Urinal Drain Insert with Consumable Cap for Waterless Odor Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Waterless or low water urinals face challenges with odor control and maintenance, particularly in 'hard water' environments where limescale buildup can occur, leading to blockages and bacterial growth, and existing deodorizing cartridges require frequent replacement and generate waste.
Innovation Solution
A urinal apparatus with a hollow body, consumable detergent/deodoriser, resealing valve, and externally mounted consumable cap element made from fragranced Ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) that depletes and changes color, indicating replacement needs, and features a duckbill valve to prevent backflow and odors, facilitating easy installation and maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If waterless or low water urinals are used, then water consumption is reduced, but odor control and maintenance become problematic
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a consumable cap as an intermediary component between the urinal bowl and the drain. This cap contains deodorizing agents and fragrance materials that actively neutralize and mask odors generated in the waterless urinal system, resolving the odor control problem while maintaining water savings
Solution Approach 2:
The consumable cap is designed as a disposable component that is replaced periodically. This approach is more economical than maintaining permanent complex odor control systems, and the cap's gradual consumption of fragrance and deodorizing agents provides continuous odor protection throughout its service life
2Object-generated harmful factors
If conventional disposable cartridges are used for deodorizing, then odor control is provided, but frequent replacement and waste generation occur
Solution Approach 1:
The consumable cap is designed to dynamically adapt to usage conditions. Its fragrance and deodorizing properties gradually diminish with use, allowing maintenance personnel to monitor its effectiveness and replace it only when needed, rather than following a fixed replacement schedule that generates unnecessary waste
Solution Approach 2:
The cap contains multiple functional components (deodorizing agents, fragrance materials, and visual indicators) that work autonomously to control odors and signal replacement needs, eliminating the need for complex monitoring systems and reducing maintenance overhead
3Ease of manufacture
If water is used for flushing, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but limescale buildup occurs in hard water areas
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the water flushing function from the system by using a drain insert with resealing valve that prevents backflow without requiring water. This eliminates the limescale problem caused by hard water while maintaining effective drainage and cleaning through the mechanical resealing action
4Ease of repair
If waterless urinals are used, then maintenance costs are reduced, but odor and hygiene issues arise
Solution Approach 1:
The consumable cap acts as a mediator that provides continuous odor control and hygiene protection in waterless urinals. By containing deodorizing agents and fragrance materials, it creates a pleasant and hygienic environment without requiring water flushing infrastructure, thus maintaining low maintenance costs while solving hygiene issues
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 apparatus effectively masks urine odors, prevents backflow, and simplifies maintenance by indicating when components need replacement, reducing waste and maintenance costs while maintaining hygiene and reducing blockages.
Implementation Method 1
externally mounted consumable cap element made from fragranced Ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) that depletes and changes color, indicating replacement needs
Implementation Method 2
resealing valve, which is operable to allow flow of fluid, such as urine, from above, but is operable to prevent back flow from below the resealing valve
Implementation Method 3
features a duckbill valve to prevent backflow and odors
Implementation Method 4
The deodoriser gives off a pleasant odour which masks the smell of the urine contained within the trap
Data Source
Figure 1~1a
Figure 2~4
Figure 5~3
AI summary
The improved urinal apparatus (10) is configured for insertion in an outlet of a urinal. The urinal apparatus (10) includes a hollow body (12) defining an upper housing (14) and a clamp ring/lower housing (16). The upper housing (14) provides an open chamber configured to receive and retain a consumable detergent/malodour counteractant (33) and the clamp ring/lower housing (16) is configured to support and retain a resealing valve (36), which is operable to allow flow of fluid, such as urine, from above, but is operable to prevent backflow from below the resealing valve (36). The urinal apparatus (10) also includes a consumable cap element (70), which includes an axial opening (72) at least partway through, wherein the opening (72) is configured to receive at least part of the upper housing (14). A body of the cap element comprises a plurality of radially extending fins (74, 76). One of the upper housing (14) or the consumable cap element (70) comprise an upper member comprising an array of holes (24), which facilitate fluid flow and insertion and extraction of the urinal apparatus (10) as a unit.