Modular Fluid Oscillators for Pulsating Water Cleaning Flows
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing plumbing fixtures, such as toilets and bidets, often rely on continuous stream flows of water that may not be sufficient for effective cleaning, requiring larger volumes or higher intensity flows to achieve desired cleaning capabilities.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of modular fluid oscillators in plumbing fixtures, which control the flow of water through interconnected flow channels with alterable geometries, providing pulsating or oscillating flows to enhance water delivery performance and cleaning capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If continuous stream flows are used in plumbing fixtures, then the device complexity is low, but the cleaning effectiveness is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies periodic action by using fluid oscillators to convert continuous water flow into pulsating, oscillating streams. The oscillators create periodic variations in flow direction and intensity, enhancing cleaning effectiveness through repeated impingement cycles on surfaces, thereby resolving the contradiction between simple continuous flow and effective cleaning.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes pneumatics and hydraulics by employing fluid oscillators that leverage water pressure and flow dynamics to generate oscillating movements. The hydraulic system drives the oscillation mechanism without external power sources, creating effective cleaning patterns through fluid-powered mechanical motion.
2Reliability
If larger volumes of water are used to improve cleaning capabilities, then the cleaning effectiveness increases, but the water consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
By implementing periodic oscillating flows, the system concentrates water delivery into high-intensity pulses that achieve better cleaning per unit volume of water. The oscillating pattern ensures thorough coverage across surfaces through repeated exposure, reducing the total water volume needed compared to continuous low-intensity streams.
Solution Approach 2:
The fluid oscillators create mechanical vibration in the water stream, producing oscillating movements that enhance the cleaning action. This vibrational energy improves the effectiveness of each water droplet, allowing smaller volumes to achieve the same or better cleaning results compared to steady flows.
3Reliability
If higher intensity flows are used to ensure sufficient cleaning capabilities, then the cleaning effectiveness improves, but the energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses pneumatic and hydraulic principles to generate high-intensity oscillating flows from the existing water pressure without additional energy input. The fluid oscillator design converts the kinetic energy of the incoming water stream into oscillating motion, achieving high-intensity cleaning action while consuming only the baseline water pressure energy.
Solution Approach 2:
The fluid oscillators are self-powered by the water flow itself, requiring no external energy sources. The system uses the water's own pressure and flow characteristics to drive the oscillation mechanism, making the high-intensity cleaning action self-sustaining without additional energy consumption.
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 use of modular fluid oscillators improves the cleaning effectiveness of plumbing fixtures by providing controlled, oscillating water flows that can increase the efficiency of surface cleaning and waste removal.
Implementation Method 1
The housing, flexible component, and insert may collectively form a fluid oscillator including feedback channels and a mixing chamber configured to receive a flow of water and output an oscillating flow of water
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a fluidic device including a housing configured to receive a flow of water and including an outlet configured to dispense a flow of water, a flexible component comprised of a first material configured to be disposed within the housing, the flexible component including a base, a first leg extending from the base, a second leg extending from the base, and an opening extending through the first leg, and an insert comprised of a second material, different than the first material, the insert configured to be disposed within the housing between the first leg and the second leg, the housing, flexible component, and insert being configured to form at least one modular fluid oscillator when the flexible component and insert are disposed in the housing.