Splashless Spray Head with Concentric Nozzle Ring

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional sprayers that produce high-velocity water sprays often deflect off intended cleaning surfaces, leading to unintended splashing and water wastage, and there is a need for a design that conserves water while maintaining effective cleaning efficiency.

Innovation Solution

A spray head design featuring a central array of high-velocity nozzles surrounded by an outer ring of lower-velocity spray holes, which work together to minimize splashing by containing the high-velocity water jets with a lower-velocity curtain, reducing deflection and enhancing rinsing efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If a sprayer is configured to increase water pressure at the dispensing end to achieve high-velocity spray, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but water deflects off cleaning surfaces causing splashing and water waste

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewater spray velocityVSAvoidwater waste from splashing

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The spray head is segmented into two distinct functional zones: a central array of nozzles for high-velocity spray and an outer ring of spray holes for lower-velocity flow. This segmentation allows each zone to perform its specific function without interfering with the other, resolving the contradiction between achieving high velocity for cleaning effectiveness and preventing water waste from splashing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The lower-velocity spray from the outer ring of spray holes acts as an intermediary element that contains the high-velocity central spray. This intermediary lower-velocity flow prevents the high-velocity water from deflecting off cleaning surfaces, thereby reducing splashing and water waste while maintaining cleaning effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If conventional sprayers use high-velocity spray to improve cleaning efficiency, then cleaning effectiveness increases, but control difficulty increases causing unintended splashing

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecleaning efficiencyVSAvoidsprayer control

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

By segmenting the spray head into central high-velocity nozzles and outer lower-velocity spray holes, the system maintains high cleaning efficiency from the central nozzles while the outer spray holes provide a containing flow that improves control and prevents unintended splashing, making the sprayer easier to operate.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the spray head have different flow velocities tailored to their specific functions: the central region has high velocity for cleaning effectiveness, while the outer region has lower velocity for control and containment. This local differentiation of flow qualities resolves the contradiction between cleaning efficiency and ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Loss of substance

If spray holes are arranged in an outer ring surrounding central nozzles, then water containment is improved reducing splashing, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewater splashing reductionVSAvoidspray head structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of substanceVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The spray head is divided into two functional segments: central nozzles and outer spray holes. This segmentation effectively reduces water splashing by containing the high-velocity spray, while the modular nature of the segmentation allows for relatively simple manufacturing and assembly, balancing the increase in device complexity with the benefit of reduced water waste.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The outer ring of spray holes serves multiple functions: it contains the high-velocity central spray, reduces splashing, and can contribute to the overall cleaning action. This multi-functionality justifies the increased device complexity by providing multiple benefits from a single structural feature.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

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 effectively contains high-velocity water jets, reducing splashing and enhancing cleaning efficiency while conserving water, meeting the need for efficient and controlled water use in kitchen and bathroom applications.

Implementation Method 1

The spray holes are configured to direct a lower velocity fluid flow in a direction generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of the body portion

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFluid flow:

Data Source

PatentUS9259743B2Splashless spray head

Publication Date: 2016.02.16 KOHLER CO(US)

AI summary

A spray head for a sprayer includes a body portion that receives a supply of fluid and a head portion in fluid communication with the body portion. The head portion of the spray head includes an outer surface which includes a plurality of spray nozzles used to direct a high velocity fluid flow from the spray head and a plurality of spray holes arranged as an outer ring which concentrically surrounds the spray nozzles and directs a lower velocity curtain of water that substantially surrounds the high velocity fluid flow. The lower velocity curtain of water reduces splashing that may result from the high velocity spray directed from the spray nozzles.