Sanitary Valve Unit With Hidden Flushing to Prevent Water Stagnation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing sanitary fittings with valve units often lead to hygienic issues due to stagnation of water, requiring frequent manual operation to maintain drinking water hygiene, which is inefficient and labor-intensive.

Innovation Solution

A valve unit with a second run for rinsing, allowing for periodic flushing with fresh water without visible flow, and a self-medium-operated servomagnet valve or manually operated valve design for efficient water management.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Volume of moving object

If water is drawn off via the outlet valve designed as a fitting outlet, then the design is more compact, but a large amount of fluid stagnates in the sanitary fitting for extended periods

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecompact designVSAvoidhygiene
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The outlet valve is divided into two separate outlets: a first outlet (4) for drawing off water and a second outlet (5) for flushing the valve unit. This segmentation allows the compact design to be maintained while adding a dedicated flushing function to prevent stagnation and ensure hygiene.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If the sanitary fitting is operated manually at certain intervals to flush water, then drinking water hygiene is maintained, but a large amount of work is required and the washbasin surface needs cleaning

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedrinking water hygieneVSAvoidmanual operation effort
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The valve unit is equipped with a self-flushing capability through the second outlet (5) that can be activated by a control element. This allows the system to flush itself automatically without requiring manual operation, thereby maintaining drinking water hygiene while minimizing user effort and avoiding the need to clean the washbasin surface.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Reliability

If a second outlet is added for flushing, then hygiene is maintained without manual operation, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehygiene maintenanceVSAvoidvalve unit structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The inlet (3) of the outlet valve is connected to both the first outlet (4) and the second outlet (5) through a common valve housing (6). This merging of functions within a single integrated valve unit allows the flushing capability to be added without proportionally increasing overall device complexity, as both outlets share common structural elements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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

The valve unit can be operated with minimal effort even during longer periods of non-activity, maintaining hygiene by preventing stagnation and allowing for efficient rinsing without manual intervention.

Implementation Method 1

an actuating unit with a servomagnet valve or with a magnet valve

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectromagnetic actuation: Electromagnet

Data Source

PatentEP4524333A1Valve unit for use in a sanitary fitting
Publication Date: 2025.03.19 A & K MULLER GMBH & CO KG
  • EP4524333A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4524333A1 patent drawingFigure 3~5
  • EP4524333A1 patent drawing

AI summary

The invention relates to a valve unit for use in a sanitary fitting (100) with an outlet valve (2) having an inlet (3) and an outlet (4), the inlet (3) of which can be connected to a fluid supply and the outlet (4) of which is designed as a fitting outlet, so that the outlet valve (2) has a second outlet (5) for flushing the valve unit (1).