Layered Bath Surround Living Hinge for Leak-Safe Assembly

Solution Overview

Problem

One-piece bath surrounds are difficult to handle, expensive to ship, and prone to damage due to their non-nestable odd shapes, while multi-piece designs require careful corner mating and caulking to prevent leakage.

Innovation Solution

A bathing vessel is constructed using a sheet of layered materials with a first narrowed portion that bends to define the walls, incorporating layers of polyurethane and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) materials, and hinge rollers create living hinges for easy assembly and shipping.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If a one-piece bath surround is used, then structural integrity is improved, but ease of handling and shipping cost are worsened

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural integrityVSAvoidease of handling

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The bath surround is divided into multiple separate pieces (sidewalls and back wall) that can be individually handled and shipped, then assembled together to form the complete structure. This segmentation maintains structural integrity while improving ease of handling and reducing shipping costs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The separate pieces of the bath surround are designed to nest within each other during shipping, with smaller components fitting into spaces within larger components. This nesting arrangement maximizes space efficiency and reduces shipping volume while maintaining the ability to assemble into a complete one-piece structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Strength

If a one-piece bath surround is used, then structural integrity is improved, but shipping cost is worsened

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural integrityVSAvoidshipping cost

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The bath surround is divided into multiple separate pieces (sidewalls and back wall) that can be individually handled and shipped, then assembled together to form the complete structure. This segmentation maintains structural integrity while improving ease of handling and reducing shipping costs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The separate pieces of the bath surround are designed to nest within each other during shipping, with smaller components fitting into spaces within larger components. This nesting arrangement maximizes space efficiency and reduces shipping volume while maintaining the ability to assemble into a complete one-piece structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

3Ease of operation

If a multi-piece bath surround is used, then ease of handling is improved, but leakage risk is worsened

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of handlingVSAvoidleakage prevention

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Living hinges are incorporated at the joints between separate pieces to act as flexible seals that prevent water leakage. These hinges allow the pieces to move relative to each other while maintaining a watertight connection, eliminating the need for traditional caulking and providing reliable leakage prevention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Ease of manufacture

If traditional extrusion is used, then manufacturing capability is maintained, but product complexity is worsened

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing capabilityVSAvoidproduct complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The extrusion process parameters are modified to extrude the bath surround in a flattened, nested configuration rather than the final three-dimensional shape. This parameter change allows the product to be manufactured using traditional extrusion equipment while reducing complexity for shipping and handling, with the final shape being formed during assembly.

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

This solution allows for efficient handling, shipping, and installation of bath surrounds with minimized leakage by using living hinges to facilitate easy assembly and reduce the need for caulking, while meeting necessary strength and performance requirements.

Implementation Method 1

raw material is fed into a feed hopper which in turn provides a screw that passes from material through a heater. The material is pushed through a die and then may be pushed through coating equipment and extruded towards a trim knife

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectExtrusion: Extrusion

Implementation Method 2

a first narrowed portion about which the sheet bends is provided. The bend defines a first wall and a second wall in the sheet

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal heating: Heating

Data Source

PatentUS9486112B2Living hinge creation through extrusion of a thermoformable plastic sheet

Publication Date: 2016.11.08 DELTA FAUCET COMPANY

AI summary

A bathing vessel is made of a sheet of layered materials, which include a first layer of polyurethane material, a second layer of polyurethane material attached to the first layer, a third layer of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) material attached to the second layer, and a fourth layer of acrylic material attached to the third layer. A first narrowed portion about which the sheet bends is provided. The bend defines a first wall and a second wall in the sheet.