Baths – closets – sinks – and spittoons – Drain – overflow or trap for a sink or bath – Drain and overflow
Reexamination Certificate
2001-02-09
2002-02-12
Phillips, Charles E. (Department: 3751)
Baths, closets, sinks, and spittoons
Drain, overflow or trap for a sink or bath
Drain and overflow
C004S654000, C141S340000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06345398
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a drain plug with a central drainage aperture for a bath tub and more particularly pertains to maintaining a consistent water level in a bath tub.
Conventional drain plugs are used to arbitrarily maintain a water level in a bath tub. That is, when the plug is in place, water will not enter the drain. Accordingly, the water level will be maintained, as long as no additional water is added to the tub. However, by preventing water from entering the drain, the typical drain plug does nothing to prevent water from reaching unsuitable levels, where property damage, or danger to individuals can occur.
The use of drain plugs for bath tubs is known in the prior art. More specifically, drain plugs for bath tubs heretofore devised and utilized for the purpose of preventing water from draining out of a bath tub are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objective and requirements, these patents do not describe a drain plug with a central drainage aperture for a bath tub for maintaining a consistent water level in a bath tub.
In this respect, the drain plug with a central drainage aperture for a bath tub according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of maintaining a consistent water level in a bath tub.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for a new and improved drain plug with a central drainage aperture for a bath tub which can be used for maintaining a consistent water level in a bath tub. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In the view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of drain plugs for bath tubs now present in the prior art, the present invention provides an improved drain plug with a central drainage aperture for a bath tub. As such, the general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new and improved drain plug with a central drainage aperture for a bath tub which has all the advantages of the prior art and none of the disadvantages.
To attain this, the present invention essentially comprises a plug insert dimensioned for positioning within the water drain of the bath tub. The plug insert has a generally tapered cylindrical configuration. The plug insert has a wide upper end and a narrow lower end. Accordingly, the narrow lower end can be inserted into the wide upper end of another plug insert, allowing the plug inserts to be stacked so as to maintain a higher water level. The plug insert has an opening extending downwardly through the wide upper end and the narrow lower end. A plug cover is provided that is dimensioned for covering the water drain of the bath tub. The plug cover has a generally frustoconical configuration defined by a wide lower end and a narrow upper end. The plug cover has an opening extending downwardly through the narrow upper end and the wide lower end. The wide lower end is integral with the wide upper end of the plug insert whereby the opening of the plug cover is linearly aligned with the opening of the plug insert.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved drain plug with a central drainage aperture for a bath tub which has all the advantages of the prior art drain plugs for bath tubs and none of the disadvantages, such that an equilibrium water level is obtained, wherein water may be added to the tub while said equilibrium water level is substantially maintained.
It is another object of the invention to provide a drain plug which is “stackable” with other similar drain plugs. Accordingly, more than one drain plug can be used to customize the equilibrium water level within the tub.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved drain plug with a central drainage aperture for a bath tub which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new and improved drain plug with a central drainage aperture for a bath tub which is of durable and reliable construction.
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved drain plug with a central drainage aperture for a bath tub which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such a drain plug with a central drainage aperture for a bath tub economically available to the buying public.
Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved drain plug with a central drainage aperture for a bath tub for maintaining a consistent water level in a bath tub.
Lastly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved drain plug with a central drainage aperture for a bath tub including a plug insert dimensioned for positioning within the water drain of the bath tub. The plug insert has an opening extending downwardly therethrough the wide upper end and the narrow lower end. A plug cover is provided that is dimensioned for covering the water drain of the bath tub. The plug cover has an opening extending downwardly therethrough the narrow upper end and the wide upper lower end. The plug cover is integral with the plug insert whereby the opening of the plug cover is linearly aligned with the opening of the plug insert.
These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.
REFERENCES:
patent: 757871 (1904-04-01), Akers et al.
patent: 904539 (1908-11-01), Koenig
patent: 2065347 (1936-12-01), Schulse
patent: 2560954 (1951-07-01), Jackson
patent: 4077430 (1978-03-01), Brown et al.
patent: 4106133 (1978-08-01), Roberts
patent: 4205710 (1980-06-01), Dunicz
patent: 4648140 (1987-03-01), Bogusz
Goldstein Law Offices P.C.
Phillips Charles E.
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