Shower Pipe Mounting Bracket With Vibration-Isolating Clamp
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current showerhead mounting mechanisms fail to effectively reduce noise and vibration transmission from water pipes to building structures, and often lack precision and adjustability in securing the pipe connections.
Innovation Solution
A sound-absorbing isolator made of materials like molded plastic with interlocking prongs or recesses is integrated between a support member and a stiff shell, which clamps around the support member to absorb vibrations and securely fasten the water pipe, reducing noise transmission by up to 90%.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a strong connection is provided between the showerhead and water pipe, then the connection strength is improved, but vibrations and noise are transmitted directly to the cross-member and building studs
Solution Approach 1:
A resilient isolator is introduced as an intermediary element between the rigid support structure and the water pipe. This isolator absorbs vibrations and prevents their direct transmission to building studs while still maintaining the necessary connection strength to hold the showerhead securely in place.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting mechanism uses a composite structure combining rigid components (support structure, shell) with resilient isolating material. This composite approach allows the system to simultaneously achieve structural strength for secure mounting and vibration isolation to reduce noise transmission.
2Ease of manufacture
If current brackets are used for mounting, then the installation is simple, but accurate and easy location at the water pipe is difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The support structure is made adjustable rather than fixed, allowing it to be positioned at different locations along the water pipe. This dynamic positioning capability enables precise alignment with the pipe while maintaining simple installation through the adjustable mechanism.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution significantly reduces noise and vibration transmission from the water pipe to the building structure while providing a secure and adjustable mounting mechanism for the showerhead, enhancing user experience and reducing disturbance.
Implementation Method 1
The first layer or isolator absorbs and isolates vibrations in the water pipe so they are not transmitted to the support member and the shell provides a sturdy support for the water pipe and shower head, preferably reducing the transmitted vibrations by about 50% to as much as about 90% or more
Data Source
AI summary
A mounting bracket connects a water pipe fastened to an eared fitting to a support bar in a building. The bracket has an isolator made of a material selected to substantially reduce the transmission of noise and wrapped around the support bar. The bracket has a stiff shell wrapped around a periphery of the support bar and has two opposing ends. The shell is sized to clamp the isolator against the support bar during use as the ends are moved toward each other with sufficient force that there is a tight clamp resulting in little relative movement between the shell and the support during use. The shell has a mounting portion for the eared fitting. The bracket also has a fastening mechanism to hold the ends together and to fasten the eared fitting to the mounting portion during use of the bracket. The fastening mechanism clamps the ends together to restrain relative movement of the shell and support bar. For telescoping support bars an adaptor is interposed between the isolator and the smaller, inner telescoping member of the support bar to make the support bar a uniform size at the location of the bracket.