Self-Cleaning Water Outlet Needle Plate Dynamics
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing shower heads face issues with sediment accumulation in water outlet holes, leading to reduced performance and incomplete descaling due to the need for gaps between descaling needles and the inner wall for smooth movement.
Innovation Solution
A self-cleaning water outlet device with a deposit removal needle plate that swings about an axial direction within water outlet holes, driven by a rotatable member activated by flowing water, ensuring complete removal of sediment without the need for gaps.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a gap is left between the descaling needles and the inner wall of the water outlet hole for smooth movement, then the descaling plate can move normally, but the sediment attached to the inner wall cannot be completely removed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the static descaling needle into a dynamic rotating needle that rotates about its own axis while moving axially. This dynamic motion allows the needle to contact and remove sediment from all areas of the water outlet hole inner wall, including areas that would be inaccessible with a simple linear movement and gap configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds a rotational dimension to the needle's motion. Instead of only axial movement, the needle now rotates about its axis, creating a conical cleaning path that expands the cleaning coverage and eliminates the need for radial gaps to ensure smooth movement.
2Device complexity
If the descaling plate moves in the axial direction, then the structure is simple, but the sediment on the inner wall of the water outlet hole cannot be completely removed causing water flow redirection
Solution Approach 1:
The needle is designed to rotate about its own axis in addition to axial movement, creating a conical motion pattern. This dynamic rotation is achieved through the cam mechanism that converts the axial movement of the descaling plate into rotational motion of the needle, thereby improving cleaning effectiveness without significantly complicating the overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The cam mechanism serves as an intermediary that transforms the simple axial movement of the descaling plate into the complex rotational-conical motion of the needle. This mediator allows the system to maintain structural simplicity while achieving enhanced cleaning performance through the needle's rotational motion.
3Productivity
If descaling is driven manually or by flowing water with a movable descaling plate, then the device can remove sediment, but the exiting water is redirected and the purpose of cleaning cannot be achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The rotating needle creates a conical cleaning path that thoroughly removes sediment from the water outlet hole inner wall, ensuring a smooth surface that properly guides water flow. The rotational motion ensures complete cleaning without leaving residual sediment that would redirect water flow, thus maintaining both cleaning effectiveness and proper water flow direction.
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 device effectively removes sediment from the inner walls of water outlet holes, ensuring uninterrupted water flow and improved descaling efficiency, while preventing residual water and bacterial growth.
Implementation Method 1
the water drives the rotatable member to rotate, the rotatable member drives each of the plurality of needles to swing about the axial direction
Implementation Method 2
each of the plurality of needles rubs against sediment deposited on an inner wall of a corresponding one of the plurality of water outlet holes while each of the plurality of needles are swinging to dislodge the sediment
Implementation Method 3
each of the plurality of needles rubs against sediment deposited on an inner wall of a corresponding one of the plurality of water outlet holes while each of the plurality of needles are swinging to dislodge the sediment
Data Source
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AI summary
The present disclosure discloses a self-cleaning water outlet device, which comprises: a body, a deposit removal needle plate disposed in the body, a water outlet cover comprising a plurality of water outlet holes, and a rotatable member driven about an axial direction of the rotatable member by flowing water. An axial direction of the deposit removal needle plate and an axial direction of the water outlet cover are coaxial, and the deposit removal needle plate has a plurality of needles. The deposit removal needle plate is swingably connected with the rotatable member. When water flows into the water outlet device, the water flow drives the rotatable member to rotate, and the rotatable member drives each of the plurality of needles to swing about the axial direction of the deposit removal needle plate in a corresponding one of the plurality of water outlet holes.