Drainage Plumbing Fitting Structure for Fracture-Resistant Blockage Clearing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing plumbing fittings are prone to damage during blockage clearance due to impact from blockage clearing tools, require concrete embedding for support, and are inefficient in material usage, leading to installation challenges and health and safety issues.
Innovation Solution
A plumbing fitting with a body portion resistant to fracture, featuring a thickened outer radius wall and a supporting framework that transfers impact forces to a substrate, eliminating the need for concrete support and optimizing material usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional plumbing fittings are used, then the fitting can be easily manufactured and installed, but the fitting is prone to damage during blockage clearance due to impact from clearing tools
Solution Approach 1:
The fitting is divided into distinct functional zones: a body portion for fluid flow, a thickened wall region for impact resistance, and a supporting framework for structural support. This segmentation allows each zone to be optimized for its specific function while using appropriate amounts of material in the right places.
Solution Approach 2:
The wall thickness is varied locally within the fitting structure. The thickened wall region is positioned specifically at areas susceptible to impact from blockage clearing tools, while other regions maintain standard wall thickness. This local quality enhancement provides targeted fracture resistance without unnecessarily increasing material usage throughout the entire fitting.
2Strength
If the fitting wall thickness is increased to resist impact, then fracture resistance improves, but material usage increases leading to inefficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The fitting structure is segmented into regions requiring high strength (thickened wall at impact zones) and regions where standard material suffices. This allows concentrated material placement only where fracture resistance is critical, reducing overall material consumption compared to uniformly thick-walled designs.
Solution Approach 2:
The wall thickness is enhanced locally at specific zones subjected to blockage clearing tool impact, rather than increasing thickness throughout the entire fitting. This localized quality improvement achieves the required fracture resistance while minimizing unnecessary material usage in non-critical areas.
3Stability of the object's composition
If conventional fittings without support structures are used, then installation is simpler, but the fitting becomes unstable under the weight of connected pipes
Solution Approach 1:
The fitting is segmented into a body portion and an integrated supporting framework. The framework acts as a separate structural element that distributes and bears the weight of connected pipes, stabilizing the fitting without requiring external concrete embedding. This segmentation enables the fitting to self-support while maintaining installation simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The supporting framework is merged with the body portion to form an integral fitting structure. This integration eliminates the need for separate support components or concrete embedding, as the framework is built-in to provide stability under pipe weight while maintaining a unified fitting design.
4Strength
If concrete embedding is used to support the fitting, then impact resistance and stability improve, but installation complexity and health and safety risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The concrete embedding requirement is extracted and replaced by an integrated supporting framework made from the same plastic material as the fitting. This eliminates the need for separate concrete installation steps, curing time, and associated health and safety risks, while the framework continues to provide the necessary impact resistance and stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The fitting structure includes an integrated supporting framework that provides its own support and stabilization functions without requiring external concrete embedding. The framework is self-contained and self-sufficient, eliminating the need for additional materials and installation steps while maintaining the required mechanical performance.
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 fitting provides enhanced resistance to fracture and stability, reducing installation complexity and costs while maintaining proper drainage system alignment and functionality.
Implementation Method 1
a body portion (15), or comprising a region, being resistant to fracture upon contact with a blockage clearing tool when used to clear a blockage in the plumbing fitting
Implementation Method 2
The support means may comprise a framework (50) that extends downwardly from the body portion (15) so as to support the body portion (15)
Data Source
AI summary
A plumbing fitting of the type used in a drainage system. The fitting has a body portion having a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet, and configured to alter the direction of a liquid being conveyed through it. The body portion includes a region that is resistant to fracture upon contact with a blockage clearing tool when used to clear a blockage therein.