DRAIN COVER IN SANITARY COMPARTMENTS

Abstract: The present invention relates to a drain cover for a floor drain or outlet from a bath-tub, bidet, wash-basin, shower cabinet and the like, i.e. preferably in sanitary compartments. The cover has a highly polished and anti-static surface. The holes are circular with a diameter of, preferably 6.0-6.5 mm and have a rounded upper edge.

Description: DRAIN COVER IN SANITARY COMPARTMENTS The present invention relates to a drain cover of a floor drain, drain from a bath-tub, bidet, wash-basin, shower cabinet and the like, i.e. preferably in sanitary compartments . Known drain covers serve to drain the water flow to a floor drain or a water seal . The cover should also have such a design that the water flow including hair and the like is quickly drained through the holes of the cover to the floor drain and the water seal . The requirements mean that the desired large area of the holes for the water flow together with, for instance, the required carrying capacity of drain covers controls the dimensioning of the cover regarding its thickness and the like which, naturally, affects the cost of the cover in view of the consumption of material or other reinforcement measures . This type of cover implies that the floor drain, the water seal and the cover in which hair easily gets caught regularly have to be cleaned in order to get the water flow run into the drain without running off so slowly that water collects on the floor, in the wash-basin, bath-tub, shower cabinet, bidet and the like, or that the drain is completely blocked up. Such blocking causes high cleaning costs, especially in large houses such as blocks of flats and public buildings. The usual work of cleaning floor drains and/or water seals is unpleasant and uncomfortable since the waste in the floor drain and the water seal normally has to be removed by hand. This means, in its turn, that the floor drain is generally not cleaned very often. The floor drain is thus blocked and the water flow through the floor drain is reduced. This results in a high water level in the floor drain, and thus there is a risk of water escaping, which may cause damage due to damp and bad smell . The object of this invention is to reduce the work of cleaning floor drains and/or water seals at the same time as a cheaper cover structure is obtained. This object is achieved by the device according to the invention by letting hair and the like move around on the surface of the cover without getting caught or entan- gled in the cover, from which it can easily be removed with the aid of, for instance, a squeegee or by wiping with paper. A less expensive structure is achieved since the cost of material and the waste of material will decrease in connection with manufacturing compared with other already known alternatives. In order to make the hair and the like move easily on the surface of the cover, the surface is highly polished and anti-static and the cover is provided with cir- cular holes with a diameter of 5-7 mm, preferably 6.0-6.5 mm, the upper edge of the holes being rounded. The holes should also be symmetrically distributed over the surface of the cover. The total area of the holes in relation to the sur- face of the cover should be about 8-14 %, but preferably 10-12 %. The surface of the cover is preferably somewhat concave, preferably 1-5 mm. Since the surface is highly polished and anti- static, hair and the like easily move around on the surface without penetrating the surface tension of the water across the area of the holes . The desired surface tension of the water in the hole is equivalent in all directions by the holes being circu- lar. The lower limit of the diameter of the holes is determined by the required quick run off and the upper limit by the desired surface tension. The surface tension is enhanced by means of the rounded upper edge of the holes. A sharp edge contributes to the surface tension being "broken" more easily. The surface tension will be further enhanced by the holes in their lower edge having an inwardly and downwardly directed conical flange. As a consequence, water which is transported through the drain cover, instead of running, forms droplets having a high surface tension. Consequently, this reduces the risk of hair and the like being carried into the floor drain together with the water. A symmetrical positioning of the holes results in optimum distribution of the area of the holes in order to allow the hair to get caught more easily over the whole surface. The relatively small area of holes in relation to the total area of the cover, preferably 10-12 %, means that the carrying capacity of the cover increases, for instance in connection with floor drains, which implies that the thickness of the material can be made smaller, preferably 1-3 mm at a diameter of the cover of about 150 mm, thus reducing the cost of the cover. In order to have a floor cover adapted to the vertical positioning of existing floor drains in relation to the level of the surface of the floor, the cover may in this context, for instance, be provided with a thickened edge or gaskets may be placed on the edge of the floor drain to obtain an appropriate level . The drain cover is normally connected to its bearing support by the surface provided with holes having a horizontal bearing edge in its outer edge. A somewhat concave surface facilitates the accumulation of hair and the like within the area of the cover, which makes cleaning easier. Fig. 1 shows the cover 2 in alignment with the symmetrical positioning of the holes 3. Fig. 2a is a cross-section of the cover with its concavity. Fig. 2b is a cross-section of a hole 3 with its rounded upper edge 4 and its inwardly and downwardly directed conical flange 5 in the lower edge . The drawing shows a preferred embodiment which may be varied within the scope of the appended claims .

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A drain cover for a floor drain, drain from a bath-tub, bidet, wash-basin, shower cabinet and the like, i.e. preferably in sanitary compartments, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the surface (1) of the cover is highly polished and anti-static and that the cover has circular holes (3) with a diameter of 5-7 mm, preferably 6.0-6.5 mm, the upper edge (4) of the holes being rounded . 2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the holes (3) in their lower edge have an inwardly and downwardly directed conical flange (5) . 3. A device as claimed in claims 1 and 2, wherein the holes (3) are symmetrically distributed over the surface of the cover. 4. A device as claimed in claims 1,2 and 3, wherein the area of the holes comprises 8-14%, preferably 10-12%, of the total surface of the cover. 5. A device as claimed in claims 1, 2, 3 and 4, wherein the surface of the cover is somewhat concave, preferably 1-5 mm.

Inventors: BODER OWE, BODER, OWE
Applicants: BODER OWE, BODER, OWE
Application year: 1999
Main classification: E03F5
IPC codes: E03C1, E03F5