Adjustable Drain Mouth for Tile Thickness Alignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing drain systems face challenges in maintaining the alignment of the liquid intake elevation with the final floor level, as modifications during the shaping of the tiled floor or variations in tile thickness can disrupt this alignment, leading to inefficient water collection.

Innovation Solution

A drain design featuring a telescopic mouth component that adjusts 45° with respect to the liquid intake elevation, allowing for adjustable alignment with both floor and wall tile thicknesses, ensuring proper water collection regardless of floor level modifications.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If the drain is installed with a fixed liquid intake elevation during floor construction, then the initial alignment with the concrete base can be achieved, but the final alignment with the tiled floor surface cannot be ensured due to variations in tile thickness and concrete shaping

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvealignment precisionVSAvoidadaptability to tile thickness variations
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the liquid intake elevation adjustable rather than fixed. The drain incorporates a height adjustment mechanism that allows the liquid intake opening to be positioned at different elevations relative to the floor surface. This enables the drain to adapt to variations in tile thickness and concrete base shaping, ensuring proper alignment with the final tiled floor surface regardless of construction variations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Stability of the object's composition

If the liquid intake elevation is set during concrete base formation, then the drain can be properly positioned initially, but modifications to the floor level during tiling will disrupt the alignment

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural stabilityVSAvoidease of alignment adjustment
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The drain structure incorporates adjustable components that allow the liquid intake elevation to be modified after the concrete base is formed. This dynamic adjustment capability enables workers to align the drain with the final tiled floor surface even after initial installation, combining structural stability with ease of alignment adjustment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Ease of manufacture

If a fixed-height drain design is used, then the manufacturing and installation process is simpler, but the drain cannot accommodate variations in final floor level

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoidreliability of water collection
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a height-adjustable liquid intake opening that can be positioned at different elevations to match the final floor surface. This ensures reliable water collection by preventing scenarios where the liquid intake is either above or below the floor level, which would cause water accumulation or improper drainage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

4Productivity

If the drain liquid intake is aligned with the concrete base level, then initial installation is straightforward, but the final alignment with the completed tiled floor cannot be guaranteed

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinstallation speedVSAvoidalignment precision
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The adjustable height mechanism allows for quick initial installation at the concrete base level, maintaining high installation speed. Subsequently, the liquid intake elevation can be adjusted to achieve precise alignment with the final tiled floor surface, ensuring both productivity and alignment precision without compromise.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP3550087B1Drain for draining liquids
Publication Date: 2023.02.01 JIMTEN SA
  • EP3550087B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3550087B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3550087B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

Drain for draining liquid comprising a container that includes an upper inlet opening that gives access to an interior space and a discharge opening in fluid communication with said interior space, as well as a mouth coupled to the upper inlet opening of the container, wherein the mouth comprises a hollow movable portion that telescopically slides inside a fixed portion with an angle of 45° with respect to an elevation of the liquid intake to the drain, in such a way that the position of the movable portion is adjustable with respect to both the thickness of a floor-covering tile and to the thickness of a wall-covering tile.