Pipe Access Tool With Segmented Borer Arm
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for an easy-to-use, inexpensive apparatus to assist property owners in clearing clogged overhead sewer systems or pressurized pipe systems, as existing solutions often result in water damage and unsightly messes due to a lack of expertise or complexity in DIY plumbing.
Innovation Solution
A multi-piece hand tool with a removable head and borer that can accommodate different pipe sizes, allowing for easy access and clearing of pressurized pipes by creating a clear path for fluid and solids to flow, while preventing obstruction and allowing controlled release of pressurized contents.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If a drill bit is used to bore through the pipe access cover, then the tool can penetrate the cover, but the drill bit will vibrate and not provide a large enough hole to achieve the invention's objectives
Solution Approach 1:
The boring tool is divided into a drill bit section and a borer arm section. The drill bit bores through the access cover while the borer arm provides structural support and stability, preventing vibration and enabling a larger, cleaner hole to be created without the instability of a standalone drill bit.
Solution Approach 2:
The borer arm acts as an intermediary between the drill bit and the main body of the tool. It transmits rotational force while providing structural reinforcement that prevents vibration, allowing the drill bit to create a sufficiently large hole without the instability that would occur with a drill bit alone.
2Ease of manufacture
If the borer remains in position after boring, then the hole is created, but it obstructs the clear path for water and solids to travel and exit the work area
Solution Approach 1:
The borer is designed to be movable rather than fixed. After boring through the access cover, the borer can be slid back along the borer arm into the main body of the tool, dynamically changing its position from an obstructing state to a retracted state that allows clear flow path for water and solids.
Solution Approach 2:
The tool is designed so that the borer is automatically positioned to create the hole, then can be readily retracted. The sliding mechanism is prepared in advance to allow quick transition from boring position to retracted position, ensuring the clear path is established immediately after hole creation without requiring additional steps.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a multi-piece design with removable head and borer is used, then the tool can accommodate different pipe sizes and provide clear path for flow, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tool is segmented into distinct components: a main body, a removable head with sealing mechanism, and a sliding borer assembly. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function and enables adaptation to different pipe sizes by changing or adjusting components, while the modular nature makes the complexity manageable through standardized connection interfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The removable head design with adjustable sealing mechanisms and the sliding borer assembly allow the same basic tool structure to accommodate different pipe diameters and access cover types. The universal design principles enable one tool to perform multiple functions across various pipe sizes without requiring entirely different tools for each application.
Data Source
AI summary
A hand tool that is capable of efficiently, inexpensively, and quickly attaching to a pipe and allows for boring an access hole to be used for accessing the inside of the pipe and unclogging the pipe.