Scanner Fluidic Oscillator Showerhead for Uniform Low-Flow Spray
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fluidic showerheads face challenges in providing pleasing spray patterns, uniform droplet size, and temperature uniformity at low flow rates, are difficult to manufacture due to sealing issues, and are more expensive due to complex componentry, while also having fewer spray openings which can be perceived as inferior by consumers.
Innovation Solution
The development of scanner-type showerheads with multiple fluidic oscillators and a two-piece oscillator chamber design, where the outlet throat is selectively offset from the power nozzle axis to produce preselected conical spray patterns, allowing for improved manufacturing simplicity and reduced component count, resulting in a more cost-effective and efficient fluidic assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional fluidic showerheads use multiple component fluidics to generate spray patterns, then spray performance is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple component fluidics into a single integrated fluidic oscillator housing. The housing itself is designed with internal fluidic passages and geometry that perform the functions previously requiring separate components, thereby reducing part count while maintaining spray performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The fluidic oscillator housing serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as the structural housing, contains the fluidic passages, provides the spray generation geometry, and integrates the mounting features. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate components for each function.
2Reliability
If conventional fluidic showerheads use complex sealing arrangements for multiple components, then fluid tightness is achieved, but ease of manufacture deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
By integrating the fluidic passages and sealing surfaces into a single molded housing, the patent eliminates multiple sealing interfaces between separate components. The single-piece construction inherently provides fluid tightness without requiring complex sealing arrangements.
3Device complexity
If conventional fluidic showerheads use traditional jet-type nozzles, then simple structure is maintained, but spray pattern quality and droplet uniformity worsen at low flow rates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates a fluidic oscillator cavity with specific local geometry designed to generate oscillating flow patterns. This localized fluidic structure creates uniform droplet sizes and pleasing spray patterns at low flow rates by utilizing fluid dynamic principles within the oscillator cavity, while the rest of the housing maintains simple construction.
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 scanner showerhead design achieves improved spray patterns, reduced energy consumption, and better directional control, providing the same tactile sensations as higher flow rates while using less water, and simplifies the manufacturing process by reducing the number of components and eliminating complex sealing requirements.
Implementation Method 1
Fluidic inserts or oscillators are well known for their ability to provide a wide range of distinctive liquid sprays by cyclically deflecting, without the use of mechanical moving parts, the flow of a liquid jet
Implementation Method 2
the droplet patterns illustrated represent the droplets produced during one complete cycle of the cyclically deflected liquid jet... the essentially temporally varying, planar flow pattern of a liquid jet or spray that issues from the oscillator into a surrounding gaseous environment and breaks into droplets which are distributed transversely
Data Source
AI summary
A new scanner fluidic oscillator is used in an economically manufactured fluidic showerhead or nozzle assembly 50, 198, 250, 400 which aims oscillating sprays from multiple scanner fluidics to spread water uniformly over a preselected coverage area. The scanner fluidics and showerhead of the present invention provide a pleasing spray pattern, droplet size, droplet velocity, and temperature uniformity at very low flow rates (i.e., 2 gpm or less) for showering. The scanner fluidics are provided in a plurality of distinct configurations for generating individually tailored scanning sprays having a selected scanning spray characteristics. The showerhead's front plate (e.g., 56, 200, 270, 454) is configured to support and aim the fluidic oscillators, optionally with indexing slots 802 configured to receive corresponding angular indexing tabs 800 on the fluidic oscillator inserts to orient and aim the spray from each fluidic oscillator (e.g., 172, 220,282, 530).