Foldable bathtub

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing foldable bathtubs lack structural rigidity, leading to collapsing and water spilling when filled, and occupy excessive space during transportation and storage.

Innovation Solution

A foldable bathtub design featuring a basin body formed by splicing rigid and flexible plates, with a symmetrical Z-shaped structure at folding points and snap-fit supporting mechanisms, allowing for perpendicular folding and enhanced rigidity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If foldable bathtubs are made from flexible materials to enable folding, then folding capability is achieved, but structural rigidity deteriorates causing collapsing and water spilling

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefolding capabilityVSAvoidstructural rigidity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The bathtub body is divided into multiple rigid plate segments (first rigid plate, second rigid plate, third rigid plate, fourth rigid plate) connected by flexible connections. This segmentation allows the overall structure to fold while each rigid segment maintains structural integrity and rigidity when assembled, preventing collapsing and water spilling.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The invention combines rigid plates with flexible connection structures (including flexible plates and elastic elements) to create a composite structure. The rigid plates provide structural strength and rigidity, while the flexible connections enable folding capability, resolving the contradiction between rigidity and foldability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Quantity of substance

If traditional bathtubs are designed with large volume for bathing function, then bathing capacity is improved, but space occupation during transportation and storage increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebathing capacityVSAvoidspace occupation

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The bathtub structure is designed to be dynamically changeable between an unfolded state (providing large bathing capacity) and a folded state (reducing volume for storage and transportation). The rigid plates and flexible connections work together to maintain structural integrity during both states, allowing the bathtub to adapt its volume based on usage requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

When folded, the rigid plate segments are arranged in a nested configuration where they overlap and compact together, significantly reducing the overall volume. The flexible connections allow the segments to nest efficiently while maintaining structural strength, enabling compact storage without permanent damage to the bathtub structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Data Source

PatentUS12426744B1Foldable bathtub

Publication Date: 2025.09.30 JINHUA GICA BABY PROD CO LTD

AI summary

Disclosed is a foldable bathtub, including: a bathtub body, and a temperature detection unit connected to the bathtub body. The bathtub body includes a foldable basin body formed by sequentially sealing and splicing a plurality of rigid plates and flexible plates, the foldable basin body is folded and contracted along splicing joints between the rigid plates and the flexible plates, and a direction of the folding and contraction is perpendicular to a depth direction of the bathtub body. When the bathtub body is in a contracted state, a symmetrical Z-shaped structure is formed at folding points of the basin mouth edge. The foldable bathtub enhances structural rigidity of the bathtub body and prevents collapsing and water spilling. The bathtub is folded in a direction perpendicular to the depth direction thereof, and is more compact, thereby facilitating rapid storage.