Fluidic Spout Oscillation via Vortex Street for Uniform Water Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing spout apparatuses with oscillating nozzles face challenges in compact design, wear issues, and cost due to complex structures, and suffer from uneven water distribution leading to poor shower comfort and usability issues related to flow volume changes.
Innovation Solution
A spout apparatus with a compact and simple structure using an oscillation inducing element comprising a water supply passageway, water collision portion, vortex street passageway, and flow-aligning passageway, where the vortex street passageway has a tapered portion extending over four times the length of the flow-aligning passageway to suppress the Coanda effect and maintain consistent water distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If a nozzle is driven in an oscillating manner by the supply force of supplied water, then the direction of hot or cold water spouted from a spouting port changes, enabling wide area coverage, but the structure becomes complex and compact design becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical oscillating nozzle system with a fluidic oscillation system. The oscillation is generated by fluid dynamics within the nozzle itself, specifically using a feedback flow path that creates pressure differences to alternately block flow on either side of the nozzle, causing the jet to oscillate without mechanical moving parts.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses hydraulic principles to generate oscillation. The feedback flow path allows water to circulate and create alternating pressure zones that control the oscillating jet direction. The system exploits fluid compressibility and pressure wave propagation to achieve oscillation.
2Area of stationary object
If a nozzle is driven in an oscillating manner, then water can be jetted over a wide area, but wear occurs in moving parts and material selection is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates mechanical moving parts by using fluidic oscillation. The oscillation is generated entirely by fluid dynamics within the nozzle, removing wear-prone mechanical components such as motors, bearings, and linkages that would limit durability and material selection.
3Ease of operation
If feedback flow paths are provided on both sides of the spray nozzle, then self-oscillation is induced and spray direction changes, but the structure becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the feedback flow path with the main water supply path. The feedback path is integrated into the nozzle structure itself, using the same water supply to create both the main jet and the feedback flow that generates oscillation. This eliminates separate feedback systems and reduces overall structural complexity.
4Volume of moving object
If the spout apparatus uses a compact constitution, then it can spout over a wide range, but water distribution becomes uneven and shower comfort deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses dynamic oscillation of the water jet to achieve uniform distribution. The oscillating jet naturally covers a wider area over time, and by controlling the oscillation characteristics through the feedback flow path geometry, uniform water distribution is achieved without requiring large apparatus dimensions.
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 enables a compact, durable, and cost-effective spout apparatus with uniform water distribution over a wide area, independent of flow volume changes, providing improved shower comfort and usability.
Implementation Method 1
a water collision portion disposed on a downstream end portion of the water supply passageway so as to block a portion of a cross section of the water supply passageway, the water collision portion alternately produces oppositely circulating vortexes on the downstream side of the water collision portion by colliding with hot or cold water guided by the water supply passageway
Implementation Method 2
a vortex street passageway disposed on the downstream side of the water supply passageway for guiding and growing the vortexes formed by the water collision portion
Implementation Method 3
the tapered portion includes a pair of opposing wall surfaces which are tapered so that cross section of the tapered portion is narrowed
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention is a spout apparatus (1) for spouting water, including: a spout apparatus main body (2) and an oscillation inducing element wherein the oscillation inducing element (4) has: a water supply conduit (10a), a water collision portion (14) disposed on the downstream end portion of the water supply passageway, for alternately generating oppositely circulating vortexes on that downstream side; a vortex street passageway (10b) for guiding vortexes formed by the water collision portion while causing them to grow; and a flow aligning pathway (10c) for aligning water including vortexes guided by the vortex street passageway, and causing it to be discharged; wherein a pair of opposing wall surfaces in the vortex street passageway is constituted so that the downstream side thereof is tapered over a longer area than the flow-aligning passageway, such that the flow path cross section thereof narrows toward the downstream side.