Drain line access device

• US 8,967,183 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2013
• Issued: 03/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rs Acquisition Sub, LLC (CSW Industrials, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Msd Research, Inc. (CSW Industrials, Inc.)
• Inventors: Oakner, Stuart, Oakner, Donna
• Primary Examiner(s): Rivell, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): LE, MINH Q
• Application Number:
  US13/953,948
• Publication Number:
  US 20140109988A1
• Time in Patent Office: 581 Days
• Field of Search: 137/240, 137/238, 137/861, 137/527.2, 137/521, 622/85, 622/84, 623/03, 134/102.1, 134/102.2, 134/99.1, 422/76, 425/504
• US Class Current: 137/240
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 9/027 Cleaning the internal surfaces; Removal of blockages
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 45/00 Pipe units with cleaning aperture and closure therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 13/222 for evacuating condensate
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2013/227 Condensate pipe for drainage of condensate from the evaporator
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/4259 With separate material addition
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/598 With repair, tapping, assembly, or disassembly means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7875 Pivoted valves
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/79 Head retained by removable closure

Abstract

A drain line access device is provided for flushing HVACR drain lines. The device includes a main body having input and outlet connection ports on opposite ends for inline installation to a drain line, a flapper assembly sized and configured for seated placement in an interior cavity of the main body, and a removable top cover. The flapper assembly includes a flapper holder, a flapper, a flapper seat, and a spring hinge for rotatably urging the flapper into the normally raised position. An injection port is provided on the top cover for delivering a flow of pressurized gas or liquid for flushing out a clog in the drain line. In operation, delivery of pressurized gas or fluid into the drain line forces the flapper against the flapper seat, thereby sealing off one of the respective ends of the main body and directing the pressurized gas into the drain line.

Claims

1. An access device for inline installation on a drain line between a condensation producing source and a drain discharge, and said device comprising:

a main body having an inner wall surface extending to an inner bottom surface and surrounding an interior cavity, and said main body including an input connecting port sized and configured for sealed connection with the drain line and an outlet connecting port sized and configured for sealed connection with an opposite facing end of the drain line, and a flow passage extending through said interior cavity between said input and outlet connecting ports and the flow passage being at least as large as a cross-sectional dimension of an interior flow passage of the drain line;

an injection port being structured and disposed for receiving a flow of pressurized gas or liquid and delivering the flow of pressurized gas or liquid into the interior cavity;

a removable flapper valve assembly comprising a flapper and a flapper holder having a flapper seat in the interior cavity of said main body, said flapper being in a normally raised position adjacent to said injection port and removed from a flow of drain line contents through the flow passage, and said flapper being structured and disposed for being forced downwards and away from said injection port and to a closed position when the flow of pressurized gas or liquid enters the interior cavity through said injection port for sealing the input connection port closed and blocking flow of the drain line contents from the input connecting port into the flow passage and directing the flow of pressurized gas or liquid through the opposing outlet connecting port and into the drain line; and

a sealing pad on said flapper and being sized and configured for sealing the underside of said injection port when said flapper is in the normally raised position.

2. The device as recited in claim 1 further comprising a cup-shaped member at a distal end of said flapper, and said cup-shaped member being structured and disposed for catching the flow of pressurized gas or liquid in order to force said flapper downwards and away from said injection port when the flow of pressurized gas or liquid enters the interior cavity through said injection port.

3. The device as recited in claim 1 further comprising an adapter having a tubular main body bent at an angle, and said tubular main body having an inner channel extending between a first open end being sized and configured for selective receipt within and engaged attachment with an inner surface of either of said input connecting port or said outlet connecting port when the flapper valve assembly being removed from the main body and a second open end being sized and configured for receiving a flow of liquid or gas therethrough.

4. The device as recited in claim 1 wherein said injection port is fitted with a depressible valve stem core which is normally closed to prevent leakage of fluids or gas.

5. The device as recited in claim 1 further comprising a flapper closer fitting that is sized and configured for being removably fitted to the bottom end of said injection port to thereby hold the flapper sealed closed in blocking relation to the input connecting port.

6. An access device for inline installation on a drain line between a condensation producing source and a drain discharge, and said device comprising:

a main body having an inner wall surface extending to an inner bottom surface and surrounding an interior cavity, and said main body including an input connecting port sized and configured for sealed connection with the drain line and an outlet connecting port sized and configured for sealed connection with an opposite facing end of the drain line, and said input and outlet connecting ports disposed in fluid flow communication with said interior cavity and defining a flow passage extending through said interior cavity and said input and outlet connecting ports;

a top cover being releasably securable to said main body by a latch mechanism for accessing the interior cavity of said main body, and said top cover including an injection port being structured and disposed for receiving a flow of pressurized gas or liquid and delivering the flow of pressurized gas or liquid into the interior cavity; and

a flapper assembly being sized and configured for removable insertion into the interior cavity of said main body, and said flapper assembly comprising;

a flapper;

a flapper holder structured for attachment to an inner facing side of said input connecting port, and said flapper holder having an outer surface wall configured for congruent receipt against the inner walls and inner bottom surface of said main body, and said flapper holder having an inner channel extending between openings at a front end and a rear end of said flapper holder;

a flapper seat at the front end of said flapper holder;

a spring hinge being structured and disposed for rotatably urging said flapper away from the flapper seat and into the normally raised position adjacent to said injection port and removed from the flow of drain line contents; and

said flapper being structured and disposed for being forced against the flapper seat when the flow of pressurized gas or liquid enters the interior cavity through said injection port for sealing the inner channel of said flapper holder and directing the flow of pressurized gas or liquid through the opposing outlet connector port and into the drain line.

7. The device as recited in claim 6 further comprising a cup-shaped member at a distal end of said flapper, and said cup-shaped member being structured and disposed for catching the flow of pressurized gas or liquid in order to force said flapper down against said flapper seat when the flow of pressurized gas or liquid enters the interior cavity through said injection port.

8. The device as recited in claim 6 further comprising a sealing pad on said flapper and being sized and configured for sealing said injection port on the underside of said top cover when said flapper is in the normally raised position.

9. The device as recited in claim 6 further comprising an adapter having a tubular main body bent at an angle, and said tubular main body having an inner channel extending between a first open end being sized and configured for selective receipt within and engaged attachment with an inner surface of either of said input connecting port or said outlet connecting port when the flapper assembly being removed from the main body and a second open end being sized and configured for receiving a flow of liquid therethrough.

10. The device as recited in claim 6 wherein said injection port is fitted with a depressible valve stem core that is normally closed to prevent leakage of liquid or gas.

11. The device as recited in claim 6 further comprising a flapper closer fitting that is sized and configured for being removably fitted to the bottom end of said injection port to thereby hold the flapper sealed closed against said flapper seat.