Articulating Faucet Spout With Rotation and Sliding Flow Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional faucets require separate handles or sensors for controlling water flow and flow rate, leading to cluttered designs and non-intuitive operation.

Innovation Solution

An articulating faucet design where the spout's movement relative to the base controls water flow and flow rate, with rotation turning the faucet on/off and sliding adjusting the flow rate, eliminating the need for separate handles or sensors.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If separate handles or sensors are used to control water flow and flow rate, then the control functionality is reliable, but the device complexity and design clutter increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontrol functionalityVSAvoiddesign clutter

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the functions of separate handles or sensors into a single integrated spout mechanism. The spout integrates both flow control (via rotation) and flow rate adjustment (via sliding movement) into one component, eliminating the need for multiple separate controls and reducing design clutter while maintaining reliable control functionality

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The spout is designed as a multi-functional component that performs multiple control operations: it controls water flow activation through rotation and adjusts flow rate through sliding movement. This universal design allows one component to replace multiple specialized controls, simplifying the overall faucet structure

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Measurement precision

If separate handles or sensors are used for controlling water flow, then the control precision is adequate, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to non-intuitive operation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontrol precisionVSAvoidintuitive operation

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The spout controls itself through its own movements. The same component that positions the water flow also activates and regulates it through its rotational and sliding movements. This self-service mechanism makes the operation more intuitive as users naturally understand that moving the spout controls the water it delivers

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of using separate controls that point away from or away from the water flow, the control mechanism (spout) is inverted to be the actual water delivery component. This inversion makes the control relationship more intuitive - the part that delivers water is also the part that controls it, creating a direct and obvious cause-effect relationship

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Data Source

PatentUS11242675B2Articulating faucet

Publication Date: 2022.02.08 KOHLER CO(US)

AI summary

A faucet having a base that is mountable to a support, a spout moveably coupled to the base and having an outlet for dispensing water, and a valve that controls a flow of water to an outlet, where the valve is opened in response to the spout being moved relative to the base to a first position, and the valve is closed in response to the spout being moved relative to the base from the first position toward a second position.