Flexible Nozzle Spray Head for Adjustable Irrigation Area

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing spray heads lack a cost-efficient mechanism to adjust the irrigation area size, limiting their adaptability to different watering needs.

Innovation Solution

A spray head design featuring flexible nozzles and an adjustable unit with slanted apertures that can bend the liquid guiding portions, allowing for rotation or sliding to change the irrigation pattern and area size, incorporating a guiding entity for precise movement and deformation of the nozzles.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a spray head includes a mechanism to adjust the irrigation area size, then the adaptability to different watering needs is improved, but the device complexity and manufacturing cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadaptability to different watering needsVSAvoidcomplexity of adjustment mechanism
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The spray head employs flexible nozzles made of elastic material that can dynamically change their orientation and bending angle in response to adjustment entity movement, enabling continuous variation of the irrigation area size without complex discrete mechanisms

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the physical state and orientation parameters of the nozzles by bending them through the adjustment entity, which modifies the spray pattern and irrigation area size by altering the nozzle geometry and angle rather than using multiple fixed-position nozzles

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Adaptability or versatility

If a spray head includes a mechanism to adjust the irrigation area size, then the versatility for various watering applications is improved, but the manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveversatility for various watering applicationsVSAvoidmanufacturing cost
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The nozzles are constructed from flexible elastic material that can be bent and deformed, eliminating the need for complex mechanical adjustment mechanisms and reducing manufacturing costs while maintaining versatility

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The flexible nozzles self-adjust their orientation in response to the adjustment entity movement without requiring additional actuators or complex control mechanisms, simplifying the overall device and reducing manufacturing complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

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

Enables a technically simple and cost-effective method to adjust the irrigation area, providing a versatile spraying solution for various watering applications by altering the spray pattern and area size efficiently.

Implementation Method 1

Each nozzle comprise a liquid guiding portion, said liquid guiding portion including said nozzle fluid channel and being made of an elastic, flexible material

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP3229972B1Spray head and spraying apparatus
Publication Date: 2019.06.19 HUSQVARNA AB
  • EP3229972B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3229972B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3229972B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The invention relates to a spray head for a spraying apparatus (100), the spray head comprising: - a spray head base body (2) including a spray head fluid channel (3); - a plurality of nozzles (4), each nozzle (4) comprising a nozzle fluid channel (4.1), wherein said nozzle fluid channels (4.1) being coupled with the spray head fluid channel (3) and the free ends of the nozzle fluid channels (4.1) forming liquid outlets (5) of the spray head (1), wherein the nozzles (4) are circumferentially arranged around a central axis (CA) of the spray head (1), wherein each nozzle (4) comprise a liquid guiding portion (4.2), said liquid guiding portion (4.2) including said nozzle fluid channel (4.1) and being made of a flexible material, - an adjustment unit (6) comprising a adjustment entity (7), said adjustment entity (7) being movably mounted at the spray head base body (2), the adjustment entity (7) comprising a plurality of apertures (7.1) for providing passages for said flexible liquid guiding portions (4.2), wherein the spray head (1) is adapted to change the spraying pattern by moving the adjustment entity (7) with respect to the spray head base body (2), said movement causing a bending of the flexible liquid guiding portions (4.2) of said nozzles (4).