Abstract:
A flexible sink strainer having a cupped body completely comprised of a flexible material including a plurality of apertures to allow fluid to pass therethrough, wherein the body is capable of attaining first and second configurations, the first configuration being suitable for capturing material entrained within fluid as it passes through the apertures and the second configuration being suitable for removing material captured on the body as fluid passes through the apertures, is disclosed.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present device relates to sink strainers. Particularly, the present device relates to flexible sink strainers. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Sink strainers come in a variety of sizes and designs. Typical strainers comprise metal spherical center portions having a plurality of openings for the passage of water while blocking clog-causing solid particles from a homes drain. Sometimes the strainer may include a stopper portion which allows the strainer to be “closed” to water passage. These devices are known in the art as stopper/strainers. Conversely, strainers are only suitable for straining particles from a flowing water stream. 
     Accordingly, strainers must be capable of being cleaned of such particles, easily and frequently. Further, due to the nature of some particles, the strainer must be capable of being cleaned from both sides of the strainer. Stopper/strainers, by their very nature, are impeded on one side by the stopper portion. Frequently, matter can become entrained in the strainer portion and stopper portion. 
     Similarly with strainers, as the strainer portion is concave on one surface, removal of entrained material from that surface can be difficult. Should the entrained debris build-up during use of the strainer, it can degrade the effectiveness of the strainer to allow the passage of water. 
     The present invention solves this and other problems associated with prior art strainers and stopper/strainers. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     There is disclosed herein several embodiments of an improved strainer which avoids the disadvantages of prior devices while affording additional structural and operating advantages. 
     In one embodiment of the invention a sink strainer comprises a cupped body completely comprised of a flexible material having a plurality of apertures to allow fluid to pass therethrough, wherein the body is capable of attaining first and second configurations, the first configuration being suitable for capturing material entrained within fluid as it passes through the apertures and the second configuration being suitable for removing material captured on the body as fluid passes through the apertures. 
     It is an aspect of the present invention that the second configuration is an inverted form of the first configuration. 
     It is another aspect of the invention that an embodiment of the sink strainer further comprise a post affixed to the cupped body for facilitating movement between the first and second configurations. The post may be comprised of a flexible material, such as an elastomeric material. 
     It is still another aspect of an embodiment of the invention to provide a flange affixed along a periphery of the cupped body. The flange may be comprised of a rigid material, such as a metal or plastic, or a flexible material, such as an elastomer. The flexible material of the body, the post, and the flange may be the same or different materials. 
     These and other aspects of the invention may be understood more readily from the following description and the appended drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       For the purpose of facilitating an understanding of the subject matter sought to be protected, there are illustrated in the accompanying drawings embodiments thereof, from an inspection of which, when considered in connection with the following description, the subject matter sought to be protected, its construction and operation, and many of its advantages should be readily understood and appreciated. 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of one embodiment of the sink strainer of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a side view of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a bottom view of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a top view of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , illustrated in an inverted position; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the sink strainer of the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a third embodiment of the sink strainer of the present invention; 
         FIG. 8  is a cross-section of the embodiment of  FIG. 7 ; and 
         FIG. 9  is a cross-section of a fourth embodiment of the sink strainer of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     While this invention is susceptible of embodiments in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail a preferred embodiment of the invention with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the broad aspect of the invention to embodiments illustrated. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-9 , there is illustrated several embodiments of a sink strainer, generally designated by the numeral  10 . The strainer  10  of the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1-5  includes a strainer portion  12  having a cupped configuration defined by first and second opposing surfaces  17 ,  19 , respectively, an annular flange  14 , and a center post  16 . 
     The strainer portion  12  is comprised of a plurality of apertures  18  sized to allow liquid, such as water, to flow through the openings while trapping solid material, such as food waste, against the first surface  17 . The apertures  18  may be of equal or varied size, and may be of any desired shape, such as, for example, slots, circles, triangles, combinations and the like. The strainer portion  12  is comprised of a flexible material to allow inversion of the cupped configuration, as shown in  FIG. 5 . The material is preferably elastomeric, including natural and synthetic materials. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 5 , the post  16  is positioned at and attached to the center of the first surface  17 . The post  16  is configured to extend a suitable distance from the first surface  17  to permit access even with considerable waste build-up. The top  20  is gently flared to facilitate a positive grip of the post  16  when wet. Further, though the post  16  may be made from any number of materials, it is preferably comprised of a rigid material, such as a thermoplastic, a thermoset plastic, a metal, or any other suitable rigid material. Alternatively, the post  16  may be comprised of a flexible material identical to that of the strainer portion  12 . Such a configuration may provide greater ease of manufacture, especially where the two components are unitary. 
     As still another alternative, other suitable configurations are possible to achieve the stated objectives. For example, the purpose of the post may be achieved through use of a ring, tab, or a similar protrusion from the first surface  17 . Each of these different configurations (not shown) has benefits and advantages which would be understood by those skilled in the art. 
     Referring to  FIG. 6 , another embodiment of the present strainer  10  is shown. In this embodiment the strainer  10  is devoid of a post or similar article. Removal of the strainer  10  from a sink drain opening, where quickly fluid can create a substantial vacuum, may be made more difficult without the post, but manufacture of the resulting strainer  10  could be much less expensive. Inversion of the strainer  10  would be accomplished by a user pushing on the second surface  19  of the strainer portion. 
     The annular flange  14  of the strainer  10  helps to secure the strainer  10  within a desired sink drain opening (not shown) by engaging a surface of the sink (not shown). The flange  14  preferably has a substantial width to provide such securement. It should be understood, however, that some circumstances may not require the strainer  10  to have a flange of any width or may require only a very small flange width. Further, the material of the flange  14  may be a flexible material, similar to the strainer portion  12 , or a rigid material, similar to the preferred material of the post  16 . The embodiment of  FIG. 1  shows a flange  14  comprised of a layer  22  of flexible or rigid plastic material and an outer ring  24  made of a suitable metal. 
       FIGS. 7 ,  8  and  9  illustrate different embodiments of the invention.  FIG. 7  shows an embodiment similar to  FIG. 1 , except that the flange  14  is comprised of a solid metal ring  26  affixed to the upper edge of the strainer portion  12  by any known means.  FIG. 8  shows the cross-section of a strainer  10  having a flange  14  comprised of the same material as, and integral to the strainer portion  12 .  FIG. 8 , as well as  FIG. 9 , also illustrates the possible removal of the center post, as it might be attached to the strainer portion  12  of the strainer  10 . A tubular portion  30  of the rigid post member  16  fits within an opening  32  of the strainer portion  12  and is held in place by fastener  34  from the second surface  19 .  FIG. 9  illustrates an embodiment having a rigid flange member  114  affixed to a flexible flange member  115 , which is molded of material identical to that of the strainer portion  12 . These and other variations can be made to the components of the invention while still achieving the intended goals of the flexible strainer  10 . 
     In use, the strainer  10  of  FIGS. 1-5  is placed within a sink drain opening (not shown) of a sink (not shown), with the concave first surface  17  and post  16  of the strainer portion  12  facing upwards. As fluid is added to the sink, such as, for example, by running a faucet, the fluid is strained for solid material exceeding the aperture size of the strainer portion, while passing through the strainer  10 . At any point during this process, the strainer  10  may be removed from the drain opening and, by inverting the strainer portion as illustrated in  FIG. 5 , the entrained solids can be properly discarded in, for example, a waste can. The strainer  10  can then be returned to its original configuration and placed back into the sink drain opening or away for storage. 
     The matter set forth in the foregoing description and accompanying drawings is offered by way of illustration only and not as a limitation. While particular embodiments have been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the broader aspects of applicants&#39; contribution. The actual scope of the protection sought is intended to be defined in the following claims when viewed in their proper perspective based on the prior art.