Drain Stopper and Strainer with Bristles

Abstract

A drain stopper and/or strainer comprises a stem, a cap preferably detachably attached to an upper end of the stem, a bristle strainer sleeve having a plurality of bristles removably received on the stem, and retaining means preferably detachably attached to the lower end of the stem for holding the bristle strainer sleeve on the stem. Retaining means include a two-prong fork that engages a pivot or ball rod between the forks, a plate having one or more holes for receiving a pivot or ball rod and an object that does not connect to anything other than the stem. A cap seal is included for stopper and strainer functionality and is omitted for strainer-only functionality. The bristle strainer sleeve may be designed to engage an inside wall of a drain pipe for holding the stopper and/or strainer in a desired position.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A drain stopper and/or strainer comprising:
 a stem, wherein the stem has a length and upper and lower ends;   a cap on the upper end of the stem, wherein the cap has or does not have a cap seal;   a bristle strainer sleeve received on and surrounding the stem, wherein the bristle strainer sleeve has an outer surface and a plurality of bristles projecting radially outwardly from the outer surface; and   retaining means on the lower end of the stem for holding the bristle strainer sleeve on the stem, wherein the bristle strainer sleeve is trapped on the stem between the cap and the retaining means.   
     
     
         2 . The drain stopper and/or strainer of  claim 1 , wherein the retaining means has a threaded stud, wherein the lower end of the stem has a bore defined by internal threads, and wherein the threaded stud is threadedly engaged with the internal threads that define the bore in the stem, or wherein the retaining means has a bore defined by internal threads, and wherein the lower end of the stem has a threaded stud for connecting the retaining means to the stem. 
     
     
         3 . The drain stopper and/or strainer of  claim 2 , wherein the retaining means is a pivot rod holder that comprises a pair of opposing prongs, wherein the opposing prongs define a slot, wherein the slot has an upper end and a lower end, and wherein the lower end of the slot is open so that the pivot rod holder can be pressed transversely over a pivot rod or a ball rod. 
     
     
         4 . The drain stopper and/or strainer of  claim 3 , wherein the opposing prongs of the pivot rod holder have faces that define the slot, wherein the faces have one or more semi-circular indentations which together define one or more generally circular openings for receiving a pivot rod or a ball rod within the slot and within one of the generally circular openings. 
     
     
         5 . The drain stopper and/or strainer of  claim 2 , wherein the retaining means comprises a plate having one or more openings for receiving and holding a pivot rod or a ball rod. 
     
     
         6 . The drain stopper and/or strainer of  claim 1 , wherein the retaining means comprises a disk having upper and lower surfaces, and wherein the upper surface is planar. 
     
     
         7 . The drain stopper and/or strainer of  claim 6 , wherein the upper surface of the disk has a threaded stud, wherein the lower end of the stem has a bore defined by internal threads, and wherein the threaded stud is threadedly engaged with the internal threads that define the bore in the stem. 
     
     
         8 . The drain stopper and/or strainer of  claim 1 , wherein the retaining means comprises an object having an upper planar surface, wherein the upper planar surface of the object has a threaded stud, wherein the lower end of the stem has a bore defined by internal threads, wherein the threaded stud is threadedly engaged with the internal threads that define the bore in the stem, or wherein the upper planar surface of the object has a bore defined by internal threads, wherein the lower end of the stem has a threaded stud for connecting the object to the stem, wherein the object is not designed or configured to engage a pivot rod or a ball rod, wherein the cap does not have a cap seal, and wherein the drain stopper and/or strainer is not designed or configured to prevent water from flowing into or through a plumbing drain. 
     
     
         9 . The drain stopper and/or strainer of  claim 1 , wherein the retaining means comprises an object having an upper planar surface, wherein the upper planar surface of the object has a threaded stud, wherein the lower end of the stem has a bore defined by internal threads, wherein the threaded stud is threadedly engaged with the internal threads that define the bore in the stem, or wherein the upper planar surface of the object has a bore defined by internal threads, wherein the lower end of the stem has a threaded stud for connecting the object to the stem, wherein the object is not designed or configured to engage a pivot rod or a ball rod, wherein the cap has a cap seal, and wherein the drain stopper and/or strainer is designed and configured to allow water to flow or to prevent water from flowing into or through a plumbing drain. 
     
     
         10 . The drain stopper and/or strainer of  claim 8 , wherein the bristle strainer sleeve is designed, sized and configured so that the plurality of bristles engage an inside wall of a drain pipe in a friction or interference fit and hold the drain strainer in a position within the drain pipe until a user pulls or pushes on the cap to change the position. 
     
     
         11 . The drain stopper and/or strainer of  claim 9 , wherein the bristle strainer sleeve is designed, sized and configured so that the plurality of bristles engage an inside wall of a drain pipe in a friction or interference fit and hold the drain strainer in a position within the drain pipe until a user pulls or pushes on the cap to change the position. 
     
     
         12 . A drain stopper and/or strainer comprising:
 a stem, wherein the stem has a length and upper and lower ends;   a cap detachably attached to the upper end of the stem, wherein the cap has or does not have a cap seal;   a bristle strainer sleeve removably received on and surrounding the stem, wherein the bristle strainer sleeve has an outer surface and a plurality of bristles projecting radially outwardly from the outer surface; and   retaining means detachably attached to the lower end of the stem for holding the bristle strainer sleeve on the stem, wherein the bristle strainer sleeve is trapped on the stem between the cap and the retaining means.   
     
     
         13 . The drain stopper and/or strainer of  claim 12 , wherein the retaining means has a threaded stud, wherein the lower end of the stem has a bore defined by internal threads, and wherein the threaded stud is threadedly engaged with the internal threads that define the bore in the stem, or wherein the retaining means has a bore defined by internal threads, and wherein the lower end of the stem has a threaded stud for connecting the retaining means to the stem. 
     
     
         14 . The drain stopper and/or strainer of  claim 12 , wherein the retaining means is a pivot rod holder that comprises a pair of opposing prongs, wherein the opposing prongs define a slot, wherein the slot has an upper end and a lower end, and wherein the lower end of the slot is open so that the pivot rod holder can be pressed transversely over a pivot rod or a ball rod. 
     
     
         15 . The drain stopper and/or strainer of  claim 13 , wherein the retaining means is a pivot rod holder that comprises a pair of opposing prongs, wherein the opposing prongs define a slot, wherein the slot has an upper end and a lower end, and wherein the lower end of the slot is open so that the pivot rod holder can be pressed transversely over a pivot rod or a ball rod. 
     
     
         16 . The drain stopper and/or strainer of  claim 14 , wherein the opposing prongs of the pivot rod holder have faces that define the slot, wherein the faces have one or more semi-circular indentations which together define one or more generally circular openings for receiving a pivot rod or a ball rod within the slot and within one of the generally circular openings. 
     
     
         17 . The drain stopper and/or strainer of  claim 15 , wherein the opposing prongs of the pivot rod holder have faces that define the slot, wherein the faces have one or more semi-circular indentations which together define one or more generally circular openings for receiving a pivot rod or a ball rod within the slot and within one of the generally circular openings. 
     
     
         18 . The drain stopper and/or strainer of  claim 12 , wherein the retaining means comprises a plate having one or more openings for receiving and holding a pivot rod or a ball rod. 
     
     
         19 . The drain stopper and/or strainer of  claim 13 , wherein the retaining means comprises a plate having one or more openings for receiving and holding a pivot rod or a ball rod. 
     
     
         20 . The drain stopper and/or strainer of  claim 12 , wherein the retaining means comprises an object having an upper planar surface, wherein the object is not designed or configured to engage a pivot rod or a ball rod. 
     
     
         21 . The drain stopper and/or strainer of  claim 13 , wherein the retaining means comprises an object having an upper planar surface, wherein the object is not designed or configured to engage a pivot rod or a ball rod. 
     
     
         22 . The drain stopper and/or strainer of  claim 20 , wherein the object is a disk. 
     
     
         23 . The drain stopper and/or strainer of  claim 21 , wherein the object is a disk. 
     
     
         24 . The drain stopper and/or strainer of  claim 12 , wherein the bristle strainer sleeve is designed, sized and configured so that the plurality of bristles engage an inside wall of a drain pipe in a friction or interference fit and hold the drain strainer in a position within the drain pipe until a user pulls or pushes on the cap to change the position. 
     
     
         25 . The drain stopper and/or strainer of  claim 13 , wherein the bristle strainer sleeve is designed, sized and configured so that the plurality of bristles engage an inside wall of a drain pipe in a friction or interference fit and hold the drain strainer in a position within the drain pipe until a user pulls or pushes on the cap to change the position. 
     
     
         26 . A pop-up drain assembly for a sink or basin having a drain opening, comprising:
 piping for providing a fluid flow pathway from the sink or basin through the drain opening and through the piping, wherein the piping has an inside wall that defines the fluid flow pathway, and wherein the piping has a pivot rod port;   a stopper for retaining fluid in the sink or basin, wherein the stopper is received in the piping while in operation and is moveable between an open position and a closed position; and   a pivot rod for moving the stopper between the open position and the closed position, wherein the pivot rod is attached to the piping at the pivot rod port, wherein the pivot rod is pivotable between upward and downward positions,   wherein the stopper comprises:   a stem having a length, a longitudinal axis through the length of the stem, an upper end and an opposing lower end;   a cap received on the upper end;   a cap seal engaged with the cap for providing a seal to retain fluid in the sink or basin;   a bristle strainer sleeve received on the stem, wherein the bristle strainer sleeve has a plurality of bristles; and   a pivot rod holder that depends downwardly from the lower end of the stem.   
     
     
         27 . The pop-up drain assembly of  claim 26 , wherein the cap is removably received on the stem. 
     
     
         28 . The pop-up drain assembly of  claim 27 , wherein the bristle strainer sleeve is removably received on the stem. 
     
     
         29 . The pop-up drain assembly of  claim 28 , wherein the pivot rod holder is removably received on the stem. 
     
     
         30 . The pop-up drain assembly of  claim 29 , wherein the pivot rod holder comprises a two-prong fork designed and configured to hold the pivot rod within the two-prong fork.