1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a tool for cleaning a drain. More particularly, the present invention relates to a tool for manually removing a clog or blockage in a plumbing pipe. The present invention further relates to a tool for clearing a drain by insertion and withdrawal of the tool into a pipe.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 37 CFR 1.98.
Clogged drains can lead to messy and embarrassing situations. Depending upon the severity of the clog, there are a variety of mechanical implements that can be used to clear drains. A plunger is the most common tool used to unclog a blockage in a pipe. The plunger includes a shaft and a rubber cup at one end of the shaft. The free end of the shaft is the handle, used to place the plunger into position. The cup is positioned to cover the mouth of the drain in the water. Using the handle, the cup is pushed towards the drain. Air in the cup is forced into the drain to break the clog, while the cup is flattened. Using the handle again, the cup is pulled into its original shape, causing a vacuum. The vacuum also acts to loosen or break the clog. The air push and the vacuum pull work to clear the clog or other blockage in the drain. The plunger can be used on other drains besides a toilet drain, such as a sink drain or bath tub drain.
Another mechanical implement is the plumber's snake. This device is a flexible coil with an auger end, which is inserted into the drain to physically contact and displace the clog or blockage. The plumber's snake normally includes a coiled metal wire with an auger end and a crank attached to the metal wire. The crank rotates the metal wire as the plumber's snake enters the drain. The auger end has screw threads for boring into a clog. The combination of the rotation of the wire and the boring action of the auger end results in clearing a clog or blockage. There is the corkscrew action of the auger end to dig into the clog. The clog can be pulled out of the drain with the auger end anchored into the clog. There is the rupture of the clog with the snake drilling through the blockage, allowing some fluid to pass through the clog to break down the clog. Additionally, the mechanical action of rubbing the auger end and the coil against the blockage loosens and breaks the clog.
Another mechanical tool is the auger strip, which includes an elongated flexible strip for insertion directly into the drain pipe. The strip has a length to physically reach the clog, and barbs are located along the length of the strip. The tip of the strip punctures, rubs, twists, and engages the clog for removal. The barbs scrap and impale the clog or other clogging fragments along the length of the drain pipe. The clog and fragments are snagged on the strip, and the strip is removed from the pipe by pulling the handle end from the drain. The snagged clog and fragments are removed from the pipe along with the strip.
The plunger is not always effective against all clogs, especially more serious clogs and blockages. The auger strip is not effective for sweeping the sides of the pipe, and the barbs are easily broken. The plumber's snake is usually reserved for particularly difficult clogs, and there are professional services with technically advanced and strongly powered versions of the plumber's snake. These advanced services are costly and disruptive. There is a need for another type of device to be effective against clogs that cannot be cleared by either the prior art plunger or the auger strip, while being more easy to use, efficient and less costly than the plumber's snake.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a tool for cleaning a drain.
It is another object of the present invention to provide embodiments of a drain cleaning tool with a specialized tip for breaking clogs.
It is another object of the present invention to provide embodiments of the drain cleaning tool with improved barb elements.
It is another object of the present invention to provide embodiments of the drain cleaning tool with retractable spike elements.
It is another object of the present invention to provide embodiments of the drain cleaning tool with a protect means for the barbs and spikes.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide embodiments of the drain cleaning tool with an undulated strip.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide embodiments of the drain cleaning tool with an undulated strip with barbs in concave sections.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide embodiments of the drain cleaning tool with an ergonomic handle for insertion and removal of the tool.
These and other objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the attached specifications and appended claims.