Flexible Drinking Cup Structure for Limited-Mobility Use
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional drinking cups pose difficulties for individuals with limited physical faculties, as they require tilting the head and cup to drink, which can be challenging for those with disabilities, Parkinson's disease, or those bedridden, and often necessitate the use of straws or assistive mouthpieces that may be difficult to manage.
Innovation Solution
A flexible drinking cup design featuring a vessel portion and a drinking portion connected by a flexible member, allowing the drinking portion to be offset and move relative to the vessel portion, eliminating the need to tilt the head or cup, and eliminating the need for straws or mouthpieces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a conventional rigid cup is used, then the cup structure is simple and stable, but the user must tilt the head and cup to drink, which is difficult for persons with limited physical faculties
Solution Approach 1:
The cup incorporates a flexible member connecting the vessel portion and drinking portion, allowing the drinking portion to move dynamically relative to the vessel portion. This enables the cup to adapt its shape and orientation during use, facilitating easier drinking for persons with limited physical faculties without requiring complex mechanical mechanisms
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible member acts as a flexible connection between the rigid vessel portion and drinking portion, allowing the structure to bend and flex while maintaining integrity. This flexible element enables the drinking portion to be positioned at various angles and locations, improving ease of operation for users with mobility limitations
2Ease of operation
If a straw or assistive mouthpiece is used, then drinking can be facilitated for persons with disabilities, but the sucking ability required is difficult for some users depending on their disabilities
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible connection allows the drinking portion to be positioned optimally for different user needs and disabilities. The drinking portion can be angled and positioned to accommodate various head positions and physical capabilities, making the cup adaptable to different disability types without requiring sucking action
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible cup design serves multiple functions: it can be used by able-bodied persons, persons with mobility limitations, persons with Parkinson's disease, and persons with various sucking abilities. The flexibility allows the same cup to adapt to different user requirements, providing universal accessibility
3Ease of operation
If the drinking portion is fixed to the vessel portion, then the cup structure is simple, but the user must tilt the cup significantly to direct liquid into the mouth
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible member enables the drinking portion to move and flex relative to the vessel portion, allowing the user to position the drinking portion at the optimal angle and location for drinking without significant cup tilting. This dynamic adjustment simplifies the drinking action while the flexible connection maintains structural integrity
Data Source
AI summary
A drinking cup usable by persons having limited physical faculties includes a vessel portion having one or more walls and being closed at a bottom end to define a bottom surface, the vessel portion being configured to retain a liquid; a drinking portion having one or more walls and an open top end from which the liquid located in the vessel portion can be removed, the open top end defining a rim; and a flexible member connecting the vessel portion and the drinking portion. The flexible member facilitates movement of the drinking portion relative to the vessel portion.