Shower Drain Fitting with Dynamic Mechanical Seal for Self-Cleaning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Shower traps are prone to blocking due to residue buildup and are difficult to clean without disassembling, which is challenging given their shallow depth and limited access for maintenance.
Innovation Solution
A shower drain fitting with a mechanical seal comprising an elongate hollow body and a closure member that automatically shifts between seated and open positions in response to fluid flow, allowing easy flushing of blockages and providing a one-way seal to prevent odour and rodent ingress, featuring a sloping surface for residue runoff and a resilient member to bias the closure member.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a shallow water trap is used in a shower, then the shower tray can be located close to the ground for easy access, but the trap becomes prone to blocking due to residue buildup and is difficult to clean
Solution Approach 1:
The invention employs a dynamic mechanical seal assembly that moves between closed and open positions. The closure member can be automatically actuated by fluid flow to open the seal, allowing easy flushing of blockages through the trap without disassembly, and then automatically returns to the closed position to maintain the odour barrier.
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanical seal assembly is designed to self-clean through automatic opening during shower use. The fluid flow from the shower automatically opens the closure member, allowing water to flush through and clear residue buildup, eliminating the need for manual disassembly and cleaning intervention.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a conventional water seal is used, then odour and gas backup is prevented, but the annular gap outlet is prone to blocking and requires disassembly for cleaning
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces the static annular gap water seal with a dynamic mechanical seal assembly. The closure member automatically opens during shower use to allow flushing, then closes to maintain the odour barrier, providing both effective sealing and easy cleanability without disassembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention substitutes the passive water-based seal mechanism with an active mechanical seal assembly that uses a closure member, spring, and actuation mechanism. This mechanical system provides more reliable sealing while enabling automatic opening for cleaning purposes.
3Ease of manufacture
If the shower trap is shallow, then installation is simplified, but the closure member has limited travel distance for effective blockage removal
Solution Approach 1:
The invention incorporates a sloping surface on the closure member that directs residue and blockages toward the center outlet. This dimensional change in the sealing surface geometry enables effective blockage removal through the limited travel distance available in a shallow trap configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanical seal assembly is designed with optimized spring tension and closure member geometry to achieve effective sealing and blockage clearance within the limited travel distance of a shallow trap, maintaining installation simplicity while ensuring functional effectiveness.
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
Simplifies cleaning by allowing blockages to be flushed away without disassembly, ensuring effective odour and rodent barrier when not in use, and facilitating easy maintenance by allowing access from above.
Implementation Method 1
the closure member is biased to the seated position
Implementation Method 2
movable between the seated position and the open position in response to fluid flowing through the body
Implementation Method 3
the internal face of the closure member comprises a centre, an edge and a sloping surface, which defines a downward slope from the centre to the edge
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
A shower drain fitting (10) for insertion into a drain outlet of a shower tray comprises a hollow body (12) and a closure member (14). The closure member (14) comprises an internal face and an external face which facilitate opening and closing the drain fitting (10). The closure member (14) is movable between a seated position and an open position, wherein in the seated position the closure member (14) engages with an outlet end (40) of the body (12) such that back-flow through the body is prevented. In the open position contact between the closure member (14) and the outlet end of the body (40) is broken thereby providing a one-way through-flow path through the body (12). In normal operation the closure member (14) is biased to the seated position and is movable between the seated position and the open position in response to fluid flowing through the body (12) from the drain outlet side of the body (12) and is movable substantially automatically from an open position to a seated position in the absence of fluid flow from the drain outlet side of the body (12) and in response to pressure on the external face of the closure member opposite the drain outlet side. The internal face (22) of the closure member comprises a sloping surface.