Single-use sink strainer

Abstract

A disposable strainer for drain holes such as in sinks, bathtubs and floor drain holes. The strainer is relatively thin and has wide edges relative to currently existing strainers. The strainer includes a perforated, concave middle part. The middle part of the strainer is attached to the strainer's edges by means of a circumferential rim that can be stretched and enables to pull the middle part downwards to create a concavity into which the waste accumulates. The strainer is made from a flexible material, which can be folded and which adheres to the sink or floor upon contact with water, such as aluminum foil, pergament paper or regular paper.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention refers to a disposable strainer designed for use in sinks, bathtubs, drain holes and so on.

BACKGROUND ART

It is nowadays customary to cover the drain holes of sinks with strainers that are usually made of metal or plastic and are designed to prevent masses of waste from entering the plumbing system. It is customary to collect the waste on the strainer, remove the strainer from the drain hole, empty the waste into the garbage can and replace the strainer over the sink's drain hole.

The user's need to collect the waste from the bottom of the sink, pile it up on the strainer, remove the strainer, empty the waste into the garbage can, and clean the strainer from pieces of scummy waste that often stick to it, is unpleasant, to say the least, and constitutes a problem for the general public. The present invention offers an appropriate, efficient and inexpensive solution to this problem.

THE INVENTION

The present invention refers to a disposable strainer (1) designed for use in sinks, bathtubs, drain holes and so on. For the sake of convenience and fluency, the following explanation refers to sink strainers, although the invention encompasses and refers also to strainers designed to be used in bathtubs, drain holes and so on.

The strainer (1), subject of the present invention, can be round or any other shape, for instance, elliptical, square, triangular and so on. The specific shape of the strainer fits the common kinds of sinks used in relevant locations. It is desirable that the overall diameter of the strainer (1) be wider than the diameter of standard strainers commonly in use today. In such a way, more waste can be collected on the strainer (1) in an easy and efficient manner.

The middle part (2) of the strainer has perforations (21). The middle part (2) of the strainer (1) is designed to be placed on or over the sink's drain hole. The strainer (1) enables water to flow through the perforations (21) into the drain, whereas the waste is stopped and accumulated on the strainer (1), as in the case of a standard strainer. The middle part (2) of the strainer is generally fitted to the drain holes of sinks. The middle part of the filter may be round (although the invention applies also to any other shape), and of a size (diameter) that matches the diameter of the sink's drain hole. The diameter of the middle part (2) of the strainer should be slightly smaller than the diameter of the drain hole so as to enable the strainer (1) to be quickly and easily placed over the drain hole.

The middle part (2) of the strainer (1) can be flat and flush with the rest of the strainer (1). Nevertheless, the most preferable and efficient design includes a concave middle part (2), as depicted in the drawings attached to the application, so as to enable the waste to accumulate in the concavity of the middle part (2) of the strainer. The strainer (1) is depicted, for instance, in Drawings Nos. 1-3.

The middle part (2) of the strainer can be pulled downward so as to create the concavity that fits over the sink's drain hole and into which the waste accumulates. In order to enable convenient and easy marketing, sale and storage of the strainers, they may be supplied in almost flat condition, as depicted in Drawing No. 4. The strainer (1) comprises, as mentioned, a middle part (2) that extends downward and creates a concavity with a circumferential rim (22) as depicted in Drawing No. 5. The rim (22) around the middle part (2) is corrugated and can be stretched open or closed, like an accordion. The strainer (1) may be sold in packets that contain several dozen strainers, or more, in closed (flat) condition. Before use, one strainer is extracted from the packet, the middle part (2) is pressed downward and the rim (22) is stretched so that the strainer is concave and ready for use.

The strainer (1) may be made from any available material, although it is desirable that it be thin and made from a flexible material that can be folded quickly. The strainer (1) may be made, for instance, from aluminum foil, pergament paper, or regular paper, preferably environment friendly materials. The strainer should also be made from a material that becomes adhesive upon contact with water. In other words, after the strainer (1) is placed over the drain hole, the contact between the strainer and the wetness of the sink should cause it to adhere to the sink and cover the drain hole. The strainer (1) may be made of a material of the kind that can be printed on. Thus, the strainer (1) may serve as advertising space, particularly for detergents and so on, or be printed on for aesthetic purposes, such as a flowered print and so on.

The strainer (1), subject of the invention, is used as follows: The user places the disposable strainer over the sink's drain hole. The wetness of the sink causes the strainer (1) to adhere to the sink and prevents it from moving from its position over the drain hole. The user can collect the waste on the strainer, fold it into a kind of small garbage bag that contains the waste and throw it into the garbage can along with the waste that is in it. In this sense, the strainer (1) is disposable. The user can use an existing standard strainer on a daily basis and when there is a lot of waste or scummy waste or in any other appropriate case, the user can place the disposable strainer (1) over the sink's drain hole and solve the said problem. When the strainer (1) is used in a bathtub, the disposable strainer (1), subject of the invention, is placed over the drain hole, and thus the extremely unpleasant task of collecting up the hair that clogs the drain is avoided. When the strainer (1) is used on domestic floor drain holes (located usually in the bathroom floor), for instance when washing the floors and draining water into the said drain hole, the disposable strainer (1), subject of the invention, is placed over the said drain hole, and thus waste is prevented from entering the plumbing system, and the need to collect such waste from the wash water is avoided.

The strainer (1), subject of the present invention, constitutes an efficient and inexpensive solution to the above-mentioned problems. The strainer (1), subject of the invention, offers many advantages, including: (a) Due to the strainer's wide edges, a larger amount of waste may be accumulated on it. (b) Use of the disposable strainer avoids the need, the trouble, and the unpleasantness of emptying the waste into the garbage can and rinsing the strainer before reusing it, as in the case of the standard strainer. (c) Using the disposable strainer is convenient, efficient, and more hygienic. (d) When the invention is implemented on bathtubs and floor drains holes (usually located in bathroom floors), the strainer (1), subject of the invention, constitutes an efficient way of preventing waste from entering the plumbing system.

While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The drawings attached to the application are not intended to limit the scope of the invention and the possible ways of its application. The drawings are intended only to illustrate the invention and constitute only one of many possible ways of its application.

Drawing No. 1: Overhead view of the strainer (1) including the middle part (2), which is concave and has perforations (21).

Drawing No. 2: Side view of the strainer (1) including the middle part (2), which is concave and has perforations (21).

Drawing No. 3: Perspective view of the strainer (1) including the middle part (2), which is concave and has perforations (21).

Drawing No. 4: Side view of the strainer (1) including the middle part (2), which is concave and has perforations (21), and the rim (22) around the middle part [in closed position].

Drawing No. 5: Side view of the strainer (1) including the middle part (2), which is concave and has perforations (21), and the rim (22) around the middle part [in open position].

Drawing No. 6: Perspective view of the strainer (1) including the middle part (2), which is concave and has perforations (21), and the rim (22) around the middle part [in open position].

Claims

1. A disposable strainer for use on drain holes, such as in sinks, bathtubs and floor drain holes, which comprises a middle part with perforations.

2. The strainer described in claim No. 1 whereby the strainer has wide edges of a relatively large diameter.

3. The strainer described in claim No. 1, whereby the said middle part is concave.

4. The strainer described in claim No. 3 whereby the said middle part is connected to the edges of the said strainer by means of a circumferential rim that can be stretched and enables the user to pull the said middle part downwards so as to create the said concavity.

5. The strainer mentioned in claim No. 1 whereby it is made from a thin, flexible material, that can be folded and that adheres to the sink or floor upon contact with water, such as aluminum foil, pergament paper or regular paper.

6. The strainer mentioned in claim No. 5 whereby the material the strainer is made from a material that can be printed on.

7. A relative thin, disposable strainer for drain holes such as in sinks, bathtubs, and floor drain holes, with relatively wide edges and an overall diameter that is relatively large, and which includes a perforated, concave middle part, which is connected to the said edges by means of a circumferential rim that can be stretched and enables to extend the said middle part downwards to create the said concavity. The strainer is made of a flexible material that can be folded and that adheres to the sink or floor upon contact with water, such as aluminum foil, pergament paper or regular paper.