Low-Profile Valved Oil Drain Plug with Spring-Biased Plunger
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional oil change processes are inefficient, hazardous, and environmentally unfriendly due to oil spills, hot oil hazards, and the need for cumbersome tools, especially in vehicles like BMWs with chassis stiffening plates, and existing valved drain plugs are bulky, difficult to operate, and prone to leaks or shearing off.
Innovation Solution
A low-profile oil evacuation system with a drain plug having a distal threaded shaft, an intermediate plug head, and a proximal threaded plug boss, featuring a spring-biased plunger and a safety cap, combined with an oil drain tool that allows for selective engagement and actuation to control oil flow, minimizing spills and leaks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a standard oil drain plug is removed for gravity drainage, then oil can be drained from the pan, but oil spills and splashes occur during the process
Solution Approach 1:
A valved drain plug acts as an intermediary device between the oil pan and drainage receptacle. The valve mechanism controls oil flow, allowing it to pass through the plug body in a directed manner rather than splashing freely. This intermediary structure eliminates the harmful splashing effect while maintaining drainage functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The drain plug is pre-installed in the oil pan before the drainage operation begins. The valve is pre-positioned to control the flow path, so when drainage is initiated, oil flows through the predetermined path of the plug body rather than splashing outward. This preliminary positioning prevents spills before they occur.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a valved drain plug is used to prevent spills, then oil drainage control is improved, but the plug becomes bulky and extends excessively from the pan
Solution Approach 1:
The valve mechanism is nested within the plug body structure. The valve components are contained inside the cylindrical plug, allowing the valve functionality to be integrated without increasing the overall external dimensions of the plug. This nesting approach enables spill prevention while maintaining a compact profile.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve mechanism operates in the radial dimension rather than extending axially from the pan. The valve moves perpendicular to the plug's longitudinal axis, allowing the drainage control function to be achieved without increasing the plug's extension distance from the pan surface.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If a valved drain plug is used to control oil flow, then spill prevention is improved, but the plug becomes difficult to operate and connect
Solution Approach 1:
The valve actuation mechanism is extracted and positioned at the external end of the plug, accessible from outside the oil pan. This allows the operator to operate the valve without needing to disassemble or access internal components, significantly improving ease of operation while maintaining spill control functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The drain plug is designed with a universal interface that can accommodate both the valve mechanism and standard drainage connections. The single plug structure performs multiple functions: sealing the drain hole, controlling oil flow through the valve, and providing a connection point for drainage hoses, simplifying the overall operation.
4Reliability
If a non-ferrous material like brass is used for the plug, then corrosion and sparking resistance is improved, but torque capacity is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The drain plug is constructed as a composite structure with a ferrous body providing high torque capacity and strength, combined with a non-ferrous coating or plating layer providing corrosion and sparking resistance. This composite approach combines the advantages of both material types, achieving high torque capacity while maintaining reliability against corrosion and sparking.
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 system effectively drains oil from the oil pan with minimal spills and leaks, meets safety standards, and is easy to use, even in tight spaces, reducing the risk of injury and environmental impact.
Implementation Method 1
a spring-biased plunger and a safety cap
Data Source
AI summary
An oil evacuation system for draining oil from an oil pan includes an oil drain plug configured to threadably engage the oil pan drain hole and having a spring-biased plunger positioned within the throat of the plug bore and configured to selectively seal the plug bore, a safety cap configured for selective threadable engagement with the plug, and an oil drain tool configured for selective operable installation on the plug upon removal of the cap when the plug is installed in the drain hole and oil is to be drained from the oil pan, the tool having an actuator for selective engagement with and displacement of the plug valve plunger to open the plug and the tool and allow oil to flow out of the oil pan.