Shower seat assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing shower seat designs for the physically impaired and elderly are cumbersome, heavy, and pose storage and tripping hazards, failing to provide adequate stability and convenience in bathing environments.
Innovation Solution
A lift-assist shower seat assembly with hingedly connected support rods, tube stops, and springs that securely attach to a vertical surface, allowing easy operation and automatic adjustment between vertical and horizontal positions for use and storage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a free-standing shower chair is used, then the user gains seating stability, but the device becomes heavy and cumbersome to operate
Solution Approach 1:
The shower seat is divided into two functional parts: a mounting bracket system that attaches to the shower wall and remains stationary, and a movable seat portion that can be positioned as needed. This segmentation allows the heavy structural support to be fixed while keeping the user-interaction portion lightweight and easy to maneuver.
Solution Approach 2:
The seat is designed with movable support rods that can transition between extended and retracted positions, allowing the seat to be easily deployed and stored. The dynamic design enables the seat to adapt between a stable extended position for use and a compact retracted position for storage, reducing operational effort.
2Reliability
If a free-standing shower chair is used, then the user gains seating stability, but the device creates clutter and tripping hazards
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting function is extracted from the seat itself and transferred to a separate wall-mounted bracket system. This allows the seat to be removed from the bathing floor entirely when not in use, eliminating clutter and tripping hazards while maintaining stable seating when deployed.
Solution Approach 2:
The seat employs movable support rods that can be easily repositioned between extended (seating) and retracted (storage) states. This dynamic capability allows the seat to be quickly stored against the wall or in a compact position, removing it from the bathing area to prevent clutter and tripping hazards.
3Ease of operation
If a wall-mounted shower seat is used, then storage space is saved, but the seat cannot be easily adjusted or stored
Solution Approach 1:
The support rods are designed as movable components that can extend and retract, enabling the seat to transition between different positions. When extended, the seat provides stable seating; when retracted, the seat can be folded against the wall or into a compact configuration, combining wall-mounted space efficiency with adjustment capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting system is separated from the seat, allowing the seat portion to be independently adjusted and positioned. This segmentation enables the seat to be moved along the wall or adjusted to different angles while maintaining secure wall attachment, providing both storage convenience and adaptability.
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 stable seating while showering, reduces the risk of falls, and offers convenient storage by maintaining the seat in a vertical position when not in use, with springs facilitating easy transition and automatic return to the vertical position after use.
Implementation Method 1
a first spring operationally associated with the first mounting bracket and the first support rod, a second spring operationally associated with the second mounting bracket and the second support rod
Data Source
AI summary
A shower seat assembly comprising a first mounting bracket with a front side and a back side, a second mounting bracket with a front side and a back side, a first support rod hingedly connected to the first mounting bracket, a first tube stop secured to the first mounting bracket, a second support rod hingedly connected to the second mounting bracket, a second tube stop secured to the second mounting bracket, a first spring operationally associated with the first mounting bracket and the first support rod, a second spring operationally associated with the second mounting bracket and the second support rod, and a seat with an upper surface and a lower surface secured by its lower surface to the first support rod and the second support rod; wherein the back side of the first mounting bracket and second mounting bracket are each engaged to a vertical or near vertical surface.