Integrated Drain Adaptor for Enclosure Moisture and Pressure Control

Solution Overview

Problem

Enclosures in various industries and residential settings often accumulate moisture, which can be harmful to the components they house, and existing solutions require drilling and soldering multiple holes for drainage and pressure equalization, making them cumbersome and inefficient.

Innovation Solution

A drain adaptor with a cylindrical stem and drain body that includes breather and drain passageways, allowing for integrated drainage and pressure equalization without the need for multiple holes, featuring male and female threads, and various attachment fixtures for easy installation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If multiple holes are drilled and soldered for drainage and pressure equalization, then drainage and pressure equalization functions are achieved, but device complexity and installation time increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedrainage and pressure equalization functionVSAvoidinstallation complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple functions (drainage and pressure equalization) into a single integrated adaptor component. The adaptor includes a drain passage for water drainage and a breather passage for pressure equalization, both accessible through one opening in the enclosure rather than requiring separate holes and components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The adaptor serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides drainage through the drain passage, pressure equalization through the breather passage, and structural support for attaching to the enclosure. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate components for each function.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If multiple holes are drilled and soldered for drainage and pressure equalization, then drainage and pressure equalization functions are achieved, but installation time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedrainage and pressure equalization functionVSAvoidinstallation time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple functions (drainage and pressure equalization) into a single integrated adaptor component. The adaptor includes a drain passage for water drainage and a breather passage for pressure equalization, both accessible through one opening in the enclosure rather than requiring separate holes and components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The adaptor is designed with pre-formed passages and attachment features that are prepared during manufacturing. The drain passage, breather passage, and attachment fixtures are all integrated into the adaptor before installation, eliminating the need for on-site drilling, soldering, or assembly of multiple separate components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Object-affected harmful factors

If conventional drainage solutions are used, then moisture drainage is achieved, but the solution becomes cumbersome and inefficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemoisture accumulationVSAvoidinstallation ease

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple functions (drainage and pressure equalization) into a single integrated adaptor component. The adaptor includes a drain passage for water drainage and a breather passage for pressure equalization, both accessible through one opening in the enclosure rather than requiring separate holes and components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS9700827B2Drain adaptor

Publication Date: 2017.07.11 THOMAS & BETTS INTERNATIONAL INC

AI summary

A drain adaptor comprising a stem and drain body. The stem comprises a breather opening defined by a surface of the stem and a drain opening defined by a surface of the stem. The drain body comprises another breather opening defined by a surface of the drain body and another drain opening defined by a surface of the drain body, wherein the stem extends from the drain body, and wherein a breather passageway extends from the breather opening of the stem to the other breather opening of the drain body, and wherein a drain passageway extends from the drain opening of the stem to the other drain opening of the drain body.