Pressure-Activated Drain Closure With Independent Gasket Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing waste outlet closure mechanisms for sanitary fixtures are hindered by imperfections in the drain's inner surface, leading to imperfect sealing, water level oscillation, and aesthetic issues due to protruding plugs and overflow holes.
Innovation Solution
A device that independently seals the waste outlet using a gasket positioned on a hemispherical cage-like element, which is housed within the drain, allowing for pressure-activated opening and closing without direct contact with the drain's inner surface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the gasket abuts directly against the drain's inner surface to achieve sealing, then the sealing effectiveness depends on the surface quality, but the surface imperfections (roughness, polishing, chromeplating, brushing, painting) prevent perfect sealing and cause water level oscillation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a hemispherical cage-like element as an intermediary component between the gasket and the drain. The gasket seals against the smooth outer surface of this cage element rather than directly against the drain's inner surface. This mediator transfers the sealing function away from the problematic drain surface, allowing reliable sealing even when the drain surface has imperfections from various finishing processes.
2Ease of operation
If the closing plug protrudes above the drain body in the opened condition, then the mechanism is simpler, but it creates obstructive elements that can be inadvertently pressed in the closed position and has negative aesthetic impact
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a nested structure where the cage-like element with the gasket is positioned inside the drain body, and the plug operates within this nested arrangement. When closed, the plug and cage element are recessed within the drain body rather than protruding above it. This nesting approach maintains the mechanical functionality while eliminating the obstructive and aesthetic problems caused by protruding elements.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the drain has a bulky cylindrical body of high length to accommodate the overflow system, then the overflow function is achieved, but it does not allow positioning in washbasins with low height where the overflow hole would be too close to the lower opening
Solution Approach 1:
The patent repositions the overflow hole from a vertical arrangement (requiring high drain body) to a horizontal or lateral arrangement near the flange. The cage-like element and gasket mechanism are designed to accommodate this dimensional change, allowing the overflow function to be achieved in washbasins with reduced vertical dimensions by utilizing space in another dimension (horizontal placement near the flange rather than vertical placement requiring long drain body).
Data Source
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AI summary
Device (100) for closing and opening by pressure the waste outlet (S) of a sanitary fixture adapted to be housed inside a drain (20) positionable in said waste outlet (S), said device (100) comprising a hollow tubular body (101) associated or associable integrally with a plug (102,115) and a stem (103) at least partially housed inside said hollow tubular body (101). The device (100) comprises a hemispherical cage-like element (30) with several arms (301) inside which said hollow tubular body (101) and said stem (103) are housed, said hemispherical cage-like element (30) being provided with an upper annular base (303) facing the plug (102,115) and with a lower annular base (302) to which said stem (103) is connected through its free end not housed in said hollow tubular body (101), said lower annular base (302) being opposite said upper annular base (303), there being also provided an annular gasket (40) fitted externally on the tubular wall (110) of said hollow tubular body (101) adapted to be positioned in abutment against the inner wall (313) of said upper annular base (303) to hermetically close the entrance (I) of the drain (20) when said device (100) is housed sealingly in the drain (20) and said hollow tubular body (101) is in the closed position.