Overflow Adapter Elevating Drain Water Height
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drain overflow devices limit the maximum water height in plumbing fixtures like showers and bathtubs, leading to a need for an adapter that can raise the allowable height while preventing water overflow without causing undesirable discharge.
Innovation Solution
An overflow adapter that includes an overflow disk with concentric arcuate edges, an overflow plate, and fasteners to elevate the fluid discharge level, compatible with various drain overflow devices for easy installation as a retrofit or in new installations, ensuring durability and simplicity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of stationary object
If an existing drain overflow device is used, then the water height is limited to a fixed level, but the allowable height cannot be raised above this fixed level
Solution Approach 1:
The overflow adapter is installed within the existing drain overflow device, with the adapter disk nested inside the overflow housing. The adapter creates a new overflow path through the existing structure, allowing the water height to be raised while maintaining the overflow prevention function through the nested configuration of the adapter within the original device.
Solution Approach 2:
The overflow adapter acts as an intermediary component between the existing drain overflow device and the water flow. It introduces a new overflow path through the adapter disk with opening, which mediates the water flow by providing an alternative discharge route at a higher level, thus raising the allowable water height while preventing overflow through the original path.
2Length of stationary object
If the water height is raised above the fixed level, then more water can be accommodated, but water may discharge over walls and sides of the plumbing fixture
Solution Approach 1:
The overflow adapter extracts the overflow function from the original fixed-level discharge path and creates a new discharge path through the adapter disk opening. This separates the normal water flow from the overflow path, allowing the water height to be raised while the overflow is directed through a controlled path that prevents undesirable discharge over the plumbing fixture walls.
Solution Approach 2:
The adapter disk with its opening serves as an intermediary structure that mediates the water flow. It provides a controlled overflow path that intercepts excess water before it can discharge over the plumbing fixture walls, thus raising the allowable water height while preventing harmful overflow through a regulated channel.
3Length of stationary object
If an overflow adapter is installed to raise water height, then the allowable height increases, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The overflow adapter is segmented into distinct components: an adapter body, an adapter disk with opening, and mounting fasteners. This segmentation allows for simple manufacturing and easy installation as a retrofit component. The modular design increases the water height capability while keeping each individual component simple and the overall installation process straightforward.
Solution Approach 2:
The overflow adapter serves as a simple intermediary component that fits within the existing drain overflow device. It adds the functionality of raising water height through a basic disk-shaped structure with an opening, avoiding complex mechanisms while achieving the desired height increase through a straightforward geometric form.
Data Source
AI summary
Overflow adapter for raising fluid discharge overflow level of a drain overflow having a drain overflow discharge entrance and a substantially centrally disposed drain overflow connector, the drain overflow installed in a plumbing fixture having a drain, the drain overflow having an optional drain control attached to and working in conjunction with the substantially centrally disposed drain overflow connector, the optional drain control for opening and closing the drain, comprising: an overflow disk having an upper overflow disk discharge opening having opposing substantially concentric arcuate edges and opposing edges transverse to the opposing substantially concentric arcuate edges, an overflow plate having an upper overflow plate hole at least as large as the upper overflow disk discharge opening, a shaft, and a cover or handle fastened to and working in conjunction with the shaft when the optional drain control is installed in the drain overflow for opening and closing the drain.