Ferrous-Reinforced PVC Cleanout Protector

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing sewer cleanouts made of plastic are prone to mechanical damage from lawn maintenance equipment and vehicular traffic, leading to ingress and infiltration issues, and current protection methods are costly, labor-intensive, and aesthetically undesirable.

Innovation Solution

A protector for sewer cleanouts featuring a rigid, ferrous metal-reinforced element with a circular center hole and planar surfaces, designed for easy installation and adjustment, providing mechanical support and aesthetic concealment, and allowing for easy location and removal.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If a protective cast iron utility box with concrete slab is installed, then mechanical protection from vehicles and equipment is improved, but installation cost and labor requirements increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemechanical protectionVSAvoidinstallation cost and labor

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The protective system is divided into separate components: a removable protective cover that sits atop the cleanout assembly, rather than requiring a monolithic concrete slab and utility box. This segmentation allows for simpler, less expensive installation while maintaining protection capabilities.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The invention uses a simpler, more economical protective cover design that can be easily manufactured and installed, replacing the expensive cast iron box and concrete slab combination. The cover is designed to be functional rather than permanent infrastructure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

2Strength

If a protective cast iron utility box with concrete slab is installed, then mechanical protection from vehicles and equipment is improved, but maintenance access complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemechanical protectionVSAvoidmaintenance access

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The protective cover is designed as a separate, removable component that can be easily taken off to access the cleanout for maintenance. This eliminates the need to break concrete slabs and disassemble utility boxes, significantly simplifying maintenance access.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of making the protective structure permanent and requiring destruction for access, the invention inverts the approach by designing a removable cover that provides protection while allowing easy removal for maintenance, reversing the traditional sequence of protection then destruction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Data Source

PatentUS9714736B1Apparatus for protecting PVC risers

Publication Date: 2017.07.25 RANDALL TONI C

AI summary

A protector for a plumbing cleanout having an exposed, protruding portion, the protector having a rigid element for use individually or in superimposed layers one upon another. The element has a circular center hole whose inside diameter is greater than the largest outside diameter of the exposed plumbing, parallel planar fundus and summa surfaces and at least one ferrous metal reinforcement member cast within the protector.