Adjustable Plumbing Box Backplate for Precise Valve Mounting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing plumbing fixture installations, particularly mixing valves, face challenges with irregular fits, inefficient installation processes, and poor material performance in wet environments, often requiring custom measurements and adaptations.
Innovation Solution
An adjustable plumbing box with a front plate and rear support structure featuring adjustable screws and a backplate that allows for precise positioning and leveling of fixtures, using indicia for alignment and template slots for accurate mounting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If haphazard plank or board adaptations are mounted behind plaster board to support mixing valves, then the mixing valve can be mounted to the plank, but the result is an irregular, work intensive custom fit requiring measurements, calculations, and skilled compensation
Solution Approach 1:
The backplate is pre-adjusted to various positions along the adjustment screws during manufacturing, allowing the installer to simply select and attach the mixing valve without performing measurements, calculations, or skilled compensation. The template slots and indicia provide pre-established alignment guides that eliminate the need for on-site custom fitting.
Solution Approach 2:
The adjustment screws act as intermediaries between the fixed frame and the movable backplate, enabling precise positioning of the backplate at multiple locations. This intermediary mechanism transforms the installation process from a complex custom-fit operation to a simple selection and attachment process.
2Ease of manufacture
If wood materials are used for mounting adaptations, then the materials are readily available and easy to work with, but the materials perform poorly in water or wet environments
Solution Approach 1:
The material of the backplate and frame is changed from wood to a water-resistant material such as plastic or metal. This parameter change maintains ease of manufacture through molding or fabrication processes while dramatically improving reliability in wet plumbing environments where the fixture will be installed.
3Ease of manufacture
If the backplate position is fixed during manufacturing, then the manufacturing process is simple and cost-effective, but the installer cannot adjust the position to achieve proper depth and leveling
Solution Approach 1:
The backplate is designed to be movable along the adjustment screws, transforming from a fixed position to a dynamic, adjustable position. The installer can rotate the adjustment screws to move the backplate to the desired depth and alignment, providing adaptability while maintaining simple manufacturing of the individual components.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting system is segmented into distinct components: the fixed frame, the movable backplate, and the adjustment screws. This segmentation allows the backplate to be independently positioned along the screws, providing adjustability while keeping the manufacturing of each component relatively simple and cost-effective.
4Measurement precision
If custom measurements and calculations are performed during installation, then the mixing valve can be precisely positioned, but the installation process becomes work intensive and time consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The adjustment screws serve as intermediaries that provide precise positioning of the backplate through simple rotational motion. The template slots and indicia act as visual intermediaries that guide the installer without requiring measurements or calculations, thereby achieving precise positioning while maintaining high installation speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The template slots and alignment indicia on the backplate provide self-guiding features that automatically ensure proper positioning and leveling. The installer simply attaches the fixture following the visual guides, and the system self-adjusts to the correct position without requiring the installer to perform measurements or calculations.
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
Facilitates efficient, reliable, and aesthetically pleasing installation of plumbing fixtures by allowing for easy adjustment and alignment without complex calculations, ensuring proper depth and leveling, and using durable materials.
Implementation Method 1
A backplate mounts on the adjustment screws by threaded bores so rotation of any of the adjustment screws moves the backplate to a desired position within the frame
Data Source
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AI summary
A plumbing box (100) for mounting a plumbing device (150) having a front plate (102) defining a central opening (104) and screw holes (110). A frame (114) extends from the front plate (102) and has a rear support (118) that defines anchor holes (120) aligned with the screw holes (110). Adjustment screws (122) extend between each of the screw holes (110) and the anchor holes (120) so that each of the adjustment screws (122) can freely rotate. A backplate (130) mounts on the adjustment screws (122) by threaded bores (132) so rotation of any of the adjustment screws (122) moves the backplate (130) to a desired position within the frame (114).