Reinforced Bathing Vessel Wall Structure for Low Deflection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bathing vessels made from plastic materials often fail to meet the stringent strength and deflection requirements set by standards like ANSI, particularly when equipped with fixtures that require additional support.
Innovation Solution
A multi-layer structure for bathing vessels is introduced, comprising a base and vertically extending walls with layers of polyurethane material, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) material, and acrylic material, where a wood-containing composite panel is chemically bonded to the polyurethane layers to enhance strength and reduce deflection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If plastic materials are used for bathing vessels, then manufacturing ease and cost are improved, but strength and deflection resistance deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by combining wood-containing composite panels with polyurethane foam layers. The wood-containing composite panel provides structural strength and rigidity, while the polyurethane foam provides bonding and protective functions. This composite structure resolves the contradiction by achieving both ease of manufacture (through standardized panel production) and high strength (through the reinforced wall structure).
2Device complexity
If plastic materials are used for bathing vessels, then manufacturing simplicity is improved, but deflection resistance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The multi-layer composite wall structure combines wood-containing composite panels with polyurethane foam layers. The wood-containing composite panel serves as a reinforcement layer that significantly improves deflection resistance while maintaining manufacturing simplicity through standardized panel production and assembly processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The wall is segmented into multiple functional layers: wood-containing composite panels for structural reinforcement, polyurethane foam layers for bonding and protection. This segmentation allows each layer to be optimized for its specific function while maintaining overall manufacturing simplicity through modular construction.
3Adaptability or versatility
If fixtures are added to bathing vessels, then functionality is improved, but wall strength requirements worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The wood-containing composite panel provides enhanced wall strength specifically at fixture mounting locations. The panel's high rigidity and strength-to-weight ratio enable secure fixture attachment while maintaining the overall lightweight advantage of plastic bathing vessels. The polyurethane foam layers provide additional bonding surface and structural support for fixture mounting.
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 multi-layer structure with a wood-containing composite panel effectively meets the ANSI standards for strength and deflection requirements, providing a robust and durable bathing vessel that can support fixtures without excessive deformation.
Implementation Method 1
A wood-containing composite panel is chemically bonded to the layer of polyurethane material
Data Source
AI summary
A bathing vessel includes a base and at least one wall extending vertically from the base. The wall includes a multi-layer structure that includes a layer of acrylic material on a first layer of polyurethane material, a layer of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) material between the layer of acrylic material and the first layer of polyurethane material, and a second layer of polyurethane material between the layer of ABS material and the first layer of polyurethane material. A wood-containing composite panel is chemically bonded to at least one of the first or second layers of polyurethane material.