Touch-Sensitive Faucet Panel for Simultaneous Temperature and Flow Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing water mixing fittings for washbasins and bathtubs lack a straightforward and visually intuitive method for simultaneously setting target water temperature and delivery quantity, relying on complex interfaces or requiring multiple inputs.
Innovation Solution
An electronically controlled fitting with a touch-sensitive panel or proximity switches that allows users to set both temperature and flow rate parameters through a stroking movement, providing visual feedback via color and size changes of a circular symbol, indicating the set parameters.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a touch-sensitive panel with stroking movement is used to set temperature and flow rate simultaneously, then the ease of operation is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines temperature and flow rate setting functions into a single touch-sensitive panel with a unified stroking movement interface. The user performs one continuous stroking motion that simultaneously sets both parameters, merging what would traditionally require separate controls into a single integrated operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The touch-sensitive panel serves multiple functions: it detects the starting position, the stroking direction, the stroking distance, and the stroking speed, using this single input to control both temperature and flow rate parameters. This multi-functional approach reduces the number of separate controls needed.
2Ease of operation
If visual feedback is provided through color and size changes of symbols on the panel, then the ease of operation is improved, but the use of energy increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses color changes of displayed symbols to indicate different parameter settings or operational states. This provides intuitive visual feedback to the user about the current configuration without requiring complex display elements, thereby managing energy consumption while maintaining usability.
3Ease of operation
If personalized settings can be stored and recalled, then the ease of operation is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system stores personalized settings in advance for later recall. By pre-storing commonly used parameter combinations, the system eliminates the need for users to re-adjust settings each time, providing quick access to preferred configurations while using a relatively simple memory implementation.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a fitting, in particular a washbasin or bathtub fitting, comprising an electronic control device (2) for controlling a mixing device (1) or a shut-off device for closing a pipeline and an operating device (19) formed from a touch-sensitive and/or proximity-switched plate (19.1) for operating the control device (2). The fitting according to the invention is characterized in that the plate (19.1) is designed such that at least two parameters from a group comprising a temperature parameter, a delivery quantity parameter, a volume flow parameter, and a time parameter can be set simultaneously by a stroking motion on its surface, by point contact with different areas of its surface, and/or by non-contact movements in front of its surface. The plate (19.1) is preferably formed from a touch-sensitive and/or proximity-switched screen which displays a symbol when its surface is touched and/or when there is a non-contact movement in front of its surface, the color of which changes depending on the set target temperature.