Pop-up drain assembly
First Claim
1. A pop-up drain assembly for a sink or basin having a drain opening, comprising:
- piping for providing a fluid flow pathway from the sink or basin through the drain opening and through the piping, wherein the piping has a longitudinal axis and an inside wall that defines the fluid flow pathway, and wherein the piping has a pivot rod port;
a stopper for retaining fluid in the sink or basin, wherein the stopper is received in the piping while in operation and is moveable between an open position and a closed position; and
a pivot rod for moving the stopper between the open position and the closed position, wherein the pivot rod is attached to the piping at the pivot rod port, wherein the pivot rod is pivotable between upward and downward positions, and while in operation, wherein the pivot rod does not protrude significantly inside the piping and the stopper has a side portion located adjacent to the pivot rod port, wherein the side portion comprises a longitudinal side edge and a magnet or a magnetic material, wherein the pivot rod has a stopper end located within the pivot rod port, wherein the stopper end abuts the longitudinal side edge of the side portion of the stopper, and wherein the stopper end of the pivot rod is magnetically coupled to the stopper for moving the stopper.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A pop-up drain assembly for a sink has drain piping, a stopper in the drain piping, a pivot rod for opening and closing the stopper and tends not to clog because the pivot rod is not within a fluid flow path. In one embodiment the stopper has flow diverter plates that channel fluid flowing through the drain piping away from the pivot rod so that hair, waste and debris does not catch on and accumulate on the pivot rod. In another embodiment the stopper and the pivot rod are engaged through magnetic coupling, and the pivot rod does not protrude into the fluid flow path. The stopper is preferably variable in length for adjustment to fit different distances from the pivot rod to the top of the drain piping.
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Citations
35 Claims
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1. A pop-up drain assembly for a sink or basin having a drain opening, comprising:
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piping for providing a fluid flow pathway from the sink or basin through the drain opening and through the piping, wherein the piping has a longitudinal axis and an inside wall that defines the fluid flow pathway, and wherein the piping has a pivot rod port; a stopper for retaining fluid in the sink or basin, wherein the stopper is received in the piping while in operation and is moveable between an open position and a closed position; and a pivot rod for moving the stopper between the open position and the closed position, wherein the pivot rod is attached to the piping at the pivot rod port, wherein the pivot rod is pivotable between upward and downward positions, and while in operation, wherein the pivot rod does not protrude significantly inside the piping and the stopper has a side portion located adjacent to the pivot rod port, wherein the side portion comprises a longitudinal side edge and a magnet or a magnetic material, wherein the pivot rod has a stopper end located within the pivot rod port, wherein the stopper end abuts the longitudinal side edge of the side portion of the stopper, and wherein the stopper end of the pivot rod is magnetically coupled to the stopper for moving the stopper. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22)
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20. A retrofit kit for a pop-up drain assembly, comprising:
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a stopper comprising a body having at least three longitudinal fins that project radially and define an outermost circumference of the body, a cap on one end of the body for providing a seal and a magnet holder extending from one of the fins away from the cap end, wherein the magnet holder has an outer surface approximately and substantially aligned with the outermost circumference, and wherein a magnet or a magnetic material is received in the magnet holder; a pivot rod having a stopper end, an outer end and external threads that extend from the stopper end toward the outer end, wherein the stopper end comprises a magnet or a magnetic material for forming a magnetic coupling with the magnet or magnetic material of the stopper; and a pivot ball having a bore extending through the pivot ball and internal threads that define the bore, wherein the ball has an entrance opening to the bore and an exit opening from the bore, wherein the internal threads in the pivot ball matingly engage the external threads on the pivot rod, wherein the stopper end of the pivot rod can be placed in the entrance opening of the bore, wherein the ball can be threaded onto the rod until the stopper end of the pivot rod passes through the exit opening and protrudes a desired distance outside the pivot ball, thereby providing an adjustable distance between the pivot ball on the pivot rod and the stopper end of the pivot rod.
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23. A pop-up drain assembly for a sink or basin having a drain opening, comprising:
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a drain pipe for providing a fluid flow pathway from the sink or basin through the drain opening and through the drain pipe, wherein the drain pipe has a pivot rod port and a tubular stub surrounding the pivot rod port, wherein the tubular stub projects radially outwardly; a stopper for retaining fluid in the sink or basin, wherein the stopper is received in the drain pipe while in operation and is moveable between an open position and a closed position, wherein the stopper has upper and lower ends, a longitudinal axis and a longitudinal side edge, wherein the lower end of the stopper comprises a magnet or a magnetic material, wherein the magnet or magnetic material of the stopper is offset radially from the longitudinal axis of the stopper so that the magnet or magnetic material of the stopper is located adjacent to the pivot rod port; and a pivot rod for moving the stopper between the open position and the closed position, wherein the pivot rod has a stopper end, wherein the stopper end of the pivot rod is received in the tubular stub, wherein the stopper end of the pivot rod comprises a magnet or a magnetic material, wherein the stopper end of the pivot rod is magnetically coupled to the magnet or magnetic material of the stopper, wherein the stopper end of the pivot rod abuts the longitudinal side edge of the stopper, and wherein the pivot rod does not extend underneath the stopper inside the drain pipe. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A drain stopper for a sink or basin, comprising:
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a central, longitudinal shaft having a longitudinal axis, an upper end and an opposing lower end; a cap received on the upper end for providing a seal to retain fluid in the sink or basin; a first plate having a length, a width and opposing upper and lower ends for diverting flow away from the lower end of the shaft, wherein the upper end of the first plate is fixed directly or indirectly to or formed integral with the shaft, and wherein the lower end of the plate is free; and a second plate fixed directly or indirectly to or formed integral with the shaft opposite of the first plate for diverting flow away from the lower end of the shaft, the second plate having a length, a width and opposing upper and lower ends, wherein the lower end of the plate is free, wherein the length of the first and second plates is substantially greater than the width, wherein each of the first and second plates has an interior planar surface facing toward the longitudinal axis and an opposing exterior planar surface facing away from the longitudinal axis, wherein the first and second plates extend downwardly toward, to or past the lower end of the shaft, wherein the upper end of each of the first and second plates is adjacent to the longitudinal axis, and wherein the lower end of each of the first and second plates is spaced outwardly from the longitudinal axis, further comprising a pivot rod holder located on the lower end of the shaft and between interior planar surfaces of the first and second plates, the pivot rod holder comprising two prongs that extend downwardly, wherein a slot is defined between the two prongs, and wherein the two prongs comprise an elastomeric and/or flexible material for receiving a pivot rod in a friction fit within the slot. - View Dependent Claims (35)
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Specification