Sealing Cap with Conical Taper for Sanitary Pipe Installation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sealing caps for sanitary pipes require large holes in wall tiles, leading to aesthetic issues and complicate the alignment and water detection during installation, as they are often plastered in and difficult to remove.
Innovation Solution
A sealing cap with a straight cylindrical part and a conical portion that tapers, allowing for smaller holes in the tiles and easy removal, combined with a chip or sensor for water and temperature detection, and an accessory with a spirit level element for precise alignment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional sealing cap is used, then the open end of the sanitary pipe is sealed, but large holes are required in the wall tiles which cannot be completely covered by the rosette, resulting in poor aesthetic finish
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing cap changes its shape parameter from a uniform cylindrical form to a conical form with a larger base diameter (38mm) and a smaller top diameter (25mm). This parameter change allows the base to provide adequate sealing coverage while the tapered top reduces the hole size required in the wall tiles, enabling complete coverage by the rosette and achieving both reliable sealing and aesthetic finish.
2Shape
If the sealing cap is made with a tapered shape only, then smaller holes in tiles are achieved, but the cap may be plastered in and become difficult to remove
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing cap is segmented into two distinct parts: a conical portion (20mm height) that tapers from base to top, and a straight cylindrical portion (at least 20mm length) at the top. The conical portion enables the cap to fit into smaller holes in the wall tiles, while the straight cylindrical portion protrudes from the tile surface and prevents the cap from being completely plastered in, ensuring easy removal after installation.
3Manufacturing precision
If rods with spirit level are used for alignment, then correct level and alignment of sanitary pipes is achieved, but the rods have large diameter requiring large holes in tiles and must remain in place until plastering and tiling is completed
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing cap integrates multiple functions: it provides watertight sealing of the sanitary pipe open end, serves as a temporary placeholder during installation, and enables precise alignment through its conical shape that guides positioning. The conical portion's geometry naturally facilitates correct positioning and level alignment without requiring separate alignment rods, thereby achieving manufacturing precision while reducing hole size requirements.
4Reliability
If the open end of the sanitary pipe is closed with conventional caps, then sealing is achieved, but it becomes impossible to know if water is present in the pipe and its temperature
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing cap replaces the need for mechanical inspection methods (such as opening the pipe or using separate detection devices) with an integrated sensor system. Sensors are embedded within the cap to detect water presence and temperature, transmitting this information electronically without requiring physical access to the pipe interior, thus maintaining sealing while eliminating information loss.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
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Figure 5~6
AI summary
Sealing cap for sanitary pipes, which comprises a gasket (2) for watertight sealing of an open end of the sanitary pipe when the sealing cap (1) is fitted in the open end, characterized in that the sealing cap (1) comprises a straight cylindrical part (5) and an adjoining conical portion (7) that tapers.