Pivotable Toilet Base Unit for Compact Sanitary Space
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Solution Overview
Problem
In compact sanitary areas of mobile homes and caravans, there is a need to maximize freedom of movement while maintaining essential sanitary devices like showers and toilets, often requiring innovative solutions to accommodate both functionality and space constraints.
Innovation Solution
The design includes a toilet base unit that is pivotable and can be moved out of the sanitary area into a stowage area, allowing for increased space during showers, and a washbasin cover unit with pivotable elements to protect against splashing water, along with a toilet cover unit to safeguard the toilet from water.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the toilet base unit is firmly mounted in the sanitary area, then the toilet is stable and secure, but the freedom of movement within the sanitary area is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The toilet base unit is designed with a pivotable connection to the interior fittings floor, allowing it to rotate between a first configuration (extending into the sanitary area) and a second configuration (retracted into a stowage area). This dynamic mechanism enables the toilet to be stable when in use while allowing freedom of movement when retracted, resolving the contradiction between mounting stability and operational freedom.
2Ease of operation
If the toilet base unit is made movable to increase freedom of movement, then the shower area can be enlarged, but the toilet may be exposed to splashing water
Solution Approach 1:
A washbasin cover unit is introduced as an intermediary element between the shower area and the toilet base unit. This cover unit can be positioned to protect the toilet from splashing water when the toilet is in the retracted configuration, while not interfering with the toilet's pivotable movement. The cover unit acts as a mediator that allows both freedom of movement and protection from water exposure.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the sanitary area includes both shower device and toilet, then complete sanitary functionality is provided, but the space for movement is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The pivotable toilet base unit dynamically adjusts the spatial configuration of the sanitary area. When the toilet is rotated into the stowage area, the shower area is enlarged, providing more space for movement during showering. When the toilet is extended into the sanitary area, complete sanitary functionality is restored. This dynamic reconfiguration allows the system to adapt between different functional states, resolving the contradiction between providing complete sanitary functionality and maintaining space for movement.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to an interior fitting, in particular for a motorhome, caravan and/or panel van, comprising a toilet base unit (10) which in a first configuration is arranged in a sanitary area (12). It is proposed that the toilet base unit (10) be designed to be at least partially movable in an assembled state.