Touchless Faucet Neck With Separate Soap Outlet to Prevent Cross-Contamination
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid soap dispensers, both standalone and integrated into faucet systems, suffer from issues such as contamination, frequent refilling, leakage, and the inability to request solely water or soap without cross-contamination, posing safety and aesthetic concerns.
Innovation Solution
A water faucet system with a neck assembly that integrates a separate soap outlet and water spout, utilizing a sensor-activated soap delivery system to prevent cross-contamination, featuring a soap storage tank with a concentrate solution to reduce refilling frequency and incorporating touchless sensors for activation, along with a control module for managing soap dispensing and water flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If liquid soap and water are dispensed from the same outlet or adjacent outlets, then the system is simple and compact, but cross-contamination occurs and water safety is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The outlet is segmented into two spatially separated components: a water spout and a soap outlet positioned at different locations on the faucet neck. This physical segmentation prevents cross-contamination by ensuring that water and soap are dispensed from distinct locations, eliminating the risk of soap contaminating drinking water while maintaining a compact integrated design.
2Extent of automation
If a mechanical pump is used in standalone soap dispensers, then soap can be dispensed automatically, but the pump member becomes contaminated and requires frequent cleaning
Solution Approach 1:
The mechanical pump member is extracted from the dispensing location and repositioned within the integrated faucet system. The pump is housed inside the faucet neck assembly, allowing the dispensing mechanism to be separated from the user-contact area. This extraction eliminates the contamination problem by keeping the pump away from soiled hands while maintaining automated dispensing functionality through sensor activation.
Solution Approach 2:
A sensor system acts as an intermediary between the user and the pump mechanism. The sensor detects user presence or gesture and triggers the pump to dispense soap without requiring physical contact. This intermediary eliminates the need for users to touch the pump member, preventing contamination while maintaining automated dispensing.
3Ease of operation
If wall mounted or countertop soap dispensers are used, then soap can be dispensed near the faucet, but they are cumbersome, unsightly, and prone to leakage creating safety hazards
Solution Approach 1:
The soap dispenser functionality is merged with the faucet structure itself. The soap outlet, pump mechanism, and control system are integrated into the faucet neck assembly, creating a unified fixture. This merging eliminates the need for separate wall-mounted or countertop dispensers, providing a compact, aesthetically pleasing solution that is inherently stable and leak-proof as part of the fixed faucet installation.
4Ease of manufacture
If soap residue is allowed to dry on surfaces, then cleanup is difficult and frequent monitoring is required, but preventing drying requires frequent attention and quick cleanups
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides self-cleaning functionality through an integrated water spray mechanism that automatically rinses the soap dispensing area. After soap is dispensed, the system activates a water spray to wash away any residue, preventing it from drying on surfaces. This self-service cleaning eliminates the need for manual monitoring and frequent manual cleanups, reducing maintenance effort and time loss.
Data Source
AI summary
A water faucet system including a faucet having a neck comprising a water passageway and liquid soap delivery line, both integrated within the neck assembly. The water faucet system features a streamlined neck assembly that includes a water outlet or spout, located at the distal portion of the neck assembly, and additionally includes a separate soap outlet located at a predetermined location. The soap delivery (soap dispensing) is initiated by a user performing an activation event directed to a sensor system located in the neck assembly. In preferred embodiments, the sensor system utilizes touchless type sensors so to avoid any physical contact with the neck assembly.