Potty-training device
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing potty training devices are bulky, difficult to clean, expensive, and not compatible with various toilet seat shapes, leading to accidental wetting and increased maintenance costs due to urine leakage through the gap between the toilet seat and bowl.
Innovation Solution
A flexible, water-resistant potty training device with a folding seam and adhesive attachment tabs that can be easily manipulated into a curved configuration to block the gap between the toilet seat and bowl, reducing manufacturing costs and improving sanitation by eliminating structural shelves and gaps.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a fixed configuration device is used to block the opening between toilet seat and bowl, then the device can effectively prevent urine leakage, but the device is bulky and not compatible with various toilet seat shapes
Solution Approach 1:
The device transitions from a flat storage configuration to a three-dimensional curved configuration when attached to the toilet seat. The flexible material allows the device to dynamically adapt its shape to match different toilet seat contours, providing both effectiveness and versatility.
Solution Approach 2:
The device changes its physical state from a flat two-dimensional sheet to a three-dimensional curved structure through manipulation. This parameter change allows the same device to effectively block openings of various sizes and shapes without requiring multiple fixed configurations.
2Reliability
If a bulky device structure is used to ensure coverage, then urine leakage is prevented, but manufacturing costs and cleaning difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The device is made from a flexible, water-resistant sheet material that can be manipulated into the required three-dimensional configuration. This thin film approach eliminates the need for bulky rigid structures, reducing manufacturing complexity and cost while maintaining effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible material allows the device to achieve its blocking function through configuration rather than bulk. The same material can be manipulated to fit different toilet seat shapes, eliminating the need for multiple fixed configurations and reducing manufacturing costs.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed configuration device is manufactured to accommodate all toilet seat shapes, then versatility is improved, but manufacturing costs and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of manufacturing multiple fixed configurations, the invention uses a single flexible device that can be dynamically manipulated into different shapes. This eliminates device complexity while maintaining versatility across different toilet seat designs.
Solution Approach 2:
A single flat sheet device serves multiple functions by being manipulable into different configurations. This universal design approach allows one device to accommodate various toilet seat shapes without requiring multiple specialized versions.
4Ease of operation
If the device is made visible when toilet seat is down, then ease of positioning is improved, but aesthetic appearance and hidden functionality are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The device is made from a material that matches the color and appearance of the toilet seat, allowing it to remain hidden when the seat is down. This aesthetic integration does not compromise positioning, as the device can be easily attached and adjusted before being concealed.
Data Source
AI summary
A potting training device for preventing a potty training child's urine stream from passing through an opening between the toilet seat and the toilet bowl is made of a flexible, water-resistant, preferably non-porous flat sheet material, having a folding seam separating the device into an top portion containing a plurality of attachment tabs and a bottom portion containing a urine-deflector. An adhesive material is applied to the surface of each attachment tab and attaches the attachment tabs to the underside of the toilet seat. The flat sheet material, in its unattached configuration, is manipulated into a curved configuration that matches the curvature of the toilet seat, and is attached thereto.