Concealed Valve Body Layout for Uniform Hot-Cold Water Mixing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Concealed faucets with buried valve bodies in bathrooms often result in uneven mixing of cold and hot water due to insufficient mixing time, leading to undesirable warm water temperatures.
Innovation Solution
The design includes a water mixing seat with first and second inlet holes along the axial direction of the mixing chamber, with a height difference between them, and check valves in the inlet pipes to ensure extended mixing time, allowing for full and even mixing of cold and hot water.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If cold water and hot water are mixed in a conventional water mixing seat, then the faucet can output warm water, but the mixing is uneven and the temperature is not ideal due to insufficient mixing time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a height dimension difference between the first inlet hole and second inlet hole along the axial direction of the water mixing chamber. This vertical spatial arrangement creates different flow paths and residence times for cold and hot water, enabling more thorough mixing in the vertical dimension rather than just horizontal mixing, thereby improving temperature uniformity and mixing reliability.
2Ease of manufacture
If the valve body is concealed and buried in the wall, then mounting is easy and space is saved, but the mixing chamber volume is limited which affects mixing efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent maximizes the utilization of the vertical axial dimension of the mixing chamber by positioning inlet holes at different heights. This vertical arrangement allows the mixing chamber to achieve effective mixing volume along the height direction, compensating for the limited overall volume constraint imposed by the concealed wall-mounted installation requirement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides the water inlet into separate first and second inlet holes positioned at different vertical levels, with separate inlet pipes. This segmentation allows each inlet to be optimized for its specific flow characteristics and creates distinct flow paths within the mixing chamber, improving mixing efficiency within the constrained volume.
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 configuration ensures ideal temperature mixing by increasing the time cold and hot water stay in the mixing chamber, resulting in consistently warm water output and improved faucet reliability.
Implementation Method 1
a first check valve, mounted in the first inlet pipe; and a second check valve, mounted in the second inlet pipe
Data Source
AI summary
A concealed valve body includes: a water mixing seat, including a water mixing chamber, a first inlet hole communicated with the water mixing chamber, and a second inlet hole communicated with the water mixing chamber; a first inlet pipe, having a first inlet channel that is communicated with the first inlet hole; a second inlet pipe, having a second inlet channel communicated with the second inlet hole. The first inlet hole and the second inlet hole are distributed along an axial direction of the water mixing chamber, and a height difference is present between the first inlet hole and the second inlet hole.