Sensor-Controlled Faucet Operation to Reduce Switch Contamination

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Solution Overview

Problem

Faucets require manual operation and cleaning, leading to additional resource consumption and inconvenience, especially when hands are dirty.

Innovation Solution

A faucet equipped with an electrically controllable valve, contact sensing unit, motion sensing unit, and control unit that allows for automatic operation modes based on object contact and rotation status, enabling touch or pull-down operation without manual handling.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If manual operation is used to turn on the faucet, then the faucet can be controlled, but the switch gets polluted and requires additional cleaning resources

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of operationVSAvoidpollution

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the manual mechanical switch operation with an automatic sensing system. The motion sensing unit detects hand approach and the contact sensing unit detects touch actions, automatically controlling the electrically controllable valve without requiring manual contact with the faucet body, thereby eliminating pollution of the switch.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The faucet system automatically detects user presence and intent through sensing units, and autonomously activates or deactivates water flow without requiring manual intervention. The system serves itself by using environmental sensors to trigger the appropriate valve state based on detected motion or contact patterns.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Extent of automation

If sensing units and control systems are added to enable automatic operation, then hands-free operation is achieved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveautomationVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Extent of automationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The control unit serves multiple functions: it processes signals from both the motion sensing unit and contact sensing unit, determines operation mode based on signal patterns, and controls the electrically controllable valve. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated components for each function.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent combines the motion sensing unit and contact sensing unit into a coordinated sensing system that works together with the control unit and electrically controllable valve. The sensing units are integrated to detect different aspects of user interaction (approach and touch) that together trigger the automatic operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS11499301B2Faucet

Publication Date: 2022.11.15 WANG CHUN PING

AI summary

A faucet is provided, and the faucet includes a faucet body, an electrically controllable valve, a contact sensing unit, a motion sensing unit, and a control unit. The control unit determines an operation mode of the faucet based on a signal of the contact sensing unit and a signal of the motion sensing unit, and controls an on-off state of the electrically controllable valve.