Adjustable Floor Drain Inlet for Natural Stone Tile Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Fitting drainage devices to heavy and unwieldy natural stone floor tiles, especially in corner areas like shower trays, is challenging due to misalignment between the tile's aperture and the preinstalled drainage device's inlet aperture.
Innovation Solution
A drainage device comprising moveable parts, such as tubular sections with radially extending flanges and seals, allows for adjustable alignment of the tile's aperture with the inlet aperture, enabling easier adjustment and alignment during installation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If drainage devices are preinstalled in the floor area, then the drainage function is ensured, but the alignment with floor tile apertures cannot be adjusted
Solution Approach 1:
The drainage device incorporates moveable parts that allow relative movement between the preinstalled drainage components and the floor tile aperture. The inner tubular section can move horizontally relative to the outer tubular section, enabling dynamic adjustment of the aperture position to achieve alignment while maintaining the drainage function.
Solution Approach 2:
The drainage device is divided into multiple separable parts: an outer tubular section fixed in the floor area and an inner tubular section that can move relative to it. This segmentation allows the drainage function to be preinstalled while the alignment can be adjusted independently through movement of the inner section.
2Shape
If natural stone floor tiles are used, then aesthetic quality is improved, but the weight and difficulty of handling increase
Solution Approach 1:
The moveable inner tubular section allows the floor tile to be positioned and adjusted more easily during installation. The aperture in the tile can be shifted relative to the preinstalled drainage components by moving the inner tubular section, reducing the precision required in tile placement and making handling of heavy natural stone tiles easier.
3Manufacturing precision
If the aperture position is fixed in preinstalled drainage devices, then manufacturing precision is maintained, but the ability to accommodate local conditions is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The inner tubular section is designed to move horizontally relative to the outer tubular section, allowing the aperture position to be adjusted on-site to accommodate local conditions such as varying floor layouts or drainage pipe positions, while the manufactured components themselves maintain their specified precision.
Data Source
AI summary
Drainage device for arrangement on a floor tile, the drainage device, when at least partially assembled in the floor, has at least two pipe lengths moveable relative to one another in such a way that a movement of the pipe lengths relative to one another allows an aperture in the floor tile and the upper inlet aperture of the drainage device to be made to coincide at least partially with one another. At the same time the pipe lengths have flanges extending radially outwards, which are sealed against one another by seals.