains connected thereto; Sinks
  • E03C1/28—Odour seals
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E03—WATER SUPPLY; SEWERAGE
  • E03C—DOMESTIC PLUMBING INSTALLATIONS FOR FRESH WATER OR WASTE WATER; SINKS
  • E03C1/00—Domestic plumbing installations for fresh water or waste water; Sinks
  • E03C1/12—Plumbing installations for waste water; Basins or fountains connected thereto; Sinks
  • E03C1/28—Odour seals
  • E03C1/281—Odour seals using other sealants than water
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16K—VALVES; TAPS; COCKS; ACTUATING-FLOATS; DEVICES FOR VENTING OR AERATING
  • F16K15/00—Check valves
  • F16K15/02—Check valves with guided rigid valve members
  • F16K15/03—Check valves with guided rigid valve members with a hinged closure member or with a pivoted closure member
  • F16K15/031—Check valves with guided rigid valve members with a hinged closure member or with a pivoted closure member the hinge being flexible
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16K—VALVES; TAPS; COCKS; ACTUATING-FLOATS; DEVICES FOR VENTING OR AERATING
  • F16K15/00—Check valves
  • F16K15/14—Check valves with flexible valve members
  • F16K15/144—Check valves with flexible valve members the closure elements being fixed along all or a part of their periphery
  • F16K15/147—Check valves with flexible valve members the closure elements being fixed along all or a part of their periphery the closure elements having specially formed slits or being of an elongated easily collapsible form

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a flow trap, such as a cartridge used in non- flushing urinals, and having an odor preventing mechanism and, in particular, to a improved trap that uses a dry trap valve that can be used without water or sealant, thereby resulting in improved flow trap life and usability, and eliminating the need for water to flush the trap.
• Non-flushing traps are advantageous where water is scarce or expensive, or when water conservation is desired.
• Prior art units include those described in United States Patent No. 6,053,197, in which a lighter than water sealant forms the odor barrier, and wherein the sealant remains in the trap.
• a dry trap valve such as usable in a non-flushing urinal and other drains, is employed to transport a fluid, such as urine or other wastewater to a sewer line for receipt and disposal of the wastewater.
• the dry trap valve includes a holder (e.g., a band holder) having an entry for receipt of the wastewater, a drain for disposal of the wastewater, a passageway (e.g., dent, depression or bypass) for conducting the wastewater from the entry to the drain, and an element e.g., a sealing band) for sealingly covering the passageway.
• the sealing band includes a hinged portion adjacent the lower end of the dent and is disposed to articulate upon flow of the wastewater from the dent and to permit the wastewater to flow to the drain and to close in the absence of the wastewater flow. Gases from the sewer line also press upon the sealing band in the absence of wastewater flow to further seal the dent.
• FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a trap or cartridge designed for use in a non- flushing urinal
• FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the trap or cartridge as depicted in FIG. 1 , and further illustrating its positioning in a urinal;
• FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the trap or cartridge as portrayed in FIG. 1 , taken at a 90° view with respect to that shown in FIG. 2, and likewise illustrating its positioning in a urinal;
• FIG. 4 is a top view of the trap or cartridge as depicted in FIGS. 1 -3, with internal and bottom components thereof illustrated in phantom;
• FIG. 5 is an exploded view in perspective of the trap or cartridge as depicted in FIGS. 1 -4, with internal components thereof, including the dry trap valve;
• FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the bottom portion of the trap or cartridge as depicted in FIGS. 1 -5;
• FIG. 7 is a perspective view of base or base portion of the trap or cartridge as depicted in FIGS. 1 -5;
• FIGS. 8 and 9 are differently angled perspective views of the dry valve
• FIGS. 10-13 are varying depictions of the band holder in differently angled perspective views (respectively FIGS. 10 and 1 1) and side and cross-sectional views (respectively FIGS. 12 and 13) of the band holder element of the dry valve illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9;
• FIGS. 14 and 15 are differently angled views of a clamp element of the dry valve which forms a component, along with the band holder of FIGS. 10-13, of a clamping arrangement;
• FIGS. 16-18 are views of the sealing band employed in the dry valve, in which FIG. 16 illustrates the sealing band prior to its side elements being folded back and FIGS. 17 and 18 shows its side elements being folded back as clamped onto or otherwise coupled to the band holder; and
• FIGS. 19 and 20 respectively are perspective and side elevational views ofthe upper or top portion of the trap or cartridge as engaged by a key for its being screwed or unscrewed into and from a urinal.
• FIGS. 1 -7 a trap or cartridge 20 for a non-flushing urinal is shown as placed in a urinal (see FIGS. 2 and 3) as represented by portions thereof and designated by indicium 21 , such as exemplified in patent No. 6,959,723 (specifically FIG. 15 thereof), whose contents are incorporated herein as if set forth in haec verba.
• Trap 20 comprises a top portion 22, which is disposed to support a dry valve 24 having an entry tube or dry valve entry 32, and a base portion 26.
• Top portion 22 includes a cover 28 which, in turn, includes an entry opening 30 for receipt of urine or other wastewater.
• An O-ring 23 within an annular slot in cover 28 provides a seal with urinal 21.
• a downwardly extending lip or brim 31 is formed on the underside of cover 28 and surrounds opening 30, thereby to enable dry valve 24 to be secured to entry tube 32. Wastewater is directed by cover 28 to opening 30 where it enters entry tube 32 of dry valve 24.
• a barrier 70 separates the cartridge into two compartments, a fluid inlet compartment and a fluid outlet compartment, for example as illustrated and described in patent No. 7,575,022 whose contents are incorporated herein as if set forth in haec verba.
• the fluid outlet compartment terminates in a drain 40 (see FIGS. 2, 3-5 and 7), from whence it passes to a sewer line (as symbolized by enclosure 41 ) or similar outlet.
• Barrier 70 terminates in a toothed comb 72 and, when top portion is coupled together with base or bottom portion 26, slips into guiding slots 74 thereof.
• the base portion is further provided with teeth 76 which cooperate with the teeth of comb 72 to strain or otherwise catch debris and the like.
• dry valve 24 comprises a band holder or rigid portion 34 formed generally as a planar ramp having a front side 34A and a back side 34B (shown in isolation in FIGS. 10-13), a clamp 38 (shown in isolation in FIGS. 14 and 15) and a sealing band or movable portion 50 (shown in isolation in FIGS. 16-18).
• Entry tube 32 is on an upper portion of band holder 34 and is adapted to receive wastewater from opening 30 in cover 28.
• a dent, depression or bypass 36 (see FIGS. 3, 5, 10 and 1 1 ) is formed in band holder 34 and extends or protrudes from its back side 34B.
• Dent 36 includes lower and upper ends 36A and 36B in which lower end 36A is distanced from entry 32 and upper end 36B is positioned adjacent to entry 32.
• a fluid passage for the wastewater passes from entry tube 32 to dent 36, along a flattened portion 39 of band holder 34, and into base 26 of trap 20, where it can flow out of the trap or cartridge through drain 40 (see FIGS. 2, 3-5 and 7), from whence it passes to sewer line 41 or similar outlet.
• Band holder 34 and clamp 38 can be made of any number of materials, such as plastic, metal, sintered ceramic, or any material that can be molded into the desired shape and is reasonably rugged. It has been found that acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) or polypropylene (PP) work well in this application.
• ABS acrylonitrile butadiene styrene
• PP polypropylene
• Sealing band 50 can be made of any flexible material like rubber, silicon rubber or any thermoplastic elastomer.
• a synthetic rubber sheet with a thickness in the range of 0.2mm-0.4mm has been found to work well.
• band holder 34 can be attached to trap 20 in any number of ways, it has been found that glueing, compression fit, snap fit and ultrasonic welding all yield satisfactory results.
• the attachment preferably is such that flattened portion 39 forms a downward slope at an angle of about 10° to 50° from the vertical and, in a preferred embodiment, is about 30° (as generally seen in FIGS. 1 1 and 12); however, it is to be understood that, at least as presently formulated, dry valve 24 is capable of functioning between the horizontal to close to the vertical, that is, within the angle ranges of 0° to less than 90°.
• band holder 34 has two upper slots, to wit, right upper slot 42A and left upper slot 42B, and two lower slots, right lower slot 44A and left lower slot 44B.
• clamp 38 has corresponding prongs, namely right upper prong 46A, left upper prong 46B, left lower prong 48B and right lower prong 48A.
• the respective prongs of clamp 38 fit and snap into the slots in band holder 34 to provide a clamping arrangement, viz., prong 46A into slot 42A, prong 46B into slot 42B, prong 48A into slot 44A, and prong 46B into slot 44B.
• sealing band 50 has an upper portion 56, a lower portion 58, a right projection wing 54A and a left projection wing 54B.
• Upper portion 56 is positioned generally atop dent upper end 36B and lower portion 58 is positioned generally below dent lower end 36A.
• projection wings 54A and 54B are folded back upon themselves as illustrated in FIGS. 17 and 18, generally along dashed fold lines 55, as shown in FIG. 16, which also illustrates how the sealing band projection bands would be bent or folded over when the sealing band is secured to band holder 34.
• sealing band 50 is placed onto front side 34A of band holder 34, such that it completely blocks entry tube 32, that is, sealing band upper portion 56 extends from at least as high as upper slots 42A and 42B, and lower portion 58 at least covers dent 36.
• Projection wings 54A and 54B extend beyond the width of band holder 34, and are folded back around band holder 34, and secured thereto at its back side 34B preferably by affixing mechanisms 35, or by any other mechanical implementation or bonding agent that ensures a complete securing between the sealing band and the band holder so as to hold sealing band 50 in position.
• affixing mechanism 35 comprises arrow-headed punch- throughs extending outwardly from holder back side 34Afor piercing through projection wings 54A and 54B of sealing band 50.
• Other fixation/anchorage technology known in the art may be used, particularly when overmolding (e.g., multiple molding techniques) technology is utilized.
• lower portion 58 of sealing band 50 is capable of or otherwise disposed to flip or hinge upwards along line A-A' in response to urine flow.
• Line A-A' is located just beneath projection wings 54A and 54B toward the lower end of the sealing band 50, such that most of dent 36 is always covered by sealing band 50 even when wastewater is flowing, and most of the portion of the sealing band that does flip upwards, from line A-A' to the lower end of the band 50, lays beyond the lower end of dent 36, utilizing sealing band 50 as a hinge.
• This organization results in an articulated or hinged movement that allows valve 24 to open and to close. The wastewater flow lifts the sealing band up to open and, after the liquid flow, gravity closes the opening again.
• Sealing band 50 is coupled to band holder 34 to cover dent 36.
• the sealing band is held in place by wrapping both wing portions 54A and 54B about sides 34A and 34B of the band holder, by utilizing arrow-headed punch-throughs to pierce wing portions 54A and 54B, and by placing clamp 38 over sealing band 50 to clamp it to band holder 34. While a frictional engagement is employable, the preferred clamping is to make use of a press fitting of right upper prong 46A into right upper slot 42A, left upper prong 46B into left upper slot 42B, right lower prong 48A into right lower slot 44A, and left lower prong 48B into left lower slot 44B.
• Clamp 38 also has a pair of curved flanges, right flange 52A and left flange 52B.
• the flanges are spaced far enough apart so as not to cover dent 36, for urging or pressing sealing band 50 against band holder 34.
• sealing band projection wings 54A and 54B at their lower edges terminate before lower end 36A of dent 36, while upper portion 56 of sealing band 50 extends beyond upper end 36B of dent 36, which is fully covered by sealing band 50 in combination with and compressed by clamp 38 to form a seal.
• the dimensions of the above parts are generally based upon the size of the urinal trap.
• the size and shape (curvature or otherwise) of dent 36 can be adjusted depending upon the anticipated liquid flow.
• sealing band 50 In operation, between uses of trap 20, sealing band 50 is held in place, blocking dent 36 and entry tube 32, in large part by the force of gravity, due to the angle of flattened portion 39.
• the primary purpose of the elastomeric qualities of sealing band 50 is to use it as a hinge. Because sealing band 50 is lying flat and sealed against dent 36 and entry tube 32, sewer gasses and unpleasant odors from sewer line 41 are blocked from entering the room. It has been found that pressure from the sewer gasses from sewer line 41 are able to urge sealing band 50 more firmly against dent 36 and entry tube 32.
• cartridge 20 can be inserted or removed, such as by being screwed into or removed from a urinal by use of a key 62.
• Key 62 includes a bent tip 64 and a stop angled part 66 at one end and a handle 68 at its other end.
• Bent tip 64 is disposed to fit within entry opening 30 of top portion 22 and to be canted therein.
• Part 66 contacts cover 28 to aid in the attachment of tip 64 within opening 30.
• the present invention has been described as used in a trap for a non- flushing urinal and as indicated above, it can be employed in any situation requiring an odor blocking drain trap, such as shower, bath, sink, floor and other drains.
• an odor blocking drain trap such as shower, bath, sink, floor and other drains.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Public Health (AREA)
• Water Supply & Treatment (AREA)
• Hydrology & Water Resources (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Sanitary Device For Flush Toilet (AREA)
• Check Valves (AREA)
• Sink And Installation For Waste Water (AREA)
• Non-Flushing Toilets (AREA)
• Sewage (AREA)

Priority Applications (13)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=44083856

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (17)

Cited By (1)

Families Citing this family (4)

Citations (4)

Family Cites Families (15)

• 2011
  • 2011-01-20 CN CN201180006785.8A patent/CN102939424B/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2011-01-20 US US13/010,669 patent/US20120023649A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2011-01-20 MX MX2012008464A patent/MX2012008464A/es active IP Right Grant
  • 2011-01-20 RU RU2012135509/13A patent/RU2012135509A/ru not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2011-01-20 KR KR1020127020603A patent/KR20130001721A/ko not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2011-01-20 CA CA2787513A patent/CA2787513A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2011-01-20 SG SG2012053617A patent/SG182620A1/en unknown
  • 2011-01-20 AU AU2011207259A patent/AU2011207259A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2011-01-20 NZ NZ601273A patent/NZ601273A/en not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2011-01-20 IN IN6389DEN2012 patent/IN2012DN06389A/en unknown
  • 2011-01-20 JP JP2012550127A patent/JP2013517403A/ja active Pending
  • 2011-01-20 BR BR112012017984A patent/BR112012017984A2/pt not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2011-01-20 EP EP11708354A patent/EP2526232A2/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 2011-01-20 WO PCT/US2011/021945 patent/WO2011091183A2/en active Application Filing
• 2012
  • 2012-07-17 CO CO12120080A patent/CO6602148A2/es active IP Right Grant
  • 2012-07-19 ZA ZA2012/05435A patent/ZA201205435B/en unknown
  • 2012-08-14 CR CR20120424A patent/CR20120424A/es not_active Application Discontinuation

Patent Citations (4)

Non-Patent Citations (1)

Also Published As

Similar Documents

Legal Events