Abstract:
An exit opening ( 78 ) in a cartridge ( 22 ) is alignable with an opening ( 48 ) in a housing ( 32 ) for communication to an external drain. The cartridge and the housing have positions of final secured and initial unsecured interconnections, when openings ( 78, 48 ) are respectively aligned and unaligned. A lever ( 52 ) is swivelably secured to the housing bottom wall ( 46 ), whose cap ( 54 ) can close housing exit tube ( 28 ); a projection ( 56 ) is engageable with the cartridge for effecting the closure when the housing and cartridge openings ( 48, 78 ) are not aligned. Three L-shaped keyways ( 60 ) in the housing interior mate with three keyways ( 82 ) in the cartridge, and have corrugated surfaces to provide a ratcheted secure connection between the cartridge and the housing when in the secure connection. A tool ( 92 ) is used to insert and to remove the cartridge into and from the housing.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
   This application claims the benefit, and is a continuation of application Ser. No. 10/055,833 filed 22 Jan. 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,644,339 dated 11 Nov. 2003, in turn a continuation-in-part of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/263,321 filed 22 Jan. 2001, which is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 09/515,870 filed 29 Feb. 2000, now abandoned. 

   REFERENCE REGARDING FEDERAL SPONSORSHIP 
   Not Applicable 
   REFERENCE TO MICROFICHE APPENDIX 
   Not Applicable 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to a horizontal-flow trap and housing assembly and, in particular, to such an assembly with an odor preventing closure mechanism and improvements in the engagements and disengagements, and sealing, between the odor trap cartridge and the housing. 
   2. Description of Related Art and Other Considerations 
   So-called “waterless urinals” such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,053,297, have been devised to conserve water. Thus, there is interest in toilets and urinals designed to minimize the amount of water consumed in flushing, to mitigate excessive demands on both water supplies and wastewater disposal systems, both of which have tended to become overloaded with increasing populations. 
   The solution advanced in constructions such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,053,297 utilizes a cartridge or container accommodated in a housing. The housing has an exit tube which is connected to a sewer line. The cartridge includes an oil-sealed odor trap. The wastewater enters the cartridge through an opening in its top wall and exits through an opening in its bottom wall. When the cartridge is properly held in its housing, the cartridge exit opening is aligned with the housing exit tube and the flow of wastewater proceeds smoothly. However, if the two exits are misaligned, such flow is interrupted and becomes turbulent and the turbulence created in the wastewater may adversely affect proper operation of the cartridge. 
   A need has also arisen to provide a closure for the housing exit tube when the cartridge is not in place, such as to replace a spent cartridge with a new one. Such a closure prevents sewer gasses from escaping into a habitable room. 
   With respect to removal and replacement of cartridges, the tool used therefor must provide a secure and firm grip with the cartridges, and be easy to manipulate. 
   Furthermore, it is desirable that the cartridge be firmly sealed within the housing, and be easily insertable into and removable therefrom. While existing constructions have operated satisfactorily, improvements are also desired to assure insertion and removal. 
   It has also been discovered that not all exit tubes from the housing are dimensioned to fit all sizes of external drain fittings. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   These and other problems are successfully addressed and overcome by the present invention. The housing and the cartridge are provided with a mutually engageable implementations which accurately define positions of initial unsecured and final secured interconnections between the two. These implementations ensure that the housing exit tube and the cartridge exit opening are at least aligned at the position of final secured interconnection. Such implementations preferably utilize a key and keyway interconnection system which not only defines the secured and unsecured positions but also ensures the proper orientation of the cartridge with respect to the housing, thereby to avoid any possible misalignment between the housing exit tube and the cartridge exit opening. The key and keyway interconnection system also includes contrivances for firmly retaining the cartridge within the housing (e.g., a ratchet-type engagement) and for facilitating disassembly of the cartridge from the housing (e.g., by a ramp). 
   Blockage at the housing exit tube is facilitated by a closure mechanism which is associated with the housing and which is coupled to the cartridge so that, when the cartridge is moved from its secured to its unsecured position, the closure mechanism moves to seal off the exit tube. 
   Relative movements between the cartridge and the housing are facilitated by a tool which engages the wastewater openings in the cartridge and which enables turning of the cartridge with respect to the housing. Specifically, a latching mechanism between the tool and the cartridge provides a secure and firm grip therebetween, especially when the cartridge is to be removed from the housing. 
   Several advantages are derived from this arrangement. Alignment between the cartridge exit opening and the housing exit tube is assured. The exit tube is closed when the cartridge is not fully seated in the housing, to prevent unpleasant sewer gasses from entering the housing. Removal and insertion of the cartridge from and into the housing is facilitated. 
   Other aims and advantages, as well as a more complete understanding of the present invention, will appear from the following explanation of exemplary embodiments and the accompanying drawings thereof. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  depicts a perspective view of the present invention including an odor trap insert or cartridge positioned within a housing, having an exit tube coupled to a sewer disposal. The housing may comprise a portion of a urinal or entry in a floor. Fittings on the exit tube are shown in phantom for adapting the housing to different pipes. 
       FIGS. 2 and 2A  illustrate an interior portion of the housing shown in  FIG. 1 , and are particularly directed to an odor-blocking swivelable lever and cap to portray the respective covering and uncovering of the entrance to the exit tube in the housing. Specifically, the covering occurs when the odor trap cartridge is not fully operationally engaged within the housing, and the uncovering proceeds when the odor trap cartridge is moved to be fully operationally engaged within the housing. While the swivelable lever may be removed, is desired, its use is preferred. 
       FIG. 3  is an exploded view of the present invention showing the arrangement of the odor trap cartridge with respect to the housing, the positioning of the odor trap cartridge with respect to its coupling with and maneuvering of the odor-blocking swivelable lever and cap, and a plug member tool which is engageable with the odor trap cartridge for insertion and removal of the cartridge into and from the housing. 
       FIGS. 4 and 5  depict alternate arrangements of the exit tube extending from the housing. 
       FIG. 6 and 6A  illustrate the means by which the present invention may be secured to a urinal structure. 
       FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of the housing depicted in  FIG. 2 . 
       FIGS. 8A–8D  illustrate, in seriatim, the steps of engagement and the implementation utilized therein of the odor trap cartridge with the housing, encompassing the uncovering of the entrance to the exit tube by odor-blocking swivelable lever and cap. The implementation includes keys on the cartridge and keyways in the housing for locking these two components together when assembled and for encouraging unlocking when disassembled. 
       FIG. 9  is a view of the top wall of the cartridge taken from its outside surface. 
       FIG. 10  is a view of the top wall of the cartridge taken from its inside surface. 
       FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional view of the top wall of the cartridge taken along line  11 — 11  of  FIG. 8A . 
       FIG. 12  is an exploded view of the engagement of portions of the odor trap cartridge and the housing and a sealing O-ring.  FIG. 12A  is a cross-sectional view of the O-ring prior to being its being inserted within a groove in the cartridge. 
       FIGS. 13–15  illustrate employment of the plug member tool and its engagement with the odor trap cartridge for enabling insertion and removal of the cartridge into and from the housing. 
       FIG. 16  is a bottom view of the odor trap cartridge and its keys. 
       FIGS. 16A ,  16 B and  16 C are views of the keys depicted in  FIG. 16 , taken respectively along lines  16 A— 16 A,  16 B— 16 B and  16 C— 16 C thereof. 
       FIG. 17  is a top view of the housing. 
       FIGS. 17A ,  17 B and  17 C are views of the keyways depicted in  FIG. 17 , taken respectively along lines  17 A— 17 A,  17 B— 17 B and  17 C— 17 C thereof. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   Accordingly, a horizontal-flow trap and housing assembly  20  with odor preventing closure mechanism comprises an odor trap cartridge  22  which is disposed to be inserted within and removed from a housing  24 . Cartridge  22  may take any convenient form, such as those which are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,053,197. Urine enters the cartridge through entry opening  26 , and exits from the housing through an exit tube  28 . The exit tube is coupled to drains leading to a waste disposal repository, as required by sanitation laws and regulations. To enable assembly  20  to be coupled to any size of drain that exists throughout the world, exit tube  28  and housing  24  are configured to receive a plurality of differently sized fittings  30 , shown in phantom, whose dimensions conform to those of all countries. 
   As best shown in  FIG. 7  (but see also  FIGS. 1–3 ) housing  24  includes a body  32  to which a flange  34  is secured by any suitable means, such as by a molding process. Body  32  is provided with external threads  36  onto which a nut  38  is threaded. Flange  34  includes a lip  40  which is adapted to rest upon a support so that the combination of flange  34  and nut  38  will permit housing  24  and, therefore, assembly  20  to be secured firmly in place to a support, such as a floor or a part of a urinal. Nut  38  includes a plurality of fin-like extensions  42  which may be gripped by a user&#39;s fingers to thread the nut onto body  32 . Lip  40  is sloped towards odor trap cartridge  22  to direct urine into the cartridge. 
   Housing body  32  comprises a tubular wall  44 , onto which threads  36  are formed, and a bottom wall  46 . In one embodiment as depicted in  FIGS. 1 ,  3 ,  6 – 8  and  17 , exit tube  28  extends from the tubular wall, extending from an opening  48  therein. In other embodiments as shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , housings  24   a  and  24   b  are provided respectively with exit tubes  28   a  and  28   b  extending from their bottom walls  46   a  and  46   b , rather than from their tubular walls  44   a  and  44   b . In all embodiments, bottom walls  46 ,  46   a  and  46   b  are sloped towards exit tubes  28 ,  28   a  and  28   b  to encourage drainage of urine into their respective exit tubes. In at least one of the embodiments, as best depicted in  FIGS. 2A ,  3 ,  7  and  8 A– 8 D, an increasingly deepening U-shaped depression  50  is formed in bottom wall  46  to aid in the liquid flow and, more importantly, to accommodate an important odor-blocking feature of the present invention. 
   This odor-blocking feature is effected by use of a lever  52  having a cap  54  and a projection  56  at opposed ends thereof. Lever  52  is mounted on a pivot  58  extending from bottom  46  of housing body  32 , and is swivelable about the pivot to cover or uncover opening  48  leading to exit tube  28 . When cap  54  is positioned to cover opening  48 , any unpleasant odors from the sewer gasses are blocked from entering housing  24  and beyond. Such covering and uncovering is dependent upon the operative positioning of odor trap cartridge  22  in the housing, which positioning will be explained hereinafter in conjunction with the description of the cartridge. As shown in  FIG. 7 , pivot  58  is provided with a slot  58   a  which forms a pair of mount halves  58   b  and  58   c  having a bifurcated T-shaped flange  58   d . This pivot effects mounting of lever  52  onto bottom  46 . Mount halves  58   b  and  58   c  are adapted to slightly flex towards one another to permit lever  52  to be snapped over bifurcated flange  58   d  and, thus, to secure the lever on bottom  46 , which is the preferred assembly. However, to accommodate parties not desiring use of the lever, lever  52  may be removed simply by snapping it from its mounting engagement on pivot  58  as enabled by the flexibility of mount halves  58   b  and  58   c.    
   Housing body  32  is further provided with three L-shaped keyways  60   a ,  60   b  and  60   c , as best illustrated in FIGS.  17  and  17 A– 17 C, which are generally shown as a keyway  60  in  FIGS. 2 ,  2 A,  7  and  8 A– 8 D and two keyways  60   a  and  60   b  in  FIG. 3 . The keyways are formed in the interior surface of tubular wall  44  but they do not extend fully through the wall. Keyways  60   a ,  60   b  and  60   c  are spaced unequally from one another within tubular wall  44 , that is, at disparate angles from one another which are not spaced 120° from one another. Each keyway includes a vertical component  62 ′ or  62 ″ and a generally horizontal component  64 ′ or  64 ″ in  FIGS. 17A–17C  (in  FIGS. 2 ,  2 A,  3 ,  7  and  8 A– 8 D the generally horizontal component is commonly identified by indicium  64 ). 
   The difference between vertical components  62 ′ and  62 ″ is that the former has a lesser depth than that of the latter. The difference between generally horizontal components  64 ′ or  64 ″ is that component  64 ′ has a lesser vertical height than component  64 ″. 
   Each generally horizontal component  64 ′ and  64 ″ is provided with an upper corrugated surface  66  and a lower smooth surface  68 . Both surfaces  66  and  68  are generally parallel to one another, and both slope slightly downwardly as they extend further away from their vertical components  62 . As previously stated above, the import of the differently configured keyways  60   a ,  60   b  and  60   c  are dependent upon the operative positioning of odor trap cartridge  22  in the housing, which positioning will be explained hereinafter in conjunction with the description of the cartridge. 
   Cartridge  22  (see  FIGS. 3 ,  8 A– 8 D and  12 ) has a cylindrical configuration defined by a tubular wall  70  terminated by a bottom wall  72  and a top wall  74 . The top wall is sloped downwardly to a flat, generally horizontal flat center portion  76  in which entry opening  26  is disposed, and extends from lip  40  of housing flange  34  (see  FIG. 3 ) to direct the flow of liquid into the cartridge. As further depicted in  FIGS. 9–15 , opening  26  comprises a tripartite arrangement of three arced slots  26   a ,  26   b  and  26   c , as best shown in  FIG. 3 . As illustrated in  FIG. 16 , bottom wall  72  includes an exit or lower opening  78 , as distinguished from entry or upper opening  26  ( FIGS. 8A–8D ), for discharge of fluids from cartridge into exit tube  28 . When the cartridge is properly inserted into the housing, exit opening  78  will be aligned with opening  48  in housing  24  to its exit tube  28 . 
   Details of opening  26  and its three slots  26   a ,  26   b  and  26   c , and generally horizontal flat center portion  76  of top wall  74  are illustrated in  FIGS. 9–11 . Flat center portion  76  of the top wall is depicted as having opposed upper and under surfaces  76   a  and  77 . As shown in  FIGS. 9 and 11 , upper surface  76   a  of center portion  76  is sloped or curved towards the entries to openings  26   a ,  26   b  and  26   c , or the openings are beveled to encourage flow of liquid into the openings and to prevent retention of any liquid due to surface tension effects. As shown in  FIG. 10 , undersurface  77  is provided with downwardly extending protuberances  77   a  adjacent one side of each opening  26   a ,  26   b  and  26   c . The purposes of protuberances  77   a  will be fully explained shortly with respect to  FIGS. 13–15 . 
   A small off-center blind hole  80  also extends into bottom wall  72  but not through the bottom wall, and is adapted to engage projection  56  on lever  52 . 
   Cartridge  22  is further provided with three keys of which one is designated with indicium  82 ′ and two are designated with the same indicium  82 ″, as best illustrated in FIGS.  16  and  16 A– 16 C, which are generally shown as a keyway  82  in FIGS.  3  and  8 A– 8 D. Like keyways  60   a ,  60   b  and  60   c , all three keys  82 ′ and  82 ″ are spaced unequally from one another within cartridge  22 , that is, at disparate angles from one another which are not spaced 120° from one another. Their angular orientation, however, exactly matches those regarding keyways  60   a ,  60   b  and  60   c . As best shown in  FIGS. 16A–16C , key  82 ′ has a vertical dimension which is less than those of both keys  82 ″. Furthermore, key  82 ′ is mated to engage keyway  60   a  while keys  82 ″ are respectively mated to engage respective keyways  60   b  and  60   c . The heights of the keys are so coordinated with the heights of their respective keyways in that their respective contacts result in an interference fit therebetween. To encourage a facile engagement, the keys are rounded at their top surfaces  84  and bottom surfaces  86 . Thus, top surfaces  84  and bottom surfaces  86  of the keys are disposed to respectively contact corrugated and smooth surfaces  66  and  68  of the keyways. Furthermore, the figures illustrating the keys and keyways are paired to form pairings of  FIG. 16A  with  FIG. 17A ,  FIG. 16B  with  FIG. 17B , and  FIG. 16C  with  FIG. 17C . 
   To provide a proper sealing between cartridge  22  and housing  24 , as shown in  FIGS. 8A–8D  and  12 , an O-ring  88  is positioned within an annular groove  90  in cartridge  22 , adjacent its top wall  74 . The sealing engagement provided by O-ring  88  is enhanced, as more clearly shown in  FIG. 12 , by configuring the O-ring with two pairs of upwardly and downwardly extending annular ridges  88   a  and  88   b  and an outwardly extending annular projection  88   c . Ridges  88   a  and  88   b  furnish larger areas of engagement with annular groove  90 . 
   Insertion and withdrawal of the cartridge in and from the housing is facilitated by use of a tool  92 , shown in FIGS.  3  and  13 – 15 . The tool includes a shank  94 , a handle  96  at one end, and three arced T-shaped projections  98  which extend from a surface  100  (see  FIGS. 13–15 ) at its opposed end. The T-shaped projections are provided with appendages  102 ′ and  102 ″ of unequal length, with appendage  102 ′ being shorter than appendage  102 ″.  FIG. 13  depicts insertion of T-shaped projection into an opening  26 .  FIG. 14  illustrates use of tool  92  to remove the cartridge from the housing, and  FIG. 15  illustrates use of tool  92  to insert the cartridge into the housing. The distinctions between use of the tool for cartridge insertion and removal lies in the cooperative engagement of appendages  102 ′ and  102 ″ in openings  26 . Specifically, when the cartridge is to be removed from the housing, it is desired that there be a greater surface engagement between the tool appendage and the undersurface (designated by indicium  77 ) of flat center portion  76 ; this extended surface engagement is provided by larger appendage  102 ″. For insertion purposes, however, appendage  102 ′ is needed only for a minimum locking between the tool and the cartridge, inasmuch as the insertion force is defined by contact between tool surface  100  and cartridge flat center portion  76 . 
   To assure a firm engagement of tool appendages  102 ″, in particular, with flat center portion  76  of cartridge top wall  74 , an interlock is formed between appendages  102 ″ and undersurface  77  of center portion  76 . This interlock is provided by downwardly extending protuberances  77   a  on undersurface  77  and upwardly extending protuberances  104  on appendages  102 ″. When appendages  102 ″ are moved to their positions as depicted in  FIG. 14 , a locking engagement is effected between tool  92  and cartridge  22  to resist unintentional disengagement of these parts. 
   In operation and with reference to  FIGS. 8A–8D , when it is desired to insert cartridge  22  into housing  24 , projections  98  of tool  92  are inserted into openings  26  of the cartridge, as described above. The cartridge is inserted into the housing, and turned until key  82 ′ and keys  82 ″ are aligned with their respective keyways  60   a – 60   c . This alignment also provides a proper registration between the two different depths of keyways with respect to the two different heights of the keys. The result is a dual alignment system that ensures that the cartridge will properly fit into and be aligned with the housing. This alignment further ensures that exit opening  78  of cartridge  22  will be aligned with opening  48  in housing  24  and its exit tube  28 . 
   When the keys are properly ordered with their mating keyways as shown in  FIG. 8A , cartridge  22  will be positioned with respect to housing  24 , and will permit the cartridge to be pushed into the housing as illustrated in  FIG. 8B . At this point, off-center hole  80  in cartridge bottom wall  72  will be aligned with projection  56  of lever  52 , and keys  82  will rest on smooth surface  68  at the entrance of horizontal keyway components  64 . The cartridge will then be in position to be turned by tool  92 , as depicted in  FIGS. 8C and 8D . This turning causes lever  52  to swivel, through the engagement between hole  80  and projection  56 , and to move cap  54  away from covering opening  48 . During this turning operation, the top surfaces  84  of the keys will ratchet against their respective corrugated surfaces  66  and lock the cartridge within the housing. Simultaneously, O-ring  88  will be deformed into a sealing engagement between these two parts. 
   When it is desired to remove the cartridge from the housing, tool  92  and its appendages  102 ″ are engaged within openings  26 . A turning of the tool will move keys  82  along inclined smooth surfaces and provide a camming process so as to facilitate separation of the cartridge from the housing. The resiliency of O-ring  88  will also provide a separation force. 
   Although the invention has been described with respect to particular embodiments thereof, it should be realized that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.