Water Shower With Sensor-Controlled Nozzles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional water showers waste water due to uncontrolled flow patterns, temperature adjustments, and user movement, leading to inefficiencies in water distribution.
Innovation Solution
A water shower system equipped with sensors and a controller that individually open and close nozzles based on the presence of an object in the water jet direction, utilizing a combination of CCD/CMOS cameras, infrared sensors, and micro-actuators, along with a power generation unit to optimize water flow and pressure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If water flows continuously through all nozzles, then the shower provides consistent water flow, but water is wasted when the user is not in the water jet direction
Solution Approach 1:
The shower head is divided into multiple independently controllable nozzles, each capable of being opened or closed individually based on user position detection, allowing selective water flow to specific directions only when needed
Solution Approach 2:
Sensors detect user position and provide feedback to the controller, which adjusts nozzle opening/closing in real-time to match user location, ensuring water flows only when and where the user is present
2Productivity
If all nozzles are opened simultaneously, then water flow is maximized, but water is wasted when user needs water for specific body parts only
Solution Approach 1:
Different nozzles are activated selectively based on the specific body part or area the user needs to wet, providing localized water flow only where needed rather than uniform flow across all nozzles
3Ease of operation
If the shower head is adjusted manually to change water direction, then water flow direction is controlled, but water is wasted during adjustment and continuous flow is required
Solution Approach 1:
Manual mechanical adjustment of the shower head is replaced with an automated electronic system using sensors and actuators that automatically direct water flow based on user position detection, eliminating the need for continuous manual adjustment and associated water wastage
4Temperature
If water flows continuously to maintain temperature, then temperature stability is maintained, but water is wasted during temperature adjustments
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of continuous water flow, the system uses periodic or on-demand nozzle activation synchronized with user presence detection, maintaining temperature stability through controlled intermittent flow rather than continuous flow
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 system effectively saves water by ensuring water is only dispensed through nozzles aligned with the user, reducing wastage and allowing for remote control operation, integration with existing systems, and energy harvesting from flowing water.
Implementation Method 1
at least one sensor configured to sense an object in a specific zone
Implementation Method 2
CCD/CMOS cameras
Implementation Method 3
power generation unit to optimize water flow and pressure
Data Source
AI summary
An embodiment of the present disclosure provides a water shower comprising: a shower head connected to a water supply unit and comprising a plurality of nozzles to discharge water; at least one sensor configured to sense an object in a specific zone; and a controller operatively coupled with the at least one sensor to operate discharge of water through each nozzle of the plurality of nozzles, wherein a one or more nozzles of the plurality of nozzles are opened (and closed) individually by respective actuators, based on detection of the object by sensor, in direction of water flow through one or more nozzles. The saving of water is achieved by individually opening each nozzle of shower head such that water is discharged only through those nozzles in direction of which, an object is detected and closed when the object is not in the direction.