Pushbutton Water-Mixing Cartridge With Flow-Controlled Piston Valve
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pushbutton-controlled cartridges for water flow management in sanitary applications, such as bathroom taps, face challenges in providing reliable and efficient opening and closing of water flow with appropriate speed profiles and transient flow control, and lack flexibility in performing multiple functions without replacing the ceramic discs.
Innovation Solution
A cartridge with a flow-controlled piston valve operated by a pushbutton, featuring a valve piston guided within a housing with a ceramic stationary and moving disc configuration, allowing for adjustable flow rates and direction control through asymmetrically positioned openings in the discs, enabling multiple functions by replacing the ceramic discs and associating inlets and outlets with these openings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a pushbutton-controlled cartridge is used for opening and closing water flow, then the operation is simplified and can be performed with small handling force, but the opening and closing speed profile and transient flow control are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
A magnetic field is introduced as an intermediary between the pushbutton and the valve mechanism. The pushbutton actuates a magnetic element that controls a magnetically operable valve, which in turn controls the water flow. This magnetic intermediary enables precise control of the opening and closing speed profile and transient flow characteristics without requiring complex mechanical linkages.
2Device complexity
If the cartridge design is fixed with specific ceramic discs, then the structure is simple, but the cartridge cannot perform multiple functions without replacing ceramic discs
Solution Approach 1:
The cartridge is designed with a universal magnetic valve control mechanism that can work with different types of ceramic discs. By changing the ceramic disc configuration (e.g., different opening patterns, positions, or numbers of outlets), the same cartridge body and magnetic actuation system can perform multiple functions such as mixing, diversion, or direct flow control, eliminating the need for complete cartridge replacement.
3Reliability
If a magnetic valve is used to control water flow, then the opening and closing can be controlled with appropriate speed profile, but the mechanism becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The traditional mechanical valve actuation system is replaced with a magnetic field-based control system. The pushbutton actuates a magnetic element that controls a magnetically operable valve, eliminating the need for complex mechanical linkages, gears, or cam mechanisms. This substitution maintains reliable flow control with adjustable speed profiles while reducing mechanical complexity.
4Adaptability or versatility
If the housing is made turnable around the axis, then the ceramic moving disc can be positioned to direct flow to different outlets, but the mechanical connection between components becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The housing and the ceramic moving disc assembly are merged into a single integrated unit that rotates together as one component. The magnetic valve and its actuation mechanism are also integrated into this rotating assembly. This merging eliminates the need for separate mechanical connections between the housing, valve, and disc, simplifying the overall mechanical structure while maintaining the ability to direct flow to different outlets through rotation.
Data Source
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AI summary
Valve controlled cartridge operated by a pushbutton for the mixing of water and/or for directing water coming from an inlet to one or more outlets which comprises a valve closing and opening the fluid flow between at least one inlet and outlet, in which a control valve (30) is arranged operated by a double position mechanism by which the control valve can be set into open and closed positions, wherein the double position mechanism, the control valve and the valve are arranged along the axis (15) after one another, and the housing (13) is surrounded by a case (41) in which the housing can be turned around within a predetermined angular range, and in the interior of the case (41) under the lower end of the housing a ceramic stationary disc (42) is arranged, and directly above the ceramic stationary disc with a common contacting plane a ceramic moving disc (43) is arranged. Said valve is a flow controlled piston valve (10) having a valve piston (17) guided in the interior of the housing (13) for axial displacement, wherein no mechanical connection exists between the control valve and the valve piston.