Device and method for concealing a flange of a wastewater strainer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10590637-B2
Application number	US-201816112144-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 24, 2018
Priority date	Oct 19, 2010
Publication date	Mar 17, 2020
Grant date	Mar 17, 2020

Abstract

A device used to conceal at least a portion of a wastewater strainer associated with a bathtub. More specifically, a plate having an opening therethrough is used to overlap a flange of the wastewater strainer wherein the opening in the plate generally coincides with an opening in the wastewater strainer so that the bathtub drain is unobstructed. The plate may include a downwardly extending lip to help facilitate orientation onto the flange of the wastewater strainer. The plate conceals the wastewater strainer, thereby facilitating reconfiguration of a bathtub as the existing wastewater strainer need not be removed and the plumbing system retested.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A concealing device for a wastewater strainer, the concealing device comprising:
a plate defining an opening therethrough, wherein the plate is configured to couple to a flange of the wastewater strainer to conceal the flange;
a hub disposed within the opening; and
a stopper coupled to the hub, wherein the stopper is moveable between a closed position that engages at least a portion of the stopper with the plate and prevents fluid flow through the opening and an open position that releases at least a portion of the stopper from the plate and enables fluid flow through the opening.

2. The concealing device of claim 1 , wherein the stopper comprises a lift and turn stopper, a push/pull stopper, or a foot-actuated stopper.

3. The concealing device of claim 1 , wherein stopper is a push/pull stopper comprising a carrier threadably coupled to the hub.

4. The concealing device of claim 3 , wherein the carrier comprises a bolt threadably coupled to the hub and at least a portion of the bolt extends out from a bottom surface of the hub, and wherein the concealing device further comprises a connector configured to couple between the bolt and the wastewater strainer.

5. The concealing device of claim 4 , wherein the connector has a first end having a first outer diameter and a second end having a second outer diameter, and wherein the first outer diameter is different than the second outer diameter.

6. The concealing device of claim 3 , wherein the carrier comprises a friction ring configured to frictionally maintain the stopper in at least the open position.

7. The concealing device of claim 1 , wherein the stopper is a foot-actuated stopper and comprises a cap and a seal, wherein the cap is biased to the open position, and wherein when the cap is depressed, the seal contacts the plate to close the stopper, and when the cap is further depressed, the seal is released from the plate to open the stopper.

8. The concealing device of claim 7 , wherein the stopper further comprises:
a guide member threadably coupled to the hub and comprising a guide path;
a ring follower slidingly coupled to the guide member at the guide path; and
a stopper body coupling the ring follower to the cap and the seal, wherein upon actuation of the cap, the ring follower travels at least partially within the guide path and rotates relative to the stopper body.

9. The concealing device of claim 7 , wherein the stopper further comprises:
a guide member comprising a guide path;
a screw threadably coupling the guide member to the hub;
a ring follower slidingly coupled to the guide member at the guide path; and
a stopper body coupling the ring follower to the cap and the seal, wherein upon actuation of the cap, the ring follower travels at least partially within the guide path and rotates the guide member relative to the ring follower.

10. The concealing device of claim 7 , further comprising a connector configured to couple between the stopper and the wastewater strainer.

11. The concealing device of claim 10 , wherein the connector has a first end having a first outer diameter and a second end having a second outer diameter, and wherein the first outer diameter is different than the second outer diameter.

12. The concealing device of claim 1 , further comprising at least one arm supporting the hub within the opening.

13. The concealing device of claim 1 , further comprising a grate supporting the hub within the opening.

14. The concealing device of claim 1 , wherein the hub is positioned above a top surface of the plate.

15. The concealing device of claim 1 , further comprising adhesive configured to be applied to at least a portion of the plate for coupling the plate to the flange of the wastewater strainer.

16. The concealing device of claim 15 , wherein the adhesive comprises adhesive tape secured to a bottom surface of the plate.

17. The concealing device of claim 1 , wherein no portion of the stopper is positioned below a bottom surface of the plate.

18. The concealing device of claim 1 , further comprising an insert configured to couple the stopper to the hub.

19. The concealing device of claim 1 , wherein the stopper is coupled to a chain.

20. The concealing device of claim 19 , further comprising a centering dome threadably coupled to the hub, wherein the centering dome is configured to engage with the stopper and center the stopper on the plate.

Assignees

• Wcm Ind Inc

Inventors

• Ball William T

Classifications

• E03C1/262 Primary

  combined with outlet stoppers · CPC title

• A47K1/14

  Stoppers for wash-basins, baths, sinks, or the like · CPC title

• Y10T29/49826

  Assembling or joining · CPC title

• Y10T156/10

  Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor · CPC title

• E03C1/26

  Object-catching inserts or similar devices for waste pipes or outlets (E03C1/28 takes precedence) · CPC title