Vent Cap With Concentric Flanges for Rodent-Resistant Pipe Venting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vent covers for plumbing stacks are vulnerable to being chewed or eaten away by rodents, allowing them to access indoor spaces, and current solutions do not effectively prevent rodent entry while maintaining weatherproofing.
Innovation Solution
A vent cap with a cylindrical body, dome-shaped vented structure, and tapered interior frustocone with concentric flanges that form a friction fit with standard pipes, featuring a raised vented surface to deter rodents and birds, and optionally includes a detachable connection mechanism.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a light polymeric material or light metal alloy cover is used for weatherproofing, then ease of installation and cost are improved, but rodent resistance deteriorates as rodents can chew and eat away the material
Solution Approach 1:
The vent cover is divided into multiple concentric flange segments that can be independently positioned. These segmented flanges create a multi-layer barrier that is more difficult for rodents to penetrate compared to a single solid structure, while maintaining the lightweight material properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The concentric flanges are nested within each other in a doll-like arrangement, with each flange positioned inside the previous one. This nested structure creates multiple obstruction layers that rodents must navigate through, significantly increasing the difficulty of penetration while using the same lightweight materials.
2Reliability
If a solid cover is used to prevent rodent entry, then rodent resistance is improved, but weatherproofing capability deteriorates due to lack of ventilation
Solution Approach 1:
The flange structures have non-uniform local qualities with varying thicknesses, gaps, and aperture distributions. Certain regions provide rodent barriers while other regions allow weather ventilation, creating localized functional zones that simultaneously address both rodent resistance and weatherproofing requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The flange structure incorporates apertures and gaps that function as a porous barrier. This porous design allows weather elements like rain and wind to pass through for ventilation while the complex multi-layer pore structure prevents rodents from penetrating through to the interior spaces.
3Manufacturing precision
If a custom-fitted cover is manufactured for each pipe diameter, then precision fit is improved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The vent cover design uses a standardized concentric flange configuration that can accommodate multiple pipe diameters. By adjusting the dimensions of the nested flanges, a single design pattern can be adapted to fit different pipe sizes, eliminating the need for completely custom designs for each diameter while maintaining precise fit.
Solution Approach 2:
The design allows for parameter changes in the flange dimensions (diameter, thickness, spacing) to adapt to different pipe sizes. By varying these parameters within a standardized design framework, the same basic structure can be manufactured for multiple pipe diameters, reducing manufacturing complexity compared to entirely custom solutions.
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 vent cap effectively prevents rodent entry into sewer pipes while maintaining weatherproofing and compatibility with various pipe sizes, while also deterring birds from landing.
Implementation Method 1
each narrowing concentric flange is dimensioned to form a friction fit with a standard-sized pipe
Data Source
AI summary
A vent cap for a sewer exhaust pipe of a residential or commercial building, or for another type of exhaust pipe, the vent cap operable to prevent ingress of rodents into said pipe. The vent cap comprises a raised, vented structure having a plurality of apertures and a plurality of tiered, birthday-caked concentric interior flanges operable to form a friction fit with a plurality of standard-sized exhaust pipes.