Preassembled Irrigation Conduit with Predetermined Lateral Connectors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional dripline system installations require significant labor and lead to uneven grids and potential debris entry due to on-site assembly of PVC pipes and fittings, increasing costs and complexity.
Innovation Solution
A preassembled main supply line with predetermined lateral connectors spaced at equidistant intervals, allowing for accurate and efficient attachment of driplines without on-site measurement, reducing labor and debris entry risks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If PVC pipe and fittings are assembled on-site to create lateral connections, then the system can be installed with standard materials, but the labor cost and installation time increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The connector is pre-assembled with the supply line during manufacturing, with predetermined spacing between connectors. This eliminates the need for on-site measurement, cutting, and assembly operations, directly resolving the contradiction by performing the connection work beforehand to accelerate installation speed while maintaining ease of manufacture through standardized production processes
Solution Approach 2:
The system is divided into modular components: pre-assembled connector units with predetermined spacing along the supply line. Each connector serves as an independent module that can be quickly attached to laterals without requiring complex on-site fabrication, thus improving installation productivity while keeping the manufacturing process manageable through modular assembly
2Adaptability or versatility
If PVC pipe cutting and fitting assembly is performed on-site, then custom configurations can be achieved, but the risk of debris entry and uneven grid creation increases
Solution Approach 1:
Connectors are pre-assembled in a controlled manufacturing environment with predetermined spacing, eliminating on-site cutting and assembly operations that generate debris. The predetermined spacing ensures uniform grid creation while the controlled assembly environment prevents foreign debris from entering the system, thus maintaining reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The potential harm of on-site fabrication causing debris entry and uneven spacing is converted into a benefit by performing the assembly in advance under controlled conditions. The manufacturing process that would normally create debris is instead used to create clean, precise connections before the system is installed, turning the fabrication step into a quality-assurance mechanism
3Productivity
If special fittings like insert fittings or saddle tees are used, then labor requirements are reduced, but accurate spacing and debris prevention are still compromised
Solution Approach 1:
Rather than using special fittings that require field installation, the connector is pre-assembled with the supply line during manufacturing with predetermined spacing. This approach maintains high installation efficiency by eliminating complex field operations while simultaneously ensuring manufacturing precision through controlled factory assembly and fixed spacing during production
Solution Approach 2:
The connector and supply line are merged into a single pre-assembled unit during manufacturing, with the connector positioned at predetermined intervals along the supply line. This combination eliminates the need for separate spacing measurements and fitting installations in the field, achieving both high productivity and precise spacing through integrated manufacturing
Data Source
AI summary
A fluid supply line is provided to reduce the labor and cost required for dripline system installations by providing predetermined fitting locations where driplines can be attached. The supply line consists of a conduit having a side wall, a connector extending through the side wall of the conduit, the connector having a conduit connecting segment extending outside the conduit and an inlet segment extending into the conduit, and the inlet segment being connected to the side wall of the conduit.