Bi-directional Zippered Fly for Seated Urination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Pilots face discomfort and difficulty in urinating while seated due to existing solutions that require them to unzip their pants, leading to chafing and discomfort, especially in aircraft where they cannot leave their seat.
Innovation Solution
The development of pants with an elongate bi-directional zippered fly, featuring a top slider and a bottom slider that allow the wearer to open and close the fly from the waistline to the crotch seam, enabling urination while seated without needing to remove the belt.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a lateral zipper is used in PEETOT PANTS to allow seated urination, then ease of operation is improved, but the zipper folds at the crotch and causes chafing during walking, worsening comfort
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the zipper orientation from a lateral horizontal dimension to a vertical dimension extending from the waistband to below the crotch. This dimensional change allows the zipper to open downward for seated urination while eliminating the folding and chafing problem that occurred with lateral zippers during walking.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of opening the zipper laterally from side to side as in PEETOT PANTS, the patent inverts the opening direction to move vertically downward from the waistband. This inversion allows the fly to open in a direction that accommodates seated urination without creating friction folds at the crotch area.
2Ease of manufacture
If conventional pants with a standard zipper are used, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but the pants cannot be opened while seated, worsening ease of operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the zipper dynamic by adding a second slider that can independently move along the zipper teeth. This dynamic feature allows the zipper to be opened from either the top or bottom, enabling seated urination while maintaining the basic zipper construction for ease of manufacture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the zipper function by introducing a second slider that divides the zipper into two independently controllable sections. The top portion can be opened for standing urination while the bottom portion remains closed, or vice versa for seated urination, providing operational flexibility without complicating the basic zipper construction.
3Ease of operation
If the zipper is extended to allow seated urination, then ease of operation is improved, but the zipper length increases, worsening device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the zipper multi-functional by enabling it to serve two purposes: traditional standing urination by opening from the top, and seated urination by opening from the bottom. This universality is achieved through the second slider, which allows the same zipper structure to accommodate different urination positions without requiring separate systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The dual-slider zipper system is self-sufficient, requiring no additional mechanisms, buttons, or complex fastening systems. The existing zipper teeth and track serve both functions, and the second slider simply provides an additional control point, minimizing added complexity while maximizing functionality.
Data Source
AI summary
A pair of pants including a fly that can be opened and closed via a bi-directional zipper that extends from a top end proximal to an upper terminus of the pants to a bottom end at the crotch point of the pants. The zipper includes a top slider and a bottom slider that travel on a common set of zipper teeth. The top slider separates the zipper teeth when moved in a direction away from the top end toward the bottom end and closes the zipper teeth when moved in the opposite direction. The bottom slider separates the zipper teeth when moved in a direction toward the top end and away from the bottom end and closes the zipper teeth when moved in the opposite direction. The pants allow a wearer to excrete urine while in a sitting position, particularly such as when the wearer is operating an aircraft.