Appliance Hose Failure Detection via Resistance Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current technologies fail to effectively detect imminent or existing failures in water supply hoses, leading to costly water damage from leaks, particularly from washing machines and dishwashers, as they do not provide timely notification or automatic shut-off solutions.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising detectors connected to a central control unit with near-field communication capabilities, monitoring hose continuity and resistance changes, which alerts users and automatically shuts off the water supply when a failure or leak is detected, using BLE chips and microcontrollers to send notifications and control the water valve.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If no detection system is installed, then the system remains simple and inexpensive, but water damage occurs due to undetected hose failures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical detection systems with electrical resistance measurement. A simple circuit measures resistance changes in the hose wall, substituting mechanical strain gauges or complex sensors with basic electrical components to detect hose degradation and failure.
Solution Approach 2:
The hose itself serves as the sensing element through its electrical resistance properties. The hose wall's changing resistance directly indicates its condition, eliminating the need for separate detection mechanisms and reducing system complexity while maintaining reliability.
2Reliability
If continuous monitoring is implemented, then hose failures are detected early, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs resistance measurements at periodic intervals rather than continuously. The microcontroller periodically samples the resistance value through the ADC, enabling timely failure detection while allowing the system to enter low-power states between measurements, thus reducing overall energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from resistance measurements to trigger alerts only when degradation thresholds are exceeded. This feedback mechanism allows the system to maintain reliability by detecting failures while consuming minimal energy by remaining inactive during normal operating conditions.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If automatic shut-off valve is added, then water damage is minimized upon failure detection, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the detection circuit and automatic shut-off valve control into a single integrated system. The same microcontroller that monitors resistance values also directly controls the shut-off valve, merging detection and actuation functions into one unified device rather than separate independent systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The microcontroller serves as an intermediary between the resistance measurement and the shut-off valve. It processes the analog resistance signal through ADC conversion, compares it against thresholds, and triggers the valve actuation, providing intelligent mediation that simplifies the overall system architecture.
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
Prevents catastrophic water damage by timely notification and automatic shut-off of the water supply, reducing insurance claims and associated costs by detecting imminent or existing hose failures and leaks, thereby saving millions of dollars annually.
Implementation Method 1
monitoring hose continuity and resistance changes
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a system for detecting an imminent failure or an existing failure in a water supply hose to an appliance and reporting the changed condition of the hose to a designated person at a designated address.