Molded Pulp Urinal Lid Retention via Tapered Press Fit
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge is to create a disposable healthcare urinal made of pulp material that effectively retains a fluid absorbent powder or sachet, which absorbs urine and converts it into a gel-like substance, while maintaining the lid securely in place due to the soft and fragile nature of the pulp material.
Innovation Solution
A healthcare urinal design featuring a container with a concave or planar bottom and a neck, where the lid is made of molded pulp with a tapered sidewall and a single tongue that provides a press fit, ensuring the lid stays closed even when the urinal is turned upside down, and the use of a fluid absorbent powder or sachet that reacts with urine to form a gel, increasing the urinal's durability and ease of handling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a fluid absorbent powder is placed within the container, then the urine is absorbed and converted into a gel-like substance, but the lid needs to be securely closed to prevent the powder from coming out, which is difficult due to the soft and fragile nature of the pulp material
Solution Approach 1:
The lid is segmented into multiple functional parts: a tapered sidewall for insertion, a collar for positioning, and a single tongue extending beyond the lip for enhanced retention. This segmentation allows each part to perform its specific function while collectively solving the lid retention problem.
Solution Approach 2:
The tapered sidewall is designed with higher flexibility than the lip, allowing it to dynamically adjust during insertion and create a press fit. This dynamic flexibility enables the lid to withstand forces from the sachet while maintaining a secure closure.
2Ease of manufacture
If the lid is made of molded pulp material, then it is disposable and compatible with the container, but it is soft and break easily making it difficult to stay in place
Solution Approach 1:
The lid utilizes the flexible nature of molded pulp material to create a tapered sidewall that can be inserted into the container opening. The flexibility allows the sidewall to deform during insertion and create a press fit, while the collar and tongue provide structural support to prevent breaking.
3Reliability
If the container is turned upside down, then the sachet may force the lid out of the opening, but the lid needs to withstand this force to prevent leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The single tongue extends beyond the lip of the container in advance, creating a mechanical stop that prevents the lid from being forced out by the sachet. This preliminary structural feature counteracts the potential harmful force before it can cause leakage.
Solution Approach 2:
The tapered sidewall's higher flexibility allows it to dynamically withstand and distribute the force exerted by the sachet, while the collar and tongue provide rigid support to maintain lid position and prevent leakage.
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
The design effectively secures the lid in place, preventing leakage and enhancing handling by converting urine into a gel-like substance, thereby extending the urinal's lifespan and reducing infection risks, while maintaining structural integrity and ease of use.
Implementation Method 1
said tapered sidewall having a higher degree of flexibility than said lip for providing a press fit between said lid and said container when said lid being located in said opening for withstanding said sachet forcing said lid out of said opening
Implementation Method 2
a fluid absorbent powder enclosed in a water dissolvable sachet
Data Source
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AI summary
A health care urinal for collecting and disposing of urine. The urinal consists of a con- tainer with an opening and a lid for closing the opening. Inside the container is a fluid absorbent powder enclosed in a water dissolvable sachet. Both the container and lid are made of a moulded pulp material. The lid and opening have complementing geometries that allow the lid to be held in a press fit.