Reconfigurable Flapper Assembly for 2-Inch and 3-Inch Flush Valves
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional flush valves come in different sizes, requiring separate flappers for 2" and 3" valves due to differences in drain hole diameter, piping size, and flow rate, leading to inefficiencies and water conservation issues.
Innovation Solution
A modular flapper assembly kit with adjustable legs, buoyancy assemblies, and seal members that can be configured to fit both 2" and 3" flush valves, allowing for a single kit to accommodate different sizes by adjusting leg spacing, buoyancy, and seal diameters.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single flapper design is used for different sized flush valves, then device complexity is reduced and manufacturing efficiency improves, but sealing performance and buoyancy control deteriorate due to size mismatches
Solution Approach 1:
The flapper is divided into separate modular components: a frame structure, adjustable legs, buoyancy assemblies, and seal members. This segmentation allows each component to be independently sized and configured for different flush valve applications while maintaining overall system compatibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The legs incorporate adjustable mechanisms that allow the spacing between them to be modified. This dynamic adjustment capability enables the same flapper frame to adapt to different drain hole sizes and valve seat configurations, resolving the contradiction between universal design and size-specific performance.
2Reliability
If leg spacing is fixed for a specific flush valve size, then sealing performance improves for that size, but adaptability to different flush valve sizes deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The legs are designed with adjustable spacing mechanisms that allow the distance between legs to be modified according to the specific flush valve size. This dynamic adjustment maintains optimal sealing performance for each valve size while enabling the same flapper frame to serve multiple applications.
Solution Approach 2:
The flapper frame is designed as a universal platform that can accommodate different leg configurations through adjustment mechanisms. This universal design allows a single frame type to serve multiple flush valve sizes by simply adjusting the leg spacing rather than requiring entirely different frame designs.
3Productivity
If buoyancy is optimized for a specific flush valve size, then flush performance improves for that size, but water conservation deteriorates when used with different sized valves
Solution Approach 1:
The buoyancy system is segmented into separate buoyancy assemblies that can be independently selected and attached to the frame. This allows the buoyancy characteristics to be matched to the specific requirements of different flush valve sizes, ensuring optimal flush performance while preventing water waste from improper buoyancy settings.
4Reliability
If multiple flapper types are manufactured for different flush valve sizes, then sealing performance and flush optimization improve, but manufacturing efficiency and inventory management deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the flapper into a universal frame with interchangeable components (legs, buoyancy assemblies, seals), manufacturers can produce standardized frame units in high volume while maintaining the ability to customize the attached components for different valve sizes. This significantly improves manufacturing efficiency compared to producing entirely different flapper designs for each valve size.
Solution Approach 2:
The universal frame design serves multiple functions across different flush valve applications, allowing a single base product to be configured for various valve sizes. This reduces the total number of SKUs that need to be manufactured and managed in inventory, improving both manufacturing efficiency and inventory management while maintaining proper compatibility.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables a single flapper assembly kit to be used across various flush valve sizes, improving compatibility and water conservation by ensuring proper sealing and buoyancy, thus optimizing water usage and reducing the need for multiple flapper types.
Implementation Method 1
The buoyancy of a flapper is an important function because it determines how much or how little water is emptied from the tank upon flushing
Data Source
AI summary
A flapper assembly for a flush valve as well as method of assembly are provided. The flapper assembly includes a frame and multiple buoyancy assemblies attachable to the frame so as to adjust the buoyancy of the flapper assembly. The flapper assembly kit may have adjustable legs attachable to the frame. The flapper assembly kit may have multiple seal members for use in sealing with different sized/shaped valve seats of different sized flush valves.