Compartment Drain Strainer

Abstract

A device for allowing a user to adjust drainage properties of a sink drain is disclosed, comprising an inner tube inserted into a stopper ring. The stopper ring is inserted into the drain such that liquids cannot enter the sink drain except by traversing the inner tube. An outer tube is fitted substantially completely around the inner tube. A selector slot of the outer tube may be aligned with a selected drain slot of the inner tube to allow draining of the sink down to a lower height of an exposed drain slot of the inner tube. A straining tube is adapted to fit loosely around the outer tube and has a plurality of straining apertures each no larger than a predetermined size. The apertures are formed along the entire length of the straining tube. With the straining tube placed around the outer tube, debris having a size larger than the predetermined size is prevented from flowing through the slots of the outer and inner tubes and into the sink drain.

1 . A device for allowing a user to adjust drainage properties of a sink drain, comprising:
 a rigid inner tube having a tube wall, a lower end and an upper end, the tube wall having at least one longitudinal drain slot formed therein, each drain slot having a generally unique radial location in the inner tube wall, and each having a generally unique lower height along the inner tube;   a water-impervious stopper ring having an inner diameter adapted to snugly fit around and fix the lower end of the inner tube, and an outer diameter adapted to snugly fit inside the sink drain;   a rigid outer tube having a tube wall, a lower end, and an upper end, the outer tube adapted to fit rotatably yet snugly around the inner tube, the outer tube wall having a longitudinal selector slot formed therein able in size to substantially completely expose any of the drain slots of the inner tube;   whereby with the inner tube inserted into the stopper ring, the stopper ring inserted into the drain such that liquids cannot enter the sink drain except by traversing the inner tube, and with the outer tube fitted substantially completely around the inner tube, the selector slot of the outer tube may be aligned with a selected drain slot of the inner tube to allow draining of the sink down to the lower height of the exposed drain slot of the inner tube.   
   
   
       2 . The device of  claim 1  further including a straining tube having a tube wall, a lower end, and an upper end, the straining tube adapted to fit loosely around the outer tube and having a plurality of straining apertures each no larger than a predetermined size, the apertures formed along the entire length of the straining tube, whereby with the straining tube placed around the outer tube, debris having a size larger than the predetermined size is prevented from flowing through the slots of the outer and inner tubes and into the sink drain. 
   
   
       3 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the drain slots are formed in the inner tube and the selector slot is formed in the outer tube. 
   
   
       4 . The device of  claim 1  wherein a lower drain slot of the inner tube has a lower height proximate the lower end of the inner tube. 
   
   
       5 . The device of  claim 1  wherein a middle drain slot of the inner tube has a lower height proximate half-way between the lower and upper ends of the inner tube. 
   
   
       6 . The device of  claim 1  where an upper drain slot of the inner tube has a lower height proximate the upper end of the inner tube. 
   
   
       7 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the number of drain slots of the inner tube is exactly three, the lower drain slot having a lower height proximate the lower end of the inner tube, the middle drain slot having a lower height proximate half-way between the lower and upper ends of the inner tube; and the upper drain slot having a lower height proximate the upper end of the inner tube. 
   
   
       8 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the selector slot in the outer tube is formed by a plurality of the straining apertures each no larger than the predetermined size. 
   
   
       9 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the outer tube further includes an alignment aperture proximate the upper end thereof, and wherein the inner tube further includes an alignment indicia for each drain slot therein proximate the upper end thereof and radially co-aligned with the associated drain slot, such that when the alignment indicia for the associated drain slot is aligned with the alignment aperture of the outer tube, the selector slot of the outer tube is aligned with the associated drain slot of the inner tube. 
   
   
       10 . The device of  claim 9  wherein at least one of the alignment indicia of the inner tube is an inner indicator slot. 
   
   
       11 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the upper end of the outer tube further includes a grip means to facilitate rotation of the outer tube around the inner tube. 
   
   
       12 . The device of  claim 1  wherein none of the drain slots of the inner tube overlap along the length of the inner tube. 
   
   
       13 . The device of  claim 1  wherein none of the drain slots of the inner tube overlap radially around the circumference of the inner tube.