Pivoting Sink Step for Child Access in Public Restrooms
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Solution Overview
Problem
Public restroom lavatories are often too high for children and diminutive persons to use without assistance, leading to inconvenience and potential injury for parents who must lift them to access the sink, as existing portable step stools are cumbersome and not designed for travel.
Innovation Solution
A pivoting step access device is securely mounted under the sink, which can be folded out of the way for taller individuals but easily deployed to provide a height-adjusted platform for children to wash their hands, anchored to the floor with a step support mount that pivots from a vertical to horizontal position.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a fixed step is installed under the sink, then children can access the sink independently, but it inconveniences taller individuals by blocking their access to the sink
Solution Approach 1:
The step is designed to pivot between a horizontal position (providing access for children) and a vertical position (clearing the way for taller individuals). This dynamic transformation allows the same structure to serve different user groups at different times, resolving the contradiction between fixed accessibility and adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The step structure is divided into movable and fixed portions, with the ability to transition between configurations. This segmentation allows the step to be deployed when needed by children and retracted when needed by taller individuals, achieving both accessibility goals.
2Ease of operation
If a portable step stool is used, then children can reach the sink, but it is cumbersome and not designed for travel
Solution Approach 1:
The step is integrated with the sink structure itself, combining the function of a step with the fixed infrastructure of the restroom. This eliminates the need for separate portable step stools while maintaining accessibility, as the step becomes part of the permanent installation rather than a travel accessory.
3Ease of operation
If parents lift children to the sink, then children can wash hands, but it causes potential injury and inconvenience
Solution Approach 1:
The pivoting step enables children to independently access the sink without parental assistance. By providing self-service capability, children can position themselves safely at the sink level, eliminating the need for parents to physically lift them and thereby preventing potential injuries.
4Ease of operation
If the step is always in the horizontal position, then children have constant access, but it blocks the sink area for normal users
Solution Approach 1:
The step transitions from a static horizontal position to a dynamic system that can pivot vertically. When not in use by children, it rotates to a vertical position that clears the sink area, allowing normal users to access the sink without obstruction while maintaining the option for child access when needed.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a sink access device which is utilized to facilitate a child or a diminutive person to wash their hands at a lavatory located at a public restroom. The sink access device includes a step support mount having a base and an upwardly extending arm. The step support mount is fixedly attached to a portion of a public restroom. A step is pivotally mounted to the upwardly extending arm of the step support mount. The step has a first position wherein the step is in a vertical position and a second position wherein the step is in a horizontal position providing a platform for a diminutive person to step onto. The step is positioned either at or behind a vertical plane defined by the front profile of a sink when the step is in the first position and the step breaks the plane when in the second position.