IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,557,644
Granted Patent B1
US 10,557,644 · App. 15/474,496 · Granted Feb 11, 2020

Adjustable drip pan

Inventor: Lucas Steele (Slidell, LA)
F24F13/222F24F2140/30
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,557,644
App. No.
15/474,496
Granted
Feb 11, 2020
Kind
B1
Abstract

An adjustable drip pan designed to be installed into tightly-enclosed spaces. Specifically, an adjustable drip pan comprising a bottom pan, said bottom pan comprising a bottom floor, a reservoir, and one or more walls; and a top pan, said top pan comprising a top floor and a lip, wherein said one or more walls form a ridge. Said ridge, said bottom floor, and said reservoir create a water-impermeable basin for collecting water, and said bottom pan and said top pan are slidably adjustable in a plane along an axis, where adjustment of said bottom pan and said top pan is limited, in a first direction of said axis, by touching of said lip and said ridge, and in a second direction of said axis, by touching of a first one of said one or more walls all and said top pan.

Claims (30)

1. An adjustable drip pan comprising:

a bottom pan comprising a reservoir, a first wall, a second wall, a third wall, a fourth wall, a first ridge, a second ridge, a third ridge, a fourth ridge, and a bottom floor; and

a top pan comprising a top floor and a lip; and

wherein said first ridge connects to a top of said first wall, said second ridge connects to a top of said second wall, said third ridge connects to a top of said third wall, and said fourth ridge connects to a top of said fourth wall;

wherein said first ridge, said second ridge, said third ridge, and said fourth ridge connect to said bottom floor, and said reservoir connects to said third ridge, said fourth ridge, and said bottom floor;

wherein said first ridge, said second ridge, said third ridge, said fourth ridge, said bottom floor, and said reservoir create a water-impermeable basin for collecting water;

wherein said first ridge, said second ridge, said third ridge, and said fourth ridge form a single member raised above and surrounding said bottom floor;

wherein said top floor slopes downward towards said lip, said bottom floor slopes downward toward said reservoir; and

wherein said bottom pan and said top pan are slidably adjustable in a plane along an axis, and adjustment of said bottom pan and said top pan is limited, in a first direction of said axis, by touching of said lip and said first ridge, and in a second direction of said axis, by touching of said first wall and said top pan.

2. The adjustable drip pan of claim 1 , wherein said top pan fits over a portion of said bottom pan.

3. The adjustable drip pan of claim 2 , wherein and said top pan is supported by contact between said top pan and said first wall of said bottom pan when said bottom pan and said top pan are limited in said first direction of said axis, said lip sits flush over said first wall of said bottom pan.

4. The adjustable drip pan of claim 3 , wherein when a drop of water falls onto said top floor, said drop of water flows along said top floor and falls onto said bottom floor, then flows along said bottom floor into said reservoir.

5. The adjustable drip pan of claim 4 , further comprising a float switch, wherein said float switch is seated in an interior of said reservoir.

6. The adjustable drip pan of claim 5 , wherein said top pan further comprises three outwardly flared walls and said first wall, said second wall, said third wall, and said fourth wall are each outwardly flared.

7. The adjustable drip pan of claim 6 , wherein said top pan is formed from a first single piece of plastic and said bottom pan is formed from a second single piece of plastic.

8. The adjustable drip pan of claim 7 , wherein said top floor is flat and is sloped downward at 1.21 degrees, and said bottom floor is flat and is sloped downward at 1.61 degrees.

9. An adjustable drip pan comprising:

a bottom pan comprising a bottom floor, a reservoir, and one or more walls;

a top pan comprising a top floor and a lip, wherein said top pan fits over a portion of said bottom pan; and

a float switch, wherein said float switch is seated in an interior of said reservoir;

wherein said one or more walls form a ridge;

wherein said ridge connects to said bottom floor and said reservoir and said reservoir connects to said bottom floor wherein said ridge, said bottom floor, and said reservoir create a water impermeable basin for collecting water;

wherein said ridge is raised above and surrounding said bottom floor;

wherein said top floor slopes downward towards said lip, said bottom floor slopes downward toward said reservoir;

wherein said bottom pan and said top pan are slidably adjustable in a plane along an axis, and adjustment of said bottom pan and said top pan is limited, in a first direction of said axis, by touching of said lip and said ridge, and in a second direction of said axis, by touching of a first one of said one or more walls all and said top pan;

wherein and said top pan is supported by contact between said top pan and said first one of said one or more walls of said bottom pan when said bottom pan and said top pan are limited in said first direction of said axis, said lip sits flush over said first one of said one or more walls of said bottom pan; and

wherein when a drop of water falls onto said top floor, said drop of water flows along said top floor and falls onto said bottom floor, then flows along said bottom floor into said reservoir.

10. The adjustable drip pan of claim 9 , wherein said top pan further comprises one or more outwardly flared walls and each of said one or more walls of said bottom pan are outwardly flared.

11. The adjustable drip pan of claim 10 , wherein said top pan is formed from a first single piece of plastic and said bottom pan is formed from a second single piece of plastic.

12. The adjustable drip pan of claim 11 , wherein said top floor is flat and is sloped downward at 1.21 degrees, and said bottom floor is flat and is sloped downward at 1.61 degrees.

Cited By (3)
US 1,077,989 US 1,141,082 US 12,397,329