DRAIN ASSEMBLY

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/725,852 filed Nov. 27, 2024, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure relates generally to a drain assembly, and more particularly to a drain assembly for an aircraft.

BACKGROUND

Aircraft lavatories include a faucet and sink to provide water to passengers and crew. Water is one of the necessary loads carried by an aircraft. In commercial aviation, it is desirable to use the minimum amount, yet have sufficient water available to satisfy the requirements of the passengers and crew.

SUMMARY

According to an aspect a drain assembly is provided including a drain body having an upper opening, a lower opening, a passage extending between the upper and lower openings, and a side opening into the passage, a drain insert received in the upper opening of drain body and movable relative to the drain body, the drain insert including an insert opening, and a locking knob coupled to the drain body, the locking knob including a stem extending through the side opening in the drain body into the insert opening to serve as a stop to prevent removal of the drain insert.

The drain insert is movable between a first position where the stem is at or near a top of the insert opening, and a second position where the stem is at or near a bottom of the insert opening.

The drain insert additionally includes a body defining a passage, and wherein the insert opening extends through the body into the passage.

The body has an upper opening and a lower opening, and wherein the passage extends between the upper and lower openings.

The body includes a plurality of drain openings near the upper opening for liquid and small particles/objects to enter the passage.

The drain assembly includes a flanged portion coupled to the body closing the upper opening.

The drain insert includes a circumferential groove on an outer surface of the body, and the drain assembly includes a seal received in the groove for sealing against a drain flange.

The drain insert includes a cutout extending through the body into the passage and opening to a bottom of the body for receiving an actuator rod.

The cutout and the insert opening are opposed to one another.

The drain assembly includes a valve positioned in the drain body, the valve being in a normally closed position and being movable to an open position by an actuator rod.

The drain body includes a second side opening into the passage, wherein the locking knob may be received in either the side opening or the second side opening.

The drain assembly includes a plug, wherein the plug is coupled to the drain body at the side opening or the second side opening.

According to another aspect, a drain assembly includes a drain body having an upper opening, a lower opening, a passage extending between the upper and lower openings, and a side opening into the passage, a drain insert configured to be received in the upper opening of drain body and movable relative to the drain body, the drain insert including a body having an upper opening, a lower opening, an insert passage extending therebetween, and an insert opening extending through the body of the drain insert into the insert passage, and a locking knob configured to be coupled to the drain body, the locking knob including a stem extending through the side opening in the drain body into the insert opening to serve as a stop to prevent removal of the drain insert from the drain body.

The drain insert is movable between a first position where the stem is at or near a top of the insert opening, and a second position where the stem is at or near a bottom of the insert opening.

The body includes a plurality of drain openings near the upper opening for liquid and small particles/objects to enter the passage.

The drain insert includes a cutout extending through the body into the passage and opening to a bottom of the body for receiving an actuator rod.

The cutout and the insert opening are opposed to one another.

The drain body includes a second side opening into the passage, wherein the locking knob may be received in either the side opening or the second side opening.

The drain assembly includes a plug, wherein the plug is coupled to the drain body at the side opening or the second side opening.

According to still another aspect, a method of removing a drain insert of a drain assembly in an aircraft is provided, the aircraft including a sink and the drain assembly coupled to the sink, the drain assembly including a drain body having a side opening into a passage, the drain insert received in the passage and being movable relative to the drain body, the drain insert including an insert opening, and a locking knob coupled to the drain body, the locking knob including a stem extending through the side opening in the drain body into the insert opening. The method includes uncoupling the locking knob from the from the drain body thereby removing the stem from the insert opening, and moving the drain insert out of the passage to allow access to a drain of the aircraft.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the following description and annexed drawings set forth certain illustrative aspects and implementations. These are indicative of but a few of the various ways in which one or more aspects may be employed. Other aspects, advantages and novel features of the disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the annexed drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

What is disclosed herein may take physical form in certain parts and arrangement of parts, and will be described in detail in this specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a sink, faucet and drain assembly.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the sink and drain assembly showing a drain insert in a first position.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the drain assembly.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the drain assembly showing a locking knob removed.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the sink and drain assembly showing the drain insert and locking knob removed.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the sink and drain assembly showing the drain insert in a second position.

FIG. 7 is a partial cross-sectional view of the sink and drain assembly showing the drain assembly in a closed position.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the sink and drain assembly showing the drain assembly in an open position.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of another sink and drain assembly.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the sink and drain assembly showing a drain insert in a second position.

FIG. 11 is another cross-sectional view of the sink and drain assembly showing the drain insert in the second position.

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the sink and drain assembly showing the drain insert in a first position.

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of the sink and drain assembly showing a locking knob removed.

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view of the sink and drain assembly showing the drain insert and locking knob removed.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of another exemplary drain assembly.

FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view of the drain assembly showing a drain insert in a second position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The claimed subject matter is now described with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are generally used to refer to like elements throughout. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the claimed subject matter. It may be evident, however, that the claimed subject matter may be practiced without these specific details.

The principles of the present application relate to a drain kit for a faucet for an aircraft, and thus will be described below in this context. It will be appreciated that the principles of the application may be applicable to other faucets, such as in commercial buildings, restaurants, homes, etc.

Turning initially to FIG. 1, a sink 10 is shown with a faucet 12 and drain assembly 14. The faucet 12 may be a suitable faucet, such as a touchless faucet that includes a lift rod 16 for opening/closing the drain assembly 14. The sink may be mounted in an aircraft lavatory, for example.

Turning additionally to FIG. 2, the drain assembly 14 is shown in its normally closed position. The drain assembly 14 includes an actuator rod 32, a connection assembly 34 connecting the lift rod 16 to the actuator rod 32, a pivoting assembly 36, which may include a flexible member, through which the actuator rod 32 extends and pivots about, and a valve 38, such as a ball valve, coupled to the actuator rod 32.

The drain assembly 14 also includes a drain body 40 positioned below an opening 54 in the sink 10, a drain flange 42 abutting the sink 10 and extending through the opening 54 in the sink 10 into the drain body 40, one or more seals 44 for sealing the drain body 40 to the sink 10, a drain insert 46 movable relative to the drain body 40, and a locking knob 48 coupled to the drain body 40. The locking knob 48 may include a head 50 and a stem 52 extending from the head 50. The head 50 and stem 52 may be integrally formed or may be coupled together in a suitable manner. The head 50 may have a surface providing grip for a user, such as a knurled surface, and a portion of the stem 52 may include threads for coupling to the drain body 40. The locking knob 48 may be sealed to the drain body 40 in a suitable manner, such as by seal 56. The locking knob 48 prevents a user from readily removing the drain insert 46 and putting debris, such as paper towels, coffee grounds, etc. into the drain, thereby preventing clogged drains and/or sinks.

Referring now to the drain body 40 in detail, the drain body 40 has a first body portion 60 with an upper opening 62, a lower opening 64, a first passage 66 extending between the upper and lower openings 62 and 64, and a first side opening 68 opening to the first passage 66. The locking knob 48 is configured to be received in the first side opening 68 and coupled to the drain body 40 in a suitable manner, such as via a threaded connection. It will be appreciated, however, that the locking knob 48 may be coupled to the drain body 40 in any suitable manner, such as a friction fit.

The drain body 40 also includes a second body portion 70 perpendicular to the first body portion 60. The second body portion 70 has a second side opening 72 and a second passage 74 extending perpendicular to the first passage 66 from the second side opening 72 and opening to the first passage 66. The pivoting assembly 36 is coupled to the second body portion 70 and the actuator rod 32 extends through the pivoting assembly 36, the second side opening 72, and the second passage 74 into the first passage 66 such that the valve 38 may seal against the first body portion 60 in the first passage 66 to prevent flow through the drain body 40. In an implementation, a suitable seal, such as seal 58 (FIG. 4) may be provided around the valve 38 to assist in sealing the valve 38 to the first body portion 60. The pivoting assembly 36 may include a flexible member 100 through which the actuator rod 32 extends, a ring 102 around a portion of the flexible member 100, a suitable seal 104 abutting the flexible member 100, and a cap 106 coupled to the second body portion 70 to hold the seal 104 and flexible member 100 in position. The cap 106 may be coupled to the second body portion 70 in a suitable manner, such as by a threaded connection.

Referring additional to FIGS. 3-7, the drain insert 46 is movable between a first or minimum position shown in FIG. 2, and a second or maximum position shown in FIG. 6. The drain insert 46 includes a body 80 having an upper opening 82, a lower opening 84, a passage 86 extending therebetween for fluid and small particles/objects to pass through, a plurality of drain openings 88, a circumferential groove 90, an insert opening 92, and a cutout 94 opening to a bottom of the body 80 for receiving the actuator rod 32.

The plurality of drain openings 88 may include a plurality of circumferentially spaced openings, such as a plurality of rows of openings near a top of the body 80 to allow liquid and small particles/objects to flow into the passage 86. The circumferential groove 90 may be provided on an outer surface of the body 80 for receiving a seal 96, such as an O-ring for sealing against the drain flange 42. The insert opening 92 extends through a side of the body 80 into the passage 86 and is configured to receive the stem 52 of the locking knob 48. The insert opening 92 may be any suitable shape, such as a elongate opening elongated along a length of the drain insert 46. The bottom of the opening 92 serves as a stop to prevent removal of the drain insert 46 without first removing the locking knob 48 and serves to limit movement of the drain insert 46 between the first and second positions. The drain insert 46 is movable between the first position shown in FIG. 2 where the stem 52 is at or near the top of the opening 92, and the second position shown in FIG. 6 where the stem 52 is at or near the bottom of the opening 92 to allow for cleaning. The cutout 94 extends through a side of the body 80 into the passage 86 and opens to the bottom of the body 80 to allow the drain insert 46 to be moved between the first and second positions without interfering with the actuator rod 32. In an implementation, the cutout 94 extends from the bottom of the body 80 to an area above the top of the opening 92, and extends through a side of the body opposite the side of the opening 92.

The drain insert 46 also includes a flanged portion 98 coupled to a top of the body 80 closing the upper opening 82. The flanged portion 98 may have any suitable shape and size depending on the desired aesthetics and fitment. The flanged portion 98 is configured to be positioned in the sink 10, and may be grasped by a user to raise and lower the drain insert 46, moving it between the first and second positions, to allow the user to clear debris from the sink 10. The flanged portion 98 may be coupled to the body 80 in any suitable manner, such as by a threaded connection, fastener, etc., although it will be appreciated that the flanged portion 98 may be integrally formed with the body 80 or permanently secured thereto.

The drain assembly 14 may be biased in the closed position shown in FIG. 7 and movable to the open position shown in FIG. 8 thereby eliminating noises resulting from drains connected to a drain mast in an open state.

Turning now to FIGS. 9-14, an exemplary embodiment of the drain assembly is shown at 114. The drain assembly 114 is substantially the same as the above-referenced drain assembly 14, and consequently the same reference numerals but indexed by 100 are used to denote structures corresponding to similar structures in the drain assemblies. In addition, the foregoing description of the drain assembly 14 is equally applicable to the drain assembly 114 except as noted below.

The drain assembly 114, which is in an opened position, includes a drain body 140 positioned below an opening in a sink 110, a drain flange 142 abutting the sink 110 and extending through the opening in the sink 110 into the drain body 140, one or more seals 144 for sealing the drain body 140 to the sink 110, a drain insert 146 movable relative to the drain body 140, a locking knob 148 coupled to the drain body 140, and a plug 154.

The locking knob 148 may include a head 150 and a stem 152 extending from the head 150. The head 150 and stem 152 of the locking knob 148 may be integrally formed or may be coupled together in a suitable manner. The head 150 may have a surface providing grip for a user, such as a knurled surface, and a portion of the stem 152 may include threads for coupling to the drain body 140. The locking knob 148 may be sealed to the drain body 140 in a suitable manner, such as by seal 200. The locking knob 148 prevents a user from readily removing the drain insert 146 and putting debris, such as paper towels, coffee grounds, etc. into the drain, thereby preventing clogged drains and/or sinks.

Similarly, the plug 154 may include a head 156 and a stem 158 extending from the head 156 and including threads for coupling to the drain body 140. The head 156 and stem 158 of the plug 154 may be integrally formed or may be coupled together in a suitable manner. The head 150 may have a surface providing grip for a user, such as a knurled surface or include a plurality of indents, and a portion of the stem 152 may include threads for coupling to the drain body 140. The plug 154 may be sealed to the drain body 140 in a suitable manner, such as by seal 202.

Referring now to the drain body 140 in detail, the drain body 140 has an upper opening 162, a lower opening 164, a passage 166 extending between the upper and lower openings 162 and 164, a first side opening 168 opening to the passage 166, and a second side opening 172 opening to the passage 166 opposite the first side opening 168. The drain body 140 has a symmetrical configuration allowing the drain body 140 to be installed in any suitable orientation allowing for ease of access to the locking knob 148. The locking knob 148 is configured to be received in the first side opening 168 and coupled to the drain body 140 in a suitable manner, such as via a threaded connection. Similarly, the plug 154 is configured to be received in the second side opening 172 and coupled to the drain body 140 in a suitable manner, such as via a threaded connection. Alternatively, the knob 148 may be coupled to the second side opening 172 and the plug 154 coupled to the first side opening 168. It will be appreciated that the locking knob 148 and plug 154 may be coupled to the drain body 140 in any suitable manner, such as a friction fit.

The drain insert 146 is movable between a first or minimum position shown in FIG. 12, and a second or maximum position shown in FIG. 10. The drain insert 146 includes a body 180 having an upper opening 182, a lower opening 184, a passage 186 extending therebetween for fluid and small particles/objects to pass through, a plurality of drain openings 188, a circumferential groove 190, and an insert opening 192. The plurality of openings 188 may include a plurality of circumferentially spaced openings, such as a plurality of rows of openings near a top of the body 180 to allow liquid and small particles/objects to flow into the passage 186. The circumferential groove 190 may be provided on an outer surface of the body 180 for receiving a seal 196, such as an O-ring for sealing against the drain flange 142. The insert opening 192 extends through a side of the body 180 into the passage 186 and is configured to receive the stem 152 of the locking knob 148. The bottom of the opening 192 serves as a stop to prevent removal of the drain insert 146 without first removing the locking knob 148 and to limit movement of the drain insert 146 between the first and second positions. The drain insert 146 is movable between the first position where the stem 152 is at or near a top of the opening 192, and a second position where the stem 152 is at or near a bottom of the opening 192.

The drain insert 146 also includes a flanged portion 198 coupled to a top of the body 180 closing the upper opening 182. The flanged portion 198 is configured to be positioned in the sink 110, and may be grasped by a user to raise and lower the drain insert 146, moving it between the first and second positions, to allow the user to clear debris from the sink 110. The flanged portion 198 may be coupled to the body 180 in any suitable manner, such as by a threaded connection, fastener, etc., although it will be appreciated that the flanged portion 198 may be integrally formed with the body 180 or permanently secured thereto.

Turning now to FIGS. 15 and 16, an exemplary embodiment of the drain assembly is shown at 214. The drain assembly 214 is substantially the same as the above-referenced drain assembly 114, and consequently the same reference numerals but indexed by 100 are used to denote structures corresponding to similar structures in the drain assemblies. In addition, the foregoing description of the drain assembly 114 is equally applicable to the drain assembly 214 except as noted below.

The drain assembly 214, which may be in a normally opened position, includes a drain body 240, a drain flange 242, one or more seals 244 for sealing the drain body 240 to the sink, a drain insert 246 movable relative to the drain body 240, a locking knob 248 coupled to the drain body 240, and a plug 254.

Referring now to the drain body 240 in detail, the drain body 240 has an upper opening 262, a lower opening 264, a passage 266 extending between the upper and lower openings 262 and 264, a first side opening 268 opening to the passage 266, and a second side opening 272 opening to the passage 266 opposite the first side opening 268. The locking knob 248 is configured to be received in the second side opening 272 and the plug 254 is configured to be received in the first side opening 268. The position of the locking knob 248 and plug 254 are shown in opposite side openings as in FIG. 9.

The drain insert 246 includes a body 280 having an upper opening 282, a lower opening 284, a passage 286 extending therebetween for fluid and small particles/objects to pass through, a plurality of drain openings 288, a circumferential groove 290, and an insert opening 292. The drain insert 246 also includes a flanged portion 298 coupled to a top of the body 280 closing the upper opening 282.

The word “exemplary” is used herein to mean serving as an example, instance or illustration. Any aspect or design described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as advantageous over other aspects or designs. Rather, use of the word exemplary is intended to present concepts in a concrete fashion. As used in this application, the term “or” is intended to mean an inclusive “or” rather than an exclusive “or.” That is, unless specified otherwise, or clear from context, “X employs A or B” is intended to mean any of the natural inclusive permutations. That is, if X employs A; X employs B; or X employs both A and B, then “X employs A or B” is satisfied under any of the foregoing instances. Further, at least one of A and B and/or the like generally means A or B or both A and B. In addition, the articles “a” and “an” as used in this application and the appended claims may generally be construed to mean “one or more” unless specified otherwise or clear from context to be directed to a singular form.

Although the subject matter has been described in language specific to structural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts described above. Rather, the specific features and acts described above are disclosed as example forms of implementing the claims. Of course, those skilled in the art will recognize many modifications may be made to this configuration without departing from the scope or spirit of the claimed subject matter.

Also, although the disclosure has been shown and described with respect to one or more implementations, equivalent alterations and modifications will occur to others skilled in the art based upon a reading and understanding of this specification and the annexed drawings. The disclosure includes all such modifications and alterations and is limited only by the scope of the following claims. In particular regard to the various functions performed by the above described components (e.g., elements, resources, etc.), the terms used to describe such components are intended to correspond, unless otherwise indicated, to any component which performs the specified function of the described component (e.g., that is functionally equivalent), even though not structurally equivalent to the disclosed structure which performs the function in the herein illustrated exemplary implementations of the disclosure.

In addition, while a particular feature of the disclosure may have been disclosed with respect to only one of several implementations, such feature may be combined with one or more other features of the other implementations as may be desired and advantageous for any given or particular application. Furthermore, to the extent that the terms “includes,” “having,” “has,” “with,” or variants thereof are used in either the detailed description or the claims, such terms are intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising.”

The implementations have been described, hereinabove. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the above methods and apparatuses may incorporate changes and modifications without departing from the general scope of this invention. It is intended to include all such modifications and alterations in so far as they come within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof.