DRAIN ADAPTOR AND METHOD FOR DIRECTING WATER FROM A HOSE

Abstract

A drain adaptor comprises a drain plate having a plurality of drainage apertures defined therethrough, with the drain plate being registrable with a floor drain in a floor. The drain plate has an upstream side and a downstream side, and at least one conduit extends from the upstream side of the drain plate. Each conduit has at least one fluid communication passage therethrough extending through the drain plate for guiding fluid through the drain plate, and the each conduit also has at least one receptacle located upstream of the drain plate for receiving the end of a hose.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/545,780 filed on Oct. 11, 2011, the teachings of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to appliances that discharge water suitable for a residential drain, and more particularly, to the disposal of water released from such appliances.

BACKGROUND

Air-conditioning units, hot water tanks and other appliances produce water as a by-product and this water, which is evacuated from these units, needs to be disposed of For example, it is known, as seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, to use hoses 10 connected to an air-conditioning unit U for redirecting the water produced thereby into a drain 12 defined in a floor F and covered by a drain plate 14 perforated with a plurality of holes 16. The hoses 10 are disposed onto the drain plate 14 such that water flowing from ends 18 of the hoses 10 is intended to fall, by gravity, into the drain 12.

A problem associated with such an arrangement is that water often flows on the floor around the drain 12 and drain plate 14, i.e. the water does not completely fall into the drain 12.

Therefore, there is a need in the art for an improved way to dispose of water released by air-conditioning units and other appliances.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A drain adaptor comprises a drain plate having a plurality of drainage apertures defined therethrough, with the drain plate being registrable with a floor drain in a floor. The drain plate has an upstream side and a downstream side, and at least one conduit extends from the upstream side of the drain plate. Each conduit has at least one fluid communication passage therethrough extending through the drain plate for guiding fluid through the drain plate, and the each conduit also has at least one receptacle located upstream of the drain plate for receiving an end of a hose.

In some embodiments, the conduit further extends from the downstream side of the drain plate, and may form a drain basket extending from the downstream side of the drain plate, with the drain basket having a plurality of additional drainage apertures defined therethrough.

The conduit may comprise a tubular body, with the drain plate comprising an annular plate surrounding the tubular body and the at least one receptacle comprising an opening defined in a sidewall of the tubular body. The conduit may comprise, for example, a cylindrical tubular body or a rectangular tubular body.

Each conduit may comprise a hollow elbow extending from the upstream side of the drain plate so that an upstream end of each elbow defines a receptacle.

In one embodiment, the drain plate includes at least one conduit aperture defined therethrough and a downstream end of each elbow is releasably received in the at least one conduit aperture. In such an embodiment, a drain basket having a plurality of additional drainage apertures may extend from the downstream side of the drain plate, opposite the at least one conduit aperture. The entire drain plate may be of monolithic construction.

In another embodiment, the drain plate comprises an inner portion and an annular outer portion surrounding the inner portion, with the outer portion and the inner portion being releasably interengagable with one another. In such embodiments, the at least one conduit may comprise at least one elbow extending from an upstream side of the inner portion of the drain plate and an upstream end of each elbow may define a receptacle, and the at least one elbow and the inner portion of the drain plate may be of monolithic construction. Such embodiments may also include a drain basket extending from the downstream side of the drain plate, which drain basket may be carried by the outer portion of the drain plate. The drain basket may be of monolithic construction with the outer portion of the drain plate.

Methods for directing water from a hose into a drain covered by a drainage plate are also described.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features will become more apparent from the following description in which reference is made to the appended drawings wherein:

FIGS. 1 and 2 show an air-conditioning unit and a known arrangement for guiding water released therefrom toward a floor drain;

FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of a first exemplary embodiment of drain adaptor for directing water into a floor drain;

FIGS. 4 and 5 are top and bottom plan views, respectively, of the drain adaptor of FIG. 3;

FIGS. 6a to 6f are a series of other representations of the drain adaptor of FIG. 3 and of variants thereof;

FIG. 7 is a schematic side view of a second exemplary embodiment of a drain adaptor for directing water into a floor drain;

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the drain adaptor of FIG. 7;

FIGS. 9a to 9f are a series of other representations of the drain adaptor of FIG. 7 and of variants thereof, with FIG. 9a showing how the drain adaptor fits into a drain;

FIG. 10 is a top plan view of a third exemplary embodiment of a drain adaptor for directing water into a floor drain;

FIG. 11 is a top perspective view of a fourth exemplary embodiment of a drain adaptor for directing water into a floor drain;

FIG. 12 is a top perspective view of the drain adaptor of FIG. 11, showing an underside thereof and showing how the drain adaptor fits into a drain;

FIGS. 13 and 14 are front elevation and bottom plan views, respectively, of the drain adaptor of FIG. 11.

FIGS. 15A to 15D show, respectively, top perspective, top plan, side elevation and bottom perspective views of a fourth exemplary embodiment of a drain adaptor for directing water into a floor drain;

FIGS. 16A to 16D show, respectively, top perspective, side elevation, bottom plan and bottom perspective views of a first part of the drain adaptor of FIGS. 15A to 15D; and

FIGS. 17A to 17C show, respectively, top perspective, bottom perspective and side elevation views of a second part of the drain adaptor of FIGS. 15A to 15D.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference is now made to FIGS. 3 to 6F, which show a first exemplary embodiment of a drain adaptor 20. The drain adaptor 20 comprises a drain plate 24 having a plurality of drainage apertures 26 defined therethrough. The drain plate 24 will be placed in registration with a floor drain 12 in a floor F.

As can be seen from the flow of water droplets, the drain plate 24 has an upstream side 24A and a downstream side 24B. A conduit 22 extends from the upstream side 24A of the drain plate 24. The conduit 26 has a fluid communication passage 31 therethrough, as shown by the flow of water droplets in dashed lines, and this fluid communication passage 31 extends through the drain plate 24 for guiding fluid through the drain plate 24. The conduit 22 has a receptacle 28 located upstream of the drain plate 24 for receiving an end 18 of a hose 10.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 to 6f, the conduit 22 comprises a tubular body and the drain plate 24 comprises an annular plate surrounding the tubular body, with the receptacle 28 formed by an opening defined in a sidewall 30 of the tubular body forming the conduit 22. As can be seen in FIG. 3, the conduit 22 includes a top wall 36, a portion 34 that extends from the downstream side 24B of the drain plate 24, and a bottom wall 40 perforated with drainage holes 38. The portion 34 of the conduit 22 that extends from the downstream side 24B of the drain plate 24 and cooperates with the bottom wall 40 to form a drain basket 32

Therefore, water flowing from the hoses 10 into the drain adaptor 20 is directed downwardly in the drain 12 by the conduit 22 of the drain adaptor 20. The drainage holes 26 of the annular plate 24 can assist in directing water on the floor F (e.g. coming from sources other than the air-conditioning unit U) into the floor drain 12.

FIGS. 6c to 6e show variations 20′, 20″ in the size and in the shape of the conduit. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 to 6c, the conduit 20 is substantially cylindrical, whereas in the embodiments shown in FIGS. 6d to 6e, the conduit 20′, 20″ comprises a rectangular tubular body.

Reference is now made to FIGS. 7 to 9d, in which a second exemplary embodiment of a drain adaptor is indicated generally by reference numeral 120.

The drain adaptor 120 comprises a drain plate 124 having a plurality of drainage apertures 126 defined therethrough, and the drain plate 124 will be placed in registration with a floor drain 12 in a floor F. The drain plate 124 has an upstream side 124A and a downstream side 124B. Two conduits 122 extend from the upstream side 124A of the drain plate 24. Each conduit 122 has a fluid communication passage 131 therethrough, and this fluid communication passage 131 extends through the drain plate 124 for guiding fluid through the drain plate 124. The conduits 122 each have a receptacle 128 located upstream of the drain plate 124 for receiving an end 18 of a hose 10.

Each conduit 122 comprises a hollow elbow 123 open at both ends 123A, 123B and extending from the upstream side 124A of the drain plate 124. The receptacles 128 are formed by the upstream ends 123A of the elbows 123. The drain plate 124 includes a conduit aperture 129 defined therethrough, and the downstream end 123B of each elbow is releasably received in the conduit aperture 129. A drain basket 132 having a plurality of additional drainage apertures 138 defined therethrough extends from the downstream side 124B of the drain plate 124, opposite the conduit aperture 129. In one embodiment, the drain plate 124, including the drain basket 132, is of monolithic construction.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 7 to 9c, the conduit aperture 129 has a half-moon shape and the drain basket 132 is substantially cylindrical; as shown in FIGS. 9d to 9f, in other embodiments of a drain adaptor 120′, 120″ the conduit aperture and the drain basket may have other shapes.

FIG. 10 shows a third embodiment of a drain adaptor, which is indicated generally by reference numeral 220. The drain adaptor 220 comprises a plate 224 provided with a series of drainage apertures 226, used for allowing water on the floor F to reach the drain 12. Receptacles in the form of openings 225 are defined in the plate 224 so as to receive therein the ends 18 of the hoses 10 and 10′. The plate 224 is adapted to be laid on the floor F so as to be above the drain 12. The ends 18 of the hoses 10 and 10′ can be provided with elbows, such as elbows 123 shown for drain adaptor 120, with the free ends thereof being fitted in the openings 225.

Therefore, water flowing from the hoses 10 and 10′ into the drain adaptor 220 is directed downwardly in the drain 12 by the position of the ends 18 of the hoses 10 and 10′ within the openings 225. The drainage holes 226 of the plate 224 can assist in directing water on the floor F (e.g. coming from sources other than the air-conditioning unit U) into the floor drain 12.

FIGS. 11 to 14 show a fourth embodiment of a drain adaptor, indicated by reference numeral 320. The drain adaptor 320 comprises a drain plate 324 having a plurality of drainage apertures 326 defined therethrough, and the drain plate 324 will be placed in registration with a floor drain 12 in a floor. The drain plate 324 has an upstream side 324A and a downstream side 324B. A cylindrical conduit 322 extends from the upstream side 324A of the drain plate 324, and is only slightly smaller in diameter than the circular drain plate 324 so that the drain plate forms an annular flange around the conduit 322, with no drainage apertures in the annular flange. The conduit 322 has a fluid communication passage 331 therethrough, and this fluid communication passage 331 extends through the drain plate 324 by cooperation with the drainage apertures 326 disposed interiorly of the conduit 322. The conduit 322 has a receptacle 328 located upstream of the drain plate 324 for receiving an end 18 of a hose 10. A post 333 assists in retaining the ends 18 of the hoses 10 in the receptacle 328.

Reference is now made to FIGS. 15A to 17C, which show another embodiment of a drain adaptor, indicated generally by reference 420. Like the other drain adaptors described above, the drain adaptor 420 comprises a drain plate 424 having a plurality of drainage apertures 426 defined therethrough, and the drain plate 424 is adapted to be received in registration with a floor drain in a floor by registering with the floor drain. Two conduits 422 extend from the upstream side 424A of the drain plate 424, and each conduit 422 has a fluid communication passage 431 therethrough and extending through the drain plate 424 for guiding fluid through the drain plate 424. Each conduit 422 has a receptacle 428 located upstream of the drainage plate 424 for receiving the end of a hose.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 15A to 17C, the drain plate 424 comprises an inner portion 452 and an annular outer portion 454 surrounding the inner portion 452, with the outer portion 454 and the inner portion 452 being releasably interengagable with one another and being able to rotate relative to one another. The inner portion 452 and the outer portion 454 cooperate to from the complete drain plate 424, and the upstream surfaces 452A, 454A and downstream surfaces 452B, 454B are in registration with one another.

The conduits 422 each comprise a hollow elbow 423 open at both ends 423A, 423B and extending from the upstream side 452A of the inner portion 452 of the drain plate 424. The upstream end 423A of each elbow 423 defines one of the receptacles 428. The downstream end 423B of the elbow 423 opens on the downstream side 452B of the inner portion 452 of the drain plate 424 to complete the conduit 422. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 15A to 17C, the elbows 423 that form the conduits 422 are of monolithic construction with the inner portion 452 of the drainage plate 424.

A drain basket 432 extends from the downstream side of the drain plate 424, and has a plurality of additional drainage apertures 438 defined therethrough. The drain basket 432 is carried by the outer portion 454 of the drain plate 424, and may be of monolithic construction with the outer portion 454 of the drain plate 424.

Although the embodiments described an illustrated above have shown the drain plates as being substantially planar, drain plates used in drain adaptors as described herein may have other shapes, such as being convex relative to the drain.

Embodiments having one and two conduits have been shown and described; other embodiments may include three or more conduits. The conduits may have shapes other than the specific shapes shown and described herein, and in some embodiments a single conduit may include one or more internal dividers so as to provide multiple fluid communication passages in a single conduit. A single conduit may include multiple receptacles.

Drain adaptors such as those described above may be used to implement a method for directing water from a hose into a drain covered by a drainage plate. The method comprises coupling an end of the hose to a conduit that defines a fluid communication passage through the drainage plate for guiding fluid through the drainage plate. Another method for directing water from a hose into a drain may comprise installing a drain adaptor in registration with a floor drain in a floor, in which the drain adaptor comprises a drain plate having an upstream side and a downstream side, at least one conduit extending from the upstream side of the drain plate, the at least one conduit defining a fluid communication path through the drainage plate for guiding fluid past the downstream side of the drain plate, and the at least one conduit has at least one receptacle located upstream of the drain plate. The method further comprises coupling an end of the hose to the at least one receptacle to place the end in fluid communication with the at least one conduit.

Several exemplary embodiments have been described by way of example. It will be apparent to persons skilled in the art that a number of variations and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A drain adaptor, comprising:

a drain plate having a plurality of drainage apertures defined therethrough;

the drain plate registrable with a floor drain in a floor;

the drain plate having an upstream side and a downstream side;

at least one conduit extending from the upstream side of the drain plate;

the at least one conduit having at least one fluid communication passage therethrough, the at least one fluid communication passage extending through the drain plate for guiding fluid through the drain plate; and

the at least one conduit having at least one receptacle located upstream of the drain plate for receiving an end of a hose.

2. The drain adaptor of claim 1, wherein the at least one conduit further extends from the downstream side of the drain plate.

3. The drain adaptor of claim 2, wherein the conduit further extends from the downstream side of the drain plate to form a drain basket extending from the downstream side of the drain plate, the drain basket having a plurality of additional drainage apertures defined therethrough.

4. The drain adaptor of claim 2, wherein:

the at least one conduit comprises a single tubular body;

the drain plate comprises an annular plate surrounding the tubular body; and

the at least one receptacle comprises an opening defined in a sidewall of the tubular body.

5. The drain adaptor of claim 4, wherein the conduit comprises a cylindrical tubular body.

6. The drain adaptor of claim 4, wherein the conduit comprises a rectangular tubular body.

7. The drain adaptor of claim 1, wherein the at least one conduit comprises at least one hollow elbow extending from the upstream side of the drain plate and an upstream end of each elbow defines one of the at least one receptacle.

8. The drain adaptor of claim 7, wherein:

the drain plate includes at least one conduit aperture defined therethrough; and

a downstream end of each elbow is releasably received in the at least one conduit aperture.

9. The drain adaptor of claim 8, wherein:

a drain basket extends from the downstream side of the drain plate, opposite the at least one conduit aperture;

the drain basket having a plurality of additional drainage apertures defined therethrough.

10. The drain adaptor of claim 1, wherein the drain plate is of monolithic construction.

11. The drain adaptor of claim 1, wherein:

the drain plate comprises an inner portion and an annular outer portion surrounding the inner portion;

the outer portion and the inner portion being releasably interengagable with one another.

12. The drain adaptor of claim 11, wherein:

the at least one conduit comprises at least one hollow elbow extending from an upstream side of the inner portion of the drain plate and an upstream end of each elbow defines one of the at least one receptacle.

13. The drain adaptor of claim 12, wherein the at least one elbow and the inner portion of the drain plate are of monolithic construction.

14. The drain adaptor of claim 13, wherein:

a drain basket extends from the downstream side of the drain plate; and

the drain basket has a plurality of additional drainage apertures defined therethrough.

15. The drain adaptor of claim 13, wherein the drain basket is carried by the outer portion of the drain plate.

16. The drain adaptor of claim 14, wherein the drain basket is of monolithic construction with the outer portion of the drain plate.

17. A method for directing water from a hose into a drain covered by a drainage plate, comprising:

coupling an end of the hose to a conduit that defines a fluid communication passage through the drainage plate for guiding fluid through the drainage plate.

18. A method for directing water from a hose into a drain, comprising:

installing a drain adaptor in registration with a floor drain in a floor;

wherein the drain adaptor comprises: a drain plate having an upstream side and a downstream side; at least one conduit extending from the upstream side of the drain plate; the at least one conduit defining a fluid communication path through the drainage plate for guiding fluid past the downstream side of the drain plate; and the at least one conduit having at least one receptacle located upstream of the drain plate; and

coupling an end of the hose to the at least one receptacle to place the end of the hose in fluid communication with the at least one conduit.