Patent Publication Number: US-9896827-B1

Title: Drainage overflow pipe structure for bathtub

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a drainage overflow pipe structure, and more particularly to the drainage overflow pipe structure which is applicable for bathtubs of various specifications. 
     Description of the Prior Art 
     A conventional bathtub is in a tub shape and is applicable for having a bath. The bathtub contains a storage tank, a drainage pipe connected on a bottom of the storage tank so as to drain water out of a draining orifice of the drainage pipe. The storage tank has an overflow orifice defined on a peripheral wall thereof and connecting with an overflow pipe so as to avoid water leakage from the bathtub. However, the drainage pipe and the overflow pipe are integrated in a drainage overflow pipe structure. 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a conventional drainage overflow pipe structure contains a drainage overflow pipe including a tee part  10 , a draining part  20 , an overflow part  30 , a pipe elbow  40 , and a discharge part  50 . The tee part  10  includes a first coupling orifice  101 , a second coupling orifice  102 , and a third coupling orifice  103  which are in communication with each other. A first end of the draining part  20  is inserted into the first coupling orifice  101  of the tee part  10 , and a second end of the draining part  20  is connected with a drainage hole (not shown) of a bathtub  60 . The overflow part  30  has an insertion segment  301  and a screwing segment  302  opposite to the insertion segment  301 , wherein the insertion segment  301  is inserted into the second coupling orifice  102  of the tee part  10 . A first end of the pipe elbow  40  is coupled with an overflow orifice  61  of the bathtub  60 , and a second end of the pipe elbow  40  screws with the screwing segment  302  of the overflow part  30 , the discharge part  50  joins with the third coupling orifice  103  of the tee part  10 . As desiring to discharge water in the storage tank of the bathtub  60 , a seal plug on the drainage hole of the bathtub  60  is removed so that the water in the storage tank of the bathtub  60  discharges out of the discharge part  50  from the drainage hole via the draining part  20  and the tee part  10 . When a water level of the storage tank of the bathtub  60  is higher than the overflow orifice  61 , the water in the storage tank of the bathtub  60  discharges out of the discharge part  50  from the overflow orifice  61  via the pipe elbow  40 , the overflow part  30 , and the tee part  10  so as to maintain the highest water lever of the bathtub  60 . 
     Nevertheless, the pipe elbow  40  is screwed with the overflow part  30  in a fixed angle, so the pipe elbow  40  is only applicable for the bathtub  60  in a fixed specification, and the overflow part  30  cannot mating abut against an outer wall of the bathtub, thus increasing installation space. 
     The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a drainage overflow pipe structure in which an overflow part connects and communicates with a pipe elbow by using the universal rotation assembly so that the pipe elbow is rotated universally based on a peripheral wall of bathtubs of various specifications, and an inlet of the pipe elbow matingly contacts with the peripheral wall of the bathtub, hence the pipe elbow is applicable for the bathtubs of various specifications. 
     Another objective of the present invention is to provide a drainage overflow pipe structure in which the overflow part connects and communicates with the pipe elbow by using the universal rotation assembly so that the pipe elbow is rotated universally relative to the overflow part so as to adjust an angle between the pipe elbow and the overflow part, hence the overflow part matingly contacts with the peripheral wall of the bathtub so as to decrease installation space of the overflow part. 
     To obtain above-mentioned objectives, a drainage overflow pipe structure for a bathtub provided by the present invention, wherein an overflow pipe of the drainage overflow pipe structure is mounted on a bathtub, and the bathtub includes a water storage tank, the water storage tank has a bottom and a peripheral wall extending upwardly from the bottom, the bottom has a drainage hole, the peripheral wall has an overflow hole, and the drainage overflow pipe contains: a tee part, a drainage part, an overflow part, a pipe elbow, and a universal rotation assembly. 
     The tee part includes a first coupling orifice, a second coupling orifice, and a third coupling orifice. 
     A first end of the drainage part is connected with the first coupling orifice of the tee part, and a second end of the drainage part is coupled with the drainage hole of the bathtub. 
     The overflow part includes a joining section formed on a lower end of the overflow part, and the overflow part includes a connecting seat arranged on an upper end of the overflow part, the joining section is accommodated in the second coupling orifice of the tee part, the connecting seat has outer threads defined on an outer rim of the connecting seat, and the connecting seat has a groove-shaped holding portion formed in an inner rim of the connecting seat. 
     The pipe elbow includes an inlet defined on a first end of the pipe elbow and coupling with the overflow hole, and the pipe elbow includes an outlet formed on a second end of the pipe elbow. 
     The universal rotation assembly includes a connector and a limitation member, wherein the connector has a screwing portion, a spherical knob, and a through orifice defined in the screwing portion and the spherical knob so that water flows through the screwing portion and the spherical knob, the screwing portion screws with the outlet of the pipe elbow, the spherical knob fits on the holding portion of the connecting seat of the overflow part, the limitation member is in a ring shape, and the limitation member includes inner threads formed on an inner wall thereof and includes an abutting portion above the inner threads, the limitation member fits on the spherical knob of the connector, and the inner threads of the limitation member screws with the outer threads of the connecting seat of the overflow part so that the abutting portion of the limitation member matches with the holding portion of the connecting seat of the overflow part to force the spherical knob of the connector, and the spherical knob rotates universally and does not move, hence the overflow part connects and communicates with the pipe elbow by using the universal rotation assembly, and the pipe elbow rotates relative to the overflow part by using the universal rotation assembly. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a conventional drainage overflow pipe structure for a bathtub. 
         FIG. 2  is a cross sectional view of the conventional drainage overflow pipe structure for the bathtub. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view showing the exploded components of a drainage overflow pipe structure for a bathtub according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view showing the assembly of the drainage overflow pipe structure for the bathtub according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a cross sectional view showing the assembly of a part of the drainage overflow pipe structure for the bathtub according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a cross sectional view showing the operation of the drainage overflow pipe structure for the bathtub according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is another cross sectional view showing the operation of the drainage overflow pipe structure for the bathtub according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  is also another cross sectional view showing the operation of the drainage overflow pipe structure for the bathtub according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 9  is still another cross sectional view showing the operation of the drainage overflow pipe structure for the bathtub according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The present invention will be clearer from the following description when viewed together with the accompanying drawings, which show, for purpose of illustrations only, a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 3 to 6 , a drainage overflow pipe A 1  according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is mounted on a bathtub A 2 , the bathtub A 2  includes a water storage tank A 21 , the water storage tank A 21  has a bottom A 211  and a peripheral wall A 212  extending upwardly from the bottom A 211 , the bottom A 211  has a drainage hole A 213  which is closed by a seal plug A 214 . The peripheral wall A 212  has an overflow hole A 215 , wherein peripheral walls A 212  of bathtubs A 2  of various specifications have different angles. The drainage overflow pipe A 1  includes a tee part  1 , a drainage part  2 , an overflow part  3 , a pipe elbow  4 , a universal rotation assembly  5 , and a draining part  6 . 
     The tee part  1  includes a first coupling orifice  11 , a second coupling orifice  12 , and a third coupling orifice  13  which are in communication with one another. 
     A first end of the drainage part  2  is inserted into the first coupling orifice  11  of the tee part  1 , and a second end of the drainage part  2  is coupled with the drainage hole A 213  of the bathtub A 2 . 
     The overflow part  3  includes a joining section  31  formed on a lower end thereof, and the overflow part  3  includes a connecting seat  32  arranged on an upper end thereof, the joining section  31  is accommodated in the second coupling orifice  12  of the tee part  1 , the connecting seat  32  is in connection on the upper end of the overflow part  3 , wherein the connecting seat  32  has outer threads  321  defined on an outer rim thereof, the connecting seat  32  has a groove-shaped holding portion  322  formed on an inner rim thereof, and the holding portion  322  has a washer  323 . 
     The pipe elbow  4  includes an inlet  41  defined on a first end thereof, and the pipe elbow  4  includes an outlet  42  formed on a second end thereof, wherein one end of the inlet  41  couples with the overflow hole A 215  of the bathtub A 2 , the inlet  41  has a cap  43  fixed thereon, wherein the cap  43  closes or opens the inlet  41  by pressing the cap  43  repeatedly. 
     The universal rotation assembly  5  is defined between and communicates with the connecting seat  32  of the overflow part  3  and the outlet  42  of the pipe elbow  4 , and the universal rotation assembly  5  includes a connector  51  and a limitation member  52 , wherein the connector  51  has a screwing portion  511 , a spherical knob  512  connecting with the screwing portion  511 , and a through orifice  513  defined in the screwing portion  511  and the spherical knob  512  so that water flows through the screwing portion  511  and the spherical knob  512 . The screwing portion  511  screws with the outlet  42  of the pipe elbow  4 , the spherical knob  512  fits on the holding portion  322  of the connecting seat  32  of the overflow part  3 , and an outer surface of the spherical knob  512  contacts with the washer  323  of the holding portion  322  so as to avoid water leakage. The limitation member  52  is in a ring shape, and the limitation member  52  includes inner threads  521  formed on an inner wall thereof and includes an abutting portion  522  above the inner threads  521 . The limitation member  52  fits on the spherical knob  512  of the connector  51 , and the inner threads  521  of the limitation member  52  screws with the outer threads  321  of the connecting seat  32  of the overflow part  3  so that the abutting portion  522  of the limitation member  52  matches with the holding portion  322  of the connecting seat  32  of the overflow part  3  to force the spherical knob  512  of the connector  51 , and the spherical knob  512  rotates universally and does not move, hence the universal rotation assembly  5  connects the overflow part  3  and the pipe elbow  4  together so that the overflow part  3  communicates with the pipe elbow  4 , and the pipe elbow  4  rotates relative to the overflow part  3  by using the universal rotation assembly  5 . 
     The draining part  6  couples with the third coupling orifice  13  of the tee part  1 . 
     The overflow part  3  connects and communicates with the pipe elbow  4  by using the universal rotation assembly  5 , as shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , when the overflow part  3  erects uprightly, the pipe elbow  4  is adjusted toward an angle by using the universal rotation assembly  5  so that the pipe elbow  4  is rotated universally based on the peripheral wall A 212  of different angles of the bathtubs A 2  of various specifications, and the inlet  41  of the pipe elbow  4  matingly contacts with the peripheral wall A 212  of the bathtub A 2 , hence the pipe elbow  4  is applicable for the bathtubs A 2  of various specifications. 
     Referring to  FIG. 8 , the overflow part  3  is fixed obliquely so as to mate with the bathtub A 2 , and the pipe elbow  4  is rotated universally by using the universal rotation assembly  5  so that the inlet  41  of the pipe elbow  4  matingly contacts with the peripheral wall A 212  of the bathtubs A 2 , thus decreasing installation space of the overflow part  3 . 
     When water level in the water storage tank A 21  of the bathtub A 2  is higher than the overflow hole A 215 , as illustrated in  FIG. 9 , the water in the water storage tank A 21  of the bathtub A 2  flows out of the draining part  6  from the overflow hole A 215  via the pipe elbow  4 , the through orifice  513  of the connector  51  of the universal rotation assembly  5 , the overflow part  3 , and the draining part  6 , hence the water in the bathtub A 2  is at the highest storage level and the water does not leak out of the bathtub A 2 . 
     As desiring to drain the water out of the water storage tank A 21  of the bathtub A 2 , the seal plug A 214  of the drainage hole A 213  is removed so that the water in the water storage tank A 21  of the bathtub A 2  drains out of the draining part  6  via the drainage part  2  and the tee part  1 . 
     Thereby, the drainage overflow pipe structure of the present invention has advantages as follows: 
     1. The overflow part  3  connects with the pipe elbow  4  by using the universal rotation assembly  5  so that the pipe elbow  4  is rotated universally based on the peripheral wall A 212  of the bathtubs A 2  of various specifications, and the inlet  41  of the pipe elbow  4  matingly contacts with the peripheral wall A 212  of the bathtub A 2 , hence the pipe elbow  4  is applicable for the bathtubs A 2  of various specifications, and the overflow pipe is mounted on the bathtub easily, thus saving installation cost and time. 
     2. The overflow part  3  connects and communicates with the pipe elbow  4  by using the universal rotation assembly  5  so that the overflow part  3  corresponds to the peripheral wall of the bathtub A 2 , and the pipe elbow  4  is rotated universally so as to correspond to the overflow part  3 , hence the inlet  41  of the pipe elbow  4  matingly contacts with the peripheral wall A 212  of the bathtub A 2 , thus decreasing installation space of the overflow part  3  and avoiding additional pipe connection because of an error of a location or an angle of the overflow part  3 . 
     While various embodiments in accordance with the present invention have been shown and described, it is clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.