Abstract:
A boat drain plug system for attachment to a drain hole within a boat hull, the system including a flange including a threaded sleeve that fits within the drain hole and a threaded opening, a cylindrical drain plug adapted for individually coupling with the threaded sleeve and the second threaded opening wherein the drain plug may be fitted into the threaded opening to secure the drain plug when the sleeve needs to be completely open to allow water to exit a boat.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to a drain plug system, and more particularly to a drain plug system for a boat wherein the drain plug may still be held attached to the drain plug system while a drain hole is open.  
         [0002]     Drain plugs are typically used in various types and styles of boat holes. Usually a sleeve fits within a drain opening, or hole, and a plug fits within the sleeve. The purpose of the plug and drain hole is to allow water that may have gotten into the boat to be released, through the drain hole when the plug is removed, while the drain hole is no longer beneath a body of water.  
         [0003]     In the prior art, once removed from the drain hole, some drain plugs have no further connection to the drain hole or boat. In such situations the drain plugs may become lost. In other prior art the drain plug is attached to either the drain hole or boat by a chain or some other connection device. In these situations the plugs are always attached to the drain hole or boat. Depending on how the plug is attached, the plug may be in a position that if debris is in the water in the boat, the plug could block the debris from flowing out of the drain hole, which depending on the type and amount of debris may block the flow of water out of the boat. In addition, drain plugs which are attached via a chain or other mechanism can cause damage to the exterior of the boat while trailering, if left secured to the boat with only the chain.  
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     Towards this end, a system, improvement, and apparatus for a boat drain plug apparatus is provided. The system comprises a flange including a threaded sleeve that fits within the drain hole and a threaded opening. A cylindrical drain plug adapted for individually coupling with the threaded sleeve and the second threaded opening is also included. Wherein the drain plug may be fitted into the threaded opening to secure the drain plug when the sleeve needs to be completely open to allow water to exit a boat.  
         [0005]     The improvement comprises a threaded plug holder opening attached to the boat hull operable to receive the drain plug when the drain plug is removed from the sleeve in a drain plug apparatus wherein a boat drain opening is formed in a boat hull through which a threaded sleeve fits and a drain plug that is threaded and fits within the sleeve.  
         [0006]     The apparatus comprises a threaded sleeve that fits within a drain opening. A cylindrical drain plug adapted for coupling with the threaded sleeve, and a threaded plug holder opening attached to the boat hull operable to receive the drain plug when the drain plug is removed from the sleeve are also disclosed.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]     The figures shown depict only exemplary configurations that may be employed for the present invention. Those skilled in the art will recognize variations to the figures presented herein. The features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when read with the accompanying drawings in which:  
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is an exemplary embodiment of a boat hull with the present invention attached;  
         [0009]      FIG. 2  is a front view of the present invention;  
         [0010]      FIG. 3  is an exemplary illustration of a cross-sectional side view of the present invention;  
         [0011]      FIG. 4  is an exemplary embodiment of a front view of another preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0012]      FIG. 5  is a top cross sectional view of various embodiments of a sleeve of a drain hole; and  
         [0013]      FIG. 6  is a side view of the present invention with water disbursement openings in the drain plug.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0014]     With reference to the figures, exemplary embodiments of the invention will now be described. Before proceeding to a detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention and alternate embodiments, several general comments should be made about the applicability and the scope of the present invention. The scope of the invention disclosed is applicable to a plurality of uses, such as but not limited to other devices where a plug is used where it must be removed temporarily and then returned to a primary location. Thus, even though embodiments are described specifically to boat hulls, the present invention is applicable to other uses or applications.  
         [0015]     As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the present invention  10  is usually installed in the transom of a hull  11  of a boat  12  where there is usually a drain opening  14 , as illustrated in  FIG. 2 . As further illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , a sleeve  16  having a flange  17  is disposed in the drain opening  14 . The interior of the sleeve  16  is threaded. A plug  20  fits within the sleeve  16  and is also threaded so that it can engage the threads within the sleeve  16 . The flange  17  is located on the exterior of the hull  11  wherein a second opening  18  is provided. In one preferred embodiment, the second opening  18  has a closed end, or in other words does not traverse therethrough the flange  17 . In another preferred embodiment, the second opening is not closed wherein the hull is visible through the second opening. The second opening  18  is also threaded to receive the plug  20 . When the plug  20  is removed from the sleeve  16 , a user can then connect the plug  20  to the second opening  18  to insure the plug  20  is secured to the boat  12  while water is being drained from the boat  12 . As further illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the flange  17  may have additional holes  23  or openings through which fasteners such as screws may be inserted and secured to the hull- 11  which in turn secures the flange  17  to the boat  12 . In another embodiment, the flange  17  may be adhesively attached to the boat  12 .  
         [0016]     As further illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the drain plug  20  has a radially cylindrical body with threads displaced around the outer circumference of the body to engage the sleeve  16  as well as the second opening  18 . In a preferred embodiment both the drain plug  20 , flange  17  and sleeve  16  are made of any suitable marine material, such as but not limited to brass and/or plastic.  
         [0017]     In operation, when the drain plug  20  is removed from the sleeve  16 , by twisting the drain plug  20  and allowing the threads to operate to result in removal of the drain plug  20 , then the drain plug  20  may then be connected to the second opening  18 , thus being out of the way of any debris that may flow from the sleeve  16 . Once removed, the drain plug  20  may then be securely stowed. Though illustrated with the second opening  18  being above the sleeve  16 , those skilled in the art will readily recognize that the second opening  18  may be located at any location, such as but not limited to beneath the sleeve  16  and/or in the same horizontal plane as the sleeve  16 .  
         [0018]     In another exemplary embodiment, as illustrated in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , instead of requiring the drain plug  20  to be completely removed from the sleeve  16  to allow water to flow from the drain opening  14 , the sleeve  16  is configured to allow water to flow from the sleeve  16  when the drain plug  20  is partially removed from the sleeve  16 . As illustrated in  FIG. 5 , the sleeve  16  extends out a given distance from the exterior of the hull. The bottom part of the sleeve  16  has an opening  25 , such as a slit which begins at a given distance exterior of the hull  11  and is then displaced through the remaining part of the sleeve  16 . In this embodiment, the rest of the interior surface of the sleeve  16  retains threads  40  which guide the plug  20  as it is further removed to insure that the opening  25  is free to allow water to flow out.  
         [0019]     In other embodiments, the opening  25  may take on other configurations, such as but not limited to those further illustrated in  FIG. 5 . The openings  25  provides for a path for water to be displaced from the hull  11 . The amount of area accessible by water within the opening  25 , will be based on how engaged, or screwed in or out of the sleeve, the drain plug is within the sleeve.  
         [0020]     Thus in operation, if no debris is in the water being displaced from the boat  12 , the user does not need to completely remove the drain plug  20  from sleeve  16 , but instead only remove it far enough to allow water to flow from the opening  25  provided in the sleeve  16 . However, if debris is also mixed with the water in the boat  12 , then the user can completely remove the plug  20  and attach it to the second opening  18 .  
         [0021]     Though the illustrations and explanation provided above regarding the embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 4 &amp; 5  disclose the opening  25  being in the sleeve  16 . Those skilled in the art will recognize that the present invention can also be accomplished by placing the opening  25 , discussed above, in a hollow plug  20 . Thus, as illustrated in  FIG. 6 , a sleeve  16  does not need to extend from the hull  11  to allow an area for openings  25 . Instead when the plug  20  has been removed a sufficient distance from the sleeve  16 , water can flow from or through a hole  25  or opening(s) in the plug  20 , preferably, but not limited to, once the holes  25  are facing in a downward direction. Again, if more of an opening is needed, the plug  20  can be completely removed and then connected to the second opening  18  of the present invention  10 .  
         [0022]     While the invention has been described in what is presently considered to be a preferred embodiment, many variations or modifications will become apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the specific illustrated embodiment but be interpreted within the full spirit and scope of the appended claims.