Drain cleaner fluid management

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11072004-B2
Application number	US-201816215812-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 11, 2018
Priority date	Dec 14, 2017
Publication date	Jul 27, 2021
Grant date	Jul 27, 2021

Abstract

Drain cleaning machines having various fluid management provisions are described. The various fluid management provisions serve to direct and collect fluid and debris carried with a drain cleaning cable undergoing retraction into the machine.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A drain cleaning machine ( 10 ) comprising:
a frame ( 12 ) defining a face end ( 14 );
an assembly ( 42 ) for engaging and imparting rotation to a drain cleaning cable; and
a cable entryway ( 16 ) defining a generally hollow interior region ( 18 ) through which a drain cleaning cable may pass, wherein the cable entryway ( 16 ) further defines a distal end ( 20 ), a proximal end ( 22 ), a hollow interior ( 23 ), and an interior wall ( 24 ) extending between the distal end ( 20 ) and the proximal end ( 22 ), wherein the cable entryway ( 16 ) is oriented such that the distal end ( 20 ) of the cable entryway ( 16 ) is located along the face end ( 14 ) of the frame ( 12 ), wherein the cable entryway ( 16 ) further defines at least one channel aperture ( 28 ) extending through a wall of the cable entryway ( 16 ), and wherein the interior wall ( 24 ) is oriented such that fluid carried by a drain cleaning cable into the hollow interior ( 23 ) is directed to a location outside the machine ( 10 ) via the at least one channel aperture ( 28 ).

2. The drain cleaning machine ( 10 ) of claim 1 including a drain passage ( 30 ) defining an entrance ( 32 ) located near the at least one channel aperture ( 28 ).

3. The drain cleaning machine ( 10 ) of claim 2 wherein the drain passage ( 30 ) further defines an exit ( 34 ) located near the face end ( 14 ).

4. The drain cleaning machine ( 10 ) of claim 1 further comprising: an adjustment shaft ( 50 ) disposed in the hollow interior ( 23 ), wherein the adjustment shaft ( 50 ) defines a distal end ( 54 ) and an opposite proximal end ( 52 ), wherein the distal end ( 54 ) is located closer to the face end ( 14 ) of the frame ( 12 ) than is the proximal end ( 52 ).

5. The drain cleaning machine ( 10 ) of claim 1 wherein the cable entryway ( 16 ) is formed from a moldable polymeric material.

6. The drain cleaning machine ( 10 ) of claim 4 wherein the adjustment shaft ( 50 ) includes an outer face ( 51 ), and wherein a gap ( 60 ) extends between the outer face ( 51 ) and an inner face of the interior wall ( 24 ) of the cable entryway ( 16 ).

7. The drain cleaning machine ( 10 ) of claim 6 wherein the gap ( 60 ) is annular shaped.

8. The drain cleaning machine ( 10 ) of claim 6 further including a drain passage ( 30 ) defining an entrance ( 32 ) located near the at least one channel aperture ( 28 ).

9. The drain cleaning machine ( 10 ) of claim 4 further comprising:
a bearing assembly ( 75 ) rotatably supporting the proximal end ( 52 ) of the adjustment shaft ( 50 );
at least one exit port ( 78 ) disposed alongside the bearing assembly ( 75 ) and configured for passing liquid through the at least one exit port ( 78 ).

10. The drain cleaning machine ( 10 ) of claim 9 wherein the at least one exit port ( 78 ) is radially oriented relative to an axis (B) of the adjustment shaft ( 50 ).

11. The drain cleaning machine ( 10 ) of claim 1 further comprising:
an enclosure ( 80 ) defining a hollow interior region ( 86 ),
wherein the enclosure ( 80 ) defines at least one drain aperture ( 88 ),
wherein the enclosure ( 80 ) surrounds the assembly ( 42 ) for engaging and imparting rotation to a drain cleaning cable, and wherein the enclosure ( 80 ) is configured to collect liquid from the hollow interior region ( 86 ) of the enclosure ( 80 ) and direct the collected liquid to the at least one drain aperture ( 88 ) of the enclosure ( 80 ).

12. The drain cleaning machine ( 10 ) of claim 11 wherein the enclosure ( 80 ) includes a first portion ( 82 ) and a second portion ( 84 ) configured to mate together, thereby providing the hollow interior region ( 86 ) of the enclosure ( 80 ).

13. The drain cleaning machine ( 10 ) of claim 11 further comprising:
a fluid reservoir ( 100 ) disposed adjacent the enclosure ( 80 ),
wherein the fluid reservoir ( 100 ) includes
a liquid receiving interior,
a drain aperture ( 102 ), and
a drain plug ( 104 ) for selectively sealing the drain aperture ( 102 ) of the fluid reservoir ( 100 ).

14. The drain cleaning machine ( 10 ) of claim 1 further comprising: an assembly for extending and/or retracting the drain cleaning cable relative to the machine.

15. The drain cleaning machine ( 10 ) of claim 5 wherein the moldable polymeric material is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, and combinations thereof.

Assignees

• Ridge Tool Co

Inventors

• Kruepke Scott
• Skrjanc Robert
• Chartier Glen R

Classifications

• E03F7/103

  with a tank featuring one or more partition walls · CPC title

• E03F7/106

  Accessories, e.g. hose support · CPC title

• E03F7/10 Primary

  Wheeled apparatus for emptying sewers or cesspools · CPC title

• B08B9/045 Primary

  the cleaning devices being rotated while moved {, e.g. flexible rotating shaft or "snake"}(B08B9/047 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B08B17/00

  Methods preventing fouling {(preventing accumulation of deposits in pneumatic conveyors B65G53/521)} · CPC title