Bathtub Transducer Layout for Surround Vibration With Less Interference
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional bathroom fixtures lack advanced features to enhance the user experience during bathing or showering, such as effective vibratory and aural stimulation, often requiring a large number of transducers that increase costs and can lead to interference between vibratory waves.
Innovation Solution
A bathroom fixture system utilizing four strategically positioned transducers around the reservoir, with two below and two above the water level, to generate coordinated vibratory and aural stimuli, reducing interference and cost by minimizing the number of transducers while maintaining a surround vibration effect.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a large number of transducers are used to provide effective vibratory and aural stimulation, then the user experience is enhanced, but the cost increases and interference between vibratory waves occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the reservoir wall into four distinct sections and places one transducer in each section, creating a segmented arrangement that provides comprehensive vibratory coverage while limiting the total number of transducers to four, thereby avoiding the interference problems associated with larger numbers of transducers
Solution Approach 2:
Each transducer is positioned to address specific local vibratory needs of different reservoir sections, with the control system adjusting individual transducer parameters to optimize local vibration quality while maintaining overall system efficiency
2Reliability
If more transducers are installed to provide surround vibration effect, then the vibratory experience is improved, but the manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The reservoir wall is divided into four sections with one transducer per section, creating a balanced surround vibration effect using only four transducers, which significantly reduces manufacturing cost compared to systems using larger numbers of transducers
Solution Approach 2:
Each transducer is designed to perform multiple functions including vibratory stimulation and aural output, allowing a single component to fulfill multiple roles and reducing the total number of parts needed in the system
3Device complexity
If transducers are positioned closely together to save space, then the device complexity is reduced, but interference between vibratory waves increases
Solution Approach 1:
By dividing the reservoir wall into four distinct sections and placing one transducer in each section, the system ensures adequate spatial separation between transducers, preventing vibratory wave interference while maintaining a compact overall design
Solution Approach 2:
The transducers are positioned asymmetrically within their respective sections rather than in a uniform pattern, which helps distribute vibratory energy more evenly and reduces constructive interference patterns that could occur with symmetric arrangements
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 achieves a similar user experience to those with more transducers at a lower cost, reducing interference and enhancing the perceived surround vibration sensation with coordinated vibratory and aural outputs.
Implementation Method 1
The four transducers are configured to receive an input signal and to generate vibrations within water contained in the reservoir by vibrating the wall of the reservoir
Implementation Method 2
A plurality of audio transducers mounted on the tub at positions above a maximum water level of the tub and configured to receive an input signal and generate an aural output using the tub
Data Source
AI summary
This disclosure relates to a vibroacoustic water system. The water system includes a reservoir configured to contain water and comprising a wall. The water system further includes four transducers mounted against the wall of the reservoir. The four transducers are configured to receive an input signal and to generate vibrations within water contained in the reservoir by vibrating the wall of the reservoir. The four transducers are mounted in a configuration such that, when the wall is partitioned into four sections, only a single transducer is mounted against each section of the wall and no other transducers are mounted against the wall.