Boat drain tube with integral leak detector

The boat drain tube with an integral leak detector provides an audio and/or visual alarm to indicate the presence of a water leak within a drain of a boat. The boat drain tube includes a hollow, cylindrical tube having opposed first and second open ends, and first and second hollow, cylindrical electrodes rigidly mounted therein. The first and second hollow cylindrical electrodes are axially spaced apart from one another to define an electrically nonconductive gap therebetween. An alarm, an electrical power source, and the first and second hollow, cylindrical electrodes are connected in series to define a circuit open at the gap. The alarm may be an audio alarm, a visual alarm (such as lights, light emitting diodes or the like), or a combination of audio and visual alarms. When water enters the gap between the first and second hollow cylindrical electrodes, the circuit closes to activate the alarm.

BACKGROUND

The disclosure of the present patent application relates to boating safety devices, and more particularly to a boat drain tube with integral leak detector for detecting when a boat has been launched without a plug installed in the drain tube.

2. Description of the Related Art

Small boat hulls commonly have an aft drain for draining water when the boat is in use.FIG. 2illustrates a typical boat drain tube100. Boat drain tube100includes a hollow cylindrical shell102which is sized to fit into drain opening D formed through the aft hull of boat B. One end of hollow cylindrical shell102has an annular flange104with openings106formed therethrough. Openings106are aligned with corresponding openings110, formed through the aft hull about drain opening D, such that screws108, bolts or the like may be used to secure annular flange104to the hull, thus securing the hollow cylindrical shell102within the drain opening D. As shown, an inner surface of the hollow cylindrical shell102has threads116formed thereon. This allows the hollow cylindrical shell102to be securely closed and sealed by a plug112, which has mating threads114formed thereon.

In a common boat drain tube, such as boat drain tube100ofFIG. 2, the hollow cylindrical shell102is typically formed from plastic, fiberglass or the like, and the plug112is typically formed from similar materials. Thus, due to time and wear, the ability of the plug112to completely seal the hollow cylindrical shell102degrades, eventually leading to leakage of water into the boat B. Such leaks are typically detected visually, i.e., the sailor of the boat B typically does not discover the leak until a visible stream of water is entering the boat B. It would obviously be of great value to be able to detect such leaks as soon as they begin so that hollow cylindrical shell102and/or plug112can be replaced before a major leak occurs. Similarly, even without considering leakage through or around the plug112, if the boater forgets to plug or otherwise close the hollow cylindrical shell102before launching the boat B, water will leak into the boat B, thus creating a hazardous situation. Thus, a boat drain tube with an integral leak detector solving the aforementioned problems is desired.

SUMMARY

The boat drain tube with integral leak detector provides an audio and/or visual alarm to indicate the presence of a water leak through the drain of a boat. The boat drain tube with integral leak detector includes a hollow cylindrical tube having opposed first and second open ends, and first and second hollow, cylindrical electrodes mounted therein. The first and second hollow, cylindrical electrodes are axially spaced apart from one another to define a gap therebetween. An alarm, an electrical power source, and the first and second hollow cylindrical electrodes are connected in series to define a circuit. The alarm may be an audio alarm, a visual alarm (such as lights, light emitting diodes or the like), or a combination of audio and visual alarms. The electrical power source may be a rechargeable battery or the like.

Each of the first and second hollow cylindrical electrodes may be threaded for releasable mating with a threaded cylindrical plug, similar to a conventional boat plug and drain tube. The threaded cylindrical plug is inserted through the first open end of the hollow cylindrical tube and is releasably secured therein through threaded engagement with the first and second hollow cylindrical electrodes. If the threaded cylindrical plug does not properly seal the hollow cylindrical tube, water will leak into the interior of the hollow cylindrical tube. When the water enters the gap between the first and second hollow cylindrical electrodes, the circuit closes to activate the alarm. Additionally, even without considering leakage through or around the threaded cylindrical plug, if the boater forgets to plug or otherwise close the hollow, cylindrical shell before launching the boat, water will leak into the boat through the hollow, cylindrical shell, thus closing the circuit and activating the alarm, indicating to the boater that he/she has forgotten to plug or otherwise seal the hollow cylindrical tube.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The boat drain tube with an integral leak detector, designated generally as10in the drawings, provides an audio and/or visual alarm to indicate the presence of a water leak within a drain of a boat, such as the exemplary boat B ofFIG. 2. As shown inFIGS. 1 and 3, the boat drain tube10includes a hollow, cylindrical tube12, having opposed first and second open ends32,34, respectively, and first and second hollow, cylindrical electrodes17,18, respectively, rigidly mounted therein, i.e., the electrodes17,18are fixed in the tube12and do not rotate or move translationally in the tube12. Similar to the conventional boat drain tube100ofFIG. 2, an annular flange14may extend about the first open end32of the hollow, cylindrical tube12. Similarly, at least one aperture16may be formed through the annular flange14for receiving a fastener, such as exemplary screws108ofFIG. 2. It should be understood that the overall appearance, relative dimensions, and configuration of the hollow, cylindrical tube12and the annular flange14are shown for exemplary purposes only. Similarly, it should be understood that the three apertures16shown formed through the annular flange14inFIG. 3are shown for exemplary purposes only, and that any suitable number of apertures16may be formed through the annular flange14. Further, it should be understood that the overall appearance, relative dimensions, and configuration of the first and second hollow, cylindrical electrodes17,18are shown for exemplary purposes only, and may be vary depending upon the overall configuration of the hollow, cylindrical tube12.

The first and second hollow, cylindrical electrodes17,18are axially spaced apart from one another to define an air gap30therebetween, the gap30being both a physical separation and an electrically nonconductive separation when the inside of the tube12is dry. An alarm28, an electrical power source V, and the first and second hollow, cylindrical electrodes17,18are connected in series to define a circuit, except for the open defined by the gap30. The alarm28may be an audio alarm, a visual alarm (such as lights, light emitting diodes or the like), or a combination of audio and visual alarms. The electrical power source V may be a rechargeable battery or the like. The alarm circuit may also include a manually operated on/off power switch so that power to the alarm circuit may be manually shut off when it is desired to drain water out of the boat B using the boat drain D.

As shown, each of the first and second hollow, cylindrical electrodes17,18may be internally threaded for releasable mating with a cylindrical plug24having an externally threaded surface26, similar to the conventional boat plug and drain tube shown inFIG. 2. Internal threads20,22of the first and second hollow, cylindrical electrodes17,18, respectively, are best seen in the cut-away portion ofFIG. 1. The externally threaded cylindrical plug24is inserted through the first open end32of the hollow, cylindrical tube12and is releasably secured therein through threaded engagement with the first and second hollow cylindrical electrodes17,18. If the threaded cylindrical plug24does not properly seal the hollow cylindrical tube12, water will leak into the interior of hollow, cylindrical tube12. When the water enters the gap30between the first and second hollow, cylindrical electrodes17,18, the circuit is shorted and closes to activate the alarm28, indicating to the boater that there is a water leak. Additionally, even without considering leakage through or around the threaded cylindrical plug24, if the boater forgets to plug or otherwise close the hollow, cylindrical shell12launching the boat B, water will leak into the boat B through the hollow, cylindrical shell12, thus closing the circuit and activating the alarm28, indicating to the boater that he/she has forgotten to plug or otherwise seal the hollow, cylindrical tube12.

It should be understood that first and second hollow, cylindrical electrodes17,18may be formed from any suitable type of electrically conductive material, such as copper or the like. It should also be understood that the hollow, cylindrical tube12and the cylindrical plug24may be formed from any suitable type of electrically insulating and waterproof material, such as fiberglass, plastic or the like, so that the plug24does not short the electrodes17,18when threaded into the electrodes.

It will be obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art that various improvements may be made in the electrical circuit, such as using the shorting current between the electrodes17,18to turn on a low voltage or current relay to close the contacts on a higher voltage or current switch in the alarm circuit. The present boat drain tube with an integral leak detector10works best when the boat is used in a saltwater body of water so that the salt provides and electrolyte to carry a higher current across the gap30between the electrodes17,18.