Drain Assembly Lateral Actuator Compact Hydraulic Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drain arrangements for washbasins face a conflict between compactness and hydraulic drainage performance, often requiring larger installation spaces due to insufficient hydraulic drainage and the need for emergency overflow functions.
Innovation Solution
A drain arrangement with a compact design featuring a drain valve housing, actuator element positioned laterally next to the drain pipe, and an overflow unit that minimizes installation space by reducing deflection and flow losses, allowing for efficient drainage and emergency overflow functionality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the drain pipe is positioned vertically downwards to ensure proper drainage, then hydraulic drainage capacity is improved, but installation space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the spatial arrangement by positioning the drain pipe horizontally alongside the first channel section rather than vertically downwards. This dimensional change allows the drainage system to achieve proper hydraulic flow while reducing the vertical height and overall installation space requirements, resolving the contradiction between drainage capacity and compactness.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple bends are used in the drain pipe to connect to the drain valve, then connection flexibility is improved, but hydraulic drainage capacity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the multiple bends from the drain pipe configuration. By having the drain pipe open directly into the first channel section without intermediate bends, the system maintains connection flexibility through proper positioning while eliminating the flow resistance and space requirements associated with multiple bends, thus improving hydraulic drainage capacity.
3Ease of operation
If the actuator element is positioned above the drain pipe to enable valve operation, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity and installation space increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent repositions the actuator element from a vertical arrangement above the drain pipe to a horizontal arrangement alongside the drain pipe. This dimensional change allows the actuator to operate the valve effectively while integrating more compactly into the side wall structure, reducing overall device complexity and installation space requirements.
Data Source
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AI summary
A drain assembly (1) for connection to a sanitary article (2) comprises a drain valve housing (3) with a first channel section (4) having an inlet opening (5), a second channel section (6) with an outlet opening (7) and a valve seat (8) located between the inlet opening (5) and the outlet opening (7), a valve body (9) movable by the valve seat (8) from a closed position to an open position, an actuating unit (10) with which the valve body (9) can be moved, and a drain pipe (11) into which the second channel section (6) with its outlet opening (7) opens, wherein a first central axis (M4) runs centrally through the first channel section (4) and a drain pipe central axis (M11) runs centrally through the drain pipe (11), wherein the drain pipe central axis (M11) intersects the first central axis (M4) or wherein the drain pipe central axis (M11) is at a distance from the first central axis (M4). stands,wherein the distance corresponds at most to half the diameter of the outlet opening (7), and wherein the actuating unit (10) has an actuating lever (12) acting on the valve body (9) and an actuator element (13) for actuating the actuating lever (12), wherein the actuator element (13) extends at least sectionally laterally next to the drain pipe (11).