Bidet Tank Assembly with Buffer Flow Path for Uniform Water Heating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bidet systems face challenges in efficiently heating water to a uniform temperature, leading to potential discomfort for users, especially in colder temperatures. Additionally, traditional systems require a separate hot water tank, increasing the bidet's size and power consumption.
Innovation Solution
A tank assembly with a unique flow path design that includes an inlet buffer portion and an outlet buffer portion, along with a heater portion, to efficiently heat and mix water to a uniform temperature. This design allows for miniaturization of the tank assembly while maintaining effective heating and temperature uniformity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a separate hot water tank is provided to heat and store water, then water heating capability is improved, but the overall size of the bidet increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the water tank and bidet body into a single integrated structure. The tank is formed as an integral part of the bidet housing, eliminating the need for a separate hot water tank while maintaining water heating and storage functionality. This merging approach resolves the contradiction by achieving temperature control without increasing overall bidet volume.
2Temperature
If a separate hot water tank is provided to maintain water temperature, then water heating capability is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heating element operates periodically rather than continuously. It activates when the water temperature drops below a predetermined threshold and stops when the target temperature is reached. This periodic heating approach maintains water temperature while significantly reducing power consumption compared to continuous heating systems.
3Volume of stationary object
If the tank size is reduced to minimize bidet size, then device compactness is improved, but water heating efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent ensures continuous water circulation through the tank to maintain constant contact between water and the heating element. The circulation mechanism prevents stagnant water and ensures uniform heating throughout the tank volume, maintaining heating efficiency even in a compact tank design.
4Productivity
If water flows quickly through the tank to reduce residence time, then productivity is improved, but water heating efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The tank is divided into multiple heating zones with heating elements distributed throughout. Water flows through these segmented zones sequentially, receiving incremental heating at each stage. This segmentation allows faster overall flow rates while maintaining effective heating by distributing the thermal processing across multiple sections.
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 proposed tank assembly efficiently heats water to a uniform temperature, reducing user discomfort and minimizing the bidet's size and power consumption. It achieves these results without significantly altering the external structure of the bidet.
Implementation Method 1
a heater portion (300) coupled to the tank member (400), and configured to heat the fluid introduced into the tank space (420)
Implementation Method 2
an outlet buffer portion (600) coupled to the cover portion (200) to constitute the outlet flow path of the fluid together with the cover portion (200)
Data Source
AI summary
A tank assembly and a bidet including the same are disclosed. The tank assembly according to one aspect of the present disclosure may include a tank member that is connected to an outside, constitutes an inlet flow path through which a fluid is introduced, and has one side in a height direction open; a cover portion that is connected to an outside, constitutes an outlet flow path of the fluid introduced into an inside, covers the one side of the tank member, and is coupled to the tank member; and an outlet buffer portion that is coupled to the cover portion to constitute the outlet flow path of the fluid together with the cover portion, and is accommodated in the tank member to be located at the one side of the tank member, wherein the outlet buffer portion may include: an outlet buffer space communicated with a cover space formed inside the cover portion; and an outlet buffer communication hole communicating the outlet buffer space with a tank space formed inside the tank member.