Toilet Cistern Protective Wall and Foil Seal for Leak Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Concealed water dispensers, such as cisterns and flushing valves, often experience undetected leaks due to minor damage during assembly or installation, leading to hidden water damage, particularly in wooden structures where traditional leakage protection methods are inadequate.
Innovation Solution
A waterproof protective wall surrounds the water dispenser, forming an opening to the front and providing a flexible foil seal to ensure watertightness, allowing for direct access and easy replacement while directing any leakage water to a visible area for detection and repair.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a concealed water dispensing device is installed without leakage protection, then the device is simple and easy to install, but undetected leaks can occur causing damage to wooden structures
Solution Approach 1:
The protective wall is divided into a rigid structural portion and a flexible seal portion, allowing each segment to perform its specific function - the rigid wall provides structural support and water collection, while the flexible seal ensures watertight connection to the wall opening
Solution Approach 2:
A flexible foil seal is used to seal the transition of the protective wall to the front of the wall surrounding the opening. The flexible nature of the foil allows it to adapt to geometric deviations and panel thickness variations, ensuring reliable leakage protection without requiring complex rigid sealing structures
2Reliability
If a rigid protective wall is used to collect leakage water, then leakage can be directed to visible areas, but the structure becomes complex and difficult to install
Solution Approach 1:
The protective wall is designed as a modular assembly with distinct functional zones - a rigid collection portion for directing leakage water and a flexible seal portion for watertight connection. This segmentation allows for simpler installation compared to monolithic rigid structures
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible foil seal can accommodate variations in geometric parameters such as opening dimensions and panel thickness, allowing the same protective wall design to be installed across different locations without custom fabrication, thereby simplifying installation procedures
3Reliability
If separate sealing measures are used to ensure watertightness, then leakage protection is improved, but the device complexity and number of components increases
Solution Approach 1:
The protective wall and sealing function are merged into a single integrated assembly. The flexible foil seal is provided on the protective wall itself, eliminating the need for separate sealing components and reducing overall device complexity while maintaining watertightness
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible foil seal provides effective sealing with minimal material and structure compared to rigid sealing systems. The foil's flexibility allows it to conform to the opening geometry, ensuring watertightness without requiring multiple sealing layers or complex sealing mechanisms
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 solution provides effective leakage protection by allowing for easy detection and repair of leaks, reducing damage to wooden structures and improving reliability compared to prior art methods, as the flexible seal adapts to geometric deviations and panel thicknesses without requiring separate sealing measures.
Implementation Method 1
a flexible foil seal provided on the protective wall, which is designed to seal the transition of the protective wall to a front of the wall surrounding the opening
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a toilet cistern with a leakage protection barrier 6.