Prefabricated Shower Bench Assembly for Custom Enclosure Fit
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current prefabricated shower modules have limitations such as bowing issues due to premature removal from molds, high production costs, limited size options, and the need for manual construction of features like benches, which restrict design flexibility and lead to inefficiencies in shower enclosure installation.
Innovation Solution
The development of a prefabricated modular system using polyurethane reaction injection molding with support ribs and adjustable dimensions, allowing for customizable shower modules, curbs, and benches that can be easily integrated and installed, reducing production time and costs while enhancing design flexibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If prefabricated shower modules are removed from molds before complete solidification, then production time is reduced, but the modules experience bowing and structural deformation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by incorporating support ribs into the mold design before injection molding. These ribs create internal structural reinforcement that prevents bowing during premature removal, allowing the module to be extracted before complete solidification without deformation. The support ribs act as pre-established structural elements that maintain flatness during the critical removal phase.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes parameter changes by controlling the solidification process through the support rib structure. The ribs alter the thermal and structural parameters of the molding process, enabling the module to maintain structural integrity at earlier removal times. This changes the physical state transition parameters, allowing safe removal before complete solidification.
2Adaptability or versatility
If custom-sized shower modules are manufactured to fit specific spaces, then design flexibility and space utilization are improved, but production costs increase due to multiple specialized molds
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the shower module into standardized base units that can be combined in different configurations. The support rib structure and modular design allow the same mold to produce segments that can be assembled in various arrangements to create custom-sized enclosures. This eliminates the need for specialized molds for each size while maintaining design flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements universality through a standardized mold design that can produce modules suitable for multiple enclosure configurations. The support rib pattern and basic module geometry are designed to be universally applicable, allowing the same mold to serve multiple production purposes and enabling custom sizes through assembly rather than custom tooling.
3Adaptability or versatility
If shower benches and features are constructed manually during installation, then design customization is possible, but installation time and labor skill requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-fabricating benches and other shower features as integrated components during the injection molding process. The support ribs and structural elements are built into the modules before installation, eliminating the need for manual construction during installation. This pre-preparation maintains design customization while dramatically reducing installation time and skill requirements.
4Manufacturing precision
If thick mortar layers are applied to form sloped shower floors, then proper drainage pitch is achieved, but curing time before tiling increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the slope-forming function from the mortar application process and transfers it to the injection-molded module itself. The support rib structure creates the drainage pitch during manufacturing, eliminating the need for thick mortar layers. This removes the time-consuming curing step while maintaining precise drainage geometry through the molded structural ribs.
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
This modular system enables faster and more cost-effective production of shower enclosures with improved leak-proof integrity, increased design options, and efficient use of space, allowing for larger shower volumes and reduced installation time.
Implementation Method 1
prefabricated shower modules having a sloping floor, an integrated drain, curb, sidewalls, and a horizontal surface on the top of each sidewall for mounting drywall such that the drywall is substantially flush to the module sidewalls
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and apparatus for creating a shower or bath enclosure, in which, given a predetermined area in which to create the shower or bath, a given prefabricated water proof bath or shower floor module is too small to occupy the entire available enclosure space. The apparatus includes the use of one or more additional enclosure components, such as one or more shower benches, to occupy a space between an edge or edges of the floor module and the exterior boundary(ies) of the enclosure space.