Rotatable Bathroom Fitting Socket for In-Place Maintenance

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing connection bases for sanitary faucets do not efficiently allow for maintenance or assembly without disrupting the water supply, and lack effective integration of silencer and backflow preventer elements.

Innovation Solution

A connection base with a rotatable upper part that can be locked into a barrier position to disconnect from the water supply, featuring ball caliper mounting surfaces, frusto-conical contact surfaces for fluid control, and integrated silencer and backflow preventer elements, allowing for easy maintenance and assembly without shutting off the water supply.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the upper base section is fixed to the base body, then the structural stability is improved, but maintenance work requires shutting off the water supply

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural stabilityVSAvoidmaintenance accessibility
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The upper base section is designed to be rotatable relative to the base body, transforming from a static fixed connection to a dynamic movable connection. This allows the upper base section to be rotated into a shut-off position that disconnects fluid channels from the water supply, enabling maintenance without shutting off the main water supply while maintaining structural stability during normal operation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Ease of operation

If the upper base section is made rotatable for maintenance access, then maintenance accessibility is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemaintenance accessibilityVSAvoidmechanism complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The connection base is segmented into a base body and an upper base section that can be independently rotated. This segmentation allows the upper base section to be accessed separately for maintenance while the base body remains in place, providing maintenance accessibility without requiring complex disassembly mechanisms

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The mounting surface on the upper base section and the corresponding connection surface on the base body are designed with spherical curvature. This spherical interface simplifies the rotatable connection by providing natural alignment and smooth rotation while maintaining a tight seal, reducing the complexity of the rotatable mechanism

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

3Adaptability or versatility

If spherical mounting surfaces are used for the valve stem, then alignment flexibility is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvealignment flexibilityVSAvoidspherical surface precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The mounting surface on the upper base section and the connection surface on the valve stem are designed with spherical curvature. This spherical interface provides alignment flexibility by allowing the valve stem to be tilted and rotated into vertical alignment, while the spherical geometry itself guides the alignment process, reducing the actual precision requirements compared to flat surfaces

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Data Source

PatentEP3290598B1Connection socket for a bathroom fitting with ground standing fitting column
Publication Date: 2021.06.09 HANS GROHE GMBH & CO KG
  • EP3290598B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3290598B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3290598B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

Connection base for a sanitary fitting with a floor-standing fitting column, comprising - a base body (2) having a base fluid channel (3) with a base inlet (4) and a base outlet (5), and - a base top (9) detachably attached to the base body with a top fitting column connection surface (10) and a top fluid channel (11) having a top inlet (13) which is in fluid communication with the base outlet in an operating position of the base top and a top outlet (14) which opens onto the fitting column connection surface,wherein - a silencer element (20) which can be inserted and removed via the bottom body outlet (5) is arranged in the bottom body fluid channel (3) and/or - a backflow preventer element (22) which can be inserted and removed via the top body outlet (14) is arranged in the top body fluid channel (11) and/or - the base top (9) is rotatably attached to the base bottom body (2) between the operating position and a shut-off position, wherein in the shut-off position the fluid connection of the top body inlet (13) with the bottom body outlet (5) is shut off.