Patent Publication Number: US-2015074889-A1

Title: Drain clearing device

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     Beverage dispensing machines are commonplace in eateries, convenience stores, gas stations and many other locations that provide or sell beverages. Beverage dispensing machines have spillage drains that frequently clog from debris and beverage syrup build-up. Conventional machines also have a drip tray that is positioned below the spouts that dispense the beverage and that catches overflow of the dispensed beverages and other debris. The beverage overflow has a high concentration of sugar and other ingredients that solidify over time. The beverage ingredients and the debris and a low flow rate of the beverage overflow through the drain. 
     Clogged drains need to be cleared in order for the beverage dispensing machine to function properly. Typically, unclogging the drains requires highly skilled plumbers or beverage dispensing machine technicians. The process of having a plumber or technician unclog beverage dispensing machine drains is expensive and time consuming, which significantly increases the overall operating costs for the beverage dispensing machine and decreases end-user satisfaction. Clogged drains can also be cleared by adding chemicals to the drains to break-up the obstructions and clear the drains. For example, hot water and bleach are sometimes used. The hot water and bleach can clear break up an obstruction, but frequently does not completely break up the obstruction, which leads to the obstruction reforming relatively soon after the initial attempt to clear the drain. 
     Still further, other chemicals are conventionally used to clear drains, and some of the chemical are deemed eco-friendly. However, such chemicals can be liquids in the beverage dispensing machines drains to clear the obstructions, but later solidify in a drain further down the drain pathway, such as in the public sewer system, and cause drain damage there. Therefore, the industry would benefit from an effective, cost-efficient, and eco-friendly drain clearing solution. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an example drain clearing device. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of another embodiment of an example drain clearing device. 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of the drain clearing device of  FIG. 1  taken along line  3 - 3 . 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of a drain clearing device. 
         FIG. 5  is a side view of an example drain clearing device interfacing with a drain. 
         FIGS. 6-8  are variations of nozzle designs for the drain clearing devices. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The disclosed drain clearing devices have a housing that contains a gas reservoir, a pressurization mechanism and a pressure release actuator. Gas in the gas reservoir is pressurized by the pressurization mechanism which can be driven by a hand pump or other pressurization mechanism. A nozzle is attached to the housing and creates a seal with a drain. Upon actuation, the pressure release actuator causes the pressurized air in the gas reservoir to be released through the nozzle and forced into the drain. The release of the pressurized air increases the air pressure in the drain and exerts a force on any obstruction(s) blocking the drain, which causes the obstruction(s) to be dislodged or broken into smaller pieces and pushed through the drain to clear it. 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an example drain clearing device  100 . The drain clearing device  100  has a housing  102  that contains a pressurization mechanism, a gas reservoir and a gas release actuator (not shown). The housing  102  can be shaped in a compact, ergonomic shape for user comfort and configured to fit in the working environment, as shown in  FIG. 1 , but can be any other suitable shape. A user can pressurize gas in the gas reservoir with the pressurizing mechanism, such as by raising and lowering a handle  104  in the example drain clearing device  100  shown in  FIG. 1 . The handle  104  is attached to the housing  102  at a hinge  107  that permits the user to raise and lower the handle  104  to pressurize the gas reservoir. A nozzle  106  is releasably attached to the housing  102  at a point opposite the handle, or any other desirable location and can be of various configurations that interface with a variety of drain designs and types. The nozzle  106  is in fluid communication with the gas reservoir so that the pressurized gas can flow from the gas reservoir to the nozzle  106 . 
     A pressure release button  108  causes the pressurized gas to flow from the gas reservoir to the nozzle. Any other suitable pressure release actuator can be used to cause the pressurized gas to flow from the gas reservoir to the nozzle. The user can actuate the pressure release button  108 , which causes some portion of the pressurized air to be released from the gas reservoir, out through the nozzle  106  and into the drain. A pressure gauge  110  located on the housing  102  displays the stored pressure within the gas reservoir, which allows the user to know when the desired gas pressure for the stored gas in the gas reservoir has been achieved to clear the drain obstruction(s). Other example drain clearing devices may not have a pressure gauge  110 . 
       FIG. 2  is another embodiment of a drain clearing device  200  similar to the drain clearing device shown in  FIG. 1 , but having a different housing  202  configuration. The housing  202  is cylindrically shaped and the handle  204 , pressure release mechanism  206 , and pressure gauge  210  are located atop the housing  202 , similar to the example drain clearing device shown in  FIG. 1 , although they could be located elsewhere on the housing  202  as desired. A nozzle  208  is attached to the housing  202  and is located opposite the pressure release button  206 , similar to the example drain clearing device as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     One of skill in the art will understand that the housing of the disclosed drain clearing devices can be of any desired design and configuration. The housing design can be tailored to fit in the working environment in which the drain clearing device is to be used. The housing design can also take into consideration user comfort and stability for pumping the handle or otherwise pressurizing the gas in the gas reservoir. The housing may be a molded singular piece within which the internal components can be sealed to prevent moisture intrusion and premature wear and corrosion to the internal components. The molded single piece housing configuration has few seams and is easily cleaned, in some examples. 
       FIG. 3  is a cross sectional view taken along line  3 - 3  of the drain clearing device shown in  FIG. 1 . A gas reservoir  114 , a gas compressor  116 , and a pressure release actuator  118  are contained within the housing  102  of the drain clearing device  100 . The handle  104  is moved between a first position  105 A and a second position  105 B to drive the gas compressor  116  in a horizontal motion toward and away from the gas reservoir  114 . In this example, the gas compressor  116  is aligned in a horizontal plane with respect to the gas reservoir  114 . The compressor  116  compresses gas into the gas reservoir  114 , on both the up and the down stroke of the handle  104  in this example. The gauge  110  indicates the pressure of the gas stored in the gas reservoir  114 . 
     The nozzle  106  of the drain clearing device  100  is inserted into a drain opening  113  of the drain  112  and can form a seal between the nozzle  106  and the drain opening  113 . The nozzle  106  is cone-shaped, in this example, and the tapered end extends through the drain opening  113  and into the drain  112 , as shown in  FIG. 3 . The nozzle  106  can be any other suitable shape and can have a shape that is customized to complement a particular drain to best create a seal between the nozzle and the drain opening. 
     When the gas pressure in the reservoir  114  has reached a desired level, which can be indicated by a display such as a pressure gauge  110 , the user can actuate the actuator button  108 , which triggers the pressure release actuator  118  to release pressurized gas from the gas reservoir  114  through the nozzle  106  and into the drain  112 . The compressed gas is forced through the drain  112  and encounters an obstruction(s) with enough force to either push it through the drain, such as by pushing the obstruction into a main drain that has a larger diameter than the drain with the obstruction, or to break the obstruction(s) into smaller pieces that can then be moved through the drain. A latch  120  is attached to the housing  102  and secures the handle  104  to the housing  102  when the user is not actively pumping the handle  104  to create pressure in the gas reservoir  114 , but other example drain clearing devices may not have a latch. 
     The gas reservoir of the drain clearing device stores the compressed gas. The drain clearing device also may include a pressure relief valve that prevents over-pressurization of the gas reservoir. The pressure relief valve may be set to trigger release of the gas from the gas reservoir at any pressure threshold. The gas reservoir has a maximum sustainable pressure at which the pressure relief valve releases at least some of the stored gas or otherwise prevents the gas pressure from exceeding the maximum sustainable pressure. In some examples, the pressure relief valve releases some of the stored gas at a pressure that is lower than the maximum sustainable pressure. The pressure at which the pressure relief valve releases stored gas or otherwise reduces the gas pressure can be set by the manufacturer of the drain clearing device or by the user and may be changeable by the user or may be permanently set, as desired. 
     The pressure gauge  110  on the housing  102  indicates the pressure of the gas stored in the gas reservoir  114 . The pressure gauge  110  has an indicator that displays to the user when the desired gas pressure to clear the drain is reached. The pressure to clean beverage dispensing machine drains can be between 80-130 psi, but higher or lower pressures may be used to achieve drain clearing at the discretion of the user. 
     The gas used to compress gas in the gas reservoir of the drain clearing device can be any number of gases or a combination of gases, including atmospheric air, CO 2 , NO 2  and others. For example, the disclosed drain clearing devices can pressurize the gas reservoir using a compressed CO 2  tank. A drain clearing device having a compressed CO 2  tank may be pressed or attached to the drain clearing device against the nozzle on the housing, or any other desirable location, to force CO 2  into the gas reservoir until the desired gas pressure to clear the drain is reached in the gas reservoir. The CO 2  tank could be used with a hand pump to pressurize the gas reservoir. In this example, the user also could pump the handle to add atmospheric air to the pressure applied to the CO 2  tank to further increase the stored pressure in the gas reservoir. 
     Another pressurized gas source that could be used in the drain clearing device is NO 2  cartridges or other containers. NO 2  cartridges could be inserted into the drain clearing device to either pressurize the gas reservoir or to be used itself as the compressed gas reservoir. Other gas cartridges could be used in a similar manner, such as CO 2  cartridges, to be the compressed gas reservoir itself for the drain clearing device. 
       FIG. 4  is a cross sectional view of a drain clearing device  400  with another embodiment of a gas reservoir  414 , a gas compressor  416  and a pressure release actuator  418  within the housing  402 . In this embodiment, the handle  404  drives the compressor unit  416  in a vertical manner with respect to the gas reservoir  414  rather than the horizontal manner in the embodiment shown in  FIG. 3 . Gauge  410  displays the stored pressure of the gas in the gas reservoir  414 . The actuator button  408  activates the pressure release mechanism  418 , which causes compressed gas to be released from the reservoir gas  414  through the nozzle  406 . 
       FIG. 5  shows an example drain clearing device  500  with its nozzle  506  sealed with a drain opening  513 . Here, the nozzle  506  of the drain clearing device  500  is inserted in a drain opening  513  and extends into the drain  512  to form a seal between the nozzle  506  and the drain opening  513  so that pressurized air exiting the nozzle  506  can be forced through the drain  512  without escaping, or with minimal pressurized air escaping, at the interface between the nozzle  506  and the drain opening  513 . In this example, the drain opening  513  is located in the drip pan  540  of a beverage dispensing machine. The drip pan  540  collects spillage of the dispensed beverages and debris and directs the spillage and debris into the drain opening  513 . In this example, the nozzle  506  is cone-shaped and tapered toward a tapered end  507 . The tapered end  507  is inserted through the drain opening  513  and extends into the drain  512 . The nozzle  506  provides a seal between the drain clearing device  500  and the drain  512 , in some examples, so that the drain clearing device  500  can force pressurized gas from the gas reservoir into the drain  512  to clear any obstructions. 
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , the nozzle  506  is not connected directly to the housing  502  of the drain clearing device  500 . Instead, an extension element  530  is disposed between the housing  502  and the nozzle  506 . The extension element  530  is flexible and can be manipulated through the drip pan  540  to allow the user to insert the nozzle  506  into drains at varying angles with respect to the position of the drain clearing device  500 , in this example. The extension element  530  also can be made of semi-flexible or even rigid material(s) in other examples. Example extension element materials include various rubber compounds, latex and some plastics. The flexibility of the extension elements allows the user to insert the nozzle into drains that the device nozzle directly attached to the housing would not be able to adequately reach. The user can then seal the nozzle to the drain opening at various angles and in locations where the drain clearing device itself would not normally fit. The flexible extension element  530  is releasably connected to the housing  502  of the device  500 , in this example, and the nozzle  506  also can be releasably connected to the extension element  530 . The nozzle  506  is inserted into the drain  512  and forms a seal with the drain, as shown in  FIG. 5 . The seal between the nozzle  506  and drain  512  ensures that the desired volume of the gas released from the gas reservoir through the nozzle  506  is forced into the drain. 
     In other embodiments, the extension element can be made of a rigid material that would allow a user to reach a drain located in-line with the device exit port. The rigid extension element can provide enough support to allow a user to apply a force on the drain clearing device and thus the nozzle inserted in the drain to ensure a tight-fitting seal between the nozzle and the drain opening. The tight-fitting seal prevents leakage of the pressurized gas released from the interface between the nozzle and the drain opening. The extension elements, rigid or flexible, can be optionally used with any of the nozzles and can be removable from the drain clearing device entirely. The extension elements can have the same or a similar releasable connection to the housing as the nozzle does to the device and vice versa. A user can attach the extension element to the device and a nozzle to the extension element and then can insert the nozzle into the drain, which applies a force to form the seal between the nozzle and the drain opening. The user may use additional tools such as a mallet or other means to wedge the nozzle in place to achieve the desired seal between the nozzle and the drain clearing device. 
     The nozzle can be made of a semi-rigid material, such as a hard rubber that is typically used in test tube stoppers. The semi-rigid material of the nozzle can be pliable enough to deform and fit into the drain opening and rigid enough to exert sufficient circumferential pressure around the nozzle to hold it firmly in place within the drain opening. As discussed above, the semi-rigid nozzle helps create a seal between the nozzle and the drain opening to force the released pressurized gas into the drain, which dislodges or breaks up any obstructions, thus clearing the drain. 
     The nozzle can be releasably connected to the device housing. The nozzle connection to the housing may be done in multiple methods such as using any suitable mechanical connector. One example mechanical connector is a nozzle having a core that is threaded at an end protruding from the rubberized portion of the nozzle that is screwed into the housing. The threaded nozzle example is the embodiment shown in the figures. Another way to attach the nozzle to the housing is a quick coupler connector, such as those conventionally used in other air powered tools. The nozzle can be connected to the drain clearing device housing with any suitable releasable connection. 
       FIGS. 6-8  show example nozzles for the drain clearing devices. The example nozzles can be customized to complement the shape of a drain opening. Multiple nozzles can be attached and interchangeable with the same drain clearing device, in some examples.  FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a nozzle configured to interface with a drain opening that has a protective grating or other feature over the top of the opening that prevents a typical cone shaped nozzle from being inserted into the drain opening. The nozzle  606  is placed over the drain opening and grate to create a seal. The nozzle  606  has cut outs  650  that are disposed above the cut outs in the grate  613  of the drain  612 . The nozzle cut outs  650  can extend into the drain in some examples and have a fitted collar that surrounds the adjacent area around the drain opening shown in  FIG. 6 . 
       FIG. 7  illustrates another nozzle design  706  that includes a semi-flexible material with a series of ridges  770  that create a seal with the interior surface of the drain. The ridges  770  allow the nozzle  706  to fit in a range of different drain diameters while maintaining the required force to create the necessary seal between the nozzle and the drain opening to force the compressed gas into the drain. 
       FIG. 8  is yet another variation in nozzle design. The nozzle  806  has an integrated, rigid extension element  830  although the extension element could be any suitable material and could be a separate discrete element from the nozzle. The material could be a hard, rigid plastic or metal. The extension element allows the user to access drains that are at an angle with respect to the drain clearing device. The extension element  830  can sustain additional force on the nozzle  806  applied by the user to form a tight seal between the nozzle  806  and the drain. 
     To use the disclosed drain clearing devices, a user would first select a nozzle based on the configuration of the drain to be cleared, which may mean selecting the appropriate diameter and shaped nozzle and/or including the addition of an extension element between the nozzle and the drain clearing device in some examples. Gas is compressed into the gas reservoir, either by pumping a handle of a hand pump compressor or other compressing mechanism or from external sources as mentioned above. The gas reservoir can be pressurized before or after selecting the nozzle. When the gas reservoir is pressurized, or a pre-pressurized cartridge is inserted as mentioned above, the nozzle is placed into the opening of the drain, which forms a seal between the nozzle and the drain opening. Some or all of the compressed gas is released through the nozzle, for example, by actuating a pressure release button, which triggers the release mechanism to discharge gas from the gas reservoir and into the drain. The compressed gas is released and travels down the drain and eventually encounters any obstructions. The compressed gas contacts the obstructions and dislodges or breaks up the obstructions. 
     Having described and illustrated the principles of the invention in a preferred embodiment thereof, it should be apparent that the invention can be modified in arrangement and detail without departing from such principles.