GB2429982A

GB2429982A - Waste water trap having adjustable trap depth

Info

Publication number: GB2429982A
Application number: GB0518615A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Robert William Stimpson; James Edward Self
Original assignee: DLP Ltd
Current assignee: DLP Ltd
Priority date: 2005-09-13
Filing date: 2005-09-13
Publication date: 2007-03-14
Also published as: GB0518615D0

Abstract

There is provided a waste water trap 10 for a domestic waste water outlet, such as on a shower. The trap 10 comprises a trap body 12, a waste water inlet 22 for waste water to flow into the trap body, a waste water outlet 16 by which waste water exits the trap body 12, means 24, 30 for maintaining a minimum level of water in the trap 10 to act as a liquid trap, and means 40 for selectively setting the minimum level of water so that the depth of the liquid trap can be adjusted. A weir adaptor and method are also provided.

Description

I

WASTE WATER TRAP HAVING ADJUSTABLE TRAP DEPTH

The present invention relates to waste water trap having an adjustable liquid trap depth, a weir adaptor for such a waste water trap, and to a method of setting a minimum depth of a liquid trap in a waste water trap.

Due to there being different building regulations for different applications, and the prohibitive cost of re-tooling, it is beneficial to be able to provide a single waste water trap with a selectable trap depth According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a waste water trap for a domestic waste water outlet, the waste water trap comprising a trap body, a waste water inlet for waste water to flow into the trap body, a waste water outlet by which waste water exits the trap body, means for maintaining a minimum level of water in the waste water trap to act as a liquid trap, and means for selectively setting the minimum level of water so that the depth of the liquid trap can be adjusted.

The term domestic waste water outlet' used herein throughout is intended to mean a waste water outlet of a device, such as a shower or sink, which is used in the home or a domestic environment.

Preferable and/or optional features of the first aspect of the invention are set forth in claims 2 to 4, inclusive According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a weir adaptor for a waste water trap in accordance with the first aspect of the invention, the weir adaptor comprising a body dimensioned to partially occlude or block a flow path defined by the waste water trap, and means for engaging the weir adaptor with the trap so that, in use, the depth of the liquid trap is increased.

Preferable and/or optional features of the second aspect of the invention are set forth in claims 7 to 10, inclusive.

According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of setting a minimum depth of a liquid trap in a waste water trap, the method comprising the steps of: a) determining a required depth of the liquid trap; b) selecting a suitable weir adaptor in accordance with the second aspect of the invention; and c) engaging the weir adaptor with the trap, so that the height of a weir of the waste water trap is raised by the weir adaptor to meet the trap depth determined in step (a).

Preferable and/or optional features of the third aspect of the invention are set forth in claim 13 and 14.

The present invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a waste water trap, according to the first aspect of the invention and for use with a shower, the trap being shown with a top cover removed for clarity and a weir adaptor according to the second aspect of the invention spaced from a weir element of a trap body; Figure 2 is a partially sectioned view of the trap shown in Figure 1 and showing the weir adaptor engaged with the weir element of the trap body; and Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view, taken in a vertical plane along the longitudinal extent of the trap, and showing the trap cover in place and the weir adaptor engaged with the weir element of the trap body.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a waste water trap 10 having a selectable trap depth X Typically, with all other flow path geometry being unchanged, the greater the trap depth X, the slower the waste water will flow, and vice versa.

In this embodiment, the waste water trap 10 includes a trap body 12 having a sump 14 and two waste water outlets 16 in fluid communication with the sump 14.

During installation, one waste water outlet 16 is blocked with a plug 18 once it has been decided in which direction the pipe work for drainage will extend.

The waste water trap 10 also includes a removable cover 20 to allow access to the sump 14 and waste water outlets 16 The trap cover 20 includes a waste water inlet 22, dip tube 24 extending from the waste water inlet 22, and a removable inlet cover 26 to prevent hair and other debris from entering the trap 10.

With the trap cover 20 in place, the dip tube 24 extends to a position which is spaced from, but typically adjacent to, an interior bottom surface 28 of the sump 14 The trap body 12 is formed with a weir 30 at an inlet 32 of each waste water outlet 16. The weir 30 includes a weir element 34 or wall which extends across the inlet 32 of the waste water outlet 16, thereby partially occluding or blocking the inlet 32 of the waste water outlet 16 and thus obstructing the flow path of water in the trap 10.

The trap depth X, which is measured from the lower edge 36 of the dip tube 24 to the upper edge 38 of the weir element 34, can be, for example, 40 millimetres. To enable the minimum trap depth to be selectively altered, a weir adaptor 40 is provided The weir adaptor 40 is typically formed from, preferably moulded, plastics or metal, and comprises a plate- like adaptor body 42, and means for engaging the weir adaptor 40 with the trap 10.

The adaptor body 42 is dimensioned to extend across, and further partially block or occlude, the inlet 32 of the waste water outlet 16 of the trap body 12, thereby raising the height of the weir 30 and thus further obstructing the flow path in the waste water trap 10. Use of the weir adaptor 40 typically increases the trap depth X by 10 mm to a total depth X' of 50 mm The engaging means includes a lip or hook 44 which is formed on a downstream face of the adaptor body 42. The lip or hook 44 creates a slot 48 which is dimensioned to receive the upper edge 38 of the weir element 34 as a close or push-fit.

The engaging means can, alternatively or additionally, include bonding the adaptor body 42 to the weir element 34. it is also feasible, although not preferable, that screw threaded fastening devices could be used to engage the weir adaptor 40 with the trap 10.

Additional means for retaining the weir adaptor 40 may be provided on or in the cover 20 to retain the weir adaptor 40 in position when the cover is engaged with the trap body The weir adaptor 40 is also formed with opposing bracing members 50 which project from in use upper corners of the adaptor body 42, outwardly and upwardly in the plane of the adaptor body 42. The bracing members 50 abut an interior side or sides 52 of the sump 14 to brace the weir adaptor 40 against the flow of waste water. With the trap cover 20 in place, the bracing members 50 also abut, or lie in close proximity to, an underside surface of the trap cover 20, thereby preventing or limiting vertical displacement of the weir adaptor 40 and thus disengagement from the weir element 34.

A range of weir adaptors 40 can be provided with adaptor bodies of in use varying heights or dimensions.

It is first determined which building regulations are in force at the location of intended installation of the waste water trap 10. If the existing weir 30 integrally formed with the waste water trap 10 provides an insufficient trap depth X, a suitable weir adaptor 40 is selected and positioned on the weir element 34 of the existing weir 30 The trap depth X' is thus increased to meet requirements. The weir adaptor is chosen not only to meet building regulations, but also to meet waste water flow requirements.

Therefore, the adapted trap depth X' can be greater than that required by the building regulations.

The sump may be dispensed with if, for example, the trap forms part of a pumped waste drainage system The weir adaptor can be, for example, a plate slidably received in the trap body adjacent to the existing weir, instead of being engaged with the weir element or wall.

Although a dual waste outlet trap is described above, the weir adaptor can be used with any weir-type trap, including, for example, a single waste outlet trap such as a bottle' trap.

It is envisaged that other means for altering the trap depth can be provided, instead of or in addition to the weir adaptor. For example, the depth that the dip tube extends into the sump can be selectively adjustable in order to alter the trap depth Adjustment can be provided via a screw thread, for example, thereby allowing the dip tube to be wound in and out of the sump.

It is thus possible to provide a waste water trap which has a selectable trap depth. It is also possible to provide a weir adaptor which can be easily and cost- effectively produced, and which can be simply engaged with a weir element or wall of an existing weir to adjust the trap depth.

The embodiments described above are given by way of examples only, and modifications will be apparent to persons skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims

Claims

1. A waste water trap for a domestic waste water outlet, the waste water trap comprising a trap body, a waste water inlet for waste water to flow into the trap body, a waste water outlet by which waste water exits the trap body, means for maintaining a minimum level of water in the waste water trap to act as a liquid trap, and means for selectively setting the minimum level of water so that the depth of the liquid trap can be adjusted.

2 A waste water trap as claimed in claim 1, wherein the water level maintaining means comprises a weir.

3. A waste water trap as claimed in claim 2, wherein the water level setting means comprises a weir adaptor for raising the height of the weir

4 A waste water trap as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the water level setting means includes a depth-adjustable dip tube.

5. A waste water trap substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

6. A weir adaptor for a waste water trap as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 5, when claim 5 is dependent on any one of claims 2 to 4, the weir adaptor comprising a body dimensioned to partially occlude or block a flow path defined by the waste water trap, and means for engaging the weir adaptor with the trap so that, in use, the depth of the liquid trap is increased.

7. A weir adaptor as claimed in claim 6, wherein the engaging means includes a slot which is dimensioned to receive an in use upper edge of a weir element of the weir.

8 A weir adaptor as claimed in claim 7, wherein the slot is defined by a lip or hook formed on the body

9 A weir adaptor as claimed in any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein the engaging means includes bonding the body to a or the weir element of the weir

10. A weir adaptor as claimed in any one of claims 6 to 9, further comprising bracing members which, in use, abut sides of the trap to brace the weir adaptor in place

11 A weir adaptor substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

12 A method of setting a minimum depth of a liquid trap in a waste water trap, the method comprising the steps oP a) determining a required depth of the liquid trap; b) selecting a suitable weir adaptor as claimed in any one of claims 6 to 11; and c) engaging the weir adaptor with the trap, so that the height of a weir of the waste water trap is raised by the weir adaptor to meet the trap depth determined in step (a).

13. A method as claimed in claim 12, wherein, in step (c), the weir adaptor is engaged with a weir element of the existing weir

14. A method as claimed in claim 12 or claim 13, wherein, in step (c), the weir adaptor is bonded to the trap