Textured Pipe Cleaning Rod for Hair Blockage Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Chemical drain cleaners, used to clear clogged pipes, pose health and environmental risks due to harsh chemicals and potential oxyhydrogen explosions, and there is a need for a safer and more environmentally friendly alternative.
Innovation Solution
A pipe cleaning rod with a surface featuring unevenness such as grooves, knobs, or fibers made from renewable and biodegradable materials like wood or bioplastics, which effectively catches and removes hair blockages without chemicals, using a rotating mechanism to dislodge and remove the blockage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If chemical drain cleaners are used to clear blockages, then the blockage is removed effectively, but the pipe is exposed to corrosive damage and the user faces health hazards
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces chemical cleaning mechanisms with a mechanical cleaning rod that physically removes blockages through rotation and scraping actions. The cleaning rod with textured surface mechanically dislodges hair and debris without using corrosive chemicals, thereby maintaining blockage removal effectiveness while eliminating pipe corrosion and health hazards associated with chemical drain cleaners
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts and removes the harmful chemical substances from the drain cleaning process. Instead of introducing aggressive chemicals into the pipe system, the mechanical cleaning rod directly extracts and removes the blockage material (hair, debris) from the pipe, eliminating the need for chemical agents that cause corrosion and health risks
2Reliability
If chemical drain cleaners are used, then blockages are cleared, but hydrogen gas evolution creates explosion risks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes the chemical reaction-based cleaning mechanism with a purely mechanical cleaning system. The cleaning rod physically removes blockages through mechanical action without triggering chemical reactions that produce hydrogen gas, thereby eliminating explosion risks while maintaining effective blockage clearance
3Object-affected harmful factors
If renewable materials like wood are used for the cleaning rod, then environmental friendliness is improved, but the surface structure must be specifically designed to effectively capture hair
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing the cleaning rod with a different surface structure than a smooth rod. The textured surface with protrusions and cavities is specifically designed on the cleaning rod surface to enhance hair capture capability, while the base material remains environmentally friendly wood or bioplastic. This localized surface modification maintains environmental benefits while adding the necessary functional property for effective hair removal
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 pipe cleaning rod provides a safe and environmentally friendly method to clear pipe blockages by physically capturing hair without chemical damage to pipes or user exposure, and can be disposed of without harming the environment.
Implementation Method 1
The bumps form an uneven microscopic and macroscopic surface structure on which hair can get caught or entangled.
Implementation Method 2
The resulting gases should not be inhaled, as they can be severely irritating to the lungs.
Implementation Method 3
the heat and gas generated during this reaction in turn mechanically loosen the blockage
Data Source
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Figure 7~9
AI summary
The invention relates to a pipe cleaning bar (1) having a longitudinal axis (X), two ends (10, 11) and a surface (12). At least a part of the surface (120) of the pipe cleaning bar has unevennesses (130), in particular in the form of elevations and/or depressions. The invention further relates to a method for cleaning a pipe using a pipe cleaning bar of said type.