Empty Pipe System with Floor Housing for Outdoor Media Access

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing empty pipe systems are primarily used for connecting buildings to media supplies, but they do not efficiently provide media services outside the building, such as electricity or water, to the surrounding property.

Innovation Solution

An empty pipe system with at least two pipes and a floor housing is installed in the ground, allowing a media line to extend from the building and provide services outside, with the floor housing serving as an access point and potential consumer connection location, enabling the use of media such as power, water, or data connections for outdoor devices like electric lawn mowers or lighting units.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a continuous empty pipe is used to connect the building to the outside area, then the media line can be laid directly, but it is difficult to provide access points and branching connections outside the building

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccessibility for media line installation and connectionsVSAvoidsystem structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The continuous empty pipe is segmented by introducing floor housings at specific locations. These floor housings create discrete access points and branching opportunities along the pipe route, allowing media lines to be connected at multiple points outside the building without requiring a completely different system architecture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Floor housings serve as intermediary components between the empty pipe and the outdoor environment. They provide connection points, branching capabilities, and access to the media line without exposing the entire pipe system, thus maintaining system integrity while enabling external connections.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If floor housing is installed in the ground for access points, then media connections can be made outside the building, but installation effort and soil adaptation requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoutdoor media service capabilityVSAvoidinstallation effort
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The floor housing is designed as a universal component that can be installed in various soil conditions and locations around the building. It serves multiple functions including providing access to the media line, enabling branching connections, and accommodating different types of media (electricity, water, data). This multi-functionality reduces the need for specialized components for different scenarios.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The floor housing design allows for parameter adjustments to suit different installation conditions, including varying depths in the ground, different soil types, and diverse location requirements around the building. This adaptability enables the same basic component to be universally applied while meeting specific local requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP4175086A1Use of an empty pipe system
Publication Date: 2023.05.03 HAUFF TECHNIK GMBH & CO KG
  • EP4175086A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4175086A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4175086A1 patent drawingFigure 3a~3c

AI summary

The invention relates to the use of a conduit system comprising a first and a second conduit as well as a first ground housing, wherein the conduit system is installed in the ground outside a building, but on its property, in such a way that the first conduit connects the building and the first ground housing and the second conduit extends away from the first ground housing, wherein a media line is laid in the conduit system which is connected or is connected in the building to a consumer-side end of a media house connection.