Valve Extender for Hose Bib Remote Operation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Homeowners face difficulties in operating exterior hose bibs due to bushes and mud puddles, requiring multiple revolutions to turn on or off the water supply, which can be challenging and messy.
Innovation Solution
A combination valve and extender system using a ball or butterfly valve that can be operated with a short turn, featuring an elongated member with a handle and forked end that attaches to the valve handle, allowing for remote operation without entering muddy areas, with optional couplers and a telescoping design for adjustable positioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a globe valve or gate valve is used in a hose bib, then the water supply can be controlled, but the user must rotate the handle several revolutions to open or close the valve, making it difficult to operate from a distance or through bushes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines a ball valve or butterfly valve (which require only a quarter-turn to operate) with an extender mechanism. This merging allows the valve to maintain its simple quarter-turn operation while the extender provides the necessary reach, solving the contradiction between ease of operation and device complexity by integrating two functional elements into a unified system.
Solution Approach 2:
The extender acts as an intermediary between the user and the valve handle. It transmits the rotational motion from the user's hand to the valve mechanism without requiring the user to directly manipulate the valve handle itself. This intermediary approach allows operation from a distance or through obstacles while maintaining the simplicity of the underlying valve mechanism.
2Adaptability or versatility
If bushes are planted near the hose bib, then aesthetic appeal is improved, but it becomes difficult to turn on/off the hose bib as the bushes grow and create physical barriers
Solution Approach 1:
The extender adds a dimensional element to the valve operation system. By extending the reach in the radial direction from the hose bib, it allows users to operate the valve from a different spatial position, effectively bypassing the vertical barrier created by bushes. This dimensional extension resolves the conflict between landscaping adaptability and operational accessibility.
3Ease of operation
If the hose bib handle is extended to allow remote operation, then accessibility is improved, but the structure becomes more complex requiring additional components
Solution Approach 1:
The extender mechanism is segmented into distinct functional components: the extender body, the coupling mechanism (forked end with arms), and the handle. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and simplifies the overall design by breaking down the complex function of remote operation into manageable, modular elements that can be manufactured and assembled separately.
Data Source
AI summary
A combination valve and valve extension allows an operator to open and close a hose bib. A ball valve attaches to the free end of a hose bib. An extension member includes a coupling end that slides over the handle of the ball valve. A handle is provided at an opposite end of the extension member to allow torque to be exerted on the ball valve handle to open and close it. In this manner, a simple and cost effective method of controlling a hose bib without incurring many of the problems associated with bushes planted in front of the hose.