Integrated Plumbing Valve Cylinder for Rough-In Mounting Precision
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional water stop valves in plumbing systems require multiple visits during the 'rough-in' and 'trim-out' phases of building construction, leading to inefficiencies, increased labor costs, and vulnerabilities to pests and environmental issues due to gaps left in the walls for plumbing fixtures.
Innovation Solution
A unitary stub out and rough-in plumbing valve cylinder assembly with an off-set front cavity and integral rear conduit member, supported by multiple support members, allows for direct mounting to wall studs without additional straps, enabling self-leveling and reducing the need for multiple installations by integrating water supply lines securely within the valve cylinder.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional water stop valves are installed during the trim-out phase instead of the rough-in phase, then proper mounting and finishing can be achieved, but labor time and costs increase due to multiple visits
Solution Approach 1:
The valve cylinder is designed with pre-integrated mounting plates and conduit members that extend beyond the wall surface during rough-in phase, allowing future trim-out components to be easily attached without requiring the valve to be removed or repositioned. The pre-extending conduit members provide alignment features that ensure precise mounting of subsequent components.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve assembly is divided into separable components: the valve cylinder body, mounting plates, conduit members, and trim-out components. This segmentation allows the rough-in phase to complete the structural mounting while leaving the aesthetic trim-out phase for later, with each phase using dedicated components that interface through standardized connections.
2Reliability
If multiple mounting straps, strips, bars or plates are used to secure the valve cylinder, then secure mounting is achieved, but device complexity and installation difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting plates are integrally formed with the valve cylinder body as a single unitary structure. This merging eliminates the need for separate mounting straps, strips, bars, or plates that would otherwise be required to attach the valve cylinder to wall studs, thereby reducing both device complexity and the number of installation steps while maintaining secure mounting through the integrated plate-stud connection.
3Reliability
If the conduit member does not extend beyond the mounting plate, then the structure is simpler, but support and protection for water supply tubing is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The conduit member extends in multiple spatial dimensions: longitudinally beyond the mounting plate to provide external support points, laterally to accommodate tubing routing, and with integrated support surfaces that create a three-dimensional support structure. This multi-dimensional extension provides comprehensive tubing support while the conduit remains a single integrated component rather than multiple separate supports.
4Ease of operation
If gaps are left in walls for plumbing fixtures during rough-in phase, then installation access is provided, but vulnerabilities to pests and environmental issues occur
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting plates and conduit members are designed to extend beyond the wall surface during rough-in phase, creating pre-formed openings that are larger than ultimately needed. These pre-formed openings allow trim-out components to be installed without requiring additional wall cutting or gap creation, and the extended structures can be sealed to wall studs to minimize gaps that would allow pest intrusion.
5Adaptability or versatility
If the valve cylinder requires separate leveling components, then adjustment flexibility is provided, but device complexity and installation time increase
Solution Approach 1:
Leveling features are integrally formed directly on the mounting plates as part of the unitary structure. The mounting plates include built-in leveling surfaces, angled contact surfaces, and geometric features that provide self-leveling capability when mounted to wall studs, eliminating the need for separate adjustable leveling components while maintaining the ability to achieve proper alignment.
Data Source
AI summary
A molded one-piece stub out and rough-in plumbing valve cylinder including a front cylindrical face having a front inner off-set cavity disposed therein, which extends to an inner wall member forming an integral conduit member that extends into an inner cylindrical rear cavity extending from an inner cylindrical rear wall surface on an opposite side of the front cylindrical face to an open ended mounting plate. The integral conduit member extends through the inner cylindrical rear cavity to a selective distance beyond the open end of the mounting plate. A plurality of support members disposed on the integral conduit member along a portion thereon and along portion of the inner cylindrical rear cavity for supporting the integral conduit member therein. Also, the integral conduit member includes a self-leveling member to level the mounting plate upon attachment to vertical or horizontal wall framed stud members.