Flexible Optical Device for Debris Removal in High-Rise Plumbing
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-rise building plumbing systems face challenges with debris removal due to clogged pipes with extreme curves and impasses, where existing methods like chemical cleaners and mechanical snakes are ineffective, and pressure-based systems often fail to seal properly and move debris instead of removing it.
Innovation Solution
A method using a flexible optical device with a camera to visualize debris, coupled with a water pressure device to dislodge debris and a vacuum assembly to remove it, utilizing a y-shaped or three-port fitting for a watertight connection and real-time image display to ensure effective debris removal without damaging the pipes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If a rigid mechanical snake is used to move clogged debris, then mechanical force is applied to dislodge the obstruction, but the snake is limited in length and size rendering it ineffective for clogs far downstream or in complex bends
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs flexible hoses instead of rigid mechanical snakes. The hose can be inserted deep into the plumbing system and bent to navigate complex pipe geometries, including extreme curves and impasses. The flexibility allows the hose to conform to the pipe shape while maintaining structural integrity to deliver water pressure and vacuum forces to distant clogs.
Solution Approach 2:
The debris removal system is divided into separate functional components: a flexible hose for navigation, a water pressure source for dislodging debris, and a vacuum source for removal. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently - the hose for flexibility and reach, the pressure source for force application, and the vacuum for debris extraction.
2Reliability
If a pressure source and vacuum are applied through a hose with an attachment to create a tight seal, then debris can be removed from piping, but the attachment may not be appropriately sized for the particular clogged pipe or drain resulting in air leaking
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a flexible hose that can be molded or bent to conform to the specific shape and size of the drain or pipe opening. This flexibility allows the hose to create an effective seal across a wide range of pipe configurations without requiring precise pre-sizing, thereby maintaining both reliability and adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The hose attachment is designed to be dynamically adjustable rather than fixed. The flexible nature of the hose allows it to adapt its shape and size to match the drain opening, creating a reliable seal for various pipe configurations. The system can be adjusted in real-time to accommodate different pipe sizes and shapes.
3Power
If air pressure and suction are applied to clogged piping, then debris can be moved, but the amount of pressure and suction must be controlled through a controlling mechanism which is time intensive and requires constant monitoring
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses water pressure instead of compressed air, eliminating the need for complex pressure control mechanisms. Water's incompressibility provides natural pressure stability, and the system can be operated by simply opening a valve to allow water flow to dislodge and remove debris without continuous monitoring or adjustment.
4Reliability
If a single opening attachment is used to create an air-tight configuration for vacuum debris removal, then debris can be extracted from the piping, but the user cannot monitor the inside of the plumbing to ensure effective removal
Solution Approach 1:
The system separates the monitoring function from the debris removal function by using a flexible optical device (camera) that can be inserted through the same flexible hose used for water delivery and vacuum extraction. This allows independent optimization of each function while maintaining system simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
A flexible optical device serves as an intermediary between the user and the plumbing interior. The camera transmits visual information about the plumbing condition and debris removal progress to the user, enabling monitoring without compromising the air-tight seal required for effective vacuum extraction.
5Force
If pressure is applied to move clogged debris, then debris can be displaced, but the debris is transported further downstream creating the same problem it was intended to solve
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines water pressure delivery and vacuum extraction through the same flexible hose system. The water pressure dislodges debris from the pipe walls and breaks up obstructions, while the vacuum simultaneously extracts the dislodged debris through the same hose, preventing downstream transport and ensuring complete removal from the plumbing system.
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
This method efficiently removes debris from high-rise building plumbing systems by visually locating obstructions, dislodging them with a controlled fluid stream, and vacuuming them out, preventing re-deposition and restoring the plumbing system's integrity.
Implementation Method 1
inducing a stream of fluid through the portion of the flexible water conduit, the stream of fluid directed at the debris for a period of time until it has been dislodged
Implementation Method 2
inducing a vacuum within the plumbing system sufficient to remove the debris from the plumbing system
Data Source
AI summary
A method of removing debris from piping within a high-rise building plumbing network includes inserting a portion of a flexible optical device and flexible water conduit into an opening defined by a plumbing system, the flexible water conduit operably coupled to a water pressure device. The method also includes coupling an end of a vacuum conduit, operably coupled to a vacuum assembly, to the opening and producing an image of a plumbing channel defined by the plumbing system with the flexible optical device. Next, the method includes maneuvering the portion of the flexible optical device within the plumbing system until the image of the plumbing channel depicts a debris at least partially obstructing the plumbing channel, inducing a stream of fluid directed at the debris, and then inducing a vacuum within the plumbing system sufficient to remove the debris from the plumbing system.