Adjustable Bathtub Drain Connector With Integrated Test Cap
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bathtub drain connectors for freestanding tubs face challenges in accommodating varying distances between the bathtub bottom and the floor, limiting their versatility and requiring customized solutions, and lack efficient, cost-effective designs that allow for plumbing leakage pressure testing and dust protection during construction.
Innovation Solution
A bathtub drain connector with a piston pipe slidably received in a body pipe, featuring adjustable length through seal retaining grooves and a cap that functions as both a dust cap and pressure test cap, ensuring watertight seals and accommodating various bathtub models.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the second pipe is made longer to accommodate a longer first pipe, then the range of distances between the floor and the bathtub drain that can be accommodated is increased, but the maximum length of the second pipe is dictated by the thickness of the floors, limiting its applicability
Solution Approach 1:
The piston pipe (first pipe) is made slidable within the body pipe (second pipe), allowing the effective length to be dynamically adjusted by moving the piston pipe to different positions. This resolves the contradiction by providing adaptability without requiring a longer fixed second pipe, as the sliding mechanism allows the same physical components to accommodate various drain-to-floor distances within the floor thickness constraint.
2Reliability
If a separate pressure test cap is provided, then plumbing leakage pressure testing can be performed, but the device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The dust cap and pressure test cap functions are merged into a single integrated cap component. This cap can be attached to either the piston pipe inlet or the body pipe inlet, combining multiple functions (dust protection and pressure testing) into one piece, thereby reducing device complexity and manufacturing cost while maintaining the ability to perform plumbing leakage pressure tests.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If a dust cap is used during construction, then dust protection is provided, but the device complexity increases due to additional components
Solution Approach 1:
The integrated cap serves multiple functions: it acts as both a dust cap to protect the drain opening during construction and as a pressure test cap for leakage testing. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate dust cap and pressure test cap components, reducing device complexity while providing both dust protection and pressure testing capabilities.
Data Source
AI summary
A bathtub drain connector (BDC) is for connecting a bathtub drain to a drain pipe. The BDC has a piston pipe (PP) slidably received in a body pipe (BP). The PP has an inlet for connecting to the bathtub drain. The BP has a flange for attaching to the floor, and an outlet for discharging drain water. The PP has a first seal retaining groove for retaining a first seal configured to form a watertight seal between the PP and the BP, and a second seal retaining groove between the first seal retaining groove and the PP inlet for retaining a second seal configured to form a watertight seal between the PP and the BP when the PP is shortened by removing a section thereof. A seal is retained in the first and/or second seal retaining groove. Also, a cap for closing the BP inlet, and sealing the PP inlet when pressure testing the bathtub drain connector installation.