Overhead Showerhead Tortuous Flow Path to Prevent Dripping After Use
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Overhead showerheads with larger nozzles often experience unwanted dripping after use due to residual water, leading to inconvenience and potential premature replacement, which discourages the development of such designs.
Innovation Solution
The showerhead features a faceplate with apertures and a chamber, where nozzles have a tortuous, relatively narrow flow path created by gaps between the nozzle body and enclosure/projection portions, enhancing surface tension to prevent dripping, allowing for the use of larger nozzles without leakage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If larger nozzles are used in the showerhead, then shower spray coverage and water throughput are improved, but unwanted dripping occurs after use due to residual water
Solution Approach 1:
The flow path is designed to be tortuous and curved rather than straight, creating multiple bends and changes in direction. This curved path increases the effectiveness of surface tension forces in preventing dripping, as water adheres to the curved surfaces and requires additional force to overcome the surface tension barriers at each bend. The enclosure portions create a labyrinthine curved path from the chamber to the nozzle inlet that effectively traps residual water.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the flow path by introducing enclosure portions that create a tortuous geometry with specific dimensions. The gap width (1-6mm) and path length (5-30mm) are optimized to create sufficient surface tension effects. The ratio of gap width to path length (1:2 to 1:15) is specifically controlled to ensure that surface tension forces dominate over gravitational forces, preventing water from dripping back through the flow path after shutdown.
2Ease of manufacture
If a straight flow path is used, then manufacturing is simpler, but dripping occurs due to insufficient surface tension retention
Solution Approach 1:
The flow path is segmented into multiple sections by introducing enclosure portions at strategic locations within the chamber. These enclosure portions divide the continuous flow path into segments, creating multiple surface tension barriers along the path. Each enclosure portion with its associated gap creates an additional checkpoint where surface tension can act to prevent water movement, effectively breaking the continuous path into controlled segments that collectively prevent dripping.
3Area of stationary object
If nozzle size is increased, then shower experience is enhanced with larger coverage area, but residual water causes dripping at the nozzle outlet
Solution Approach 1:
The tortuous flow path with multiple surface tension barriers acts as a preliminary trapping mechanism for residual water before it reaches the nozzle outlet. By the time any residual water completes the tortuous path, it has been subjected to multiple surface tension forces that significantly reduce its volume and pressure. This preliminary action of trapping and reducing residual water ensures that even with larger nozzle outlets, minimal water remains to cause dripping after shutdown.
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
This design effectively prevents dripping when the showerhead is not in operation, enabling the use of larger nozzles while reducing user inconvenience and extending the showerhead's lifespan.
Implementation Method 1
one or more of the nozzles comprising a nozzle body having a nozzle inlet at a first end and a nozzle outlet at a second end, wherein the nozzle inlet is inboard of the faceplate; one or more enclosure portions protruding into the chamber from a back plate, wherein each enclosure portion is configured such that a portion of the nozzle body including the nozzle inlet is surrounded at least partially by the enclosure portion and there is a first gap between the nozzle body and the enclosure portion such that, in use, water can flow from the chamber through the first gap and into the nozzle inlet; wherein the enclosure portion and the nozzle body together provide a tortuous, relatively narrow flow path from the chamber through the first gap to the nozzle inlet to reduce or prevent dripping of water from the showerhead occurring at any time when the showerhead is not in operation.
Implementation Method 2
The first gap may be configured such that surface tension of water retained in the first gap when the showerhead is not in operation may be sufficient to limit or prevent dripping of water from occurring at any time when the showerhead is not in operation.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A showerhead for an overhead shower comprising: a faceplate with one or more apertures therein; a chamber disposed within the showerhead, the chamber being configured to be in fluid communication, in use, with a water supply; a nozzle disposed at least partially in each aperture, one or more of the nozzles comprising a nozzle body having a nozzle inlet at a first end and a nozzle outlet at a second end, wherein the nozzle inlet is inboard of the faceplate; one or more enclosure portions protruding into the chamber from a back plate, wherein each enclosure portion is configured such that a portion of the nozzle body including the nozzle inlet is surrounded at least partially by the enclosure portion and there is a first gap between the nozzle body and the enclosure portion such that, in use, water can flow from the chamber through the first gap and into the nozzle inlet; wherein the enclosure portion and the nozzle body together provide a tortuous, relatively narrow flow path from the chamber through the first gap to the nozzle inlet to reduce or prevent dripping of water from the showerhead occurring at any time when the showerhead is not in operation.