Sensor Faucet Flow Adjustment Without Water Output Failure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional automatic faucets are inconvenient for long-term water output and suffer from unnecessary interference between manual and automatic modes, with complex structures and difficulty in adjusting water flow without interrupting water supply.
Innovation Solution
A water output device with an electronic sensor component, a waterway electronic switch, a flow adjusting component, and a detection component that communicates to control the waterway switch based on flow rate changes, ensuring continuous water supply and preventing accidental shutdown during flow adjustments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the flow control valve is adjusted directly to zero flow rate, then the water output can be stopped, but the faucet may not be able to output water when sensing control is used again
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by detecting flow rate changes and preemptively controlling the solenoid valve before the user completes the adjustment. When the detection component senses that the flow control valve is being adjusted to a low flow rate position, the control component activates the solenoid valve to stop water flow in advance, preventing the situation where the faucet fails to output water when sensing control is subsequently used.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the automatic mode works normally during manual operation, then sensing control is available, but it causes unnecessary interference to the user
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies dynamics by making the control mode switchable and adaptive. The control component dynamically adjusts the working mode based on user interaction: when manual operation is detected (flow control valve adjustment), the automatic sensing function is temporarily suspended to avoid interference. This dynamic switching ensures that the system adapts to user needs, providing sensing control when appropriate and manual control when the user intends to adjust flow manually.
3Reliability
If a physical blocking member is added to prevent direct closing, then the flow adjusting component cannot easily reach zero flow rate, but the closed position becomes accessible under special situations
Solution Approach 1:
The solenoid valve acts as an intermediary mechanism between the flow control valve and the water supply. The physical blocking member prevents the flow control valve from directly closing to zero flow rate, maintaining a minimum flow for continuous water supply. The solenoid valve serves as the mediator that can completely shut off water flow when needed (under special situations detected by the control component), thereby reconciling the conflict between maintaining continuous flow and enabling complete closure when necessary.
Data Source
AI summary
An adjustment position of a water output device is provided. A flow volume adjustment component of the water output device has a first position corresponding to a flow volume greater than zero; upon detecting that the flow volume adjustment component reduces the flow volume to that corresponding to the first position, a detection component sends a signal to a control component; and the control component-turns off an electronic waterway switch according to the signal. In this way, when the flow volume is reduced, the electronic waterway switch can be turned off by signal control, and in this case, the flow volume adjusted by the flow volume adjustment component is kept at a particular value, such that the next time water is output by a user using an electronic mode, the failure of water output would not occur.