Pivot Closure Safety Mechanism for Sewer Rat Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pest deterrent devices in sewer systems with two separate closure members are complex and prone to malfunction due to waste accumulation, which hampers their effectiveness in preventing rat access.
Innovation Solution
A safety mechanism featuring overlapping circle sections with a lock member and bracket, allowing free downstream movement while locking in the upstream direction, and additional features like stops and projections to prevent lateral movement and ensure reliable locking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a locking mechanism is added to prevent upstream movement, then pest deterrent capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the locking mechanism with the closure members themselves. The lock member is integrated into the first closure member, and the bracket is integrated into the second closure member, merging the pest deterrent function with the closure function into a single unified structure rather than adding separate components.
Solution Approach 2:
The pest deterrent function is segmented into two independent closure members that can pivot independently. Each closure member has its own pivot point, allowing them to move autonomously in response to downstream flow while the locking mechanism only engages when upstream force is applied, dividing the overall function into manageable segments.
2Reliability
If a locking mechanism is added to prevent upstream movement, then pest deterrent capability is improved, but waste accumulation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The closure members are designed to be dynamic rather than static, capable of pivoting freely in the downstream direction to allow waste flow while automatically locking only when upstream force is detected. This dynamic behavior ensures waste accumulation is minimized while pest deterrent capability is maintained.
Solution Approach 2:
The lock member and bracket act as intermediary elements that only engage under specific conditions (upstream force). They serve as a mediator between the two closure members, allowing normal downstream operation to proceed unimpeded while providing automatic locking only when needed, thus preventing waste accumulation during normal operation.
3Reliability
If the bracket is positioned close to the lock member, then locking reliability is improved, but the risk of waste entanglement increases
Solution Approach 1:
The locking interface between the bracket and lock member is designed with specific local geometric features that ensure reliable engagement only at the precise point of contact. The lock member has a specific shape that fits into the bracket, creating a localized high-reliability locking zone while the rest of the closure members maintain smooth surfaces that prevent waste entanglement.
Data Source
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AI summary
Safety mechanism for pest deterrent devices, having two separate closure members pivotally suspended in use substantially vertically, and mutually arranged at a horizontal distance, where the purpose of the two closure members is to hinder the passage of pests in one direction and allow the closure members to pivot in the opposite direction in order to allow liquid flow, where the first closure member (10) is provided with one or more slits (11, 12) which in use are substantially vertical and parallel, and where adjacent the at least one slit, a lock member (13) is arranged, which lock member projects in a plane substantially orthogonal to the plane of the first closure member in a direction away from the second closure member (20), and where the second closure member (20) is provided with a bracket (21), said bracket projecting through the at least one slit in the first closure member and where said bracket has a portion overlapping the lock members plane.