Top-Mounted Drain Cleaner Light Assembly for Nose Illumination

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional drain cleaners have limitations in illuminating the drain cleaner nose assembly, work area, and drain inlet, and often struggle with accommodating longer lengths of light assembly wiring due to their alignment below the nose.

Innovation Solution

The drain cleaner design includes a light assembly positioned above the rotational axis of the rotatable drum, with power wiring disposed between the inner and outer walls of the housing, allowing for improved illumination of the nose assembly and drain inlet, and accommodating longer light assembly lengths.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If the light assembly is disposed below the nose of the drain cleaner to minimize wiring, then the wiring complexity is reduced, but the illumination of the nose assembly and drain inlet is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewiring complexityVSAvoidillumination of nose assembly and drain inlet

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSIllumination intensity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the conventional placement of the light assembly by positioning it above the rotational axis of the drum rather than below the nose. This inversion allows the light assembly to illuminate the nose assembly and drain inlet more effectively while the wiring is routed through the housing between inner and outer walls, maintaining structural integrity and managing wiring complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Device complexity

If the light assembly is positioned below the nose, then the wiring can be minimized, but the illumination of the work area and drain inlet is inadequate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelight assembly wiringVSAvoidillumination of work area and drain inlet

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSIllumination intensity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transitions the light assembly from a conventional below-nose position to an above-rotational-axis position, utilizing a different spatial dimension. This dimensional change allows the light assembly to provide better illumination of the work area and drain inlet while the wiring is managed through the housing structure, effectively decoupling the illumination function from the wiring complexity constraint.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Illumination intensity

If the light assembly wiring is made longer to reach above the drum, then the illumination coverage is improved, but the wiring management becomes more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveillumination coverageVSAvoidwiring management

Core Design Contradiction:

Illumination intensityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent nests the power wiring assembly within the housing structure, routing it between the inner and outer walls. This nesting approach allows the wiring to accommodate the longer distance required for above-drum light assembly placement while maintaining organized wiring management and avoiding external clutter. The housing structure itself serves as the wiring pathway.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Data Source

PatentUS20250326011A1Drain cleaners with a top-mounted light assembly

Publication Date: 2025.10.23 EMERSON PROFESSIONAL TOOLS LLC

AI summary

A drain cleaner includes a housing and a rotatable drum disposed in the housing. The rotatable drum has a rotational axis about which the drum rotates. A drain cleaning cable is at least partially disposed in the rotatable drum. A light assembly is disposed in the housing. The light assembly is disposed above the rotational axis of the rotatable drum.