Disposer Fluid Injector System and Method

The present disclosure relates to waste disposers having injector systems for injecting fluids into the waste disposer, and to fluid injection systems for use with waste disposers, such as food waste disposers.

Food waste disposers are used to comminute food scraps into particles small enough to pass through household drain plumbing. A food waste disposer typically includes a primary inlet along the top of the food waste disposer through which the food waste disposer receives water and food scraps from a sink, and also a primary outlet at which the food waste and water are output from the food waste disposer. Additionally, a food waste disposer typically includes a dishwater inlet, often located in the side of the food waste disposer. The dishwasher inlet is an auxiliary port of the food waste disposer, in addition to the primary inlet and primary outlet, at which water output by a dishwasher (often situated near the food waste disposer) can be directed into the food waste disposer. Typically a dishwasher is coupled to the dishwasher inlet by a hose, tube, or pipe.

Waste disposers may have any of several issues, such as bacteria building up inside a food waste disposer and create odors, build-up in drain pipes, and issues with septic systems. Previous attempts to address these issues have involved mechanisms that are expensive, prone to leaking, take up significant under-sink space, or require significant efforts and power to install and operate. For at least one or more of these reasons, or one or more other reasons, it would therefore be advantageous if improved systems could be developed, so as to address any one or more of the concerns discussed above or to address one or more other concerns or provide one or more benefits.

In at least some embodiments of the present technology, food waste disposers are provided that have injector systems for injecting fluids into the waste disposer. Methods of operating such injector systems are also provided.

In at least one aspect, a waste disposer system is provided that includes a waste disposer and an disposer fluid injector system. The waste disposer has a primary inlet through which the waste disposer receives water and food scraps, a primary outlet through which waste and water are output from the food waste disposer, and a dishwasher inlet. The disposer fluid injector system includes a fluid injector assembly fluidly connected to the dishwasher inlet, the fluid injector assembly including a base unit and a bottle that is received by the base unit.

In another aspect, disposer fluid injector system for use with a waste disposer is provided that includes a fluid injector assembly configured to be fluidly connected to a dishwasher inlet of the disposer, the fluid injector assembly including a base unit and a bottle that is received by the base unit.

In a third aspect, a method of operating disposer fluid injector system installed with a waste disposer is provided. The method includes: connecting an disposer fluid injector system to a disposer; turning on the disposer fluid injector system; and automatically performing at least one injection cycle by the fluid injector system.

The present disclosure relates to and encompasses waste disposer systems, such as food waste disposer systems, that include an disposer fluid injector system. Disposer fluid injector systems of the present technology connect to a waste disposer and periodically inject cleaning fluid into the waste disposer. The cleaning fluid may be any suitable cleaning fluid, such as disinfectant, drain cleaner, and/or septic enzymes.

illustrate one example of a food waste disposer systemthat includes an disposer fluid injector systemof the present technology. As best shown in, the food waste disposer systemincludes a food waste disposerthat is mounted underneath a sink. As shown in, the food waste disposerincludes a primary inletalong the top of the food waste disposer, through which the food waste disposer receives water and food scraps from the sink. As best shown in, the food waste disposeralso has a primary outlet, through which food waste and water are output from the food waste disposer. The food waste disposerfurther includes a dishwasher inlet, via which an optional dishwasher (not shown) may be connected to the food waste disposer, such as by pipe.

As shown in, the disposer fluid injector systemincludes a fluid injector assemblyconnected to the food waste disposer. In the illustrated example, the disposer fluid injector systemis an inline disposer fluid injector system, which includes an injector couplingthat is installed inline with the dishwasher inletof the food waste disposer, and that fluidly connects to the dishwasher inletof the food waste disposer, and a tubethat fluidly connects the fluid injector assemblyto the injector coupling.

Fluid injector assemblymay be installed near the food waste disposerin any suitable manner. For example, as shown in, the fluid injector assemblyis installed in a manner that it sits on the floor of a cabinet under the sink. As another example, as shown in, the fluid injector assemblyis installed in a manner that it is mounted to a cabinet wall under the sink.

illustrate one example of a fluid injector assembly, which may be used as the fluid injector assemblyin the disposer fluid injector system. Fluid injector assemblyincludes a base unitand a bottlethat is received by the base unit.

The base unitincludes a housing. The housingmay be made of any suitable material, such as plastic. The housingincludes a front side, a rear side, and a bottle receiving area.

The bottleincludes a neckthat has a top portion, and a bottom portion. The interior of the bottle is substantially hollow and contains fluid (not shown), which may be any suitable type of fluid, such as fluids intended to reduce bacteria, provide fragrance, improve septic system health and/or reduce build-up in drain pipes. The bottle may be configured to stand upright when the bottom portionis facing downward. As used herein, the term “configured to” means that the component is structurally and functionally designed and formed to do whatever the component is said to be configured to do. In order to be inserted into the base unit, a bottleis inverted, so that the top portionfaces downward. The top portionand at least a substantial portion of the neckare inserted into and received by the bottle receiving areaof the base unit. The neckof the bottlemay have at least one retaining feature, such as a groove, protrusion, indentation, step, or other structural feature configured to facilitate maintaining the bottlein a vertical, or substantially vertical, orientation when the bottleis received and retained in the bottle receiving areaof the base unit. During use in the fluid injector assembly, the bottleis received and retained in the receiving areaof the base unit, and may be retained in a vertical, or substantially vertical, orientation, and the fluid is drained over time from the bottleinto the base unitand is injected by the base unitinto the waste disposer.

With reference to, the receiving areaof the base unitmay include a first surfaceand a neck receiving portion. The neck receiving portionmay extend into the base unitand is configured to receive the neckof the bottleand any retaining featurethereon. For example, as shown in, the neck receiving portionmay include a latchthat that is configured to engage with a retaining featureon the neckof the bottle.

Additionally, the fluid injector assembly, particularly the base unitof the fluid injector assembly, may be powered by any suitable method, including without limitation at least one battery or a power cord configured to plug into a wall outlet. As can be seen in, the base unitincludes a power cordthat is operatively connected to the base unitand provides power to components of the base unitwhen plugged in to a wall outlet, such as wall outletshown in. Wall outletis a standard residential wall outlet that is located under the sink. The waste disposermay also be plugged into the wall outlet, as shown in. Additionally, or alternatively, the base unitmay include a battery compartment that houses at least one battery that provides power to components of the base unit.

As shown in, the base unit, particularly the housingof the base unitmay include a battery compartment, and more particularly the bottle receiving area, may include an upper wall, and the an upper wallmay include the battery compartment. At least a portion of the bottom portionof the bottlemay connect with or rest against the upper wallwhen the bottleis received and retained in the bottle receiving areaof the base unit. As shown in, the bottom portionof the bottle may be shaped in a manner that includes an extending portion, and the upper wallinclude a recessed portionthat is configured to receive the extending portionof the bottle.

Referring to, the base unitmay include a plurality of buttons or switches, and one or more indicator lights. In the illustrated example, the base unit includes an eject button, a low battery indictor light, an on/off switch, and a prime button.

The eject buttonis operatively connected to the latch, and when activated causes the latchto disengage from the retaining featureon the neckof the bottle, thus allowing the bottleto be lifted and removed. For example, when a first bottleis empty, it can be replaced by pressing the eject buttonand removing the first bottle, and then inserting a new bottleinto the bottle receiving areasuch that the latchengages a retaining featureon the new bottle.

In examples where the fluid injector assembly, particularly the base unitof the fluid injector assembly, is powered by at least one battery, the low battery indictor lightmay illuminate when the at least one battery is becoming low on power. The low battery indictor lightmay thus provide an indication to a user that the at least one battery should be replaced.

The on/off switchmay allow a user to turn on and off the fluid injector assembly.

The prime buttonmay allow a user to prime the pump for injecting fluid into the disposer.

As shown in, the base unitof the fluid injector assemblymay also include a control unitthat is powered by the power source, and is operatively connected to a pumpand one or more of the plurality of buttons or switches and one or more indicator lights. For example, the control unitmay be operatively connected to the low battery indictor light, the on/off switch, and the prime button.

The pumpmay be any suitable type of pump, such as a peristaltic pump. The base unitof the fluid injector assemblymay include at least one fluid connectorthat fluidly connects the bottleto the pump. The at least one fluid connectormay include a needleconfigured to pierce the top portionof the bottleand draw fluid form the bottle. The top portionof the bottlemay be made of a self-healing material, such as self-healing silicone, to allow the top portionto close up when the bottleis removed from the base unit.

As best shown in, the base unit may include a tube channel, a discharge tube, and a power adapter port. In examples where the base unitincludes a power cord, the power cordmay connect to the base unitat the power adapter port. The discharge tubemay be fluidly connected to the injector coupling, shown in, by tube.

The control unitmay be configured to operate the pumpwhen the fluid injector assemblyis turned on. During operation, the control unit may be configured to cause the pump to perform an injection cycle at one or more times during the day. The control unitmay be configured to cause the pump to perform an injection cycle at consistent time intervals, such as once every 4 hours, every six hours, every twelve hours, every 18 hours, or every 24 hours. During each injection cycle, the pump may inject a certain amount of fluid into the disposerthrough the injector couplingshown in. The amount of fluid may be any suitable amount of fluid, and may be a relatively small amount, sufficient to control odors in the disposer. For example, the amount of fluid injected into the disposer by the fluid injector assemblyduring each injection cycle may be less than about 5 milliliters, such as being about 2 milliliters, about 3 milliliters, or about 4 milliliters.

In addition to the injection cycles, a user may cause the fluid injector assemblyto inject fluid into the disposerby pressing the prime buttonon the base unit.

illustrate one example of an injector coupling, which may be used as an injector couplingas shown in. The injector couplingincludes a main bodyhaving a first endand a second end. The first endof the main body connects to the dishwasher inletof the food waste disposeras shown in, and may have a sleeveand an injection outlet. The sleevemay form a sliding connection with the dishwasher inletof the food waste disposer, and may include at least one clamp, which may be tightened to secure the sleeve to the dishwasher inletof the food waste disposer. The sleeve may be any suitable material, such as rubber, and may be configured to prevent leaks.

The injector couplingmay include an injector inlet, which may be configured to be fluidly connected to the discharge tubeof the fluid injection assemblyby tube, as shown in. During an injection cycle, the disposer fluid injector systemmay inject fluid into the disposerby discharging fluid through the discharge tubeof the fluid injection assemblyinto the injector inletof the injector coupling, the injector couplingmay receive the fluid from the discharge tubeof the fluid injection assemblythrough the injector inletof the injector coupling, and discharge the fluid from the injector couplinginto the disposerthrough the injection outletof the injector coupling.

The second endis configured to fluidly connect to a dishwasher when one is present. The injector couplingmay include a plugthat may be removably secured to the second end. In the illustrated example, the plugis configured to be slidably received within the second end. The plugis configured to prevent leaks from the injector couplingout of the second endwhen there is not a dishwasher connected to the injector coupling. In examples where there is a dishwasher, the plugwould be removed from the second endprior to fluidly connecting the second endof the injector couplingto the dishwasher.

provides a flow chart illustrating one methodof operating an disposer fluid injector system of the present technology.

With reference to, the methodstarts at step, which includes connecting an disposer fluid injector system, such as an disposer fluid injector system, to a waste disposer, such as food waste disposer. Connecting the disposer fluid injector system may include connecting an injector coupling, such as injector couplingor, to the dishwasher inletof the disposer. Connecting the disposer fluid injector system may include fluidly connecting a fluid injection assembly, such as fluid injection assembly, to the injector coupling, such as by connecting tubeto the injector inletof the injector couplingat one end and the discharge tubeof the fluid injection assemblyat an opposite end.

The methodalso includes step, which includes turning on the disposer fluid injector system. Turning on the disposer fluid injector system may include connecting a power source, such as at least one battery or a power cord, to the base unit. Turning on the disposer fluid injector system may also include switching the on/off switchto the “on” position.

The methodalso includes step, which includes priming the disposer fluid injector system. Priming the system may include pressing the prime buttonon the base unit.

The methodalso includes step, which includes the disposer fluid injector system automatically performing at least one injection cycle. The methodmay include the disposer fluid injector system automatically performing a series of injection cycles, with each injection cycle being performed at a constant interval.

The disposer fluid injector system may automatically perform a plurality of injection cycles, until the fluid in the bottleis depleted. At that point, a user may turn off the disposer fluid injector system by switching the on/off switchto the “off” position. The user may then push the eject button, causing the latchto disengage from the retaining featureon the neckof the bottle, and allowing the bottleto be lifted and removed. The user may remove the first bottle, and then insert a new bottleinto the bottle receiving aresuch that the latchengages a retaining featureon the new bottle. The user may then re-initiate the method at step, by turning on the disposer fluid injector system.

Systems and methods of the present technology may offer several improvements over past attempts to address the problem of disposer odors. For example, the disposer fluid injector system may be powered independently from the disposer, by either batteries or a wall adapter. The disposer fluid injector system may be installed in various ways, including sitting under the sink as shown in, or being mounted to a cabinet wall as shown in, rather than being installed on the disposer, which may result in less stress being imparted on the plumbing and reducing the risk of leaks. The injector coupling may allow for use of an existing, readily available hole in the disposer, eliminating the need to drill a hole into the side wall of the disposer and reducing installation efforts significantly. Further, by having the fluid bottle oriented upside down during use, the need to generate the pressure to deliver the contents to the disposer may be eliminated, which may reduce the size and power required for operation of the disposer fluid injector system.

While the principles of the invention have been described above in connection with the specific embodiments discussed above, it is to be understood that this description is made only by way of example and not as a limitation on the scope of the invention. It is specifically intended that the present invention not be limited to the embodiments and illustrations contained herein, but include modified forms of those embodiments including portions of the embodiments and combinations of elements of different embodiments as come within the scope of the following claims.