Sanitary Washing Apparatus Bubble Mixture Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Sanitary washing apparatuses face challenges in maintaining a water stream's integrity when air is mixed into the discharge water under high-pressure conditions, leading to bursting before reaching the user, which affects the balance between feeling of massiveness and stimulation.

Innovation Solution

A sanitary washing apparatus with a pressure variation unit and a bubble mixed water generation unit that introduces air using a negative pressure effect, adjusting the air mixture to prevent bursting and enhance the feeling of massiveness while maintaining stimulation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If air is mixed into discharged water under high-pressure conditions to enhance the feeling of massiveness, then the volume and massiveness of the water stream are improved, but the water stream bursts before reaching the user

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevolume of water streamVSAvoidintegrity of water stream
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by introducing air into the wash water before pressure variation is applied. The bubble mixed water generation unit mixes air and wash water in advance, creating a stable bubble mixture that can withstand subsequent high-pressure pulsation without bursting, thereby preventing the water stream from breaking before reaching the user

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the physical state parameters of the wash water by controlling the amount and size of bubbles mixed in. By adjusting bubble concentration and size distribution, the surface energy and structural stability of the water stream are modified, allowing it to maintain integrity under high-pressure conditions while still providing the desired massiveness

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Force

If the pulsation amplitude of wash water pressure is increased to improve the feeling of stimulation, then the stimulation effect is enhanced, but the discharged water portion breaks through the preceding water portion and the catch-up phenomenon does not occur

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepulsation amplitude of wash water pressureVSAvoidcontinuity of water stream
Core Design Contradiction:
ForceVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent modifies the physical parameters of the water stream by incorporating bubbles, which changes the surface energy and deformability characteristics. This allows the water stream to withstand higher pulsation amplitudes without breaking, enabling increased stimulation while maintaining stream continuity and catch-up phenomenon

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Quantity of substance

If bubbles are mixed into discharged water to improve the feeling of massiveness, then the volume of the water stream is increased, but the feeling of stimulation is reduced because the mass of water is softened

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevolume of water streamVSAvoidfeeling of stimulation
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSForce

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-mixing air into the wash water before pressure variation. This preliminary bubble mixing creates a stable structure that maintains volume and massiveness while preserving the water stream's ability to deliver stimulation through controlled pulsation without excessive softening

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent optimizes the bubble parameters (amount, size distribution) to achieve a balance between volume enhancement and stimulation preservation. By controlling these parameters, the water stream maintains both increased massiveness and sufficient force for stimulation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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 apparatus effectively prevents water stream bursting and enhances the feeling of massiveness by adjusting air mixture levels, ensuring a consistent and stimulating washing experience.

Implementation Method 1

an air introduction port that is provided between the squirting port and the water discharge port to introduce air by use of a negative pressure generated by the wash water squirted from the squirting port

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectNegative pressure effect: Pressure Drop

Implementation Method 2

a bubble mixture section that is provided between the air introduction port and the water discharge port to temporarily store the wash water squirted from the squirting port and mix the air introduced from the air introduction port into the stored wash water in a form of a plurality of bubbles

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectBubble formation: Bubble

Implementation Method 3

The large amount of introduced bubbles coalesce with each other by a surface tension with an elapse of time and grow up into larger bubbles

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSurface tension: Surface Tension

Data Source

PatentEP3009574B1Sanitary washing apparatus
Publication Date: 2016.11.02 TOTO LTD
  • EP3009574B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3009574B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3009574B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An amount of air mixed in a bubble mixture section (18fb) is adjusted such that wash water reaches a height corresponding to a bottom surface of a toilet seat (see for state of B) before a plurality of bubbles mixed in the bubble mixture section (18fb) collect into a single bubble (see for state of C).