DOUBLE-WALLED BASKET WITH PERMANENT STRAINING DEVICE

Abstract

The invention claimed is a double walled basket strainer with permanent straining device.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/805,743, filed on Mar. 27, 2013 and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/219,870, filed on Mar. 19, 2014, which are both incorporated by reference in its entirety herein for all purposes.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND

Metal kitchen drain lines are subject to accelerated deterioration and clogging because the drain lines are exposed to acids, oils, fats, food materials, and mineral deposits. Larger food materials can cause drain lines to become clogged, and mineral deposits and other reactive materials can cause drain lines to corrode. Although transitioning from metal pipes to plastic pipes or ABS pipes has resolved many issues related to corroding and collection of mineral deposits, like metal pipes, ABS pipes still clog due to the passage of food and other particles that move through drain lines.

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of a prior art kitchen sink, drain, and drainage line. Generally, kitchen sinks define a hole 17 which accepts a sink drain attachment. The sink drain attachment comprises a strainer 10, sometimes referred to as a basket strainer or drain body, which has a flange 11 that extends over the edge of the hole in the kitchen sink basin 2. The strainer 10 includes a much-reduced diameter threaded portion 12 for connection to a strainer nut 14 or other attachment means to the drainage piping 16. The strainer 10 may include a removable basket or a garbage disposal adapter.

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic illustration of a typical double basin kitchen sink where the strainer 10 is attached to at least one basin 2a and a drainage piping 16; the other basin 2b has a garbage disposal 4 connected thereto. It will be appreciated that the components and drainage connection systems illustrated in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 are exemplary.

Typically, the kitchen sink hole 17 is 3.5 inches in diameter. Referring to FIGS. 1, and 2, since the strainer 10 emerges into a much-reduced diameter threaded portion 12, the area of the strainer orifice is much smaller than the area of the strainer 10.

Because of the relatively small surface area available for debris retention within the strainer 10 and the requirement for threaded portion 12 to terminate at a 90-degree angle with the strainer 10, it is difficult to remove certain types of debris from the bottom of the strainer 10. Some existing strainers 10 may allow larger debris to pass through to older, corroded, or clogged drain lines. This larger debris may exacerbate damage to existing drain lines or create damage.

To overcome these problems removable strainers have been employed; such strainers or baskets are removably inserted into the top of the drain body 10, and then removed and emptied as needed. However, these removable strainers also present drawbacks.

Removable strainers do not provide a large strainer orifice. Additionally, the user of the kitchen sink will need to remember to insert the removable strainer before using the sink. Removable strainers are often stored on the side of a sink becoming an eyesore and can easily be misplaced. Moreover, many removable strainers are made from low quality material, such as plastic or rubber, or a very fine mesh material which may break down over time.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

An object of this invention is to provide a double-walled strainer that provides additional apertures or a larger straining area for draining. Another object is to provide a doubled wall strainer where debris is easily removable. Another object is to provide a double-walled strainer that prevents larger particles from entering drain pipes. Another object is to provide a double-walled strainer with a permanently affixed straining device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed descriptions of the preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings of which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective, cut-away view of a prior art, kitchen sink, drain, and drainage line;

FIG. 2 is a perspective, cut-away view of a prior art, double kitchen sink, drain, drainage line, and garbage disposal;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the inventive sink strainer;

FIG. 4 is a perspective, cross sectional view taken from A-A in FIG. 3 of inventive sink strainer;

FIG. 5 is a detailed view of section B in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an exploded, perspective view of an embodiment of the inventive sink strainer;

FIG. 7 is an exploded, perspective, cross sectional view taken from C-C in FIG. 6 of the inventive sink strainer;

FIG. 8 is a perspective, environmental view of an embodiment of the inventive sink strainer;

FIG. 9 is a perspective, environmental, cross sectional view taken from D-D in FIG. 8 of the inventive sink strainer.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Pursuant to the patent laws of the United States, this detailed description discusses various illustrative embodiments of a double-walled sink strainer 100. These illustrative embodiments are provided, as required by law, in order to give persons having ordinary skill in the art a full, clear, and concise description of the invention defined by the claims, and to enable such a person to appreciate and understand how to make and use, not only the described illustrative embodiments of the present double-walled strainer 100, but various other embodiments that fall within the conceptual scope of present double-walled strainer 100, despite those various other embodiments not being explicitly described herein.

Neither this detailed description, nor the accompanying drawings, act to define or otherwise limit the inventive subject matter to which the inventors and/or the inventors' assignee(s) claim exclusive rights; that is the exclusive role of the claims which follow. Accordingly, this description should not be read to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter, nor imply any preference of the described embodiments over any other embodiment, unless such a limitation or preference is explicitly identified herein. For example, although the illustrative embodiments focus on a double-walled strainer 100 which is used within a kitchen sink, the inventive methods and systems defined by the claims are not so limited.

Referring to FIGS. 3-7, the double-walled sink strainer (“Strainer”) 100 is comprised of a strainer screen 101, a flange clamp 102, and a strainer body 103 having a threaded portion 104 for connection to a strainer nut 14, or other attachment means, for attachment to the drainage piping 16. Although the drawings herein depict a generally hemispherical-shaped strainer body, the strainer body 103 can be any shape.

According to embodiment, the strainer screen 101 is a basket. According to an embodiment, the strainer screen is a basket having a substantially vertical wall 101b. According to an embodiment, the strainer screen 101 is a basket having a substantially vertical wall 101b and a substantially horizontal base 101c. According to an embodiment, the strainer screen 101 is a basket that extends into and forms a strainer screen flange 101a.

According to an embodiment, the strainer screen 101 is a mesh screen having apertures 110 extended throughout. According to an embodiment, the strainer screen is made from a single sheet of perforated stainless steel, which is stamped in a die to take on the shape of a basket. According to an embodiment, the diameter of the strainer screen 101, measured from strainer screen wall 101b to strainer screen wall 101b, is in the range of 2.0-3.2 inches and preferably in the range of 2.3-2.8 inches. According to an exemplary embodiment the diameter of the strainer screen 101 is 2.52 inches.

According to an embodiment, the strainer body 103 is a semi-spherical body. According to an embodiment, the strainer body 103 is a substantially cylindrical body having a tapered portion 103c connected to a threaded portion 104. According to an embodiment, the strainer body 103 has a substantially vertical wall 103b. According to an embodiment, the strainer body 103 extends into and forms a strainer body flange 103a. According to an embodiment, the threaded portion 104 ends in a right-angled plate 120 which defines mechanisms 121 which allow tools to mate the strainer 100 to a sink basin. Preferably, the threaded portion 104 is configured to mate with a strainer nut 14, or other attachment means, for connection to drainage piping 16. According to an embodiment, the diameter of the strainer body 103, measured from strainer body wall 103b to strainer body wall 103b, is in the range of 3.0-4.0 inches and preferably in the range of 3.0 to 3.5 inches. According to an exemplary embodiment, the diameter of the strainer body 103 is 3.28 inches.

According to an embodiment, the strainer screen flange 101a is configured to operably connect the strainer body flange 103a as shown in FIGS. 4, 6 and 7. According to an embodiment, the flange clamp 102 operably mates the strainer screen flange 101a to the strainer body flange 103a.

According to an embodiment, when the strainer screen flange 101a is operably connected to the strainer body flange 103a, the strainer screen wall 101b is substantially parallel to the strainer body wall 103b, thus forming a double-walled structure with a gap 115 there-in-between. According to an embodiment, the gap 115 is in the range of 0.25-1.0 inch and preferably in the range of 0.65-0.85 inches. According to an exemplary embodiment, the gap 115 is 0.76 inches

This the double-wall configuration (101b and 103b) creates a strainer 100 with a large straining area because a larger number of apertures 110 come in contact with liquid. Generally, in other configurations, apertures may be blocked by other portions of the drainage assembly.

According to an embodiment, the flange clamp 102 is operably attached to the strainer screen 101 and the strainer body 103. According to an embodiment, the flange clamp 102 operably clamps the strainer screen 101 to the strainer body 103. According to an embodiment, the flange clamp 102 forms a “C” shaped cross section which is comprised of a side 102c and a lip 102d. FIG. 5 shows a detail view of the ‘C’-shaped cross section.

Referring now to FIGS. 8-9, according to an embodiment, the strainer 100 may be partially enclosed in a housing 106 when being installed in a working environment. According to an embodiment, the strainer 100, in its final assembled position, may be placed on a gasket 114 or other type of sealant which rests on a supporting flange of the housing 106. A housing nut 108 may then mate with the threaded portion 104 of the strainer 100 to secure the strainer to the housing 106 and the sink environment. Further, the strainer 100 may connect to drainage piping 16 by means of the threaded portion 104 of the strainer 100 and a strainer nut 14, or other means.

Claims

1. A sink strainer comprising:

a flange clamp;

a strainer screen having a base portion and a strainer screen wall, which further extends into a strainer screen flange;

a strainer body which extends into a strainer body flange;

the strainer body further comprised of a tapered portion;

wherein the flange clamp receives the strainer screen flange and the strainer body flange.

2. The sink strainer according to claim 1, wherein the flange clamp operably attaches the strainer screen flange and the strainer body flange with a “C” cross-section.

3. The sink strainer according to claim 1, wherein the strainer screen wall is substantially parallel to the strainer body wall and defines a gap there-in-between.

4. The sink strainer according to claim 3, wherein the distance of the gap is in the range of 0.25 to 1.0 inch, and preferably in the range of 0.65 to 0.85 inches.

5. The sink strainer according to claim 4, wherein the distance of the gap is 0.76 inches.

6. The sink strainer according to claim 1, wherein the diameter of the strainer screen is in the range of 2.0 to 3.2 inches.

7. The sink strainer according to claim 1 wherein the diameter of the strainer screen is in the range of 2.3 to 2.8 inches.

8. The sink strainer according to claim 1, wherein the diameter of strainer body is in the range of 3.0 to 4.0 inches.

9. The sink strainer according to claim 7, wherein the diameter of the strainer body is in the range of 3.0 to 3.5 inches.

10. The sink strainer according to claim 1, wherein the strainer screen is a perforated, stainless-steel.

11. A method for to manufacture a sink strainer where the sink strainer is comprised of:

a flange clamp;

a strainer screen having extending into a base portion and an inner strainer screen wall, which further extends into an upper strainer screen flange; a strainer body which extends into a strainer body flange; the strainer body further comprised of having a tapered portion; connected to a threaded portion and an outer wall, which further extends into a lower flange. extending to an outer wall, which further extends into a tapered portion connected to a threaded portion

comprising the steps of:

the flange clamp permanently receiving the strainer screen flange and the strainer body flange;

operably securing the same with a “C” clamp cross section.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the strainer screen wall is substantially parallel to the strainer body wall and defines a gap there-in-between.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the distance of the gap is in the range of 0.25 to 1.0 inch, and preferably in the range of 0.65 to 0.85 inches.