Shower Nozzle Pulsating Flow via Air Oscillation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional shower apparatuses fail to provide a shower stream with a voluminous feel and comfortable stimulus sensation when discharging a small volume of water, while also lacking size and cost reductions, and they do not effectively achieve a large change in the instantaneous flow rate of the shower stream.
Innovation Solution
A shower apparatus that includes a water supply unit, a throttle unit to increase water flow velocity, an aeration unit to produce bubbly water, and a side-water-stream producing unit that changes the traveling direction of the main water stream, creating a pulsating effect by varying the air volume mixed into the bubbly water, thereby altering the instantaneous flow rate.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If conventional shower apparatuses discharge a small volume of water, then size and cost are reduced, but the shower stream lacks a voluminous feel and comfortable stimulus sensation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies pneumatic principles by introducing air into the water stream through aeration units. The air injection creates bubbly water with enhanced volume and texture, allowing a small water volume to produce a voluminous shower feel. The hydraulic design of the nozzle holes and flow channels optimizes water-air mixing to maintain comfortable stimulus sensation despite reduced water consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes physical parameters of the water stream by aerating it with air bubbles. This transforms the water from a simple liquid stream into a bubbly mixture with altered density, volume, and flow characteristics. The parameter changes enable small water volume to deliver enhanced shower quality through increased air content and modified flow dynamics.
2Ease of operation
If conventional shower apparatuses use additional mechanisms such as pumps to create pulsating effect, then stimulus sensation is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service by designing the shower apparatus to generate its own pulsating effect without external pumps or control systems. The side-water-stream producing unit utilizes the main water flow itself to create alternating flow patterns that produce the desired stimulus sensation. This self-generated pulsating effect eliminates the need for additional mechanisms while maintaining comfort.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic flow patterns through the side-water-stream producing unit, which creates alternating main water streams and side water streams. This dynamic configuration generates natural pulsations in the discharged water without requiring mechanical pumps or electronic controls, thereby improving stimulus sensation while avoiding increased device complexity.
3Quantity of substance
If conventional shower apparatuses aerate water before distribution to nozzle holes, then bubbly water is produced, but the instantaneous flow rate does not change significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic action through the side-water-stream producing unit, which alternately generates main water streams and side water streams. This periodic flow pattern creates significant variations in instantaneous flow rate discharged from the nozzle holes. The aerated water is distributed in alternating pulses, producing both bubbly texture and dynamic flow rate changes that enhance shower experience.
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 apparatus provides a shower stream with a pulsating stimulus, offering a voluminous feel and comfortable sensation without the need for additional mechanisms, such as pumps, while maintaining size and cost reductions.
Implementation Method 1
a throttle unit (42) disposed downstream of the water supply unit (41), the throttle unit making a cross sectional area of a flow channel smaller than that of the water supply unit (41) and thereby increasing a flow velocity of water passing through the throttle unit to eject the water downstream as a main water stream
Implementation Method 2
an aeration unit (43) disposed downstream of the throttle unit (42) and provided with an opening (431) for aerating the main water stream to produce bubbly water
Implementation Method 3
a side-water-stream producing unit for producing a side water stream traveling in a direction different from that of the main water stream, wherein by an effect of the side water stream, a traveling direction of the main water stream is periodically changed, thereby changing a volume of air mixed into the main water stream in the aeration unit (43)
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a shower apparatus that allows the user to have a shower stream with a voluminous feel, even when a small volume of water is discharged, and also with a stimulus sensation arising from water being discharged in a pulsating manner. A shower apparatus F1 periodically changes the volume of air taken into an aeration unit 43 by oscillating a main water stream ejected toward the aeration unit 43 from a throttle unit 42 in a direction crossing the direction of the ejection, so that the bubbly water discharged from a water discharge unit 44 creates a pulsating shower stream.