Abstract:
An apparatus includes a drain having an opening, the opening having an outboard edge, a cover having an underside having a portion including a downwardly extending curved section and an outer edge, wherein the portion extends a first distance beyond the outboard edge and wherein cover extends a second distance above the drain such that a ratio of the second distance to the first distance is about 1 or less and such that splash and aerosolization from under the cover beyond the cover is minimized.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application 61/229,828 filed on Jul. 30, 2009. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Drains used in many commercial applications, such as in hospitals, are either open or have a fixed, flat strainer as a covering. In some instances, a water stream from above is aligned with the drain. 
     Drains may host biofilms and other organisms, particularly those that like moisture. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to an exemplar described herein, an apparatus has a drain having an opening, the opening having an outboard edge, a cover having an underside having a portion including a downwardly extending curved section and an outer edge, wherein the portion extends a first distance beyond the outboard edge and wherein cover extends a second distance above the drain such that a ratio of the second distance to the first distance is about 1 or less and such that splash and aerosolization from under the cover beyond the cover is minimized. 
     According to a further exemplar described herein, an apparatus has an opening, the opening having an outboard edge, a cover having an underside having a portion including a downwardly extending curved section and an outer edge, wherein the portion extends a first distance beyond the outboard edge and wherein cover extends a second distance above the drain such that splash and aerosolization from under the cover beyond the cover is minimized. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of a first embodiment of the drain cover of the invention. 
         FIG. 1A  shows a perspective, partially cut-away view of the drain cover of  FIG. 1  disposed over a drain. 
         FIG. 2  shows a second embodiment of the drain cover of the invention. 
         FIG. 3  shows a top view of a mounting support for the drain cover of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 3A  shows a perspective cut-away view of the mounting support of  FIG. 3  in a drain. 
         FIG. 4  shows a cutaway, perspective view of the drain of  FIG. 1A . 
         FIG. 5  shows a cutaway, perspective view of the drain of  FIG. 3A . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 1 and 1A , the drain cover  10  of the invention is shown for use over drain  15 . The drain cover comprises a cover  20 , a first nut  25  conventionally attaching to the cover  20 , and a bolt  30  which is received in the first nut  25 , and a second nut  35  attaching to the bolt  30  below a strainer  40 . The drain cover  10  is mounted in a sink  45  or other enclosure. 
     The cover  20  has a flat top  50  and a downwardly-curved rim  53  and is constructed of metal or plastic. The first nut  25  has a cylindrical body  55  that extends downwardly from a bottom surface  65  of the cover  20  and has an internal thread  60 . If the cover  20  and first nut  25  are metal, like brass, the parts are brazed together and if they are plastic, they are conventionally attached by gluing, sonic welding or the like. 
     The bottom surface  65  has a curved portion  67  that may begin to curve near or beyond the outside edge  200  of the drain hole  90  for a distance C to its outside inner edge  205 . The outside inner edge is disposed a distance H above the strainer  40 . Given draining requirements and normally expected flow rates of fluid  210 , such as water, in the sink  45 , a ratio of H to C is about less than or equal to 1. Though the curved portion  67  begins nearly over the outside edge  200  of the drain hole  90  in this embodiment, the curved portion may begin at other positions inside or outside of the drain  115  (see curved portion  167  in  FIG. 5 ). 
     The bolt  30  has a larger diameter portion  70  that is threaded, an axially displaced smaller diameter portion  75  (relative to the larger diameter area  55 ) that is also threaded and an intermediary portion  80  having a diameter  85  that is smaller than the larger diameter portion  70  and larger than the smaller diameter portion  75  located between the larger diameter portion  70  and the smaller diameter portion  75 . 
     The strainer  40  has a plurality of drain holes  90  and a central opening  95  for cooperating with the bolt  30  as will be discussed herein. Referring to  FIG. 4 , the drain holes  90  are located within a diameter of the cover  20  so that any splashing  97  from the drain  15  or the strainer  40  are caught by the bottom surface  65  and curved portion  67  and are redirected downwardly to the drain  15  which flows to the strainer  40  or to the strainer  40  and its holes  90  for disposal therethrough. As such any splashing from the drain  15  or the strainer  40  to the sink  45  is minimized. 
     In order to install the drain cover  10 , a user inserts the bolt  30  through the opening  95  in the strainer  40 , places a washer  100  over the smaller diameter portion  75  and threads the second nut  35  over the smaller diameter portion  75  of the bolt to tighten the larger diameter portion  70  against the strainer. A user then threads the cylindrical body  55  and its threaded portion  60  over the threaded larger diameter portion  70  of the bolt  30  until the cylindrical body  55  abuts the strainer  40 . In order to allow access for cleaning of the strainer  40 , which may host pathogens or the like therein, a user simply unscrews the bolt cover  20  and the cylindrical body  55  from the bolt  30 . 
     According to a second embodiment, and referring to  FIGS. 2 ,  3 , and  3 A, a  130  cover has a flat top  145  and a downwardly-curved cover  150  and is constructed of metal or plastic. A bolt  125  extends upwardly to the cover  130  and downwardly to a nut  135  disposed in the drain  115 . To install or remove the cover  130 , a user may screw or unscrew the bolt  125  in or from the nut  135 . 
     The bolt has an area  160  of increased diameter that limits penetration of the bolt into the nut  135  so that the cover  130  is at the proper height above a drain  115  (see  FIGS. 3 and 3A ). The cover  130  extends over the edges of the drain  115  (see  FIG. 3A ). When attaching the cover  130 , the bolt  125  is limited from passing too far within the nut  135  by the area of expanded diameter. The opening includes a group of struts  170  that hold the nut  135  at a center thereof at a depth  175  within the drain  115 . 
     By disposing the nut  135  at a depth within the drain  115 , removal of the cover  130  allows a portion of the drain  115  to be cleaned of biofilms and any pathogens or the like therein. A strainer (not shown) is not included and therefore fluid cannot splash from or on it. The drain  115  is located within a diameter of the cover  130  so that any splashing  97  from the drain  115  is caught by the bottom surface  165  has a curved portion  167  curves with the cover  150  and is redirected downwardly to the drain  115  for disposal therethrough. As such any splashing  97  from the drain to the sink  45  is minimized. As stated herein above, a ratio of H (the height of the outside inner edge  205  above the sink  45 ) to C (the distance from the outside edge  200  of the drain  15  to the outside inner edge  205  of the bottom surface  165 ) is about less than or equal to 1. In other words, C (the distance from the outside edge  200  of the drain  15  to the outside inner edge  205  of the bottom surface  165 ) is greater than or equal to H (the height of the outside inner edge  205  above the sink  45 ). 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 5 , as fluid  210  flows into the drains  15  and  115 , there is a normal misting or aerosolization of fluid particles  220  that may include pathogens or the like. The aerosolized fluid particles  220  tend to condense or form droplets  217  on the bottom of the covers  20 ,  150  that fall to the drains  15 ,  115  or flow down the curved portions  67 ,  167  and drop into the fluid  210  for disposition in the drains  15 ,  115 . The curvature of the bottom surfaces may act to minimize the flow of fluid particles  220  from below the covers  20 ,  150  to ambient. 
     The foregoing description is exemplary rather than defined by the limitations within. Various non-limiting embodiments are disclosed herein, however, one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that various modifications and variations in light of the above teachings will fall within the scope of the appended claims. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced other than as specifically described. For that reason the appended claims should be studied to determine true scope and content. One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that other embodiments of this invention may be gleaned herefrom. For instance, the cover  30  may form different shapes.