Collapsible Urine Cup With Hinged Sidewall And Test Stick Notches
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing urine collection cups do not efficiently occupy less volume in a collapsed state and lack features for positioning test sticks to visualize analyte changes effectively.
Innovation Solution
A urine collection cup with a collapsible sidewall and hinged handle that expands for use, featuring notches on the rim to securely hold test sticks, allowing for easy expansion and collapse, and a design that optimizes the placement of the stick for analyte detection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the sidewall is made collapsible to reduce storage volume, then the volume in collapsed condition is reduced, but the structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sidewall is divided into multiple segments (first, second, third, fourth sidewall segments) that can fold relative to each other around a vertical axis. This segmentation allows the cup to collapse into a compact configuration for storage while maintaining structural integrity during use, directly resolving the contradiction between reduced storage volume and structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The sidewall transitions from a static structure to a dynamic one with living hinges that enable folding and unfolding. The sidewall can be configured between an expanded configuration for use and a collapsed configuration for storage, allowing the volume to change while maintaining sufficient structural complexity only when needed.
2Ease of operation
If the handle is made hinged to allow storage positioning, then the ease of operation is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The handle is connected to the cup body via a hinge, transforming it from a fixed structure to a movable one. The handle can be positioned in a use position that extends outward to facilitate easy gripping and positioning of the cup, or folded to a storage position that lies substantially within the cup's outline when collapsed, reducing overall device complexity during storage.
3Measurement precision
If notches are added to position the test stick, then the measurement precision is improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Notches are pre-formed in the rim of the cup at specific angular positions and depths. These notches preliminarily position the test stick at the correct orientation and depth before the testing process begins, ensuring that the stick is properly immersed in the urine sample and that visual changes can be observed at the correct location, thereby improving measurement precision without requiring complex manufacturing processes.
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
The cup provides a compact storage option while facilitating the use of test sticks for determining pregnancy or ovulation by allowing easy expansion and secure positioning for analyte detection, enhancing user convenience and efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
The sidewall includes at least first, second and third sidewall segments. The first sidewall segment upwardly extends from the junction to a first living hinge. The second sidewall segment upwardly extends from the first living hinge to a second living hinge when the sidewall is in the expanded configuration.
Data Source
AI summary
A urine collection cup has a collapsible sidewall with a plurality of living hinges, such that the height of the cup in its collapsed configuration is much reduced. To reconfigure the collection cup into a use configuration, the user grasps a protruding bottom flange of the cup and pulls the flange downward and away from the cup's top rim. The cup may be part of a system that also includes a stick or strip for determining the presence or concentration of an analyte in the urine. An end of the stick may abut a ridge in the cup floor when the urine is being sampled. The top rim of the cup has opposed notches across which the stick or strip may be placed while undergoing a visual change.