Concealed Flow Regulator Sealing and Air-Water Mixing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing concealed flow regulators fail to achieve peripheral sealing and are prone to water leakage, with complex assembly processes and high manufacturing costs due to axial sealing limitations and inefficient air-water mixing.
Innovation Solution
A concealed flow regulator design featuring a housing with a mutation cavity, suction passage, and diversion device that uses negative pressure to mix air with water, combined with a sealing portion for axial and peripheral sealing, and adjustable water flow control through a deflecting annular wall and elastic water stop ring, allowing for compact and cost-effective assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional sealing portion is used that only achieves axial sealing, then the assembly process is simple, but peripheral sealing cannot be achieved leading to water leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing portion is divided into two distinct functional parts: an axial sealing portion and a peripheral sealing portion. The axial sealing portion addresses end-face sealing while the peripheral sealing portion addresses side sealing, allowing each part to be optimized for its specific sealing direction without compromising the other.
Solution Approach 2:
A sealing ring is introduced as an intermediary element that works in conjunction with both the axial and peripheral sealing portions. The sealing ring is pressed by the peripheral sealing portion to achieve peripheral sealing, while the axial sealing portion provides axial sealing, creating a multi-layered sealing system.
2Productivity
If air is introduced through a complex external structure, then air mixing efficiency improves, but the device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The air inlet structure is merged with the housing body, eliminating the need for separate external air inlet components. The housing body itself forms part of the air inlet pathway, allowing air to be drawn in through the housing structure while maintaining a compact and simple overall design.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing body serves dual purposes: it provides structural support and simultaneously acts as part of the air inlet system. The housing structure itself facilitates air intake without requiring additional dedicated air inlet components, reducing overall device complexity.
3Volume of moving object
If a compact design is used to reduce device size, then installation space is reduced, but air flowing clearance and mixing efficiency may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The mutation cavity is positioned vertically above the suction passage, creating a vertical airflow path that maximizes the use of vertical space. This vertical arrangement allows adequate air flowing clearance and mixing volume within a compact horizontal footprint, maintaining mixing efficiency while reducing overall device volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The suction passage is nested within the housing structure, and the mutation cavity is integrated into the housing body. This nested arrangement allows the air mixing components to be compactly integrated within the housing volume, achieving high mixing efficiency in a small package.
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 solution provides effective peripheral sealing, high air and water mixing efficiency, reduced pressure loss, and adjustable flow volume, ensuring stable water supply and noise reduction while being easy to assemble and manufacture.
Implementation Method 1
negative pressure generates when the divided water flows into the mutation cavity (110), the air is sucked to mix with water to produce bubble water under the action of the negative pressure
Implementation Method 2
when the water pressure works on the elastic water stop element, the elastic water stop element is pressed to deform inwardly radically
Data Source
AI summary
A concealed flow regulator includes a water supply opening providing a water flow and disposed with threads; a housing portion connected to the water supply opening and forming an air flow clearance therewith that communicates with exterior air, having an external revolution surface disposed with external threads and in which is defined a mutation cavity and a suction passage in communication with the mutation chamber and having an external port disposed in the external revolution surface in communication with the air flow clearance and an internal port that connects an interior portion of the mutation cavity with the exterior air; and a diversion device assembled within the housing portion through which the water flow flows into the mutation chamber and generates a negative pressure which sucks in exterior air via the air flow clearance and the suction passage that mixes with the divided water flow to produce bubble water.