Stainless Steel Pipe Guard with Internal Braces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional pipe guards are easily removable or knocked loose, leading to debris entering drainage pipes, causing clogs and requiring costly maintenance, and are often made of less sturdy materials that can be buried and lost.
Innovation Solution
A pipe guard with a mounting flange and internal plate secured by braces and fasteners, made of stainless steel, which allows water flow while preventing debris entry, and can be securely fastened within the pipe using screws and expansion nuts, with optional screening for finer materials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional pipe caps and grates are used, then water flow is allowed through, but the guards are easily removed or knocked loose, allowing debris to enter the pipe
Solution Approach 1:
The pipe guard is divided into multiple components: a mounting flange that rests on the pipe exterior, internal braces that extend into the pipe, a plate with holes for water flow, and fastening mechanisms. This segmentation allows the guard to be securely anchored while maintaining water flow capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting flange is positioned on the exterior of the pipe before the guard is inserted, providing a pre-established anchor point. The braces are pre-configured to engage with the pipe interior, ensuring the guard is securely fastened before debris can enter.
2Ease of manufacture
If pipe guards are made of less sturdy materials like plastic, then they are easier to manufacture, but they can be buried and lost when pipes become buried from cave-ins or debris overflow
Solution Approach 1:
The pipe guard utilizes stainless steel material that combines durability, buriability resistance, and detectability. This material choice ensures the guard remains functional and locatable even when pipes become buried during repairs or from natural debris overflow.
Solution Approach 2:
The stainless steel construction provides inherent detectability through metal detection capabilities, allowing the guard to be located even when buried. This effectively creates a 'detectable' property that persists regardless of burial conditions.
3Reliability
If pipe guards are securely fastened within the pipe, then debris entry is prevented, but the guards cannot be easily removed for maintenance
Solution Approach 1:
The fastening mechanism is designed to be dynamically adjustable - securely fastening the guard during normal operation to prevent debris entry, while allowing for intentional removal when maintenance is required. The mounting flange and brace configuration enables this dynamic state change.
4Ease of manufacture
If traditional pipe guards rest on top of the pipe, then they are easier to install, but they are easily dislodged when buried
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting flange nests on the exterior of the pipe while the internal braces nest within the pipe interior, creating a nested configuration that anchors the guard securely. This nested structure prevents dislodging even when the pipe becomes buried during repairs or from debris overflow.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention described is a pipe guard that prevents unwanted debris from entering a pipe while still allowing the flow of water. The pipe guard includes braces connecting a mounting flange on the outside of the pipe to a plate within the pipe having a plurality of holes. A bracket extends from one brace to the other between the flange and plate to provide additional support and rigidity to the pipe guard as well as acting as a handle that can be grasped by a worker to remove the pipe guard and material that may build up on the plate. The pipe guard is secured within the pipe by fasteners that extend through threaded holes in the braces and partially embed into the interior wall of the pipe. Accordingly, the pipe guard cannot be pulled free from or knocked loose from the pipe without loosening the screws.