Movable Siphon Element with Coding Mechanism for Controlled Maintenance

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing siphon designs are complex, leading to leakage issues during cleaning, contamination outside the siphon, and uncontrolled water escape, making them difficult to maintain and clean effectively.

Innovation Solution

A siphon arrangement with a housing, inlet, and outlet connection, featuring a siphon element that can be moved from a use position to a maintenance position, ensuring complete emptying and controlled water flow, utilizing a coding element and access opening design to prevent unauthorized removal and a splash guard to contain water during maintenance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of repair

If the siphon element is made removable for cleaning, then ease of maintenance is improved, but uncontrolled water leakage occurs during removal

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of maintenanceVSAvoiduncontrolled water leakage
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of repairVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The siphon element is pre-designed with a specific orientation and coding mechanism that automatically positions it correctly during removal. The coding element on the siphon element engages with the corresponding shaped opening in the housing, ensuring the siphon element can only be removed in the maintenance position where water drainage is controlled. This preliminary design of the removal mechanism prevents uncontrolled leakage before it can occur.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Object-generated harmful factors

If complex sealing mechanisms are added to prevent leakage, then water containment is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewater containmentVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of using complex sealing mechanisms to prevent water leakage, the invention inverts the approach by designing the siphon element and housing with coding elements that control the removal process itself. The shaped opening in the housing and corresponding coding element on the siphon element create a mechanical interlock that only allows removal when properly oriented, naturally preventing leakage without additional seals.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Ease of operation

If the siphon element is designed with coding elements and shaped openings, then controlled removal is achieved, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrolled removalVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The coding element is merged with the siphon element as an integral component, and the shaped opening is merged with the housing structure. This combining of functions into existing components avoids the need for separate manufacturing steps for additional parts, reducing overall manufacturing complexity while still achieving controlled removal through the coding mechanism.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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

The design allows for easy cleaning without uncontrolled water leakage, preventing contamination and simplifying maintenance by ensuring water flows out in a controlled manner, reducing the risk of water damage and complex seal requirements.

Implementation Method 1

a siphon element (6) arranged or mounted in the siphon receptacle (5), with a siphon section (7), an inlet (8) facing the inlet (3) and an outlet (9) leading to the outlet (4)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSiphon: Syphon

Data Source

PatentEP3775416B1Siphon
Publication Date: 2023.04.26 GEBERIT INT AG
  • EP3775416B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3775416B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3775416B1 patent drawingFigure 3a~3c

AI summary

The invention relates to a siphon arrangement (1) comprising a housing (2) with an inlet connection piece (3), an outlet connection piece (4), and a siphon seat (5) arranged between the inlet connection piece (3) and outlet connection piece (4), and a siphon element (6) arranged in the siphon seat (5), said siphon element having a siphon portion (7) and an inlet (8) facing towards the inlet connection piece (3) and an outlet (9) leading to the outlet connection piece (4). Water can be guided from the inlet connection piece (3) via the inlet (8) into the siphon portion (7) and from the outlet (9) to the outlet connection piece (4). The siphon element (6) is movable, in particular pivotable, in the housing (2) from a use position into a maintenance position, and when in the maintenance position can be removed, in particular pulled out, from the housing.