Portable Camping Sink Structure Without Legs or Stand
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing portable camping sinks require legs or a stand for support and lack features like auxiliary compartments and shelves, making them difficult to transport and use conveniently in rustic camping settings.
Innovation Solution
A portable camping sink with a hollow rectangular housing, a hinged sink basin, a separate water container with a spout, and hinged racks, which can be suspended from a tree trunk using straps, allowing for easy assembly and use without legs, and includes shoulder straps for carrying.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If prior art portable sinks include legs for supporting the sink on the ground, then the sink can be supported and used, but the sink becomes difficult to transport and requires additional assembly components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the legs from the sink structure entirely, extracting the support function from the ground-contact components. The sink is designed to be suspended from tree branches or overhead supports, eliminating the need for legs and simplifying the overall structure while maintaining usability.
Solution Approach 2:
The sink is designed with universal support options that can adapt to different camping environments. The same sink structure can be supported from tree branches, overhead beams, or other natural structures, making it versatile across various outdoor settings without requiring specialized support components.
2Adaptability or versatility
If prior art portable sinks are designed for portability, then they can be transported to camping sites, but they lack auxiliary compartments and shelves for accessories
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates auxiliary compartments and shelves that nest within or attach to the main sink structure. These additional storage spaces are integrated into the overall design, allowing accessories and camping items to be organized within the existing volume rather than requiring separate external containers.
Solution Approach 2:
The sink design utilizes vertical space and three-dimensional arrangement to incorporate multiple functional zones. Shelves and compartments are arranged in different spatial dimensions around the main basin, maximizing the use of available volume while providing diverse storage and organizational options.
3Adaptability or versatility
If prior art portable sinks include more features like auxiliary compartments, then they provide better functionality, but they become more difficult to transport and assemble
Solution Approach 1:
The sink is divided into modular segments including the main basin, auxiliary compartments, shelves, and mounting hardware. Each component can be independently manufactured and assembled at the camping site, simplifying the manufacturing process while maintaining functional versatility. The segmented design allows for easy assembly and disassembly without requiring complex tools or procedures.
Data Source
AI summary
The portable camping sink includes a hollow rectangular housing with top, bottom, left, right and rear walls and an open front. A basin is hinged to the front of the bottom wall and is movable between a closed position where it closes the front and an operative position lying at a right angle to the front where it can function as a sink. Locks and straps maintain the basin in its inoperative or operative positions. A water container has a size and shape allowing it to be inserted into the housing and includes a spout overlying the basin when the basin is in its operative position. Racks or shelves are hinged to the housing sides. Straps allow the portable sink to be suspended from the trunk of a tree during use. Shoulder straps allow a person to carry the camping sink on his back.