AU2016357408A1

AU2016357408A1 - Drain filter hood with fixed structure

Info

Publication number: AU2016357408A1
Application number: AU2016357408A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Yu-Chia Chien
Original assignee: Chien Yu Chia
Current assignee: Chien Yu Chia
Priority date: 2015-11-16
Filing date: 2016-09-19
Publication date: 2018-05-31
Anticipated expiration: 2036-09-19
Also published as: CN106703304A; CN106703304B; AU2016357408B2; KR20180087271A; WO2017084430A1; PH12018501053A1

Abstract

A drain filter hood having a fixed structure comprises: a mesh filter hood (10), which comprises an upper ring portion (11) and a lower ring portion (12). An air guiding portion (13) in a radial arrangement is provided between the upper ring portion (11) and the lower ring portion (12) to reduce wind resistance. The upper ring portion (11) is provided with a clump weight (60) therein, for reinforcing the center of gravity of the mesh filter hood (10). The upper ring portion (11) is provided with an upper cover (40) having an opening to facilitate hand-holding. The outer diameter wall of the lower ring portion (12) is formed with a plurality of surrounding sleeves (14), in which a movable rod (20) is provided respectively, so that the mesh filter hood (10) can be fitted to irregular terrains. A pair of fixing posts (15) are provided on the inner side of the lower ring portion (12) and between the fixing posts (15) there provides a fixing assembly, through which the mesh filter hood (10) is securely mounted on any of drain ports (171) without having to fear about the displacement of the mesh filter hood (10) on the drain ports (171), thereby enhancing the convenience of use.

Description

FILTER GRID HAVING A FIXING STRUCTURE FOR A DRAIN INLET 1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a filter grid and, more particularly, to a filter grid for a drain inlet that has a fixing structure and can be conveniently and firmly mounted on different terrains. 2. Description of the Related Art

With reference to Fig. 6, a conventional drain grate 90 has a support frame 92, a filter frame 91, and a mounting seat 93. The filter frame 91 is formed on a top of the support frame 92, and has multiple drain holes disposed in a grate shape and formed through the filter frame 91. The mounting seat 93 is formed on a bottom of the support frame 92 and is mounted on a drain inlet. Although the conventional drain grate 90 can block debris flowing with water outside the drain inlet during a raining day, the drain grate 90 has the following drawbacks in design.

As the drain grate 90 is designed to match the drain inlet in size, the drain holes on the filter frame 91 are usually not every large. When tree leaves and scrape papers with sizes larger than a drain inlet flow to the drain inlet, the drain grate 90 can block out the tree leaves and scrape papers while the tree leaves and the scrape papers are left on the filter frame 91 to cover the drain holes of the filter frame 91. Normal drainage through the drain inlet is certainly affected and flooding arises accordingly. Additionally, as the drain grate has multiple bars respectively formed between the drain holes and occupying a large area, when strong wind blows, the drain grate 90 is easily moved by the wind. Accordingly, The draining effect of the drain grate 90 is not as good as expected because the drain grate 90 fails to effectively block tree leaves and garbage.

An objective of the present invention is to provide a filter grid having a fixing structure for a drain inlet being adaptable to the use on irregular terrains, providing better fixing capability, and increasing operational convenience.

To achieve the foregoing objective, the filter grid having a fixing structure for a drain inlet includes a drain grill, multiple pins and a fixing assembly.

The drain grill has a top grid portion, a bottom support portion.

The top grid portion has a top perimeter, a bottom perimeter and multiple wind-guiding bars.

The multiple wind-guiding bars are radially formed between the top perimeter and the bottom perimeter and are spaced apart from each other.

The bottom support portion has multiple pin holders and two fixing rods.

The multiple pin holders are annularly formed around the bottom perimeter of the top grid portion. Each pin holder has a hole vertically formed through the pin holder.

The two fixing rods are securely mounted on an inner portion of the bottom support portion and extend downwards.

The multiple pins are movably mounted through the holes of the respective pin holders and are spaced apart from each other to take the form of a fence.

The fixing assembly is securely connected with the fixing rods of the bottom support portion and has two positioning fasteners mounted on the fixing assembly. A distance between the two positioning fastener is adjustable.

Preferably, each wind-guiding bar has two bevel sides adjoining each other and facing outwards, and an apex angle defined between the two bevel sides.

As can be seen from the foregoing structure, the filter grid is mounted on a drain inlet with the two positioning fasteners of the fixing assembly movably adjusted to abut against two opposite sides of the drain inlet, such that the filter grid can be firmly mounted on the drain inlet. Upon strong wind, the apex angle of each wind-guiding bar effectively reduces the wind drag. The movable pins of the bottom support portion allow the installation of the filter grid on an irregular terrain. When most of pins are longer than a height of the bottom support portion, those pins further form a fence to block garbage and tree leaves. Accordingly, the filter grid not only has a good fixing capability but prevents foreign matters from entering the drain inlet to fulfill the purpose of effective drainage.

Other objectives, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a filter grid having a fixing structure for a drain inlet in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a bottom view of the filter grid in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an operational side view of the filter grid in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an operational bottom view of the filter grid in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a bottom view of a second embodiment of a filter grid having a fixing structure for a drain inlet in accordance with the present invention; and

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a conventional drain grate.

With reference to Figs. 1 and 2, a first embodiment of a filter grid having a fixing structure for a drain inlet in accordance with the present invention includes a drain grill 10, multiple pins 20, a top cover 40, and a fixing assembly.

The drain grill 10 has a top grid portion 11 and a bottom support portion 12. The top grid portion 11 has a top perimeter and a bottom perimeter, multiple wind-guiding bars 13 and multiple first drainage gaps. The multiple wind-guiding bars 13 are radially formed between the top perimeter and the bottom perimeter of the top grid portion 11. Each first drainage gap is defined between two corresponding wind-guiding bars 13 adjacent to each other. Each wind-guiding bar 13 has two bevel sides 131 and an apex angle 132. The two bevel sides 131 of each wind-guiding bar 13 adjoin each other and face outwards, and the apex angle 132 is defined between the two bevel sides 131, such that when wind blows to the wind-guiding bars 13, the apex angle 132 separates the wind and guides the wind to go along the two bevel sides 131. The wind-guiding bars 13 may take the form of a rhombohedron. When strong wind blows, the rhombohedron-like structure of the wind-guiding bars 13 guides the wind to effectively lower wind drag.

The bottom support portion 12 has multiple pin holders 14 and multiple second drainage gaps. The multiple pin holders 14 are annularly formed around the bottom perimeter of the top grid portion 11. Each pin holder 14 has a hole vertically formed through the pin holder 14. The multiple pins 20 are movably and vertically mounted through the holes of the respective pin holders 14, are longer than the pin holders 14, and are spaced apart from each other to take the form of a fence, such that the filter grid is applicable for installation on an irregular terrain. Each second drainage gap is defined between two corresponding pin holders 14 adjacent to each other. Each pin 20 has an upper bead 21 and a lower foot 22. As the upper bead 21 of the pin 20 is greater than the hole of a corresponding pin holder 14 in diameter and is resilient, the upper bead 21 is slightly deformable when subjected to a downward force acted thereon for the upper bead 21 to be partially squeezed into the hole of the corresponding pin holder 14 to get the pin 20 held inside the hole of the corresponding pin holder 14. The lower foot 22 of the pin 20 has an annular protrusion 221 formed around a peripheral wall of the pin 20 and being greater than the hole of the corresponding pin holder 14 in diameter. The upper bead 21 and the annular protrusion 221 of the pin 20 serve to prevent the pin 20 from separating from the corresponding pin holder 14.

With reference to Figs. 1 and 3, the top grid portion 11 further has a recess 17 and a weight 60. The recess 17 is formed in a top portion of the top grid portion 11 and is cup-shaped. The weight 60 is mounted on a bottom surface of the recess 17 to increase the gravity of the overall filter grid. In the present embodiment, the recess 17 has a drain hole 171 centrally formed through a bottom of the recess 17. The weight 60 has a through hole 61 centrally formed through the weight 60 and corresponding to the drain hole 171 of the recess 17 for draining water accumulated inside the recess 17.

The top cover 40 is made of a material reflecting light, is mounted on the top perimeter of the top grid portion 11, is bowl-shaped, and includes an opening 41, multiple fixing teeth 42 and multiple columns 43. The opening 41 is formed through a top of the top cover 40 for a user’s hand to grab the filter grid through the opening 41. The multiple fixing teeth 42 are formed on and extend downwards from a lower perimeter of the top cover 40. The recess 17 of the top grid portion 11 further has multiple drain openings 172 formed through a sidewall of the recess 17 for water accumulated in the recess 17 to be drained through the multiple drain openings 172. The multiple fixing teeth 42 are mounted on a top portion of the sidewall of the recess 17 to fix the top cover 40 on the top grid portion 11. Each column 43 is formed on an inner surface of the sidewall of the top cover 40 and is located between two corresponding adjacent fixing teeth 42 to abut against the weight 60 for preventing the weight 60 from moving.

The bottom support portion 12 further has an annular flange, two fixing rods 15 and two support rods 16. The annular flange is formed on and protrudes inwards from an inner wall of the bottom support portion 12. The two fixing rods 15 are oppositely formed on the annular flange for fixing the fixing assembly. The fixing assembly has a fixing strip 31 and multiple positioning fasteners 32. The fixing strip 31 has two fixing holes formed through two ends thereof for the fixing rods 15 to be respectively mounted through the two fixing holes so as to combine the fixing strip 31 and the fixing rods 15. In the present embodiment, each fixing rod 15 has a lower end, a first abutting portion 151 and an annular boss 152. The first abutting portion 151 is formed on the lower end of the fixing rod 15. The annular boss 152 is formed around and protrudes outwards from a peripheral wall of the first abutting portion 151, has an outer diameter greater than an inner diameter of the fixing holes, and is resilient. The annular bosses 152 of the two fixing rods 15 are inwardly deformed and squeezed into the respective fixing holes of the fixing strip 31 to combine the fixing rods 15 with the fixing strip 31 when the fixing rods 15 are subjected to a downward force acted thereon. The presence of the annular bosses 152 serves to prevent the fixing rods 15 from separating from the fixing holes of the fixing strip 31.

The two support rods 16 are oppositely formed on and protrude downwards from the annular flange and are located between the two fixing rods 15. Each support rod 16 has a lower end and a second abutting portion 161 formed on the lower end. The support rods 16 are longer than the pin holders 14. Given the support of the support rods 16, the pins 20 can be partially exposed beyond the corresponding pin holders 14 and a third drainage gap is defined between each two adjacent pins 20.

The fixing strip 31 has multiple positioning holes 33 formed through a portion between the two fixing holes of the fixing strip 31 and spaced apart from each other. The multiple positioning fasteners 32 are securely mounted through the respective positioning holes 33. In the present embodiment, the positioning fasteners 32 are externally-threaded studs. A first adjustment member 321 and a second adjustment member 322 are mounted around each positioning fastener 32, are respectively located on an outer side and an inner side of the fixing strip 31, and are hollow. Each of the first adjustment member 321 and the second adjustment member 322 has a top opening and a lower opening, and is internally threaded to engage one of the externally-threaded positioning fasteners 32. Selectively fastening the first adjustment member 321 and the second adjustment member 322 on one of the positioning fasteners 32 allows to change a length of the positioning fastener 32 exposed beyond the fixing strip 31. In the present embodiment, the positioning fasteners 32 are bolts, the first adjustment member 321 and the second adjustment member 322 are nuts, and the positioning holes 33 are internally threaded to engage the externally-threaded positioning fasteners 32. Because of gravity and Earth’s rotation, it is prone to vortical flow when sewage water flows in a drain inlet. Also because of lots of air contained inside the drain inlet, the drainage speed is thus slowed down. The existence of the fixing assembly destructs the formation of the vertical flow, thereby speeding up the drainage of the sewage water and enhancing the drainage effectiveness of the drain inlet.

To explain how the first embodiment is operated, with reference to Figs. 3 and 4, the filter grid is mounted on a drain inlet with the multiple pins 20 vertically moved inside the respective pin holders 14 to adapt to irregular terrains for installation of the filter grid. The second adjustment members 322 are first removed from the respective positioning fasteners 32 and two of the multiple positioning fasteners 32 are selectively inserted into two of the multiple positioning holes 33 with a distance between the two positioning holes 33 adjusted according to a diameter or a length of the drain inlet. The removed second adjustment members 322 are then fastened back on the respective positioning fasteners 32. After a distance between the two positioning fasteners 32 inserted into the two selected positioning holes 33 is adjusted according to the diameter or length of the drain inlet and the two positioning fasteners 32 are securely fastened on the fixing strip 31, the two positioning fasteners 32 are placed to abut against two opposite sites on the diameter or length of the drain inlet, such that the filter grid can be firmly fixed on the drain inlet.

Upon strong wind, the apex angle 132 of each wind-guiding bar 13 separates the wind and guides the wind to go along the two bevel sides 131 of the wind-guiding bar 13 to effectively guide the wind directions and reduce the wind drag, such that the drain grill 10 is not easily moved or blown away by the wind. Moreover, after the filter grid is firmly fixed on the drain inlet through the fixing assembly, the weight 60 further increases the entire gravity of the filter grid and enhances the balance stability of the filter grid. During heavy rain, the multiple pins 20 in the form of a fence can effectively block foreign matters, and water accumulated in the filter grid can be effectively drained through the first drainage gaps of the drain grill 10, the second drainage gaps formed between the corresponding pin holders 14 and the third drainage gaps formed between the corresponding pins 20. Even if the third drainage gaps located on a lower part of the filter grid are fully blocked by foreign matter, rain can still be effectively drained through the first drainage gaps and the second drainage gaps. When it snows at the installation site of the filter grid, snow is accumulated inside the recess 17 of the drain grill 10. Water accumulated inside the recess 17 as a result of snowmelt can be drained to the drain inlet through the drain openings 172 and the drain hole 171 of the recess 17 and the through hole 61 of the weight 60.

With reference to Fig. 5, a second embodiment of a filter grid having a fixing structure for a drain inlet in accordance with the present invention differs from the first embodiment in that the fixing strip 31 having two fixing slots 34 longitudinally formed through two opposite portions of the fixing strip 31 located beside a center of the fixing strip 31 for a distance between the positioning fasteners 32 inserted into the respective fixing slots 34 to be movably adjusted according to the diameter or length of a drain inlet without the need of removing the second adjustment members 322. Accordingly, more operational convenience can be ensured.

Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only. Changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.

Claims

THE CLAIMS DEFINING THE INVENTION ARE AS FOLLOWINGS:

1. A filter grid having a fixing structure for a drain inlet, comprising: a drain grill having: a top grid portion having : a top perimeter; a bottom perimeter; and multiple wind-guiding bars radially formed between the top perimeter and the bottom perimeter and spaced apart from each other; and a bottom support portion having: multiple pin holders annularly formed around the bottom perimeter of the top grid portion, each pin holder having a hole vertically formed through the pin holder; and two fixing rods securely mounted on an inner portion of the bottom support portion and extending downwards; multiple pins movably mounted through the holes of the respective pin holders and spaced apart from each other to take the form of a fence; and a fixing assembly securely connected with the fixing rods of the bottom support portion and having two positioning fasteners mounted on the fixing assembly, wherein a distance between the two positioning fasteners is adjustable.
2. The filter grid as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fixing assembly further has a fixing strip, wherein the fixing strip has: two fixing holes formed through two opposite ends of the fixing strip for the two fixing rods of the bottom support portion to be securely mounted through the respective fixing holes; and multiple positioning holes formed through a portion between the two fixing holes of the fixing strip and spaced apart from each other for the two positioning fasteners to be selectively mounted through two of the multiple positioning holes.
3. The filter grid as claimed in claim 2, wherein each fixing rod has: a lower end; an abutting portion formed on the lower end of the fixing rod; and an annular boss formed around and protruding outwards from a peripheral wall of the abutting portion.
4. The filter grid as claimed in claim 3, wherein the positioning fasteners are externally-threaded; a first adjustment member and a second adjustment member are mounted around each positioning fastener and are internally-threaded for engaging the externally-threaded positioning fastener.
5. The filter grid as claimed in claim 4, wherein each wind-guiding bar has: two bevel sides adjoining each other and facing outwards; and an apex angle defined between the two bevel sides.
6. The filter grid as claimed in claim 5, wherein the top grid portion further has: a recess formed in a top portion of the top grid portion and having a drain hole centrally formed through a bottom surface of the recess; and a weight mounted on the bottom surface of the recess and having a through hole centrally formed through the weight and corresponding to the drain hole of the recess.
7. The filter grid as claimed in claim 6, further comprising a top cover made of a material reflecting light, mounted on the top perimeter of the top grid portion, and having: an opening formed through a top of the top cover for a user’s hand to grab the filter grid through the opening; multiple fixing teeth formed on and extending downwards from a lower perimeter of the top cover; and multiple columns, each column formed on an inner surface of a sidewall of the top cover and located between two corresponding adjacent fixing teeth to abut against the weight.
8. The filter grid as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 7, wherein the fixing strip has two fixing slots longitudinally formed through two opposite portions of the fixing strip located beside a center of the fixing strip for a distance between the two positioning fasteners inserted into the respective fixing slots to be movably adjusted.
9. The filter grid as claimed in claim 8, wherein a first drainage gap is defined between each two corresponding wind-guiding bars of the drain grill adjacent to each other; a second drainage gap is formed between each two corresponding pin holders adjacent to each other; and a third drainage gap is formed between each two corresponding pins adjacent to each other.