Height-Adjustable Floor Drain Assembly with Rotational Adjustment
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing shower floor drains lack a practical mechanism for adjusting their height to ensure a flush finish with the surrounding flooring, which is essential for both aesthetics and accessibility, particularly in wet rooms and for wheelchair navigation.
Innovation Solution
A height-adjustable floor drain assembly featuring a lower portion connected to a waste outlet, an upper portion for receiving a cover, and an adjustment portion with cooperating locking elements and helical threads or ramps, allowing the upper portion to be rotated and locked into various positions relative to the lower portion, ensuring a flush installation with the surrounding floor.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed-height drain waste is used, then the structure is simple and manufacturing is easy, but the drain cannot be adjusted to match different flooring levels resulting in poor adaptability
Solution Approach 1:
The drain assembly transitions from a fixed-height design to a dynamically adjustable structure. The upper portion can be rotated relative to the lower portion around a central axis, allowing the drain height to be adjusted to match different flooring levels. This rotational adjustment mechanism enables the drain to adapt to various installation scenarios while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The drain waste is divided into two main segments: a lower portion and an upper portion, connected through an adjustment mechanism. This segmentation allows independent adjustment of the upper portion's position while keeping the lower portion fixed to the waste outlet, providing height adjustability without significantly complicating the overall device structure.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple parallel ranges of wastes are provided to suit different situations, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of manufacturing multiple different drain waste models for different flooring configurations, this invention creates a universal drain assembly that can adjust to various heights through rotation. The single design with adjustable upper portion serves multiple functions and accommodates different installation scenarios, simplifying manufacturing while improving adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The drain assembly allows change in the height parameter by rotating the upper portion relative to the lower portion. This parameter adjustment capability enables the same drain structure to suit different flooring levels and configurations, eliminating the need for multiple fixed-height variants and simplifying manufacturing.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the drain is made adjustable with rotation mechanism, then adaptability to different flooring levels is improved, but the risk of rotational slippage and loss of positional stability increases
Solution Approach 1:
The adjustment mechanism incorporates feedback through the interaction between the adjustment element on the upper portion and the corresponding engagement features on the lower portion. As the upper portion rotates, the adjustment element engages with the lower portion at different positions, providing tactile and mechanical feedback that allows the installer to set and maintain the desired height position reliably.
Solution Approach 2:
The design anticipates potential slippage by incorporating engagement features that prevent unintended rotation. The adjustment element and its corresponding features on the lower portion are designed to maintain positive engagement throughout the rotation range, cushioning against slippage and ensuring positional stability once the desired height is achieved.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables the floor drain to be adjusted to match the level of the surrounding flooring, providing a seamless visual and accessible surface while maintaining a watertight seal, accommodating different flooring materials and ensuring safe wheelchair access.
Implementation Method 1
the first adjustment element comprises a helical thread or ramp to cooperate with a ramp follower disposed on an outer face of the upper portion
Implementation Method 2
the lower and upper portions comprises cooperating locking elements for rotationally constraining the upper portion relative to the lower portion as the position of the upper portion is varied relative to the lower portion, the cooperating locking elements slideably engage with one another
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
A height-adjustable assembly for a drain, comprises a lower portion (401) for use with a waste outlet of the drain, an upper portion (403) to receive an attachment (407) for mounting at floor level to cover the assembly, and an adjustment portion (405) disposed between the upper and lower portions and including first and second adjustment elements (420, 425) disposed respectively on inner and outer faces of the adjustment portion to simultaneously vary the position of the upper and adjustment portions relative to the lower portion as the adjustment portion is rotated. The first adjustment element is a ramp which cooperates with a ramp follower (421) on the upper portion whereas the second adjustment element is a protrusion which cooperates with a further ramp (427) on the lower portion.