Accessible Bathtub Drain With Gray Water Reservoir for Fast Emptying
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional accessible bathtubs take too long to drain, causing chilling for bathers, as they must remain in the tub until it is empty and the door is opened, which can be uncomfortable and even painful.
Innovation Solution
A rapid-draining bathtub system with a sheet-flow drain and gray water reservoir, where the tub drains into the reservoir through a high-capacity, U-shaped passage, allowing for quick drainage without conventional drain holes or overflow holes, and featuring a sliding door with seals to direct water flow and prevent odors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If a conventional drain system is used in an accessible bathtub, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the drainage time is too long causing chilling for the bather
Solution Approach 1:
The drain system is segmented into multiple functional components: a high-capacity tub drain for rapid drainage, a gray water reservoir for temporary storage, a U-shaped water seal for odor prevention, and a slide-down door mechanism. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function while collectively achieving fast drainage without excessive complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The gray water reservoir acts as an intermediary between the tub and the sewer system. It temporarily holds the drained water, allowing the tub to drain quickly through the high-capacity drain while the reservoir manages the water discharge at a controlled rate to the sewer, preventing overwhelming the sewer system
2Loss of time
If the tub drains quickly into a reservoir, then drainage time is reduced, but the reservoir must be disposed lower in elevation requiring additional structural complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The solution moves the reservoir to a different vertical dimension (lower elevation) to enable gravity-driven rapid drainage from the tub. The slide-down door mechanism compensates for the elevation difference by allowing the door to lower with the reservoir position, maintaining accessibility while accommodating the vertical arrangement required for fast drainage
3Productivity
If a high-capacity drain passage is used, then drainage speed increases, but the passage must be larger requiring more material and space
Solution Approach 1:
The drain passage parameters are optimized to provide high flow capacity without excessive volume. The U-shaped cross-section and strategic positioning create an efficient flow path that maximizes drainage speed while minimizing the overall volume of the passage and associated reservoir
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 system enables the bathtub to drain in under 2 minutes, minimizing chilling effects by using a high-capacity tub drain and conventional sewer flow rates, ensuring quick access and comfort for users.
Implementation Method 1
a drain passage that conducts water from the tub and into the reservoir by gravity
Implementation Method 2
the drain passage has at least a portion with a water-retaining U-shaped cross section, which may retain a water barrier, for example, to prevent odors from escaping the reservoir
Data Source
AI summary
A bathtub system, including a tub with a bather access opening in one sidewall and a door mounted on that sidewall. In the closed position, the door is adjacent the access opening, and in the open position the door is substantially clear of the access opening. The system includes a gray water reservoir under the tub of approximately the capacity of the tub and which can be connected to a sewer system. A high capacity toroidal tub drain conducts water from the tub into the reservoir by gravity alone very quickly.