Bathtub overflow cover lighting device
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bathtub overflow valve covers do not enhance the relaxation benefits of a bath experience through visual means, despite preventing water from escaping.
Innovation Solution
A bathtub overflow valve cover with a housing that secures a lighting device below the waterline, featuring LED lights that illuminate the water, providing a glow and additional functionalities like color changing, remote control, and additional features such as clock, alarm, and motion detection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional overflow cover is used to prevent water escape, then water level maintenance is improved, but visual ambiance and relaxation experience deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the functional overflow cover with a lighting device into a single integrated unit. The housing contains both the overflow prevention mechanism and the lighting components (LEDs, power source, control circuitry), allowing the device to simultaneously maintain water level and provide visual ambiance enhancement.
Solution Approach 2:
The overflow cover housing serves multiple functions: it prevents water escape through the overflow port, houses and protects the lighting device components, and provides structural support for the entire assembly. This multi-functionality resolves the contradiction by adding visual enhancement capabilities without requiring separate devices.
2Illumination intensity
If LED lights are added to create visual ambiance, then relaxation experience is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The lighting device components are nested within the existing overflow cover housing structure. The LEDs, power source, and control circuitry are contained within the housing that already serves as the overflow cover, utilizing the existing structural space rather than adding separate external components.
Solution Approach 2:
The device includes self-contained power management with a rechargeable battery and charging circuitry integrated into the housing. The system can be controlled through simple button interfaces or remote control, and the battery recharges automatically when water flows through the overflow port, eliminating the need for external power wiring.
3Reliability
If the housing completely covers the overflow valve to prevent water escape, then water level control is improved, but light penetration to illuminate water deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The housing includes specifically positioned translucent or transparent portions that allow light to penetrate into the water at targeted locations. These localized light transmission areas are strategically placed to illuminate the water while maintaining complete coverage of the overflow valve for effective water level control.
Solution Approach 2:
The translucent/transparent housing material acts as an intermediary that allows light to pass through from the LEDs to the water. This material property enables both functions: the housing maintains structural integrity for overflow prevention while simultaneously allowing light transmission to create water illumination and visual ambiance.
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
Enhances the relaxation experience by maintaining a higher water level and creating a visually appealing ambiance, while preventing water from escaping through the overflow port.
Implementation Method 1
one or more LED lights, where the one or more LED lights illuminate bathtub water and create a bathtub glow
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a visual experience in the bathtub setting. A bathtub overflow cover, which may be removably affixed to an inner wall of a bathtub, with a dedicated portion of a housing to secure a lighting device below a bathtub waterline, is described herein. The lighting device illuminates bathtub water and produces a bathtub glow. Embodiments described for the present invention comprise a bathtub overflow valve cover, a power source, a housing, which attaches to an inner wall of a bathtub, where the housing provides a watertight seal around a bathtub overflow valve preventing water from escaping a bathtub overflow port, and one or more LED lights. The embodiment may further comprise one or more RGB LED lights with color changing capability. Embodiments may further comprise one or more pushbuttons to adjust one or more integrated features.