Rotary Shower Flow Controller With Selectable Flow Holes
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional shower flow rate controllers can only provide a single outlet flow rate, limiting users' ability to choose preferred flow rates, and are not easily adjustable during use.
Innovation Solution
A flow rate controller design featuring a rotatable member with second flow holes of different sizes that can overlap a first flow hole, allowing for adjustable water flow rates by rotating the member to various positions, enabling users to adjust the flow rate with one hand.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a conventional controller with single outlet flow rate is used, then the device structure is simple, but the adaptability is limited and users cannot choose multiple flow rates
Solution Approach 1:
The controller is segmented into multiple functional components: a control body with multiple flow rate adjustment mechanisms, each independently adjustable. This allows the single device to provide multiple flow rate options (improving adaptability) while keeping each individual adjustment mechanism relatively simple (managing device complexity)
Solution Approach 2:
The controller is designed as a multi-functional device that can provide different flow rates for different outlets simultaneously. The control body incorporates multiple adjustment mechanisms that work together to deliver customized flow rates to multiple outlets, making the device universally applicable for various shower preferences
2Ease of operation
If a conventional controller requiring two hands for adjustment is used, then the control precision may be adequate, but the ease of operation is poor during shower use
Solution Approach 1:
The controller incorporates dynamic adjustment mechanisms that can be operated with one hand during shower use. The control assembly includes movable components that respond to single-handed manipulation, making the device dynamically adaptable to the user's operational context while maintaining adequate control precision
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple flow holes with different sizes are introduced, then the flow rate adjustability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Different flow holes with specific size characteristics are positioned at different locations within the control assembly. Each flow hole is designed with specific local properties (size, position) to control flow rates at different outlets, providing diverse flow rate adjustment range while organizing complexity through functional localization
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A
Figure 2B
AI summary
A flow rate controller (1) includes a pipe body (10) and a control assembly. The pipe body (10) includes a channel, a water supply opening (161) and a water outlet opening (121), wherein the water supply opening (161) is adapted to connect to a water supply pipe, and the water supply opening (161) communicates with the water outlet opening (121) through the channel. The control assembly includes a fixed member (26) and a rotatable member (22), wherein the fixed member (26) is fixedly positioned in the pipe body (10), and includes a first flow hole (262). The rotatable member (22) is coaxially and rotatably connected to the pipe body (10), so that the rotatable member (22) is rotatable relative to the pipe body (10). The rotatable member (22) includes a plurality of second flow holes (222) and a plurality of adjusting positions, wherein the second flow holes (222) have different hole sizes to each other, and each of the adjusting positions is respectively corresponding to the corresponding one of the second flow holes (222). When the rotatable member (22) rotates to one of the adjusting positions, the corresponding second flow hole (222a, 222b, 222c or 222d) overlaps the first flow hole (262).