Tool-Free DWV Plumbing Fittings With Lock-and-Release Seal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing plumbing fittings for DWV systems require glue or fusion, leading to potential leaks, difficulty in installation, and the need for specialized tools for disconnection, especially in small or awkward spaces.
Innovation Solution
A plumbing fitting design featuring a housing with a cylindrical bore, an annular seal, an annular locking member with teeth, and an annular releasing member with a beveled portion, allowing for secure sealing and easy installation/removal without adhesives or tools, using a beveled portion to lock and release the piping member.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If glue or fusion is used to connect pipe and fitting, then sealing performance is improved, but installation complexity and risk of leakage increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces chemical bonding (glue/fusion) with a mechanical locking system consisting of an annular locking member with teeth that engage with the piping member, providing both sealing and mechanical retention without adhesives
Solution Approach 2:
The fitting incorporates an annular releasing member with a beveled portion that allows the user to easily disengage the locking teeth from the piping member through simple manual operation, enabling self-service installation and removal without specialized tools
2Strength
If glue or fusion is used to connect pipe and fitting, then connection strength is improved, but ease of removal and repair deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The locking system transitions from a static permanent bond (glue) to a dynamic reversible mechanical connection, where the annular locking member can be easily engaged and disengaged through the beveled portion mechanism, allowing strong connection during use but easy removal when needed
Solution Approach 2:
The fitting is divided into separable components: the housing with locking member, the piping member, and the releasing member, allowing the connection to be segmented and reassembled without damage to either component
3Adaptability or versatility
If special tools like disconnecting clips or tongs are used for separation, then disconnection capability is improved, but ease of operation in small or awkward spaces deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The annular releasing member is designed to be actuated directly by hand through the beveled portion, eliminating the need for external tools like tongs or clips, and enabling operation in confined spaces where such tools would not fit
Solution Approach 2:
The releasing mechanism is extracted from the exterior and integrated into the fitting itself, with the beveled portion accessible through the housing, allowing tool-free operation without requiring external disconnecting devices
Data Source
AI summary
Plumbing fittings and methods of manufacturing plumbing fittings for use in drain-waste-vent systems are described herein. The plumbing fittings include a housing having at least one receiving member defining a cylindrical bore for receiving a piping member therein, at least one annular seal fittingly inserted in a receiving member, and an annular locking member dimensioned for receiving the piping member therethrough. The annular locking member includes teeth extending inwardly for locking the piping member within the receiving member. The plumbing fittings also include an annular releasing member inserted within the receiving member and movable between a locking position and a releasing position whereat the beveled portion of the annular releasing member presses against the teeth for releasing the piping member.