Push-Up Fitting With Adjustable Support for Tool-Free Maintenance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing push-up fittings for sinks and tubs are not adaptable to different sink and tub thicknesses, require tools for installation and maintenance, and lack user-friendly features for controlling water discharge and filtration.
Innovation Solution
A push-up fitting with a drain pipe and a push-up valve that can be inserted from above, featuring a spring and locking mechanism, a reservoir for fragrances or disinfectants, and a constriction in the drain pipe to support the valve, allowing tool-free installation and operation, with a plug that doubles as a reservoir plug for easy access and adjustment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If push-up fittings are designed with multiple versions to accommodate different sink and tub thicknesses, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The push-up fitting incorporates an adjustable support element that can be positioned at different heights to accommodate various sink and tub thicknesses. This single universal design replaces the need for multiple specialized versions, allowing one fitting to serve multiple functions across different applications.
Solution Approach 2:
The support element is designed to be adjustable rather than fixed, allowing dynamic adaptation to different installation depths. This dynamic adjustment capability enables the fitting to accommodate varying sink and tub thicknesses without requiring multiple static versions.
2Manufacturing precision
If push-up fittings require tools for installation and maintenance, then manufacturing precision is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The push-up valve is designed as a separate, removable component that can be accessed and replaced without tools. This segmentation allows the valve to be independently maintained while preserving the precision of the overall fitting installation.
Solution Approach 2:
The design incorporates an intermediary access mechanism that allows tool-free removal and installation of the push-up valve. This intermediary structure enables maintenance operations without requiring external tools, while still ensuring precise fitting during initial installation.
3Manufacturing precision
If push-up fittings have fixed designs for specific applications, then manufacturing precision is improved, but adaptability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The push-up fitting integrates multiple functional elements (discharge control, filtration, fragrance reservoir) into a single universal design that can be adapted to different sink and tub configurations through adjustable support elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The adjustable support element provides dynamic adaptability to different installation depths and sink configurations, while the discharge control mechanism maintains precise functionality across all applications.
4Device complexity
If push-up fittings lack easy access features for cleaning, then device complexity is reduced, but ease of repair deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The push-up valve and filter basket are segmented into separately accessible components that can be removed independently. This segmentation enables easy cleaning and maintenance without increasing overall structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The design incorporates self-service features that allow users to access and clean the filter basket and valve without professional assistance or complex tools. The removable components enable straightforward maintenance operations.
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 adaptable, user-friendly, and efficient water discharge with filtration and fragrance/disinfectant functionality, facilitating easy maintenance and customization without tools.
Implementation Method 1
The push-up valve has a spring and locking mechanism which can lock the valve in a closing position and in a discharge position
Implementation Method 2
The push-up valve is equipped with a plug which, in the closing position, rests on the drain pipe in order to close the push-up fitting
Data Source
AI summary
A push-up fitting for a sink comprises a drain pipe, whose upper end is adapted to be attached to a sink bottom and whose lower end has an outlet, the pipe having a fluid channel between the upper and lower ends and the pipe having a constriction at the lower end; a plug; a supporting element; and a push-up valve carrying the plug at its upper end and locking the plug in a closing and a discharge position, the plug in the closing position resting on the upper end of the pipe to close the fitting, and in the discharge position opening the upper end of the pipe, the valve being connected to the supporting element at its lower end, when the valve is operated by pressure on the plug, the valve being insertable into the pipe and securable with the supporting element on the constriction.