Built-In Waste Seat Structure for Private Urination in Vehicles

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Solution Overview

Problem

Individuals with urinary incontinence face challenges in finding private and safe locations to urinate, especially when away from bathrooms or in vehicles, due to the lack of convenient and safe solutions for managing urine in seated positions.

Innovation Solution

A seat with a built-in waste compartment featuring a recessed area, a channel for a tube, a container with a flange for seating, and a lid for odor containment, along with a tube connected to a funnel for urine collection, allowing users to urinate into the container without leaving their seat.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If an individual pulls off to the side of the road to urinate, then they can relieve themselves, but they are exposed to safety risks and lack privacy

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of urinationVSAvoidsafety risks

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the urination function with the seat structure by integrating a container and tube system directly into the seat, allowing users to urinate while remaining seated and eliminating the need to exit the vehicle or find external locations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a tube as an intermediary component that connects the funnel (where urine is collected) to the container (where urine is stored), enabling urine transfer without requiring the user to leave the seat

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If a seat with built-in waste compartment is provided, then convenience and privacy are improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconvenience of urinationVSAvoidseat structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the waste management system into separate functional components: a container for waste storage, a tube for urine transfer, and a funnel for collection, allowing each component to be optimized independently and simplifying manufacturing and maintenance

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The seat structure serves multiple functions: it provides seating support and simultaneously houses the waste management system (container, tube, funnel), eliminating the need for separate equipment and reducing overall system complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS9474423B2Seat having built-in waste compartment

Publication Date: 2016.10.25 TERRY TIFFANY

AI summary

A seat having built-in waste compartment for urinating, vomiting, or defecating therein. The seat having built-in waste compartment includes a container disposed in a seat, such as vehicle seat, gaming chair, stool, recliner, or the like. The seat includes an opening in the upper surface having a recessed area therein. The recessed area includes a container supported thereon. The container includes a base, one or more sidewalls, an aperture disposed in a sidewall, and an open upper end that can receive waste therein. The edge of the upper end of the container includes a flange that extends outward and rests on the upper surface of the seat, wherein the flange can be sat upon when the device is in use. The seat having built-in waste compartment further includes a tube that is connected to the aperture of the container and is able to receive urine therethough.