Pop-Up Stopper Assembly

Abstract

A stopper assembly installable inside an existing drain without tools, the stopper assembly having a base, a spring assembly, a traveler and a plurality of sealing rings. At least one sealing ring is desirably disposed around a lower portion of the base and frictionally engages an inside wall of the existing drain. Another sealing ring is desirably disposed around the traveler and frictionally engages an inside wall of the base when the traveler is disposed in the closed position relative to the base. A relatively wide flange disposed at the top of the base desirably extends radially beyond the periphery of the existing drain fixture,

1 . A replacement stopper assembly installable in an existing drain of a tub or basin, the assembly comprising:
 a base, a spring assembly, a traveler and at least two sealing rings;   the base further comprising a generally cylindrical section with a sidewall having a bottom insertable downwardly into the drain, a core member disposed in fixed relation to the sidewall, a top with a circumferentially continuous flange projecting radially beyond the existing drain; and at least one external annular recess;   the spring assembly further comprising a cylindrical body releasably engaged in fixed positional relationship with the core member, a slide member slidably disposed inside the cylindrical body and releasably engaged in fixed positional relationship with the traveler, a first spring biasing the slide member and traveler upwardly relative to the base; and a retainer member limiting upward displacement of the slide member and traveler relative to the base;   the traveler further comprising a continuous cover member, a substantially cylindrical skirt and an open bottom, the skirt having at least one external annular recess and at least one aperture disposed below the at least one annular recess, said aperture admitting fluid flow into the drain when the traveler is disposed upwardly relative to the base;   a first sealing ring disposed in the at least one external annular recess of the base and a second sealing ring disposed in the at least one annular recess of the skirt.   
     
     
         2 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein the cover member of the traveler is domed. 
     
     
         3 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the sealing rings is an O-ring. 
     
     
         4 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein the cylindrical body threadedly engages the core member. 
     
     
         5 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein the slide member threadedly engages the cover section. 
     
     
         6 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein the slide member further comprises a radially projecting annular flange that abuts the core member. 
     
     
         7 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein the retainer selectively maintains the slide member and the traveler in first or second positions relative to the base. 
     
     
         8 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein the first sealing ring restricts fluid flow between the base and the existing drain. 
     
     
         9 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein the second sealing ring restricts fluid flow between the traveler and the cylindrical wall of the base. 
     
     
         10 . A stopper assembly comprising:
 a base that is slidably insertable into an existing drain to restrict fluid flow between the base and drain, the drain having a substantially cylindrical sidewall and a top flange that extends radially beyond any portion of the existing drain; and   a drain closure that is slidably disposed inside the base and is biased for selective movement between a first closed position that blocks fluid flow down the drain, and a second open position that allows fluid flow down the drain.   
     
     
         11 . The stopper assembly of  claim 10  wherein a spring assembly connects the drain closure in sliding relation to the base. 
     
     
         12 . The stopper assembly of  claim 10  wherein the base is frictionally held inside the existing drain. 
     
     
         13 . The stopper assembly of  claim 10  wherein the drain closure comprises a domed cover portion and a depending cylindrical skirt comprising at least one aperture that is selectively positionable to permit fluid flow through the assembly.