Abstract:
An air conditioning drain device essentially comprising a tubular pipe assembly, a flapper assembly, and a service port assembly. The device automatically engages a flapper valve that prevents the reverse flow of condensate water from entering a dwelling unit that shares a common drain line with multiple units, while at the same time allowing for quick and easy flushing of blockages in the drain line without causing water damage to the interior of the dwelling unit.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    The present invention is an air conditioner drain line device that automatically engages a flapper that prevents the reverse flow of condensate water from entering a dwelling unit that shares a common drain line with multiple units, while at the same time allowing for quick and easy flushing of blockages in the drain line without causing water damage to the interior of the dwelling unit. 
         [0002]    The inventor has been an air conditioning service technician for nine (9) years and has witnessed the flooding of dwelling units caused by blockages in the condensate drain line of multi-unit complexes that share a common drain line. The bottom unit of a multi-unit complex sharing a community drain line is particularly vulnerable to water damage caused from the reverse flow of condensate water when the trap at the bottom of the community drain line becomes blocked. After witnessing several units damaged by the back flow of water into the units because of a blockage in the community drain line and after hearing the frustrated cries of unit owners exclaim “there must be something that can be done about this” the inventor conceived the present invention. 
         [0003]    Under normal conditions, a well maintained air conditioning unit produces a steady trickle of condensate water from the cooling coils of the unit. This flow is commonly referred to in the industry as the “two year old trickle” as the flow is similar to that which one can expect from a two year old urinating. Under normal conditions the trickle drains from the air conditioning unit, through the condensate drain line and exits the dwelling unit. 
         [0004]    The condensate water often collects dust or other airborne debris that passes through the air conditioning unit and this combined with the microbial and bacterial growths that thrive in moist pipes often result in blockages in the drain lines. When the drain lines are blocked, water cannot drain properly and the only place the fluid produced from the air conditioning units can go is either up the community drain line or back into the dwelling unit. In order to remove the blockage in the drain line, the dwelling owner is required to call a service technician who must dismantle a portion of the air conditioning unit in order to remove the blockage. 
         [0005]    In order to address this problem the inventor invented the present invention. The present invention comprises essentially a tubular pipe assembly with a plurality of openings forming an opening to let water in, an opening to let water out, an opening that can be used as a service port and a flapper assembly positioned between two of the openings thereby creating a valve that will only allow water to flow in one direction. 
         [0006]    After the present invention is installed, a blockage in the community drain line would not result in damage to the unit which has the invention. Specifically, in the event that the trap in the community drain line was to clog and water was to back up the drain line, the flapper would engage and form a seal that would prevent any water from entering the dwelling unit. Moreover, if all the units who share a community drain line install the present invention, a blockage in drain line would cause water to back up and rise up the community drain line several stories high so that eventually the pressure of the water backed up in the community drain line would disengage the blockage with out having to call a service technician. 
         [0007]    The service port in the present invention allows for easy access to a unidirectional pressure valve that can receive a pressurized gas or liquid that can be used to dislodge a blockage in the drain line. By positioning the service port in between the flapper assembly and the first opening of the tubular pipe assembly, when a pressurized gas or liquid is released through the service port, the flapper would engage and force the pressurized gas or liquid out the first opening of the tubular pipe assembly, down the community drain line and dislodge the blockage of the drain line. 
         [0008]    An objective of the present invention is to provide a device that will prevent the backflow of condensate water into a dwelling unit and the associated property damage that would occur in the event of a blockage in the condensate drain line. 
         [0009]    Another objective of the present invention is to provide a device that can automatically engage a self flushing mechanism in the event condensate water backs up several stories up a community drain line of a multi-unit complex where multiple units share a community drain line. 
         [0010]    Another objective of the present invention is to provide a device with an easy to access service port. 
         [0011]    Yet a further objective of the present invention is to provide a device that would allow a service technician to disengage a blockage in the community drain line without having to cut any drainage pipes. 
         [0012]    Information relevant to attempts to address these problems can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,584,995 (hereinafter the “995 patent”) and 6,708,717 (hereinafter the “717 patent”. However, each one of these reference suffers from one or more of the following disadvantages. The 995 patent is only meant to prevent the back flow of air and therefore the flapper device would not prevent the back flow of condensate water. Specifically, the 995 patent does not include a flapper stopper and therefore the flapper may become stuck in the open position thereby failing to close and block the back flow of condensate water. The 995 patent also includes a protrusion connected to the interior surface of its tubular member that would prevent the trickle of the condensate water from exiting the drain line. The 717 patent does not disclose a valve assembly that can be automatically engaged upon the reverse flow of condensate water thereby requiring the manually engagement of the valve which defeats the preventative features of the present invention. 
         [0013]    For the foregoing reasons there exists a need for an air conditioning drain device that automatically engages a flapper that prevents the reverse flow of condensate water from entering a dwelling unit that shares a common drain line with multiple units, while at the same time allowing for quick and easy flushing of blockages in the drain line without causing water damage to the interior of the dwelling unit. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0014]    The present invention is an air conditioning drain device essentially comprising a tubular pipe assembly with a plurality of openings forming an opening to let water in, an opening to let water out and an opening that can be used as a service port as well as a flapper assembly that automatically engages a flapper that prevents the reverse flow of condensate water from entering a dwelling unit that shares a common drain line with multiple units, while at the same time allowing for quick and easy flushing of blockages in the drain line without causing water damage to the interior of the dwelling unit. 
         [0015]    In the event the community drain line becomes clogged and water backs up the drain line, the flapper engages and forms a seal that prevents any water from entering the dwelling unit. The service port in the present invention allows for easy access to a unidirectional pressure valve that can receive a pressurized gas or liquid that can be used to dislodge a blockage in the drain line 
     
    
     
       DRAWINGS 
         [0016]    These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims and drawings where: 
           [0017]      FIG. 1  shows a partially broken away perspective view one embodiment of the present invention with the flapper in the open position; 
           [0018]      FIG. 2  shows a partially broken away partial perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention with the flapper in the closed position; 
           [0019]      FIG. 3  shows a side elevation view of one embodiment of the present invention with the flapper in the open position; and 
           [0020]      FIG. 4  shows an alternative embodiment of the service port assembly. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION 
       [0021]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , an air conditioner drain line device  100  comprising a Y shaped tubular pipe assembly  10 , a flapper assembly  20 , and a service port assembly  30 . 
         [0022]    The Y shaped tubular pipe assembly  10 , has a first tubular member  11 , having an upper side and a lower side and an interior surface and an exterior surface, a first opening  12 ; a second tubular member  13 , having and upper side and a lower side and an interior surface and an exterior surface, a second opening  14 ; and a third tubular member  15 , having and upper side and a lower side and an interior surface and an exterior surface, and a third opening  16 . 
         [0023]    The first tubular member  11  forms the base of the Y shaped tubular pipe assembly  10 . The second tubular member  13  and the third tubular member  15  form the arms of the Y shaped tubular pipe assembly  10 . First tubular member  11  is seamlessly joined to second tubular member  13  at a juncture point between first opening  12  and second opening  14 ; first tubular member  11  is seamlessly joined to third tubular member  15  at a juncture point between first opening  12  and third opening  16 ; and second tubular member  13  is seamlessly joined to third tubular member  15  at a juncture point between first opening  12  and third opening  16 . 
         [0024]    An internal ridge  18 , having a top end and a lower end, is positioned along the interior surface of Y shaped tubular pipe assembly  10 . Internal ridge  18  diagonally connects first tubular member  11  and third tubular member  15  such that third tubular member  15  is at a higher elevation than first tubular member  11 . The Y shaped tubular pipe assembly  10  may be composed of materials known in the art with the characteristics and qualities of Poly Vinyl Chloride (PVC) piping. 
         [0025]    The flapper assembly  20  further comprises an internal lip  22  fixedly attached to the internal surface of third tubular member  15 , whereby the internal lip  22  is diagonally positioned connecting the top end of the internal ridge  18  with a point along the interior surface of third tubular member  15  such that the internal lip  22  and the lower side of third tubular member  15  forms an obtuse angle. A flapper  24  is hingedly connected to the interior surface of the upper side of third tubular member  15  in between the juncture point of second tubular member  13  and third tubular member  15  and the third opening  16  of the Y shaped tubular pipe assembly  10 . Flapper stop  26  is fixedly attached to the interior surface of the upper side of third tubular member  15  in between internal lip  22  and the juncture point of second tubular member  13  and third tubular member  15 . 
         [0026]    The service port assembly  30 , further comprises a plurality of unidirectional pressure valves  32  that are removably connected to the second opening  14  of the Y shaped tubular pipe assembly  10 . 
         [0027]    The flapper stopper  26  might be positioned such that flapper  24  cannot pivot a full 180 degrees when fluid flows through third tubular member  15  towards first opening  12 . 
         [0028]    The air conditioner drain line device  100  can be installed by connecting third opening  16  to the condensate drain line (not shown) of an existing air conditioning unit (not shown) and connecting first opening  12  to an existing drain line (not shown) that connects to a main community drain line (not shown). 
         [0029]    In normal operation, condensate water, trickles from the coils (not shown) of the existing air conditioning unit (not shown) through the condensate drain line (not shown), through third tubular member  15 , over internal lip  22 , down internal ridge  18 , through first tubular member  11  and exits the air conditioner drain line device  100  through first opening  12  continuing to a main community drain line (not shown). If the condensate water flow is heavy enough to cause flapper  24  to pivot, the pivoting of flapper  24  would be limited by flapper stop  26 . 
         [0030]    However, in the event a blockage occurs in the main community drain line (not shown), condensate water would then flow from the main community drain line (not shown), enter the air conditioner drain line device ( 100 ) through first opening  12 , continue through first tubular member  11  and engage flapper  24 . Once engaged, flapper  24  would form a seal with internal lip  22 , as seen in  FIG. 2  thereby preventing the backflow of condensate water through third tubular member  15  and into the dwelling unit (not shown). 
         [0031]    To dislodge a blockage in the main community drain line (not shown), a user connects a pressurized gas or liquid to the service port assembly  30  using the plurality of unidirectional pressure valves  32 . The pressurized gas or liquid flows from the service port  30  through second tubular member  13 , engaging the flapper  24  with the internal lip  22 , creating a seal preventing pressurized gas or liquid from flowing through third tubular member  15  thereby causing the pressurized gas or liquid to flow through first tubular member  11 , out first opening  12  and to the main community drain line (not pictured) to dislodge any blockage therein. 
         [0032]    As seen in  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4 , the service port assembly may have several embodiments, including a service port cap  30   a  and an alternative means for receiving the pressurized gas or liquid  30   b.    
         [0033]    An advantage of the present invention is that it provides a device that will prevent the backflow of condensate water into a dwelling unit and the associated property damage that would occur in the event of a blockage in the condensate drain line. 
         [0034]    Another advantage of the present invention is that it provides a device that can provide for a self flushing mechanism in the event condensate water backs up several stories up a community drain line of a multiunit complex where multiple units share a community drain line. 
         [0035]    Another advantage of the present invention is that it provides a device with an easy to access service port. 
         [0036]    Yet still another advantage of the present invention is that it provides a device that allows a service technician to disengage a blockage in the community drain line without having to cut any drainage pipes. 
         [0037]    Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred versions thereof, other versions are possible. Therefore, the spirit and the scope of the claims should not be limited to the description of the preferred versions contained herein.