Abstract:
A dry trap valve, such as usable in a non-flushing urinal and other drains, is employed to transport a fluid, such as urine or other wastewater to a sewer line for receipt and disposal of the wastewater. The dry trap valve includes a holder (e.g., a band holder) having an entry for receipt of the wastewater, a drain for disposal of the wastewater, a passageway (e.g., dent, depression or bypass) for conducting the wastewater from the entry to the drain, and an element e.g., a sealing band) for sealingly covering the passageway. The sealing band includes a hinged portion adjacent the lower end of the dent and is disposed to articulate upon flow of the wastewater from the dent and to permit the wastewater to flow to the drain and to close in the absence of the wastewater flow. Gases from the sewer line also press upon the sealing band in the absence of wastewater flow to further seal the dent. Thus, the memory of the elastomeric material is not essential but, rather, the forces of gravity and the force of the sewer gas keeps the passage closed to the sewer gases that would otherwise back up through the valve.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims benefit of provisional application 61/336,300 filed 20 Jan. 2010. 
     
    
     REFERENCE REGARDING FEDERAL SPONSORSHIP 
       [0002]    Not Applicable 
       REFERENCE TO MICROFICHE APPENDIX 
       [0003]    Not Applicable 
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    The present invention relates to a flow trap, such as a cartridge used in non-flushing urinals, and having an odor preventing mechanism and, in particular, to a improved trap that uses a dry trap valve that can be used without water or sealant, thereby resulting in improved flow trap life and usability, and eliminating the need for water to flush the trap. 
       DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART AND OTHER CONSIDERATIONS 
       [0005]    In any sort of plumbing trap, it is necessary to provide for the one-way flow of waste water into and through the trap to a drain line, while blocking sewer gas and other unpleasant odors from backing up from the drain line, through the trap and into the room. In traditional urinals, this is accomplished by an “S” shaped trap (or similar device) that has a curve that is flushed with fresh water after each use, and with fresh water providing an odor seal. 
         [0006]    Non-flushing traps are advantageous where water is scarce or expensive, or when water conservation is desired. Prior art units include those described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,053,197, in which a lighter than water sealant forms the odor barrier, and wherein the sealant remains in the trap. 
         [0007]    Other prior art traps have employed one-way flapper style valves to form the odor barrier, such as is described in UK Published Application No. 2,296,309. Such flapper valves rely upon opposing pieces of elastomeric material having memory so that the tips are normally in a closed position. Such valves typically consist of a circular entry area which flattens out to two generally flattened abutting sides forming the exit area, in which shape memory urges the two sides against each other to seal out gasses and odors coming back up through the line. The force of the urine overcomes the elastomeric qualities and opens the two flattened parts of the exit side and allows wastewater to flow into the trap. The combination of the shape of the flattened exit, and the memory qualities of the materials used, urge the two sides against each other to prevent malodorous gasses from escaping into the room. 
         [0008]    Unfortunately, after repeated use of such prior art flapper-style valves, the elastomer loses its shape memory, and may remain open and allow malodorous gas to back up through the trap into the room. Also, prior art flappers can dry out and remain open. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    These and other problems are successfully addressed and overcome by the present invention, in which a dry trap valve, such as usable in a non-flushing urinal and other drains, is employed to transport a fluid, such as urine or other wastewater to a sewer line for receipt and disposal of the wastewater. The dry trap valve includes a holder (e.g., a band holder) having an entry for receipt of the wastewater, a drain for disposal of the wastewater, a passageway (e.g., dent, depression or bypass) for conducting the wastewater from the entry to the drain, and an element e.g., a sealing band) for sealingly covering the passageway. The sealing band includes a hinged portion adjacent the lower end of the dent and is disposed to articulate upon flow of the wastewater from the dent and to permit the wastewater to flow to the drain and to close in the absence of the wastewater flow. Gases from the sewer line also press upon the sealing band in the absence of wastewater flow to further seal the dent. 
         [0010]    Attendant advantages are that the memory of the elastomeric material is not essential but, rather, the forces of gravity and the force of the gas keeps the passage closed to sewer gasses that would otherwise back up through the valve. 
         [0011]    Other aims and advantages, as well as a more complete understanding of the present invention, will appear from the following explanation of an exemplary embodiment and the accompanying drawings thereof. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a trap or cartridge designed for use in a non-flushing urinal; 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of the trap or cartridge as depicted in  FIG. 1 , and further illustrating its positioning in a urinal; 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of the trap or cartridge as portrayed in  FIG. 1 , taken at a 90° view with respect to that shown in  FIG. 2 , and likewise illustrating its positioning in a urinal; 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is a top view of the trap or cartridge as depicted in  FIGS. 1-3 , with internal and bottom components thereof illustrated in phantom; 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  is an exploded view in perspective of the trap or cartridge as depicted in  FIGS. 1-4 , with internal components thereof, including the dry trap valve; 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the bottom portion of the trap or cartridge as depicted in  FIGS. 1-5 ; 
           [0018]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of base or base portion of the trap or cartridge as depicted in  FIGS. 1-5 ; 
           [0019]      FIGS. 8 and 9  are differently angled perspective views of the dry valve; 
           [0020]      FIGS. 10-13  are varying depictions of the band holder in differently angled perspective views (respectively  FIGS. 10 and 11 ) and side and cross-sectional views (respectively  FIGS. 12 and 13 ) of the band holder element of the dry valve illustrated in  FIGS. 8 and 9 ; 
           [0021]      FIGS. 14 and 15  are differently angled views of a clamp element of the dry valve which forms a component, along with the band holder of  FIGS. 10-13 , of a clamping arrangement; 
           [0022]      FIGS. 16-18  are views of the sealing band employed in the dry valve, in which 
           [0023]      FIG. 16  illustrates the sealing band prior to its side elements being folded back and  FIGS. 17 and 18  shows its side elements being folded back as clamped onto or otherwise coupled to the band holder; and 
           [0024]      FIGS. 19 and 20  respectively are perspective and side elevational views of the upper or top portion of the trap or cartridge as engaged by a key for its being screwed or unscrewed into and from a urinal. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0025]    While the present invention is useful for drains which are used in odor blocking drain traps such as exist in shower, bath, sink, floor and other drains, for purposes of detailing its use, the following exposition is directed to its preferred employment in non-flushing urinals; therefore, it is intended that the present invention should not be so specifically limited. 
         [0026]    Referring to  FIGS. 1-7 , a trap or cartridge  20  for a non-flushing urinal is shown as placed in a urinal (see  FIGS. 2 and 3 ) as represented by portions thereof and designated by indicium  21 , such as exemplified in U.S. Pat. No. 6,959,723 (specifically  FIG. 15  thereof), whose contents are incorporated herein as if set forth in haec verba. Trap  20  comprises a top portion  22 , which is disposed to support a dry valve  24  having an entry tube or dry valve entry  32 , and a base portion  26 . Top portion  22  includes a cover  28  which, in turn, includes an entry opening  30  for receipt of urine or other wastewater. An O-ring  23  within an annular slot in cover  28  provides a seal with urinal  21 . As best shown in  FIG. 3 , a downwardly extending lip or brim  31  is formed on the underside of cover  28  and surrounds opening  30 , thereby to enable dry valve  24  to be secured to entry tube  32 . Wastewater is directed by cover  28  to opening  30  where it enters entry tube  32  of dry valve  24 . 
         [0027]    As depicted in  FIGS. 2 ,  3 ,  5 - 7  and  19 , a barrier  70  separates the cartridge into two compartments, a fluid inlet compartment and a fluid outlet compartment, for example as illustrated and described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,575,022 whose contents are incorporated herein as if set forth in haec verba. The fluid outlet compartment terminates in a drain  40  (see  FIGS. 2 ,  3 - 5  and  7 ), from whence it passes to a sewer line (as symbolized by enclosure  41 ) or similar outlet. Barrier  70  terminates in a toothed comb  72  and, when top portion is coupled together with base or bottom portion  26 , slips into guiding slots  74  thereof. The base portion is further provided with teeth  76  which cooperate with the teeth of comb  72  to strain or otherwise catch debris and the like. 
         [0028]    Referring also to  FIGS. 8-15 , dry valve  24  comprises a band holder or rigid portion  34  formed generally as a planar ramp having a front side  34 A and a back side  34 B (shown in isolation in  FIGS. 10-13 ), a clamp  38  (shown in isolation in  FIGS. 14 and 15 ) and a sealing band or movable portion  50  (shown in isolation in  FIGS. 16-18 ). Entry tube  32  is on an upper portion of band holder  34  and is adapted to receive wastewater from opening  30  in cover  28 . A dent, depression or bypass  36  (see  FIGS. 3 ,  5 ,  10  and  11 ) is formed in band holder  34  and extends or protrudes from its back side  34 B. Dent  36  includes lower and upper ends  36 A and  36 B in which lower end  36 A is distanced from entry  32  and upper end  36 B is positioned adjacent to entry  32 . As can be best seen in  FIGS. 3 ,  5  and  10 , a fluid passage for the wastewater passes from entry tube  32  to dent  36 , along a flattened portion  39  of band holder  34 , and into base  26  of trap  20 , where it can flow out of the trap or cartridge through drain  40  (see  FIGS. 2 ,  3 - 5  and  7 ), from whence it passes to sewer line  41  or similar outlet. 
         [0029]    Band holder  34  and clamp  38  can be made of any number of materials, such as plastic, metal, sintered ceramic, or any material that can be molded into the desired shape and is reasonably rugged. It has been found that acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) or polypropylene (PP) work well in this application. 
         [0030]    Sealing band  50  can be made of any flexible material like rubber, silicon rubber or any thermoplastic elastomer. A synthetic rubber sheet with a thickness in the range of 0.2 mm-0.4 mm has been found to work well. 
         [0031]    Although band holder  34  can be attached to trap  20  in any number of ways, it has been found that glueing, compression fit, snap fit and ultrasonic welding all yield satisfactory results. The attachment preferably is such that flattened portion  39  forms a downward slope at an angle of about 10° to 50° from the vertical and, in a preferred embodiment, is about 30° (as generally seen in  FIGS. 11 and 12 ); however, it is to be understood that, at least as presently formulated, dry valve  24  is capable of functioning between the horizontal to close to the vertical, that is, within the angle ranges of 0° to less than 90°. 
         [0032]    Referring to  FIGS. 9-13 , band holder  34  has two upper slots, to with, right upper slot  42 A and left upper slot  42 B, and two lower slots, right lower slot  44 A and left lower slot  44 B. As further shown in  FIGS. 14 and 15 , clamp  38  has corresponding prongs, namely right upper prong  46 A, left upper prong  46 B, left lower prong  48 B and right lower prong  48 A. As also depicted particularly in  FIGS. 8 and 9 , the respective prongs of clamp  38  fit and snap into the slots in band holder  34  to provide a clamping arrangement, viz., prong  46 A into slot  42 A, prong  46 B into slot  42 B, prong  48 A into slot  44 A, and prong  46 B into slot  44 B. 
         [0033]    Referring to  FIGS. 16-18 , sealing band  50  has an upper portion  56 , a lower portion  58 , a right projection wing  54 A and a left projection wing  54 B. Upper portion  56  is positioned generally atop dent upper end  36 B and lower portion  58  is positioned generally below dent lower end  36 A. As more fully discussed below, projection wings  54 A and  54 B are folded back upon themselves as illustrated in  FIGS. 17 and 18 , generally along dashed fold lines  55 , as shown in  FIG. 16 , which also illustrates how the sealing band projection bands would be bent or folded over when the sealing band is secured to band holder  34 . 
         [0034]    With reference to  FIGS. 8 and 9 , sealing band  50  is placed onto front side  34 A of band holder  34 , such that it completely blocks entry tube  32 , that is, sealing band upper portion  56  extends from at least as high as upper slots  42 A and  42 B, and lower portion  58  at least covers dent  36 . Projection wings  54 A and  54 B extend beyond the width of band holder  34 , and are folded back around band holder  34 , and secured thereto at its back side  34 B preferably by affixing mechanisms  35 , or by any other mechanical implementation or bonding agent that ensures a complete securing between the sealing band and the band holder so as to hold sealing band  50  in position. As illustrated herein, affixing mechanism  35  comprises arrow-headed punch-throughs extending outwardly from holder back side  34 A for piercing through projection wings  54 A and  54 B of sealing band  50 . Other fixation/anchorage technology known in the art may be used, particularly when overmolding (e.g., multiple molding techniques) technology is utilized. 
         [0035]    As shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9 , lower portion  58  of sealing band  50  is capable of or otherwise disposed to flip or hinge upwards along line A-A′ in response to urine flow. Line A-A′ is located just beneath projection wings  54 A and  54 B toward the lower end of the sealing band  50 , such that most of dent  36  is always covered by sealing band  50  even when wastewater is flowing, and most of the portion of the sealing band that does flip upwards, from line A-A′ to the lower end of the band  50 , lays beyond the lower end of dent  36 , utilizing sealing band  50  as a hinge. This organization results in an articulated or hinged movement that allows valve  24  to open and to close. The wastewater flow lifts the sealing band up to open and, after the liquid flow, gravity closes the opening again. 
         [0036]    Sealing band  50  is coupled to band holder  34  to cover dent  36 . In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the sealing band is held in place by wrapping both wing portions  54 A and  54 B about sides  34 A and  34 B of the band holder, by utilizing arrow-headed punch-throughs to pierce wing portions  54 A and  54 B, and by placing clamp  38  over sealing band  50  to clamp it to band holder  34 . While a frictional engagement is employable, the preferred clamping is to make use of a press fitting of right upper prong  46 A into right upper slot  42 A, left upper prong  46 B into left upper slot  42 B, right lower prong  48 A into right lower slot  44 A, and left lower prong  48 B into left lower slot  44 B. 
         [0037]    Clamp  38  also has a pair of curved flanges, right flange  52 A and left flange  52 B. The flanges are spaced far enough apart so as not to cover dent  36 , for urging or pressing sealing band  50  against band holder  34 . 
         [0038]    In a preferred embodiment, such as depicted in  FIGS. 8 and 9  (see also  FIGS. 10-13 ), sealing band projection wings  54 A and  54 B at their lower edges terminate before lower end  36 A of dent  36 , while upper portion  56  of sealing band  50  extends beyond upper end  36 B of dent  36 , which is fully covered by sealing band  50  in combination with and compressed by clamp  38  to form a seal. 
         [0039]    The dimensions of the above parts are generally based upon the size of the urinal trap. The size and shape (curvature or otherwise) of dent  36  can be adjusted depending upon the anticipated liquid flow. 
         [0040]    In operation, between uses of trap  20 , sealing band  50  is held in place, blocking dent  36  and entry tube  32 , in large part by the force of gravity, due to the angle of flattened portion  39 . The primary purpose of the elastomeric qualities of sealing band  50  is to use it as a hinge. Because sealing band  50  is lying flat and sealed against dent  36  and entry tube  32 , sewer gasses and unpleasant odors from sewer line  41  are blocked from entering the room. It has been found that pressure from the sewer gasses from sewer line  41  are able to urge sealing band  50  more firmly against dent  36  and entry tube  32 . 
         [0041]    When the urinal is utilized, wastewater will be directed to entry opening  30  of the trap, and therethrough to entry tube  32  of dry valve  24 . The force of the wastewater through entry tube  32  and dent  36  provides adequate pressure to overcome the force of gravity that is holding sealing band  50  in place, and urges the sealing band upwards, allowing the wastewater to flow past, along flattened portion  39 , and to drain  40 . When the flow of wastewater ceases, gravity again urges sealing band  50  downward against dent  36  and entry tube  32 , again providing a seal against gas and odor. Thus, wastewater or other fluids are transported from opening  30 , through drain  40  and to sewer line  41 . 
         [0042]    As depicted in  FIGS. 5 ,  19  and  20 , cartridge  20  can be inserted or removed, such as by being screwed into or removed from a urinal by use of a key  62 . Key  62  includes a bent tip  64  and a stop angled part  66  at one end and a handle  68  at its other end. Bent tip  64  is disposed to fit within entry opening  30  of top portion  22  and to be canted therein. Part  66  contacts cover  28  to aid in the attachment of tip  64  within opening  30 . 
         [0043]    Although the present invention has been described as used in a trap for a non-flushing urinal and as indicated above, it can be employed in any situation requiring an odor blocking drain trap, such as shower, bath, sink, floor and other drains. Thus, although its operation was described above with reference to a non-flushing urinal, it should be kept in mind that this is only for ease of example, and that many other such applications are possible.