Shower Head With One-Handed Flow Activation and Selectable Jet Patterns
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing shower heads, particularly trigger shower heads, lack versatility and comfort in application, as they often require separate activation of a water tap and do not offer adjustable jet patterns for targeted cleaning, limiting their use in sanitary facilities.
Innovation Solution
A shower head with a pressure connection and an activatable flow activation means that can be set to a deactivated state, featuring at least two selectable jet patterns, allowing for one-handed operation and targeted water delivery without needing to activate a separate faucet, with a flow activation mechanism that ensures water is only supplied when needed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a shower head is connected to a permanent water supply via flexible hose, then mobility and ease of use are improved, but water waste increases due to continuous water availability
Solution Approach 1:
The flow activation means is pre-configured in a deactivated state that automatically prevents water flow. The user must actively activate water supply only when needed, rather than having continuous flow. This preliminary setup ensures water is available only during actual use, preventing waste while maintaining ease of operation through one-handed activation.
2Device complexity
If a shower head provides only a single jet pattern, then device complexity is reduced, but adaptability for different cleaning needs deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The water outlet is segmented into multiple outlet openings, each producing a different jet pattern (e.g., first jet pattern with higher momentum for tough cleaning, second jet pattern with lower momentum for gentle rinsing). The jet pattern setting means allows selective activation of specific outlet segments, providing versatility without requiring completely different shower head designs.
Solution Approach 2:
The shower head incorporates a jet pattern setting means that dynamically changes the jet pattern output based on user selection. This allows the same physical outlet to adapt its water delivery characteristics (momentum, spread, intensity) to match different cleaning requirements, enhancing versatility without adding multiple permanent outlet configurations.
3Loss of time
If water is made permanently available at the pressure connection, then response time for activation is reduced, but water waste and energy loss increase
Solution Approach 1:
Pressurized water is pre-positioned at the pressure connection ready for immediate delivery, eliminating the need for additional pumping or pressure buildup time. However, the flow activation means maintains a deactivated state that blocks flow until activated, ensuring water is delivered immediately when needed while preventing energy waste from continuous flow.
Solution Approach 2:
The flow activation means extracts and isolates the water flow control function from the permanent water supply connection. This separation allows the water to be permanently available at the pressure connection for immediate response, while the activation means selectively enables or disables flow to prevent energy loss during non-use periods.
4Measurement precision
If the shower head requires two-handed operation for activation and jet pattern selection, then control precision is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The flow activation means and jet pattern setting means are merged into a single integrated control mechanism that can be operated with one hand. The design combines the activation function and jet pattern selection function into one operational interface, allowing users to both activate water flow and select jet pattern simultaneously with a single hand, maintaining control precision while dramatically improving ease of operation.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
Shower head (1) for a water fitting (2) with a water connection (3) and an actuable valve (4) which is closed in a state without actuation, wherein the shower head (1) further has at least two spray pattern settings (7) selectable by means of a spray pattern adjusting means (5) with a first spray pattern (8) and with a second spray pattern (10) different from the first spray pattern (8).