Adjustable Urinal Siphon With Sliding Sleeve Odor Seal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing urinal siphons lack a secure and adjustable mechanism to ensure effective odor trapping and sealing between the urinal and sewage lines, leading to potential leaks and loss of sealing efficacy.
Innovation Solution
A urinal siphon design featuring a tubular inlet and outlet piece with a spiral intermediate piece, a sliding sleeve for adjustable connection, and a limiting device to prevent excessive displacement, ensuring a secure and effective odor trap through at least 360-degree angled sections and polyethylene injection molding for durability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a fixed rigid connection is used between inlet piece and outlet piece, then structural stability is improved, but installation flexibility and adaptability to different distances deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The connection between inlet piece and outlet piece is made dynamic through the sliding sleeve mechanism, allowing the outlet piece to move longitudinally relative to the inlet piece while maintaining sealing. This enables adjustment to different distances between urinal and sewage line while preserving structural integrity through the limiting device that prevents excessive displacement.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a sliding sleeve mechanism is introduced for adjustable connection, then installation flexibility is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sliding sleeve mechanism is merged with the intermediate piece of the siphon, combining the sealing function, adjustment function, and structural support function into a single integrated component. This reduces overall device complexity while maintaining installation flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The sliding sleeve serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides sealing between inlet and outlet pieces, enables longitudinal adjustment for different installation distances, and works with the limiting device to prevent over-displacement. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components.
3Ease of operation
If no limiting device is used, then ease of operation for assembly is improved, but reliability of sealing deteriorates due to potential inadvertent displacement
Solution Approach 1:
The limiting device provides a dynamic constraint that allows normal assembly and adjustment movements while automatically preventing excessive displacement that would compromise sealing. The mechanism engages only when the outlet piece attempts to move beyond the safe range, maintaining ease of operation during proper assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The limiting device provides mechanical feedback to the assembler during installation, physically blocking any attempt to displace the outlet piece beyond the sealing-safe distance. This immediate feedback ensures sealing reliability without requiring complex control systems or multiple assembly steps.
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
The design provides a secure and adjustable sealing mechanism that prevents unintentional displacement, maintaining an effective odor trap and ensuring reliable sealing between the urinal and sewage lines, reducing the risk of leaks and enhancing installation flexibility.
Implementation Method 1
The sliding sleeve (14) is formed by a one-piece and closed tubular section... An insertion section (16) of the outlet piece (4) can be variably inserted by an extension length L into this sliding sleeve (14)
Implementation Method 2
siphons are regularly used as odor traps to prevent sewer gases escaping through the waste water pipes... there is liquid in this coil of pipe - colloquially referred to as 'knee' - which closes the pipe forming the siphon
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
A urinal siphon (1) comprises a tubular inlet piece (2) for connecting the urinal siphon (1) to a drain pipe of a urinal, a tubular outlet piece (4) for connecting the urinal siphon (1) to a wastewater pipe, a spiral-shaped, tubular intermediate piece (6) which is interposed between the inlet piece (2) and the outlet piece (4) and which has at least two sections (8) each angled by 180 degrees, a sliding sleeve (14) by means of which the outlet piece (4) is attached to the inlet piece (2) or the intermediate piece (6) so as to be displaceable relative to the inlet piece (2) by an extension length (L), and a limiting device (50) by means of which a displacement of the outlet piece (4) relative to the inlet piece (2) beyond the extension length (L) is prevented.