Integrated Pump Pipe Fitting for Correct Valve Assembly

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing mounting kits for motor centrifugal pumps, particularly drinking and domestic water circulation pumps, face challenges in ensuring correct assembly of check valves and drain valves, leading to potential installation errors and increased risk of leaks.

Innovation Solution

A mounting kit that integrates a check valve and drain valve into a single pipe fitting, featuring a housing block with a drain valve downstream of the check valve, and includes a visually perceptible flow direction marking to ensure correct alignment during assembly, along with a shut-off device to prevent backflow and a detachable design for easy maintenance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If separate check valve and drain valve components are used in the pipeline, then the functionality is complete, but the risk of incorrect assembly increases and installation complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveassembly correctnessVSAvoidnumber of components
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the check valve and drain valve into a single integrated pipe fitting component. This merging of previously separate components (check valve and drain valve) into one unified element directly reduces the number of parts that need to be assembled, thereby reducing the risk of incorrect assembly while maintaining complete functionality. The integrated design ensures proper sequencing of functions within a single component.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Productivity

If multiple separate components (check valve, drain valve, pipe fittings) are used, then the system is modular and maintainable, but the installation time and assembly complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinstallation speedVSAvoidassembly steps
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

By integrating multiple valve functions into a single pipe fitting component, the patent reduces the number of assembly steps required during installation. Installers no longer need to separately position and secure multiple individual components, which directly increases installation speed and productivity while reducing assembly complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The check valve and drain valve are pre-integrated into a single manufactured component during production, rather than requiring field assembly. This preliminary action of combining components before installation eliminates the need for complex on-site assembly procedures, thereby speeding up installation while ensuring proper configuration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of operation

If visual flow direction markings are added to the housing block, then the ease of correct alignment improves, but the manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvealignment easeVSAvoidmarking application
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies visual flow direction markings (such as arrows or color codes) on the housing block surface to indicate the correct installation orientation. This use of visual indicators significantly improves ease of operation during installation by guiding proper alignment, while the marking application process remains a straightforward surface treatment that does not substantially increase manufacturing complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #32Color changes

Data Source

PatentEP4678921A1Mounting set for a motor-driven centrifugal pump
Publication Date: 2026.01.14 DEUTSCHE VORTEX GMBH & CO KG
  • EP4678921A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4678921A1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP4678921A1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

The invention relates to an assembly set (1) for a motor centrifugal pump, in particular a drinking and/or domestic water circulation pump, with a pipe connection element (4) comprising a housing block (400) with a first end (401) and a second end (402) and a check valve (43) mounted in the housing block (400), wherein the pipe connection element (40) comprises a drain valve (44) provided downstream of the check valve (43) between the first end (401) and the second end (402) in the direction of flow of the check valve (43).