EP2420630B1

EP2420630B1 - Improved Waste Trap

Info

Publication number: EP2420630B1
Application number: EP11250546.6A
Authority: EP
Inventors: James Edward Mcalpine
Original assignee: McAlpine and Co Ltd
Current assignee: McAlpine and Co Ltd
Priority date: 2010-05-24
Filing date: 2011-05-24
Publication date: 2023-11-29
Anticipated expiration: 2031-05-24
Also published as: GB2480604A; EP2420630C0; GB201008558D0; EP2420630A1; PL2420630T3; GB2480604B

Description

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to waste traps. Particularly, but not exclusively, the present invention relates to a waste trap for a bath.

Background to the Invention

A waste trap is generally provided between a bath outlet and a soil pipe to allow water from the bath to reach the soil pipe but to prevent, for example, noxious gases in the waste system entering the bathroom through the bath outlet.
The waste trap provides a barrier between the soil pipe and the bath outlet in the form of a water seal. Generally such a waste trap will have some sort of convoluted flow path which fills with water to a fixed depth sealing the bath outlet and the overflow outlet from the ingress of waste gases.
Regulations state that the water seal has to be a minimum depth of 50 millimetres. The depth of the trap itself is therefore determined by the minimum depth of the water seal plus the diameter of the waste pipe.
Current fashions in bath design are for baths which are as close to the floor as possible and there is a desire to minimise the gap between the base of the bath on the floor. However, current designs of waste trap cannot be accommodated in the reduced spaces which the bath designers specify. In some instances, this results in a hole or recess being made in the floor to accommodate the waste trap.
It is known to try and reduce the height of the trap by using a reduced diameter connection from the trap to the soil pipe, however this can have a detrimental effect on the flow rate through the trap.
DE102008023894 discloses a bathtub-base inlet where a lower side of a upper horizontal channel of a stopper is moved up and down. The horizontal channel is immersed in the diameter of a screw, and the bath water flow cross-section is always more sufficient with respect to flow hole. An inlet has a vertical channel displaced in parallel towards a symmetry line and conforming to an inner diameter of a fitting-fastening hollow screw so as to form a tub.
US 418,831 (Wade ) describes a one-piece waste, overflow and trap fitting comprising a trap, a direct waste pipe and an overflow waste pipe. The trap comprises a central pipe or duct, which extends up from a diaphragm, below which is a chamber, and into which the central pipe leads out from the top of said chamber and opening, thereby leaving the annular chamber or passage. The bottom of the annular chamber or passage is formed by the diaphragm. From this annular chamber or passage a final waste discharge-opening leads to the final wastepipe. From the upper part of the annular chamber, above the upper end of the interior pipe, an opening leads to a ventilating-pipe.
US 434,689 (Wade ) describes a trap-fitting. The trap fitting comprises a central chamber and the lateral induction pipes, which lead into the chamber near the bottom of the fitting. The eduction from the chamber is through a central duct which stands up in the middle of the chamber, opening near the top thereof and leading out through the bottom. The final waste-pipe, leading to the sewer, is connected into the bottom of the trap-fitting at the centre.
FR 1 138 189 (Gebert ) describes a discharge device for a bathtub comprising a siphon connected to the outlet of a bath tub and overflow pipe. An outlet pipe extends horizontally from a tube extending from the siphon to allow fluid to exit the discharge device. The discharge device overcomes gargling problems by virtue of a curved siphon connecting piece having an inner diameter of about 32 mm and the outlet pipe having an inner diameter of about 50 mm.

Summary of the Invention

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a waste trap for a bath, according to the appended claims.
According to the invention, providing a waste trap in which the height of the water seal is higher than a majority portion of the trap outlet reduces the overall height of the trap, allowing the trap to be installed in smaller spaces than a conventional trap.
Additionally, the trap may be arranged to form a water seal between the second trap inlet and the trap outlet, the height of the water seal, in use, being higher than at least part of the trap outlet
The trap comprises a body.
The body defines the first trap inlet, the second trap inlet and the trap outlet.
The body may define a first convoluted flow path between the first trap inlet and the trap outlet.
The body may define a second convoluted flow path between the second trap inlet and the trap outlet.
The trap includes a weir.
The weir may have an upper edge higher than at least part of the trap outlet.
In one embodiment the height of the water seal is determined by the upper edge of the weir. By incorporating a weir, the height of the water seal in relation to the trap outlet can be raised and the overall depth of the water trap can be reduced. Furthermore by raising the water seal in relation to the trap outlet permits for a larger diameter of trap outlet to be accommodated without affecting the overall height of the trap and further improving the volume flow rate through the trap.
In one embodiment the weir is arranged such that water flows up and over the weir before flowing through the trap outlet.
The second body portion is rotatably mounted to the first body portion. Such an arrangement adds flexibility to the waste trap as the second body portion can be moved with respect to the first body portion to accommodate different plumbing arrangements which may exist.
The weir may be defined by the first body portion.
Alternatively, the weir may be defined by the second body portion.
In a further alternative, the weir may be an insert.
The second body portion is rotatably mounted to the tubular weir.
The second body portion is adapted to be rotated by a tool in the form of a screwdriver or a coin.
The second body portion defines a feature adapted to be engaged by the tool.
The feature is a recess adapted to receive the screwdriver or the coin. The chamber may comprise an upper section and a lower section.
The upper section may be spin welded to the lower section. The upper section may define a feature adapted to be engaged by a tool to permit the chamber to be rotated with respect to the weir.
The chamber is adapted to receive the weir.
The chamber may comprise a tubular portion of larger diameter than the tubular weir.
In one embodiment providing a chamber permits water flowing over the weir to flow into the chamber before exiting through the outlet. This maintains the volume flow rate of the trap by preventing a bottleneck between the weir and the trap outlet.
The weir may be spaced away from the outlet. If the weir is spaced away from the outlet, then the weir does not reduce the effective size of the outlet, maximising the volume flow rate through the outlet.
In one embodiment a chamber upper external surface is coplanar with the first trap inlet.
The trap body may be moulded.
The trap body may comprise a polymeric material.
The polymeric material may be polypropylene.
Alternatively, the polymeric material may be polycarbonate.

Brief Description of the Drawings

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a section view through a waste trap for a bath, shown in use with a bath, according to a first embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 2 is a front view of the trap of Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a top view of the trap of Figure 1.

Detailed Description of the Drawings

Referring to the figures, a bath trap, generally indicated by reference numeral 10, is shown. The bath trap 10 comprises a first trap inlet 12, connected to the outlet 14 of a bath 15, a second trap inlet 16 connected to a bath overflow 18 and a trap outlet 20 connected to a waste pipe 22 (not visible on figure 1 but shown in broken outline on figure 3). The trap 10 is shown sandwiched between the bath and the floor 17.
The trap 10 is arranged to form a water seal 24 between the first trap inlet 12 and the trap outlet 20, the height 26 of the water seal 24 being higher than at least part of the trap outlet 20. As can be seen from figure 1, the height of the water seal, indicated by the broken line 26, is higher than the majority of the trap outlet 20 and particularly, the water seal 26 is higher than the portion of the trap outlet 20 shown in broken outline.
It will also be noted that the water seal 26 formed between the second trap inlet 16, the overflow pipe 18 and the trap outlet 20 is also higher than at least part of the trap outlet 20, and particularly, the water seal 26 is higher than the portion of the trap outlet 20 shown in broken outline.
Such an arrangement reduces the overall height of the trap 10 allowing the trap 10 to be installed in smaller spaces than a conventional trap. This reduction in height is made possible by the provision of a tubular weir 28 which is situated adjacent the trap outlet 20.
The trap 10 comprises a body 32 having a first body portion 34 and a second body portion 36. The first body portion 34 is moulded from polypropylene and defines the first trap inlet 12, the second trap inlet 16 and the tubular weir 28. The second body portion 36 is also moulded from polypropylene and is rotatably mounted to the first body portion 34. The second body portion 36 defines a chamber 38 for receiving water flowing over the weir 28. The chamber 38 is of larger internal diameter than the external diameter of the tubular weir 28 and is in fluid communication with trap outlet 20, which is also defined by the second body portion 36.
The second body portion 36 is locked to the first body portion 34 by complimentary engaging lug and recess arrangement 40 about which the second body portion 36 can rotate with respect to the first body portion 34. Allowing the second body portion 36 to rotate facilitates fitting the trap and particularly connecting the trap outlet 20 to the waste pipe 22, thereby increasing the utility of the trap 10.
A watertight seal is formed between the first and second body sections 34, 36 by an elastomeric seal 42.
The second body portion 36 is manufactured in two parts, a lower half 44 and a lid 46. The lid 46 is spun welded to the second body portion lower half 44. As can be seen most clearly from figure 3, the lid 46 defines a cross hair recess 48 adapted to receive a tool (not shown) which can rotate the second body portion 36 with respect of the first body portion 34. The tool may be a coin or a screwdriver, for example. Rotatably mounting the second body portion 36 to the first body portion 34 increases the flexibility and utility of the trap 10.
Referring back to figure 1, the trap inlet 12 comprises a threaded sleeve 50 attached to the first body portion 34 by an adhesive. The threaded sleeve 50 defines an internal thread 52 and includes a flange 54. The flange 54 is adapted to receive an elastomeric seal gasket 56. In use, the trap 10 is secured to the bath 30 by locating the first inlet 12, and particularly the flanging gasket 54, 56 adjacent the bath outlet 14. A joining member 58, defining an external thread 60, is then screwed into the threaded sleeve 50. The engagement between the threaded sleeve 50 and the joining member 58 draws the two components together until the bath outlet 14 is trapped between the joining member 58 and the inlet piece 50 and a seal is formed between the bath outlet 14 and the gasket 56.
Various modifications and improvements may be made to the above described embodiment without departing from the scope of the invention defined by the appended claims. For example, the lid 46 of the second body portion 36 could be removable to facilitate adjustment or cleaning of the trap 10.

Claims

A waste trap (10) for a bath (15), the trap (10) comprising:
a body (32) defining a first trap inlet (12), a second trap inlet (16) and a trap outlet (20), the first trap inlet (12) adapted to be connected to a bath outlet (14), the second trap inlet (16) adapted to be connected to a bath overflow (18), and the trap outlet (20) adapted to be connected to a waste pipe (22); and

a tubular weir (28) arranged to form a water seal (24) between the first trap inlet (12) and the trap outlet (20), the level (26) of the water seal (24), in use, being higher than a majority portion of the trap outlet (20),

wherein the body (32) comprises a first body portion (34) defining the first trap inlet (12) and the second trap inlet (16), and a second body portion (36) defining the trap outlet (20), the second body portion (36) comprising a chamber (38), the chamber (38) being adapted to receive the weir (28); and

wherein the second body portion (36) is rotatably mounted to the first body portion (34),

wherein the second body portion (36) is rotatably mounted to the tubular weir (28),

and wherein the second body portion (36) is adapted to be rotated by a tool in the form of a screwdriver or a coin, the second body portion (36) defining a feature (48) adapted to be engaged by the tool, wherein the feature (48) is a recess adapted to receive the screwdriver or the coin.
The waste trap (10) of claim 1, wherein the weir (28) has an upper edge higher than the majority portion of the trap outlet (20).
The waste trap (10) of claim 2, wherein the level (24) of the water seal (24) is determined by the upper edge of the weir (28).
The waste trap (10) of any preceding claim, wherein the weir (28) is arranged such that water flows up and over the weir (28) before flowing through the trap outlet (20).
The waste trap (10) of any preceding claim, wherein the weir (28) is defined by the first body portion (34).
The waste trap (10) of any preceding claim, wherein the weir (28) is an insert.
The waste trap (10) of any preceding claim, wherein the chamber (38) comprises an upper section and a lower section.
The waste trap (10) of claim 7, wherein the upper section is spin welded to the lower section.
The waste trap (10) of either of claims 7 or 8, wherein the upper section defines the feature (48) adapted to be engaged by the tool to permit the chamber (38) to be rotated with respect to the weir (28).
The waste trap (10) of any preceding claim, wherein the chamber (38) comprises a tubular portion of larger diameter than the tubular weir (28).
The waste trap (10) of claim 10, wherein the weir (28) is spaced away from the outlet (20).
The waste trap (10) of any preceding claim, wherein the trap body (32) is moulded.
The waste trap (10) of any preceding claim, wherein the trap body (32) comprises a polymeric material.
The waste trap (10) of claim 13, wherein the polymeric material is polypropylene.
The waste trap (10) of claim 13, wherein the polymeric material is polycarbonate.