GB2465086A - An outlet plug - Google Patents

Abstract

A plug 100 for a bath or a basin outlet 110 comprises a cup-shaped body, where the body demonstrates an ogee shaped profile in cross section. The cup comprises a rim 120 which extends away from the body of the cup as a concave portion of the profile. The plug may be formed from plastic material, and brightly coloured. The plug may display a colour change in response to reaching a specific temperature. The plug has good sealing properties may be readily removed in an emergency. The plug may feature handles 180 to facilitate manipulation of the plug in the outlet.

Description

An Improved Plug for a Wash Basin The present invention concerns an improved plug for easier removal from a sink, wash basin, bath or similar container.

It is unfortunately a relatively frequent occurrence that people, particularly the vulnerable who are being cared for by others, such as infants, the elderly and the mentally ill may be bathed in water that is too hot and as a result receive burns.

Data from the United States National Safe Kids Campaign evidences that 4000-5,000 children are scalded each year, most often in bathtubs. The average bathtub scald burn covers 12% of the body surface with a full thickness third degree burn. This data shows that such scald burn sources were 46% in family homes but 56% in group living, such as institutional settings.

The risk of this occurring is often mitigated by providing maximum hot water supply temperatures in institutions and mixer water outlets. However, minimum water supply temperatures are required to stop bacterial build up in water supplies (about 60°C, 140°F)/and mixer facilities often allow hot water to be passed in some settings. This provides a dilemma to institutions such as hospitals where infection must be controlled by safety must be maintained.

These issues are compounded by human error and sometimes malice. This is compounded by water often initially exiting a tap at a low and acceptable temperature until water from a boiler reaches the tap and the pipes become hot, at this point an unattended tap can start to discharge water at dangerously hot temperatures. Hence, water left running at an acceptable temperature can become dangerous. In addition some types of water heater provide hot water on demand and the water temperature depends upon water flow rate and time since boiler ignition, which further exacerbates the problem.

Toddlers and young children are physically at the highest risk of being scalded by hot water. It is easy to receive third degree burns from exposure to hot tap water. An approximate one-second exposure to 70°C (160° F) water will result in third degree bums. Where the water is 55°C (130° F), an approximate half-minute exposure will result in third degree bums. Even with water supply set to a maximum temperature of 50°C (120° F), an approximate ten minute exposure to water heated to this temperature can result in third degree bums.

A safe temperature for hot water is 43°C (1100 F), which exposure to results in third degree bums in approximately ten hours. Even though this is a relatively-safe' temperature, exposure to bathing water set at 110° F can be painful; the human pain threshold is around 41 to 42°C (106-108° F). Even so example recommended hot water supply temperatures in Community Based Residential (Group Homes and Assisted Living Facilities) are 50°C (120°F) maximum., in Family Day Care, Foster Homes, Nursing Homes, Child Care Facilities 46°C (115°F) maximum and in Schools 43°C (110°F) maximum. This therefore leaves a risk of bums in some circumstances, such as from prolonged exposure. However, whilst everyday experience of a fit adult may suggest higher temperatures are tolerable to the touch it has to be realised that bodily immersion and contact for a person not able to remove themselves from contact when pain is felt is a much more vulnerable situation, as experienced by infants, the elderly and the mentally incapacitated.

In considering the present invention its is therefore important to recall that 100°C (212° F) is the boiling point of water, meaning that the temperatures at which exposure to water will result in bums is much less than the boiling point of water.

It is significant that different parts of the body perceive water temperature differently.

Hence, a work-wom hand of a carer quickly dipped into bathing water may perceive a temperature to be acceptable. However that same temperature may be injurious to other body parts of a frail person when exposed over a period of minutes.

It is an object of the present invention to provide means to reduce the risk of exposure to bathing water at temperatures that can result in injury.

It is a further object to provide means to provide means to reduce the risk of injury from bathing water that is hot but not evidently scalding when viewed by a casual observer.

It is a further object to provide means to provide means to reduce the risk of injury from bathing water that is only evident after prolonged exposure, such injury as may occur to an unattended person who is not able to rescue themselves.

The present invention in its various aspects is as set out in the appended claims.

The present invention provides a plug for a bath or basin in the form of a cup having an outside with an ogee profile the rim of the cup being extended outwardly by means of an outwardly concave portion of said profile.

The present invention also provides the use of a cup having an ogee profile as a stopper for an outlet in a bath used for bathing a person.

The term cup simply refers to a generally cylindrical object having at least one end capped. Hence, for the purposes of the present definition, although not preferred, the cup may be filled, i.e. the cup may not be hollow as in a drinking cup. However, the cup may be hollow.

By using and ogee profile the cup forms a large sealing area at its rim so as to seal with an surface of an outlet of a bath. The ogee profile then also provides a central up stand for the plug so as to readily facilitate movement, such as by motion at the side of the plug, so as to unseat the rim and so as thereby to release water from the bath.

The large sealing area of the rim provides an effective seal due to water pressure, the greater the head of water the more firm the seal. However, this form of plug is easy the dislodge by a side ways force and hence provides a combination of effective sealing of an outlet of a bath with easy release.

A significant advantage of the present invention is that its primary benefits, stemming from the ability for it to be dislodged by any vigorous movement result in the plug being moved away from but not removed from the water container/bath. The natural force of water exiting a plugho le draws objects towards that plugho le but the ogee shape, particularly when used with the handles very rarely if ever relocates over the plughole to provide fresh seal. Objects of other shapes can often relocate to substantially reseal an exit and so cause sealing. Further, since objects such as sponges and soap or often used when bathing these objects also can be drawn towards a plughole when water exits as the ogee shape neither fits the plughole or other object coming towards the plughole.

The cup for use in the present invention preferably comprises a plastic, i.e. deformable, material. The use of such a material enables the rim of the plug to readily deform so as to accommodate irregularities in the surface of the outlet such that, particularly as water pressure increases, an increasingly good seal is obtained due to the plastic material deforming to conform the plug/cup to the irregularities of the outlet. The material is preferably resiliently deformable, such as when made from a plastics material.

The cup for use in the present invention preferably comprises one or more handles.

This provides an additional means of release of the stopper when required.

The cup for use in the present invention is preferably brightly coloured, such as a bright pink, so as to facilitate visual identification such as when a person wishing to remove the stopper/plug/cup quickly can readily identify its location.

In a further aspect of the present invention the is provided a plug displaying a colour change at above 40°C. This provides a convenience for forming of a water temperature which is too hot, such that it may not be necessary to use the release facilities of the present invention and so completely avoid a burn. This feature remains useful in conjunction with the ogee profile as this feature will not give any warning of water which is too cold, for example.

The present invention will now be illustrated by means of the appended figures in which: Figure 1 is an example of a known plug in cross section.

Figure 2 is an example of the present invention in cross-section.

Figure 3 is the cup used in figure 2 in a perspective view.

Figure 4 is a cup according to one aspect of the present invention.

Figure 1 serves to illustrate typical features of a known plug (10) or stopper for a sanitary basin (20) such as a washbasin or bath. Such plugs locate in a recess (30) and protrude little above the internal surface of the basin.. Hence, they are relatively difficult to remove particularly if the dexterity of the person trying to remove the plug is limited or other senses impeded, such by the effects of heat. Figure 1 also serves to identify the feature of a grid (40) to stop large objects exiting the plug (110) hole into a drain (50).

Figure 2 illustrates the present invention. The plug (100) of the present invention is shown in relation to a plug hole (110) as required in use to stop water exiting A basin (20). The ogee profile of the sides of the plug is shown by the section illustrated A in the diagram, where the sides of the plug at in the form of an elongate S shape. The ogee profile of the plug of the invention has three significant regions. A first region (120) which is outwardly curved and sits at the end of a second, central region (130) which is predominantly straight and a third region (140) which is inwardly curved and sits at the end of the central region remote from the first region. In use, the first region serves to provide an extended contact surface between the material of the plug (100) and a surface (150) of the basin (20) adjacent to the plug hole (110). As the material of the plug is preferably of a plastic nature it is capable of deforming under the weight. of water present, in use, in the basin (20) above the plug hole (110), an effective seal is therefore formed between the plug of the invention and the surface (150) of the basin so as to stop water egress when the plug is in place. The central region (130) serves to give the plug a significant up stand above the base of the basin (160) such that a person in distress, typically presenting vigorous movement of their limbs, is liable to dislodge the plug (100) such as to break any seal between the first region (120) of the plug and the surface (150) of the basin adjacent to the plug hole (110) such as to stop the sealing effect and to permit water egress from the basin so as to relieve a person in the basin of contact with the water, such as hot water which has caused them distress. The third region (140) of the ogee profile provides a transition between the side (130) of the plug and the top (192) of the plug such that an edge is not present which has been found to increase the likelihood of accidental dislodgement and discomfort for a user if the edge is impinge upon.

A further advantage of the present invention is that the plug (100) does not depend on its operation on the temperature of the water, such that excessively cold water also potentially causing a user distress may also serve to dislodge the plug (100) and so obviate the potential for excessive contact with cold water, such as may cause hypothermic or other effects.

The plug of the present invention, as illustrated in Figure 2 also has features of a group 170 such as for attaching a lanyard for assisting in conventional removal of the plug or stopping its loss, such as is known in conventional plugs. In addition, the plug of the present invention (100) also comprises optional handles (180) of a descending teardrop type configuration on to opposing sides of the wall (190) of the plug. Such a shape has been found to give convenient means for removing the plug but without significantly increasing the chances of the plug being artificially dislodged.

In use, the plug of the present invention when covered by about twice its own depth of water has been found to be remarkably resistant to accidental dislodgement. However, the plug is readily dislodged when moved by a hand or foot laterally with the sort of force associated with a move made in distress. Further, the presence of the first region (120) of the ogee profile file means that even when a small amount of water is present in the basin (20) such as only to cover the first region (120) the plug remains in place even when constructed of a material, such as an organic spastic material, such as polythene, which is liable to float.

As shown in figure 2 the ogee profile in its three regions preferably comprises a total height, the first region preferably comprising up to 25% of that total height and the second region comprising 50% or more of that total height and the third region comprising up to 25% of that total height. The height of the third region preferably being less than the height of the second region. In lateral dimensions the first region, second region and a third region occupied approximately equal widths, the first region preferably occupying more width than the other two regions. These dimensions have been found to make best use of the features mentioned above, such as sealing the plug hole (110) easy dislodgement and reduction of accidental dislodgement.

The radius of the plug of the present invention is preferably at least 5 times, preferably between 5 and 15 times the diameter, most preferably between five and 10 times the radius of the curve of the first region of the ogee. This has been found to provide good sealing and limited accidental dislodgement of the plug in use.

Figure 3 shows a plug of the present invention (100) in perspective view illustrate single that the plug is substantially symmetrical and loss is not dependent upon any particular orientation in a horizontal plane for its effectiveness. The plug of figure 3 has an alternative top surface comprising an annular extension (170') which serves as an additional or alternative means of manually manipulating the plug (100 to the handles (180) both features being optional.

Figure 4 shows and how alternative embodiment of a plug of the present invention (200, in cross-section) in which the body of the plug is substantially solid such as composed of a plastics material such as polyethylene or polypropylene or a reprise material such as styrene butadiene rubber or natural rubber or rubber derivative, such as vulcanised rubber. In this embodiment the ogee profile is useful in that in the first region (150) the thin nature of the edge results in a degree of flexibility in an otherwise relatively inflexible object such that the sealing effect of the plug on an outlet is maintained. The embodiments in which the plug is substantially solid, in that there is no internal void surrounded by walls, is preferred in instances, such as used in a bath, where high rates of water flow initially may otherwise dislodge the plug before sufficient water enters so as to secure the plug in place. The corollary of this is that the hollow plug has the advantage that a user must maintain it in place during initial filling such that it would be difficult for the user to avoid noticing the temperature of incoming water, such as is quite possible when a conventional plug is placed in a plughole and a tap is turned on remotely.

For the purposes of the present invention the ogee profile refers to a side wall of a substantially cylindrical object, that object having at least one end of the cylinder capped by a continuum of the side wall from a, when viewed externally, a convex portion of the sidewall. The ogee profile further requires that an outward extremity of the plug, a lower extremity in normal use, extends outward be in a curve, that when viewed externally, is concave.

In the present invention the concept of bath, based in, sink and container are considered as effectively equivalent containers for a significant volume of water in comparison to the volume of the plug and refer to well-known sanitary items.

The term generally cylindrical refers to shapes that are a perfect cylinder (in as much that at any position the walls perpendicular to a central axis are equidistant from a central point) and also to elliptical equivalents thereof, the major and minor axes of the ellipse not being different by more than a factor of two.

Claims (7)

1. Claims 1. A plug for a bath or basin in the form of a cup having an outside with an ogee profile the rim of the cup being extended outwardly by means of an outwardly concave portion of said profile.
2. 2. The plug of claim 1 wherein the plug is made of a plastic material.
3. 3. The plug of claim 2 wherein the plastic material is a plastics material.
4. 4. The plug of any preceding claim wherein the plug is brightly coloured.
5. 5. The use of a cup of any preceding claim as a stopper for an outlet in a bath used for bathing a person.
6. 6. A plug for a bath or basin as hereinbefore described with reference to the description and any one or more of figures 2, 3 or 4.
7. 7. A method of sealing an outlet to a bath as hereinbefore described with reference to the description and any one or more of figures 2, 3 or 4.