Shower Head Seal Segmentation and Spring Compression
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional shower heads face difficulties in assembly, production efficiency, high defective rates, and increased costs due to complex seal configurations and single water passage designs, leading to inconsistent water sealing and leakage issues.
Innovation Solution
A shower head design featuring a main body, rotation seat, main body seal seat, cover seal seat, and seal members with a groove for a first seal ring, a spring and second seal ring for enhanced sealing, and multiple water passages for various spray modes, allowing for easier assembly and improved sealing through opposing forces applied by the spring and seal rings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a screw is used to fix the main body seal seat and cover seal seat, then the seal configuration can be assembled, but the assembly is difficult and production efficiency is low
Solution Approach 1:
The seal structure is segmented into multiple seal rings (first seal ring in the groove, second seal ring in the water inlet) that work together to seal different gaps. This segmentation allows each seal ring to be independently positioned and compressed, improving both sealing reliability and assembly ease compared to a single complex seal configuration
Solution Approach 2:
The spring acts as an intermediary element between the second seal ring and the water inlet, providing continuous compression force to the second seal ring. This intermediary mechanism ensures reliable sealing while allowing for thermal expansion and manufacturing tolerances, and simplifies assembly by eliminating the need for precise pre-compression
2Reliability
If a Y-shaped ring is used to seal the gap between cover seal seat and main body seal seat, then sealing can be achieved, but the structure may be lopsided or deformed causing water leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The single Y-shaped ring is segmented into two separate seal rings: the first seal ring seals the gap between the main body seal seat and rotation seat, while the second seal ring seals the gap between the main body seal seat and cover seal seat. This segmentation eliminates the lopsidedness and deformation issues of the Y-shaped ring by providing symmetric, independent sealing positions
Solution Approach 2:
The two seal rings are made of the same homogeneous material and have similar circular cross-sections, ensuring uniform compression and sealing performance. This homogeneity eliminates the structural weaknesses of the Y-shaped ring which had varying thickness and prone-to-deformation geometry
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple water passages are used for different spray modes, then spray versatility is improved, but the structure becomes complicated and cannot be produced in large scale
Solution Approach 1:
The rotation seat is designed to rotate relative to the main body seal seat, dynamically changing which water inlet communicates with which through hole in the cover seal seat. This dynamic rotation mechanism provides multiple spray modes through a single water passage structure, avoiding the complexity of multiple fixed water passages while maintaining versatility
Solution Approach 2:
The single water passage structure serves multiple functions by combining the rotation mechanism with the seal rings and spring. The same water passage can deliver water to different outlets depending on the rotation position, making the structure universal for multiple spray modes without requiring separate dedicated passages for each mode
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 better and stable seal effect, simplifies assembly, reduces production defects, and lowers costs by ensuring effective water sealing across multiple spray modes while allowing for easy manufacturing and versatile water outflow configurations.
Implementation Method 1
The spring is located between the second seal ring and the water inlet of the main body seal seat. The second seal ring is against the cover seal seat.
Implementation Method 2
The joint of the main body seal seat and the rotation seat has a groove to receive a first seal ring. The main body seal seat has at least one water inlet. The water inlet is provided with a spring and a second seal ring therein.
Data Source
AI summary
A shower head includes a main body seal seat fixed to a main body. The main body seal seat is fitted in a rotation seat in a rotation way and located above a cover seal seat. The cover seal seat is fixed to a cover unit. The joint of the main body seal seat and the rotation seat has a groove to receive a first seal ring. The main body seal seat has at least one water inlet. The water inlet is provided with a spring and a second seal ring therein. The spring is located between the second seal ring and the water inlet of the main body seal seat. The cover seal seat has at least one through hole corresponding in position to the water inlet. The cover unit has at least one water outlet.