Therapy Bath Plumbing Encapsulation With Rigid Polyurethane Foam
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing composite bathing vessels face challenges in minimizing damage to plumbing during packaging, transportation, and installation due to external piping exposure, leading to potential leaks and residual water entrapment, as encapsulating plumbing within the composite structure has been impractical due to material constraints.
Innovation Solution
A wall structure for composite tubs featuring a polyurethane layer backing and an encapsulation layer that minimizes plumbing damage, with optional cap and channel configurations using rigid polyurethane foam or elastomer to securely integrate plumbing within the tub's structure, preventing leaks and damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If plumbing is exposed externally in traditional composite tubs, then installation and maintenance are easier, but plumbing is susceptible to damage during packaging, transportation, and installation
Solution Approach 1:
The plumbing is nested within the composite wall structure of the tub. The wall structure includes multiple layers: an inner layer, a middle layer containing the plumbing, and an outer layer. This nesting protects the plumbing from external damage while keeping it integrated within the tub structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The plumbing is positioned and secured within the wall structure before the final encapsulation layer is applied. Holes are pre-drilled in the inner layer at appropriate locations, and the plumbing is installed and secured before the outer layer encapsulates it, ensuring proper positioning and protection.
2Reliability
If plumbing is encapsulated within the composite structure, then plumbing damage is minimized, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The wall structure is segmented into multiple distinct layers: an inner layer, a middle layer for plumbing, and an outer layer. This segmentation allows each layer to serve a specific function and simplifies the manufacturing process by enabling sequential assembly of components.
Solution Approach 2:
The inner and outer layers act as intermediary structures that protect and secure the plumbing. These layers facilitate the integration of plumbing into the composite structure by providing mounting surfaces and protective encapsulation without requiring complex monolithic manufacturing.
3Reliability
If plumbing is enclosed within the tub structure, then leaks and residual water entrapment are prevented, but access for repair becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The plumbing is extracted from the traditional external positioning and relocated to an intermediate layer within the wall structure. This extraction allows the plumbing to be enclosed for leak prevention while maintaining access points through the inner and outer layers for repair purposes.
Data Source
AI summary
A wall structure for a composite tub includes a surface side for facing an interior of the tub, a polyurethane layer backing and attaching to the surface side, plumbing backing the polyurethane layer, and an encapsulation layer encapsulating the plumbing and backing and attaching to the polyurethane layer so that damage to the plumbing is minimized.