Bathing auxiliary chair
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional bathing auxiliary chairs are difficult to position and secure in bathtubs of varying sizes, posing safety risks for mobility-impaired individuals and being limited to specific bathtub sizes.
Innovation Solution
A bathing auxiliary chair with a seating unit and supporting unit, featuring adjustable lateral width and snap mechanisms that allow the seating unit to be moved and fixed reliably along tubes, enabling secure positioning on different-sized bathtubs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the seat portion is secured on supportive legs in conventional chairs, then the chair structure is stable, but it is laborious and difficult for a carer to change the position of the chair
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the seat portion movable relative to the supportive legs through guide shells and tubes that allow lateral displacement. The seat can be moved to different positions and fixed using snap mechanisms, transforming the static fixed connection into a dynamic adjustable connection that provides both ease of repositioning and position stability when fixed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the chair into independent movable components: the seat portion, guide shells, tubes, and snap mechanisms. This segmentation allows the seat to be independently repositioned relative to the supportive legs without moving the entire chair structure, making it easier for carers to adjust the seat position while maintaining overall structural stability.
2Ease of operation
If the seat portion is made movable in conventional chairs, then it is easier to change position, but the chair shakes and becomes tilted because the seat cannot be fixed properly
Solution Approach 1:
The dynamics principle is applied by enabling the seat to move laterally along guide shells and tubes, then fixed at desired positions using snap mechanisms. This creates a system that is dynamically adjustable during positioning but statically stable when fixed, eliminating both the rigidity of conventional fixed seats and the instability of improperly fixed movable seats.
Solution Approach 2:
The snap mechanisms provide self-service by automatically locking the seat portion at predetermined positions along the tubes. When the seat is moved to a desired position, the snap mechanisms engage with the tube walls to secure the seat without requiring additional fastening operations, ensuring reliable fixation while maintaining ease of repositioning.
3Adaptability or versatility
If conventional bath chair is designed for specific bathtub size, then the structure is simple, but it can only be applied to a bathtub of a specific size
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the lateral width of the supportive frames adjustable through movable connection between tubes and connection tubes. The supportive frames can be expanded or contracted to match different bathtub widths, allowing the same chair structure to adapt to various bathtub sizes while maintaining structural integrity through the snap mechanism fixation system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements universality by designing the supportive frames with adjustable lateral width capability. The same chair structure can serve multiple bathtub sizes by adjusting the distance between the two supportive frames, making the chair a universal bathing solution rather than a size-specific device.
4Strength
If the chair is subjected to excessive force on armrest or seat, then the chair may shake or become tilted, but providing stronger structure increases weight and complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The dynamics principle addresses this contradiction by allowing the seat to be positioned at optimal locations along the tubes where structural support is maximized. The snap mechanisms ensure the seat is firmly fixed at these positions, distributing forces effectively through the tube structure rather than concentrating them on the armrests and seat edges, thereby providing strength without requiring excessive structural reinforcement.
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 chair can be safely and conveniently adjusted to accommodate various bathtub sizes, ensuring stable and secure use for mobility-impaired individuals during bathing.
Implementation Method 1
Each of the first and second snap mechanisms includes an elastic member and a button capable of being urged by the elastic member to allow a front end of the button to enter one of the first and second fixing holes of the front tube
Data Source
AI summary
A bathing auxiliary chair suitable for bathtubs of different sizes generally includes a seating unit and a supporting unit. The seating unit, which allows a user to sit thereon while bathing, is supported by the supporting unit and can be moved between a first position and a second position. The seating unit is provided with a front guide shell and two rear guide shells. In use, when the seating unit is located at the first position or the second position, one of the rear guide shells can abut against a fastener located at a rear tube of the supporting unit, and the front guide shell can be coupled to a front tube of the supporting unit through a button of a snap mechanism, so that the seating unit can be fixed at the position reliably, and the bathing auxiliary chair can be used safely.