Retractable WC Shower Arm With Integrated Blow-Dry Closure

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing shower WC devices often require separate and off-center arrangements for shower and blow dryer functions, leading to reduced comfort, increased mounting and maintenance costs, and complexity, while lacking effective water and air direction optimization.

Innovation Solution

A combined shower and blow dryer arm that can be extended and pivoted, featuring two water supply lines for separate hygiene functions and an air supply line, with a closure mechanism to prevent water entry into the blow dryer opening, allowing for central arrangement and shared drive and control systems.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If separate shower arm and blow dryer arm are used, then each function can be independently optimized, but the device complexity increases and mounting/maintenance costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveindependent function optimizationVSAvoidnumber of arms

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the shower arm and blow dryer arm into a single integrated arm structure. This single arm contains both water supply lines for shower openings and air supply lines for blow dryer openings, eliminating the need for separate arms while maintaining both functions independently through internal separation of fluid pathways.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The single arm serves multiple functions: it acts as both a shower arm with water-dispensing openings and a blow dryer arm with air-dispensing openings. The arm is designed to accommodate both water and air supply lines, making it a multi-functional component that replaces what would traditionally require two separate arms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If separate shower arm and blow dryer arm are used, then each function can be independently optimized, but mounting and maintenance expenses increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveindependent function optimizationVSAvoidmounting and maintenance cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Ease of operation

If closure is not provided, then the blow dryer opening is exposed, but water can enter and cause contamination during shower operation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveopen accessVSAvoidwater contamination

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a closure element as an intermediary component that selectively covers the blow dryer opening during shower operation. This closure acts as a mediator between the shower water flow and the blow dryer opening, preventing water contamination while allowing air dispersion when the closure is opened or repositioned.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS9198542B2Intimate shower for a WC

Publication Date: 2015.12.01 PRESANO

AI summary

This device for a combination shower-WC has a shower function and a blow-dry function. The shower function and the blow-dry function are incorporated in an arm (1) which can be retracted and extended by means of a control and which comprises, within an inner pipe (4), firstly at least one water supply line (2) leading to at least one shower opening (5), and secondly at least one air supply line (3) leading to at least one blow-dry opening (6), wherein a closure means is provided on the inner pipe (4) and, in the position for operating the at least one shower opening (5) with water, said closure means is arranged over the at least one blow-dry opening (6) and, in the position for operating the at least one blow-dry opening (6) with air, the closure means is moved away from the at least one blow-dry opening (6).