Bathtub and Seated Shower With Nested Storage Compartments
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Solution Overview
Problem
Bathrooms often lack sufficient storage space for personal items, as existing fixtures like bathtubs and showers do not efficiently utilize available space for integrated storage solutions.
Innovation Solution
The integration of storage compartments within the internal space between the outer and inner walls of bathtubs and seated showers, accessible via doors that can tilt or swing, providing additional storage without occupying additional floor space.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If storage space is added to the bathroom, then storage capacity is improved, but usable floor space is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The storage compartments are nested within the bathtub structure itself, utilizing the space between the outer wall and the water basin. This allows storage capacity to be increased without occupying additional floor space, as the storage is embedded within the existing fixture footprint.
Solution Approach 2:
The bathtub is designed to serve multiple functions: it acts as both a water-containing vessel and a storage unit. The integration of storage compartments into the bathtub structure allows a single fixture to fulfill both bathing and storage needs, eliminating the requirement for separate storage furniture that would consume floor space.
2Quantity of substance
If additional shelving or cabinetry is installed, then storage capacity is improved, but bathroom space is occupied
Solution Approach 1:
The storage compartments are merged with the bathtub structure, creating a unified fixture that combines bathing and storage functions. This eliminates the need for separate shelving or cabinetry units that would occupy additional bathroom space.
Solution Approach 2:
Storage compartments are nested within the bathtub's structural space, utilizing the volume between the outer wall and the water basin. This nesting approach allows storage to be embedded within the existing fixture rather than adding separate storage elements that would consume bathroom space.
3Quantity of substance
If storage compartments are integrated into the bathtub, then storage capacity is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The bathtub is segmented into distinct functional zones: the water basin area and the storage compartment areas. This segmentation allows for modular manufacturing approaches where storage compartments can be formed as separate sections and then assembled with the main tub body, reducing overall manufacturing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The manufacturing process utilizes parameter changes in the forming operation to create different compartment depths and configurations. By adjusting forming parameters rather than creating entirely separate components, the manufacturing complexity is minimized while still achieving varied storage capacities.
Data Source
AI summary
A bathtub assembly and seated shower assembly with storage compartments are described. A bathtub may include a basin wall defining a water basin, an outer wall defining a side of the bathtub, and a first storage compartment formed in an interior space between the outer wall and the basin wall. A seated shower assembly may include a seat and a first storage compartment formed in an interior space between a front wall and a back wall and adjacent to a first side wall of the seat.