Multiple outlet shower control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Dual outlet showers are often incorrectly installed, leading to misaligned controls where the fixed showerhead is connected to the fluid outlet intended for the handheld showerhead and vice versa, requiring disruptive and time-consuming disconnection and reconnection of hoses or pipes, especially when the valve box is inaccessible.
Innovation Solution
A reconfigurable bathing apparatus with a processor that allows control actions to be aligned without physical access, enabling the first control action to control the second fluid outlet and vice versa, using a computer-implemented method and application to reconfigure shower outlet controls electronically.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the fixed showerhead is connected to the fluid outlet intended for the handheld showerhead and vice versa, then the shower controls become misaligned, but the installation process is completed quickly without checking connections
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary configuration by assigning unique identifiers to each fluid outlet during installation. The processor stores the intended mapping between control actions and fluid outlets before the shower is put into service, enabling automatic correction of misalignment issues without requiring disconnection or reconnection of hoses or pipes later.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides feedback to the user about the current state of control alignment. When a control action is activated, the processor identifies which fluid outlet responds and compares it with the intended mapping. If misalignment is detected, the system can automatically reconfigure the mapping or notify the user of the incorrect connection.
2Ease of manufacture
If the valve box is not readily accessible and the fault is only noticed after tiling, then the control misalignment fault is difficult to correct, but initial installation proceeds without access constraints
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces the mechanical approach of physically disconnecting and reconnecting hoses or pipes with an electronic/software-based solution. The processor electronically reconfigures the mapping between control actions and fluid outlets through software, eliminating the need for physical access to the valve box or disassembly of installed components.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system is designed to be universally adaptable to different connection configurations. The processor can dynamically reassign control actions to different fluid outlets based on actual connection status, making the system functional regardless of whether the fixed showerhead is connected to outlet 1 or outlet 2, thus providing both installation flexibility and ease of correction.
3Reliability
If disconnection and reconnection of hoses or pipes is required to correct control misalignment, then control alignment can be corrected, but the process becomes disruptive and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces the mechanical approach of physically disconnecting and reconnecting hoses or pipes with an electronic/software-based solution. The processor electronically reconfigures the mapping between control actions and fluid outlets through software, eliminating the need for physical access to the valve box or disassembly of installed components.
Data Source
AI summary
A reconfigurable bathing apparatus (100) is disclosed, comprising a first showerhead (104), the first showerhead (104) being connected to a first fluid outlet (404); a second showerhead (106), the second showerhead (106) being connected to a second fluid outlet (406); and a processor (112), the processor (112) being arranged to control fluid flow through the first fluid outlet (404) in response to a first control action and to control fluid flow through the second fluid outlet (406) in response to a second control action. The processor (112) is arranged to be able to receive and implement a request to reconfigure its response to the control actions such that the first control action controls the second fluid outlet (406) and the second control action controls the first fluid outlet (404).