Shower Flow Regulator Switching Profile for Legal Average Limits
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Solution Overview
Problem
Shower heads require varying flow rates to comply with different legal requirements, and existing technologies struggle to efficiently manage these variations while ensuring compliance with water conservation regulations.
Innovation Solution
A controller unit with a switching profile that allows for predetermined changes between different flow states, utilizing a switching unit driven by flowing water, which can be mechanically or electrically operated, to adjust flow rates and maintain compliance with legal limits by averaging flow rates over time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a shower head is designed for higher flow rate to provide sufficient flow and improved comfort, then user comfort and functionality are improved, but legal water consumption limits are exceeded
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic switching between different flow states (first flow state with higher flow rate and second flow state with lower flow rate) to achieve compliance with legal water consumption limits while maintaining user comfort. The switching unit alternates between flow states in a predetermined sequence, creating a temporal pattern that satisfies both comfort and regulatory requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the flow rate dynamic by enabling switching between multiple flow states rather than maintaining a fixed flow rate. The switching unit dynamically adjusts the flow characteristics based on a stored switching profile, allowing the system to adapt its performance characteristics over time to balance comfort and compliance.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If flow rate is limited to comply with legal requirements, then water consumption limits are met, but shower performance and user comfort are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses periodic switching between flow states to allow higher flow rates during specific time intervals while maintaining lower flow rates during other intervals. This periodic pattern ensures that the average water consumption complies with legal limits while providing periods of high performance that maintain user comfort and shower effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The switching profile is predetermined and stored in the switching unit before operation begins. This preliminary configuration allows the system to automatically execute the optimal switching sequence without real-time user intervention, ensuring compliance while maximizing performance opportunities.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a switching mechanism is added to enable flow state changes, then compliance with legal limits is achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The switching unit operates autonomously based on a predetermined switching profile stored within the system. The controller automatically executes the switching sequence without requiring external control or user intervention, making the system self-regulating and reducing the need for complex external control mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The switching unit and controller are integrated into a unified component that combines the switching functionality with the control logic in a single device. This merging reduces the overall system complexity by eliminating separate control systems and integrating multiple functions into one compact unit.
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
Enables the use of shower heads with higher flow rates while ensuring compliance with legal water consumption limits, providing improved comfort and functionality while maintaining average flow rates within regulatory standards.
Implementation Method 1
the switching unit has a driver that is driven by flowing water
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~5
Figure 6
AI summary
In a flow control unit (1) it is proposed to generate a time sequence (22) of a flow flow in which a switching profile, with which at least one flow controller (6) is controlled to change the defined flow flow, is executed (1).