Drain unit
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wash-basins with overflow holes face issues related to hygiene, aesthetics, and manufacturing complexity, including insect invasion, bulges that affect appearance, and the need for multiple manufacturing steps and significant weight, as well as the difficulty of retrofitting non-overflow models to include overflow functionality.
Innovation Solution
A drain unit comprising a first cylindrical body, a second cylindrical body, and a water plug member that allows water to flow between them, eliminating the need for an overflow hole by managing water levels through a valve and resistance mechanism, enabling easy installation on existing wash-basins to provide overflow functionality without altering the basin's design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an overflow hole is formed at the bowl part, then overflow function is achieved, but hygiene deteriorates due to insect invasion
Solution Approach 1:
The overflow function is extracted from the bowl part itself and relocated to a separate drain unit assembly. The drain unit contains an overflow chamber that receives overflow water from the bowl through a communication hole in the bowl bottom, separating the overflow pathway from the bowl structure to eliminate insects accessing the bowl interior.
Solution Approach 2:
The drain unit acts as an intermediary device between the bowl and the drainage system. It includes an overflow chamber that captures overflow water, a water seal chamber that creates a water barrier, and a drainage path, serving as a mediating structure that prevents direct insect access while maintaining overflow functionality.
2Reliability
If an overflow part is provided at the bowl part, then overflow function is achieved, but aesthetics deteriorates due to bulge at the back
Solution Approach 1:
The overflow function is extracted from the bowl part and placed in a separate drain unit, eliminating the need for a bulging overflow structure on the bowl itself. The overflow chamber is located in the drain unit below the bowl, maintaining a clean, flat bowl appearance.
3Reliability
If sludge removal manufacturing method is used for bowl with cavity, then overflow flow path is created, but manufacturing complexity increases and weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The overflow flow path is segmented into separate components: the bowl with a simple communication hole, and the drain unit with the overflow chamber, water seal chamber, and drainage path. This segmentation allows the bowl to be manufactured simply while the overflow functionality is provided by the separate drain unit assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of creating a complex cavity structure in the bowl to achieve overflow function, the invention inverts the approach by providing a simple hole in the bowl and creating the overflow chamber structure in the drain unit below, reversing where the complexity is located.
4Ease of manufacture
If wash-basin without overflow function is already installed, then installation is simple, but adaptability deteriorates when overflow function is needed
Solution Approach 1:
The overflow functionality is segmented into a separate, modular drain unit that can be independently installed or replaced. This allows existing basins without overflow function to be retrofitted by simply installing the drain unit assembly, which includes the overflow chamber and water seal mechanism.
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 suppresses water overflow, enhances hygiene and aesthetics by eliminating the overflow hole, simplifies manufacturing, and allows for easy conversion of non-overflow wash-basins to overflow-capable models without replacing the entire unit.
Implementation Method 1
The resistance means may have a spring that biases the valve
Implementation Method 2
Water pressure acting on the valve changes in response to the water level of water stored in a bowl
Data Source
AI summary
To provide a drain unit and a wash-basin capable of solving various problems relating to a wash-basin with an overflow hole formed at a bowl part. A drain unit includes a first cylindrical body 10 to be mounted on a drain port 112, a second cylindrical body 20 provided inside the first cylindrical body 10, and a water plug member 30 provided at the second cylindrical body 20. The water plug member 30 is capable of closing an opening of the second cylindrical body 20. A flow path 60 is provided between the first cylindrical body 10 and the second cylindrical body 20. The second cylindrical body 20 has an opening part 24 through which the flow path 60 and space in an inside part of the second cylindrical body 20 communicate with each other.