Extraction-Type Water Discharging Device with Curved Guide Surfaces

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional extraction-type water discharging devices face issues with incomplete reset, uncertain orientation, and high manufacturing costs due to reliance on gravity or costly multi-pole magnets, leading to aesthetic and functional limitations.

Innovation Solution

An extraction-type water discharging device with a support member, hose, and outlet portion featuring convex and concave guide structures that facilitate radial alignment and axial rotational movement for automatic reset, utilizing a counterweight or magnetic attraction for alignment and fitting, with guide surfaces designed as radially symmetric or asymmetric smooth curves to ensure precise alignment and low-cost manufacturing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If gravity of a lead block is used for reset, then the reset mechanism is simple, but the reset is incomplete and the showerhead stops 1-2mm from the pipe mouth

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvereset mechanism structureVSAvoidreset positioning accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a guide structure as an intermediary element between the showerhead and pipe. This guide structure includes a guide groove on the pipe and a guide bump on the showerhead that fits into the groove, providing mechanical guidance to ensure complete reset and proper positioning, overcoming the insufficient reset accuracy of pure gravity-based systems

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the pure gravity-based reset mechanism with a hybrid system combining gravity and mechanical guidance. The guide structure provides directional constraints while gravity provides the resetting force, achieving both simplicity and precision in the reset function

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Reliability

If manual alignment and fitting of shower bumps into grooves is used, then the connection is secure, but the operation requires manual intervention and is inconvenient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconnection reliabilityVSAvoidreset operation convenience
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a self-aligning and self-resetting mechanism where the guide structure automatically guides the showerhead back to its proper position without manual intervention. The guide bump automatically follows the guide groove during extraction and reset, providing reliable connection while eliminating the need for manual alignment

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The guide structure serves as an intermediary that facilitates automatic alignment and connection. The guide groove and guide bump work together to provide mechanical guidance, enabling the showerhead to self-align and connect reliably without requiring manual intervention

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Ease of operation

If two-point symmetrical guide structure is used, then the automatic guided reset is achieved, but the straight section length is increased affecting aesthetics and water drop height

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveautomatic guided reset functionVSAvoidsupport member straight section length
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs curved guide surfaces instead of straight mechanical guides. The guide groove is designed as a curved path that guides the showerhead during extraction and reset, achieving automatic guided reset while minimizing the straight section length and preserving aesthetic appearance and water drop height

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

4Ease of operation

If single-sided multi-pole magnets are used for guided reset, then automatic guided reset is achieved, but the manufacturing cost increases and production complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveautomatic guided reset functionVSAvoidmanufacturing cost and production complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the complex magnetic guidance system and replaces it with a simpler mechanical guide structure. By removing the multi-pole magnets and their associated production complexities (magnetic pole orientation identification, fool proofing), the design achieves automatic guided reset through a more manufacturable mechanical guide groove and guide bump system

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces expensive multi-pole magnets with a simpler, cheaper mechanical guide structure that is easier to manufacture and assemble. The guide groove and guide bump can be produced using conventional machining or molding processes, significantly reducing manufacturing cost and production complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

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 device achieves complete and precise reset of the outlet portion, reducing manufacturing costs and improving aesthetics by using guide surfaces that automatically align and fit the outlet portion with the support member, ensuring reliable and efficient operation.

Implementation Method 1

the convex guide surface is smoothly tapered from a base portion to a top portion, and the concave guide surface flares smoothly and gradually from a bottom portion to a top portion

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Implementation Method 2

Under the resetting force of the reset member, the first and second guide structures can guide a radial alignment and an axial rotational movement

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectNormal force: Force

Implementation Method 3

A resetting member acts on the hose so that the outlet portion is reset to abut against and fit on the support member

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGravity: Gravitation

Data Source

PatentEP3524741B1Extraction-type water discharging device
Publication Date: 2021.03.17 XIAMEN SOLEX HIGH TECH INDUSTRIES CO LTD
  • EP3524741B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3524741B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3524741B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An extraction-type water discharging device includes an outlet portion (2), a support member (4), a hose (3) passing through the support member (4) and communicating with the hose (3), and a resetting member. The outlet portion (2) is provided with a first guide structure (21), and the support member (4) is provided with a second guide structure (41). One of the first and second guide structure (21, 41)s is a convex guide surface (22), and the other one is a concave guide surface (42) cooperating with the convex guide surface (22). The convex guide surface (22) is smoothly tapered from a base portion (221) to a top portion (222). The convex guide surface (22) has a sectional shape of a smooth curve eccentric towards radial direction. The first and second guide structure (21, 41)s are configured to, under the action of the reset member, guide a radial alignment and an axial rotational movement such that the outlet portion (2) reset to be aligned with and fits on the support member (4).