DRAIN CLEANING DEVICE

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/637,988, filed Apr. 24, 2024, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present application relates to drain cleaning devices for cleaning drains, pipes, or other conduits, and specifically, to a flexible shaft drain cleaner.

Flexible shaft drain cleaners are known as high speed drain cleaners because they include motors that spin the cable at higher speeds. The higher speed is produced by directly driving the cable with torque from a motor/drive mechanism. In addition, flexible shaft drain cleaners include improved cables to withstand the higher speeds. Flexible shaft cables are different from traditional drain cleaner cables and typically include wound cables that are encased by sheaths.

SUMMARY

In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a drain cleaning device including: a housing; a drum assembly supported by the housing, the drum assembly including an inner drum, an outer drum, and a space defined therebetween configured to store a flexible cable, the drum assembly configured to rotate about a rotation axis; a motor supported by the drum assembly, the motor including an output shaft; and a battery receptacle supported by the drum assembly, the battery receptacle configured to receive a battery pack that supplies power to the motor; wherein the drum assembly defines an outer diameter measured through the rotation axis; wherein the drum assembly defines a height measured in a direction parallel to the rotation axis; and wherein a ratio defined by the outer diameter of the drum assembly over the height of the drum assembly is between 2.5 and 3.5.

In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a drain cleaning device including: a housing; a drum assembly supported by the housing, the drum assembly including an inner drum, an outer drum, and a space defined therebetween, the drum assembly configured to rotate about a rotation axis, the drum assembly defining an outer diameter measured through the rotation axis; a motor supported by the drum assembly, the motor including an output shaft that defines a motor axis; a transmission coupled to the output shaft and supported by the drum assembly; a flexible cable stored within the space, the flexible cable operable to receive torque from the motor; and a cable guide supported by the drum assembly, the cable guide configured to lead a portion of the flexible cable from the motor to the space, the cable guide defining an arc extending between the output shaft and the space, the arc including a radius extending from a virtual center of the arc; wherein a ratio defined by the outer diameter of the drum assembly over the radius of the arc is between 2.0 and 6.0.

In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a drain cleaning device including: a housing including a top side, a bottom side opposite the top side, a rear side, and a front side opposite the rear side; a drum assembly supported by the housing, the drum assembly including an inner drum, an outer drum, and a space defined therebetween configured to store a flexible cable, the drum assembly configured to rotate about a rotation axis; a motor supported by the drum assembly, the motor including an output shaft; a battery receptacle supported by the drum assembly, the battery receptacle configured to receive a battery pack that supplies power to the motor; and a foot pedal operable to activate the motor, the foot pedal being supportable within the drum assembly.

Other aspects of the invention will become apparent by consideration of the detailed description and accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a drain cleaning device.

FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the drain cleaning device of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the drain cleaning device of FIG. 1 taken across lines 3-3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3A is a perspective view of the drain cleaning device of FIG. 3 detailing a surface bearing.

FIG. 3B is a perspective view of the drain cleaning device of FIG. 1 with portions removed.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the drain cleaning device of FIG. 1 with portions removed.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the drain cleaning device of FIG. 1 including a frame assembly.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the drain cleaning device of FIG. 1 with a handle in a retracted position.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a battery receptacle of the drain cleaning device of FIG. 1 in a first position.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the battery receptacle of FIG. 8 in a second position.

FIG. 9 is a front view of a drain cleaning device according to another embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a front view of a drain cleaning device according to another embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a storage feature for use with the drain cleaning device of FIG. 1.

FIG. 12 is a front view of the drain cleaning device of FIG. 1 with a reverse switch according to another embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a front view of a drain cleaning device according to another embodiment.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a foot pedal for use with the drain cleaning device of FIG. 1 according to another embodiment.

Before any embodiments of the invention are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the following drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a drain cleaning device 10 that is operable to clear and clean debris from pipes or other conduits. In the illustrated embodiment, the drain cleaning device 10 is a flexible shaft drain cleaner. The drain cleaning device 10 is operable to spin a drain cleaning cable 12 at a relatively high speed. As described below, the drain cleaning cable 12 may include a wound cable, or other suitable cable, positioned within a sheath. The wound cable is driven (e.g., spun) by the drain cleaning device 10 within the sheath to clear debris from a conduit. In the illustrated embodiment, the drain cleaning device 10 may be referred to as a mini or small flexible shaft drain cleaner. For instance, the drain cleaning device 10 may include a ¼ inch diameter cable that is around 35 feet long whereas standard flexible drain cleaning devices may include a 5/16 inch diameter cable that is approximately 75 feet long. In general, the cable 12 includes an overall length that is between 30-50 feet long. As such, the drain cleaning device 10 is lighter and easier to transport than standard flexible drain cleaning devices.

The drain cleaning device 10 includes a housing 14 and a drum assembly 16 supported by the housing 14. The housing 14 includes a handle 18 on a first or top side of the housing 14, and a stand 22 at a second or bottom side of the housing 14. The housing 14 includes a control portion 26 positioned beneath the handle 18. The control portion 26 includes a speed control dial 30 and a direction switch 34. An actuator (e.g., a foot pedal 36) is supported within the drum assembly 16 that is operable to activate the drain cleaning device 10. In some embodiments, the foot pedal 36 may be coupled to a portion of the control portion 26 (e.g., through a cable) to activate the drain cleaning device 10. In other embodiments, the drain cleaning device 10 may be activated with a drill style trigger or button. The drill style trigger or button may be positioned on the control portion 26 of the housing 14 or another portion of the drain cleaning device 10 (e.g., on the handle 18). In some embodiments, the housing 14 may be supported by a cage-like frame assembly 38 that supports the drain cleaning device 10, as shown in FIG. 5. The frame assembly 38 or the housing 14 may support wheels 40 that allow a user to transport the drain cleaning device 10 over a surface. The frame assembly 38 may be formed from a plurality of bars and links that are coupled together through welding, fasteners, or the like.

In the illustrated embodiment, the handle 18 is movable (e.g., pivotable) between a first position (FIG. 1) and a second position (FIG. 6). The first position may also be referred to as an extended position, a deployed position, or a use position. The second position may also be referred to as a retracted position, a collapsed position, or a storage position. In the illustrated embodiment, the handle 18 pivots approximately 90 degrees between the first position and the second position. As such, the handle 18 may be coupled to the housing 14 using fasteners, pivot joints, or other known couplings. When the handle 18 is in the retracted position, the handle 18 is generally flush with the housing so that the drain cleaning device 10 is more compact and occupies a smaller area to facilitate working in tighter spaces. In other embodiments, the handle 18 may be an extendible handle to assist a user transporting the drain cleaning device 10. For example, the handle 18 may linearly slide and/or telescope between the first position and the second position. The drain cleaning device 10 is moveable between an upright position (FIG. 1), in which the stand 22 supports the drain cleaning device 10 on a surface, and a use position (FIG. 3), in which the back of the housing 14 supports the drain cleaning device 10 on the surface. However, the drain cleaning device 10 may be used in operation in either the upright position or the use position. Using the drain cleaning device 10 in the upright position reduces the overall footprint of the drain cleaning device 10.

With reference to FIG. 3, the drum assembly 16 is supported by the housing 14 and is rotatable relative to the housing 14 about a rotation axis 54. The drum assembly 16 is supported on the housing 14 with a support shaft 58 that defines the rotation axis 54. The drum assembly 16 includes an outer drum 62 and an inner drum 66 coupled to the outer drum 62 for co-rotation therewith. In the illustrated embodiment, the outer and inner drums 62, 66 are cylindrical-shaped with an open front end and a closed rear end. The inner drum 66 has a smaller diameter than the outer drum 62 to define a space 70 therebetween. The drain cleaning cable 12 may be supported within the space 70. A bearing 72 is positioned between the inner drum 66 and the support shaft 58 to allow rotation of the drum assembly 16 relative to the support shaft 58. In the illustrated embodiment, the drum assembly 16 is idly supported on the support shaft 58. In other words, the drum assembly 16 is allowed to freely rotate on the support shaft 58. In other embodiments, the drum assembly 16 may be driven by a motor to rotate with or about the support shaft 58. In addition, a plurality of surface bearings 73 (FIG. 3A) are positioned between the drum assembly 16 and the housing 14. As shown in FIG. 3B, the surface bearings 73 are circumferentially spaced about an inside surface of the housing 14 between the housing 14 and the outer drum 62. Each surface bearing 73 includes a housing 75 that defines a slot 76 to receive a roller bearing 77 (e.g., metal balls) that are allowed to roll in place. The roller bearings 77 extend from the slot 76 and engage a back surface of the drum assembly 16 to allow the drum assembly 16 to smoothly rotate about the rotation axis 54 without inducing unwanted friction between the housing 14 and the drum assembly 16.

With continued reference to FIG. 3, the drum assembly 16 defines a diameter D measured through the rotation axis 54 between the outer perimeter of the outer drum 62. The drum assembly 16 also defines a height H measured in a direction parallel to the rotation axis 54. In the illustrated embodiment, the diameter D may be in a range between 14 inches and 22 inches. The height H may be in a range between 4 inches and 8 inches. As such, a ratio is defined between the diameter D and the height H of the drum assembly 16. The ratio of the diameter D to the height H of the drum assembly 16 may be in a range between 1.75 to 5.5. In other embodiments, the ratio of the diameter D to the height H of the drum assembly 16 may be in a range between 2.5 and 3.5. In some embodiments, the ratio of the diameter D to the height H of the drum assembly 16 may be at least 2. In other embodiments, the ratio of the diameter D to the height H of the drum assembly may be less than 5. Further, the space 70 between the inner and outer drums 62, 66 is sized in order to allow the cable 12 to be stacked within the drum assembly 16. Specifically, the space 70 is sized to keep the cable 12 stacked in a single row when the cable 12 is retracted or inserted into the drum assembly 16. The stacking of the cable 12 limits tangles in the cable 12 and improves the efficiency when moving the cable 12 in and out of the drum assembly 16. The diameter D and the height H of the drum assembly 16 generally depends on the size of cable to be used with the drain cleaning device 10. For example, a cable that has a smaller diameter may include additional length and still fit within the drum assembly 16. In contrast, a cable with a larger diameter and similar length would need a larger drum assembly to fit within. Consequently, the cable 12 and the drum assembly 16 may be selectively removable from the housing 14 and replaced with drum assemblies and/or cables of different sizes and types.

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 3, a drum cover 74 is positioned over the space 70 to secure the cable 12 between the inner drum 66, the outer drum 62, and the drum cover 74. The drum cover 74 includes a cable outlet 78 that guides the cable 12 out of the drum assembly 16 and a cable clip 46 adjacent the cable outlet 78 to support the cable 12 when not in use. The drum cover 74 may be coupled to the housing 14 with fasteners. The drum cover 74 includes a plurality of openings 80 to allow a user to view and inspect the cable 12. In the illustrated embodiment as viewed in FIG. 1, the cable outlet 78 is positioned at a right-hand side of the drum cover 74 or 3 o'clock position. The cable outlet 78 is also positioned so that when the cable 12 is not in use, the cable 12 extends at a tangent relative to the drum cover 74. In other embodiments, the cable outlet 78 may be positioned at the bottom of the drum cover 74 or 6 o'clock position, the left-hand side of the drum cover 74 or 9 o'clock position, or the top side of the drum cover 74 or 12 o'clock position. In some embodiments, the drum cover 74 may include multiple cable outlets 78 located at different positions around the drum cover 74. In other embodiments, the cable outlet 78 may be positioned within a 360-degree range about the drum cover 74. In further embodiments, the drum cover 74 may be rotatable relative to the drum assembly 16 to change the position of the cable outlet 78 as desired by a user.

With reference back to FIG. 1, the inner drum 66 of the drum assembly 16 supports a motor housing 82, a battery housing 86, a storage receptacle 88, and a cable guide housing 90. Moving to FIG. 4, a motor 94 is supported within the motor housing 82. In some embodiments, the motor 94 may be a DC brushless motor. In other embodiments, the motor 94 may include a brush. The motor 94 includes an output shaft 96 that defines a motor axis 98. The output shaft 96 is configured to be directly coupled to the drain cleaning cable 12 to rotate the cable 12. The motor axis 98 is offset from the rotation axis 54 of the drum assembly 16. M ore particularly, the motor axis 98 is spaced apart from, but perpendicular to the rotation axis 54. The motor axis 98 is also orientated at an oblique angle relative to a vertical plane A (when the drain cleaning device 10 is in the upright position) extending through the rotation axis 54. The vertical plane A extends through the support shaft 58, the motor 94, and the storage receptacle 88. In other embodiments, the output shaft 96 may be oriented in other configurations.

A transmission 100 or gear train is also supported in the motor housing 82 and is positioned between the motor 94 and the output shaft 96. In the illustrated embodiment, the transmission 100 transfers torque from the motor 94 to the output shaft 96 so that the output shaft 96 directly drives the wound cable to rotate within the sheath. For example, the transmission 100 may include a planetary gear system including a single stage or multiple stages, a planetary gearset with a bevel gear set, a planetary gearset with two bevel gearsets, only two bevel gearsets, a spur gearset, a helical gearset, a multi-speed gearbox, or a continuously variable gearbox. In some embodiments, the transmission 100 may be considered part of the motor 94. In other embodiment, the transmission 100 may be a separate component from the motor 94 that may be interchanged with another transmission. The transmission 100 and the motor 94 are sized to reduce the space used within the inner drum 66. Specifically, the motor 94 and the transmission 100 define an overall length along the motor axis 98 that is between 3 inches and 4 inches and an overall diameter that is between 1 inch and 3 inches.

With continued reference to FIG. 4, the battery housing 86 defines a battery receptacle 102 configured to receive a battery pack t. The battery pack 106 may include any of number of different nominal voltages (e.g., 12V, 18V, etc.), and may be configured having any of number of different chemistries (e.g., lithium-ion, nickel-cadmium, etc.). The battery pack 106 is operable to supply power to the motor 94 to energize the motor 94. The battery pack 106 is a removable battery pack. The battery pack 106 is also a rechargeable battery pack. Alternatively, the motor 94 may be powered by a remote power source (e.g., a household electrical outlet) through a power cord.

In the illustrated embodiment, the battery pack 106 is mounted with its longitudinal axis extending parallel to the vertical plane A. In other embodiments, the battery pack 106 may be inserted into the battery receptacle 102 in a direction that is parallel to the rotation axis 54. In further embodiments, the battery receptacle 102 may be positioned elsewhere on the drain cleaning device 10. For example, the battery receptacle 102 may be mounted on the housing 14. In such an embodiment, the battery pack 106 would not spin with the drum assembly 16 during a drain cleaning operation. Further, the battery receptacle 102 may be positioned adjacent the center of the inner drum 66. In some embodiments, the battery receptacle 102 may be moveable between a first position (FIG. 7) and a second position (FIG. 8). The first position may also be referred to as an attachment position. The second position may also be referred to as a storage position. For example, in the attachment position, the battery receptacle 102 receives the battery pack 106 in a direction that is parallel to the rotation axis 54. The battery receptacle 102 may then be moved (e.g., pivoted) to the storage position so that the battery pack 106 is mounted with its longitudinal axis perpendicular to the rotation axis 54. Providing a battery receptacle 102 that receives the battery pack 106 in the attachment position allows a user to easily attach the battery pack 106 and then pivot the battery receptacle 102 to the storage position in order to remove the battery pack 106 from interfering with operations of the drain cleaning device 10 and to limit the overall footprint of the drain cleaning device 10.

Control electronics 114 are disposed within the motor housing 82. In some embodiments, the control electronics 114 may be disposed in a separate housing from the motor housing 82. The control electronics 114 are oriented in a vertical configuration. In other words, the longitudinal axis of the control electronics 114 is generally vertical with respect to the vertical plane A. In some embodiments, the control electronics 114 may be orientated with its longitudinal axis at an oblique angle relative to the vertical plane A. In further embodiments, the control electronics 114 may be orientated with its longitudinal axis parallel or perpendicular to the vertical plane A. The control electronics 114 may include a controller or processor that controls operation of the drain cleaning device 10. In some embodiments, the controller is implemented as a microprocessor with separate memory. In other embodiments, the controller may be implemented as a microcontroller (with memory on the same chip). In other embodiments, the controller may be implemented using multiple processors. In addition, the controller may be implemented partially or entirely as, for example, a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), an application specific integrated circuit (A SIC), and the like, and the memory may not be needed or be modified accordingly. The memory may include non-transitory, computer readable memory that stores instructions that are received and executed by the controller to carry out functionality of the drain cleaning device 10 described herein. The memory may include, for example, a program storage area and a data storage area. The program storage area may include combinations of different types of memory, such as read-only memory and random-access memory.

With reference to FIG. 4, the cable guide housing 90 is coupled to the inner drum 66 adjacent the motor housing 82. The cable guide housing 90 defines a cavity and a guide channel 120 (e.g., cable guide) extending from the cavity. The output shaft 96 of the motor 94 extends from the motor housing 82 into the cavity in a direction that is aligned with the guide channel 120. The guide channel 120 leads into the inner drum 66 and extends into the space 70 defined between the inner and outer drums 62, 66. A first end of the cable 12 is coupled to the output shaft 96 of the motor 94 and extends through the cable guide housing 90 and into the space 70 defined between the outer and inner drums 62, 66.

As shown in FIG. 4, a length L is defined between the end of the output shaft 96 of the motor 94 and the start of the guide channel 120. The size of the space that is defined by the length L allows for alternative transmissions to be used with the motor 94 and cable 12. In the illustrated embodiment, the length L is between 1.0 inch and 4.0 inches. Generally, a smaller length L between the motor 94 and the guide channel 120 allows for a smaller footprint of the motor 94 and the transmission 100. The guide channel 120 also defines an arc between the transmission 100 and the space 70. The arc may include a radius R extending from a virtual center of the arc that is between 3.0 inches and 6.0 inches. As such, a ratio is defined between the diameter of the drum assembly 16 and the radius R of the arc that is between 2.0 and 8.0. In some embodiments, the motor 94 and the transmission 100 may be angled relative to the inside surface of the inner drum 66. The motor 94 and the transmission 100 may be positioned at an angle between 2 and 7 degrees relative to the inside surface of the inner drum 66.

The storage receptacle 88 is disposed on a diametrically opposite side of the rotation axis 54 from the motor 94. The storage receptacle 88 may store additional battery packs 106, the foot pedal 36, cable accessories, etc. The storage receptacle 88 includes a cover 124 that is selectively movable (e.g., pivotable) to enclose storage materials within the storage receptacle 88. The cover 124 may be movable between open and closed positions while remaining coupled to the storage receptacle 88 or may be removed from the storage receptacle when in the open position. The cover 124 may be coupled to the storage receptacle 88 with a clip, buckle, or other fastener. In other embodiments, the storage receptacle 88 may be positioned elsewhere on the drain cleaning device 10. For example, the storage receptacle 88 may be positioned elsewhere in the inner drum 66 or on the housing 14 adjacent the control portion. In the illustrated embodiment, the foot pedal 36 is supported by the storage receptacle 88 with a longitudinal axis of the foot pedal 36 perpendicular to the vertical plane A. In other embodiments, the foot pedal 36 may be supported elsewhere on the drain cleaning device 10. For example, the foot pedal 36 may be supported by the storage receptacle 88 with the longitudinal axis of the foot pedal parallel to the vertical plane A (FIG. 9). Alternatively, the foot pedal 36 may be supported on the motor housing 82 (FIG. 10). In further embodiments, the drain cleaning device 10 may include other storage options. For example, the drain cleaning device 10 may include magnetic strips, storage hooks, storage bars 126 (FIG. 11), key couplings, etc. that cable accessories 128 and other components of the drain cleaning device 10 can be coupled to. The storage bars 126 may be, for example, located on an outer perimeter of the housing 14. Each storage bar 126 may extend across a recessed area formed in the housing 14. The cable accessories 128 may be coupled to (e.g., hang from) the storage bars 126, and the recessed areas may be at least partially receive the cable accessories 128 to help cover and protect the cable accessories 128.

With reference back to FIG. 1, the direction switch 34 is operable to switch the direction in which the motor 94 rotates the cable (i.e., forward or reverse). In the illustrated embodiment, the direction switch 34 is a sliding switch that can be slid between the forward and reverse positions. As shown in FIG. 12, in some embodiments, the direction switch 34 may be a toggle position switch. In other embodiments, the direction switch 34 may include a Hall effect sensor that are activated when the toggle switch 34 is moved. The toggle position switch may reduce the overall footprint of the control portion 26. The toggle position switch may be a momentary switch or may latch in position. For example, the toggle position switch may need to be held in the forward direction and/or the reverse direction to operate the drain cleaning device 10. Alternatively, the toggle position switch may remain in the forward direction and/or the reverse direction until acted on by an outside force. Control electronics 122 (FIG. 3) are supported within the control portion 26 of the housing 14. The control electronics 122 are operable to communicate and send signals from the direction switch 34 and the speed control dial 30 to the control electronics 114 within the motor housing 82. The control electronics 122 may be similar to the control electronics 114 described above. Generally, the user will use the drain cleaning device 10 with the motor 94 rotating the cable in the forward direction. However, if the user uses the drain cleaning device 10 in reverse for too long or continuously, it may wear out the cable. In order to prevent or discourage this use, the control electronics 114 control the motor 94 to run in reverse in bursts rather than continuously. In some embodiments, the drain cleaning device 10 may include an indicator such as a LED light or a sound alert to let the user know that the motor 94 is in reverse or has been in reverse for too long. In another embodiment, the drain cleaning device 10 may include a mechanical mechanism such as a spring-loaded lever or button that a user depresses in addition to normal actuation in order to make the drain cleaning device 10 run in reverse mode. For example, a reverse button may be positioned on the control portion 26 of the housing 14 that a user keeps depressed while activating the motor 94 in order for the motor 94 to run in reverse and rotate the cable 12 in reverse.

The speed control dial 30 may be rotated to a set position to control the speed at which the motor 94 rotates the cable 12. In other embodiments, the speed control dial 30 may be a variable speed control that a user may control the speed of the motor based on the position of the speed control dial 30 or a trigger used as an actuator. In other embodiments, the control portion 26 may be supported elsewhere on the drain cleaning device 10. For example, as shown in FIG. 13, the control portion 26 may be positioned on the motor housing 82 or elsewhere inside the inner drum 66. In this embodiment, the handle 18 and/or the control portion 26 may be removed from the housing 14 to further reduce the overall footprint of the drain cleaning device 10. In addition, wiring, a slip ring, or the like would not need to extend from the drum assembly 16 to the housing 14 to electrically connect the motor 94 and the control portion 26.

Alternatively, the control portion 26 may be supported on the foot pedal 36 as shown in FIG. 14. As such, the user can place the foot pedal 36 in a convenient operating position and have access to all of the controls needed to operate the drain cleaning device 10. Further, the control portion 26 may span across the inner drum 66 and couple to the housing 14 and/or frame assembly 38, as shown in FIG. 5.

In the illustrated embodiment, the drain cleaning cable 12 is also known as a flexible shaft cable. Compared to typical drain cleaning cables, the flexible shaft cable includes a wound cable that is encased by a sheath. The wound cable is operable to be rotated by the motor 94 within the sheath. The flexible shaft cable 12 includes a first end that is coupled to the motor 94 and a second end that is operable to be extended into a drain to facilitate clearing the drain. Specifically, the wound cable is directly coupled to the output shaft 96 of the motor 94 at the first end of the cable 12 to rotate the wound cable within the sheath. The output shaft 96 may be coupled to the cable 12 using a spline-type connection, a set screw, or the like. The portion of the cable 12 between the first and second ends extends from the output shaft 96 through the cavity to be coiled within the space 70 between the inner and outer drums 62, 66. The second end of the cable extends from the space 70 and through the cable outlet 78 on the drum cover 74.

In some embodiments, the drain cleaning device 10 includes a clutch disposed between the output shaft 96 of the motor 94 and the first end of the cable 12. The clutch may be operable to allow slip between the output shaft 96 and the cable 12 if the output torque of the motor 94 exceeds a predetermined limit to protect the cable 12. For example, the clutch could be a mechanical clutch, such as a radial roller clutch. Alternatively, the clutch may be a ball spring clutch, a friction plate, a friction cone, and electromechanical clutch, or the like. The mechanical clutch may include a first setting for when the motor 94 rotates the output shaft 96 in a forward direction and a second setting for when the motor 94 rotates the output shaft 96 in a reverse direction. The first setting and the second setting may be different. For example, the second setting may allow the clutch to slip at a lower predetermined limit than the second setting.

In other embodiments, the clutch may be an electronic clutch that senses the output torque of the motor 94 by, for example, sensing the current supplied to the motor 94 from the battery pack 106. The electronic clutch may then allow slip to occur if the electronic clutch senses that the output torque from the motor 94 was above a predetermined limit. Alternatively, the electronic clutch may sense when the current is above the predetermined limit and communicate with the control electronics 114 to depower the drain cleaning device 10. Using an electronic clutch reduces the amount of space needed within the inner drum 66 for the transmission 100 and motor 94.

During operation of the drain cleaning device 10, a user may extend the second end of the cable 12 into a drain or other conduit. As the cable 12 is payed out from the drum assembly 16, the drum assembly 16 rotates in a first direction. Once the second end of the cable encounters a clog, the user may depress the foot pedal 36 to activate the motor 94 and rotate the wound cable within the sheath. Based on the position of the direction switch 34, the wound cable will spin either clockwise or counterclockwise within the sheath. As the wound cable rotates, the cable accessory assists in removing the debris or clog. Alternatively, a user may force the second end of the cable 12 past the debris within a drain first before activating the motor 94. Then, the user may depress the foot pedal 36 to activate the motor 94 while retracting the cable 12 out of the drain. The motor 94 rotates the wound cable and thus the cable accessory to remove the debris or clog. The user may also adjust the speed control dial 30 to adjust the revolutions of the wound cable and cable accessory if needed for a larger or smaller clog. While the cable 12 is being retracted from the drain, the drum assembly 16 rotates in a second direction, opposite the first direction, to wind the cable 12 back within the space 70. Once the drain has been sufficiently removed of debris and clogs, the user can then retract the cable 12 from the drain to store the cable within the drum assembly 16.

In some embodiments, the control electronics 114 may include a wireless communication device to communicate with an external device, such as a smart phone or tablet. The wireless communication device communicates with the control electronics 114 based on user input from the external device. For example, a user may use the external device to define operating parameters of the drain cleaning device 10 such as minimum and maximum torque or revolutions per minutes of the output shaft 96 of the motor 94.

Providing a drain cleaning device 10 with a motor 94 that directly drives a cable allows the cable to rotate at higher torque compared to drain cleaning devices that rely on driving a drum assembly to produce friction to rotate the cable. Rotating the cable at higher torque more efficiently cleans a drain or other conduit.

Although the invention has been described with reference to certain embodiments, variations and modifications exist within the scope and spirit of the invention. Various features and advantages are set forth in the following claims.