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實驗短片：

設計原理 Design process

 

 

在香港，很多家庭浴室設計都如下圖所示，排水渠與其他單位互相連接，所以臭味、蟑螂和帶病毒水蒸氣都可從其他單位隨意進入，特別是當開着了抽氣扇和關了門窗時，空氣就被迫要從去水渠位進入，當年淘大 SARS 病毒以至麗晶花園 COVID-19, 也可從這途徑傳遍整座大廈.

 

 

Figure A

本港一般家庭的去水位渠閘有兩款：三吋企身方形和三吋圓形地台渠閘(也有方形的)。有金屬的也有塑膠造的。經常臭味和蟑螂都會從此處走進屋裡來。有些人會將這些去水位乾趣密封或拆掉，誰知這樣會構成更大問題。要知道我們日常家居有很多漏水危機，如：

 

 I.                   廁所水箱自動停水系統破損

廁所水箱的入水制是長期開啓的，只是靠一個浮波和一些槓桿作停水控制。在長期的運作下，常運動的地方(A)會易勞損而引致停水失效，這樣水箱便會漏水。

 

 

Figure B

II.                   廁所水箱入水位破裂

因大厦經常洗水缸，由沒水至有水水壓會突然增大，這樣很容易引致入水喉接駁位(B)漏水。

 

III.                 洗衣機入水自動停水系統破損

洗衣機入水制是長期開啓的，只是機械運動作停水控制。在長期的運作下亦容易勞損而引致停水失效，這樣洗衣機便會漏水。

 

IV.              浴室或厨房瓷盆底漏水

這些去汚水的喉管接駁位是很多的，常因冷縮熱漲和壓力問題引致產生虛位而漏水。

 

V.              大雨時沒有關上浴室或厨房窗子

我們外出時會習慣關上廳和睡房的窗子但很少會關上廁所和厨房的窗子。如遇突然暴雨又來不及回家，雨水便會引致地板水浸，太多積水便會溢出廳和睡房。

 

因此去水位不能沒有或用膠紙或其他物件封住，如遇漏水而無處排水時，輕則可損壞傢俬電器，重則可引致漏電傷人。

致於去水位的臭味和入菌問題，其實於屋外的U形聚水器亦可加以阻隔，可惜這些聚水器大多數都沒有水在裡面。或因再裝修和維修時工人為方便而將聚水器拆掉，所以臭味和蟑螂等可從另一單位進入屋內。亦因為大多數家庭的生活習慣已改變，不常將一大桶水倒在地上來洗地。多數都只是拖地。所以縱使有U形聚水器，亦沒有水在裡面。所以一定要設計一個產品於去水位上來阻隔外來污物但又可如常排水。

 

經過了一輪實驗(Figure C)和修改，終於成功誕下了活渠門。它母親原是一名產品設計師，外觀美感當然不會忽略。還將活渠門的設計成功取得專利，使到知識產權得到保護。 



Figure C

The drainage system of most apartments in Hong Kong is shown in figure A. Odour or vapour with virus may enter the apartment through the drain pipes. Especially when the ventilation fan is on and the windows are shutted. Air has no other ways but comes in through the drain pipes from other apartments. In such a way, odour or virus can spread through the whole building. COVID-19, SARS disease outbreak in the city was a typical example. 

 

Most of the drain gates in HK are in either 3” square vertical or 3” round horizontal format. Mostly they are made of metal but some are of plastics. As a matter of fact, sewage odor or cockroaches often come into the apartments through these drain gates since there is no water in the u-traps outside the building. The protective mechanism offered by these u-traps is no longer valid because the lifestyle of most HK people has been changed. Seldom people will pour a bucket of water onto the floor for cleaning but just mopping the floor instead. Thus there will be no water in the u-trap to block foreign substance from coming into the apartment. That is why a device is needed to be designed to compensate the function of the u-trap.

 

What is in mind that a device can have a one-way pass through function? Correct! It is valve mechanism. Thus this mechanism should be employed in the new design. Upon many brainstorming and testing models, a preliminary functional device was built. It had to be tested thoroughly for its function, reliability and durability by many experiences, such as one experiment shown in figure C.

 

The design was eventually finalized upon some further revisions and improvements. The esthetics of course could not be ignored since such new design was created by an industrial designer. Ultimately the new product was patented for it unique mechanism and design before launching to the market.