Abstract:
A drain fitting includes a cylindrical body that is sealed against a floor drain cover to confine condensate liquid, such as from an air conditioner, inside the perimeter of the drain fitting by tightening a self-tapping screw that is inserted into a hollow stem in the center of the central body portion of the drain fitting, pulling a gasket in the bottom surface of the drain fitting against a floor drain cover. A nipple connected to the drain fitting receives a condensate drain hose. A vent opening is formed into a side wall of drain fitting.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     Not Applicable.  
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT  
       [0002]     Not applicable.  
       SEQUENCE LISTING  
       [0003]     Not applicable.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     The present invention is related to a device for holding a condensate drain hose fitting for a floor drain, such as from an air conditioner, dehumidifier, humidifier, high-efficiency condensing furnace or the like and covering the resulting condensate as it is directed into a floor drain.  
       DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART INCLUDING INFORMATION DISCLOSED UNDER 37 C.F.R. 1.97 and 1.98.  
       [0005]     Various small diameter hoses, such as condensate drain hoses from air conditioners, dehumidifies and the like are typically run toward a floor drain in a basement. Often such hoses simply lie on the floor in the general vicinity of the floor drain. Sometimes a cable tie, restraining collar or the like is wrapped around the end of the drain hose on the floor and the cable tie, restraining collar of the like is fastened to the floor drain by a screw or the like. In either case, the condensate runs along the drain cover and, usually, the floor. The condensate always included entrained debris, such as rust and sludge, which stains the floor and the drain cover, leading to an unsightly appearance. This contaminated condensate, along with the entrained sludge, frequently sits on the floor or drain cover for extended periods. In the summer, this area may be continuously wet, providing a breading place for bacteria, mold and fungus. Further, pets may be tempted to drink the condensate, which may be unhealthy. Pests, such as insects and rodents also drink from the water around floor drains.  
         [0006]     Therefore, it would be useful to provide a means for connecting condensate drain hoses to a drain without leaving any unsightly stains or normally wet areas.  
         [0007]     A search of the patent literature revealed no devices designed to meet these needs. Some more or less related devices have been patented, some of which are discussed below.  
         [0008]     U.S. Pat. No. 5,934,331, issued to, Earl on Aug. 10, 1999, discloses a Floor Drain Adapter comprising with a 90° elbow having one end fastened to a floor drain by a number of small angle irons and a horizontally oriented upper opening sealed by a collar, which seals a diaphragm across the diameter of the elbow opening, with several hoses being pushed into the elbow up to the bend in the elbow. This adapter requires used of angle irons to connect it to the drain and basically covers the entire drain surface.  
         [0009]     U.S. Pat. No. 4,758,027, issued to Todd on Jul. 19, 1988, discloses a Recreational Vehicle Sewerline Adapter comprising a flexible hose extending from a fluid source, such as a recreational vehicle&#39;s sewage system, having a downwardly oriented 90° elbow at its distal end, which includes a coupling fitting for insertion into a specific type of ground drain. The elbow can fit only into a specifically designed mating drain and the two pieces appear to be useful only in connection with each other.  
         [0010]     U.S. Pat. No. 4,722,556, issued to Todd on Feb. 2, 1988, discloses a Recreational Vehicle Sewerline Adapter comprising a 90° elbow fitting having an upper portion horizontally disposed, with a threaded end portion for receiving a threaded drain hose. A vertically disposed lower end portion includes a flexible sealing element having a plurality of stepped-up larger diameters, so that the lower end may be sealed into drain openings of a number of different sizes. This fitting entirely covers and seals the drain, preventing its use for any other purpose while the adapter is in place.  
         [0011]     U.S. Pat. No. 964,954, issued to Coles on Jul. 19, 1910, discloses a Drain Pipe Flushing Attachment comprising a disk body having a depending peripheral flange provided with an external screw thread in the centrally disposed upstanding nipple, which is closed by a threaded closure cap. The disk body is inserted into and sealed into the drain opening of a sink and a pressure hose is fixed to the nipple. Pressurized water is pumped through the hose and drain cover to flush the sink drain. When installed for use, the device completely covers the drain opening and when water is forced into the hose, the entire system is closed and sealed so that it can be pressurized. This cover covers the entire drain, preventing it from being used for any other purpose.  
         [0012]     Again, none of the references disclose or suggest a device or apparatus that accomplishes, or could accomplish, the purpose of the condensate drain hose fitting for a floor drain disclosed herein. Nor do any of the reference disclose or suggest any structure similar to or suggestive of the structure of the condensate drain hose fitting for a floor drain disclosed herein.  
         [0013]     Therefore, a need exists for a condensate drain hose fitting for a floor drain that provides a neat appearance for condensate drain hoses disposed in the vicinity of a drain cover; that prevents staining of the floor; that prevents standing water on the floor from the condensate drain hose; that can be used with standard condensate hose sizes without hose clamps or other fasteners; that seals against the floor drain to contain the condensed water and entrained sludge in the condensate; and that leaves the floor drain available for receiving other liquids.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0014]     Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a condensate drain hose fitting for a floor drain that provides a neat appearance for condensate drain hoses disposed in the vicinity of a drain cover.  
         [0015]     It is an other object of the present invention to provide a condensate drain hose fitting for a floor drain that prevents staining of the floor.  
         [0016]     It is an other object of the present invention to provide a condensate drain hose fitting for a floor drain that prevents standing water on the floor from the condensate drain hose.  
         [0017]     It is an other object of the present invention to provide a condensate drain hose fitting for a floor drain that can be used with standard condensate hose sizes without hose clamps or other fasteners.  
         [0018]     It is an other object of the present invention to provide a condensate drain hose fitting for a floor drain that seals against the floor drain to contain the condensed water and entrained sludge in the condensate.  
         [0019]     It is an other object of the present invention to provide a condensate drain hose fitting for a floor drain that leaves the floor drain available for receiving other liquids.  
         [0020]     These objectives are achieved by providing a condensate drain hose fitting for a floor drain having a substantially cylindrical body having a planar lower surface for seating on a floor drain, with a vent opening to the outside air in a side wall of the cylindrical body and at least one hose receiving nipple protruding from the cylindrical body. A brace member crosses the top of the cylindrical body along a diameter of the cylindrical body and includes a countersink into a stem that projects vertically downward to the lower edge of the cylindrical body. A bore through the stem receives a set-tapping screw that taps into the floor drain. In the bottom surface of the cylindrical body lies a channel groove for receiving a gasket, preferably an O-ring, to seal the lower surface of the cylindrical body against the floor drain when the self-tapping screw is tightened.  
         [0021]     In an alternative embodiment, more than one nipple protrudes from the cylindrical body, allowing a single unit to be receive more than one hose.  
         [0022]     Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein is set forth by way of illustration and example, the preferred embodiment of the present invention and the best mode currently known to the inventor for carrying out his invention.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING  
       [0023]      FIG. 1  is an exploded isometric view of a condensate drain hose fitting for a floor drain according to the present invention shown being prepared for installation in a floor drain cover.  
         [0024]      FIG. 2  is a front left-hand isometric view of the condensate drain hose fitting for a floor drain of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0025]      FIG. 3  is a rear isometric view of the condensate drain hose fitting for a floor drain of  FIG. 1 , with portions broken away to revel internal structures.  
         [0026]      FIG. 4  is an exploded bottom isometric view of the condensate drain hose fitting for a floor drain of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0027]      FIG. 5  is a bottom isometric view of an alternative embodiment of the condensate drain hose fitting for a floor drain of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0028]      FIG. 6  is a rear isometric view of an alternative embodiment of the condensate drain hose fitting for a floor drain of  FIG. 1  having two condensate hose nipples.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0029]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , the condensate drain hose fitting for a floor drain (drain fitting)  10  adapted to be pressed against and sealed to the floor drain cover  12  that is seated into the floor  14  so that condensate flowing through the hose  16  is confined within the flange base  18  of the condensate drain fitting  10 , while most of the surface area of the floor drain  12  remains uncovered and is available to receive and drain other liquids that may flow across the floor  14 . The condensate drain fitting  10  is held in place by the self-tapping stainless steel screw  20 , which is threaded through the washer  22  and is seated in the countersink  24  in the cross brace  26  and passes downward through the bore  28 , which has a smooth interior side wall of uniform diameter, in the depending stem  30  ( FIG. 4 ) and is then screwed into the floor drain cover  12 . Such drain covers are typically made from either plastic or iron, with a plurality of drain openings  32  separated by a plurality of solid portions  34  and the screw  20  will self-tap into a solid portion  34  of either of these materials readily. The drain openings  32  and solid portions  34  can be formed in any desired pattern, such as the drain slots shown in  FIG. 1 , circular holes in the drain cover  12  or the like.  
         [0030]     Still referring to  FIG. 1 , the condensate drain fitting  10  includes a sealing gasket  38 , such as a rubber flat cut washer, rubber or neoprene O-ring or the like seated in an annular groove  40  ( FIG. 4 ) in the bottom surface  42  ( FIG. 4 ) of the flange base  18  of the drain fitting  10 . The sealing gasket  34  seals the bottom surface  38  of the drain fitting  10  against the drain cover  12 , preventing condensate from escaping from the area defined by the sealing gasket  38  and insuring that condensate runs down into the floor drain when the self-tapping screw  20  is tightened into the floor drain cover  12 . The flange base  18  is wider, that is, has a larger diameter than the central (cylindrical) body portion  36  in order to provide space for the annular groove or channel  40  for retaining the O-ring gasket  38 , which could as well be installed in a groove in the central body portion  36  as shown in  FIG. 6 , but this would require thicker side walls and hence more material.  
         [0031]     Still referring to  FIG. 1 , a condensate hose nipple  44  projects outwardly from the central body portion  36 , which is cylindrical but can be any desired shape having an internal cavity for receiving and draining condensate conveyed into it through the condensate hose  16 . The condensate hose nipple  44  is horizontal when the central body portion  36  is vertically oriented. The hose nipple  44  includes a central bore, or channel  46 , which has a smooth interior side wall, for conducting fluids into the drain cavity  48  (see,  FIGS. 3, 4 ). The channel  46  is in fluid communication with the interior drain cavity  48  of the central body portion  36 . The condensate hose nipple  44  further includes a smaller diameter distal end portion  50 , a conical step up to a larger diameter portion  52  and a larger diameter portion  54 . Each of these three portions is essentially conical, with its larger diameter end closer to the central body portion  36 . The small diameter portion  50  includes a plurality of annual friction ridges  56 , each of which pass about the entire circumference of the small diameter portion where each lies and that become, naturally, progressively larger from the distal end  58  of the hose nipple  44  toward the conical step up in diameter portion. The larger diameter portion  52  includes a plurality of similarly arrayed friction ridges  60 . The smaller diameter portion  50  accepts and seals flexible hoses  16  of 1.6 cm ( 5/8 inches) in inside diameter, while the large diameter portion  52  accepts and seals hoses up to 1.9 cm ( 3/4 inches) in inside diameter, which are the two sizes of hoses most commonly used for condensate drain hoses  16 . Other sizes of drain hoses can easily be employed. The central bore  46  in the condensate hose nipple  44  communicates with the drain cavity  48  of the central body portion  36  of the drain fitting  10 . The condensate hose  16  is fastened onto the condensate hose nipple  44  by pushing it onto the condensate hose nipple  44  by pushing in along the direction indicated by the arrow  62  until it has progressed toward the proximal end  64  of the condensate hose nipple  44  sufficiently to seal and is removed by pulling in the opposite direction. The condensate drain hose  16  need not be tightly sealed because little if any fluid pressure is exerted onto this coupling.  
         [0032]     Referring to  FIG. 2 , adjacent to the distal end  58  of the condensate hose nipple  44  is a conical beveled hose centering receiving tip  66  designed to receive and center a drain hose  16  readily and to facilitate sealing of the drain hose  16  onto the condensate hose nipple  44 .  
         [0033]     Still referring to  FIG. 2 , the cross brace  26  includes an upper surface  68  that is arched upward above the top edge  70  of the side wall  72  of the central body portion  36 . A front portion  74  and a rear portion  76  of the cross brace are slightly wider at their outside edges where they join the side wall  72  that where each joins the countersink  24  at the cylindrical center portion  78  of the cross brace  26 . The cross brace  26  has a thickness about one quarter of the height of the drain fitting  10 , as measured from the lower edge  80  of the flange base  18  to the top edge  70 . The flange base  18  has a larger diameter than the outside diameter of the central body portion  36 , with the difference being accounted for by the horizontal annular flange step  82 .  
         [0034]     Referring to  FIG. 3 , a circular vent opening  84  is formed in the rear side wall  86  of the central body portion  36  and is adjacent to the annular flange step  82 . The circular vent opening  84 , which may be any desired shape, provides an overflow path adjacent to the drain cover  12  in the event that the drain holes become plugged and prevents any back pressure that could siphon any fluids backwards through the condensate drain hose  16 . It could be expected that the openings  87 ,  88 , which serve as a vacuum break, in the top of the central body portion  36  would accomplish this purpose, but these may become blocked by falling paper or other debris in a basement and building code inspectors feel more comfortable that the drain fitting  10  cannot cause any reverse siphoning when the circular vent opening  84 , which would be less likely to be blocked, is included.  
         [0035]     Still referring to  FIG. 3 , the depending stem includes a bottom edge  90  that lies in the same plan as the lower edge  80  of the flange base  18  and is tapered from its top end  92  to its lower end  80 .  
         [0036]     Referring to  FIG. 4 , the flange base  18  further includes a depending annular skirt portion or side wall  94  with an outer annular lip portion  96  and an inner annular lip portion  98 , with the gasket receiving groove  40  between them for receiving the O-ring gasket  38 . The groove  40  includes a flat upper surface  41 , as viewed in  FIG. 4 , which could as well be a rounded upper groove surface to match and mate with the circular cross-section of the O-ring gasket  38 . When seated in the groove  40 , the O-ring gasket  38  has a lower surface slightly below the lower edge  80 , allowing compression of the O-ring gasket  38  during tightening of the screw  20  to create a seal with the floor drain cover  12 .  
         [0037]     Referring to  FIG. 5 , the central body portion  102  of the drain fitting  10  includes an annular side wall  104  that is of uniform thickness from its top edge  106  to its bottom edge  108  and which defines an interior cavity  110  for receiving condensate or other fluid. The annular groove  40  includes a flat upper surface  108 , but this may be rounded to conform with the profile of the O-ring gasket  38 . The other features of the embodiment of  FIG. 6  are the same as those shown in  FIGS. 1-4  and described above.  
         [0038]     Referring to  FIG. 6 , a second condensate hose nipple  100  is disposed at 90° to the condensate hose nipple  44  and is otherwise identical. The two condensate hose nipples  44 ,  100  lie in the same plane. Additional hose nipples can be disposed at any desired location about the central body portion  36  of the drain fitting  10 .  
         [0039]     The hose fitting  10  is preferably formed of a single piece by injection molding a suitable plastic material into a mold cavity.