Drain valve adapter for aqueous container

Details Drain valve adapter for aqueous container Drain valve adapter for aqueous container

2000-04-06

2001-07-10

Lee, Kevin (Department: 3754)

Valves and valve actuation

With correlated flow path

Valve operated by joining flow path sections

C251S149400

Reexamination Certificate

active

06257550

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a drain valve adapter, and more particularly, to a drain valve adapter for use with aqueous solution containers, such as above-the-ground inflatable pools.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Portable, as well as stationary, above-the-ground pools have increased in popularity over the last several years because of their low cost and portability when compared to in-the-ground pools. By their definition, portable pools can be easily moved and/or easily stored for a long term storage, such as during winter. Similarly, stationary above-the-ground pools may be drained for their winter season.
Although many above-the-ground pools provide drain valves for emptying the water, such valves are not adaptable to ordinary garden hoses for properly routing the water to a street drain. Moreover, none provide drain valve adapters that can be connected to ordinary garden or water hoses.
Incidents occur when the draining of a fluid from a portable or stationary container has the fluid discharged in a location causing property or environmental damages and flooding. These incidents could be avoided if a hose could be connected to the drain valve in order to convey the fluid to an appropriate discharge location.
In addition, even if the drain valve is constructed to connect with a conventional standard garden hose used in the United States, such drain valve is not useful when the container, such as a pool, is used in foreign countries using garden hoses of varying diameters.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for a drain valve adapter that can be easily attachable to and removable from a drain valve to provide controlled draining of water or other aqueuous solution contained in a container, such as a pool.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a drain valve adapter that substantially obviates one or more of the problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.
An object of the present invention is to provide a drain valve adapter that can be used with ordinary garden or water hoses to control the discharge of the water from portable or stationary above-the-ground swimming pools, lap pools or portable or stationary spas.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a drain valve adapter which accommodates various size hoses, with or without threaded end fittings.
Another object of the present invention is to allow the user to connect an ordinary standard hose to the pool's drain plug and empty the water without property or environmental damage nor create a safety problem by making an area flooded and/or slippery.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.
To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described, a drain valve adapter is for use with a hose and a drain valve mounted to a container, wherein the drain valve defines a passageway for aqueous solution. The drain valve adapter comprises a tubular body having a mating member and a plunger member which are in fluid communication with each other, the plunger member being configured to be disposed inside the drain valve along the passageway. The drain valve further comprises a ring cap defining a through hole and being disposed in surrounding relation to the tubular body for releasably engaging the drain valve.
According to one aspect of the invention, the plunger member has at least one prong extending therefrom to force open a drain plug blocking the passageway of the drain valve. Preferably, the plunger member has a plurality of prongs extending therefrom. The plurality of prongs define spaces therebetween to allow free flow of the aqueous solution in the container. Alternatively, the plunger member is sufficiently long to force open a drain plug blocking the passageway of the drain valve.
According to another aspect of the invention, the mating member has a threaded outer surface for engaging with a female coupler of a standard garden hose. Alternatively, the mating member has at least one compression fit sleeve for engaging the hose. Preferably, the mating member has a plurality of compression fit sleeves of varying diameters for engaging hoses having various conduit diameters.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide a further explanation of the invention as claimed.


REFERENCES:
patent: 3608735 (1971-09-01), Smith
patent: 4756349 (1988-07-01), Atkins
patent: 4768537 (1988-09-01), Tash
patent: 4862918 (1989-09-01), Schroeder
patent: 5280876 (1994-01-01), Atkins
patent: 5862843 (1999-01-01), Corbitt, 111
patent: 5901887 (1999-05-01), Wark

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