Patent Publication Number: US-11035110-B1

Title: Drain catch

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     None. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to a drain catch and more specifically for a drain catch for a jeweler. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     One of life&#39;s common problems that most of us have experienced is that of a dropped item down a sink drain. Any small object can fall down a sink drain, thus causing grief for all involved. While the object is usually retrieved from the J or P trap below the sink, it is a worrisome and messy job to find out. First the pipe trap must be loosened by removing two large retaining nuts, which requires the use of tools. Next the trap is slid off, but of course it is filled with water which usually causes a spill and mess even if a bucket is used. Next the object is shaken out of the trap, and the trap reinstalled, and inspected for leaks. This procedure must be performed every time an object is dropped down the drain, thus causing wear and tear on the rest of the plumbing system as well. 
     Should one be performing jewelry work such as when sizing, creating, or resetting diamonds or other precious stones, or even working with precious metals, the task is made more complicated by the small size of the object, which in some cases can wash through the trap. Accordingly, there exists a need for a means by which very small items such as diamonds, precious stones, or pieces of precious metals can be retrieved from a sink trap without the problems as described above. The development of the sink drain capture device for small items fulfills this need. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the prior art, it has been observed that there is need for a sink drain capture device, comprises a main cup body which is secured to a top plate via an internal holding bolt. The holding bolt is recessed within the main cup body and is mechanically affixed to a handle to allow for removal and replacement of the holding bolt. The main cup body provides an external sidewall and an internal sidewall. The device also comprises an inlet connection which has a respective threaded connection nut. The inlet connection is connected to a drain connection of a sink. The device also comprises an outlet connection which has a respective threaded connection nut. The inlet connection and the connection nut are arranged and spaced to form a standard P-trap and the outlet connection is connected to a drain outlet. 
     The circumference of the top plate may be bordered by the main cup body. The holding bolt may be inserted into a captive nut located in the middle of the top plate. The captive nut may be permanently affixed to the top plate. The captive nut may be permanently affixed to the top plate via a welding process or an adhesive bonding process. The lower enclosed portion of the main cup body may be provided with a micro screen. The holding bolt may be replaced by hand and may be made of material selected from the group consisting of corrosion resistant material, stainless steel material, or brass material. 
     The inlet connection may be provided with an intake shroud that provides for an intake water flow path that is generally parallel with the plate design of the top plate. The intake shroud may be intended to control wastewater flow through the sink drain capture device to allow for smooth drain operation. The outlet connection may be provided with an outtake shroud that may provide for an outtake water flow path that is generally parallel with the plate design of the top plate. The outtake shroud may be intended to control wastewater flow through the sink drain capture device to allow for smooth drain operation. One or more portions of the sink drain capture device that are exposed to flowing wastewater may be made of acid resistant polymer. The sink drain capture device may be suitable for new construction or may be installed in place of an existing P-trap during a retrofit project. A water-tight seal may be made between the main cup body and the top plate by a male protrusion around the perimeter of the top plate which mates with a female cavity in the external sidewall of the main cup body. A first O-ring may be provided within the female cavity to aid in water tightness while a second O-ring may be provided under the perimeter of the top plate and the male protrusion. The holding bolt as tightened and loosened by the handle may penetrate an internal sidewall and may be held captive by the captive nut. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The advantages and features of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following more detailed description and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like elements are identified with like symbols, and in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a side view of the sink drain capture device  10 , according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the sink drain capture device  10 , shown in a utilized state, according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a sectional view of the sink drain capture device  10 , as seen along a line I-I, as shown in  FIG. 1 , according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a sectional view of the sink drain capture device  10 , as seen along a line II-II, as shown in  FIG. 1 , according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; and, 
         FIG. 5  is a sectional view of the sink drain capture device  10 , as seen along a line III-III, as shown in  FIG. 1 , according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTIVE KEY 
     
         
         
           
               10  sink drain capture device 
               15  main cup body 
               20  top plate 
               25  holding bolt 
               30  handle 
               35  inlet connection 
               40  outlet connection 
               45  connection nut 
               50  drain connection 
               55  sink 
               60  drain outlet 
               65  intake shroud 
               70  intake water flow path “i” 
               75  outtake shroud 
               80  outtake water flow path “o” 
               85  captive nut 
               90  external sidewall 
               95  internal sidewall 
               100  void space 
               105  micro screen 
               110  cavity 
               115  male protrusion 
               120  female cavity 
               125  first O-ring 
               130  second O-ring 
           
         
       
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The best mode for carrying out the invention is presented in terms of its preferred embodiment, herein depicted within  FIGS. 1 through 5 . However, the invention is not limited to the described embodiment, and a person skilled in the art will appreciate that many other embodiments of the invention are possible without deviating from the basic concept of the invention and that any such work around will also fall under scope of this invention. It is envisioned that other styles and configurations of the present invention can be easily incorporated into the teachings of the present invention, and only one (1) particular configuration shall be shown and described for purposes of clarity and disclosure and not by way of limitation of scope. All of the implementations described below are exemplary implementations provided to enable persons skilled in the art to make or use the embodiments of the disclosure and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure, which is defined by the claims. 
     The terms “a” and “an” herein do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one (1) of the referenced items. 
     1. Detailed Description of the Figures 
     Referring now to  FIG. 1 , a side view of the sink drain capture device  10 , according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention is disclosed. The sink drain capture device (herein also described as the “device”)  10 , includes a main cup body  15  which is preferably cylindrical in shape. While the exact size of the main cup body  15  as well as all components of the device  10  can vary in size per the specific drain upon which it is used, it is envisioned that a standard residential or commercial utility sink would be approximately four inches (4 in.) in height and six to eight inches (6-8 in.) in diameter. As such, the exact dimension or final configuration of any component of the device  10  is not intended to be a limiting factor of the present invention. 
     The main cup body  15  is secured to a top plate  20 , circular in nature, via an internal holding bolt  25 . The internal configuration of the holding bolt  25  will be described herein below in greater detail. The holding bolt  25  is recessed within and mechanically affixed to a handle  30  to allow for removal and replacement of the holding bolt  25  by hand without any tools. The device  10  provides for an inlet connection  35  and an outlet connection  40  each with a respective threaded connection nut  45 . The arrangement and spacing of the inlet connection  35  and connection nut  45  with respect to linear separation distance is intended to mimic that of a standard P-trap used in waste plumbing connections. All materials of the device  10  exposed to the flow of wastewater would be made of acid resistant polymer. Other components of the device  10  such as the holding bolt  25  would be made of corrosion resistant material such as stainless steel, brass, or the like. 
     Referring next to  FIG. 2 , a perspective view of the device  10 , shown in a utilized state, according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention is depicted. This view discloses the device  10  installed on a drain connection  50  of a typical sink  55 . The inlet connection  35  is connected to the drain connection  50 , while the outlet connection  40  is connected to a drain outlet  60 . The handle  30  is visible on the bottom of the main cup body  15 . The device  10  is suitable for installation in an exposed manner as shown in  FIG. 2 , or maybe hidden from view when contained along with other plumbing connections in a vanity or cabinet. The connections made via the two (2) connection nuts  45  would be made via wrenches or slip joint pliers during the initial installation of the device  10 . The device  10  is suitable for new construction or may be installed in place of an existing P-trap during a retrofit project. The installation effort is made with standard tools and is no more difficult than the installation associated with a standard P-trap. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 3 , a sectional view of the device  10 , as seen along a line I-I, as shown in  FIG. 1 , according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown. The circular penetration of the inlet connection  35  and the outlet connection  40  are shown into the top of the top plate  20 . The circumference of the top plate  20  is bordered by the main cup body  15 . The inlet connection  35  is provided with an intake shroud  65  (shown by dashed lines due to its hidden nature). The intake shroud  65  provides for an intake water flow path “i”  70  that is generally parallel with the plate design of the top plate  20 . Likewise, the outlet connection  40  is provided with an outtake shroud  75  (shown by dashed lines due to its hidden nature). The outtake shroud  75  provides for an outtake water flow path “o”  80  that is generally parallel with the plate design of the top plate  20 . Both the intake shroud  65  and the outtake shroud  75  are intended to control wastewater flow through the device  10  to allow for smooth drain operation. The holding bolt  25  is visible in the middle of a captive nut  85  located in the middle of the top plate  20 . The captive nut  85  is permanently affixed to the top plate  20  in either a welding or adhesive bonding process. 
     Referring next to  FIG. 4 , a sectional view of the device  10 , as seen along a line II-II, as shown in  FIG. 1 , according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention is disclosed. This view discloses the bottom section of the device  10 . The main cup body  15  provides an external sidewall  90  as well as an internal sidewall  95 . The holding bolt  25  is visible within the confines of the internal sidewall  95  and a void space  100 . The lower enclosed portion of the main cup body  15  is provided with a micro screen  105  that is generally in the shape of an annulus. The micro screen  105  may or may not be removable from the bottom of the main cup body  15 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , a sectional view of the device  10 , as seen along a line III-III, as shown in  FIG. 1 , according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention is depicted. It is noted that the main cup body  15  and the top plate  20  are shown partially disassembled for purposes of visual clarity. Wastewater flow enters the inlet connection  35  along an intake water flow path “i”  70  and is guided by the intake shroud  65 . The water flow than circulates through the cavity  110  bordered by the bottom of the main cup body  15 , the external sidewall  90 , the internal sidewall  95  and the top plate  20 . Any small items, specifically, precious stones such as diamonds, or precious metals such as gold, would be held captive by the micro screen  105  due to their heavier density and tendency to sink or “fall out of” the wastewater flow. The water then continues as an outtake water flow path “o”  80  and out of the outtake shroud  75  and the outlet connection  40 . A water-tight seal is made between the main cup body  15  and the top plate  20 , by a male protrusion  115  around the perimeter of the top plate  20  which mates with a female cavity  120  in the external sidewall  90  of the main cup body  15 . A first O-ring  125  is provided within the female cavity  120  to aid in water tightness. The holding bolt  25 , as tightened and loosened by the handle  30  penetrates the void space  100  of the internal sidewall  95  and is held captive by the captive nut  85 . A second O-ring  130  provides water tightness between said components. The threaded nature of the holding bolt  25  and the captive nut  85  allow for varying degrees of tightness to prevent leakage. 
     2. Operation of the Preferred Embodiment 
     The preferred embodiment of the present invention can be utilized by the common user in a simple and effortless manner with little or no training. It is envisioned that the device  10  would be constructed in general accordance with  FIG. 1  through  FIG. 5 . The user would procure the device  10  from conventional procurement channels such as hardware stores, home improvement stores, mechanical supply houses, mail order and internet supply houses and the like. Special attention would be paid to the overall size of the device  10 , materials of construction, diameter of the inlet connection  35  and the connection nut  45  and similar physical parameters. 
     After procurement and prior to utilization, the device  10  would be installed in the following manner: the existing “p” trap, if part of an existing installation, would be removed following well-known plumbing repair principles. The device  10  would be installed in the place of the P-trap with the inlet connection  35  connected to the drain connection  50  and the outlet connection  40  connected to the drain outlet  60 ; the connection nut  45  would be tightened as appropriate. At this point in time, the device  10  is ready for utilization. 
     During utilization of the device  10 , the following procedure would be initiated: operation of the sink  55  would continue in a transparent manner to the typical user without any outward signs of variation from a main cup body  15  equipped with a conventional P-trap; should any small object fall into the drain connection  50  of the sink  55 , the water flow would be immediately stopped; the user would then loosen and remove the main cup body  15  by manipulation of the handle  30 , thus removing the holding bolt  25  from the captive nut  85 ; the main cup body  15 , being kept in a level state, would be searched for the said small object as captured by the micro screen  105 ; upon retrieval, the main cup body  15  would be reassembled onto the top plate  20  and the holding bolt  25  re-tightened. At this point in time, the device  10  resumes normal operation until the capture and removal services of the device  10  are needed again in a repeating manner. 
     The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.