Sewer Cleanout Safety Device for Cross Bore Gas Leak Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
During sewer system cleanouts, the risk of damaging a gas line due to cross boring is high, leading to potential explosions or gas leaks into buildings, as existing methods lack effective safeguards for preventing gas passage during the cleaning process.
Innovation Solution
A sewer system cleanout safety device with a housing that includes opposed inner and outer cleanout surfaces and a cavity to allow passage of cleaning implements while preventing gas escape, featuring a peripheral surface for sealing and optional inflatable designs with a retaining cuff for secure placement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a sewer system cleanout implement is introduced to clear an obstruction, then the sewer line can be cleared, but the gas line may be damaged causing explosion or fire
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a safety device as an intermediary component placed at the cleanout opening. This device includes a housing with a cavity that receives the cleanout implement and a seal that contacts the implement to prevent gas passage. The intermediary safety device allows the cleanout implement to perform its clearing function while blocking the pathway for gas to enter the building, thus resolving the contradiction between clearing capability and gas line safety.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If rags or towels are used to stuff the cleanout opening, then gas passage is blocked, but the opening is obstructed preventing implement passage
Solution Approach 1:
The safety device is segmented into distinct functional components: a housing structure, a cavity within the housing, a seal mechanism, and an implement receiving opening. This segmentation allows the device to simultaneously block gas passage (through the seal) while maintaining implement passage capability (through the dedicated opening that leads to the cavity). The segmentation resolves the contradiction by separating the gas blocking function from the implement access function.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If a seal is added to prevent gas passage, then gas safety is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a seal that functions as a flexible element within the housing structure. This flexible seal can deform to contact and seal against the cleanout implement while maintaining the gas barrier function. The use of flexible shells and thin films simplifies the overall device structure compared to rigid sealing mechanisms, as the flexibility allows the seal to adapt to the implement shape and maintain sealing without complex adjustment mechanisms.
Data Source
AI summary
Devices and methods for sewer system cleanouts such as provide increased cross bore safeguard during sewer system cleanouts. A sewer system cleanout safety device includes a housing for placement at a sewer cleanout opening to prevent passage of gas out through the sewer cleanout opening during the sewer system cleanout. The housing includes opposed inner and outer cleanout opening surfaces, and a peripheral surface extending between said inner and outer cleanout opening surfaces. The housing includes a cavity extending between the inner and outer cleanout opening surfaces to permit passage of a sewer system cleanout implement therethrough. The housing further includes a cavity lining surface to seal with the sewer system cleanout implement passing therethrough.