Centralized Water Purification Paths for Multi-Appliance Filter Management
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing number of household appliances with individual water filters leads to management inefficiencies, increased replacement costs, and potential incompatibilities, while hub-type systems may provide high-level purification leading to rapid filter exhaustion and insufficient water supply.
Innovation Solution
A centralized water purification apparatus with multiple filters and customizable purification paths provides purified water to various appliances, allowing for different levels of purification and ensuring sufficient supply.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If each home appliance includes a separate water filter, then water purification can be performed for each appliance, but the management becomes complex and replacement costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent consolidates multiple water filters into a single hub-type water purification apparatus that serves multiple home appliances. Instead of each appliance having its own filter, the filters are merged into one centralized system with multiple outlet ports, simplifying management while maintaining purification quality for each appliance.
Solution Approach 2:
The hub-type water purification apparatus is designed to serve multiple functions and multiple appliances simultaneously. A single purification system provides purified water to various appliances through different outlet ports, making the system universal and eliminating the need for separate filters in each appliance.
2Reliability
If each home appliance includes a water filter, then water purification is available for each appliance, but the appliance size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The water filter function is extracted from individual home appliances and placed into a separate hub-type purification apparatus. This allows the appliances to be smaller since they no longer need to accommodate filter components, while the purification capability is maintained through the external hub system.
3Adaptability or versatility
If different home appliances use different water filters, then each appliance can be optimized for its specific needs, but compatibility issues arise and maintenance becomes inconvenient
Solution Approach 1:
The hub-type water purification apparatus uses a standardized filter system that serves all connected appliances uniformly. This universal approach eliminates compatibility issues between different appliances while maintaining ease of maintenance, as all filters are identical and can be replaced in a single location regardless of which appliance requires purified water.
4Reliability
If the hub-type water purification apparatus provides high-level purified water to all appliances, then water quality is consistent, but the filter exhausts rapidly and sufficient purified water cannot be generated
Solution Approach 1:
The hub-type water purification apparatus provides different levels of purification for different outlet ports based on the specific needs of each connected appliance. Not all outlets require the same high level of filtration, so the system applies appropriate purification levels locally to each outlet, extending filter life while maintaining sufficient water quality for each application.
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
This system simplifies management, reduces replacement costs, ensures consistent water quality, and provides adequate purified water for diverse household needs without unnecessary duplication of filters.
Implementation Method 1
a filter part including a plurality of filters configured to filter the water and generate purified water
Data Source
AI summary
A water purification apparatus includes a water intake configured to receive water to the water purification apparatus, a filter part including a plurality of filters configured to filter the water and generate purified water, a water outlet including a plurality of water outlet ports configured to discharge the purified water, and one or more pipes that define a water purification path configured to guide the water from the water intake through at least one of the plurality of filters to thereby provide the purified water to at least one of the plurality of water outlet ports.