Height-Adjustable Bathtub Shower With Collision-Free Head Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Bathrooms often lack space to accommodate both a bathtub and a shower, and existing solutions that allow for vertical movement of the bathtub to create shower space either restrict shower functionality or require excessively large bathtubs, making it difficult for people with disabilities to access a full-fledged shower.
Innovation Solution
A bathtub with a shower head attached to its underside, allowing for adjustable height and independent water supply, which can be used as a hand shower or overhead shower depending on position, with a mechanism to prevent collision and ensure easy access, and a system for automatic water supply and drainage control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the shower head is set back laterally to avoid collision with the tub during sliding movement, then collision is avoided, but the shower can only be used as a hand shower which restricts shower functionality
Solution Approach 1:
The shower head is made dynamically adjustable in position along the suspension column, allowing it to move between a setback position (when tub is in lower position) and a forward position (when tub is in upper position). This dynamic positioning resolves the contradiction by adapting the shower head location to the operational state, enabling full shower functionality when needed while avoiding collision when the tub is below.
2Ease of operation
If the bathtub is made extraordinarily large to provide sufficient interior height in the shower when vertical, then shower height is sufficient, but this runs counter to the idea of saving space
Solution Approach 1:
The solution transitions from horizontal space consumption to vertical space utilization. By moving the bathtub vertically along suspension columns and utilizing the vertical dimension for shower operation, the invention provides sufficient shower headroom without increasing the horizontal footprint of the bathtub or bathroom space requirement.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a flexible line is used to connect the shower head to the conditioning device, then the shower head can move between up and down positions, but maintenance requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The connection system transitions from flexible hoses to rigid hydraulic connections with telescopic coupling elements. The coupling pieces change their physical state from disconnected to connected based on the bathtub position, establishing rigid hydraulic pathways that eliminate flexible hose maintenance while preserving shower head mobility through the mechanical coupling design.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
The invention relates to a bathtub (3) with a suspension (1) for adjusting the height between a lower position and an upper position, with a shower. Increased flexibility is achieved in that the shower has a shower head (15) connected to the bathtub (3).