Sanitary Washing Nozzle Flow Path for Scale Clogging Suppression
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Solution Overview
Problem
Sanitary washing apparatuses face clogging issues due to scale formation in narrow flow channels, particularly when electrolyzed water with high pH produces calcium carbonate, which can precipitate and grow, leading to clogging and reduced efficiency of sterilizing water production.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a contraction portion in the flow channel with a smaller cross-sectional area downstream of the electrolytic cell and a strainer to capture scale particles, while using a material with low surface energy for the strainer to prevent adhesion and growth, and positioning the strainer to minimize turbulence and pH instability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the flow channel is made narrow to save space, then the apparatus becomes more compact, but scale precipitation and clogging occurs more easily
Solution Approach 1:
The strainer is positioned upstream in the flow channel to preliminarily remove scale particles before they can travel downstream and cause clogging. This preliminary action of scale removal prevents the harmful effect of clogging while maintaining the narrow flow channel design for compactness.
2Productivity
If the electrolytic cell is placed downstream of the warm water tank to efficiently produce sterilizing water, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but scale adheres to electrodes reducing production capability
Solution Approach 1:
The harmful scale particles produced during electrolysis are extracted from the water flow by the strainer. This separates the scale removal function from the electrolytic cell, allowing the cell to maintain its position for efficient sterilizing water production while the strainer handles scale removal downstream.
3Ease of repair
If polarity reversal is used to remove scale from electrodes, then electrode cleaning is achieved, but scale peels and clogs the narrow flow channel
Solution Approach 1:
The strainer acts as an intermediary component that intercepts scale particles before they can cause clogging. This mediator handles the scale removal function from the water flow, allowing polarity reversal to be used for electrode cleaning without the harmful side effect of flow channel clogging.
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
Effectively suppresses scale precipitation and growth, preventing clogging and maintaining the efficiency of sterilizing water production by capturing scale particles and reducing surface adhesion, thus ensuring continuous operation and hygiene.
Implementation Method 1
an electrolytic cell provided at an intermediate portion of the flow channel, the electrolytic cell being capable of producing sterilizing water
Implementation Method 2
a contraction portion being formed downstream from the electrolytic cell, a flow channel cross-sectional area being smaller at the contraction portion than upstream from the electrolytic cell
Implementation Method 3
a strainer being disposed in the flow channel further downstream from the contraction portion
Data Source
AI summary
According to an aspect of the invention, a sanitary washing apparatus, characterized by: a nozzle being configured to wash a body of a user by squirting water from a water discharge port; a flow channel configured to guide water supplied from a water supply source toward the water discharge port; an electrolytic cell provided at an intermediate portion of the flow channel, the electrolytic cell being capable of producing sterilizing water; and a nozzle wash unit configured to wash or sterilize the nozzle with the sterilizing water produced by the electrolytic cell, a contraction portion being formed downstream from the electrolytic cell, a flow channel cross-sectional area being smaller at the contraction portion than upstream from the electrolytic cell, a strainer being disposed in the flow channel further downstream from the contraction portion. Clogging of the flow channel due to scale can be suppressed.