Multi-Nozzle Faucet Pressure Regulation for Consistent Spray
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing faucets and showerheads fail to provide a consistent shower experience across a wide range of flow rates and pressures, leading to inconsistent water droplet sensations, temperature perception, and inefficient water usage.
Innovation Solution
A system incorporating a pressure regulator and nozzles that regulate fluid supply pressure to a narrow range, ensuring consistent droplet kinetic energy, heat retention, and volumetric flux, resulting in a targeted spray pattern that maintains a pleasant shower experience despite variable inlet pressures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a wide range of flow rates and pressures is supplied to the faucet, then the faucet can adapt to different water supply conditions, but the shower experience becomes inconsistent with varying droplet sensations and temperature perception
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs multiple nozzles with different flow coefficients (Cd values) to change the flow parameters. Each nozzle is designed with specific geometric characteristics that result in different Cd values, allowing the system to maintain consistent droplet characteristics across a wide range of supply pressures by selecting the appropriate nozzle for each pressure condition
Solution Approach 2:
The faucet is divided into multiple independent nozzle units, each optimized for specific pressure ranges. This segmentation allows the system to handle different water supply conditions with dedicated nozzle elements, ensuring consistent performance across varying pressures while maintaining adaptability to different supply conditions
2Productivity
If higher flow rates are used to improve rinsing efficacy, then water consumption increases, but droplet kinetic energy and heat retention may become inconsistent
Solution Approach 1:
By changing the nozzle flow coefficients through geometric design variations, the system optimizes the relationship between flow rate and droplet characteristics. This allows achieving effective rinsing with lower flow rates by selecting nozzles that produce appropriate droplet kinetic energy and heat retention, thereby reducing water consumption while maintaining rinsing efficacy
3Device complexity
If the faucet design is simplified to reduce complexity, then manufacturing cost decreases, but the ability to provide consistent performance across varying pressures is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The faucet is segmented into multiple simple nozzle units with different geometric characteristics. Each nozzle is a straightforward component with specific dimensions optimized for particular pressure ranges. This segmentation achieves performance consistency across varying pressures through the collective action of multiple simple elements rather than a single complex mechanism
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple nozzles with different flow coefficients serve universal functionality across different pressure conditions. Each nozzle type can be selected based on the supply pressure, making the system universally applicable to various water supply conditions while maintaining consistent droplet output characteristics
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 system achieves a consistent shower experience with controlled droplet sensations, warmth perception, and efficient rinsing efficacy across varying water pressures, reducing water consumption and maintaining a comfortable and immersive experience.
Implementation Method 1
A system incorporating a pressure regulator and nozzles that regulate fluid supply pressure to a narrow range
Implementation Method 2
the set of nozzles 120 configured to discharge water droplets that exit the body 130 with kinetic energies in a first range of kinetic energies and that form a first spray pattern
Data Source
AI summary
One variation of a system includes: a housing including a fluid inlet coupled to a fluid supply; a set of nozzles arranged on a distal end of the housing and including an aerator nozzle, a soft-flow nozzle, and a flat-fan nozzle; a momentary shutoff button arranged on the housing and configured to transition a momentary shutoff valve between positions to selectively pass fluid from the fluid supply to the set of nozzles; a primary flow selector valve configured to selectively pass fluid from the fluid supply to the set of nozzles; a secondary flow selector valve configured to selectively pass fluid from the primary flow selector valve to the set of nozzles; and a flow selector button arranged on the housing and configured to transition the primary flow selector valve and the secondary flow selector valve to selectively pass fluid to the set of nozzles.