Foldable Bath Tub with Crease-Based Basin Wall for Compact Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional foldable bath tubs are cumbersome for storage and do not accommodate the changing bathing positions of infants and toddlers effectively, as they lack adjustable seating surfaces and efficient drainage systems.
Innovation Solution
A foldable bath tub design featuring a base, rim, and basin wall with circumferential creases allowing for folding and extension, incorporating a crotch support with drain holes and a drain plug system, and adjustable back rests for reclined or upright seating, enabling easy storage and accommodating different child positions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the bath tub is made foldable for compact storage, then storage space efficiency is improved, but the structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The bath tub is divided into distinct functional segments: a collapsible basin wall with creases for folding, a separate supporting frame with legs, and a removable crotch support. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently - the basin wall can collapse flat while the frame provides structural integrity, resolving the contradiction between compact storage and structural complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The bath tub employs dynamic elements including pivotable legs that can be adjusted or collapsed, a basin wall with circumferential creases that enables controlled folding, and a removable crotch support. These dynamic features allow the structure to transition between expanded (functional) and collapsed (storage) states without requiring complex permanent mechanisms
2Adaptability or versatility
If the bath tub accommodates both reclined and upright positions, then adaptability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The bath tub is designed as a multi-functional device that can accommodate infants in reclined positions and toddlers in upright positions through its geometric configuration. The basin wall geometry, crotch support positioning, and back rest angles work together to provide appropriate support for different age groups and bathing positions without requiring separate devices or complex adjustment mechanisms
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the bath tub have specialized geometries optimized for specific functions: the first back rest area is configured for reclined positioning with appropriate curvature and support, while the second back rest area provides upright support. The crotch support has specific geometry for securing infants, while the overall basin geometry accommodates larger toddlers. This local optimization allows diverse functionality without adding overall structural complexity
3Ease of operation
If the basin wall is made flexible for folding, then ease of storage is improved, but the strength decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The basin wall is constructed as a flexible shell with integrated circumferential creases that enable controlled folding while maintaining structural integrity during use. The creases are strategically positioned to allow collapse for storage while the overall shell geometry and material properties ensure sufficient strength to contain water and support children during bathing
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible basin wall is combined with a rigid supporting frame that provides the necessary structural strength. The frame includes legs with feet for stable support and a geometry that distributes loads effectively. This combination allows the basin wall to be flexible and collapsible while the frame maintains structural integrity, resolving the contradiction between ease of storage and structural strength
Data Source
AI summary
A foldable bath tub includes a base, a rim, and a basin wall disposed between and interconnecting the base and the rim. The bottom wall has an upwardly extending crotch support. The basin wall includes at least one crease. The basin wall is configured to be positioned in one of a folded condition in which the basin wall is folded into itself at the at least one crease an extended condition in which the basin wall is configured to receive an associated child. Where in the extended condition of the basin wall a distance from the base to the at least one crease increases along a length direction of the bath tub from a first end of the bath tub to a second end of the bath tub.