Foam shower intelligent control system with equalization

Abstract

The application discloses a foam shower intelligent control system with an isobaric cabin, which comprises a water circuit unit, an air circuit unit, a liquid circuit unit, an isobaric cabin and a control unit. The water circuit unit comprises an inlet pipeline, a mixing cabin and a shower; the air pump of the air circuit unit injects air into water flow through a first branch and injects positive pressure gas into the emulsion container and the isobaric cabin through a second branch; the peristaltic pump of the liquid circuit unit is installed in the isobaric cabin, the liquid suction port of the peristaltic pump is communicated with the emulsion container, and the liquid discharge port is communicated with the inlet pipeline; and the control unit adjusts the working parameters of the air pump and the peristaltic pump. The peristaltic pump is in a pressure balanced environment with the emulsion container through the isobaric cabin, the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the hose is eliminated, the defects of unstable liquid suction and flow interruption caused by pressure fluctuation in the traditional scheme are solved, the liquid supply flow is only related to the pump rotating speed and is decoupled from water pressure fluctuation, the stability of the liquid delivery and the quantitative accuracy are significantly improved, and the foam output is ensured to be uniform and dense.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of bathroom equipment technology, and in particular to an intelligent control system for a foam shower with an isobaric chamber that can automatically generate and output foam. Background Technology

[0002] In modern homes and hotels, foam shower systems are gradually replacing traditional showerheads due to their advantages such as water conservation, gentle water flow, and automatic detergent mixing. A typical foam shower system includes... Figure 1 As shown, it generally consists of a display screen, main control board, air pump, emulsion container, peristaltic pump, one-way valve, water pipes, mixing chamber, and shower head. An external water source is connected to the water pipe through the inlet. After the user sets the setting via the display screen, the main control board simultaneously drives the air pump and peristaltic pump. The air pump outputs positive pressure airflow, which is injected into the water pipe and initially mixed with the water flow. The peristaltic pump then quantitatively extracts the washing liquid from the emulsion container and pumps it into the water pipe. The air-containing water flow and washing liquid agitate and shear within the mixing chamber to form foam, which is ultimately output through the shower head.

[0003] However, this existing solution has revealed significant shortcomings in practical applications. The core issue lies in the reliability of the peristaltic pump in high-pressure water pipelines. Because the pump's suction port is connected to the emulsion container, while the discharge port leads directly to the high-pressure water pipe, the flexible hose within the pump body experiences a significant internal and external pressure difference. When the water pipe pressure fluctuates or the outlet valve is not fully open, the hose is prone to expansion due to overpressure, even losing its original stress. Simultaneously, prolonged high-pressure operation accelerates hose elastic fatigue, leading to insufficient rebound and flow reduction. More critically, during the cyclical squeezing and releasing motion of the rollers, a momentary negative pressure is created at the suction end of the peristaltic pump. Without pressure compensation, this negative pressure can easily cause gas release and flow interruption in the wash solution, resulting in inconsistent liquid supply and severely affecting the stability and density of the foam. Furthermore, changes in water pipe pressure directly interfere with the pumping process, making it impossible to guarantee a precise liquid-to-gas ratio using a simple fixed-speed drive method, ultimately resulting in inconsistent foam density and a poor feel. Therefore, it is necessary to provide a smart control system for foam showers with an isobaric chamber to overcome the above-mentioned defects. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide an intelligent control system for foam showers with an isobaric chamber. This system aims to solve the problems of high stress in the peristaltic tube and unstable liquid absorption and flow interruption caused by internal and external pressure differences and negative pressure effects under fluctuating water pressure. It creates a working environment for the peristaltic pump that is in pressure balance with the inside of the emulsion container, thereby improving the stability and quantitative accuracy of the delivery of the washing and care liquid, achieving high-precision liquid supply and foaming, and protecting the peristaltic tube to work within the stress range.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides an intelligent control system for foam showers with an isobaric chamber, comprising: A water system unit, comprising an inlet pipe, a mixing chamber, and a shower head connected in sequence; The air circuit unit includes an air pump, the air outlet of which is connected to the water inlet pipe through a first branch to inject gas into the water flow. The liquid circuit unit includes an emulsion container and a peristaltic pump. The suction port of the peristaltic pump is connected to the emulsion container, and the discharge port of the peristaltic pump is connected to the water inlet pipe. The isobaric chamber is a sealed cavity, and the peristaltic pump is installed inside the isobaric chamber; The air outlet of the air pump is also connected to the internal space of the emulsion container and the internal space of the isobaric chamber through a second branch, so as to inject positive pressure gas into the emulsion container and the isobaric chamber, so that the ambient pressure of the peristaltic pump is balanced with the pressure inside the emulsion container. A control unit is electrically connected to both the air pump and the peristaltic pump, and is used to adjust the operating parameters of the air pump and the peristaltic pump.

[0006] In a preferred embodiment, the air outlet of the air pump is connected to the inlet of the first tee; the first outlet of the first tee forms the first branch, and the second outlet of the first tee is connected to the inlet of the second tee; the first outlet of the second tee is connected to the space above the liquid surface inside the emulsion container, and the second outlet of the second tee is connected to the interior of the isobaric chamber, thereby forming the second branch.

[0007] In a preferred embodiment, the water inlet pipe is provided with a water flow detection device electrically connected to the control unit; the water flow detection device is used to collect the water flow rate signal of the water circuit unit.

[0008] In a preferred embodiment, the water flow detection device is a differential pressure flow meter, a flow sensor, or a pressure sensor; the control unit is configured to dynamically adjust the speed of the air pump and the speed of the peristaltic pump based on the real-time water flow rate fed back by the differential pressure flow meter, the flow sensor, or the pressure sensor, so as to achieve a dynamic ratio of water flow, air flow and emulsion through closed-loop control.

[0009] In a preferred embodiment, the water inlet pipe is further provided with a valve, which is electrically connected to the control unit and is used to receive instructions from the control unit to cut off or connect the water circuit.

[0010] In a preferred embodiment, the emulsion container and the isobaric chamber are integrated as a single detachable module, or are sealed together via a quick-connect coupling.

[0011] In a preferred embodiment, a first check valve is connected in series between the first outlet of the first tee and the water inlet pipe.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment, a second check valve is connected in series between the discharge port of the peristaltic pump and the inlet pipe.

[0013] In a preferred embodiment, the control unit includes a main control board and a display screen; the display screen is used for human-computer interaction and to display the working status.

[0014] The intelligent control system for foam showers with an isobaric chamber provided by this invention encapsulates a peristaltic pump within a sealed isobaric chamber that shares the same positive pressure gas source as the emulsion container. The air pump simultaneously injects positive pressure gas into the space above the liquid surface in the emulsion container and into the isobaric chamber via a second branch, immersing the peristaltic pump entirely in an environment with pressure equal to that inside the emulsion container. The pressure difference between the inside and outside of the peristaltic pump hose is eliminated, and the pressure difference between the suction port and discharge port is almost zero during pumping. The pump's driving load is only used to overcome the hose deformation resistance. Therefore, the peristaltic pump's delivery flow rate is entirely determined by the pump head speed and the hose deformation cycle, completely decoupling it from the high-pressure water flow and pressure fluctuations in the water circuit. This eliminates the problems of unstable suction and flow interruption caused by negative pressure when directly drawing liquid with a traditional peristaltic pump, significantly improving the quantitative accuracy and long-term operational stability of high-viscosity washing and conditioning liquids, ensuring uniform and dense foam output and a consistent user experience. Attached Figure Description

[0015] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some embodiments of the present invention and should not be regarded as a limitation on the scope. For those skilled in the art, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a foam shower head device in the prior art; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the intelligent control system for foam showers with an isobaric chamber provided by the present invention.

[0017] The following are labeled in the diagram: 1. Inlet pipe; 2. Mixing chamber; 3. Shower head; 4. Valve; 5. Differential pressure flow meter; 6. Air pump; 7. First tee; 8. Second tee; 9. First check valve; 10. Second check valve; 11. Emulsion container; 12. Isobaric chamber; 13. Peristaltic pump; 14. Display screen; 15. Main control board. Detailed Implementation To make the objectives, technical solutions, and beneficial effects of this invention clearer, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described in this specification are merely for explaining the invention and are not intended to limit the invention.

[0018] It should also be understood that the terminology used in this specification is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the invention. As used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0019] It should also be further understood that the term "and / or" as used in this specification and the appended claims refers to any combination of one or more of the associated listed items and all possible combinations, and includes such combinations.

[0020] In an embodiment of the present invention, a smart control system for foam showers with an isobaric chamber is provided, which achieves high-precision liquid supply and foaming by creating a working environment that balances the pressure inside the emulsion container with that of the peristaltic pump.

[0021] like Figure 2 As shown, the intelligent control system for a foam shower with an isobaric chamber includes a water circuit unit, an air circuit unit, a liquid circuit unit, an isobaric chamber 12, and a control unit.

[0022] Specifically, the water system unit includes an inlet pipe 1 for conveying water flow, and a downstream mixing chamber 2 and a shower head 3. An external water source is connected to the inlet pipe 1 through the inlet, and a valve 4 and a differential pressure flow meter 5 as a water flow detection device are installed on the inlet pipe 1.

[0023] Among them, valve 4 can be a solenoid valve or an electric ball valve. It is electrically connected to the control unit (including the main control board 15) and can receive commands to connect or disconnect the entire water circuit. It automatically closes when the equipment is in standby, under maintenance or in case of abnormality, to prevent leakage and accidental water discharge, and significantly improves the safety of use.

[0024] The differential pressure flow meter 5 is also electrically connected to the control unit to collect and feed back the water flow signal from the inlet pipe 1 in real time. It should be noted that the water flow detection device is not limited to a differential pressure flow meter; a pressure sensor can be used to obtain the flow rate through an algorithm, or other devices capable of outputting flow signals, such as a turbine flow sensor or a Hall effect flow sensor, can also be used. After passing through the differential pressure flow meter 5, the water continues along the inlet pipe 1 into the mixing chamber 2, where it completes foaming before being sprayed out from the shower head 3. Preferably, the mixing chamber 2 is equipped with a multi-stage static mixing unit, which can progressively shear and disperse the fluid to generate foam with more uniform and denser bubble sizes.

[0025] In this embodiment, the core component of the gas circuit unit is the air pump 6. The air outlet of the air pump 6 is connected to the inlet of the first three-way valve 7. The first outlet of the first three-way valve 7 is connected to the side wall of the water inlet pipe 1 through a section of pipe and the first one-way valve 9, forming the first branch, which is used to inject positive pressure gas into the flowing water to generate abundant bubbles. The first one-way valve 9 only allows airflow from the air pump 6 into the water inlet pipe 1 in one direction, which can effectively prevent the water-air mixture in the water pipe from flowing back into the air pump 6 and protect the air pump 6 from damage. The second outlet of the first three-way valve 7 is connected to the inlet of the second three-way valve 8. The first outlet of the second three-way valve 8 is connected to the space above the liquid surface inside the emulsion container 11, and the second outlet is connected to the internal space of the isobaric chamber 12, thus forming the second branch. During operation, the positive pressure gas output by the air pump 6 is split through the first three-way valve 7 and the second three-way valve 8 and injected into the emulsion container 11 and the isobaric chamber 12 at the same time, so that the two establish a pressure environment with the same pressure.

[0026] The liquid circuit unit is responsible for the extraction and quantitative delivery of the shampoo and conditioner liquid. It includes an emulsion container 11 for storing high-viscosity shampoo and conditioner liquids, and a peristaltic pump 13. The peristaltic pump 13 is integrally installed within the sealed cavity of the isobaric chamber 12. The suction port of the peristaltic pump 13 is connected to the outlet of the emulsion container 11 via a pipe passing through the shell of the isobaric chamber 12, or one end of the pipe can be directly inserted into the bottom of the emulsion container 11. Its discharge port is connected downstream of the airflow injection point on the inlet pipe 1 via a second one-way valve 10. The orientation of the second one-way valve 10 allows the shampoo and conditioner liquid to flow towards the inlet pipe 1 or the mixing chamber 2, eliminating the risk of water or airflow flowing back into the peristaltic pump 13, ensuring the unidirectionality and cleanliness of the liquid delivery.

[0027] The control unit mainly consists of a main control board 15 and a display screen 14. The display screen 14 serves as the human-machine interface, receiving user-selected commands such as foam concentration level and cleaning mode, and visually displaying information such as water temperature, flow rate, and operating status. The main control board 15 is electrically connected to valve 4, differential pressure flow meter 5, air pump 6, peristaltic pump 13, and pressure sensors that can be installed in the isobaric chamber 12, undertaking the core control tasks of system operation. It should be noted that, to avoid confusion with piping system diagrams, Figure 2 The dashed lines in the diagram represent the electrical connections between each component and the main control board 15.

[0028] It is important to note that the isobaric chamber 12 is a well-sealed shell with excellent airtightness, and the peristaltic pump 13 is fixed inside its cavity. Because the air pump 6 continuously supplies positive pressure gas into the isobaric chamber 12 through a second branch, and this positive pressure gas also enters the emulsion container 11, with unobstructed airflow, the air pressure inside the isobaric chamber 12 is always consistent with the air pressure above the liquid surface in the emulsion container 11. When the peristaltic pump 13 is working, its rollers push the hose to form a partially sealed cavity, and the pressure difference between the pump's inlet and outlet is extremely small. In this isobaric environment, the outside of the hose bears the pressure inside the isobaric chamber 12, while the inside transmits the liquid at the same pressure inside the emulsion container 11; the pressure difference between the inner and outer walls of the hose is almost zero. Therefore, regardless of changes in water pressure in the inlet pipe 1 or the instantaneous back pressure impact at the shower head 3, the hose of the peristaltic pump 13 will not experience additional expansion stress or suction negative pressure. Its delivery process is determined solely by the pump head speed and the hose's own deformation cycle, completely decoupled from external pipeline pressure fluctuations. This characteristic directly eliminates the persistent problems of liquid interruption, bubble formation, and unstable flow caused by negative pressure at the suction end in traditional pumping methods. It also enables high-precision quantitative supply of high-viscosity liquids and significantly extends the service life of the peristaltic pump 13's hose.

[0029] Furthermore, the main control board 15 has multiple pre-set mixing programs. During actual showering, the differential pressure flow meter 5 sends the water flow signal to the main control board 15 in real time. Based on this flow value and the user-set speed, the main control board 15 dynamically adjusts the speed of the air pump 6 and the peristaltic pump 13. For example, when an increase in water flow is detected, the main control board 15 simultaneously increases the speed of the air pump 6 and the peristaltic pump 13 to increase the air volume and liquid supply; conversely, it decreases accordingly, thus forming a closed-loop dynamic mixing control of water flow, air flow, and washing liquid. This solution breaks the fixed speed ratio mode, ensuring that regardless of the pressure of the household water supply network fluctuates between 0.1MPa and 0.5MPa, the final foam output from the shower head 3 is uniform in concentration and has a soft feel, without any sudden changes in concentration or foam dispersion.

[0030] Understandably, to facilitate the daily addition of shampoo or replacement of different types of lotion, the lotion container 11 and the isobaric chamber 12 can be designed as separate units, connected by a quick-connect fitting. Alternatively, the lotion container 11 and the isobaric chamber 12 can be integrated into a single, detachable module, allowing users to directly remove the entire module for filling or replacement, making operation more convenient while maintaining a reliable seal in the internal air passages.

[0031] It should also be noted that, without the isobaric chamber 12, the main control board 15 of the control unit cannot synchronize the liquid flow rate of the peristaltic pump 13 with the signal output. Even if the signal requirement is at its maximum, the liquid flow rate of the peristaltic pump 13 will still not meet the requirement if the main pipeline pressure is high. Conversely, with the addition of the isobaric chamber 12, the inlet and outlet pressures of the peristaltic pump 13, as well as the internal and external pressures of the hose, are basically close and can automatically follow the outlet pressure of the air pump 6 without the need for intelligent control of the main control board 15.

[0032] The specific working process of this invention is as follows: Before showering, the user turns on the device via display screen 14 and selects the corresponding mode. The main control board 15 controls valve 4 to open, and water flows into the inlet pipe 1 through the inlet. The differential pressure flow meter 5 immediately senses the water flow and uploads data. The main control board 15 then starts air pump 6 and peristaltic pump 13. The positive pressure airflow output by air pump 6 is injected into the water flow through the first one-way valve 9, forming a water-air mixture that flows into the mixing chamber 2; the other path is sent to the emulsion container 11 and the isobaric chamber 12 through the second three-way valve 8, respectively, to establish the pressure environment. The peristaltic pump 13 operates smoothly in the isobaric chamber 12 with balanced pressure, extracting a quantitative amount of shampoo from the emulsion container 11 and injecting it into the mixing chamber 2 or the inlet pipe 1 through the second one-way valve 10, where it merges with the air-water flow. The three-phase fluid entering the mixing chamber 2 with its multi-stage static mixing unit forms a large amount of fine and uniform foam under repeated shearing and fusion, which is finally sprayed out through the shower head 3, providing a comfortable cleaning experience.

[0033] Understandably, during operation, the entire control loop continuously repeats the above process. When the user turns off the shower or the system is in standby mode, the main control board 15 can immediately close valve 4 and stop the operation of air pump 6 and peristaltic pump 13, cutting off the water supply and completely avoiding no-load operation and potential leakage risks.

[0034] In summary, this invention encapsulates the peristaltic pump 13 within a sealed isobaric chamber 12 that shares the same positive pressure gas source as the emulsion container 11. The air pump 6 simultaneously injects positive pressure gas into the space above the liquid surface in the emulsion container 11 and into the isobaric chamber 12 via a second branch, ensuring that the peristaltic pump 13 is entirely immersed in an environment with the same pressure as the emulsion container 11. The pressure difference between the inside and outside of the peristaltic pump 13 hose is eliminated, and the pressure difference between the suction port and discharge port is almost zero during pumping. The pump's driving load is only used to overcome hose deformation stress, emulsion suction head, and viscous resistance.

[0035] Therefore, the delivery flow rate of the peristaltic pump 13 is completely determined by the pump head speed and the hose deformation cycle, and is completely decoupled from the high-pressure water flow and pressure fluctuations in the water circuit. This eliminates the problem of unstable liquid suction and flow interruption caused by negative pressure when the traditional peristaltic pump directly extracts liquid, greatly improves the quantitative accuracy of liquid supply and long-term operational stability of high-viscosity washing and care liquids, and ensures uniform and dense foam output and consistent user experience.

[0036] The present invention is not limited to the description in the specification and embodiments, and thus other advantages and modifications can be readily realized by those skilled in the art. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the specific details, representative devices and illustrated examples shown and described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the general concept as defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A smart control system for a foam shower with an isobaric chamber, characterized in that, include: A water system unit, comprising an inlet pipe, a mixing chamber, and a shower head connected in sequence; The air circuit unit includes an air pump, the air outlet of which is connected to the water inlet pipe through a first branch to inject gas into the water flow. The liquid circuit unit includes an emulsion container and a peristaltic pump. The suction port of the peristaltic pump is connected to the emulsion container, and the discharge port of the peristaltic pump is connected to the water inlet pipe. The isobaric chamber is a sealed cavity, and the peristaltic pump is installed inside the isobaric chamber; The air outlet of the air pump is also connected to the internal space of the emulsion container and the internal space of the isobaric chamber through a second branch, so as to inject positive pressure gas into the emulsion container and the isobaric chamber, so that the ambient pressure of the peristaltic pump is balanced with the pressure inside the emulsion container. A control unit is electrically connected to both the air pump and the peristaltic pump, and is used to adjust the operating parameters of the air pump and the peristaltic pump.

2. The intelligent control system for a foam shower with an isobaric chamber as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The air outlet of the air pump is connected to the inlet of the first three-way valve; the first outlet of the first three-way valve forms the first branch, and the second outlet of the first three-way valve is connected to the inlet of the second three-way valve; the first outlet of the second three-way valve is connected to the space above the liquid surface inside the emulsion container, and the second outlet of the second three-way valve is connected to the interior of the isobaric chamber, thereby forming the second branch.

3. The intelligent control system for a foam shower with an isobaric chamber as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The water inlet pipe is equipped with a water flow detection device that is electrically connected to the control unit; the water flow detection device is used to collect the water flow rate signal of the water circuit unit.

4. The intelligent control system for a foam shower with an isobaric chamber as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The water flow detection device is a differential pressure flow meter, a flow sensor, or a pressure sensor; the control unit is configured to dynamically adjust the speed of the air pump and the speed of the peristaltic pump based on the real-time water flow rate fed back by the differential pressure flow meter, the flow sensor, or the pressure sensor, so as to realize the dynamic ratio of water flow, air flow and emulsion through closed-loop control.

5. The intelligent control system for a foam shower with an isobaric chamber as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The water inlet pipe is also equipped with a valve, which is electrically connected to the control unit and is used to receive instructions from the control unit to cut off or connect the water circuit.

6. The intelligent control system for a foam shower with an isobaric chamber as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The emulsion container and the isobaric chamber are integrated into a single detachable module, or are sealed together via a quick connector.

7. The intelligent control system for a foam shower with an isobaric chamber as described in claim 2, characterized in that, A first check valve is connected in series between the first outlet of the first tee and the water inlet pipe.

8. The intelligent control system for a foam shower with an isobaric chamber as described in claim 1, characterized in that, A second check valve is connected in series between the discharge port of the peristaltic pump and the inlet pipe.

9. The intelligent control system for a foam shower with an isobaric chamber as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The control unit includes a main control board and a display screen; the display screen is used for human-computer interaction and to display the working status.

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