Deep-Drawn Drain Gutter Layout for Wall-Adjacent Floor Drainage

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing drainage channels and floor drains face challenges in achieving both aesthetic and functional design, particularly in creating a slope for efficient water drainage while maintaining stability and ease of installation, especially when placed close to walls.

Innovation Solution

A drainage channel designed with elongated dimensions, formed from a single piece of sheet metal, featuring a gutter connector with legs that slope towards the gutter socket, ensuring efficient water flow and integration with the floor covering, and a floor drain with a flexible design for easy installation near walls.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Length of moving object

If a drainage channel is made long (at least 60 cm, often over 80 cm or 100 cm) to drain large floor areas, then the drainage coverage is improved, but the stability and connection rigidity deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedrainage channel lengthVSAvoidconnection rigidity
Core Design Contradiction:
Length of moving objectVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The drainage channel is divided into multiple individual channel elements that can be connected to each other. Each element has a manageable length that maintains stability, while the segmented structure allows the overall drainage system to cover large floor areas. The connection pieces join these segments while maintaining structural rigidity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The connection piece is integrated into the channel element structure, with the connection socket and connection surface forming a nested arrangement. The connection piece fits within the channel element's geometry, creating a compact and stable joint that maintains rigidity without adding excessive horizontal extension.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Reliability

If the floor drain is given a considerable horizontal extension to be permanently integrated into the supporting flooring and sealed, then the sealing and integration are improved, but the ease of installation near walls deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesealing reliabilityVSAvoidinstallation ease near walls
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The floor drain system is separated into distinct components: the drainage channel elements that can be installed close to walls, and the floor drain body that provides sealing and integration. This segmentation allows the channel to reach wall-adjacent positions while the floor drain maintains its sealing function without requiring excessive horizontal extension.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The connection piece acts as an intermediary between the drainage channel and the floor drain. It provides the watertight connection and structural coupling, allowing the channel to be positioned close to walls while the floor drain remains at an optimal distance for sealing and integration into the supporting flooring.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Device complexity

If the drainage channel is made as a single piece from sheet metal to reduce complexity, then the manufacturing simplicity is improved, but the ability to achieve sufficient stability and connection rigidity worsens

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedrainage channel complexityVSAvoidconnection rigidity
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The connection piece is merged with the channel element to form an integrated component. This merging maintains manufacturing simplicity while the designed connection geometry (socket and surface arrangement) ensures sufficient connection rigidity and stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The sheet metal channel elements have varying thicknesses in different regions - thicker in areas requiring strength and connection rigidity, thinner in areas where flexibility and aesthetics are prioritized. This local variation in quality maintains overall simplicity while achieving necessary structural performance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

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 a cost-effective, stable, and aesthetically pleasing drainage system that efficiently directs water to the floor drain while allowing for flexible installation options, including placement close to walls.

Implementation Method 1

water that reaches the drainage channel from the floor surface adjacent to the upper side of the drainage channel is directed in the drainage channel to its channel socket and from there flows into the floor drain

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGravitational force: Gravitation

Data Source

PatentEP4461893A1Deep drawn drain gutter
Publication Date: 2024.11.13 TECE GMBH
  • EP4461893A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4461893A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4461893A1 patent drawingFigure 3a~3b

AI summary

The invention relates to a drainage channel 4 for draining water from a surface of a floor into a floor drain 1 integrated in the floor, wherein the drainage channel 4 extends along a longitudinal direction X with a length and along a transverse direction Y perpendicular to the longitudinal direction X with a width and has a channel outlet 47 with an opening 40 for draining the water as well as at least a first leg 43, wherein the first leg 43 forms a first longitudinal end of the drainage channel 4 and is arranged next to the channel outlet 7 with respect to the longitudinal direction X and has a first drainage surface 48 on its upper side, which slopes towards the channel outlet 47, wherein the first leg 43 extends along the longitudinal direction X over a leg length and along the transverse direction Y over a leg width, wherein in particular the drainage channel 4 has a second leg 44,which forms a second longitudinal end of the drainage channel 4 and is arranged next to the channel outlet 47 with respect to the longitudinal direction X, wherein the opening 40 is arranged between the first and the second leg 43, 44 with respect to the longitudinal direction X. The drainage channel 4 is formed in one piece from a single material.