Modular Encasement for Concealed Plumbing Mounting
Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional plumbing configurations are often exposed, lacking the option for concealed or adjustable solutions that provide additional benefits such as fluid flow management and versatility in mounting options.
Innovation Solution
A modular encasement or utility housing system comprising adjustable housing portions with integrated plumbing configurations, allowing for fluid communication and channeling, which can be mounted to walls or support structures, featuring adjustable sizing, fluid flow paths, and secure fastening options to accommodate various plumbing needs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If traditional exposed plumbing configurations are used, then installation and maintenance are simple, but aesthetic appearance and concealment are poor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the plumbing configuration with a housing structure to create an integrated encasement unit. The housing portions (first housing portion with cavity space, second housing portion with plumbing configuration) are combined into a single assembled unit that provides both concealment and functional plumbing capabilities, resolving the contradiction between aesthetic appearance and structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a nested structure where the second housing portion containing the plumbing configuration is received within the cavity space of the first housing portion. This nesting arrangement allows the plumbing components to be concealed within the housing structure, improving aesthetic appearance while maintaining access to plumbing functions.
2Adaptability or versatility
If fixed-size encasements are used, then manufacturing is simpler, but adaptability to different plumbing needs is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The encasement is divided into separate modular housing portions (first housing portion and second housing portion) that can be manufactured independently and then assembled. This segmentation allows for flexible sizing configurations while maintaining manufacturing simplicity, as each module can be produced using standard processes and then combined to meet different plumbing requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates adjustable positioning mechanisms that allow the housing portions to be dynamically repositioned relative to each other during assembly and installation. This dynamic capability enables the encasement to adapt to various plumbing configurations and spatial requirements without requiring custom-manufactured units for each scenario.
3Shape
If plumbing configurations are concealed within encasements, then aesthetic appearance improves, but access for maintenance and repair becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the housing portions to be separable, allowing the second housing portion containing the plumbing configuration to be extracted from the first housing portion. This extraction capability provides maintenance access to concealed plumbing components while maintaining the aesthetic benefit of concealment during normal operation, resolving the contradiction between appearance and serviceability.
Data Source
AI summary
This invention relates to an encasement (or utility housing) for a plumbing configuration. The encasement comprises a formed enclosure, the enclosure being mountable to a wall or a part of a wall or a support structure. The formed enclosure is a first housing portion, with the first housing portion providing for a cavity space. A second housing portion is receivable by, or co-locatable with, the first housing portion, and the second housing portion is receivable or co-locatable within the cavity space of the first housing portion. At least a part of the second housing portion comprises a plumbing configuration configured to receive, or be in fluid communication with, a flow of fluid and to channel the received flow of fluid to an outlet from the plumbing configuration.