Drain Cover with Porous Laminar Sheet and Edge Gaskets
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drain protection solutions fail to effectively manage water flow and sediment entry into drains, particularly in environments with hard surfaces like roadways and industrial facilities, leading to inefficiencies and potential clogging.
Innovation Solution
A self-supporting laminar sheet with apertures and edge gaskets, composed of polymeric materials and nonwoven fabrics, is designed to fit over drains, allowing water passage while preventing solids from entering, and includes a method of securing the gaskets to hard surfaces to enhance stability and functionality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a solid cover is placed over the drain to prevent solids from entering, then sediment entry is reduced, but water flow passage is blocked
Solution Approach 1:
The drain cover incorporates a porous filtering layer that allows water to pass through while blocking solids. The porous structure provides multiple flow paths for water while physically obstructing sediment particles, thus simultaneously maintaining water flow productivity and preventing sediment entry.
Solution Approach 2:
The drain cover uses composite materials combining different layers with distinct properties - a permeable upper layer for filtration and a supportive lower layer for structural integrity. This composite structure enables the cover to filter solids while maintaining adequate water passage capacity.
2Reliability
If the drain cover is secured tightly to hard surfaces to prevent displacement, then stability is improved, but installation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The drain cover utilizes flexible edges made of adaptable material that can conform to irregular hard surfaces. This flexibility allows the cover to be securely fitted to various surface geometries without requiring complex installation procedures or specialized tools, thus achieving high stability with simple installation.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using rigid fastening mechanisms that would complicate installation, the invention inverts the approach by using the flexibility and conformability of the cover material itself to achieve secure attachment. The flexible edges naturally adapt to and seal against the hard surface, providing stability through passive adaptation rather than active fastening.
3Productivity
If the laminar sheet extends beyond the drain ends to capture runoff, then water collection is improved, but the risk of solids entering at the ends increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible edge portions of the laminar sheet that extend beyond the drain ends can be configured to curl upward or form lip structures. This flexible configuration creates a physical barrier that prevents solids from entering at the ends while still allowing water to flow onto the extended portions and be collected, thus resolving the contradiction between water collection and solids prevention.
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 effectively manages water flow, reduces sediment entry, and maintains drain efficiency by using a laminar sheet with apertures and edge gaskets that adapt to various drain configurations, ensuring reliable operation even under heavy water flows.
Implementation Method 1
a self-supporting laminar sheet which comprises (1) a central portion comprising apertures which allow water to pass through the central portion
Implementation Method 2
a first side edge gasket which (i) comprises an inner gasket portion which contacts and lies over or under the first side edge portion of the laminar sheet and (ii) an outer gasket portion which extends away from the first side edge portion of the laminar sheet
Implementation Method 3
a method of securing the gaskets to hard surfaces to enhance stability and functionality
Data Source
AI summary
A protected drain assembly comprising a drain which is at least partially bordered by a hard surface, and which is protected by a drain cover assembly which comprises(A) a laminar sheet which (i) is on top of the drain and (ii) comprises a central portion which, when a sediment-containing liquid is placed on top of it, allows the liquid to pass through it, and(B) gaskets which (i) are attached to edges of the laminar sheet and (ii) secure the edges of the laminar sheet to the hard surface.