Filter Extraction Tool for Plumbing Fixture Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing water filter extraction tools often cause damage to plumbing fixtures due to the force required to remove filters, leading to issues like stripped threads and loosened connections.
Innovation Solution
A filter extraction tool with a fixture connecting sleeve, a linear screw, and a filter connecting cup rotatably attached to the linear screw, allowing for secure attachment to both the plumbing fixture and the water filter for easy removal without damaging the fixture.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a person pushes, pulls, and twists the filter directly in the fixture, then the filter can be removed, but damage occurs to the fixture including stripped threads and loosened connections
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary device (filter extraction tool) that mediates between the user and the filter-fixture system. The tool includes a fixture connecting sleeve that attaches to the fixture, a linear screw that engages the filter, and a filter connecting cup that secures the filter. This intermediary mechanism distributes extraction forces across multiple attachment points rather than concentrating them on the filter threads alone, preventing fixture damage while enabling filter removal.
2Reliability
If a filter extraction tool is designed to securely attach to both the fixture and filter, then the tool can remove the filter without damage, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The filter extraction tool is segmented into three distinct functional components: (1) a fixture connecting sleeve with external threads that attaches to the fixture, (2) a linear screw with a first end that engages the filter and a second end that connects to the handle, and (3) a filter connecting cup that secures the filter. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function while keeping the overall design relatively simple and manageable.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a nested structure where the linear screw is positioned within the filter connecting cup, and both are contained within the fixture connecting sleeve assembly. The linear screw passes through the filter connecting cup, creating a nested arrangement that consolidates multiple attachment mechanisms into a compact integrated tool, reducing overall complexity while maintaining connection integrity.
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 tool effectively removes water filters from plumbing fixtures without causing damage, maintaining the integrity of the connections and extending the lifespan of the fixtures.
Implementation Method 1
a linear screw having a first end and a second end, the linear screw transforming rotational motion into linear motion
Data Source
AI summary
A filter extraction tool adapted to be removably attached to a plumbing fixture and simultaneously to a water filter within the plumbing fixture to thereby remove the water filter from the plumbing fixture. The filter extraction tool includes a fixture connecting sleeve, a linear screw, and a filter connecting cup rotatably attached to the linear screw.