Suction Cup Urinal Screen Attachment to Prevent Drain Blockage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Urinal screens can become dislodged due to fluid forces, leading to suction cups falling into the drain and causing blockages, and existing designs struggle to accommodate various urinal shapes and flush operations effectively.
Innovation Solution
A suction cup article comprising multiple suction cup units arranged in a 'V' formation with conic heads and channels that deflect to fit through openings in the urinal screen, preventing the suction cup from passing through the drain even if detached, and made from a resilient material like ethylene-vinyl acetate for durability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single suction cup is used to attach the urinal screen, then the attachment structure is simple, but the suction cup can be dislodged by fluid forces and fall into the drain causing blockages
Solution Approach 1:
The suction cup attachment is divided into multiple separate suction cups (at least two) positioned at different locations on the urinal screen. This segmentation prevents any single suction cup from being dislodged by fluid forces, as the distributed arrangement provides multiple attachment points that collectively resist displacement and prevent the suction cups from falling into the drain.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple suction cups are combined into a unified attachment system that works together to secure the urinal screen. The combined effect of multiple suction cups provides enhanced reliability compared to a single suction cup, while the overall structure remains relatively simple in concept and implementation.
2Ease of operation
If the suction cup article is made small enough to fit through drain openings, then installation is easier, but it can pass through the drain and create blockages
Solution Approach 1:
The suction cup article is designed with an overall size and configuration that prevents passage through the drain opening by utilizing spatial arrangement in multiple dimensions. The suction cups are positioned and sized such that the article cannot fit through the drain, yet the individual suction cups remain small enough for practical installation on the urinal screen surface.
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 suction cup article effectively secures urinal screens to the surface, prevents blockages by ensuring the suction cup cannot pass through the drain, and maintains the anti-splash functionality of the urinal screen by not deflecting protrusions, thus reducing splash and plumbing issues.
Implementation Method 1
suction cup article for attaching a urinal screen to a urinal surface
Implementation Method 2
made from a resilient material like ethylene-vinyl acetate for durability
Data Source
AI summary
A suction cup article includes at least one suction cup unit having a suction cup, a neck, and a head. The head points in a direction away from the direction in which the suction cup is oriented to suction to a surface. The head has a point at a distal end of the head, and a base that is adjacent to, and wider than the neck. The head can be passed through an opening in a basin article such as a urinal screen, resulting in the neck being disposed in the opening, and the head, having a base that is wider than the opening, providing interference that holds the suction cup unit in the basin article. The suction cup unit can further include an arm that extends from the suction cup unit near the neck. The arm prevents the suction cup article from passing through the drain of the basin.