Plumbing fitting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing plumbing fittings face issues with contamination, difficulty in removing and reassembling components, and misplacement of caps during maintenance and flushing, due to loose or lost fixing means and variable orientation of mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
The use of bayonet fixings with cooperating projections and recesses on the cap and body, allowing for secure alignment and easy single-handed manipulation, along with a protective cap that doubles as a handle and storage for the actuator, ensures proper orientation and reduces the risk of lost components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a protective cap is placed over the opening to protect the plumbing fitting during shipping, then the plumbing fitting is protected from contamination, but the protective cap is discarded on installation increasing waste
Solution Approach 1:
The protective cap is designed to be retained and reused after installation. Instead of being discarded, the cap remains in place to seal the cavity when the mechanism is removed for maintenance or flushing, thereby recovering its utility and eliminating waste.
2Strength
If bolts are used to secure the mechanism within the plumbing fitting, then the mechanism is securely fixed, but removing these fixings in confined spaces is difficult and there is a risk they may become lost
Solution Approach 1:
The fixing mechanism is segmented into a cap portion and a body portion with corresponding threaded portions. This segmentation allows the cap to be easily removed and reattached without dealing with separate bolts, simplifying maintenance operations while maintaining secure fixation through the threaded engagement.
3Ease of repair
If the mechanism is made removable for maintenance and flushing, then maintenance and system flushing can be performed, but the opening may become contaminated or leaking may occur requiring additional components
Solution Approach 1:
The cap serves multiple functions: it seals the cavity when the mechanism is installed, it can be removed to allow mechanism extraction for maintenance or flushing, and it can be reattached to restore sealing. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate protective caps or flushing caps, maintaining reliability while enabling maintenance.
4Stability of the object's composition
If threaded portions are used to secure the mechanism, then the mechanism can be fixed in place, but variation in the orientation of the mechanism occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The cap and body are designed with asymmetric threaded portions that provide both threading for secure attachment and geometric features that define a specific orientation. This asymmetry ensures the mechanism is installed in the correct orientation while maintaining the stability of its position within the plumbing fitting.
Data Source
AI summary
A pressure independent control valve (PICV) is disclosed. The PICV has a body having a flow path extending therethrough and a cavity within the flow path to releasably receive a mechanism via an aperture. The PICV also has a cap comprising the mechanism. The cap is configured to move between a locked position where the cap is retained on the body and an unlocked position where the cap is releasable from the body. The cap is retained in the locked position by one or more bayonet fixings.