Removable Drain Stopper Strainer for Easy Cleaning and Replacement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional bathroom sink stopper assemblies face issues with misalignment, clogging, and difficulty in accessing and replacing the strainer, leading to inefficiencies and potential loss of items down the drain.
Innovation Solution
A stopper assembly with a removable strainer cartridge that allows for efficient replacement without contacting the strainer, featuring a detachable stopper head and strainer that can be rotated to release the strainer from the stopper body, and a supplemental strainer device downstream to reduce clogging.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional strainer assembly is installed in a bathroom sink drain, then it can strain hair and foreign objects, but it becomes difficult to access for cleaning and replacement
Solution Approach 1:
The stopper assembly is divided into separable components: the stopper head, the strainer, and the stopper body. The strainer is detachably coupled to the stopper head, allowing it to be removed independently for cleaning without disassembling the entire drain system. This segmentation enables easy maintenance while preserving the strainer's continuous operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The strainer is extracted as a separate, removable component from the stopper assembly. It can be detached from the stopper head by actuating a release mechanism, allowing the strainer to be taken out for cleaning or replacement without affecting the stopper body or requiring disassembly of the drain system.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the stopper head is permanently attached to the stopper body, then structural integrity is maintained, but the strainer cannot be selectively replaced
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling between the stopper head and stopper body is made dynamic rather than static. The stopper head can be rotated about a central axis to a release angle (between 45 and 360 degrees) to detach from the stopper body, and rotated back to an engaged position to reattach. This dynamic coupling allows the strainer to be replaced when needed while maintaining structural integrity during normal use.
Solution Approach 2:
The stopper head includes pre-configured engagement features and a release mechanism that enable easy detachment and reattachment. The latches are biased in a ready-to-engage position, and the rotation mechanism is pre-designed to align engagement features, allowing quick replacement without complex assembly procedures.
3Ease of operation
If the strainer is tightly secured to the stopper head, then it remains in position during use, but it cannot be easily removed for cleaning
Solution Approach 1:
A release mechanism acts as an intermediary between the user and the strainer retention system. When the release mechanism is actuated, it moves the latches from an expanded (engaged) position to a compressed (released) position, allowing the strainer to be removed. This intermediary mechanism provides easy removal while maintaining secure positioning during normal use.
Solution Approach 2:
The retention force of the strainer is changed by actuating the release mechanism, which alters the position of the latches. In the expanded position, the latches provide strong retention; in the compressed position, the retention force is reduced, allowing easy removal. This parameter change enables the strainer to be securely held during use but easily removed when needed.
Data Source
AI summary
A stopper assembly for a drain system of a fluid basin. The stopper head assembly includes a stopper head having a seal to sealingly engage the drain system of the fluid basin when the stopper assembly is moved from a drain position to a plug position and a strainer to strain fluid passing through the drain system when the stopper head is in a drain position. The stopper head assembly further includes a stopper body operably coupleable to a control element to move the assembly between the drain position and the plug position. The stopper body may be detachably coupled to the stopper head and/or the strainer to enable selective removal of the stopper head and the strainer from the stopper body when the stopper body is installed for use and coupled to the control element. Related methods, systems and components are also provided.