Modular Bathroom Layout for Privacy and Shared Use

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional bathroom layouts often compromise privacy, efficiency, and user experience due to the central placement of toilet areas and the need to exit the bathroom for grooming activities, leading to inconvenience and disturbance for multiple users.

Innovation Solution

A modular bathroom design featuring separate shower, toilet, and grooming areas with distinct walls and doors, allowing for private use and easy access to amenities without leaving the bathroom, along with innovative plumbing and lighting systems for enhanced user experience.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If conventional bathroom layouts with central toilet placement are used, then ease of manufacture is improved, but privacy and user convenience deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of manufactureVSAvoiduser convenience

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The bathroom is divided into separate functional zones (shower area, toilet area, grooming area) with distinct walls and doors, allowing each area to be accessed independently. This segmentation enables users to perform grooming activities without leaving the bathroom and maintains privacy for toilet use, resolving the contradiction between conventional simple layouts and user convenience requirements

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Ease of operation

If separate walls and doors for each bathroom area are implemented, then privacy is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveprivacyVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The bathroom is divided into separate functional zones (shower area, toilet area, grooming area) with distinct walls and doors, allowing each area to be accessed independently. This segmentation enables users to perform grooming activities without leaving the bathroom and maintains privacy for toilet use

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The plumbing inlet lines are designed to supply water to multiple fixtures (shower head, toilet assembly, faucet) through a centralized system within the walls, reducing the need for separate external connections and simplifying the overall complexity despite the segmented layout

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Ease of operation

If multiple users access different bathroom areas simultaneously, then user convenience is improved, but loss of time for coordination increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser convenienceVSAvoidcoordination time

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The bathroom is divided into separate functional zones (shower area, toilet area, grooming area) with distinct walls and doors, allowing each area to be accessed independently. This segmentation enables users to perform grooming activities without leaving the bathroom and maintains privacy for toilet use

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The transition area serves as an intermediary space between the shower area and toilet area, allowing smooth movement and reducing coordination conflicts when multiple users need to access different areas simultaneously

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS11272813B2Bathroom fixtures and components

Publication Date: 2022.03.15 KOHLER CO(US)

AI summary

A bathroom module includes a shower area that includes a shower head, a control valve assembly, and a drain. The module also includes a toilet area including a toilet assembly and a transition area disposed between the shower area and the toilet area. The module also includes a shower area front wall and a shower area side wall, the shower area disposed along a first side of the shower area front wall and a first side of the shower area side wall. The module also includes a toilet area front wall and a toilet area side wall, the toilet area disposed along a first side of the toilet area front wall and a first side of the toilet area side wall. A grooming area includes a sink assembly that comprises a faucet, and the grooming area is disposed along a second side of at least one of the shower area front wall, the shower area side wall, the toilet area front wall, and the toilet area side wall.