REMOVABLE DRAIN FUNNEL

• US 20120199245A1
• Filed: 02/03/2011
• Published: 08/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Franklin Machine Products, LLC
• Original Assignee: Franklin Machine Products, Inc. (Diversified Foodservice Supply, Inc.)
• Inventors: Aviles, Josue V., Parisi, Bernard
• Granted Patent: US 8,857,481 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 141/339
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4223 Devices for water discharge, e.g. devices to prevent siphoning, non-return valves
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/083 Liquid discharge or recirculation arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: E03F 5/041 Accessories therefor

Abstract

The application provides a funnel, funnel assembly, and a system for eliminating splash from drain pipes that discharge from an elevation above a floor drain.

Claims

1. A funnel comprising a hollow wide mouth portion at one end and a narrow cylindrical stem portion at an opposite end, said stem portion having a series of separate inwardly-extending rib segments formed on an inner diameter thereof, said rib segments permitting tool-less locking engagement of said stem portion of said funnel to a separate funnel base.

2. The funnel according to claim 1, wherein said rib segments comprise a plurality of separate circumferentially-spaced ribs that each extend in a longitudinal direction on said cylindrical stem portion.

3. The funnel according to claim 1, wherein said mouth portion has a rim which is substantially square.

4. The funnel according to claim 3, wherein said mouth portion comprises substantially flat sidewalls interconnected by rounded corners.

5. The funnel according to claim 1, wherein the mouth portion has a frustoconical shape.

6. A funnel assembly for connection to a floor drain grate, comprising:

a drain funnel having a wide mouth portion and a cylindrical stem portion;

a separate low-profile drain funnel base having an annular sidewall with a lower end securable to a floor drain grate and an upper end removably securable to said drain funnel without tools.

7. The funnel assembly according to claim 6, wherein said upper end of said low-profile drain funnel base has a plurality of circumferentially-spaced, radial-extending flange segments extending outward from said upper end of said base and defining a plurality of gaps therebetween.

8. The funnel assembly according to claim 7, wherein said cylindrical stem portion has an inner diameter that permits said stem portion to receive said base including said flange segments therein, and wherein said cylindrical stem portion has a series of separate inwardly-extending ribs, said ribs being extendable only through said gaps between said flange segments of said base and being engagable underneath and against said flange segments when said stem portion is rotated relative to said base to lock said drain funnel to said base.

9. The funnel assembly according to claim 8, wherein said drain funnel is removable from said base when said stem portion is rotated to align said inwardly extending ribs of said stem portion with said gaps between said flange segments of said upper end of said base.

10. The funnel assembly according to claim 8, wherein each of said flange segments have a lower surface that tapers toward said lower end of said base along a circumferential direction of said flange segment such that a height between said lower surface of said flange segment and said lower end of said base is reduced along said flange segment.

11. The funnel assembly according to claim 8, wherein said ribs of said stem portion are tapered along a longitudinal direction of said stem portion.

12. The funnel assembly according to claim 6, wherein said base includes fastening means for mounting said lower end of said base to an underlying floor drain grate.

13. A system for eliminating splash from drain pipes that discharge from an elevation above a floor drain, comprising:

a drain grate mounted in a mouth of the floor drain;

a drain funnel having a wide mouth portion and a cylindrical stem portion; and

a separate low-profile drain funnel base having an annular sidewall with a lower end secured to said drain grate with fasteners and an upper end removably securable to said drain funnel without tools.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein when said drain funnel is secured to said base, said drain funnel extends in an upstanding position on said drain grate such that said mouth portion of said drain funnel extends beyond an elevation of a terminus of a drain pipe.

15. The system according to claim 13, wherein said upper end of said low-profile drain funnel base has a plurality of circumferentially-spaced, radial-extending flange segments extending outward from said upper end of said base defining a plurality of gaps therebetween.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein said cylindrical stem portion has an inner diameter that permits said stem portion to receive said base therein, and wherein said cylindrical stem portion has a series of separate inwardly-extending ribs, said ribs being extendable only through said gaps between said flange segments of said base and being engagable underneath and against said flange segments when said stem portion is rotated relative to said base to lock said drain funnel to said base.

17. The system according to claim 16, wherein each of said flange segments have a lower surface that tapers toward said lower end of said base such that a height between said lower surface of said flange segment and said drain grate is reduced along a length of said flange segment enabling said ribs of said stem portion to be frictionally engaged to said flange segment when said drain funnel is rotated and secured to said base.

18. The system according to claim 13, wherein said drain grate has a hinge permitting one section of said drain grate on which said base is secured to be pivoted relative to another section of said drain grate.

19. The system according to claim 13, wherein a plurality of drain funnels are provided with different sized mouth portions and identically sized stem portions enabling a different sized drain funnel to be secured to said base depending on the number or size of drain pipes disposed above said floor drain.

20. The system according to claim 13, further comprising at least one drain pipe terminating an elevation above the floor drain, wherein said drain funnel is aligned with said drain pipe to receive a flow of fluids discharged from said drain pipe.