Flexible Drain Trap Container for Optional Odor Seal

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing drain fittings for shower trays often require an odor trap, limiting flexibility in installation scenarios, such as when multiple drains share a common drain with an odor trap.

Innovation Solution

A drain fitting with a cup- or beaker-shaped container made from flexible, chemically resistant materials like silicone or EPDM, allowing the container to be compressed and removed for use with or without an odor trap, ensuring positional security through mineral fillers and design features like vertically extending beads.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If the container is made rigid to ensure structural stability, then the manufacturing precision is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates because it cannot be compressed for removal through the inlet opening

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontainer dimensional accuracyVSAvoidcontainer removal and installation

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The container transitions from a static rigid structure to a dynamic flexible structure that can change its shape. The flexible material allows the container to be compressed during removal and installation operations, then return to its original shape during normal operation, providing both ease of operation and structural stability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The container is made from flexible material that can be compressed and deformed. This flexible shell allows the container to pass through the inlet opening during installation and removal while maintaining its functional shape and structural integrity during operation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

2Ease of operation

If the container is made flexible to enable removal and installation, then the ease of operation is improved, but the manufacturing precision deteriorates because flexibility requires special material considerations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontainer removal and installationVSAvoidcontainer material consistency

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The material parameters are specifically selected to achieve the desired flexibility while maintaining manufacturing precision. The rubber-elastic material with specific properties (chemical resistance, dimensional stability) allows the container to be manufactured with consistent flexibility characteristics, ensuring reliable compression and recovery behavior

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Ease of operation

If the container is made lightweight to facilitate handling, then the ease of operation is improved, but the reliability deteriorates because the container may not remain positionally secure

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontainer handlingVSAvoidcontainer positional security

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The container uses a composite material structure combining rubber-elastic polymer matrix with mineral filler particles. This composite provides both the flexibility needed for easy handling and the weight necessary for positional security. The mineral filler (25-40% by weight) increases density and weight while the polymer matrix maintains flexibility and elastic recovery

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The mineral filler acts as a counterweight to the lightweight flexible polymer matrix. By incorporating 25-40% mineral filler by weight, the container achieves optimal weight that prevents it from being too light and losing positional security, while still maintaining the flexibility required for easy compression and handling

Inventive Principle:

Principle #8Anti-weight (Counterweight)

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

Enables the drain fitting to be used optionally with or without an odor trap, accommodating manufacturing tolerances and providing secure positioning, facilitating easy installation and removal.

Implementation Method 1

the container consists completely or at least partially of a rubber-elastic material

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

the rubber-elastic material of the cup-shaped or beaker-shaped container contains mineral filler, preferably barite and/or calcium carbonate. The container designed in this way is relatively heavy due to the filler

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectDensity increase through mineral filler:

Implementation Method 3

a sufficiently rubber-elastic material which is chemically resistant and dimensionally stable at the same time

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectDimensional stability:

Data Source

PatentEP2149643B1Drainage fitting with a drain trap having a flexible container

Publication Date: 2012.02.15 VIEGA GMBH & CO KG

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AI summary

The fitting has an odor trap arranged in a housing (1), where the odor trap has a cup or bowl shaped container (5) and an immersion pipe (6) projecting into the container. The immersion pipe is removably held at an inlet opening (2) of the housing, where a middle horizontal outside diameter of the container is larger than a middle inside diameter of the inlet opening. The container is partially flexibly formed, such that the container is compressible to insert into the housing and to remove from the housing through the inlet opening in the compressed condition.