Drain Snake Feed Mechanism With Switchable Drive Wheels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drain cleaning machines, both drum-type and sectional, face challenges in efficiently maneuvering snakes through drains due to limitations in their mechanisms for rotating and translating the snake within the machine.
Innovation Solution
The drain cleaning machine incorporates a rotating shell with a motor, a radial drive mechanism, and a translate mechanism, featuring collets and wheels that can be switched between engaged and disengaged states to control the snake's rotation and translation, allowing for precise manipulation of the snake within the drain.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a drum-type mechanism is used to rotate and feed the snake, then the snake can be stored and fed into the drain, but the mechanism becomes complex and difficult to maneuver
Solution Approach 1:
The mechanism is divided into separate functional components: a rotate mechanism with collets for rotating the snake, and a translate mechanism with wheels for linear movement. These segments can be independently controlled and engaged/disengaged, simplifying the overall system while improving maneuverability
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanism uses movable collets and wheels that can be dynamically engaged or disengaged from the snake based on operational needs. This dynamic configuration allows the system to adapt between rotation and translation modes, reducing complexity by only activating necessary components
2Productivity
If the snake is rotated and translated simultaneously, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but control precision becomes difficult to maintain
Solution Approach 1:
The system alternates between rotation and translation operations in periodic cycles. The rotate mechanism operates during cleaning phases, while the translate mechanism operates during repositioning phases. This periodic alternation allows precise control of snake position while maintaining effective cleaning through repeated rotation cycles
Solution Approach 2:
The collets and wheels act as intermediary components between the motor and the snake. By engaging these intermediaries selectively, the system can precisely control whether the snake rotates or translates, maintaining position control precision while achieving effective cleaning through the intermediary mechanisms
3Adaptability or versatility
If radial drive mechanism and translate mechanism are both engaged, then multiple functions are achieved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Both the radial drive mechanism and translate mechanism are designed to engage with the same snake, allowing a single system to perform multiple functions: rotation for cleaning, translation for repositioning, and combined operations. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate specialized mechanisms, managing complexity while enhancing versatility
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
This configuration enables efficient feeding and spinning of the snake within the drain, enhancing the cleaning process by allowing for controlled rotation and linear movement, thereby improving the effectiveness of drain cleaning operations.
Implementation Method 1
the collets engage the snake to rotate the snake about the snake axis... the wheels engage the snake to move the snake along the snake axis
Data Source
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AI summary
There is disclosed a drain cleaning machine for moving a snake in a drain. The drain cleaning machine comprises a rotating shell. The drain cleaning machine also comprises a motor configured to rotate the rotating shell about a snake axis along which the snake is configured to be arranged. The drain cleaning machine further comprises a translate mechanism including a plurality of wheels coupled for rotation with the rotating shell such that the translate mechanism co-rotates with the rotating shell about the snake axis when the motor rotates the rotating shell. The translate mechanism is switchable between an engaged state in which one or more of the wheels move toward the snake axis to engage the snake, and a disengaged state, in which one or more of the wheels move away from the snake axis. When the translate mechanism is in the engaged state and the rotating shell rotates about the snake axis, the plurality of wheels engage the snake to move the snake along the snake axis.