Undulated Drain Cleaning Tool with Protected Barbs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drain cleaning tools, such as plungers and auger strips, are ineffective against severe clogs and often require professional, costly services, with limitations in reaching and removing clogs from pipe elbows and maintaining barb integrity.
Innovation Solution
A drain cleaning tool with an undulated strip member and end piece featuring retractable spikes, barbs, and a specialized tip for enhanced engagement and removal of clogs, including an ergonomic handle for easy use and protection of components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an auger strip with barbs is used to reach and engage clogs, then the ability to snag and remove clog material is improved, but the barbs are easily broken and require protection
Solution Approach 1:
The barbs are positioned within recesses or grooves in the strip member, creating a nested structure where the barbs are protected by the surrounding material. This nesting provides mechanical protection while maintaining the barbs' ability to engage clog material when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The strip member includes protective features such as recesses, grooves, or surrounding material that cushion and protect the barbs before they encounter damaging conditions. This beforehand protection prevents barb breakage during insertion and retrieval operations.
2Device complexity
If a straight strip is used for drain cleaning, then the device complexity is reduced, but the surface contact within the pipe is insufficient for effective cleaning
Solution Approach 1:
The strip member is formed with undulated or curved features instead of a straight configuration. These curves increase the surface area contact with the pipe walls and improve the ability to reach around bends and engage clog material distributed along the pipe length.
Solution Approach 2:
The strip transitions from a one-dimensional straight line to a three-dimensional undulated structure with varying heights and curves. This dimensional complexity increases surface area and improves cleaning effectiveness without significantly increasing device complexity.
3Reliability
If barbs are exposed for maximum engagement with clog material, then the snagging ability is improved, but the barbs are vulnerable to damage during insertion and retrieval
Solution Approach 1:
The strip member is designed to be flexible, allowing it to dynamically adjust its shape during insertion and retrieval. The barbs can flex with the strip rather than remaining rigidly exposed, providing protection while maintaining engagement capability when the strip contacts clog material.
Solution Approach 2:
The strip member acts as a flexible structure that can bend and conform to pipe geometry. This flexibility protects the barbs by allowing the strip to absorb stresses during insertion and retrieval, while the barbs remain positioned to engage clog material when the strip contacts it.
Data Source
AI summary
The tool for cleaning a drain includes a handle, a strip member, and an end piece. The handle inserts and removes the tool from the drain. The strip member has an elongated and undulated shape and is formed by segments. Each segment has a curvature with a concave side and convex side, which alternate from adjacent segments. Each segment also has barbs on each concave side. The barbs are shielded by an adjacent convex side of an adjacent segment. The end piece connects to a bottom segment of the strip member and has a collar and tip. The collar has a protective shoulder to shield barbs of the bottom segment and an actuatable spike to collect debris when bent. The tip has a distal point with prongs and a distal shoulder, which shields the prongs. The tip may also include a shaft with shaft barbs protected by a shaft shoulder.