Shower
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional shower systems use high water volumes to produce continuous streams of water, failing to simulate the experience of rain, which some users prefer for its sound and feel.
Innovation Solution
A shower assembly with a panel featuring a reservoir and holes that allow water to flow through under gravity, forming discrete drops that fall like rain, along with a control system to manage flow rates and selectively allow continuous streams, providing a realistic rain-like experience.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional shower systems force water through nozzle holes to create continuous streams, then water flow rate is high, but water consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The shower system segments the water flow into discrete drops by controlling water to pass through multiple small holes in a panel, where surface tension causes water to break into individual droplets rather than continuous streams. This segmentation maintains the perception of substantial water flow while actually consuming less water.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs periodic action by creating a rhythmic pattern of dripping water through controlled flow rates. Water accumulates in reservoirs behind the panel and releases periodically as drops fall, simulating natural rain patterns. This periodic dripping provides satisfying shower experience while reducing overall water consumption compared to continuous streams.
2Reliability
If conventional shower systems provide continuous streams of water, then water delivery is strong, but the experience does not simulate rain
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies local quality by creating different water delivery characteristics in different areas. The panel contains multiple holes of varying sizes and distributions, creating zones of different drop sizes and densities. This local variation in water delivery pattern simulates natural rain where drop sizes and intensities vary across different areas, enhancing the rain-like experience while maintaining reliable shower performance.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the shower uses multiple reservoirs and control mechanisms to create rain-like effects, then rain simulation improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The shower system employs multi-functionality by designing a panel that simultaneously serves as both the shower delivery mechanism and the rain simulation device. The same panel with multiple holes creates both functional water delivery for showering and aesthetic rain-like droplet patterns. This universal design achieves rain simulation capability without requiring separate complex mechanisms, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity.
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 shower assembly reduces water usage while providing a satisfying shower experience by mimicking rain, allowing users to perceive a higher flow rate with lower actual water consumption and offering customizable water patterns.
Implementation Method 1
water passes through the first plurality of holes by gravitational force, forms a drop at the outlet of each of the first plurality of holes, and falls from the panel as a plurality of drops
Implementation Method 2
water passes through the first plurality of holes, forms a drop at the outlet of each of the first plurality of holes
Data Source
AI summary
A shower assembly includes an inlet, a reservoir, a plurality of first outlets, and a plurality of second outlets. The inlet is for receiving water from a water source, and is configured to restrict water flow from the water source to a maximum inlet flow rate. The reservoir receives from the inlet. The plurality of first outlets are configured to pass water from the reservoir. The plurality of second outlets are configured to selectively pass water from the reservoir. The shower assembly is configured for a user to selectively control whether water passes through the plurality of second outlets. A sum of a first collective flow rate of the plurality of first outlets and a second collective flow rate of the plurality of second outlets is greater than the maximum inlet flow rate.