Flexible Rib Basket Assembly for Drain Debris Trapping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Bathtubs and showers often experience drainage issues due to hair and debris accumulation in tub drain flanges, leading to clogging and requiring harmful chemicals or plumbing snaking for clearance.
Innovation Solution
A drain debris straining assembly with a basket assembly and pop-up assembly that filters fluid and forms a seal with the drain flange, trapping debris and allowing easy removal of hair and other debris without tools, using flexible ribs and interference ridges for secure positioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a factory stopper is used to prevent water drainage, then water containment is improved, but hair and debris accumulation in the drain flange occurs leading to clogging
Solution Approach 1:
The drain system is divided into two functional components: a pop-up stopper assembly for water containment and a separate basket assembly for debris collection. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function effectively without interfering with the other, resolving the contradiction between water containment and debris prevention.
Solution Approach 2:
The basket assembly acts as an intermediary component between the drain flange and the plumbing system. It intercepts hair and debris before they can enter the pipes, while still allowing water to pass through when the stopper is open, thus mediating between water flow and debris accumulation.
2Productivity
If the factory stopper is opened to allow drainage, then water drainage is improved, but hair and debris enter the plumbing causing clogs
Solution Approach 1:
The basket assembly serves as an intermediary that allows water to pass through during drainage while intercepting and trapping hair and debris. This resolves the contradiction by enabling full drainage functionality while preventing harmful debris from entering the plumbing system.
Solution Approach 2:
The basket assembly functions as a porous filtering structure that allows water molecules to pass through while blocking larger debris particles. This enables productive drainage while preventing clogging, resolving the contradiction between drainage efficiency and debris prevention.
3Reliability
If drain clogging occurs, then plumbing functionality is compromised, but clearing requires harmful chemicals or snaking
Solution Approach 1:
The basket assembly performs preliminary action by trapping hair and debris at the source (the drain flange) before they can accumulate and cause clogs in the plumbing system. This preventive approach eliminates the need for reactive measures like harsh chemicals or snaking to clear clogs.
Solution Approach 2:
The basket assembly extracts and removes hair and debris from the drainage system at the point of entry. By continuously removing these harmful factors before they can cause problems, the system maintains reliable plumbing functionality without requiring harmful clearing methods.
4Adaptability or versatility
If a universal drain strainer is designed, then adaptability to different drain sizes is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible rib component allows the basket assembly to change its dimensional parameters dynamically. By using a flexible material, the rib can deform to match the internal diameter of various drain flange sizes, providing universal adaptability while maintaining effective sealing without requiring multiple precision-manufactured sizes.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible rib acts as a flexible sealing element that can conform to different drain flange internal diameters. This flexibility allows a single basket assembly design to adapt to multiple drain sizes while maintaining reliable sealing, resolving the contradiction between universality and manufacturing precision requirements.
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
Effectively prevents hair and debris from entering plumbing, allowing for easy cleaning and maintenance, reducing the need for harsh chemicals and plumbing disassembly, while being universally adaptable to different drain sizes.
Implementation Method 1
a flexible rib configured to compress against an internal diameter of a drain flange to form a seal
Implementation Method 2
a basket body surrounding a hollow core and at least one opening configured to filter fluid to trap debris
Implementation Method 3
an interference ridge sized and positioned to contact at least one inner wall of the basket assembly to retain a vertical position
Data Source
AI summary
Various embodiments for a drain debris straining assembly are described, where the drain debris straining assembly can be positioned inside a drain to collect hair and other debris. A drain debris straining assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the present application includes a basket assembly. The basket assembly includes a basket body surrounding a hollow core and at least one opening configured to filter fluid to entrap debris. The basket assembly further includes a flexible rib configured to compress against an internal diameter of a drain flange to form a seal between the basket assembly and the drain flange. The drain debris straining assembly may also include a pop-up assembly having an interference ridge sized and positioned to contact at least one inner wall of the basket assembly to retain a vertical position of the pop-up assembly relative to the basket assembly.