Spout Apparatus with Exposed Flow-Guiding Member for Calcium Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing spout apparatus for overhead showers faces challenges with calcium precipitation on the flow-guiding member, leading to deteriorated guiding characteristics and difficult maintenance, as well as potential water splashing issues due to the thickness of exposed elastic members.
Innovation Solution
The spout apparatus incorporates an exposed flow-guiding member with an annular guiding surface and a cylindrical annular guiding space, allowing water to be spouted as an annular stream, which maintains high guiding characteristics while preventing water splashing, and features an elastic member for easy maintenance by allowing manual deformation to remove calcium deposits.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of repair
If an exposed flow-guiding member consisting of an elastic member is provided on a spout side of a conventional flow-guiding member, then maintenance operation can be easily carried out by manual pressing, but the exposed flow-guiding member has to have a certain amount of thickness which causes split of spouted water
Solution Approach 1:
The flow-guiding member is divided into two separate functional parts: an exposed flow-guiding member for maintenance access and a conventional flow-guiding member for water guidance. This segmentation allows the exposed member to be thin and elastic for easy cleaning while the conventional member maintains water stream continuity.
Solution Approach 2:
The maintenance-function portion (exposed flow-guiding member) is extracted as a separate component from the water-guidance portion (conventional flow-guiding member). This extraction allows each component to be optimized independently: the exposed member for ease of cleaning and the conventional member for maintaining water stream integrity.
2Strength
If the exposed flow-guiding member has a certain amount of thickness for strength and manufacturing, then it can be structurally sound, but split of spouted water is caused at downstream end
Solution Approach 1:
The flow-guiding function is segmented between two members: the exposed member provides structural access points for maintenance with minimal thickness, while the conventional member handles the primary water guidance function requiring full thickness for stream continuity.
Solution Approach 2:
Different parts of the system have different thickness requirements: the exposed flow-guiding member has minimal thickness only where needed for maintenance access, while the conventional flow-guiding member maintains adequate thickness throughout to prevent water stream split.
3Reliability
If calcium is precipitated on the flow-guiding member, then guiding characteristics are remarkably deteriorated, but maintenance operation requires breaking down spout portion to remove precipitated calcium
Solution Approach 1:
The maintenance-accessible portion of the flow-guiding member is extracted as a separate exposed component that can be independently accessed and cleaned without disassembling the spout portion or other complex structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The exposed flow-guiding member is designed to be manually pressable by users for self-cleaning of calcium deposits, enabling maintenance without professional service or complex disassembly procedures.
4Reliability
If an exposed flow-guiding member is provided on spout side of conventional flow-guiding member, then protection from foreign body contact is achieved, but water splashing may occur due to thickness of exposed member
Solution Approach 1:
The flow-guiding function is segmented between an exposed protective member and a conventional guidance member, allowing the exposed member to be thin for preventing water splashing while still providing foreign body protection through its positioning and structure.
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
This design ensures high guiding characteristics by preventing water splashing and facilitates easy maintenance by allowing manual removal of calcium deposits, enhancing the overall performance and usability of the spout apparatus.
Implementation Method 1
the exposed flow-guiding member can be manually pressed and deformed by a user, so that calcium precipitated thereon can be easily removed
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention is a spout apparatus including: a spout forming member configured to form a spout; a flow-guiding member provided inside the spout forming member, configured to guide water on an upstream side of the spout; an exposed flow-guiding member provided inside the spout forming member and on a spout side of the flow-guiding member, and exposed on a spout side of the exposed flow-guiding member; and a water channel configured to supply the water to an upstream side of the flow-guiding member. The exposed flow-guiding member and/or the spout forming member are configured to spout water from an outer periphery as an annular stream, among the water spouted from the spout. According to the above spout apparatus, the flow-guiding member can be effectively protected, and high guiding characteristics can be achieved in particular at an outer periphery of the spout.