Bayonet Drain Plug Path Design for Secure Clean Fluid Drainage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fluid drain plugs for vehicle oil pan reservoirs are not efficient in facilitating easy drainage and removal, leading to increased wear and overheating due to degraded engine oil viscosity, and lack intuitive and foolproof mechanisms for fluid control.
Innovation Solution
A fluid drain plug with a bayonet-type connection slot featuring a first and second path, allowing for a twist-and-lock function, enabling efficient drainage and easy removal, while maintaining a liquid-tight connection, and featuring a drain channel for controlled fluid flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a conventional drain plug with threads or simple retention tab is used, then the drain plug can be removed and installed, but the drainage efficiency is poor and the plug may not remain secured in the opened position
Solution Approach 1:
The bayonet-type connection slot enables the drain plug to be rotated between different positions (closed, opened, removed) along a defined path. This dynamic mechanism allows the plug to transition between states while maintaining secure engagement in both closed and opened positions, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and reliability of retention.
2Ease of operation
If the drain plug is designed for easy removal and installation, then service maintenance is simplified, but control over fluid drainage is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The bayonet-type connection slot provides a defined rotational path with distinct positions for closed, opened, and removed states. This dynamic design allows service personnel to easily remove and install the plug while controlling fluid flow, reducing the risk of fluid smudge by providing precise positional control during the drainage process.
3Reliability
If a bayonet-type connection is used, then the drain plug can be held within the aperture in engaged state, but the mechanism complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The bayonet-type connection slot is segmented into distinct paths: a first path for engagement and retention, and a second path for controlled opening. This segmentation allows the mechanism to provide reliable retention while maintaining relative simplicity by dividing the connection function into manageable segments rather than using a single complex mechanism.
4Productivity
If the drain plug remains secured in the opened position, then complete drainage is enabled, but the plug cannot be easily removed for complete oil change
Solution Approach 1:
The bayonet-type connection slot is designed with a defined rotational path that allows the drain plug to be rotated from the opened position back to the entrance, enabling easy removal. This dynamic mechanism provides both complete drainage when secured in the opened position and easy removal when needed, resolving the contradiction between drainage efficiency and ease of removal.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3a~3c
AI summary
The invention relates to a fluid drain plug (10) for a fluid reservoir (50) with a drain hole (51), the plug having an extension in an axial direction (A) and comprising a body part (16) rotationally insertable into the drain hole (51), the body part having a proximal axial end (15), a distal axial end (17) and a substantially circular cross section with an outer surface (18), wherein the body part comprises a drain channel (92) having an inlet (91) located at the distal axial end and an outlet opening (94) disposed on the outer surface (18), the body part further comprising a bayonet-type connection slot (40) for accommodating a part of a radial projection (52) of a circumferential surface surrounding the drain hole (51), the bayonet-type connection slot being disposed on the outer surface and comprising an entrance (40a) at the distal axial end, a first path (41) and a second path (42), the first path (41) extending from the entrance, in the axial direction (A) and in one circumferential direction (C), to a first path terminal portion (70), wherein the first path terminal portion (70) is adapted to accommodate the radial projection (52), and the second path (42) extending from the first path terminal portion, in the axial direction (A) and in an opposite direction to the one circumferential direction (C), to a second path terminal portion (72), wherein the second path terminal portion (72) is adapted to accommodate the radial projection.