Drain-Unclogging Assembly and Method Therefor

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The disclosure relates to drain cleaning devices and more particularly pertains to a new drain-unclogging assembly for allowing a user to both break up objects, such as large pieces of fecal matter or clumps or wads of toilet paper, that are too large to pass through a drain opening or are stuck in the drain mouth, and also plunge the drain.

The prior art relates to drain cleaning devices. The prior art, as best understood, does not disclose a drain-unclogging assembly that has an engagement head that allows a user to both break up objects that are too large to pass through a drain opening or are stuck in the drain mouth, and also a plunger head to allow a user to plunge the drain.

An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above in a drain-unclogging assembly generally comprising an elongated structure, a plunger head, and a releasable securing assembly. The elongated structure includes a handle, an engagement head, and a shaft connecting the handle and the engagement head. The engagement head includes a plurality of projections designed to break apart objects lodged in a drain mouth and obstructing flow of water. The plunger head is movably mounted on the shaft, wherein the plunger head is selectively movable between a first position in which the plunger head is positioned at the engagement head surrounding the projections and a second position in which the plunger head is positioned adjacent the handle portion, such that the projections are exposed. The releasable securing assembly includes a first securing device to releasably secure the plunger head in the first position and a second securing device to releasably secure the plunger head in the second position.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.

With reference now to the drawings, and in particular tothereof, a new drain-unclogging assembly embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeralwill be described.

As best illustrated in, the drain-unclogging assemblygenerally comprises an elongated structure, a plunger head, and a releasable securing assembly. The elongated structureincludes a handle, an engagement head, and a shaftconnecting the handleand the engagement head. The engagement headincludes a plurality of projectionsdesigned to break apart objects lodged in a drain mouth and obstructing flow of water. As shown in, the plunger headis movably mounted on the shaft, wherein the plunger headis selectively movable between a first positionin which the plunger headis positioned at the engagement headsurrounding the projections, as shown in, and a second positionin which the plunger headis positioned adjacent the handleportion, such that the projectionsare exposed, as shown in. The releasable securing assemblyincludes a first securing deviceto releasably secure the plunger headin the first positionand a second securing deviceto releasably secure the plunger headin the second position. As shown in, a basecould be used to seat the drain-unclogging assemblywhen not in use.

Each of the projectionsincludes at least one cutting edge. The cutting edges are used to chop apart objects. In the embodiment shown in the figures, the projectionsare designed as fins projecting substantially radially from the shaft, though other shapes such as prongs or spikes are within the scope of the application. The fins act like blades to cut apart objects. These fins are curved, but could also be straight in one possible embodiment. The fins have a sloped edge so that the fins fit better inside the conical plunger head. The projectionscould be made of a resiliently deformable rubber or soft plastic so that when the projectionsare pushed into a drain opening, such as a toilet, the projectionswill not scratch or damage the surfaces of the drain opening. The deformability would also allow the projectionsto be pushed into the drain opening if smaller than the width of the projections.

The plunger headincludes a guide sleevemovably mounted on shaft. The guide sleevehas a length sufficient to permit grasping by a hand of a user, as shown in, so the user does not have to contact the unsanitary portions of the plunger head. The guide sleeveis made of a hard plastic or hard rubber. The plunger headalso includes an orificehaving a diameter sufficient to engage with a drain opening and to permit the plunger headto be moved past the projections. In the embodiment shown in the figures, the plunger headincludes a first conical portionand a second conical portionconnected together, wherein the first conical portiontapers to the guide sleeveand the second conical portiontapers to the orifice. Other common plunger headdesigns are within the scope of the disclosure.

Each of the first and second securing devices,includes a locking membermounted on and projecting from the shaft. The guide sleeveincludes an openingtherein designed to releasably engage with the locking member. As shown in, the locking memberincludes a springpositioned in the shaftand a tabattached to the springand movable into and out of the shaft. The openingin the guide sleeveis designed as a slot.

A user can unclog a drain using the drain-unclogging assembly. In some situations, the clog is caused by objects that will not travel down the drain with water. For example, in toilets, large pieces of fecal material could become stuck in a drain mouth. Clumps of toilet paper could be so large that they cannot be forced down the drain. The drain-unclogging assemblyis not limited to addressing clogs in toilet drains, but could also be used in kitchen sink drains or utility room drains where solid objects may obstruct the drain. In use with a toilet, as shown in, the user first manually engages and releases the first securing deviceand then moves the plunger headfrom the first positionto the second position, such that the projectionsare exposed. The user then breaks apart objects lodged in the toilet drain mouth using the projections. When the user is done using the projections, the user manually engages and releases the second securing deviceand moves the plunger headfrom the second positionto the first position. The user can then engage the drain mouth with the plunger headand plunge the drain as would be done with a standard plunger. The user can repeat the preceding steps as needed until water and objects flow satisfactorily through the drain mouth.

With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.