Nested Multi-Piece Bathing Surround for Compact Shipping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bathing surround packaging and shipping methods are inefficient, leading to large and cumbersome packages that are difficult to transport and handle, especially for DIY home improvement projects, as they do not effectively minimize the size of the container needed for shipping and assembly.
Innovation Solution
A bathing surround is designed as multiple interlocking pieces, including a first piece with a basin and second and third pieces with back and side walls, where one piece is nested about the basin and another nests behind, allowing for a compact package configuration that can be easily assembled and shipped in a smaller box, utilizing flexible materials like ABS or polyester for ease of handling and installation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the bathing surround is packaged as traditional separate pieces, then it is easy to assemble, but the package size becomes large and cumbersome
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies nesting by placing one wall portion inside another wall portion during packaging. Specifically, the second wall portion is positioned inside the first wall portion, and the third wall portion is positioned inside the second wall portion, creating a compact nested configuration that significantly reduces package volume while maintaining ease of assembly through the same nested structure during installation.
2Reliability
If the bathing surround is designed as one-piece structure, then it provides watertight structure, but it is difficult to transport and handle
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the bathing surround into multiple separate wall portions (first, second, and third wall portions) that can be independently packaged and easily transported. These segmented portions are designed to interlock during assembly, recreating the watertight structure of a one-piece design while providing the transport advantages of multiple smaller components.
3Ease of operation
If traditional packaging methods are used, then assembly is straightforward, but shipping costs are high due to large box size
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses nesting to place multiple wall portions inside each other, creating a compact package that minimizes box size and reduces shipping volume. This nested packaging method maintains straightforward assembly because the same nested structure guides the installation process, with portions being added in the nested sequence to form the complete bathing surround.
Data Source
AI summary
A surround includes a first piece including a basin, a second piece having a second piece back wall and a second piece side wall attaching to the second piece back wall for being disposed horizontally atop the first piece, and a third piece having a third piece back wall and a third piece side wall attaching to the third piece back wall for being disposed horizontally atop the second piece back wall and the second piece side wall, wherein the first piece, the second piece and the third piece form a package wherein one of the second piece or the third piece is disposed about the basin and an other of the second piece or the third piece nests behind the one of the second piece or the third piece.