Vessel with recessed soap dish and integrated overflow drain
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional bathtubs and sinks have unsightly soap dishes that can overflow, causing messes and requiring frequent cleaning, as the overflow drains are typically visible and not designed to handle soap lather effectively.
Innovation Solution
A recessed soap dish integrated into the inside wall of the vessel with an overflow drain hole connected to the primary drain, hidden from view, which prevents overflow and allows for easy drainage of soap lather, featuring a perforated metal grate for easy unclogging and a design that accommodates a typical bar of soap without allowing it to fall into the drain.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a soap dish is placed on the edge of the bathtub or sink, then it provides a functional surface for holding soap, but it creates an unsightly appearance and allows lather to spill over onto the bathtub or sink
Solution Approach 1:
The soap dish is extracted from the visible surface and recessed into the inside wall of the vessel. The cavity is formed by recessing the cavity wall within the inside wall, creating a hidden compartment that holds soap away from the visible exterior surface, thus eliminating the unsightly appearance while maintaining the soap-holding function.
Solution Approach 2:
The soap dish cavity is nested within the inside wall structure of the vessel. The cavity wall is recessed within the inside wall, creating a nested configuration where the soap dish is embedded in the wall itself rather than sitting on the exterior surface, achieving both aesthetic concealment and functional utility.
2Reliability
If a traditional overflow drain is placed on the inside wall, then it prevents vessel overflow, but it remains visible and does not effectively drain lather from the soap dish
Solution Approach 1:
The overflow drain hole is merged with the soap dish cavity structure. The overflow drain hole is formed in the cavity wall of the recessed soap dish, combining the overflow drainage function with the soap-holding cavity. This integration allows the overflow drain to be hidden within the recessed cavity, eliminating its visible presence while maintaining overflow prevention functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The cavity wall serves as an intermediary structure that houses both the soap dish function and the overflow drain. By forming the overflow drain hole in the cavity wall rather than directly in the inside wall, the system uses the cavity structure as a mediator to conceal the drain while maintaining its overflow protection function.
3Ease of operation
If the overflow drain hole is made small to prevent soap from falling in, then it effectively retains soap, but it may clog more easily with lather and debris
Solution Approach 1:
The overflow drainage function is segmented into multiple small drain holes rather than a single large opening. The cavity wall includes multiple overflow drain holes that are small enough to prevent soap from falling through while collectively providing sufficient drainage capacity for lather and water, reducing clogging risk compared to a single small hole.
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 solution provides a clean and aesthetically pleasing solution by hiding the soap dish and overflow drain, preventing messes and simplifying maintenance, while ensuring the soap remains contained and easy to access.
Implementation Method 1
The overflow drain hole is connected to an overflow drainpipe of the vessel. The overflow drainpipe is connected to the primary drain of the vessel.
Data Source
AI summary
A vessel, such as a bathtub or sink, has a soap dish recessed in the inside wall of the vessel. The recessed soap dish is connected to the overflow drain of the vessel. The soap dish is large enough to receive a bar of soap. The overflow drain holes in the bottom of the soap dish are small enough to prevent the bar of soap from falling into the overflow drain. The recessed soap dish can be placed in the front of the vessel so that the soap dish is hidden from view. The front of the sink is the surface opposing the faucet. The front of the bathtub is the surface that a bather steps over to enter the bathtub.