Drain cleaning device

Disclosed is a low cost, easy to use cleaning apparatus to unclog or clean drain pipes or other conduits by directing high pressure water into contact with any solids in the pipe comprising a spray nozzle mounted in the end of a flexible water supply tube having, surrounding the nozzle, self centering fingers integrally formed by cutting slits or notches in the end of the supply tube and then inserting the nozzle which radially spreads the fingers.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
This present invention relates generally to cleaning apparatus for 
directing liquid into contact with solids lodged in a drain pipe and more 
specifically to an apparatus having a flexible tube with an end mounted 
spray nozzle and guiding means for cleaning or unclogging pipes or 
conduits. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Most homes, and even small businesses, do not have apparatus for 
efficiently unstopping or cleaning a blocked or slow running sink drain, 
especially when the blockage occurs in the pipes downstream from the sink. 
Generally the operator must rely on rubber plunger devices, which uses a 
brief pressure surge to try to dislodge a blockage, a small flexible wire 
or "snake" to mechanically cut through a blockage, or caustic and 
environmentally dangerous chemicals. Any such method may be so laborious, 
time consuming, or dangerous both to the operator and to the environment 
that often it is better to disassemble as much of the plumbing as is 
reachable and attempt to manually clean it out. However, all these methods 
are less effective, and often futile, if the blockage is distant from the 
drain opening at the sink. The pressure surge from a plunger dissipates 
over even a moderate distance and a snake has such a small diameter and 
short length compared to most drains that it will either not clean the 
sides of the pipe or reach the obstructed portion. A larger sized or 
longer snake often will not easily follow the turns of the pipes to reach 
the obstructed portion. Chemicals are most effective when used for 
blockages of organic material close to the drain opening, but are usually 
either ineffective or potentially more dangerous when used in sufficient 
quantities necessary to reach an obstruction far from the drain. 
Various forms of specialty devices have been long known in the art for this 
purpose but all have some disadvantages. Many require special fittings 
and/or are expensive to manufacture. Few take advantage of the readily 
available water under pressure from a typical household faucet. For 
example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,283,780 to Ahern shows a low pressure dispenser 
of cleaning solutions having a long flexible tube with a brush on the end 
for cleaning a drain but it does not use a pressurized spray and cannot 
unclog a stopped drain. U.S. Pat. No. 2,315,673 to Taylor shows a side 
discharge nozzle on the end of a long flexible metal tube which apparently 
may be connected to a water faucet for cleaning drains but it does not 
appear useful for unclogging blocked pipes where the blockage is distant 
from the drain opening. More recently, U.S. Pat. No. 4,321,712 to Dixon 
teaches the use of a short, rigid connection for introducing cleaning or 
degreasing fluid under pressure near the beginning or the trap of a 
clogged drain. It does not spray the fluid deep inside the drain near the 
site of the stoppage, unless the blockage happens to be in or near the 
trap. None of the foregoing have any means for centering or guiding the 
cleaning tube in a pipe. 
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and 
improved device, and methods of making and using same, for cleaning and/or 
unclogging drain pipes which is easy to use and inexpensive to 
manufacture. It is a further object to provide a drain cleaning device 
which utilizes readily available household water pressure to effectuate 
the removal of the blockage or obstruction in the drain conduit. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention aims to overcome some of the disadvantages of the 
prior art as well as offer certain other advantages by providing an 
improved, self-centering, guiding and spraying assembly, which is on the 
distal end of a relatively long, flexible plastic tube connected to the 
household water supply, for cleaning solid debris from or unclogging 
blockages and obstructions downstream of a drain opening in a drain 
conduit. The apparatus comprises a hollow flexible tube of a length 
sufficient to reach the solids in the conduit when inserted into the 
conduit. Means for connoting a supply of water under pressure is connected 
to one proximal end of the tube so that water under pressure can be passed 
through the hollow tube. A spraying means is mounted on the other distal 
end of the tube. The spraying means is adapted to direct water passed 
through the tube against the solids when the tube and spraying means are 
inserted into the drain conduit until the spraying means is in direct 
proximity to the solids in the drain conduit. Guiding means is mounted to 
the distal end of the tube for centering and guiding the tube and spray 
means through the drain conduit and facilitating the passage of the tube 
and spray means around any bends and turns in the drain conduit. 
The guide means may comprise a multiplicity of radially outwardly extending 
fingers mounted on the distal end of said tube, and those finger may be 
formed by cutting longitudinal slits in the distal end of the flexible 
tube and inserting the spraying means into the hollow opening at the 
distal end of the tube to cause the portions of the tube between said 
longitudinal slits to radially spread outwardly. 
The spray means may comprise a multiplicity of water ejector openings that 
communicate with the hollow interior of the tube so that the water under 
pressure passed through the tube is directed both longitudinally and 
transversely from the spray means. 
The tube may be formed in sections that can be connected to one another to 
vary the length of the tube so that the tube will reach the obstruction in 
the drain conduit. 
The invention also comprises a method of removing solids obstructing a 
drain conduit comprising the steps of inserting a hollow flexible fluid 
supply tube connectable to a source of pressurized water at one proximal 
end and having a guide means and spray means mounted to the other distal 
end of said tube, maneuvering the tube in the conduit until the spray 
means is in the immediate proximity of the solids obstructing the drain 
conduit, and passing pressurized water through said tube and said spray 
means against the solids obstructing the drain conduit until the solids 
are loosened and the obstruction removed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
As shown in FIG. 1, the present cleaning device generally comprises a 
relatively long flexible tube (12) having a means for connection (14) to a 
water supply (not shown) on one end and a spraying and guiding assembly 
(16) on the other end. Preferably, the water tube (12) is made of a 
flexible plastic, such as polypropylene or the like, which tends to hold 
its shape but without being so rigid as to not easily bend around turns in 
a drain pipe. The proper flexibility of the tube (12) is important for 
ease of use. The water connection means (14) may be of any of the common 
types well known in the art such as a rigid, threaded pipe fitting that 
threats onto a threaded faucet or an elastic, rubber slip-on fitting that 
can be inserted over the end of a faucet regardless of its shape. The 
spraying and guiding assembly (16) includes a spray nozzle (22), having 
multiple water ejector holes (24) as shown more clearly in FIG. 2, 
surrounded by several flexible finger means (26) for centering the 
assembly in a pipe or conduit. In this embodiment, the finger means (26) 
are integrally formed at the distal end of the tube (12) by cutting slits 
or notches in the end of the tube (12) before insertion of the nozzle (22) 
into the open end of tube (12) which radially spreads the fingers 
outwardly as shown in FIG. 1. Of course, the outside diameter of the head 
portion (23) of nozzle (22) must be somewhat larger than the inside 
diameter of the hollow opening in tube (12) to achieve proper spreading of 
the fingers (26). Nozzle (22) also comprises a mating portion (25) of a 
diameter smaller than head portion (23), but sized to fit into but be 
securely retained in the hollow opening of tube (12) even under water 
pressure. The guide fingers could also be separately formed and mounted to 
either the exterior surface of the nozzle (22) or the tube (12). 
In use, the connection means (14) on one proximal end of the tube (12) is 
connected to a source of pressurized water, typically household faucet 
(not shown). The spraying and guiding assembly (16) on the other distal 
end of tube (12) is inserted into the drain opening where the fingers (26) 
tend to center the nozzle (22) in the drain conduit and may also help to 
scrape sticky solids from the walls. The nozzle (22) is maneuvered down 
the drain conduit by pushing the tube (12) slowly into the conduit until 
the nozzle (22) contacts the solid obstruction in the drain. The water 
faucet is then turned on and water flows through the tube (12) and nozzle 
(22) and sprays forwardly and transversely from the multiple ejector holes 
(24) in the nozzle (22) to loosen and remove any nearby solid deposits. 
The tube (12) and nozzle (22) can be repeatedly and continuously moved 
down the conduit until the obstructed drain conduit is opened. 
Typically, if the drain is completely blocked, the water is turned on only 
momentarily to loosen the surface portion of the obstruction and then the 
nozzle (22) is pushed further down the drain and the process repeated 
again. In this way, the obstruction can be removed without causing so much 
water to be used that the sink will overflow before the blockage is 
removed and drainage restored. 
Tube (12) can advantageously be formed in multiple sections and joined 
together at junctions (shown by dotted lines 28 in FIG. 1) by any of a 
number of conventional tube connectors (not shown) such as press on 
fittings or threaded fittings. In this manner the length of the tube (12) 
can be varied to reach obstructions of varying distants from the drain 
opening. 
While the present invention has been described in terms more or less 
specific to one preferred embodiment, it is expected that various 
alterations, modifications, or permutations thereof will be readily 
apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it should be understood 
that the invention is not to be limited to the specific features shown or 
described, but it is intended that all equivalents be embraced within the 
spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.