IP Library Granted Patent US 7,636,957
Granted Patent B2
US 7,636,957 · App. 11/511,883 · Granted Dec 29, 2009

Urinal

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,636,957
App. No.
11/511,883
Granted
Dec 29, 2009
Kind
B2
Abstract

An oil-based odor trap arrangement for a waterless urinal including (a) a bell trap tube received within a cavity situated in a lower portion of the waterless urinal, wherein one end of the tube is adapted to be removably attached to the cavity; and (b) a strainer having a body and defining a cap portion and an integrally attached ring portion extending axially away from the cap portion, wherein the strainer is adapted to be received onto an opposite end of the tube whereby the ring portion partially envelopes the tube thus forming a baffle configured to: 1) contain an oil-based substance between the ring portion and a wall of the cavity; 2) accommodate the flow of fluid from the urinal between the ring portion and the tube; and 3) direct the fluid into the tube.

Claims (33)

1. An oil-based odor trap arrangement for a waterless urinal comprising:

an elongated tube having a first end and a second end, said tube received within a cavity situated in a lower portion of the waterless urinal, wherein said first end of said tube is adapted to be removably attached to the cavity; and

a strainer having a body and defining a cap portion and a ring portion, said ring portion extending axially away from said cap portion, said cap portion having a top surface and a bottom surface extending beyond a periphery of said ring portion thereby forming a lip having a perimeter, said lip further comprising a plurality of spaced apart protrusions extending axially away from said bottom surface of said cap portion thus forming passageways between adjacent protrusions to allow fluid to pass therethrough, wherein said perimeter of said lip extends beyond a periphery of said protrusions, and wherein said strainer is adapted to receive said tube such that said second end of said tube engages an underside of said cap portion whereby said ring portion partially envelopes said tube thus forming a baffle configured to:

contain an oil-based substance between said ring portion and a wall of the cavity;

accommodate the flow of fluid from the urinal between said ring portion and said tube; and

direct the fluid into said tube.

2. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the cavity comprises a threaded portion for threadably attaching said first end of said tube to the cavity.

3. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said strainer further comprises at least two spaced-apart ribs extending axially away from said bottom surface of said cap portion, said second end of said tube adapted to engage said ribs, wherein openings are defined between said spaced ribs for allowing fluid to pass through to said tube.

4. The arrangement as claimed in claim 3 , wherein a groove is defined in each rib, said groove adapted to receive said second end of said tube such that said strainer is secured to said tube.

5. The arrangement as claimed in claim 3 , wherein said cap portion comprises a plurality of spaced-apart ribs, wherein openings are defined between adjacent ribs for allowing fluid to pass through to said tube.

6. The arrangement as claimed in claim 3 , wherein said ribs are integrally attached to said cap portion and a portion of an inner surface of said ring portion.

7. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the cap portion is integrally attached to said ring portion of said body of said strainer.

8. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said strainer is made of a unitary piece of polymeric material.

9. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said tube and said strainer comprise of a polymeric material.

10. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the cavity is integrally attached to said lower portion of the urinal.

11. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said cap portion of said body of said strainer comprises an acruate shaped profile.

12. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said oil-based substance comprises vegetable oil, colorant, fragrance and mixtures thereof.

13. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said top surface of said cap portion is disc-shaped and has a constant diameter around said perimeter.

14. An oil-based odor trap arrangement in combination with a waterless urinal, the urinal comprises a body having an upper portion and a lower portion and defining a cavity situated in the lower portion thereof, wherein the lower portion defines an opening therein for allowing fluid to pass through the cavity and into a drain, the odor trap arrangement comprising:

an elongated tube having a first end and a second end received within the cavity, the opening in fluid communication with the tube, wherein said first end of said tube is removably attached to the cavity; and

a strainer having a body and defining a cap portion and a ring portion, said ring portion extending axially away from said cap portion, said cap portion having a top surface and a bottom surface extending beyond a periphery of said ring portion thereby forming a lip having a perimeter, said lip further comprising a plurality of spaced apart protrusions extending axially away from said bottom surface of said cap portion thus forming passageways between adjacent protrusions to allow fluid to pass therethrough, wherein said perimeter of said lip extends beyond a periphery of said protrusions, and wherein said strainer is adapted to receive said tube such that said second end of said tube engages an underside of said cap portion whereby said ring portion partially envelopes said tube thus forming a baffle configured to:

contain an oil-based substance between said ring portion and a wall of the cavity;

accommodate the flow of fluid from the urinal between said ring portion and said tube; and

direct the fluid into said tube.

15. The trap arrangement in combination with the waterless urinal as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the cavity comprises a threaded portion for threadably attaching said first end of said tube to the cavity.

16. The trap arrangement in combination with the waterless urinal as claimed in claim 14 , wherein said oil-based substance comprises vegetable oil, colorant, fragrance and mixtures thereof.

17. A method of cleaning an oil-based odor trap arrangement for a waterless urinal, the method comprising the steps of:

a) providing a waterless urinal having an oil-based odor trap arrangement attached thereto, the arrangement comprising an elongated tube having a first end and a second end, the tube received within a cavity situated in a lower portion of the waterless urinal, wherein the first end of the tube is removably attached to the cavity, and a strainer having a body and defining a cap portion and a ring portion, the ring portion extending axially away from the cap portion, the cap portion having a top surface and a bottom surface extending beyond a periphery of the ring portion thereby forming a lip having a perimeter, the lip further comprising a plurality of spaced apart protrusions extending axially away from the bottom surface of the cap portion thus forming passageways between adjacent protrusions to allow fluid to pass therethrough, wherein said perimeter of said lip extends beyond a periphery of said protrusions, and wherein the strainer is adapted to receive the tube such that the second end of the tube engages an underside of the cap portion whereby the ring portion partially envelopes the tube thus forming a baffle configured to: 1) contain an oil-based substance between the ring portion and a wall of the cavity, 2) accommodate the flow of fluid from the urinal between the ring portion and the tube, and 3) direct the fluid into the tube;

b) removing the strainer from the tube;

c) detaching the tube from the cavity; and

d) rinsing the cavity with fluid to flush any sediment collected therein.

18. The method as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the first end of the tube is threadably attached to the cavity.

19. The method as claimed in claim 17 , further comprising the step of reattaching the tube to the cavity after rinsing of the cavity.

Assignments (8)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 16, 2024
From: ZURN INDUSTRIES, LLC
To: ZURN WATER, LLC
Reel/Frame 066337/0918 →
CONVERSION Recorded Jan 16, 2024
From: ZURN INDUSTRIES, LLC
To: ZURN INDUSTRIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 066336/0603 →
RELEASE OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS AT REEL/FRAME 019063/0633 Recorded Dec 19, 2023
From: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT FOR THE SECURED PARTIES
To: ZURN INDUSTRIES, LLC (F/K/A ZURN INDUSTRIES, INC.); OEI, LLC (F/K/A OEI, INC.); OEP, LLC (F/K/A OEP, INC.)
Reel/Frame 066067/0904 →
RELEASE OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS AT REEL 057893, FRAME 0121 Recorded Dec 19, 2023
From: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND COLLATERAL AGENT
To: ZURN INDUSTRIES, LLC (F/K/A ZURN INDUSTRIES, INC.)
Reel/Frame 066067/0937 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Dec 18, 2023
From: ZURN WATER, LLC
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 066293/0879 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE PROPERTY NUMBER 60579389 AND CORRESPONDENCE DATA PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 019063 FRAME: 0633. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SECURITY AGREEMENT. Recorded Dec 1, 2023
From: JACUZZI BRANDS, INC.; ENVIRONMENTAL ENERGY COMPANY; GARY CONCRETE PRODUCTS, INC.; HL CAPITAL CORP.; KRIKLES CANADA U.S.A., INC.; KRIKLES EUROPE U.S.A, INC.; KRIKLES, INC.; OEI, INC.; OEP, INC.; SANITARY-DASH MANUFACTURING CO., INC.; USI ATLANTIC CORP.; ZURCO, INC.; ZURN (CAYMAN ISLANDS), INC.; ZURN CONSTRUCTORS, INC.; ZURN EPC SERVICES, INC.; ZURN INDUSTRIES, INC.; ZURN PEX, INC.; ZURNACQ OF CALIFORNIA, INC.
To: CREDIT SUISSE, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 066014/0719 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 8, 2021
From: AMERICAN DRYER LLC; GREEN TURTLE AMERICAS LTD.; WORLD DRYER CORPORATION; ZURN PEX, INC.; ZURN INDUSTRIES, LLC
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 057893/0121 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE SPELLING OF THE ASSIGNEE'S NAME PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 019644 FRAME: 0794. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Jun 24, 2016
From: ZURN INDUSTRIES, INC.
To: ZURN INDUSTRIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 039152/0928 →