Bathtub Liner Overflow Gasket

Abstract

An overflow gasket for a bathtub and a bathtub liner is disclosed. The bathtub and the bathtub liner are each of the type having an overflow drain in liquid communication with a substantially vertical overflow drain pipe. The gasket of the invention comprises a generally annular, hollow tube defined by a wall. The hollow tube further includes a first end and a second end which each terminate in a circular opening, the first end including a radially-extending circular lip. A longitudinal axis of the tube forms a downward-oriented arc. A circular bracket is included that has a front side, a rear side, and at least one peripheral edge. The rear side is fixed against and substantially overlaps a front side of the lip of the first end of the tube. A circular aperture is formed therein and is generally coaxially aligned with the longitudinal axis of the first end of the tube. A cross-beam is formed across a diameter of the circular aperture and includes a threaded screw aperture for accepting a mounting screw of a cover plate. With the tube inserted through the apertures of the bathtub liner and the bathtub, a rear side of the circular lip may be fixed against the bathtub liner to form a water-tight seal. Mechanical fasteners secure the bracket and hollow tube to the liner and tub. As such, water entering the first end of the tube is conveyed by gravity directly into the overflow drain pipe.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to bathtubs, and more particularly to an improved gasket for a bathtub liner.

DISCUSSION OF RELATED ART

Bathtub liners are frequently used in bathroom remodeling projects to cover worn or visibly deteriorating or damaged bathtub surfaces. Typically such a liner is a plastic, one-piece part that is placed inside the tub. As such, both the primary drain and the overflow drain must be connected through the liner and tub in such a way that water will not become trapped between the liner and the tub.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,272,699 to Peterson on Aug. 14, 2001, teaches a device for connecting the overflow drain to a substantially vertical overflow drain pipe in a water-tight fashion. This type of device includes a hollow rubber gasket having a throat member which extends from the liner, through a tub wall, and into the drain pipe.

Such a device, however, has several drawbacks. Namely, when installing such a device with a smaller than normal diameter overflow pipe, or an overflow pipe located within short proximity of the side of the bathtub, the drain end of such a device may become pressed-up against a back wall of the overflow pipe and effectively seal-off the overflow drain. Further, in some installations where the drain pipe is located relatively far from the side of the tub, the person installing such a device finds it difficult to know if the far end of the device is far enough into the drain pipe to ensure any water draining therethrough will make it to the drain pipe. Thus, such a device provides little feedback to the installer regarding the proper installation thereof.

Therefore, there is a need for an overflow gasket that, when not installed correctly, provides clear feedback to the installer that a different size gasket may be required. Such a needed device would be easy to install and relatively inexpensive. The present invention accomplishes these objectives.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present device is an overflow gasket for a bathtub and a bathtub liner. The bathtub and the bathtub liner are each of the type having an overflow drain in liquid communication with a substantially vertical overflow drain pipe. The gasket of the invention comprises a generally annular, hollow tube defined by a wall. The hollow tube further includes a first end and a second end which each terminate in a circular opening, the first end including a radially-extending circular lip. A longitudinal axis of the tube forms a downward-oriented arc. Preferably the lip further includes at least two mounting apertures therein each for fixing the gasket to the bathtub liner with a mechanical fastener.

A circular bracket is included that has a front side, a rear side, and at least one peripheral edge. The rear side is fixed against and substantially overlaps a front side of the lip of the first end of the tube. A circular aperture is formed therein and is generally coaxially aligned with the longitudinal axis of the first end of the tube. A cross-beam is formed across a diameter of the circular aperture and includes a threaded screw aperture for accepting a mounting screw of a cover plate.

In use, with the tube inserted through the aperture of the bathtub liner and the aperture of the bathtub, a rear side of the circular lip may be fixed against the bathtub liner to form a water-tight seal. Mechanical fasteners secure the bracket and hollow tube to the liner and tub. As such, water entering the first end of the tube is conveyed by gravity away from an interface between the bathtub and the bathtub liner and directed into the overflow drain pipe.

The present invention is an overflow gasket that, when not installed correctly, provides clear feedback to the installer that a different size gasket may be required, since when installed correctly the lip lies flat against the surface of the liner and the second end of the hollow tube projects down into the overflow pipe without making contact therewith. The present device is also easy to install and relatively inexpensive to manufacture. Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a right-side elevational view of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a rear elevational view of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of a circular bracket of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the invention as installed in a bathtub having a bathtub liner, taken generally along lines 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the invention, taken across lines 5-5 of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of an alternate embodiment of the invention, taken across lines 4-4 of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The present invention is an overflow gasket 10 for a bathtub 20 and a bathtub liner 30. The bathtub 20 and the bathtub liner 30 are each of the type having an overflow drain 25,35, respectively, on a substantially vertical wall 28,38, respectively, thereof. Each overflow drain aperture 25,35 is in liquid communication with a substantially vertical overflow drain pipe 40. Typically in such installations the bathtub liner 30 is set inside the bathtub 20 such that the apertures 25,35 become substantially co-axially aligned (FIGS. 4 and 6).

The gasket 10 of the invention comprises a generally annular, hollow tube 50 defined by a wall 60, preferably made from a PVC material, or the like, having a durometer hardness of between 40 and 80. The hollow tube 50 further includes a first end 52 and a second end 54 (FIG. 1). The first end 52 terminates in a generally vertical, circular opening 70, and includes a radially-extending circular lip 80. The second end 54 terminates in a circular opening 90 (FIG. 2). A longitudinal axis of the tube 50 forms a downward-oriented arc 100 (FIG. 1).

A circular bracket 140 may be included and is preferably made of chrome or other rust-resistant metal or rigid plastic material. The bracket 140 has a front side 142, a rear side 144, and at least one peripheral edge 145 (FIGS. 3 and 4). The rear side 144 is fixed against and substantially overlaps a front side 86 of the lip 80 of the first end 52 of the tube 50. A circular aperture 150 is formed therein and is generally coaxially aligned with the longitudinal axis 100 of the first end 52 of the tube 50. A cross-beam 160 is formed across a diameter of the circular aperture 150. The cross-beam 160 includes a threaded screw aperture 170 for accepting a mounting screw 180 of a cover plate 190 (FIGS. 4, 5 and 6). The bracket 140 and cross-beam 160 are preferentially stamped from a sheet metal material, or injection molded, and preferably the bracket 140 is slightly concave in shape such that when tightened onto the bathtub 20 the bracket 140 assumes a substantially flat orientation (as shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6). As such the bracket 140 presses the lip 80 against the liner 30 to aid in creating a water tight seal 110.

Preferably the lip 80 further includes at least two mounting apertures 200 therein each for fixing the gasket 10 to the bathtub liner 30 with a mechanical fastener 210 (FIGS. 3 and 5). The mechanical fastener 210 is preferably a threaded screw 210, as shown, but may be any other suitable mechanical fastening means.

The hollow tube 50 may further include at least one air vent hole 220 in a top portion 56 thereof (FIG. 4). Further, an indicia 230, such as an upwardly-pointing arrow, may be included on the front side 86 of the lip 80 for indicating an upward direction opposite the downward-oriented arc 100 of the tube. Preferably the thickness d₁ of the wall 60 of the tube 50 is between 0.020 and 0.040 inches, and the thickness d₂ of the lip 80 is between 0.100 and 0.150 inches, although, clearly, any suitable thickness d₁, d₂ may be used as needed for particular bathtub 20 installations (FIG. 1). Further, a spout 240 may be included in a bottom portion 58 of the second end 54 of the tube 50 (FIG. 6), a bottom-most portion 250 of the second end 54 being preferably lower than a bottom-most portion 260 of each aperture 25,35 of the bathtub 20 and the bathtub liner 30, respectively.

In use, with the tube 50 inserted through the aperture 35 of the bathtub liner 30 and the aperture 25 of the bathtub 20, a rear side 84 of the circular lip may be fixed against the bathtub liner 30 to form the water-tight seal 110. Mechanical fasteners 210 secure the bracket 140 and hollow tube 50 to the liner 30 and tub 20, as illustrated in FIG. 5. As such, water 120 entering the first end 52 of the tube is conveyed by gravity away from an interface 130 between the bathtub 20 and the bathtub liner 30 and directed into the overflow drain pipe 40 (FIG. 4).

While a particular form of the invention has been illustrated and described, it will be apparent that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is not intended that the invention be limited, except as by the appended claims.

Claims

1. An overflow gasket for a bathtub and a bathtub liner, each of the type having an overflow drain aperture on a substantially vertical wall thereof for connecting to a substantially vertical overflow drain pipe, the gasket comprising a generally annular, hollow tube defined by a wall, the tube having a first end and a second end, the first end terminating in a generally vertical, circular opening and including a radially-extending circular lip, the second end terminating in a circular opening, a longitudinal axis of the tube forming a downward-oriented arc; whereby with the tube inserted through the aperture of the bathtub liner and the aperture of the bathtub, a rear side of the circular lip may be fixed against the bathtub liner to form a water-tight seal, water entering the first end of the tube being conveyed by gravity away from an interface between the bathtub and the bathtub liner and directly into the overflow drain pipe.

2. The overflow gasket of claim 1 further including a generally circular bracket having a front side, a rear side, and at least one peripheral edge, the rear side fixed against and substantially overlapping a front side of the lip of the first end of the tube, a circular aperture formed therein and coaxially aligned with the longitudinal axis of the first end of the tube, a cross-beam formed across a diameter of the circular aperture, the cross-beam having a threaded screw aperture for accepting a mounting screw of a cover plate.

3. The overflow gasket of claim 1 wherein the lip further includes at least two mounting apertures therein, each for fixing the gasket to the bathtub liner with a mechanical fastener.

4. The overflow gasket of claim 3 wherein the mechanical fastener is a screw.

5. The overflow gasket of claim 1 wherein a top portion of the tube includes at least one air vent hole.

6. The overflow gasket of claim 1 wherein the lip further includes an indicia on a front side thereof for indicating an upward direction opposite the downward-oriented arc of the tube.

7. The overflow gasket of claim 1 wherein a thickness of the wall of the tube is between 0.020 and 0.040 inches.

8. The overflow gasket of claim 1 wherein a thickness of the lip is between 0.100 and 0.150 inches.

9. The overflow gasket of claim 1 wherein the tube is formed from a PVC material having a durometer hardness of between 40 and 80.

10. The overflow gasket of claim 1 wherein the second end includes a spout in a bottom portion thereof.

11. The overflow gasket of claim 1 wherein a bottom-most portion of the second end is lower than a bottom-most portion of each aperture of the bathtub and the bathtub liner.