Commode Catch Basin for Fresh Water Toilet Paper Wetting
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional toilet cleaning methods using dry toilet paper are uncomfortable and ineffective, especially for individuals with hemorrhoids, and existing water-based solutions like bidets are not widely accepted due to space and cost issues, while prior art devices face contamination and stagnant water problems.
Innovation Solution
A commode reservoir with a catch basin attached to the exterior of the water tank above the water line, connected to a pressurized fresh water source, featuring a drain hole and secondary overflow opening, and a push-button actuated nozzle for dispensing water directly onto toilet paper.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a reservoir is positioned below the water line of the flush tank to fill and empty with the flush tank water level, then the device complexity is reduced and ease of manufacture is improved, but the water can be contaminated as it is drawn from inside the holding tank and the reservoir is left filled between tank flushes
Solution Approach 1:
The reservoir is extracted from the interior of the flush tank and repositioned on the exterior surface. This separation removes the reservoir from the contaminated water environment inside the tank, preventing contamination while maintaining the simple manufacturing approach of using a separate filling mechanism via the fill valve connection.
Solution Approach 2:
A tube or conduit acts as an intermediary, connecting the fill valve inside the tank to the reservoir on the exterior. This intermediary allows water to be transferred from the tank to the reservoir without direct exposure of the reservoir to the contaminated tank water, solving the contamination problem while maintaining system simplicity.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a catch basin is positioned on the exterior of the water reservoir tank above the water line, then contamination from tank water is prevented, but the device complexity increases and manufacturing becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The system is segmented into distinct functional components: the flush tank, the exterior catch basin, the fill valve connection, and the drain hole. This segmentation allows each component to be manufactured separately using standard techniques and then assembled, reducing the overall manufacturing difficulty despite the increased structural complexity of having an exterior position.
3Ease of operation
If water is dispensed from a nozzle into the catch basin for moistening toilet paper, then the cleansing effectiveness is improved, but the risk of stagnant water and clogging increases
Solution Approach 1:
The water dispensing system uses periodic action through a spray mechanism that delivers water in pulses or bursts rather than continuous flow. This periodic dispensing allows the catch basin to drain between pulses, preventing stagnant water accumulation while maintaining effective toilet paper moistening during the spray cycles.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs hydraulic principles with a spray nozzle that uses water pressure to atomize and disperse water droplets onto the toilet paper. The pressurized spray ensures complete coverage and rapid wetting, improving cleansing effectiveness while the pressure-driven flow prevents water stagnation in the catch basin.
4Reliability
If a drain hole is provided in the catch basin to drain water into the water reservoir tank, then stagnant water is prevented, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The drain hole provides a self-service drainage mechanism where gravity automatically drains water from the catch basin back into the flush tank when the water level in the tank is low. This passive, self-regulating system prevents stagnant water without requiring additional active components, pumps, or complex control mechanisms, thus minimizing device complexity while ensuring reliable drainage.
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
Provides a sanitary, comfortable, and effective means of cleansing with fresh water, preventing contamination and stagnant water issues by ensuring drainage and maintaining structural integrity of the toilet paper.
Implementation Method 1
A pressurized water line connected to a fresh water source is used to dispense water through a nozzle into the catch basin
Implementation Method 2
The catch basin includes a drain hole in fluid communication with the water reservoir tank to drain water from the catch basin
Data Source
AI summary
The commode having a catch basin attached to the water reservoir tank at a position above the water reservoir tank water line. A pressurized water line is used to supply fresh water to a nozzle mounted in the catch basin. An actuator allows water to be dispensed through the nozzle for the purposes of moistening toilet paper. The catch basin includes a lower drain hole in fluid communication with the flush tank to drain water therein at a predetermined rate, and an upper opening draining into the flush tank to prevent overflowing of said catch basin.