Modular Water Purifier Flow Path Design for User Maintenance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional water purifiers require professional engineers for filter and pipe maintenance, posing privacy concerns, incurring high management costs, and risking hygiene if not regularly inspected.
Innovation Solution
A water purifier design allowing users to easily replace filters and pipes through modular components like filter, first and second flow path modules, and a faucet module, with detachable mounting parts and user-friendly mechanisms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If professional engineers perform regular inspection and maintenance of filters and pipes, then hygiene and reliability are improved, but management costs increase and privacy concerns arise
Solution Approach 1:
The water purifier is divided into modular components including a filter module, first flow path module, second flow path module, and faucet module. Each module can be independently removed and replaced by users without requiring professional engineer visits, thereby reducing management costs while maintaining hygiene through regular user-performed maintenance
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables users to perform self-maintenance by providing easily removable modules with user-friendly mounting parts. Users can independently replace filters and inspect flow paths without external assistance, eliminating privacy concerns associated with engineer visits while ensuring regular maintenance for hygiene and reliability
2Reliability
If filters and pipes are cleaned or replaced professionally, then hygiene is improved, but device complexity increases due to specialized cleaning requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The system is segmented into standardized modules with uniform mounting parts that simplify maintenance operations. The filter module, flow path modules, and faucet module are designed as discrete units that can be easily removed and replaced, reducing the complexity of cleaning and replacement procedures
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting parts are designed with universal characteristics that allow the same interface to be used across different modules. This standardization enables users to perform maintenance using the same simple procedure for different components, reducing the complexity associated with specialized cleaning requirements
3Reliability
If inspection is performed according to professional engineer schedules, then maintenance quality is improved, but productivity decreases due to irregular inspection timing
Solution Approach 1:
By enabling users to perform their own maintenance, the system allows inspections to occur more frequently and regularly without being constrained by professional engineer availability. Users can maintain the water purifier according to their own schedules, improving inspection frequency while maintaining quality through the simplified modular design
4Ease of operation
If modular components are made easily detachable for user replacement, then ease of operation is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The modules are designed with standardized mounting interfaces that balance ease of user assembly with manufacturing precision requirements. The mounting parts incorporate features such as positioning protrusions and corresponding recesses that guide proper alignment, making assembly easy for users while maintaining acceptable manufacturing tolerances
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting parts are designed with localized precision features only where necessary for proper connection, rather than requiring high precision throughout the entire component. This allows easy user assembly while minimizing overall manufacturing precision requirements
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
Reduces maintenance costs, ensures privacy, improves hygiene and reliability by enabling regular user checks, and simplifies module replacement in the water purification system.
Implementation Method 1
a filter module filtering and purifying introduced raw water
Implementation Method 2
purifying raw water supplied from a raw water supply source such as a water supply or a mineral water bottle, which supplies purified water to a user by removing impurities, heavy metals and other harmful substances, contained in raw water through a physical or chemical method such as precipitation, filtration, and sterilization
Implementation Method 3
purifying raw water supplied from a raw water supply source such as a water supply or a mineral water bottle, which supplies purified water to a user by removing impurities, heavy metals and other harmful substances, contained in raw water through a physical or chemical method such as precipitation, filtration, and sterilization
Data Source
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AI summary
A water purifier includes: a case forming an outer appearance of the water purifier and including a plurality of components provided therein; a cover mounted to the case to be opened and closed; a support frame mounted to the inside of the case and having at least one mounting part; a filter module detachably mounted to the case through the at least one mounting part and serving to filter and purify introduced raw water; a first flow path module including at least one flow path through which raw water flows and detachably mounted to the case between the case and the support frame to fix the filter module to the inside of the case; a second flow path module including at least one flow path through which purified water flows and which is connected to the components and the filter module, the second flow path module being detachably mounted to the case through the at least one mounting part; and a faucet module mounted to the case to discharge purified water which has been filtered and purified through the components.