Odor Trap Partition Wall Segmentation for Hair Clogging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Floor-mounted odor traps face clogging issues due to accumulation of hairs and other elongate flexible objects, which complicates maintenance and manufacturing, and existing solutions either fail to prevent clogging effectively or increase manufacturing complexity.
Innovation Solution
The odor trap design features an overflow cup and immersion pipe connected via a wall that partitions the fluid flow into two separate pathways, preventing entanglement of hair and other objects, and allows for easy cleaning without disassembly using a water jet, while maintaining a compact and simple structure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If connecting flanges are minimized in size and number, then manufacturing complexity is reduced, but clogging by hairs and elongate objects still occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The connection structure is segmented into multiple separate pathways instead of a single unified passage. The partition wall divides the flow into at least two distinct paths from inlet to outlet, preventing elongate objects like hairs from bridging across and clogging the connection point, while maintaining simple manufacturing through integrated molding of the partition wall.
2Volume of stationary object
If the passageway volume is restricted to maintain compactness, then space requirements are reduced, but flow capacity is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The partition wall extends vertically within the compact odor trap body, creating multiple flow pathways in the vertical dimension. This allows the compact odor trap to maintain small horizontal footprint while providing sufficient flow capacity through the stacked arrangement of separate flow paths.
3Ease of operation
If flanges are reduced to prevent clogging, then ease of cleaning is improved, but structural connection reliability may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The partition wall is merged with the odor trap body as an integrated structure, eliminating separate flange components that require assembly and disassembly for cleaning. The integrated design maintains structural reliability through the unified construction while allowing complete cleaning access by removing only the odor trap body from the drain housing.
4Reliability
If multiple flanges are used to ensure secure connection, then connection reliability is improved, but hair accumulation and clogging increase
Solution Approach 1:
The harmful flange structures that trap hairs are extracted and eliminated from the design. Instead, a smooth partition wall is integrated directly into the odor trap body, providing secure connection to the drain housing through the integrated structure while completely removing the hair-trapping flange surfaces that caused the clogging problem.
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
This design significantly reduces clogging propensity, facilitates hygienic cleaning without disassembly, and enhances flow capacity by preventing turbulence, making it easier to manufacture and maintain.
Implementation Method 1
a flow of liquid through the odor trap is partitioned in at least two completely separated pathways all the way from the inlet of the immersion pipe to the overflow rim of the overflow cup
Implementation Method 2
The odor trap according to the invention allows such cleaning, to be easily done in a hygienic manner by simply washing down/rinsing with a water jet
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A
Figure 2B
AI summary
The present invention relates to an odor trap (1) for connection to a drain housing (100) adapted for being fixedly mounted to a building structure such as a floor (300), the odor trap (1) comprising: an overflow cup (10) having a bottom (11), a sidewall (12) extending from said bottom (11) and an overflow rim (15) defined on said sidewall (12), the sidewall (12) having an inner surface (13) and an outer surface (14); an immersion pipe (20) extending into the overflow cup (10) said immersion pipe (20) having a tubular wall (22) with an inner side (23) and an outer side (24), an upper rim (25) and an lower rim (26); and connection means (30) for connecting to a receiving portion (110) of said drain housing (100) and being provided at the upper rim (25) of the immersion pipe (20); and at least one wall (50) forming a connection between the overflow cup (10) and the immersion pipe (20), wherein a flow of liquid through the odor trap (1) is partitioned in at least two completely separated pathways (40', 40") all the way from the upper rim (25) of the immersion pipe (20) to the overflow rim (15) of the overflow cup (10). The invention also relates to a combination of an odor trap (1) and a drain housing (100).