Modular Extendable Drainpipe Assembly for Length Adjustment and Reuse
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current elastic drainpipes are costly due to the need for remanufacturing when different lengths are required, and damage to the expandable pipe body, adapter, or connecting parts necessitates scrapping the entire assembly, leading to increased costs and inconvenience in recycling.
Innovation Solution
An extendable drainpipe assembly with a spiral-shaped and expandable pipe body and adapters featuring mountable and removable connecting structures, allowing for adjustable length and easy assembly/disassembly without the use of glue, reducing the need for new molds and enabling reuse of components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the expandable pipe body and adapter are formed as an integrated whole by blow molding, then the manufacturing process is simplified, but the cost increases significantly when different lengths are needed requiring remanufacturing of both components
Solution Approach 1:
The drainpipe assembly is divided into separate modular components: an expandable pipe body and a non-expandable adapter, connected through a detachable connecting structure. This segmentation allows the pipe body to be manufactured in standard lengths while the adapter can be selectively attached or detached, providing length adaptability without requiring remanufacturing of the entire integrated assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The connecting structure between the pipe body and adapter is designed to be dynamically adjustable - it can be assembled and disassembled. This dynamic connection allows the system to adapt to different length requirements by simply attaching or detaching the adapter, rather than manufacturing entirely new integrated components for each length variation.
2Strength
If the expandable pipe body is fixed to the adapter, then the structural integrity is improved, but the entire assembly must be scrapped when any component is damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The fixed connection is replaced with a segmented, detachable connecting structure that maintains structural integrity during use but allows separation when needed. This enabling selective replacement of damaged components (pipe body or adapter independently) without scrapping the entire assembly, reducing waste and repair costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The detachable connecting structure enables recovery and reuse of undamaged components. When one component is damaged, the other can be detached and reused with a new replacement part, rather than discarding the entire fixed assembly. This recovers valuable materials and reduces manufacturing waste.
3Reliability
If the expandable pipe body, adapter, and connecting part are all possibly damaged, then the reliability decreases, but the current design requires scrapping all components together increasing cost
Solution Approach 1:
The detachable connecting structure enables selective recovery of undamaged components. When damage occurs to any part, the system allows disassembly to separate and reuse the undamaged components, minimizing material waste. This contrasts with the integrated design where any damage requires scrapping all components.
Solution Approach 2:
By segmenting the assembly into separable components with a detachable connecting structure, the system enables targeted replacement of only the damaged portion. This segmentation prevents the cascading loss of all components that occurs in fixed integrated designs, reducing overall material waste while maintaining reliability through proper component selection.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is an extendable drainpipe assembly, which comprises a pipe body and a first adapter connected to one end of the pipe body; wherein the first adapter comprises a hollow first adapter seat and a first pipe connector connected to the first adapter seat, the first pipe connector comprises at least a first connecting structure, the pipe body comprises at least a second fold corresponding to the first connecting structure, and the first connecting structure is mountably and removably connected to the second fold.