Nestable, stackable portable toilet and method of assembling same
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing portable toilets are inefficient in transportation and assembly, requiring significant space and labor due to their bulky design and lack of compact storage solutions.
Innovation Solution
A nestable and stackable portable toilet design featuring tapered walls that interlock for compact storage and easy assembly, utilizing snap-lock tabs and indentations for secure attachment of the housing to the base, allowing for efficient transportation and rapid deployment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If portable toilets are designed with traditional bulky structure, then they provide sufficient space and stability for use, but they require significant transportation space and are difficult to store efficiently
Solution Approach 1:
The portable toilet components are designed to nest within each other - the shelter nests within the base, and multiple assembled toilets can be stacked vertically. The tapered walls of the base allow the shelter to be inserted and nested securely, creating a compact storage configuration that minimizes transportation space while maintaining full functionality when deployed
Solution Approach 2:
The portable toilet is divided into separable components - a base with tapered walls and a shelter that can be assembled and disassembled. The base includes a floor and tapered walls that form a receiving structure, while the shelter is a separate unit that nests within the base during storage but provides full enclosure when assembled
2Productivity
If portable toilets use traditional attachment methods, then they provide stable connection between base and shelter, but they require significant assembly time and labor
Solution Approach 1:
The connection mechanism between base and shelter is designed to be self-aligning and self-securing. The tapered walls of the base automatically guide the shelter into the correct position during assembly, and the snap-fit tabs engage automatically when the shelter is inserted, eliminating the need for complex fastening procedures or multiple assembly steps
Solution Approach 2:
Traditional mechanical fastening systems (screws, bolts, clips) are replaced with a snap-fit tab mechanism. The tabs extend from the base walls and engage with corresponding recesses in the shelter, creating a secure connection through elastic deformation and geometric interlocking rather than mechanical fasteners
3Ease of operation
If portable toilets are designed for easy disassembly, then they can be quickly transported from sites, but they may compromise structural integrity during use
Solution Approach 1:
The tapered walls of the base create a conical geometry that provides structural strength while enabling easy insertion and removal of the shelter. The gradual taper distributes loads evenly along the wall surface, preventing stress concentration that would compromise structural integrity, while simultaneously allowing the shelter to be easily inserted and secured
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables the compact storage and transport of multiple toilets, reducing assembly time and labor, while preventing unauthorized removal of the housing from the base, thus minimizing space requirements and facilitating rapid deployment and disassembly.
Implementation Method 1
The tab is configured to be resiliently forced into the plane of its wall upon the housing being installed on the base and to resiliently snap fit into the indentation when the tab is in register with the indentation
Data Source
AI summary
A portable toilet is disclosed that has a base and a housing with the base and the housing being configured to be stored and transported to a site as a stack of bases and a stack of housings. The toilet is assembled by telescopically installed one of the housings onto a base where the upwardly extending walls of the base are received within the walls of the housing and where the housing is preferably snap locked to the base. The housing may be disassembled from its base by deflecting one of the housing walls outwardly. A method of storing, transporting and assembling such a portable toilet is also disclosed.