Abstract:
A device for containing the spillage of water from an appliance such as a clothes washing machines, dishwashing machines, water heaters, water softeners, water coolers, refrigerators with water supply and other appliances, comprising, a tray having at least one wall and adapted to receive and support the appliance, drainage means in water-tight engagement with the walled tray and a seal engaged with the at least one wall and adapted to engage the appliance.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a device for containing the spillage of water from an appliance, and more particularly, relates to a device for containing the spillage of water from an appliance which may be temporarily or permanently positioned beneath the appliance for the purposes of receiving, containing and disposing of spilled water from the appliance. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Many modern appliances, such as clothes washing machines, dishwashing machines, water heaters, water softeners, water coolers, refrigerators with water supply and other appliances (hereinafter collectively referred to as “appliance” or “appliances”, unless specifically otherwise referenced) receive and handle water during normal operation, leading to the risk or possibility that water may leak or spill or overflow from the appliance, or from water supply to or return hoses from the appliance, which may result in significant water damage to the surrounding environment, flooring, furniture, and other materials that may come into contact with the leaked or spilled or overflowed water. 
         [0003]    It is desirable to have a device which may be temporarily or permanently positioned beneath the appliance for the purposes of receiving, containing and disposing of spilled water from the appliance. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    Accordingly, the object of the present invention is to provide a device which may be temporarily or permanently positioned beneath the appliance for the purposes of receiving, containing and disposing of spilled water from the appliance. 
         [0005]    According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a device for containing the spillage of water from an appliance, comprising, a tray having at least one wall and adapted to receive and support the appliance, drainage means in water-tight engagement with the walled tray, and a seal engaged with the at least one wall and adapted to engage the appliance. 
         [0006]    Advantageously, the present invention provides a device which may be temporarily or permanently positioned beneath the appliance for the purposes of receiving, containing and disposing of spilled water from the appliance. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    A preferred embodiment of the present invention is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0008]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a typical (prior art) top-load washing machine; 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view, partially in ghost, of a walled tray of one embodiment of the present invention into which has been positioned a top-load washing machine; 
           [0010]      FIG. 3A  is a perspective view of a walled tray of one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3B  is a perspective view of a walled tray of an alternative embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 4A  is a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 4B  is a cross-sectional view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of the embodiment of the present invention illustrated in  FIG. 4A , with a trap attached to the drainage hose; 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the embodiment of the present invention illustrated in  FIG. 4A , with a seal attached to the wall of the walled tray of the present invention; 
           [0016]      FIG. 7  is a multiple walled extension shield of one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of the joint between the wall of the extension shield and the wall of the walled tray; 
           [0018]      FIG. 9  is a view of one embodiment of the walled tray of one embodiment of the present invention having a permanently positioned down pipe in one corner of the walled tray. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0019]    With reference to  FIG. 1 , a typical (prior art) top-load washing machine (generally shown as  1 ) is illustrated and is being referenced herein, it being understood that the device of the present invention may be utilized in the context of various different appliances as that term is defined above, with appropriate and applicable modifications to the device of the present invention. 
         [0020]    With reference to  FIG. 2 , a typical (prior art) top-load washing machine  1  is positioned within a walled tray  2  of one embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment of the present invention, as illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 3A , the walled tray  2  is preferably made of structural plastic, fiberglass, stainless steel, galvanized steel, or such other structural and waterproof material known to a person skilled in the art, and, as illustrated in  FIG. 3A , has a floor  20  which preferably provides a sloped surface  22 , the slope of which is directed toward a drain  5  as more fully described herein, and has walls  8  around the periphery of the preferably sloped floor  20 , which walls  8  are structurally and in waterproof engagement with floor  20  so that the walls  8  and floor  20  may receive leaked or spilled or overflowed water from the washing machine  1  and thereafter temporarily contain the leaked or spilled or overflowed water which is thereafter drained from the walled tray  2  as more fully described herein. 
         [0021]    In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, as illustrated in  FIGS. 4A and 4B , a support surface  7  is provided on and integral with the outer edge of the floor  20  inside of the walls  8  and upon which a support surface  7  the washing machine  1  rests, support surface  7  being adapted to receive and securely and stably support the top-load washing machine  1  as illustrated in  FIG. 2 . In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, pivotable wheels or casters  3  are mounted to the underside of the walled tray  2  to allow the walled tray  2  and washing machine  1  positioned thereon, to be easily rolled, for example, during the movement of the washing machine  1  during the installation of the washing machine  1 . In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, in place of the pivotable wheels or casters  3 , stationary legs (not shown) are mounted to the underside of the walled tray  2  to provide clearance beneath the walled tray  4 , allowing for the installation/coupling of a drainage hose  4  to the drain  5  as more fully described herein. 
         [0022]    As illustrated in  FIGS. 3A and 4A , the drain  5  preferably has a drain hole  5 A and a downwardly directed drain pipe  5 B extending therefrom, the drain pipe  5 B being in watertight and secure engagement with the drain hole  5 A in a manner known to a person skilled in the art, the drain pipe  5 B being adapted to receive and couple in water-tight engagement with a drain hose  4  which drain hose  4  may be directly (or by way of a water trap  4 A as illustrated in  FIG. 5  to stop or reduce the passage of foul odors through the drain hose  4 ) attached in a manner known to a person skilled in the art to a wastewater or drain line in a building&#39;s plumbing system (not shown). In the embodiment of the present invention illustrated  FIG. 4B , the drain  5  preferably has a drain hole  5 A and a downwardly directed drain pipe  5 C extending therefrom in watertight and secure engagement with the drain hole  5 A in a manner known to a person skilled in the art, the drain pipe  5 C being adapted to pass through a hole  5 D in the floor and being adapted to receive and couple in water-tight engagement with a drain hose  4  which drain hose  4  may be directly (or by way of a water trap) attached in a manner known to a person skilled in the art to a wastewater or drain line in a building&#39;s plumbing system (not shown). In one embodiment of the present invention, a holding tank (not shown) positioned downstream of the drain hose  4  and in secure watertight engagement therewith, may be used to receive leaked or spilled or overflowed water received from the device of the present invention. 
         [0023]    As illustrated in  FIG. 3B , in an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the walled tray  2  has multiple, and preferably four plugged or pluggable drain holes  5 C, the plugged or pluggable drain holes  5 C being positioned within the walls of the walled tray  2  and proximate the corners thereof, providing the user with flexibility as to the choice of which plugged or pluggable drain holes  5 C to utilize as the drain hole (the other non-utilized plugged or pluggable drain holes  5  and  5 C being or remaining plugged by a suitable water-tight plug). In this manner, the position of the drain hole may be chosen by the user as needed, for example, when the appliance is to be positioned in a location in which it is desirable to use a drain hole positioned in the corner (rather than the center) of the walled tray. 
         [0024]    In one embodiment of the present invention, as illustrated in  FIG. 6 , a seal  9  (preferably made of rubber or other similar material) is glued or otherwise securely attached to, and extending along the length of the inner surface of the walls  8  of the walled tray  2 , the seal  9  extending inwardly from the walls  8  to engage with the vertical walls of the washing machine  1  so that leaked or spilled or overflowed water which enters the walled tray  2  may be prevented from or less likely to flow out of the walled tray, past the seal  9 , and into the environment adjacent or beyond the walled tray  2 . 
         [0025]    In a further embodiment of the present invention, as illustrated in  FIG. 7 , an extension shield  24  is provided, preferably made of structural plastic, fiberglass, stainless steel, galvanized steel, or such other structural and waterproof material known to a person skilled in the art, which may be either integral with and extending from the walls  8  of the walled tray  2 , or alternatively, may be separate from, and adapted for watertight engagement with the walls  8  of the walled tray  2  as more fully described herein, the extension shield  24  providing additional protection from damage due to leaked or spilled or overflowed water from the appliance. In the preferred embodiment, as illustrated in  FIG. 7 , the extension shield  24  has three walls, namely two side walls  26  and a back wall  28 , corresponding with and being positioned so that, when installed on the walled tray  2  with a washing machine positioned there-within , two side walls  26  and a back wall  28  of the extension shield  24  are proximate the two corresponding side walls and back wall of the washing machine. In the preferred embodiment, two or three or more plugged or pluggable holes  10  are provided in the wall through which holes  10 A,  10 B and  10 C, hot and cold water supply and wastewater return lines may be positioned, preferably utilizing grommets or other watertight devices to secure the water supply and return lines in their respective holes in a manner known to a person skilled in the art. As illustrated in  FIG. 7 , a seal  11  (preferably made of rubber or other similar material) is glued or otherwise securely attached to, and extending along the edge of the inner surface of the two side walls  26  and a back wall  28  of the extension shield  24 , the seal  11  extending inwardly from the two side walls  26  and a back wall  28  to engage with the corresponding vertical walls of the washing machine  1  to prevent or substantially reduce the likelihood that leaked or spilled or overflowed water will flow beyond the walls extension shield  24 , but rather will more likely flow into the walled tray  2  below rather than past the seal  11 , and into the environment adjacent and beyond the walled tray  2 . As illustrated in  FIG. 8 , in one embodiment of the present invention, the walls of the extension shield  24  curve and extend inwardly  26 A near the bottom of the walls so that the inward extension  26 B of the walls of the extension shield  24  is positioned inside of the walls  8  of the walled tray  2 . In one embodiment of the present invention, a seal  13  (preferably made of rubber or other similar material) is provided between the inwardly extended wall  26 B of the extension shield and the walls  8  of the walled tray, as illustrated in  FIG. 8 , to reduce the likelihood that water will flow into the environment outside of the walled tray  2 . In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the extension shield  24  is attached to the walled tray  2  by means of screws, bolts, water resistant adhesive or glue or in such other manner as would be known to a person skilled in the art. 
         [0026]    In one embodiment of the present invention, a short down-pipe  15 , preferably made of the same material as that of the walled tray, is securely positioned within, or integrated into one corner of the walled tray as illustrated in  FIG. 9 , the top of the down-pipe  15  being adapted for water-tight engagement and coupling with the waste-water hose  15 A from the washing machine, and the bottom of the down-pipe  15  extending in watertight engagement through the floor of the walled tray  2  and presenting beneath the walled tray  2  a short length of pipe  15 B adapted for water-tight engagement and coupling with a drainage hose  16  for the removal of wastewater received in the down pipe  15 , so that the waste-water hose from the washing machine may be securely attached to the top of the down-pipe  15 , and a drainage hose  16  attached to the bottom of the down-pipe  15 , permitting waste-water to pass from the washing machine  1 , through the wastewater hose  14  from the wash machine  1 , down the down pipe  15 , and into the drainage hose  16  attached to the bottom of the down-pipe  5  and thereafter into the drain line in a building&#39;s plumbing system (not shown). 
         [0027]    The present invention has been described herein with regard to preferred embodiments. However, it will be obvious to persons skilled in the art that a number of variations and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as described herein.