Nested Pipe Stub Drain Fitting for Variable Sewage Diameters

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing drain fittings face challenges in adaptability to various sewage pipeline diameters, leading to high production and storage costs, and difficulties in cleaning due to complex odor trap designs and inaccessible clogged pipelines.

Innovation Solution

A drain fitting with an adjustable outer pipe section that can be cut to match different sewage pipe diameters, featuring a cup-shaped design with an upwardly extending inner pipe for easy access and a detachable hair strainer with a comb-like structure to prevent clogging.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If multiple versions of drain fittings are produced for different connection diameters, then adaptability to various sewage pipes is improved, but manufacturing and storage costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadaptability to various sewage pipe diametersVSAvoidmanufacturing and storage costs
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The pipe stub is designed with a universal structure comprising an outer pipe section and an inner pipe section that can serve multiple connection diameter requirements. The inner pipe section can be selectively used by cutting away portions of the outer pipe section, allowing a single drain fitting design to accommodate different sewage pipe diameters without requiring multiple specialized versions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The pipe stub is segmented into an outer pipe section and an inner pipe section. This segmentation allows the inner pipe section to be selectively accessed and used for different connection requirements by removing portions of the outer section, enabling one component to fulfill multiple diameter specifications.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Device complexity

If the trap is integrated into the drain body, then the structure is simplified, but access to the pipeline for cleaning becomes difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructure simplicityVSAvoidaccess to pipeline for cleaning
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The inner pipe section is extracted or removed from the integrated trap structure to provide access to the sewage pipeline. This allows cleaning tools such as cleaning spirals to reach into the pipeline while maintaining the overall integrated design of the trap within the drain body.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Ease of operation

If removable parts are added to the trap, then access to the pipeline for cleaning is improved, but the design becomes more elaborate and reinsertion becomes difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccess to pipeline for cleaningVSAvoiddesign elaboration and reinsertion difficulty
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The inner pipe section is pre-configured within the integrated trap structure, allowing it to be easily removed for cleaning access and then simply reinserted into its predetermined position. This preliminary positioning simplifies both the removal and reinsertion processes compared to completely separate removable components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3835499B1Drain fitting, in particular for a shower tray or in the form of a floor drain
Publication Date: 2023.08.16 VIEGA TECHNOLOGY GMBH & CO KG
  • EP3835499B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP3835499B1 patent drawingFigure 4~10
  • EP3835499B1 patent drawingFigure 11~12

AI summary

The invention relates to a drain fitting (1), particularly for shower trays, comprising a drain body (4) having an inlet opening (5) and an outlet (6), a ring- or flange-shaped fastening element (8) associated with the inlet opening, and a trap formed between the inlet opening (5) and the outlet (6), wherein the outlet (6) is designed as a pipe stub (4.1) for connecting a wastewater pipe. Since wastewater pipes manufactured according to standards have various connection diameters (nominal diameters) in practice, drain fittings of this type are offered in various designs, which differ from one another at least with regard to the connection dimension of their pipe stub. Accordingly, there is a large number of models of drain fittings of this type, which results in relatively high manufacturing and storage costs. To reduce costs, the invention provides that the pipe stub (4.1) has an outer pipe section (4.11) and an inner pipe section (4.12) arranged within the outer pipe section (4.11), wherein the pipe sections (4.11, 4.12) are radially spaced apart from each other. The drain fitting (1) according to the invention thus has at least two nested pipe sections which differ from each other with respect to their connection diameter, so that it can be decided on the construction site with which connection diameter the drain fitting is installed.