Water Meter Lid Retainer With Tethered Wrench for Emergency Shutoff
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current water meters lack a readily available tool for operating the water meter cut-off valve, leading to delays in stopping water flow during emergencies, resulting in unnecessary water damage.
Innovation Solution
A water meter wrench retainer that attaches to the meter can lid, featuring a flexible chain or cable securing a wrench, allowing for quick removal of the lid and providing the wrench within the can for immediate valve operation, while also serving as a handle and preventing tripping hazards.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If no tool is attached to the water meter can lid, then the device complexity is reduced, but the time to locate tools during an emergency increases
Solution Approach 1:
The wrench is pre-attached to the water meter can lid via a flexible chain or cable, so that when an emergency occurs, the wrench is already in position and ready for use. This preliminary arrangement eliminates the need to search for the wrench during an emergency, directly reducing the time loss while adding minimal complexity through the attachment mechanism.
2Ease of operation
If a rigid handle is used for removing the lid, then the ease of operation is improved, but the tripping hazard and interference with equipment increases
Solution Approach 1:
The retainer uses a flexible chain or cable instead of a rigid handle, allowing it to adapt its position. When not in use, the flexible material can lie flat against the ground reducing tripping hazards. When needed, it can be pulled upward to provide the necessary leverage for lid removal, thus maintaining ease of operation while reducing harmful factors.
Solution Approach 2:
The retainer employs a flexible chain or cable that can conform to the surrounding environment. This flexibility allows it to lie flat and unobtrusive when not in use, minimizing tripping hazards and interference with equipment, while still providing sufficient mechanical advantage when pulled for lid removal.
3Loss of time
If the wrench is stored inside the water meter can, then the loss of time to locate the wrench is reduced, but the ease of operation for wrench removal is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The wrench is merged with the water meter can lid assembly through the flexible chain or cable attachment. This combination ensures the wrench is always positioned with the can, eliminating search time, while the flexible connection allows the wrench to be easily pulled out when needed by simply pulling on the chain or cable.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible chain or cable acts as an intermediary between the wrench and the user. It allows the wrench to be stored inside the can while providing a means to easily retrieve it by pulling the chain or cable, thus maintaining both quick access and ease of operation.
Data Source
AI summary
A water meter wrench retainer that removably attaches to a water meter lid of a water meter can. The retainer has an elongated bar attached centrally to one end of a flexible member. An opposite end of the flexible member secures to a water meter wrench. When the retainer is attached to the lid, the bar is on top of the lid, the flexible member extends through an opening in the lid and the wrench hangs downward within the can. The bar is sized so that it can be inserted through the can opening as a way of securing the retainer to and removing it from the lid. One end of the bar is flattened to scrape mud and dirt from the meter. The flattened end aids a user in grasping the bar which allows the bar to serve as a handle to remove the lid from the can.