Mixing Fitting with Actuator-Driven Flushing for Hygiene Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mixer fittings with electronic control and manual mixing devices cannot ensure reliable flushing of both cold and hot water pipes, and their components often cannot be accommodated in standard-sized electronic washbasin fittings, leading to inadequate hygiene flushing.
Innovation Solution
A mixer fitting with an electronic control system and manual mixing device, where a drive mechanism moves the mixing valve or thermostat from a random user-set position to a pre-programmed position for hygienic flushing, ensuring both pipes are flushed reliably, and the components can be arranged in a standard-sized electronic washbasin fitting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If motor-driven shut-off valves are provided in both cold and hot water inlets for electronic control, then automated flushing can be performed, but the arrangement is not possible within the standard size of a washbasin faucet
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the motor-driven shut-off valves with the manual mixing device into a single integrated valve body. The actuator is positioned to simultaneously control both the electronic shut-off function and the manual mixing function, eliminating the need for separate motorized valves and reducing overall component volume to fit standard faucet dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The mixing device serves dual functions: it acts as a manual mixing mechanism for temperature adjustment and as an actuator for the motor-driven shut-off valve. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate components needed, allowing automated flushing to be implemented within standard faucet size constraints.
2Ease of operation
If a manually operated thermostatic valve or mixing device is provided in the water supply lines, then manual temperature adjustment is possible, but reliable automatic flushing of both cold and hot water lines cannot be ensured due to random positioning
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit receives feedback from the actuator's position and controls the motor-driven valve to move the mixing device to a predetermined position that ensures both cold and hot water lines are flushed. This closed-loop control ensures reliable automatic flushing regardless of the mixing device's initial random position.
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit is programmed to automatically move the mixing device to a predetermined position that ensures both cold and hot water lines are flushed before normal operation resumes. This preliminary action guarantees that automatic flushing occurs reliably after any random user positioning.
3Ease of operation
If the actuator is designed to freely move when de-energized, then manual operation is unrestricted, but the mixing valve position cannot be maintained during normal operation
Solution Approach 1:
The actuator is designed to be self-positioning during manual operation, where the user's input directly moves the mixing valve without resistance from the motor. The motor only intervenes to move the valve to the predetermined flushing position when energized by the control unit, otherwise it remains passive and allows free manual operation.
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 automatic hygiene flushing of both cold and hot water pipes, preventing contamination by moving the mixing valve to a predetermined position during a programmed flush, ensuring both lines are rinsed effectively, even in fittings with manual temperature adjustment, while maintaining standard housing dimensions.
Implementation Method 1
a solenoid valve (23) connected to a valve coil (24), which serves to actuate the solenoid valve (23)
Implementation Method 2
an actuator (25) arranged in the housing (10) for actuating the mixing valve (3), the actuator's (25) actuating movement being freely movable in the de-energized state
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~5
AI summary
The invention relates to a mixing valve with electronic control (20) and sensors for user detection, with connections for cold and hot water and an electrically operated solenoid valve (23), as well as a manually adjustable mixing device as a mixing valve (3) with a mixing shaft (49) or as a thermostat. An actuator (25) is provided which is connected to an adjusting device (7) which is connected to the mixing valve (3) or the thermostat. The invention also relates to a method for flushing the hot and/or cold water line using a mixing valve.