Roof Vent Plug With Ground-Level Removal for Pressure Testing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing plumbing systems require plumbers to climb onto the roof to remove roof vent caps during pressure tests, posing safety risks due to lack of proper equipment and dangerous conditions.
Innovation Solution
A roof vent pipe cap with a dome-shaped upper portion, a lower portion for insertion into the vent pipe, a securing member, and a pull member that allows removal from a ground location, ensuring a hermetic seal and easy detachment post-test.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a traditional roof vent cap is used, then the plumbing system can be sealed for pressure testing, but the cap must be removed by climbing onto the roof which creates safety risks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a pull member as an intermediary element that extends from the vent cap down to the ground level. This pull member acts as a mediator, allowing ground-based personnel to exert force on the vent cap through the pull member without needing to climb onto the roof. The pull member transfers the removal action from the difficult-to-access cap position to the easily accessible ground position.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extends the removal mechanism into a third dimension by having the pull member reach from the roof-level vent cap down to the ground. This dimensional extension allows the removal operation to be performed from a completely different spatial level (ground level instead of roof level), fundamentally changing how the cap can be accessed and removed.
2Ease of operation
If a vent cap is designed for easy removal from ground level, then safety is improved, but the device complexity increases due to additional components
Solution Approach 1:
The vent cap assembly is segmented into distinct functional components: the cap member for sealing the vent pipe, the securing member for attaching the cap to the pipe, and the pull member for ground-level removal. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function efficiently while keeping the overall design relatively simple and modular.
Solution Approach 2:
The pull member serves as a simple intermediary element that adds minimal complexity while enabling ground-level removal. It is a straightforward component that connects the cap to the ground, providing the necessary mechanical advantage without introducing complex mechanisms or multiple moving parts.
3Ease of operation
If the pull member is made longer to reach from ground level, then ease of removal is improved, but the weight and material consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The pull member is designed with optimized parameters including appropriate length, diameter, and material properties. The length is sufficient to reach from ground level to the vent cap, while the diameter and material are selected to provide necessary strength without excessive weight. This parameter optimization balances the conflicting requirements of reachability and weight minimization.
Data Source
AI summary
A roof vent capping device that is configured to sealably secured to an opening of a roof vent pipe so as to facilitate a pressure test of a plumbing network. The present invention is configured to be removed from the roof vent pipe from a distal location ensuing the pressure test. The roof vent capping device includes a cap member wherein the cap member has an upper portion and a lower portion. The lower portion has a diameter configured to be inserted into the opening of a roof vent pipe and provide a hermetic seal. A securing member is superposed over the cap member and includes end members that are configured to releasably secure to the roof vent pipe. A pull member is operably coupled to the securing member and the cap member and includes a second end distally located from the roof vent pipe.