Sink Drain Pipe With and Without Overflow Ports

Abstract

A conventional bathroom sink has an overflow port and an overflow conduit. A conventional drain pipe for the conventional sink has overflow ports in fluid communication with the sink's overflow port. A vessel sink does not have an overflow port. A prior art drain pipe that does not have overflow ports has been used with vessel sinks. The present invention provides a new drain pipe with overflow ports for a conventional sink and means for covering and sealing the overflow ports in the new drain pipe so that the new drain pipe can also be used with a vessel sink that does not have an overflow port. Means for covering and sealing the overflow ports include an inner sleeve that fits inside the drain pipe, an outer sleeve that surrounds the drain pipe and grommets and hole plugs that that fit inside the overflow ports, where all of the means cover and seal the overflow ports so that the new drain pipe does not leak when used with a vessel sink that does not have an overflow port.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A drain pipe for connection to a sink having a drain opening, comprising:
 a pipe having a sidewall, a length and opposing upper and lower ends, wherein the sidewall defines an interior fluid flow passageway in the pipe;   a flange on the upper end that extends radially, wherein the flange and pipe are sized so that the pipe will pass through the drain opening, and wherein the flange will not pass through the drain opening;   a port in the sidewall for receiving water from the sink through an overflow channel if the sink has an overflow port; and   an element for sealing the port in the sidewall if the sink does not have an overflow port, wherein the element is selected from the group consisting of:   a resilient grommet,   a removable knock-out element,   a ring that surrounds the pipe and covers and seals the port,   an adhesive sheet of material, and   a hole plug sized and configured to be pressed into the port and engaged with the sidewall.   
     
     
         2 . The drain pipe of  claim 1 , wherein the element for sealing the port is the resilient grommet, wherein the resilient grommet is sized and configured to be received in the port and engaged with the sidewall. 
     
     
         3 . The drain pipe of  claim 2 , wherein the resilient grommet has a perimeter and a groove in the perimeter, and wherein the groove is sized and configured to receive the sidewall in a sealing engagement. 
     
     
         4 . The drain pipe of  claim 1 , wherein the element for sealing the port is the resilient grommet, wherein the resilient grommet has a body, a perimeter around the body, and a groove in the body along the perimeter, wherein the body and the groove are sized and configured so that the body fits inside the port and a portion of the sidewall that defines the port is received in the groove. 
     
     
         5 . The drain pipe of  claim 1 , wherein the element for sealing the port is the knock-out element, wherein the knock-out element is formed integral with the sidewall of the pipe, wherein there is an interface between the sidewall and the perimeter of the knock-out element, wherein the interface provides a weak area between the perimeter of the knock-out element and the sidewall, and wherein the knock-out element is removable by breaking the interface. 
     
     
         6 . The drain pipe of  claim 1 , wherein the element for sealing the port is the ring that surrounds the pipe and covers and seals the port, and wherein the ring is made of a resilient material. 
     
     
         7 . The drain pipe of  claim 6 , wherein the ring has an inside surface that is in contact with an outside surface of the sidewall, and wherein the inside surface is smooth and unthreaded prior to being placed on the sidewall of the pipe. 
     
     
         8 . The drain pipe of  claim 7 , wherein the outside surface of the sidewall has external threads, further comprising a nut engaged with the external threads, wherein the ring is between the sink and the nut. 
     
     
         9 . The drain pipe of  claim 8 , further comprising a washer sized and configured for placement between the nut and the ring. 
     
     
         10 . The drain pipe of  claim 1 , wherein the element for sealing the port is the adhesive sheet of material, wherein the adhesive sheet of material is an adhesive-backed or coated material sized and configured to engage the sidewall proximal to the port and to cover the port. 
     
     
         11 . The drain pipe of  claim 10 , further comprising a nut or a clamp sized and configured to surround and hold the adhesive sheet of material. 
     
     
         12 . The drain pipe of  claim 1 , wherein the element for sealing the port is the hole plug, wherein the hole plug is received in the port and pressed into engagement with the sidewall for covering and sealing the port. 
     
     
         13 . The drain pipe of  claim 12 , wherein the sidewall has external male threads, wherein the hole plug has an exterior surface that has threads that match the threads on the sidewall, further comprising a nut in threaded engagement with the sidewall and the threads on the exterior surface of the hole plug for holding the hole plug in the port and for sealing the port. 
     
     
         14 . The drain pipe of  claim 12 , further comprising a clamp surrounding the pipe and covering and holding the hole plug. 
     
     
         15 . A kit, comprising:
 a drain body for connection to a sink having a drain opening, the drain body comprising:   a pipe having a sidewall, a length and opposing upper and lower ends, wherein the sidewall defines an interior fluid flow passageway in the pipe;   a flange formed integral with or attachable to the upper end that extends radially, wherein the flange and pipe are sized so that the pipe will pass through the drain opening, and wherein the flange will not pass through the drain opening;   a port in the sidewall for receiving water from the sink through an overflow channel if the sink has an overflow port; and   an element for sealing the port in the sidewall if the sink does not have an overflow port, wherein the element is selected from the group consisting of:   a resilient grommet,   a removable knock-out element formed integral in the sidewall of the pipe,   a resilient ring sized and configured to surround the pipe tightly and to cover and seal the port,   an adhesive sheet of material designed and configured to cover the port and to bond to the sidewall, and   a hole plug sized and configured to be pressed into the port and to thereby be engaged with the sidewall.   
     
     
         16 . The kit of  claim 15 , wherein the element for sealing the port is the resilient grommet, wherein the resilient grommet has a body, a perimeter around the body, and a groove in the body along the perimeter, wherein the body and the groove are sized and configured so that the body fits inside the port and a portion of the sidewall that defines the port is received in the groove. 
     
     
         17 . The kit of  claim 15 , wherein the element for sealing the port is the resilient ring that surrounds the pipe and covers and seals the port, wherein the ring has an inside surface that is smooth and unthreaded prior to being placed on the sidewall of the pipe, wherein the sidewall of the pipe has external threads, further comprising a nut having internal threads, wherein the nut is sized and configured for threaded engagement with the sidewall of the drain pipe and for trapping the resilient ring between the sink and the nut. 
     
     
         18 . The kit  claim 15 , wherein the element for sealing the port is the knock-out element, wherein the knock-out element is formed integral with the sidewall of the pipe, wherein there is an interface between the sidewall and the perimeter of the knock-out element, wherein the interface provides a weak area between the perimeter of the knock-out element and the sidewall, and wherein the knock-out element is removable by breaking the interface. 
     
     
         19 . The kit of  claim 15 , wherein the element for sealing the port is the adhesive sheet of material, wherein the adhesive sheet of material is an adhesive-backed or coated material sized and configured to engage the sidewall proximal to the port and to cover the port, further comprising a nut or a clamp sized and configured to surround and hold the adhesive sheet of material. 
     
     
         20 . The kit of  claim 15 , wherein the element for sealing the port is the hole plug, wherein the hole plug is configured to be received in the port and pressed into engagement with the sidewall for covering and sealing the port, further comprising a clamp configured to surround the pipe and cover and hold the hole plug.