Shower Head Mixing Chamber for Uniform Droplet Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing shower heads with air-water mixing systems often result in nonuniform droplet distribution and lack adjustability in shower pattern and droplet size, leading to insufficient shower power and user dissatisfaction.
Innovation Solution
A shower head design featuring multiple mixing chambers with adjustable outlets and vortices to disperse water and air, ensuring a substantial proportion of droplets exit with trajectories converging towards the mean trajectory, providing a more uniform distribution and adjustable shower pattern.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single mixing chamber with coaxial outlets is used, then the structure is simple, but the droplet distribution is nonuniform with larger droplets near the axis and smaller droplets at the edges
Solution Approach 1:
The single mixing chamber is divided into multiple mixing chambers (at least two), each with its own outlet. This segmentation allows independent control of droplet formation in different regions, enabling uniform droplet distribution across the entire shower pattern while maintaining reasonable structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
Different mixing chambers are positioned to target specific regions of the shower pattern. Each mixing chamber produces droplets with characteristics appropriate for its location, ensuring that droplet size and distribution are optimized locally and uniformly across the entire output.
2Device complexity
If fixed outlets are used, then the device structure is simple, but the shower pattern and droplet size cannot be adjusted
Solution Approach 1:
The outlets are made adjustable rather than fixed, allowing users to change the shower pattern and droplet size according to different needs. This dynamic configuration enables the system to adapt to various bathing preferences while maintaining a relatively simple overall device structure.
3Manufacturing precision
If outlets are arranged to produce converging trajectories, then droplet distribution uniformity is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The outlets are positioned asymmetrically relative to the mean trajectory, with each outlet angled to produce droplet trajectories that converge toward the mean trajectory. This asymmetric arrangement creates uniform droplet distribution across the shower pattern while avoiding the complexity of symmetric multi-chamber configurations.
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 design achieves a more uniform droplet distribution and adjustable shower pattern, enhancing the shower experience by ensuring larger droplets near the axis and smaller droplets at the edges, thus improving perceived shower power.
Implementation Method 1
the annular chamber 16, the air outlet 18 and the divergent section 26 of the mixing chamber 24 form a convergent section, throat and divergent section, respectively, of a Venturi. At the annular air outlet 18 (throat), the air has relatively high speed and low pressure. As the air expands in the divergent section 26 of the mixing chamber 24, it breaks the water up into droplets.
Implementation Method 2
The shower head may be arranged to cause the air to form an air vortex in the mixing chamber. Such an air vortex assists in dispersing the water in the mixing chamber and results in smaller sized droplets.
Implementation Method 3
The shower head is arranged to cause both the air and water to form vortices in the mixing chamber, preferably in the same direction. The water vortex assists in dispersing the water in the mixing chamber and results in smaller sized droplets.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~5B
Figure 6~10
AI summary
A shower head (10C) has at least one mixing chamber (24) having an air inlet (18) for connection to a supply of pressurised air and a water inlet (22) for connection to a supply of pressurised water so that, in use, the air breaks the water up into droplets in the mixing chamber. The mixing chamber further has at least one outlet (32) so that, in use, the water droplets and air exit the shower head to form a shower of water droplets having a mean trajectory. The or each outlet is arranged so that, in use, at least a substantial proportion of the water droplets exit the shower head so that their individual trajectories on leaving the shower head are offset from the mean trajectory of the shower head and converge towards the mean trajectory of the shower head. This can result in a more uniform distribution of water droplets in the shower pattern. A single annular outlet may be provided, or a plurality of separate outlets. In order to assist in breaking up the water into small droplets, a vortex may be induced in the air and/or the water in the mixing chamber, and/or a deflector may be disposed adjacent the water inlet into the mixing chamber.