Floor Drain Filter Assembly with Segmented Basket
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional drain strainers allow solid materials like hair and skin to pass through, causing blockages in drains and plumbing systems, leading to costly unblocking and potential flooding.
Innovation Solution
A filter assembly with a disc-like strainer and a detachable hollow filter basket that captures solid materials, featuring upper and lower sets of slots with varying widths to ensure continuous drainage even if the lower slots become blocked, and can be retrofitted or frictionally engaged with existing strainers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional strainers with large openings are used, then liquid drainage is efficient, but solid materials like hair and skin pass through causing blockages
Solution Approach 1:
The filter assembly is divided into two functional segments: the strainer (with larger openings for efficient drainage) and the filter basket (with smaller openings to capture solids). This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function optimally without compromising the other.
Solution Approach 2:
The filter basket acts as an intermediary component between the strainer and the drain pipe. It captures solid materials before they enter the plumbing system, preventing blockages while allowing liquid to pass through to the drain.
2Reliability
If filter means with small openings are added to capture solids, then blockages are prevented, but drainage efficiency may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The filtration function is segmented into two levels: the strainer provides coarse filtration with larger openings for efficient drainage, while the filter basket provides fine filtration with smaller openings to capture solids. Both levels work together to maintain drainage efficiency while preventing blockages.
Solution Approach 2:
Different parts of the filter assembly have different opening sizes tailored to their specific functions. The strainer has larger openings optimized for rapid liquid flow, while the filter basket has smaller openings optimized for capturing solids, ensuring each location serves its purpose effectively.
3Reliability
If filter basket slots are made small to capture hair and skin, then solid material capture is improved, but slots may become blocked more easily
Solution Approach 1:
The filter basket is segmented into multiple slots with varying sizes. The smaller slots capture fine solids like hair and skin, while the larger slots provide alternative drainage paths, ensuring that if some slots become blocked, drainage continues through other slots.
Solution Approach 2:
The filter basket design anticipates potential blockages by providing multiple slots of varying sizes. This redundancy acts as a cushion against blockages, ensuring continuous drainage even when smaller slots become partially obstructed by solid materials.
4Ease of repair
If detachable filter basket is added to existing strainer, then maintenance accessibility is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The filter assembly is segmented into detachable components: the strainer and the filter basket. This allows the filter basket to be easily removed for cleaning or replacement without replacing the entire assembly, simplifying maintenance while adding only minimal structural complexity through the attachment mechanism.
Data Source
AI summary
A filter assembly (10) for a floor drain including a strainer (11) adapted to be located in the floor drain and a filter basket (13) detachably secured to the strainer (11) on the underside thereof to extend into the floor drain to filter liquid passing through the strainer (11). The strainer (11) includes an upper set of slots (19) and a lower set of slots (18) and may be secured to the strainer (11) by a fastener (29) or frictionally engaged with the strainer (11).